A round-up of today's other world news in brief ...
Darling refuses to rule out public sector pay freeze
LONDON – Chancellor Alistair Darling failed to rule out a pay freeze for public sector workers yesterday, sparking warnings of possible industrial action from union leaders.
Mr Darling said pay levels, to be announced within weeks, would have to reflect low inflation and be “fair” to private-sector workers facing a pay squeeze.
He was responding to a call from the head of a spending watchdog for £5 billion (€5.8 billion) to be shaved from the wage bill. – (PA)
Bulgarian centre right ahead in polls
SOFIA – Bulgaria’s opposition centre-right Gerb party was set to win most seats in yesterdays parliamentary election on promises to clean up corruption and repair an economy hit by recession, exit polls showed.
Led by former bodyguard and now Sofia mayor Boiko Borisov, Gerb was set to receive 115-117 seats in the 240-strong chamber compared with 39-42 seats for the ruling Socialists, exit polls by Sova Harris and Alpha Research showed. – (Reuters)
Chester Zoo evacuated
LONDON - Chester Zoo, Britains most popular wildlife attraction, was evacuated yesterday after 30 chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure.
The animals made their escape at lunchtime and found their way into a keeper area where their food is normally prepared.
"We had an army of chimps eating their way through the keepers kitchen and the decision was taken, quite rightly, to evacuate," a spokeswoman said.
"By around 4 pm we had managed to get all the chimps back in their enclosure, some of them with very full bellies."
No member of the public was injured.
– (Reuters)
Afghan demining experts kidnapped
GARDEZ, Afghanistan – Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped 16 Afghans working for a UN-sponsored demining agency in eastern Afghanistan, UN officials and police said yesterday.
In a separate incident, two Afghan employees working for a Dutch aid agency were abducted in a neighbouring province in the east on Saturday, the Afghan Health Ministry said.
The Afghan deminers work for the Mine Detection and Dog Centre, part of the overall UN mine clearing agency in Afghanistan. They were seized while travelling between Khost and Paktia provinces late on Saturday, Paktia’s police chief said. – (Reuters)
EU foreign policy chief to step down
MADRID – EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in a Spanish press interview yesterday he will step down in October when his 10-year mandate expires.
“I had a 10-year mandate which I have fulfilled. I do not mean to go any further,” the Spaniard told daily ABC. – (Reuters)