NO, NOT THE OIL! #204 (2/4)

[R Kym Horsell]

US troops wounded in Sadr City ambush
Baghdad. Several US soldiers have been injured in Iraq in an ambush
by fighters loyal to the radical Shiite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr.
Moqtada al-Sadr's fighters hit one of the vehicles in a US Army convoy
with a RPG, bringing it to a stop in Sadr City in Baghdad's eastern
suburbs. The fighters then detonated a roadside bomb. A US Army rep
said several insurgents were killed in the subsequent battle and 3 US
soldiers were injured. As the fighting in Baghdad continued a rep for
Moqtada al-Sadr said his militia would stop carrying weapons and
dissolve the informal judicial system they had established in the holy
city of Najaff. Tension between al-Sadr's forces and local townspeople
there is growing.

Shiite elders broker fragile ceasefire in Iraq holy city
Najaff. American troops and militia loyal to the cleric Sheik Moqtada
al-Sadr have agreed to withdraw from the centre of Iraq's holy city of
Najaff in the latest attempt to shore up a fragile cease-fire. A group
of Shiite elders brokered the latest cease-fire in Najaff as local
residents protested against the attack last wk on a local anti Sadr
cleric. If the agreement holds it will be a significant breakthrough
after months of fighting, but previous agreements have dissolved in a
resurgence of bloodshed. Sadr still faces arrest on charges of being
involved with the murder of a pro-American cleric last year, and
fighters loyal to Sadr successfully ambushed an American military
convoy in Baghdad's eastern suburbs, killing at least 4 American
soldiers.

Iraqi police capture Zarqawi aide
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the alleged mastermind of Al Qaeda operations in Iraq.
Baghdad (Reuters). Iraqi police have captured a close aide to Al
Qaeda operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the captive is cooperating
with investigators, the US military says.
The aide, Umar Baziyani, was seized on May 30.
No details were given about where he was captured.
US military rep Lt Col Dan Williams says he is in Iraqi police custody
and is providing info.
"His capture removes one of Zarqawi's most valuable officers from his
network," Lt Col Williams said.
He said Baziyani was wanted in connection with a series of attacks on
US and allied forces in Iraq, but gave no details.
Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born militant accused by Washington of supporting
Al Qaeda, is suspected of being behind a series of large-scale deadly
attacks in Iraq, including the recent car bomb assassination of the
head of the Iraqi Governing Council.
In Mar, he was believed to have been behind multiple suicide bomb
attacks in Baghdad and Kerbala which killed more than 100 people as
they were carrying out religious ceremonies at shrines in both cities.
The US military has put a $US10 mn price on his head.

US, Brit offer new Iraq resolution
Talks will continue this weekend.
NY (AFP). The US and Brit made apparent concessions over the role of
coalition troops in Iraq in a new draft UN resolution distributed Fri
at the Sec Council.
With council ambassadors headed to a weekend retreat with UN Sec-Gen
Kofi Annan and his Iraq envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to discuss the Jun 30
transfer of power, the 2 allies revised the text amid hopes of getting
a vote in the coming days.
"We are making good progress," deputy US State Dept rep Adam Ereli
said in Washington. "I think we are moving toward a consensus."
The new draft came a day after Iraqi For Min Hoshyar Zebari gave
strong backing for the measure but called for some changes, saying
Iraq also wanted the council to approve the resolution soon.
The latest version, obtained by AFP, spells out that the mandate of
US-led troops who will remain in Iraq after the hand-over would expire
at the end of 2005, when a new constitutionally elected govt is due to
take office.
Several council nations had insisted on fixing a date, even though Mr
Zebari stressed Thu that Iraq would need the presence of those forces
for "some time to come" to stave off chaos and civil war.
The draft also indicates that the interim govt, which was unveiled Tue
and will take over from the US occupation on Jun 30, would have the
sovereign power to ask those forces to leave the country.
A key blank that remains to be filled, however, is the exact relationship
between the US-led internat'l troops and the interim leadership, which
is due to be set out in a separate agreement between the 2.
Diplomats said they expected those letters to be drawn up by early
next wk.
In addition, the text addresses Russian opp'n over the hunt for
weapons of mass destruction (WMD), cited as the main reason for the
invasion last y that brought down Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
It states that the council would eventually reconsider the mandate of
UN weapons inspectors, who left Iraq on the eve of the war and have
not returned.
Russia has said the inspectors should be allowed to return to Iraq to
wrap up their work.
No WMD have been found, leading to charges that the US, Brit and AUS
misled about the justification for the war.
Mr Zebari on Thu gave strong support for the resolution, which would
endorse his caretaker govt but also give the US-led multinat'l force
scope to take any measures needed to ensure stability.
Brit ambassador Emyr Jones Parry on Thu said the Iraqi minister had
delivered a "ringing endorsement" of the text and that he expected a
vote soon.
At the weekend retreat, the council will hear from Mr Brahimi, who
conducted m of negotiations leading up to the formation of the
caretaker govt.
"We are looking forward to hearing from Ambassador Brahimi over the
weekend, listening to his views and what he considers to be the
important points about the political process ongoing in Iraq," Mr
Ereli said.

