us soldiers and marines stepped up their haitian aid distribution operations
friday as the united nations began large scale handouts in central port au
prince for the first time
officers said they had abandoned the controversial practive of dropping food
from helicopters to uncontrolled areas which aid experts say creates chaos but
were using more fixed sites and working with un peacekeepers
we want to use every mechanism to get supplies to the population said us
colonel charles heatherly spokesman for us military joint task force haiti
there are four primary distribution points the goal is to have sub
distribution points to get supplies into the population he said declining to
give precise timeline but saying sooner is better
today there are identified sites and many are already operational but they
are not continuously open heatherly said
the port is open today for business he added according to another us
official containers have been offloaded at the port in the past two days
colonel bill buckner said that us aircraft air dropped rations plus
bottled water at site kilometers miles north of port au prince that
had previously been secured by nepalese un troops
we will continue to use that method colonel buckner said
us forces will soon outnumber the united nations peacekeeping effort and the
military has taken control of the airport and several key sites around the
capital while landing marines along the coast south and west of the city
but despite the large scale of the us operation officers denied charges from
latin american leaders that their intervention amounts to imperialism
we don want to overwhelm the area with military footprint colonel heatherly
said this is not an invasion we are here to provide aid
eu split over divorce law for mixed nationality couples
toledo spain jan afp
european union justice ministers were split friday over plan to use the bloc
concept of enhanced cooperation to develop eu rules governing divorce between
mixed nationality couples
the concept created by the eu treaty of amsterdam allows groups of
at least eight member states to ask the commission to apply eu level laws to
them if the bloc as whole has failed to approve the legislation
earlier this month incoming eu justice commissioner viviane reding said she
would present demand for enhanced cooperation in this area within three
months of taking office
ten nations have asked for it they are right and will do it she told the
european parliament on january
the want to develop law which settles the question of which law should be
applied when citizens of two different eu member states who are married want
divorce
but since reding made he announcement no new eu member states have added their
support to the plan
german justice minister sabine leutheusser schnarrenberger said she was open
to the project at meeting on friday of eu justice ministers in toeldo in
central spain but she needed to wait and see the proposition first
the european parliament will only back this project if strong majority backs
it and we will do the same she said
her belgian counterpart stefaan de clerck echoed her views
as matter of principle we are in favour of it but much will depend on the
content of this proposition he said
but spanish justice minister francisco caamano whose country holds the rotating
presidency of the eu said the enhanced cooperation concept should be used
sparingly
it is an exceptional instrument we must avoid considering it as an instrument
of division he said
french secretary of state for justice jean marie bockel said the goal though
was not to divide the bloc but to encourage other nations to join the effort to
create common law on the issue
it is not about creating europe within europe she said
the nations which back using the enhanced cooperation concept to draw up
law on mixed nationality divorces are austria bulgaria france greece
hungary italy luxembourg slovenia spain and romania
but britain finland and sweden are against it
some marriages between mixed nationality couples are celebrated each
year in the nation eu and while around divorces are announced
nigerian cabinet gets days to decide on ailing president
abuja jan afp
nigeria federal high court friday gave the cabinet day deadline to decide
if ailing president umaru yar adua was fit to stay in office
judge dan abutu directed the cabinet to resolve whether the president in
hospital in saudi arabia since november is incapable of discharging the
function of his office
the ruling followed former lawmaker farouk adamu aliyu petition to have vice
president goodluck jonathan sworn in to act for yar adua until the president is
able to return
the yar adua appointed cabinet has resisted opposition demands that it take
action over the president absence insisting that yar adua is in full
possession of his faculties
opposition parties have called for him to step down or failing that for the
cabinet to replace him on the grounds that his lengthy absence from the helm of
africa second biggest oil exporter demonstrates an incapacity to perform his
functions
he has been receiving treatment for an acute heart condition in jeddah
hospital
it is ruling that meets the yearnings of all right thinking and patriotic
nigerians lai mohamed spokesman of main opposition party action congress
told afp
mohammed said the court decision will definitely resolve the political
logjam but we are surprised that it took court ruling for the cabinet to do
the right thing
justice minister michael aondoakaa key yar adua ally told reporters the
government would respect the ruling the executive council of the federation
will within days as directed by the court consider and pass resolution on
the state of the president health
bamidele aturu lawyer for aliyu said the opposition had taken the case to
court so that we can save our country from anarchy chaos and from
constitutional crisis
opposition lawyer femi falana who has filed separate court challenge to
yar adua rule said compliance with the court ruling will take the country
