Skyscraper horror in Milan

A small tourist plane has slammed into a 30 storey building in Italy's financial capital, setting ablaze the top floors. With fears mounting over the extent of the death toll, at least 3 people are already reported to have been killed. The aircraft crashed into the 25th floor of the Pirelli Building, one of Milan's main symbols, at around 5.45pm local time. It is believed the crash was an accident. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion from the office block which houses the administrative offices of the local Lombardy region and sits next to the city's central train station. Dozens of people have been injured. Witnesses saw victims running out of the building with blood on their faces. Transport officials say the pilot of the plane, which was believed to have taken off from the Swiss town of Locarno, had reported technical problems shortly before the crash. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the pilot as he was circling the city trying to land. Immediately after the crash, the president of Italy's upper house of parliament said the building was "very probably" the target of a terror attack, but soon afterwards his spokesman said it was probably an accident. This is also the view of Italy's Interior Ministry and appears to scotch initial fears that this is a repeat of the September 11 suicide strikes on U.S. cities. Since those attacks, Italy has been at the forefront of the U.S. led war on terrorism and in October, US officials said they believed Milan's Islamic Cultural Institute was al Qaeda's main European base.

Swiss raids in September 11 attack probe

Swiss police have raided firms and homes as they widened a probe into suspicions that local people or companies may have helped finance the September 11 attacks on America. Around 60 officers swooped on homes and several businesses in the southern canton of Ticino and the eastern province of the Grisons, seizing files and documents. The authorities said no one was questioned or arrested and prosecutors said the occupants of the three homes raided were not formal targets of the investigation. Switzerland has been a focus of the international hunt to find those who may have helped finance the people involved in the suicide attacks on cities in the United States.

Italian

Powell leaves without progress

Making his way home virtually empty-handed, Colin Powell has held talks in Egypt on the last stage of his Middle East mission. His plans were thwarted: he did not negotiate a ceasefire and he did not negotiate an Israeli withdrawal. The US Secretary of State was frustrated by both sides. The Israelis only offered a vague promise to pull their ...

Bin Laden praises losses of September 11th

There is still no claim of responsibility, but the latest video of Osama bin Laden makes a strong case for linking him to the September 11th attacks. His spokesman describes the hijackers in heroic terms - he says al-Qaeda was able to strike the "infidels", hitting those that "day and night publicly fight against Islam." Bei Laden's speech is ...

Afghanistan's ex-King heads home

Afghanistan's former king Mohammad Zahir Shah is heading home from Italy, where he has lived since being ousted in a bloodless coup in 1973. Interim government leader Hamid Kazi travelled to Rome to collect him. The ex-King's long expected return was postponed from last month following security threats. Interim peacekeepers have now declared Kabul ...

Inca mummies unearthed in Peru

Thousands of Inca mummies have been discovered in an ancient burial site under the slums of Peru's capital, Lima. The five hundred year old bodies still have their eyes, teeth and hair intact. They include all ages and classes, even the Inca elite who were buried with feather head-dresses. Guillermo Cock is director of the dig and an expert on the ...

Italian

Tuesday, 16 April, 2002, 19:12 GMT 20:12 UK

Millions strike in Italy

General strike grips Italy

Millions of Italians have downed tools to take part in a general strike that has brought the country to a virtual standstill. The biggest industrial action Italy has experienced in two decades saw people of all ages and job descriptions taking to the streets from Brindisi in the south to Turin in the north. The message was the same everywhere. An emphatic "no" to government plans to modify a section of the country's labour code, called Article 18. Changes proposed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi would make it easier for certain firms to hire and fire workers. And that is something that many believe could be the first step on a slippery slope which could see other workers' rights and guarantees gradually eroded. Much of Italy was paralyzed, with schools, banks and post offices shutting their doors and the country's public transport grinding to a halt, though some minimum services were retained. For many, Article 18 has become symbolic of a broader struggle against the centre-right Berlusconi adminstration. One demonstrator in Florence said: "We are striking against everything." While another described Article 18 as a symbol of the fight to defend workers' rights and predicted that the government would collapse over the issue. With the country brought to a virtual standstill, the pressure is now on for Silvio Berlusconi to reach a compromise with the unions. However, comments he has made in the last few days indicate that he is ready to stand firm and continue his fight to change the laws, a move he argues is vital in efforts to make Italy more competitive.

Canal Plus live drama

The engineered resignation of the head of France's loss making pay TV operator, Canal Plus, turned into a television drama as he interrupted scheduled broadcasts to castigate the man who forced him out. In a live transmission from a Canal Plus studio set, surrounded by employees and a surprised studio audience, Pierre Lescure, described Jean Marie Messier, president of parent company, Vivendi Universal - as a backstabber and liar. Then Bruno Gaccio, host of a satirical puppet show, launched a blistering attack on Messier, making it clear that bureaucratic, bottom line orientated executives like him, had no place running creative, artistic industries. "He might be in TV, cinema and music, but he can't make any of it", noted the presenter, adding that Messier couldn't even deal with finance either. Messier claimed that there were no problems between Vivendi Universal and Canal Plus, just a problem with the personal ambition of certain individuals on the management team and their attitude to creative freedom. Messier had given Lescure 24 months to turn around Canal Plus cash flow losses of 500 million euro, from last year. That was cut to one month and now Lescure's replacement has already been appointed.