Iraqi PM calls for end to insurgency
Baghdad. Iraq's interim PM has called for an end to the insurgency
aimed at driving US-led forces out of Iraq. In his 1st speech to the
nation, Iraq's new PM Iyad Allawi warned that the insurgents waging
war on the US-led coalition are bringing "nothing but evil" to Iraq.
He delivered his address following the death of several more US
soldiers, killed in an ambush by Sadr loyalists. As Iraqis across the
country watched, the new PM urged them to unite against those
attacking US forces. Iyad Allawi said "defeating terrorism is a duty
of all Iraqis" and thanked the US-led coalition for "liberating" Iraq.
In the holy cities of Najaff and Kufah Sadr loyalists have agreed to
lay down their guns as US forces withdraw from key sites. American
soldiers will stay away from sensitive sites in the cities and Iraqi
security forces will patrol in those places. Previous cease-fires
have not lasted long but a US Army rep called the latest deal a breakthrough.

Death of 5 US soldiers pushes post-May toll to 600
Baghdad (AFP). The death toll of US troops killed in action in Iraq
has exceeded 600 as 5 US soldiers were killed in an attack on their
convoy on the edge of Sadr City.
The attack, which witnesses said involved a RPG and a bomb, was
launched on the convoy just hours after clashes broke out between
troops and militiamen in the same neighbourhood.
"4 soldiers were killed and 5 wounded in an explosion on their convoy
in Baghdad at around 1.10 pm [local]," a military rep told AFP,
adding that the nature of the device used was under investigation.
The deaths brought the number of US soldiers killed in action in Iraq
to 600 but the military announced later that a 5th soldier had died in
the attack.
According to the US military, 601 of its soldiers have now been killed
in action since the invasion of Iraq in Mar 2003.
Of those, 490 have died in action after US Pres George W Bush declared
major combat in Iraq over on May 1.
"Every single one of these is sad. Every single one is unnecessary," a
coalition military rep said.
"There is a growing determination that no death or injury is going to
deter us from completing the mission," he added.
Witnesses said attackers fired a RPG at one of the 1st vehicles and
the convoy was rocked by a roadside bomb after it ground to a halt, a
now familiar pattern of attack on US patrols.
Other witnesses said a television cameraman was wounded in the leg
when soldiers fired warning shots to ward off a crowd.

17 suspected Taliban killed in Afghanistan: report
Kabul (ABC, Geoff Thompson). US-led forces say they have killed 17
militants in a clash in southern Afghanistan. If the report is
confirmed, the fight would be the deadliest encounter with Taliban
fighters in almost a year. South-eastern Afghanistan is the focus of
the resurgent Taliban's campaign against the foreign presence in the
country. 2 days ago, the killing of 5 Doctors Without Borders workers
north of Kabul sparked fears the Taliban insurgency was spreading.
This latest incident in Kandahar province, while an apparent victory
for US forces, underlines how much of Afghanistan beyond Kabul is
still violently contested. About 300 Afghan troops working with US
forces engaged militants in a mountainous region. A local Afghan
official disputes the American tally of 17 dead saying only 13
suspected Taliban were killed.