out of shame the cabinet has no other choice than to comply
under the constitution the cabinet can discharge the president with two
thirds majority vote however medical team of five doctors appointed by
nigeria senate president will have the final say on the head of state
fitness
calls for yar adua northern muslim to step down or transfer power to
jonathan southern christian have mounted in recent weeks
on thursday former president olusegun obasanjo his long time political mentor
suggested yar adua step aside because of failing health
the ruling people democratic party pdp is deeply divided over who should
succeed yar adua if he resigns given the delicate balance of power in africa
most populous state almost equally divided between muslims and christians
under an unwritten agreement the presidency should rotate every eight years
between the country mainly muslim north and christian south
football essien out for six weeks
london jan afp
chelsea and ghana midfielder michael essien will be out of action for up to six
weeks after returning from the african nations cup with knee injury his club
announced on friday
the year old damaged cartilage while training in angola and although the
injury has not proved as serious as first feared he is unlikely to return
before early march
he had tear in the meniscus and he has to stay out for four to six weeks
chelsea manager carlo ancelotti revealed hope four
the lay off means essien will miss chelsea potentially pivotal premier league
meeting with arsenal and the first leg of the club champions league second
round tie against inter milan in italy
an ankle problem has meanwhile ruled ashley cole out of chelsea fa cup fourth
round tie at championship side preston on saturday
yury zhirkov will deputise while hilario will get rare start in goal with petr
cech rested for the meeting with opponents struggling in the bottom half of the
championship
ancelotti also confirmed that he planned to rest joe cole who is reportedly
contemplating move away from stamford bridge because of frustration over his
lack of first team chances
the england midfielder current contract at stamford bridge expires in the
summer and talks over new deal have yet to reach conclusion but ancelotti
said he was confident cole would stay
don have any news on his contract but he will stay at chelsea next year
the italian said percent clear
it the aim of the club to keep him in the squad because joe cole is an
important player very professional player he has lot of quality and is
young
ancelotti expects preston manager darren ferguson to have taken advice from his
father sir alex over how to play chelsea and he admitted that manchester
united third round exit at the hands of leeds should serve as reminder to
his side not to take victory for granted
don know darren ancelotti said it good reason to meet him tomorrow
think it possible he ll ask his father about us like father alex can
give him some advice or opinion about our play that normal
don know preston very well but sure they will try to do hard work on
the pitch and try to do the best
because the fa cup is the oldest competition in the world think that every
team also the small teams want to do their best in this competition
the fa cup is very important competition here there were strange results in
the last round and we don want to have strange result in this round it an
important aim for this season and we have to try to win
formula one alguersuari keeps drive at toro rosso
paris jan afp
spaniard jaime alguersuari was confirmed as formula one outfit toro rosso
second driver by the team on friday
the year old who last year became the youngest ever driver to compete in
formula one when he drove in the hungarian grand prix replaced frenchman
sebastien bourdais last july after the latter had failed to impress
if one takes into consideration that he made his debut in the middle of the
season without having even taken part in trials he performed very well
said the team director franz tost
alguersuari made his name in british formula becoming the youngest ever
champion aged in
european stocks slump london down percent
london jan afp
european stocks slumped on friday as financial markets recoiled from plans
outlined by president barack obama to overhaul the us banking sector with bank
shares particularly hard hit
london benchmark ftse index dropped percent to points while
the paris cac fell percent to points and the frankfurt dax
slipped percent to points
haiti rescuers switch focus to the living
port au prince jan afp
desperate haitian quake survivors braved new aftershocks friday to get the first
major food hand outs in the capital as rescuers switched from searching for
buried victims to helping the living
us forces also slowly reopened the main port to bring in huge aid shipments
with international assistance finally gathering pace days after the disaster
killed at least people and left homeless
televised benefit hosted by george clooney and featuring performances from
wyclef jean bruce springsteen madonna and others was meanwhile set to be
screened on us networks and streamed live on internet sites
the rescue teams are concentrating more and more on humanitarian aid for those
who need it said elisabeth byrs spokeswoman for the un office for the
coordination of humanitarian affairs adding that some teams were going home
it had been hours since anyone was found alive un relief spokesman vincenzo
pugliese said in port au prince the last two were pair of children pulled
from the rubble on wednesday
pugliese said the situation in the devastated capital was improving with
security largely calm supermarkets set to reopen next week and nearly third
of all gas stations open with no fuel shortages
line of hungry but calm residents snaked early friday around the destroyed
haitian presidential palace as brazilian un peacekeepers began handout of ten
tonnes of ration packs and litres of water afp reporters saw
elsewhere the un world food programme said it staged massive aid distributions
