A round-up of today's other world news in brief
UK anti-terror police release Gaza aid vans
LANCASHIRE – Three vehicles seized en route to join a Gaza aid convoy have been released by counter- terrorism officers, UK police confirmed last night.
The two vans and an ambulance were travelling to London to join the convoy when nine men were arrested in Lancashire as part of an intelligence-led investigation.
Three of the men were still being held last night. – (PA)
Filesharing trial begins in Sweden
STOCKHOLM – Four men behind the Pirate Bay file- sharing website went on trial yesterday accused of helping millions of users worldwide break copyright law. The trial could determine at what point copyright infringement becomes illegal. – (AP)
Medvedev fires senior officials
MOSCOW – Russian president Dmitry Medvedev removed four regional governors and demoted a minister yesterday in one of the biggest purges in years, a sign of Kremlin concern that the global slowdown is fuelling social unrest. – (Reuters)
Israel to honour German officer
JERUSALEM – Israel’s Holocaust memorial said yesterday it was honouring a German officer whose rescue of a Polish Jewish musician is documented by Roman Polanski’s film, The Pianist.
The late Capt Wilm Hosenfeld is one of the few second World War German soldiers to win the title of “righteous among the nations”. Some 22,000 others have received the honour for helping Jews avoid death in the Holocaust. – (Reuters)
Blair wins $1m leadership prize
TEL AVIV – Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has won a $1 million (€783,000) international prize for “exceptional leadership”.
Mr Blair, now a Middle East mediator, will receive the award from the Dan David Foundation, based at Tel Aviv University. – (AP)