Dutch government resignation is too late, say Srebrenica mothers

The Dutch parliament meets in the Hague today to form an interim government. It follows the resignation of the ruling coalition over its failure to prevent Europe's worst atrocity since World War Two. Prime Minister, Wim Kok, stepped down just days after an official report found his cabinet partly to blame for the Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian War. The government of Bosnia-Herzegovina welcomed the move. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Amer Kapetanovic described it as an act of morality, adding; "The readiness of the Dutch government and public to face the truth and to investigate the failures of Dutch troops and commanding staff to protect the Srebrenica UN protected zone is an impulse for clarification of the entire international role." But in Srebrenica itself, the resignation is seen as too little, too late. The head of the Association of Mothers of Srebrenica believes the government should have resigned years ago. Sabaheta Fejzic claimed that "the Dutch leadership and United Nations commanders collaborated in the 1995 slaughter." Dutch politicians were criticised for sending their troops on an impossible mission. One hundred and ten soldiers had been assigned to protect the Muslims in a UN safe area, but Bosnian-Serb forces overran the enclave and killed up to eight thousand men and boys.

Israel's psychologial war intensifies

As the standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity entered its fifteenth day on Wednesday the army fired flares, stun grenades and even fireworks close to the complex. With loud noises played out on speakers around Manger Square, the army hopes to frighten the estimated two hundred clerics, Palestinians and gunmen inside to the point of surrender. As part of Israel's continuing campaign to root out terror, troops are reported to have entered several villages close to East Jerusalem. Scores of suspected militants were taken into the streets for questioning. Up to ten Palestinian journalists were arrested in raids in Nablus and Ramallah. In Jenin, international medical workers are recovering bodies from under the rubble. Israel claims around seventy terrorists were killed there. Palestinians however put the figure closer to five hundred mostly civilians. They want an investigation into what they call a massacre, claiming many of the dead were shot in their own homes.

Trial begins in Germany of suspected al-Qaeda members

There was tight security in the German city of Frankfurt at the start of the trial of five Algerian men suspected of belonging to Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network. A dozen armed police are guarding the entrance while concrete blocks have been placed across the road outside the courthouse to thwart any potential attacks during the trial. Four of the men face charges of planning to bomb a Christmas market in France in 2000. The fifth man is charged with membership of a terrorist group. Prosecutors say all five allegedly trained in camps in Afghanistan from 1998. The start of the trial was halted almost immediately after one of the five men gestured wildly and shouted in Arabic that God would defend him. The judge ordered him to be excluded from further proceedings. It is hoped the trial will help to shed light on the terrorist network believed to be behind the September 11th attacks, of which three of the highjackers had studied for years in the German city of Hamburg. Police foiled the plot in December 2000 to bomb a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg. It was thought they may also have been targeting the city's synagogue.

The Silver Team makes its fourth spacewalk

American astronauts Jerry Ross and Lee Morin earned the nickname "the Siver Team" as they are both grandfathers. On Wednesday morning they made their fouth excursion into space. During a six-and-a-half-hour stay outside the International Space Station, they began construction on what will one day become the first orbiting railway. The track will hold a three metre long trolley moving at a maximum speed of just over two centimetres a second. The rail car will transport the ISS' robotic arm from one part of the station to another. The train should be operating by late summer leaving its station on the largest craft ever in space orbiting nearly four hundred kilometres above earth.

Tunisia blast linked to terrorists

A group said to be linked to the al-Qaeda terror network has reportedly claimed responsibility for an explosion outside a synagogue in Tunisia. Ten Germans, five Tunisians and a Frenchman died when a truck filled with cooking gas went up in flames. German police have now released a man they had suspected of having contact with an attacker in Tunisia shortly before the explosion. But they do believe the evidence points to a deliberate terrorist act. And now Tunisian authorities, who had initially argued the inferno was an accident, have changed their tune. They are describing the truck driver, a Frenchman among the dead, as a "suspect".

Italian

Italy at standstill amid strike

The one-day national strike called by the Italy's three most powerful unions is in full swing, and the country's transport system is paralysed. From Sicily to the Swiss border planes, trains and buses are cancelled. Post offices, banks and factories are all closed. It is Italy's first full day stoppage for 20 years. The reason: anger at Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's planned labour reforms. He wants to adjust a section of Italy's labour code called Article 18 which forces companies to reinstate anyone sacked without "just cause". Unions say Article 18 is the cornerstone of Italian workers' rights. The government argues the changes are vital to kick start the country's economy. Unions from both left and right are joining together for demonstrations in major cities across the country. Leaders are predicting "millions" will join their cause, a struggle seen as an attempt to reassert the power of organised labour in Italian political life.