at football stadium and in the downtown delmas district designed to feed
people
two brief but relatively strong aftershocks rocked the city as the handouts took
place sending some residents running in panic but leaving others unmoved as
they try to rebuild semblance of normal life amid the rubble
not really used to it yet but starting to be less scared said
year old student naomi renouard ran like usually do think that it
god punishing us for our sins to show us better way
the un children fund unicef meanwhile said it believed children had gone
missing from hospitals raising fears of trafficking for adoption abroad
we have documented let say around cases of children disappearing from
hospitals and not with their own family at the time unicef adviser jean luc
legrand said in geneva
around orphans adopted by us families arrived in the united states late
thursday cnn reported although they were all cases that were already being
processed before the earthquake struck
the haiti government was pushing ahead with plans to move an estimated
people out of port au prince where they are living in filthy conditions to
temporary accommodation outside the city
authorities had hired buses to take quake victims to the south and north of the
caribbean nation to hastily set up villages designed to hold people each
signs of normality have begun to return to parts of port au prince with traders
reopening their shops and stalls in some areas but sporadic looting has
continued
tens of thousands of seriously injured haitians also remain in primitive
conditions in makeshift field hospitals their wounds suppurating in the
tropical heat
us army engineers and navy divers were set to start rebuilding the heavily
damaged pier of the country main port friday and relieve pressure on the
overburdened international airport
the sea port of port au prince is now partially operational but can only
receive humanitarian aid un spokesman pugliese said
in the united states two hour hope for haiti now telethon sponsored by mtv
networks late friday is to be shown on all of the major us television networks
and streamed on youtube myspace and other websites
more than stars are taking part organisers said with collaboration lined
up between bono and the edge of with jay and rihanna and hollywood figures
including brad pitt clint eastwood and julia roberts set to appear
african church suspends bishop helping zimbabwe migrants
johannesburg jan afp
the methodist church of southern africa said friday it had suspended bishop
who sheltered thousands of zimbabweans fleeing their troubled nation
he has been charged with transgressing the laws and discipline of the church
said church lawyer bongani khoza in statement hearing will be held on
february
bishop paul verryn of the central methodist church in downtown johannesburg had
in the past months clashed with city officials and the church leadership over
the living conditions of people housed in the church building
bishop verryn is not allowed to participate in activities of the methodist
church and not even allowed on the premises of the building pending the outcome
of the hearing khoza told afp
verryn former anti apartheid activist said through his representative he was
going to challenge his suspension and that he disputed the charges against him
the charges stemmed from the bishop court bid to appoint curator for the
unaccompanied minors at the church without permission of the church and for his
speaking to the media after being instructed not to the statement said
at this stage verryn contests the validity of his purported suspension he
also opposes the institution of disciplinary proceedings against him on the
charges
destitute migrants went to the church in the wake of anti foreigner attacks
across south africa in the government has closed the camps for victims of
the attacks those unable to find alternative shelter sleep on the church
floors and pews with limited access to bathrooms
local communities have accused the church of harbouring criminals and claims of
sexual abuse of minors by teachers and fellow migrants surfaced late last year
zimbabweans in particular turned to the church for shelter after fleeing the
economic meltdown in their country causing problems of overcrowding
the situation here is not ideal but have no choice can sleep on the
streets said james maphosa year old zimbabwean who has been living in
the church for six months
at least here we have roof over our head he told afp
the church which currently accommodates up to people has been raided
several times over the past three years by police in anti crime swoops which
verryn has described as military like
brazilian needle boy leaves hospital
brasilia jan afp
two year old brazilian boy who had sewing needles plunged into his body by
his stepfather during black magic rituals left hospital friday after month of
operations and recovery spokeswoman said
the boy who was identified only by his initials because of his young
age left the ana neri hospital in brazil northeastern city of salvador
walking on his own and without need of medication she said
his mother maria dos santos told local media she was relieved and had been
afraid he might die
the boy was admitted to the salvador hospital on december after doctors in
his home town of barreiras determined his life was in danger
he underwent three complicated operations to remove needles that were close to
his heart lungs and liver around five of the slivers remain in less perilous
parts of his body and are to be removed later in simpler outpatient surgery
the boy former stepfather year old bricklayer roberto carlos magalhaes
confessed to driving the needles into the boy one by one over month as part
of black magic ritual aimed at getting back at his ex wife the boy mother
he said he intended to kill the boy and has been imprisoned and charged with
attempted murder
the northeastern region where the boy lives is heavily populated by the
descendants of african slaves many of whom observe rites similar to voodoo
