A round-up of today's other world news stories in brief ...
No progress as Suu Kyi has talks with UN
YANGON – Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari yesterday during his mission to try to coax her and the military junta towards talks on political reform.
Crushing any hopes of a breakthrough or compromise, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy said the party was sticking to a list of preconditions before it will sit down with the former Burma’s ruling generals.
Spokesman Nyan Win said the terms include the release of all political prisoners, including Ms Suu Kyi, a review of the new constitution and honouring the results of the 1990 election. – (Reuters)
Protester throws shoe at China PM
CAMBRIDGE, England – A protester threw a shoe at Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and called him a dictator as he delivered a speech on the global economy yesterday.
The shoe missed Mr Wen and landed about a metre away from him during an address at Cambridge University on the last day of his official visit to Britain.
The protest followed the hurling of shoes by an Iraqi journalist at US president George Bush on his farewell visit to Iraq in December.
The protester, who was held by security guards, blew a whistle and shouted: “How can the university prostitute itself with this dictator? How can you listen to the lies he is telling? Stand up and protest.” – (Reuters)
Shipwreck with gold cargo found
LONDON – A shipwreck thought to contain more than a billion dollars of gold has been discovered at the bottom of the English Channel, marine explorers confirmed yesterday.
HMS Victory, the legendary British warship that was the predecessor to Lord Nelson’s Victory, sank during a storm in 1744, taking more than 1,000 sailors to their deaths.
The ship’s location remained a mystery until Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered the wreck last May. – (PA)