Pro-Israeli demonstrations in Rome and Washington

Jews and pro-Israelis marched in silence through the centre of the Italian capital, Rome on Mondayto support what they see as Israel's fight for survival. They held banners reading "Israel must live." The demonstrators fully back Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's offensive and are outraged by what they believe to be pro-Palestinian bias in Italy's press. Several thousand protesters carried pebbles to the city's synagogue as a reminder of the six million Jews who died in World War Two and those who have been killed in recent suicide bombings. David Pacifici, President of the Jewish organisation against discrimination said "All this (killing) has to stop and we are sure that once the terrorism is finished, Israel will get along with the Palestinians in true peace. There is no reason to kill each other. We have to stop terrorism." There was a similar sentiment in Washington where up to forty thousand people showed their solidarity with Israel. Among those present were Republican and Democrat politicians and Israel's former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He told the crowd that Israel had been forced into a war against a "savage enemy" that glorifies death.

Powell speaks of "progress" in Middle East talks

The arrest of Marwan Barghouti, the man Israel considers to be the top militant in the West Bank, has been making front page headlines in the Jewish state. Now behind bars, Barghouti, regarded as a potential successor to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, faces trial for mass murder. Israeli authorities suspect him of being at the head of the hardline Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, which has claimed responsibility for several suicide bombings. Palestinians, though, claim he is simply a political leader and not a military hardliner. On the ground, Israeli forces made a brief incursion into the town of Tulkarm. The move came just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged to pull troops out from two other West Bank cities, within a week. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, on day six of his peace mission, says negotiations are making progress. He is meeting Ariel Sharon today and is due to see Yasser Arafat tomorrow. But today is Remembrance Day in Israel and tension is higher than ever as the country honours its war dead. The start of nationwide ceremonies was signalled by the sounding of a two-minute siren. And, amid fears that suicide bombers could strike, the police and Israeli army have put in place an unprecedented security operation.

Arrests as al-Qaeda claims Tunisia blast

German authorities have made one arrest in connection with the massive explosion at a Tunisian synagogue that killed 15 people, including ten Germans. Police in Duisburg are questioning a man who is believed to have had contact with an attacker based in Tunisia shortly before the blast. The circumstances of the incident are not clear, but terrifying amateur video images have captured the moment when a fuel-carrying truck went up in flames just outside the building, filling it with flames. Meanwhile an Arabic newspaper in Jerusalem reports that Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network has claimed responsibility for the explosion, describing it as a "suicide mission" carried out in revenge for Israeli operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Tunisian authorities maintain the explosion was an accident - the German government suspects otherwise.

British Marines go into combat in Afghanistan

Several hundred British Royal Marines have headed into the rugged, snow-covered mountains of Afghanistan, to seek out what is left of Taliban and al Qaeda forces. The troops have already been in action for several days but pictures filmed as they set off from Bagram Airbase have only just been released. And Britain's Ministry of Defence only confirmed today that the offensive had begun. This is the first combat operation the Marines have been involved in since the Falklands War, 20 years ago. And the risks are high. It is not known how many militants loyal to Osama bin Laden are still holed up in mountain caves in the east or the extent of their military capability. The offensive comes as last minute preparations continue for the return to Afghanistan of exiled former King Mohammad Zahir Shah. Afghan Interim leader Hamid Karzai left for Rome today to accompany the ex-king home from the Italian capital where he has lived since 1973. Anticipation is mounting in Kabul ahead of the 87-year-old former king's arrival, amid hopes that he can help unite rival ethnic groups under a single national banner.

Italian

Powell set for Arafat meeting

The Israeli presence in the West Bank is still strong

US Secretary of State Colin Powell is to meet Yasser Arafat on Sunday morning, after the Palestinian leader condemning terrorism.

Venezuela's interim leader steps down

There is confusion over who is in charge of Venezuela. Vice President Diosdado Cabello has temporarily taken over as President. He says he will hold power until ousted head of state Hugo Chavez returns. Chavez has been under arrest since Friday when the armed forces said he resigned at their request. Cabello said he expected Chavez to arrive ...

Updated: 09:26 a.m. EDT (1326 GMT) -- 12 April 2002

Powell: No withdrawal timetable

Speaking after a meeting in Jerusalem, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said today he's still looking for an agreement from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on a timetable for Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank. Meanwhile, there has been an explosion at a marketplace in Jerusalem.

FULL STORY »

Italian

Business chief becomes Venezuela's transitional leader

Pedro Carmona, the head of the country's main business association, has said he will lead a transition government following the resignation of President

Venezuela's coup preceded by bloody street demonstrations

Before the military takeover in Venezuela there were violent demonstrations in the streets of the capital.

