A round-up of today's world news in brief
Dan Rather sues CBS news for $70m
US - Former news anchor Dan Rather sued CBS yesterday for $70 million, claiming the network violated his contract by not giving him enough air time and made him a scapegoat in a bid to "pacify the White House".
The 75-year-old Texan stepped down as anchor of the CBS Evening News after 24 years in March 2005 following a scandal over his reporting on US President George Bush's military record. He kept reporting for the weekly news programme 60 Minutes, but left CBS in June 2006 because he said they offered him no assignments. - (Reuters)
Khmer Rouge leader arrested
CAMBODIA - Cambodian police have arrested the most senior living member of the Khmer Rouge regime, who will now face a UN-backed genocide trial for his alleged role in almost two million deaths in the 1970s.
Nuon Chea, better known as Brother No 2, was seized from his house near the Thai border and charged with crimes against humanity. - (Guardian service)
No new plans to interview McCanns
PORTUGAL - The Portuguese prosecutor in charge of the case of missing British four-year-old Madeleine McCann said yesterday he had no plans to re-interview her parents who where recently named suspects.
"Since there were no new elements recovered after the interrogations that took place on September 7th, no new interrogations have been determined," public prosecutor Luis Bilro
Verao said. - (Reuters)
Five Kurds killed in Turkish clash
MIDDLE EAST- Five Kurdish guerrillas and one Turkish security official were killed in clashes in southeastern Turkey yesterday, army sources said. The sources said Turkish troops, backed by helicopter gunships, attacked a group of around 30 guerrillas in Sirnak province on the Iraqi border. - (Reuters)
Poland wants its emigrees back
POLAND - Poland launched a campaign yesterday to bring home millions of young people who have emigrated to western Europe in search of better paid jobs, threatening to undermine their homeland's economy. An estimated two million Poles have left since the post-communist state of 38 million joined the European Union in 2004. - (Reuters)
Cherie's book due out in October
BRITAIN - Cherie Blair has struck a deal to publish her autobiography, it was announced yesterday. The memoirs of the wife of the former prime minister will be released in October next year, publisher Little, Brown said. The book was described as a "warm, intimate and often very funny portrait of a family living in extraordinary circumstances". - (Reuters)
Far right halt Bologna mosque
ITALY - Italian authorities in Bologna have put off construction of a mosque pending consultation with local residents in a move hailed yesterday as a victory by the far-right Northern League party. Bologna's left-wing mayor said the 6,000sq m mosque complex in the San Donato neighbourhood would go ahead but that residents should have a chance to vet the plans. - (Reuters)
Fossett search to end shortly
US- Authorities will stop actively searching for missing US adventurer Steve Fossett, but will keep air crews on standby to fly to possible crash sites, a spokesman for Nevada's public safety department said yesterday. - (Reuters)