Bosnian cleared of war crimes

Brussels A Bosnian Muslim commander had his conviction for war crimes overturned after the UN tribunal in The Hague decided that the case against him for failing to stop the murder of Serb prisoners in Srebrenica was not proven (David Charter writes). Naser Oric, 41, who had been convicted and received a two-year sentence, was freed to a hero’s welcome in Bosnia in 2006, having spent three years in detention awaiting a verdict. The appeal ruling was attacked by Serbs, who claimed that it proved the tribunal was biased against them.

Nuclear deal tests Government

Delhi India’s political future hung in the balance yesterday as the Government sought new coalition partners in an attempt to salvage a nuclear deal with the United States (Jeremy Page writes). The negotiations coincided with a strike by five million lorry drivers and a national strike called by the Hindu nationalist Opposition.

A group of Communist parties was threatening to withdraw support for the ruling coalition, led by the Congress party, if it pushes ahead with the deal to import US nuclear technology and fuel.

Police smash ‘terrorist cell’

Jakarta Indonesian police said they had discovered a terrorist cell linked to some of the region’s most wanted fugitives after the arrests of ten suspects with a cache of bombs.

They said that the cell was connected to the Malaysian Noordin Mohammad Top, a leader of the Jemaah Islamiya Islamist group who is wanted for allegedly masterminding the 2002 Bali attacks. (AFP)

13 feared dead in kayak tragedy

Ljubljana Thirteen people are feared dead after their kayaks hit a dam under construction on the Sava River in Slovenia, state television reported. The mayor of the local town was reportedly among the victims. (AP)

Bush may be at Olympics launch

Washington President Bush may attend the Olympics opening in China next month. “He is going . . . and I expect that the opening ceremonies could be a part of that trip,” Dana Perino, his spokeswoman, said. (Reuters)

Mother pulls gun from her pram

Utica A woman walking a baby and a child in New York State pulled a knife and sawn-off shotgun out of her pram in a row with another woman over money. Stephanie Wilson, 29, was arrested and charged with endangering a child. (AP)

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