Other world stories in brief
Cheney treated for heart problem
MICHIGAN - US president George Bush said yesterday he was confident vice-president Dick Cheney would be fine despite the recurrence of an abnormal heartbeat.
"The vice-president's going to be fine, I talked to him this morning," Mr Bush told reporters after a meeting with business leaders.
He said he had seen Mr Cheney earlier in Washington and the vice-president told him he would be undergoing the same procedure he had a while ago.
"He was confident, the doctors are confident, therefore I'm confident," Mr Bush said.
Mr Cheney had a similar cardiac problem almost a year ago and was treated with an electric shock. - (Reuters)
Zimbabwe parties 'close to deal'
HARARE - Zimbabwe's parties are close to a deal on forming a cabinet and "history is being made" in negotiations between President Robert Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition MDC said yesterday.
Asked by reporters when talks aimed at rescuing a powersharing deal would be sealed, MDC chief negotiator Tendai Biti said: "If you pray hard - tomorrow. History is being made and mountains are being moved." Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai are holding talks in Harare mediated by former South African president Thabo Mbeki after the pact he brokered last month faltered over a dispute about cabinet posts. Analysts say the deal is Zimbabwe's best hope for halting an economic meltdown.
Arthur Mutambara, leader of a splinter MDC faction who is also taking part in the talks, said the parties were "very close" to a deal. - (Reuters)
Haider 'drunk' when he crashed
VIENNA - Austrian far-right politician Jörg Haider was drunk when he died in a high- speed crash at the weekend, a party official said yesterday.
Mr Haider (58) was killed in the early hours of Saturday when the car he was driving at 142km/h (88mph) - about twice the speed limit - crashed in the southern province of Carinthia, where he served as governor.
"It is correct that . . . Jörg Haider was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. I can, and must, confirm that," said Stefan Petzner (27), the new leader of Haider's Alliance for Austria's Future party. Mr Petzner later confirmed media reports that the amount of alcohol in Haider's blood was almost four times the legal limit. - (Reuters)