Other world news in brief
French labour market to be open to Poles
WARSAW- France will fully open its labour market to Poles in July, French president Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday, four years after Poland joined the EU.
France, unlike Britain and Ireland, exercised its right to temporarily exclude workers from Poland and other central European countries when they became EU members in 2004.
"We will lift all curbs on Poles working in France as of July 1st," Mr Sarkozy told a joint news conference with Polish president Lech Kaczynski during a one-day visit to Warsaw.
Paris also plans to lift work restrictions on citizens of the other seven central European countries involved. - (Reuters)
Madonna allowed to adopt baby
LILONGWE- A Malawian court yesterday ruled that Madonna could adopt a baby boy she met in an orphanage.
"We are very happy with what the judge has ruled. It is a positive and beautiful judgment that will have an impact on Malawi's adoption laws," Madonna's Malawian lawyer said. - (Reuters)
Tower of Pisa stabilised
ROME- The leaning tower of Pisa has been successfully stabilised and is out of danger for at least 300 years, said an engineer who has been monitoring the iconic Italian tourist attraction.
"All of our expectations have been confirmed," Prof Michele Jamiolkowski, an engineer and geologist, said. - (Reuters)
Merkel pledges fund for forests
BONN- German chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday pledged €500 million by 2012 to help protect the world's forests, a move activists said could give impetus to UN talks on preserving the earth's biodiversity.
Dr Merkel made her comments to a UN conference as it entered its decisive phase. - (Reuters)
Mother put baby in freezer
GERMANY- A mother who believed her new-born baby girl had died has confessed to putting her in a freezer, but an autopsy showed the child was still alive at the time.
Police in the town of Horb, in southwest Germany, say the young woman came to them on Sunday and said she had put the baby in the freezer three or four weeks ago. - (AP)
UN seeks inquiry on Zimbabwe
GENEVA- The United Nations' human rights chief yesterday condemned the deadly political violence that has gripped Zimbabwe since its March 29th election and called for a full investigation.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said she was shocked and concerned about the brutal attacks against political activists - (Reuters)