A round-up of other world news in brief
China mudslide death toll nears 60
BEIJING- The death toll from a mudslide in China's northern Shanxi province rose to 56 after a rescue operation was undertaken involving more than 1,500 people, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
Thirty-five people are being treated for wounds with five suffering serious injuries, Xinhua said. The rescue workers have searched about 70 per cent of the rubble, Xinhua reported.
The mudslide took place after torrential rain pounded a pond holding waste ore dregs from a mine in Xiangfen County. The rocks and mud then destroyed a three-story office building, a market and some homes in the valley. - (Bloomberg)
MPLA set to win Angola elections
LUANDA- Angola's ruling MPLA is heading for a landslide victory in the parliamentary election, a result which will give it the power to make sweeping changes to the oil-rich African nation's institutions.
Unita, the former rebel group and largest opposition party, has conceded defeat and dropped its bid to contest what it had described as a flawed poll. - (Reuters)
Top UK officer relieved of duties
LONDON- Britain's most senior Asian policeman, who has brought a discrimination case against the Metropolitan Police, has been temporarily relieved of his duties, Scotland Yard said. Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur will go on immediate leave following publicity surrounding his claim for racial discrimination. His role includes supervising the security for the London 2012 Olympic Games.- (Reuters)
Rescue plan for Polish shipyards
WARSAW- Poland's cabinet approved a rescue plan for its historic shipyards, but workers and opposition politicians said the proposal would trigger large job losses and harm support among Poles for the European Union.
The EU Commission has given prime minister Donald Tusk's government a September 12th deadline to present restructuring plans for the three shipyards, or else repay illegal state aid that would force them into bankruptcy. - (Reuters)
Rice to fast-track India nuclear pact
WASHINGTON- US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice plans to meet key US lawmakers to discuss how to speed passage of the US-India civil nuclear agreement.
Sources said Ms Rice had talked with Howard Berman, a California Democrat who chairs the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee. - (Reuters)
Moroccan blogger jailed
RABAT- A blogger who accused Morocco's monarchy of encouraging a culture of dependency where loyalty is rewarded with favours has been jailed for showing disrespect for King Mohammed, his family and rights groups said.
Mohamed Erraji (29) wrote in online newspaper Hespress that the north African kingdom had been destroyed by the practice of handing out charity or gifts such as taxi licences to a lucky few, which encouraged people to beg. - (Reuters)
Man with 86 wives reprieved
LAGOS- A Nigerian court has granted a temporary reprieve to an 84-year-old Muslim preacher with 86 wives after local leaders threatened to force him to leave the area unless he divorced all but four of them.
Mohammed Bello launched a legal challenge after local chiefs and Muslim leaders gave him until September 7th to comply with Islamic sharia law, which allows a man to have no more than four wives. - (Reuters)