A round-up of other stories from around the world
UN chief warns of Darfur crisis
KHARTOUM/GENEVA - An upsurge of violence in Darfur with rebels killing and abducting African Union forces may force the United Nations to partly suspend aid to the western Sudanese region, UN chief Kofi Annan warned yesterday.
A faction of the guerrilla Justice and Equality Movement kidnapped 38 AU personnel on Sunday, who were released yesterday, a day after the 53-nation pan-African organisation suffered its first casualties there. - (Reuters)
New Orleans police accused
WASHINGTON - Three police officers yesterday pleaded not guilty to charges of battery after they were filmed beating a 64-year-old man outside a bar in New Orleans.
Footage from Associated Press showed Robert Davis being punched in the face, his head striking a wall, before being bundled to the ground by four officers and subjected to blows and kicks. He was handcuffed and left lying in a pool of blood. - (Guardian Service)
Japan tests supersonic jet
SYDNEY/TOKYO - Japan conducted a successful test flight of a supersonic jet yesterday, taking a step closer to its goal of developing a successor to the Concorde.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said the prototype supersonic jet was launched on the back of a rocket in the south Australian desert and completed a 15-minute flight. - (Reuters)
EU warns Serbia over fugitives
BELGRADE - The European Union warned yesterday it would not hesitate to suspend entry talks with Serbia and Montenegro if there was a lack of co-operation on war crimes fugitives, as the country took its first step to membership with talks on a stabilisation and association agreement. - (Reuters)
Council vows to rebuild famed pier
LONDON - The world's longest pleasure pier will be rebuilt after the fourth blaze in its history reduced it to a shell, a local authority has promised. Southend's landmark structure, destroyed in a blaze last night, will take more than a year to complete. - (PA)