Koreas open cross-border roads
Seoul (AFP). S and N Korean officials announced that they had reached
an agreement to open cross-border roads and make test runs on 2
railways across their heavily fortified frontier in Oct.
Under the accord, which followed a meeting of economic officials in
the N Korean capital, the 2 sides will open 2 roads, one across the
western part of the inter-Korean border and the other in the east.
They will also test-run 2 railways running alongside the 2 roads, a
media pool report from Pyongyang said.
The 2 sides also agreed to set up by the end of the m a joint agency
to run an industrial park being built in N Korea's Kaesong city nr the
border and appoint a S Korean to oversee it.
The sprawling park, mainly to house 100s of South Korean garment and
other labour-intensive plants, will be reached by the W cross-border
transport links.
Electricity for the complex will come from the South after the
state-run Korea Electric Power Corp completes building the necessary
power lines by late Sep.
South and N Korean officials at the Pyongyang meeting also said they
needed to speed up work on a demo complex in the park to ensure that
South Korean firms move in and begin production, officials from Seoul said.
South Korean officials also said they agreed to give 400,000 tonnes of
rice aid to the N this year.
The breakthrough is expected to expand cooperation and contribute to
stability on the peninsula, Yonhap news agency said.
The agreement at the Pyongyang economic talks followed a breakthrough
in separate military talks in a S Korean resort where the 2 sides
agreed to ease tension along the world's last Cold War frontier.
General-level officers of the Koreas agreed to set up a hot line and
to avoid accidental armed clashes in the disputed W sea border.
The 2 Koreas are still technically at war as they have yet to sign a
peace treaty to replace an armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

Majority of Israelis support Gaza pullout
Jerusalem (AFP). A sharp majority of Israelis remains in favour of
Israeli PM Ariel Sharon's plan to unilaterally evacuate settlements in
the Gaza Strip, a poll published in the daily Haaretz revealed.
Almost 60% of those polled said they supported the plan, while 34%
voiced their opp'n. The remainder expressed no opinion.
Support was notably strong among left-wing respondents, with 80%
favouring the evacuation of all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.
65% of those who vote for Israeli candidates of Arab descent said they
back the plan.
61% of those who voted for Mr Sharon's right-wing Likud Party said
they support the plan while 20% said the opposite.
Likud Party members massively rejected it in a May 2 referendum however.
Respondents from extreme-right and ultra religious parties were most
opposed to the Gaza pullout, at 81 and 72%, respectively.
Mr Sharon sacked 2 far-right ministers on Fri, ahead of a Cabinet vote
on the evacuation Sun.
The poll, which reflected similar surveys conducted since Mr Sharon
announced his plan in Feb, was carried out on a sample of 500 people
with a 4.5%age point margin of error.

HK hosts Tiananmen anniversary vigil
HK. Tens of 1000s of protesters have held a candlelit vigil in Hong
Kong to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre.
The difference between Hong Kong and the rest of China was starkly
illustrated last night. Whereas mainland authorities stopped any
moves to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre,
in HK tens of 1000s of people held a candlelit vigil. The centrepiece
was a likeness of the Goddess of Democracy crafted by students in
Beijing 15 y ago at the height of the Tiananmen protest. Under the
"One Country, 2 Systems" policy HK residents enjoy more rights than
other Chinese. Anxiety has risen over the past y that communist China
is going back on promises made to HK in the 1997 hand-over from Brit.

PNG aid package progressing: Downer
Canberra. FM Alexander Downer says a new aid package for Papua New
Guinea is one of the most significant developments in AUS's foreign
policy in years. Mr Downer was speaking after talks aimed at getting
the $1 bn programme up and running. The Enhanced Co-operation
Programme has been stalled for m over the issue of legal immunity for
the 300 Aussie police and public servants who would work in PNG under
the plan. After talks with PNG ministers in Port Moresby, Mr Downer
said good progress had been made. "I see this as one of the most
important things that AUS has done in a long time in terms of its
internat'l relations," he said. AUS is seeking immunity from local
prosecution, fearing its officers could be undermined by vexatious
legal action. Officials from the 2 countries will hold further talks
next wk, with the hope a treaty can be signed by early next m.

