A round-up of this week's other stories in brief
Four die in Gaza Strip bomb blast
GAZA - A bomb exploded next to a car used by the armed wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip yesterday, killing two gunmen and two other Palestinians, including a girl, the ruling Islamist group and medical officials said.
The attack was the third of its kind yesterday, making it one of the biggest flare-ups in internal violence since Hamas routed Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction to seize control of Gaza a year ago.
- (Reuters)
US expands Mugabe sanctions
HARARE - The United States expanded sanctions against President Robert Mugabe's government yesterday, increasing pressure on the Zimbabwean leader as his party discusses a powersharing deal with the opposition. The US move followed a similar EU decision this week.
- (Reuters)
Yushchenko claim denied
KIEV - A former close ally of Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko yesterday denied the president's allegation that he was involved in his poisoning during 2004 presidential elections. On Thursday, Mr Yushchenko said David Zhvanya, also godfather to one of his children, had played a role in the incident.
"No, absolutely not," Mr Zhvanya told reporters when asked bluntly whether he had anything to do with the poisoning. - (Reuters)
EU aid for Croatia unblocked
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has unblocked €80 million in pre-accession aid for Croatia which had been frozen because of concerns over mismanagement in the candidate country, a spokeswoman said.
The decision was announced to coincide with the latest round of membership negotiations yesterday. - (Reuters)
Girl (16) charged on bank robbery
CRETEIL - A 16-year-old French girl suspected of holding up seven banks was formally charged with armed robbery yesterday.
The teenager was arrested on Wednesday as she was fleeing the scene of an armed robbery at an HSBC bank branch in Maisons-Alfort, southeast of Paris.
Investigators believe the girl played a crucial role in six previous bank robberies since the beginning of July, threatening staff with a gun to force them to open security doors to let in two or three masked accomplices.
- (Reuters)
Lesbian couple sue over twins
CANBERRA - An Australian lesbian couple have lost a controversial court battle after trying to sue their doctor for having healthy twins from an in vitro fertilisation procedure.
The couple had sought about A$400,000 in compensation from their obstetrician after they had healthy twin girls instead of one baby, telling the court the stress of the second baby had damaged their relationship.
- (Reuters)