U.S. requests removal of some from sanctions list
UNITED NATIONS – The United States asked Thursday that six individuals and organizations be removed from a U.N. sanctions list, after they were cleared of suspected links to the al-Qaida terror network, U.S. officials said.
The Security Council in January issued a directive to all nations to freeze the funds of people with alleged ties to the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida. It also imposed a travel ban and an arms embargo.
Peaceful protests expected for upcoming U.N. summit
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Activists coming to the World Summit on Sustainable Development say they are planning massive demonstrations that will be organized and peaceful – unless police provoke them.
Hundreds of African and overseas groups were expected to rally against world poverty, environmental decay and globalization throughout the 10-day summit, which starts Monday.
Largest tropical national park created in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – A northern swath of Amazon rainforest bigger than Maryland and likely containing a trove of undiscovered animal, insect and plant species became the world’s largest tropical national park Thursday.
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso signed a decree creating the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park, covering a virtually uninhabited region of virgin rainforest in Amapa state along Brazil’s northern borders with Surinam and Guyana.
Chretien dismisses worries about Canada’s government
TORONTO – Prime Minister Jean Chretien dismissed concern Thursday that his decision to step down in 18 months will bring more of the party infighting that has Canadians believing their government is nearly paralyzed.
Chretien’s announcement Wednesday that he would not seek a fourth straight term triggered fears that the wait until he steps down – dubbed the “long goodbye” by the media – was too long and the fight to succeed him would leave his Liberal Party incapable of governing effectively.
Cadbury apologizes for chocolate advertisement
BOMBAY, India – Confectionery giant Cadbury has apologized for an advertisement that compared the disputed Kashmir region to a chocolate that was “too good to share.”
The ad appeared in a Bombay newspaper on Aug. 15, India’s Independence Day, and featured a map highlighting the boundaries of India’s Jammu-Kashmir state – the Indian-controlled part of a region both India and Pakistan claim as their own.