Legends escort torch through MEL
Aerial skier Lydia Ierodiaconou started the MEL leg of the torch run.
Melbourne (ABC, Kellie White). The legends of AUS's 1956 Olympic team
have escorted the Olympic torch on a vintage tram through MEL.
Vicn Governor John Landy was on board. "We've paid our fare, it's
absolutely kosher," he joked.
Also on board were Kevin Gosper and swimmers Dawn Fraser, Faith Leach
and John Konrads, who was just 14 when he swam in the MEL Games in '56.
"I was the baby of the team and I was so honoured to be walking, I had
the privilege of walking in the Olympic Village next to the great Dawn
Fraser," Konrads said.
Fraser said: "The flame is sort of igniting all the athletes together
and it's very important."
The torch has arrived in Albert Park and is heading to the MEL Cricket
Ground, where it will do a lap at half-time at the Essendon-Hawthorn
AFL match.
Earlier, more than 1,000 members of MEL's Greek community gathered in
the city to see the torch.
The loudest cheers for the relay so far came in Lonsdale Street where
1000s of Greek-Aussies have caught a glimpse of the flame.
AFL legend Ron Barassi and shooter Russell Mark have carried the
flame, which began its 60-km journey on time and without incident at
the Royal Children's Hospital.
Aerial skier Lydia Ierodiaconou was the 1st of 133 torch bearers.
"It was very exciting to kick it off today," she said.
Champion diver Irena Lashko has also carried the flame.
Athens will be her 4th Olympics and her 1st for AUS.
"[It's] just about, you know, history, and this is really, really
making me be proud to be part of AUS's team," she said.
The theme of today's relay is Pass the Flame, Unite the World.

Games roof finally slides into place
More work is needed to finish the Athens' Olympic stadium
Athens (Reuters). Greece has confounded critics of its Olympic
preparations as the futuristic roof over the main Games stadium took
shape with the delicate meeting of 2 giant arches to support the
translucent blue structure.
3 wk after the 1st arch was pushed into place, the 2nd 78 metre high
white steel structure slid along tracks to meet the first arch to
construction workers' celebrations.
"The sliding is done. It is finished," engineer Costas Mathiopoulos
told Reuters. "It happened in about 24 hr."
With the arches in position workers now must install 1000s of blue
carbon plastic-like panels that will offer shading against soaring
summer temperatures.
It also opens the way for urgent landscaping work around the stadium
that still resembles a huge construction site, 70 days before the Aug Games.
The roof had been the Internat'l Olympic Committee's biggest worry
about Games preparations.
Organisers see the roof, designed by award-winning Spanish architect
Santiago Calatrava, as a Games' architectural legacy that will light
up Athens skyline for the future.
Many architects regarded the roof as an engineering challenge
bordering on the impossible because of weights involved.
The 2 arches span more than 300 metres each, are nearly as tall as the
SYD Harbour Bridge and spread across the stadium like a giant blue
spider's web.
They will carry 18,000 tonnes of panels and lights as well as
broadcasting and security cameras.

Archbishop denies receiving sex abuse warning
Adelaide. Anglican Archbishop Ian George has denied receiving a phone
call or seeing a letter a snr church colleague in Tas says he sent to
him warning of a sexual abuse allegation against former church youth
worker, Robert Brandenburg. The retired Bishop of Tas Phillip Newell
says he sent the letter the day after making a phone call to Dr George
on the same issue in Jul 1998, m before Brandenburg's behaviour was
revealed. Dr George reiterated he does not intend to resign. "Well
at the moment I see no reason to do so, the Diocesan council have
firmly encouraged me to follow this through," he said. "We have a
vitally important meeting of the Synod which I have to chair on Jun 19
in which we will be considering the recommendations of the report and
the legislation going to General Synod about professional standards
all of which are inter-linked and we have to consider that."

Adel Archbishop to stay put
Adelaide. Adel's Anglican Archbishop Ian George says he will not
stand down despite new calls for his resignation. Dr George says he
did not see a letter or take a phone call from former Bishop of Tas
Phillip Newell in Jul 1998, warning of a sexual abuse claim against
former church youth worker Bob Brandenburg. It was the following y
that Brandenburg committed suicide after being charged with sex
crimes. With only 2 m to go before retirement, the Archbishop says he
has been encouraged to stay on by the Diocesan Council. "I've had 2
meetings with the Diocesan Council this wk and they encouraged me to
go on and really get the processes moving faster for improvement of
our response to people in difficult situations and especially those
who have been abused...so that's what I intend to do," he said.

Qld signs historic land use agreement
AUS's 1st Indigenous land use agreement over an entire township is
being marked today.
Brisbane. The Ewamian people have surrendered native title over the
far northern Qld townships of Einasleigh, Forsayth, Mt Surprise and
Georgetown. In return, they receive access to their traditional
country through 3 reserves along with land and housing in
Georgetown. Min for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Stephen
Robertson says it shows how far society has come. "What we are doing
is recognising the traditional ownership of the land for the Ewamian
people but also meeting the aspirations of the Ewamian people to
secure housing and reserves of significant land without going down the
path of having the matter heard before court," he said.