Italian

Thursday, 11 April, 2002,

06:45 GMT 07:45 UK

Israel pushes on with offensive

Israel struck by suicide bomb

The bomber struck during the morning rush hour

Wednesday, 10 April, 2002,

Computer breakdown halts flights

The air traffic computer system "can be creaky"

The broadcast of the football World Cup is safe

Bloodbath feared in Jenin

Injured evacuated from Nablus

Powell seeks broad backing

Venezuelans strike against reform proposals

One step forward but another back from peace in the Middle East

One step forward but another back from peace in the Middle East

It is a start, but most people hostile to Israel's army offensive, believe there is still a long way to go. Nevertheless Israeli troops have now withdrawn from two West Bank cities. It follows increased U.S. pressure from president Gorge W. Bush. However shortly after their withdrawal from Qalqilya and Tulkarm, Israeli forces raided the West Bank village of Dura. The army said the objective of the mission was to round up wanted men, and carry out searches for weapons. Fighting also raged in the Palestinian ruled city of Jenin, where resistance to Israel's sweep for militants and weapons has been far stronger than elsewhere. Five Palestinians were killed, including a mother and her son. Two Israeli soldiers also died in the fighting.

Israel remembers Nazi victims

Israel remembers Nazi victims

Israel may claim to be currently at war, but today the country stood still to remember those who died in a previous one. Sirens wailed in memory of the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon laid a wreath at a memorial service at the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, marking those who perished in the Nazi final solution to eliminate Jews. Many Israelis feel they are again victims of anti-Jewish violence after a wave of Palestinian suicide attacks, which have killed scores of civilians since the start of a more than 18 month old uprising against Israeli occupation.

Israel under increasing international pressure

Israel under increasing international pressure

Israel's partial pullout from Palestinian areas follows a piling on of pressure from George W. Bush. Speaking during a visit to Tennessee, the U.S. President issued a stern new call for an Israeli withdrawal. "I meant what I said to the Prime Minister of Israel. I expect there to be a withdrawal without delay. And I also meant what I said to the Arab world. That in order for there to be peace, nations and leaders must stand up and condemn terrorism and terrorist activity," he said. The White House reacted to the limited pullout with a statement saying "It's a start." Meanwhile, the European Union has been hardening its position. European Commission President Romano Prodi raised the prospect of trade sanctions being imposed on the Jewish state, which currently enjoys preferred trade status with the EU. However, lack of consensus within the union would make such a move unlikely. Until late on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had shown no signs of responding, telling parliament the army would continue its offensive until it achieves it goals. He did say, though, that he would try to end the campaign as soon as possible. He also accused Yasser Arafat of establishing a "regime of terror" and held up documents which he claimed link the Palestinian leader to devastating suicide attacks. Interruptions from Arab Israeli legislators made the session a stormy one. The world now waits to see what Israel will do next.

Resentment turns to violence in Kosovo

Resentment turns to violence in Kosovo

There has been chaos on the streets of one Kosovan town where two rival communities are struggling to live together in peace. However it was those in the middle who found themselves in the firing line, with at least 16 United Nations police injured in clashes with hundreds of civilians. The riot involved Serbs in the flashpoint city of Mitrovica, with police saying they were targeted with guns, grenades and stones by protestors. They are angry at the setting up of a routine traffic checkpoint and the arrest of a hard-line Serb leader. The officers said they returned fire, with more than 10 Serbs reported hurt; one is apparently in a critical condition. This is the worst violence in months in Mitrovica where a bridge SEPARATES Serbs from the city's ethnic Albanian population. Since the end of the war in Kosovo in 1999 the UN has had the unenviable task of trying to keep order here.... after the latest unrest, calm is now said to have returned.

Ownership battle looms over Kirchmedia

Ownership battle looms over Kirchmedia

After German media mogul Leo Kirch finally declared his core TV business Kirchmedia insolvent, the question remains over who will take control. Ruper Murdoch's News Corp and Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset are both interested. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says he is not against foreign involvement. "I have always said I have nothing against someone like Murdoch getting involved in pay TV in Germany," he said. "He does that apparently very successfully in Britain, why shouldn't he do it here?" "But I don't know if he has any other interests and I won't comment on those any further." "However I have already pointed out in the past that it would be problematic if the head of state of a country with which we have close ties, like Mr Berlusconi, would be a media entrepreneur in Germany. I think this would not be unproblematic". The complex situation is likely to be solved step by step, with a clamour of firms keen to grab a slice of Kirch's companies.

Sharon insists operation will continue

Sharon insists operation will continue

Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon addressed the Israeli parliament, Knesset, on Monday describing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as the "leader of a gang of terrorists" who want to drive out Israelis. The Prime Minister insisted that Operation Defensive Shield would continue. He also said the campaign would end as quickly as possible, but not before it achieves its aims. That led to cries of criticism from Arab Israeli legislators who were in turn shouted down by other members of the assembly. To support his argument, Sharon showed a letter apparently signed by Arafat. The Prime Minister claims it proves the Palestinian leader fully supports terrorism. He called on the Palestinian people to uproot that terror. There was also a call to the international community to urge Palestinian gunmen in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to surrender.

