A round-up of todays' world stories in brief
Palestinians ask EU to back independence
Palestinians have formally asked the European Union to urge the UN Security Council to recognise a fully independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in response to the impasse in peace negotiations with Israel.
Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, confirmed the request was made yesterday as Israeli ministers repeated warnings that any unilateral moves would trigger counter- measures that could include the annexation of more of the occupied West Bank.
Mr Erakat said Israel had for 18 years continued to “impose facts on the ground by stealing Palestinian lands and building settlements and barriers aiming to finish off the two-state project”. – (Reuters)
Suspicions over death of doctor
TEHRAN – A doctor who examined prisoners killed and injured during Iran’s post-election violence has died in mysterious circumstances, prompting speculation that he may have been murdered to prevent him speaking out.
After initial reports that Dr Ramin Pourandarjani (26) had killed himself, the Iranian authorities announced that he had died of a heart attack during his sleep at a health centre in Tehran’s police headquarters where he was based while on military service.
Dr Pourandarjani was facing a possible five-year jail term but opposition websites have suggested he was being framed as a scapegoat. – (Guardian service)
Tensions high over new museum
BERLIN – A German lobby group plans to nominate controversial conservative Erika Steinbach to head a new second World War museum, in a move likely to heighten tensions in chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet and alienate Poland.
The vice-president of the German League of Expellees told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper that the group would name Ms Steinbach, a member of Dr Merkel’s Christian Democrats, as its nominee to the board of the museum.
She has been a hated figure in Poland since she voted against recognising Germany’s current border with Poland in a symbolic parliamentary vote in 1990. – (Reuters)
Doctor blamed for Jackson’s death
LOS ANGELES – Pop star Janet Jackson holds Michael Jackson’s personal doctor responsible for her brother’s sudden death.
“I think he is responsible,” she told ABC News about Houston-based physician Dr Conrad Murray, who was hired to treat Jackson in the months before he died on June 25th of a drug overdose.
He is a target in the manslaughter inquiry over the singer’s death.
County coroner officials said the powerful anaesthetic propofol and sedative lorazepam were the main drugs responsible for Jackson’s death.
Police have referred the case to prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be filed. – (Reuters)
Celebrated bank robber surrenders
PARIS – A French security van driver who became an internet anti-hero earlier this month after driving off with €11.6 million in cash surrendered to police in Monaco yesterday, writes Ruadhán Mac Cormaic.
Toni Musulin disappeared with his van while on a routine delivery round in the eastern city of Lyons on November 5th, shortly after taking charge of sacks of cash from a local branch of the Banque de France.
The heist turned Musulin into an internet folk hero, and the suspect’s audacity in striking against the banks was celebrated on dozens of Facebook pages and websites. One site sold T-shirts, mugs and badges in tribute to the act.