practiced in haiti and west africa
belgian opel closure like giving my bread to another man
antwerp belgium jan afp
it disaster was year old auto worker ronny dupon reaction on friday
after general motors announced the closure of its opel plant in antwerp voicing
the feelings of anger and despair sweeping the whole city
thursday closure announcement sent shockwaves through the factory
workers and their families with the insult compounded by the news that
production would be switched to south korea
that taking my bread and giving it to another man opel worker and trade
unionist erkan taspinar told afp outside the factory in northern belgium where
the gates will shut for good later this year in the biggest auto plant closure
in europe since the start of the economic crisis
it not only the opel workers who are upset at the decision to close the
factory gates years after they first opened
bob maesen year old maintenance worker was repairing cooling machine for
the plant kitchen
it affects us too gm is one client among others but big one he explained
maesen said thursday threw up all the emotions you could name the overall
emotion was we are fucked he said graphically in english
he was one of few workers to be found there on friday due to pre planned
production downtime
with just small huddle of trade unionists turning up the place took on
premature air of the phantom factory it will become before the year is out
can feel the tension growing warned joke dehaere young artist and
bookseller in antwerp city
the decision has shown that everybody is vulnerable even in flanders the
richer northern part of belgium she added
provincial governor cathy berx described the closure as tsunami for antwerp
carine cervetti who has worked at texaco gas station near the auto plant for
four years knows she ll be caught by the waves
many clients who deliver at opel come here for fuel and come in to have
sandwich cigarettes and everything she said people are angry some of them
are sad
eu commission chief jose manuel barroso was to meet friday with kris peeters
minister president of the devolved flanders government
barroso will use all the tools at his disposal to help his spokeswoman said in
brussels
an hour north in antwerp the concern was about the tools and machinery which
will be silenced
at its height in the the factory employed workers five times
today total
the final straw came with the announcement that new type of small sports
utility vehicle suv which was to have been built in antwerp would instead be
made in south korea
it not the first time flanders has been hard hit by such closure
in french automaker renault shut down major site at vilvoorde suburb
of brussels
after that the prevailing feeling was that the era of car construction in
belgium was reaching the end of the road
according to the fgtb trade union association jobs are at risk in all
sectors as result of the opel closure during period of already high
unemployment
israelis defy police to protest east jerusalem settlements
jerusalem jan afp
hundreds of people mostly left wing israeli activists demonstrated against
jewish settlements in east jerusalem on friday in defiance of police efforts to
crack down on the weekly protests
the gathering modelled on regular palestinian demonstrations in the occupied
west bank was to protest the takeover of several arab homes in the sheikh
jarrah neighbourhood by settler groups armed with court orders
there is nothing holy about an occupied city the demonstrators chanted in
hebrew as several people held signs comparing the israeli occupation to
apartheid south africa
scuffles broke out as police ordered the protesters to disperse saying
organisers had failed to get permit for the gathering police detained
people spokesman said
shortly thereafter fighting broke out as palestinian protesters and group of
ultra orthodox jews who had come to pray at nearby holy site began throwing
rocks at each other an afp photographer said
the photographer saw three palestinians being taken away in ambulances and
police said at least one jewish man was wounded
around ultra orthodox then marched over from another neighbourhood chanting
death to the arabs this is jewish home as police separated them from few
dozen remaining protesters
sheikh jarrah became the site of near weekly demonstrations after several
palestinian families were forced out of their homes in recent months by settlers
claiming jewish ownership of the land
last week police arrested demonstrators including the heads of two well
known israeli rights groups in move later condemned by human rights
organisations as an attempt to silence protest
the police argued that the demonstrators had not acquired permit for the
gathering and said there was no political motivation behind the crackdown
but all of the detainees were released the following day when an israeli court
dismissed the charges against them
israel occupied east jerusalem in the six day war and annexed it shortly
afterwards in move not recognised by the international community or the
palestinians who consider the eastern part of the holy city their capital
the status of east jerusalem which includes major jewish christian and muslim
holy sites has been one of the thorniest issues in the decades old middle east
conflict
meanwhile in the west bank town of nabi saleh hundreds of palestinians clashed
with israeli forces as they held third weekly demonstration against jewish
settlements and israel controversial separation barrier
israeli forces arrested several people including women as palestinians hurled
rocks and the army responded with tear gas and rubber bullets according to an
afp photographer
both demonstrations were modelled on the weekly protests held in recent years in
the west bank towns of bilin and nilin aimed at halting the construction of the
barrier which israel says is necessary for security but palestinians say carves
off parts of their promised state
according to un figures israel has so far completed kilometres miles