Gunshots and fire at Church of the Nativity

Gunshots and fire at Church of the Nativity

Franciscans described shooting at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Monday as an "act of barbarity". Israeli troops apparently fired shots at the Church built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was born. The shelling sparked a blaze in a nearby monastery. The Israeli army says the Palestinian gunmen inside the Church began shooting first and started the fire by throwing grenades. Before Palestinian fire fighters could arrive at the scene they were searched by Israeli troops. When they did get through, one Palestinian died as he tried to put out the fire. Around two hundred Palestinian militants and over forty monks and nuns have been trapped inside the building since last Tuesday. They are surrounded by Israeli forces.

Mont Blanc opens to trucks

Mont Blanc opens to trucks

A truck entered the Mont Blanc Tunnel linking France and Italy on Monday, the first to do so since the two countries agreed to allow heavy vehicles through the pass. Just over three years ago a huge fire inside the pass killed 39 people. After intense rows between Paris and Rome, the route was reopened for heavy vehicles. An Italian tourist bus followed the red truck through. Last month cars were again allowed to use the road under Europe's highest mountain. The tunnel has been fitted with emergency exits, ventilators and extinguishers

erman media giant throws in the towel

German media giant throws in the towel

The German media giant Kirch has filed for insolvency. The move ends weeks of fruitless rescue efforts that saw minority KirchMedia shareholders such as Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and Mediaset, controlled by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, trying to gain a foothold in Europe's biggest media market. The company, built up over almost half a century by Leo Kirch, has now been placed in the hands of an administrator, which could trigger a takeover by German banks and publishers. Kirch ran out of cash after amassing debts of at least 6.5 billion euros through costly film rights deals and a misjudged foray into pay-TV.

Iraq suspends oil exports

Iraq suspends oil exports

Iraq has joined the condemnation of Israel's policies. The Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has said his country is suspending its oil exports for one month in protest at the invasion of Palestinian areas of the West Bank. However he said the ban would be lifted if Israeli forces pull out. Iraq currently exports about two million barrels per day from Gulf and Turkish ports, which is about four percent of the international oil trade. The oil producing group OPEC has ruled out using oil production as a weapon, while Iraq's neighbour Kuwait, has said it will not cut back production.

Violence erupts at Paris peace rally

Violence erupts at Paris peace rally

Tens of thousands of people in Paris took part in a rally against violence in the Middle East and anti-semitism at home. It drew together peace groups and Israeli support organisations. The participants may have had differing views on events in the West Bank, but they were united in their condemnation of recent anti-semitic incidents in France. "Now they attack the synagogues, endangering people's lives", one man said. "It's an attack on the foundations of the French Republic. Today they attack the synagogues, tomorrow it will be the churches and the mosques. It will be the end for France". The rally also attracted a small number of pro-Isreali extremists, however. They shouted "death to Arafat" and other anti-Palestinian slogans. Scuffles broke out with police, and a number of people were hurt. Among those injured was a senior police officer. He was stabbed in the stomach after going to the aid of a Spanish cameraman who had been attacked by the hardliners.

Hungary's Socialists ahead in first round poll

Hungary's Socialists ahead in first round poll

Hungary's Socialist opposition has won a tight first round of national elections. Led by ex-communist finance minister Peter Medgyessy, the Socialists are on target to form a new center-left government after a second round due on April 21. With over 95 percent of all votes counted, the Socialists had polled 41.2 per cent, against 40.3 per cent for the conservative Fidesz alliance of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban, who is seeking to become Hungary's first premier since the fall of communism to be re-elected, has urged his party faithful to fight on. Many thought Orban would depend on the support of the extreme-right Justice and Life Party to give him a second term. In the event, the party led by Istvan Csurka polled below the five per cent minimum needed to enter parliament. The vote is being seen as a test of the current Prime Minister's increasingly nationalistic tone. Viktor Orban has called for the "reunification of the nation across the borders"; Hungary had to cede two thirds of its territory to neighboring states after it was on the losing side in the First World War. On other policy areas the socialists and conservatives largely agree, promising lower taxes, higher wages, and reforms to the healthcare and pension systems. Both major parties say ensuring Hungary's smooth accession to the European Union in 2004 will be a priority.

Light show baffles Austria and southern Germany

Light show baffles Austria and southern Germany

Strange lights have been spotted in the sky over Austria's Tyrol region, as well as southern Germany. Thousands of people jammed police lines seeking an explanation for the phenomenon. At first it seemed like the unsettling natural light show had something to do with the weather. But there were plenty of other explanations. "It was like lightning," said one woman, "but then we realized you don't normally get storms at this time of year. Then we thought it could be fireworks because there was a strange noise like an explosion. It really wasn't clear what was happening. I was already in bed and had my youngest daughter with me, and we decided not to worry about it." In Bavaria, experts at the region's space surveillance center seemed to be baffled too: "It was like a rocket," a spokesman said. "It was very unusual, it was moving horizontally, no actually vertically." Even pilots flying into Munich airport radioed the control tower reporting unusual lights. Finally, after a farmer's wife handed in what she said was a glowing rock that fell into her garden, the authorities think the lights were a meteorite shower.

