Turin automobile museum reopens
Turin’s automobile museum has reopened after four year’s refurbishment.
The enlarged building is now home to one of the rarest and most valuable car collections in the world, displaying some 200 vehicles from the earliest experimental days to now.
Gaddafi threat on interference
Government supporters have been out the streets of the Libyan capital in defiant mood, waving pictures in allegiance to Colonel Gaddafi.
Meanwhile his latest pronouncements have been made on state television through a spokesman, a clear warning against military intervention in Libya.
“The Security Council is not authorised according to the UN charter, to intervene in the internal affairs of any country. This is injustice. It’s a clear aggression and it’s uncalculated risk for its consequences in the Mediterranean and Europe. You will regret it if you take a step towards intervening in our internal affairs”
To read : Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy
‘Iranian Berlinale’ comes to a close
As the Berlin Film Festival came to an end, its most enduring image remained an empty chair. It symbolised the absence of jury member Jafar Panahi, one of Iran’s leading directors, imprisoned for making films critical of his government.
Major quake hits Christchurch hard
With at least 65 people killed and upwards of 100 more people trapped in shattered buildings, New Zealand’s second city Christchurch is counting the cost of its second major earthquake in five months.
Night has now fallen and rescuers are racing against time to try and save lives.
“All of our energy tonight is really focused on the need to rescue people. As you will have heard already in the central city we have a significant number of fatalities,” said Mayor Bob Parker.
Unlike last year’s quake which hit the city during the night, this tremor struck at lunchtime, pitching masonry into busy streets and flattening buildings full of workers. Buses were crushed and the water table was forced up, flooding wide areas.
Many roads have been cut isolating some communities, and the military and helicopters have been mobilised to help with the relief effort. A state of emergency has been declared for Christchurch, where ambulances are in short supply and hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of injured.
International coalition gears up to strike Gaddafi
RAF fighter jets are set to play a frontline role in the international military operation against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces.
Britain will make a key contribution, despite divisions at home over its protracted and controversial campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
With many strategically-placed platforms, NATO is still defining what its mission will be. The French will be heavily involved. Italy, Libya’s former colonial power, has offered its airbases. But fellow members Turkey and Gemany have spoken against alliance intervention.
While the US has warships in the region, questions remain over its participation in an initial operation against Libyan forces.
To read : Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy how-international-reaction-to-libya-evolved/
On paper, the Gaddafi military machine before the uprising comprised 100,000 troops, backed by heavy artillery, tanks, warplanes and a small navy.
After seemingly endless rounds of diplomacy, the use of force was authorised by the UN Security Council on Thursday. Russia, Germany and China were among 5 of its 15 members to abstain.
Bahrain tears down “bad memory” protest statue
Authorities in Bahrain have torn down a statue in Manama’s Pearl Square, the focal point for anti-government protests in the small Gulf state.
The government said it was an effort to erase “bad memories”.
Last weekend saw clashes as protests began hitting business. An escalation in tension culminated in a security crackdown in midweek.
At least nine people were reported killed, including six police officers.
The US condemned the authorities’ use of force; the UN’s human rights chief, Navi Pillay, called it “shocking and illegal”.
The outside world is watching closely – but some influential figures do not put the repression on a par with that in Libya.
The British Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said:
“I think it would be wrong to try and draw neat comparisons between the situation in Bahrain – the tensions between the Sunni and the Shia communities there – and the decades of brutal abuse of the human rights and freedoms of people in Libya by an authoritarian regime under Colonel Gaddafi.”
The opposition has condemned as an invasion the arrival of troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to restore order.
Bahrain says more are on their way.
Much is at stake in the region, with the Saudis alarmed at the prospect of a Shi’ite revolution in its neighbouring country.
Italy calls for EU to share migrant burden
Italy is urging other European countries to take a greater share of the immigrants pouring across from North Africa.
The tiny island of Lampedusa is just south of Sicily. It is only 150 kilometres from the Tunisian coast and has borne the brunt of the flood of refugees.
The government says 15 thousand have entered Italy since the start of the year and numbers have surged as the turmoil in North Africa grows.
Locals complain bitterly of being abandoned by Rome.
One women told reporters that locals are not angry with the refugees as it is not their fault, but they are angry with the government who do nothing.
That anger has spilled over into protest, as inhabitants fathered on the dock to prevent the unloading of a ship carrying equipment to build a tent city to house the refugees.
It is now estimated migrants outnumber the Italian inhabitants of Lampedusa.
Uganda’s President wins disputed poll
Uganda’s long-time President Yoweri Museveni has won a fourth term in office, extending his 25 years in charge.
Official results show Museveni secured victory by a huge margin, just over 68 percent, compared to his rival Kizza Besigye who could only muster around a quarter of the total vote.
The opposition, however, called the election a sham and claim massive sums of money had been used to buy votes and bribe polling agents. Besigye has threatened to call street protests.
Although the vote passed peacefully, EU observers said an unnecessary military presence on voting day had created an uneasy, intimidatory feeling.
Berlusconi sent for trial on sex charges
An Italian judge has sent the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for trial on charges of abuse of power and having sex with a minor.
The date for the case has been set for 6th April.
The judge, Cristina Di Censo, followed the advice of prosecutors, who accuse Berlusconi of paying for sex with an underage Moroccan dancer.
They also say the prime minister put pressure on police to release the young woman after she had been arrested, suspected of theft.
Berlusconi has denied any wrongdoing, saying the investigations against him are politically motivated.
Ruby, the woman at the centre of the scandal, has appeared in a commercial for a book, wearing a bikini.
She also denies accusations that Berlusconi paid for sex with her.
Pressure on the prime minister has been mounting. On Sunday thousands of women demonstrated in Milan, calling for his resignation.
Japan looks to limit economic fallout
Japan’s economy has suffered a series of aftershocks since the massive earthquake and tsunami struck the country.
The Nikkei, however, clawed back some recent losses on Tuesday buoyed by signs that the nuclear crisis at Fukishima was easing.
Much uncertainty remains, but some believe the disaster could make Japan more productive in the long-term while also having a positive effect in the wider Asia region.
Senior economist at JP Morgan Securities Japan, Masamichi Adachi said: “In the short term, probably some negative impact could be inevitable, but in the medium to longer term as you mentioned some companies probably feel it is better to locate their factories outside of Japan, so that’s probably positive for the emerging Asian countries.”
He went on to say, “I think and I hope Japanese companies will strengthen their productivity and that will probably boost the economic expansion here.’‘
165 billion euros is one figure being touted for the cost of reconstruction. Such a massive rebuild is also likely to spur growth.
In the short term, however, radiation concerns from the Fukishima power plant remain the major worry. No more so than for Tokyo’s vegetable wholesalers who returned to work on Tuesday after a long weekend. They are facing supply halts to spinach and other green leaf vegetables from four prefectures in and around the Fukishima complex after the government ordered a ban on shipments.
