A round-upp og today's other world news stories in brief ...
All rescued as helicopter ditches in sea
LONDON – Rescue services lifted 18 passengers and crew to safety last night after a civilian helicopter ditched in the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland.
“All 18 are safe,” a coastguard spokeswoman said. Fifteen were taken by lifeboat to an offshore oil platform and three were airlifted to safety.
The Super Puma helicopter went down about 120 miles (190km) off the port city of Aberdeen as it was approaching an offshore oil installation, a defence ministry spokeswoman said. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
– (Reuters)
MDC official to face trial
MUTARE, Zimbabwe – A Zimbabwe court threw out one charge yesterday against a senior Movement for Democratic Change party official accused of planning terrorism in a case testing the unity government with President Robert Mugabe.
Roy Bennett, named to be deputy agriculture minister in the new administration, was arrested on charges of illegally possessing firearms for purposes of trying to commit acts of insurgency, banditry and terrorism and that charge still stands. However, a charge of violating the Immigration Act has been dropped.
– (Reuters)
Duffy big winner at Brit awards
LONDON– Welsh singer Duffy was the big winner last night at the Brit music awards, taking three gongs: best album for Rockferry, best British female solo artist and best breakthrough act.
Coldplay, having been nominated for four awards, were snubbed by the British music industry, walking away empty handed. The event at London’s Earls Court was, however, a triumph for perennial indie underdogs Elbow, who after almost two decades of performing together, took the best group award.
Promisefrom Girls Aloud's won best British single; Paul Weller was named best British male artist; Iron Maiden took best British live act; Kanye West was named best international male solo artist, Katy Perry best international female solo artist. US band Kings of Leon scooped the international group category and also took best internat- ional album prize for Only by the Night.
– (Reuters/AP)
Dame Vera says No to BNP CD
LONDON – Dame Vera Lynn, one of the major entertainers during the second World War, has taken legal steps about the use of her songs on a CD helping to fund the British National Party (BNP). Her representatives said she was not consulted about the CD, which includes such hits as The White Cliffs Of Dover and All Alone In Vienna, being used to promote the right-wing party. – (PA)
Paper accused of Obama race slur
WASHINGTON – A New York Postcartoon of a pet chimpanzee – shot dead by police after he attacked his owner's friend – has sparked accusations of racism in the US. The caption read: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," prompting accusations that the Post was peddling a longstanding racist slur by portraying President Barack Obama, who signed the Bill into law on Tuesday, as an ape. – (Guardian service)