Rockets fired at Kabul peace-keepers

Rockets fired at Kabul peace-keepers

The headquarters of international peacekeepers in the Afghan capital, Kabul came under attack on Sunday. At least two rockets were fired at the International Security Assistance Force. There were no injuries. The rockets came down 200 meters from the building. The bombing came just hours after the French Defense Minister Alain Richards arrived in the city to discuss preparations for the Loya Jirga.ISAF is investigating the incident and has sent troops around ten kilometers south west of Kabul where it's thought the rockets may have been launched.

Bearing all in Buenos Aires

Bearing all in Buenos Aires

Over 450 people posed nude for a photographer in the Argentine capital, Beunos Aires on Sunday. Spencer Tunick, who remained fully dressed for the event, has taken similar snaps in cities all over the world. Around four and a half thousand participants have stripped off for his works in Venice, Rome, and Melbourne and even in the Antarctic. In the words of the photographer, the project allows people to express themselves not through words but through action and art. Those involved seem to have loved every minute of it cheering and clapping when the shoot was finished.

April 7, 2002

Posted: 9:02 PM EST (0202 GMT

Sharon did not specify when an Israeli pullout might begin.

Sharon says Israel to 'expedite' end of offensive

CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in a statement Saturday that his military would expedite an end to its offensive in the West Bank after repeated U.S. and international demands for a withdrawal.

President Bush called Sharon on Saturday, a few hours after Bush urged Israel to withdraw its troops "without delay." In a statement released late Saturday as heavy fighting continued in the West Bank, Sharon said Israel was conscious of the U.S. desire to have Israel end its offensive as quickly as possible.

FULL STORY »

Israeli incursions continue despite Bush demand

Israeli incursions continue despite Bush demand

Despite a call from US President George Bush for Israel to pull out of Palestinian occupied territories "without delay" operations continued throughout Sunday morning. Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon told Bush that Operation Defensive Wall would be sped up. So far this at least 50 Palestinians have been killed, nine of them in the northern town of Nablus. According to Palestinian hospital sources the dead included an eight year old child. In Ramallah on Saturday Palestinian Authority President, Yasser Arafat was still under siege. In the evening, Israeli tanks opened fire with machine guns and shells, some of which, according to reports, hit Arafat's headquarters. By far the bulk of Palestinian deaths have been in the town of Jenin where some thirty people are reported to have been killed. Fierce fighting raged as soldiers and gunmen battled with one another alley by alley in a crowded refugee camp. The Palestinian Authority has called for international intervention to stop "Israeli massacres" in Jenin - a key stronghold for Palestinian militants. The Israeli army has dismissed the accusation as "nonsense" and said it was doing its utmost to avoid civilian casualties. George Bush is dispatching Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Middle East next week in a bid to restart ceasefire efforts.

Israelis make a stand against Sharon's policies

Israelis make a stand against Sharon's policies

Under pressure both at home and abroad, thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest against the policies of their prime minister Ariel Sharon. The slow procession began in the city's Rabin square and moved towards the Israeli ministry of defence. Banners read "Get out of the Palestinian towns and cities, and get back to peace negotiations". However with Sharon seemingly paying little attention to world opinion, he is even less likely to take heed of the Israeli protesters, especially since they are in the minority. A recent poll gave Sharon 72 percent support at home, for his military offensive in the Palestinian territories.

Hungary votes in parliamentary elections

Hungarians are going to the polls today in the first of a two round parliamentary election with analysts predicting a result too close to call. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's hoping to pick up some of the fifteen percent of the electorate still said to be undecided. The 38 year old is seeking to become Hungary's first post communist leader to win re-election. While Orban is pushing for entry into the European Union, one man who wants the country to stand back from it, is Istvan Csurka, leader of the far right Justice and Life Party. He says he is best suited for government as he has always been in opposition and is therefore untainted by corruption. With the Freedom and Life party running third in the polls, it could mean Csurka becomes the kingmaker. The Socialist candidate Peter Medgyessy is running neck and neck with the prime minisiter, with neither likely to gain enough support for an outright majority. Medgyessy is promising social justice, and an improved lot for the poor. The top three candidates go through to the second round, if they each secure over 15 percent of the vote. That decisive round will be held on April 21st.

Pipers pipe in New York

Pipers pipe in New York

Take Sean Connery in a kilt, with a little help from New York mayor Michael Bloomberg in a hat, put them together with 10,000 pipers and drummers, and what have you got.... one of the largest tartan armies every seen. It was a world record in fact. The biggest Tunes of Glory parade ever held, and it all took place amid a carnaval atmosphere in the Big Apple. More than 1200 Scots were accompanied by pipers from 26 other countries including New Zealand, Trinidad & Tabago, and Malaysia. The spectacle coincides with National Tartan day- a U.S. celebration of Scotland's ancestral ties with America.