of the planned kilometre mile barrier when completed percent of
it will have been built inside the west bank
children missing from haiti hospitals unicef
geneva jan afp
children have gone missing from hospitals in haiti since the devastating
earthquake struck raising fears of trafficking for adoption abroad the un
children fund unicef said friday
we have documented let say around cases of children disappearing from
hospitals and not with their own family at the time said unicef adviser jean
luc legrand
unicef has been working in haiti for many years and we knew the problem with
the trade of children in haiti which existed already beforehand and
unfortunately many of these trade networks have links with the international
adoption market legrand explained
the agency underlined that it had warned countries during the past week not to
step up adoptions from haiti in the immediate wake of the quake
several are fast tracking adoption procedures already under way including
belgium canada france germany the netherlands spain and the united states
the spanish presidency of the european union will on monday urge the bloc to
forge common position on such adoptions from haiti madrid said friday
legrand said the situation was similar to the aftermath of the tsunami in asia
five years ago
trafficking networks sprang into action immediately after the disaster and were
taking advantage of the weakness of local authorities and relief coordination
to kidnap children and get them out of the country legrand told journalists
rupert colville spokesman for the office of the un high commissioner for
human rights said that child enslavement and trafficking in haiti was an
existing problem and could easily emerge as serious issue over the coming
weeks and months
the un mission in haiti has stepped up surveillance of roads unicef officials
said
legrand said there was separate but only anecdotal evidence of people taking
children by road to the neighbouring dominican republic and planes loading
children before they left the airport
we have seen over the last years many children being taken out of the country
without any legal procedure this is going on this is happening now and we are
starting to have the first evidence of that this is unquestionable he
claimed
he was unable to give details on the missing children or their condition or
clearly connect the anecdotal observations in haiti chaos with trafficking
the cases were documented by social workers and by partner non governmental
organisations working for unicef in hospitals
leading charities have urged an immediate moratorium on adoptions until extended
efforts are made to trace and reunite children with their relatives warning
that families could be broken up forever
legrand underlined that children found alone in haiti after the quake destroyed
homes needed protection and could not be regarded as orphans without proper
checks that took weeks or months
several aid agencies and haitian authorities have network in place to reunite
families and avoid predatory adults he added
don forget that haitian society has very strong set up and that there will
be lot of relatives willing to care for children from their own families
said legrand
in june un human rights expert gulnara shahinian raised the alarm about
thousands of children in haiti who were trapped in system known as
restavek sent by their impoverished parents to work as domestic servants
shaninian the un special rapporteur on slavery said it amounted to modern
form of slavery now taken over by recruiters who exploited children for
financial gain and subjected them to sexual abuse and violence
the issue should be put urgently on the highest priority agenda of the
government and the international community she added calling for it to be
stopped immediately
liberal air america radio going silent
washington jan afp
air america radio launched six years ago as liberal voice to counter
conservative talk radio is shutting down and filing for bankruptcy
this past year has seen perfect storm in the media industry generally air
america said in statement on thursday announcing its closure
national and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically causing many
media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection it said
our company cannot escape the laws of economics air america said so we
intend rapid orderly closure over the next few days
former air america radio hosts included comedian al franken now us senator
from minnesota the station could be heard on some radio outlets around the
united states
when air america radio launched in april it was the only full time
progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world air america said
air america and its talented team helped millions of americans remember the
importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions
of our generation it said
bosnian serb general to go on trial next month
the hague jan afp
former bosnian serb general zdravko tolimir is set to go on trial on genocide
charges next month the un yugoslav war crimes tribunal said friday after
delays caused by his poor health
this trial chamber hereby orders that the parties may make opening statements
on friday february the international criminal tribunal for the former
yugoslavia in the hague said
the prosecution should start presenting its evidence in the week of march it
added
tolimir is accused of committing genocide war crimes and crimes against
humanity between july and november related to the massacres of thousands
of bosnian muslims in the towns of srebrenica and zepa
following his arrest in bosnia in may the trial was to have started last
month but was postponed for tolimir who will represent his own defence in
court to study new charges added to the indictment
he was one of seven deputy commanders in the bosnian serb army during the
bosnian war and was responsible for intelligence and security
tolimir arrested in bosnia in may reported directly to overall military
chief ratko mladic who has been on the run from the icty since