Israel given new pullout warning

Israel has sealed off West Bank towns

US Secretary of State Colin Powell says Israel should withdraw from Palestinian areas "without delay", but new incursions are reported.

Complete Story

Mideast violence ahead of Powell visit

Thousand pay respects to Queen Mother

Thousand pay respects to Queen Mother

A near silent line of mourners have been waiting to pay their respects to Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, as her coffin lies in state. Those joining the queue, snaking around Westminster, will have to wait for up to six hours before they get their chance to say a final farewell to the royal known as the 'nation's favorite grandmother'. Many said it was important to be there, "It was very emotional. I had a lump in my throat and just wished her God's speed", said one mourner. "We came I think because it is the passing of history, the end of an era and a fitting tribute to a great lady," added another. Some Britons chose to write tributes in books of condolence after the death of the Queen Mother, who died one week ago at the age of a hundred and one. Others gave flowers, which have piled high near the Royal Palaces. Inside the 11th century Westminster Hall 4,000 mourners pass by every hour. The public grief has surprised officials, and the building is likely to stay open all night to allow those waiting to file through. The Queen Mother's funeral takes place on Tuesday.

Blair and Bush in Texas talks

Blair and Bush in Texas talks

There was a friendly greeting for British Prime Minister Tony Blair as he touched down in Texas on Friday. His somber suit was in sharp contrast to the Western-style clothing of US President Bush, but the welcome was a sure sign of a special relationship between the two leaders. Britain's period of mourning for the Queen Mother means the Blair's' visit is likely to be a low-key affair. Their three days of talks at the president's ranch will be dominated by the Middle East conflict. Top of the agenda is establishing a ceasefire and a return to Israeli Palestinian negotiations. Bush has called for an Israeli withdrawal and criticized Yasser Arafat for failing to rein in Palestinian militants. Blair has stressed the need for Europe to play its part in resolving the crisis.

A decade since the start of the Bosnian war

A decade since the start of the Bosnian war

Ten years on but the pain is still strong. On the 6th April 1992, Bosnia descended into war, the worst seen in Europe since World War Two. A decision by the European Union to officially recognize Bosnia's independence was the spark that ignited what was to become an inferno. The physical scars may be slowly healing, but the emotional damage remains. The 43 month long war left its legacy. Some 200,000 were killed and more than two million were made homeless. One Bosnian man said, "It has been ten years, we are at the same place as we were before at the beginning. The only change is that there is no shooting. The fighting's moved from the battlefield into the political arena". More than six years on since the fighting finally came to an end, and the country remains in tatters. Billions have poured in from the West to aid reconstruction, but it will take more than money to heal the ethnic divides which remain.

Human cloning closer to reality

Human cloning closer to reality

Controversial Italian scientist Doctor Severino Antinori may be getting closer to his dream of cloning a human being. It is reported he told a conference in Dubai that one of his female patients is already eight weeks pregnant. He refused to reveal any details about the identity of the woman. Antinori is believed to have around 5,000 infertile couples on his treatment programme. While many believe his cloning project is morally and ethically wrong, Antinori argues therapeutic cloning has an important role to play in curing disease. He is banned from carrying out his research in Italy and the US.

Strike epidemic:

Strike epidemic:

Paris bends to union pressure France's Finance Minister has announced he will meet customs officers unions after they threatened to bring ports and airports to a standstill. They are demanding improved benefits in line with those received by the police and gendarmes. There were strikes across France this morning including major hold-ups on the Eurostar Line to Britain. Riot police had to forcibly remove protestors who had chained themselves to the tracks at the entrance of the Channel Tunnel near Calais. There were other strikes elsewhere in France: Ferries were held up in Saint Malo in Britanny, and in the south the motorway into Spain was temporarily blocked. Now, only two weeks ahead of the presidential elections, it seems the government is heeding the unions' calls.

Warner Bros wows the crowds in Madrid

Warner Bros wows the crowds in Madrid

The Spanish capital Madrid is staging the grand opening of a massive new amusement park. Bo Derek and Christopher Lambert will be among the celebrities toasting the Warner Brothers Movie World Madrid as it opens on Friday night. It is the biggest movie theme park in Europe, and expects 2.6 million visitors every year, each one forking out 32 euro to join the fun. They will get the chance to mingle with a few famous faces, including Batman, Tweetie Pie and Fred Flintstone. They will also enjoy Europe's longest roller coaster, based on a Wild West theme. It took five years to create the park, which takes inspiration from the media company's cartoon and movie making. But among the dozens of attractions is free fall tower The Riddler's Revenge, guaranteed to provoke the most screams with its terrifying acceleration from terra firm to hundreds of feet in the air.

Israel's West Bank offensive continues despite pressure for withdraw

Zinni to meet Arafat Israel says U.S. Middle East envoy

US to send Collin Powell to Middle East

A record sixteen candidates contest French presidential elections

A record sixteen candidates contest French presidential elections

Campaigning in the French presidential election begins officially today after authorities unveiled a record-breaking final list of sixteen candidates. President Jacques Chirac and his main rival, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin remain the two frontrunners. They have been on the campaign trail for several weeks now but neither has managed to draw up a commanding lead. Only 40 to 45 percent of voters say they will cast their ballots for either man in the first round of voting on April the 21st. Jospin enjoys a slight advantage in the polls for the second round on May the fifth. But analysts say the race is still wide open. Among the higher profile candidates of the chasing pack is Jean Pierre Chevenement. The former member of Jospin's government is standing as a left-wing nationalist. Only four of the sixteen politicians standing are women. Arlette Laguiller is one of three Trotskyites in the fray. She is campaigning on a platform of workers rights. The far right is also well represented. Jean Marie le Pen of France's National Front is the best known of the anti-immigration campaigners. Polls give him around 11 percent in the first round. The field could have been even bigger. Charles Pasqua, a right wing former ally of Chirac, was one of several would-be contenders who failed to muster enough support to satisfy electoral officials.

Train tragedy in Portugal: at least 5 dead

Attacks multiply on Jewish sites in France

Belfast riot blamed on loyalist paramilitaries

Bond filming moves to Spain

Eu sends envoys to uncertain welcome in Israel

In an urgent bid to do something to try and bring peace to the Middle East, the European Union has agreed to send a diplomatic mission to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Thursday. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique said, "we have decided to send a delegation to the region as soon as possible, to talk to both sides in the conflict, to let them know our position which is that they must agree to the United Nations demands, which is an immediate ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities, and a return to peace negotiations". The decision to send the high-level delegation, announced at a press conference in Luxembourg, comes after a rare emergency meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana and Josep Pique, are expected to be Europe's envoys. However it is not yet clear whether they will be allowed to meet besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Some countries had wanted more. Italy and France had been pushing for troops to be sent to the region. The agreed outcome did not impress Italian prime minister and acting foreign minister Silvio Berlusconi. He said, "I think there is a general feeling, that the European Union is inefficient". A feeling which was no doubt shared with protesters outside the meeting in Luxembourg. Around 150 Arabs and Europeans staged a noisy demonstration calling for the EU to do more to stop what they say is the massacre of innocent Palestinians.

Bethlehem priest calls for help to avert massacre

Call for Palestinian resistance

sraeli confrontation with Hizbollah

Mideast crisis rages

Israel deepens military campaign in West Bank, rolling tanks Wednesday into town of Jenin and village of Salfit • Israeli leader Sharon says Palestinian chief Arafat can take "one-way ticket" to exile; Palestinians reject idea • More than 100 Palestinians inside Church of the Nativity, monument to birthplace of Jesus; IDF says some Palestinian militiamen firing from church grounds • IDF: Documents found in compound link terror group to Palestinian Authority • U.S. urges Israel to finish sweep for terrorists, move into cease-fire • European Union calls on Israel to end incursions, end confinement of Arafat

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Catholic Church shelters Palestinian activists in Bethlehem

Church leaders barred from Bethlehem

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is staying put

Northern Irish police face brutality claim

Deadline closes for nominations in race for French presidency

Sombre celebrations in Argentina on Falkands anniversary

Sombre celebrations in Argentina on Falkands anniversary

There was a sombre mood in Argentina for the 20th anniversary of the country's ill-fated invasion of the Falkland Islands. The country's deep economic crisis hasn't left the politicians too eager to meet the crowds. President Eduardo Duhalde celebrated the event in the southern town of Ushuaia, the town Argentineans believe should be the administrative capital of what they call the Malvinas islands. 'We will get the Malvianas back' Duhalde told some 3000 war veterans. 'Not with wars but with work faith patience and perseverance.' The military regime dominated by General Galtieri led the 1982 invasion of the British colony which Argentina had long laid claim to. If the British want the islands back they'll have to come and get them, Galtieri bragged. Come and get them the British did, and the Argentinean army of conscripts was no match for the much better armed British task force. Some 1000 people lost their lives in the combat before the Argentina surrendered on June the 14th. If there was a positive outcome for the Argentinean people it was in the downfall of a military regime that had been responsible for fierce internal repression. That thought though, does little to temper the bitterness and grief of those who lost loved ones in the conflict.

Japanese Princess tells of delight at royal baby

Israel pounds Ramallah security compound

Priest killed and nuns shot in Bethlehem

Sharon says Arafat can leave but will be "one-way ticket."

Islamic anger over Middle East crisis

UN urges diplomacy in Middle East

Yugoslavia's Crisis over War Crimes

"The State of Israel is at War " the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

Arafat remains beseiged in Ramallah headquarters

Ramallah sealed off from the world.

Arabs protest against Israel

While Israel invades Palestinian territory, the repercussions touch Europe

Belgrade fails to meet U.S. war crimes deadline

Dutch legalize euthanasia

At least five dead in Tenerife floods

Pope appeals for Peace in the Middle East

Gun salutes for Queen Mother