Hundreds expected at RM Williams auction
Toowoomba. Hundreds of people are expected to attend a clearing sale
of property that belonged to the late RM Williams. Saddlery, tools
and machinery will be auctioned at the legendary bushman's property at
Hodgsonvale, S of Toowoomba. Auctioneer Phil Black says the sale of
RM's stirrups, spurs and pack saddles has already prompted massive
interest. "We've had inquiry from almost all states and territories
in AUS and we're expecting a few people to turn up on the day," he
said. "That's one of the nice things about this auction is that
there's going to be a lot of people, both bush and city people. "He
was held in high regard right throughout AUS and I think a large
number of people would like to have a little piece of something he
once owned or treasured."

Stolen children return for "healing ceremony"
Phillip Ck Mission, NT. Aboriginal families whose children were
forcibly taken from them in the 1940s will return to the site of the
former Phillip Creek Mission in the N Territory for a healing ceremony today.
In 1946, 16 part-Aboriginal children were removed from their families
at the mission, 49 km from Tennant Creek, and taken to Darwin.
At least 8 of those children will return to Phillip Creek today with
their extended families.
Psychologist Helen Kane has worked with the group on the project and
says one mother is still living in the Barkly region.
Ms Kane says the woman was reunited with her daughter in the 1980s and
is very excited about today's ceremony.
She says the ceremony is a move to put "sorry business" behind them.
"The elders have said they'll be doing a dance that is the mother's
dance and they haven't done that since the children were taken," he said.
"It's a very old dance, it's a very old story and they will do it for
the last time, for the 1st and last time since the children were taken.
"So it's a very special time for them."
She says the healing ceremony will spark happy and sad emotions and
the step is an example for people all around AUS.
"A group haven't expressed this statement before, that they want to
move on, they want to heal," she said.
"They don't want to stay locked in the past and they want to put that
behind them.
"It's a very powerful statement for the nation and I'm really excited
that it's happening here and I'm excited for the group."

Labor unveils nat'l water policy
Canberra (AAP). Fed Labor unveiled plans for a new nat'l body
focusing on water reform and incentives for city dwellers to re-use
storm and waste water as part of its nat'l water policy.
Opp'n environment rep Kelvin Thomson launched Labor's Framework for a
Nat'l Water Policy, providing a blueprint for the future of one of the
country's most important resources.
The framework commits a Labor govt to setting up a Nat'l Sustainability
Advisory Council to advise COAG on water reform implementation.
Labor also wants to give incentives to encourage the re-use of
storm water and waste water in cities and promote water-saving measures
such as rainwater tanks, special shower heads and tap fittings.
The framework calls for a dramatic reduction in the amount of water
being discharged from ocean out-falls and a nat'l system for
classifying AUS's major rivers to identify those needing protection.
"Labor believes we can have a strong economy and a healthy environment
but unless we get the basics right, both will suffer," Mr Thomson said.
Mr Thomson said Labor hoped that this m's COAG meeting would not see
the fed govt's delivery timetable for key water reforms slip even further.
"As a result of the govt's inaction, farmers still face uncertainty
over water entitlements, environmental flows remain unclear, the Murray
has not received a litre of extra water, water rural investment and
job creation has been stifled, and the community remains divided," he added.

Brereton to quit politics
Sydney. ALP heavyweight Laurie Brereton says he is quitting politics
and will not contest the fed election, due later this y.
The 58-yo member for Kingsford Smith in SYD's SE announced his
decision to his electorate council this evening.
Mr Brereton joined the Labor Party at 15 and entered the NSW
Legislative Assembly in a by-election for the seat of Randwick in 1970.
He later became Member for Heffron before entering Fed Parliament in 1990.
In 1991, the Member for Kingsford Smith was appointed parliamentary
secretary to the PM.
Following the 1993 election, Mr Brereton was appointed minister for
industrial relations. In this role, Mr Brereton introduced several
reforms to AUS's industrial relations system including increased
access to enterprise bargaining under the Aussie Industrial Relations
Commission, and new nat'l standards to guarantee a fair minimum wage.
In addition to his work with industrial relations, the Labor stalwart
was minister for transport from Dec 1993 to Mar 1996, and served as
shadow foreign minister from 1996 to 2001.

Elderly couple convicted on cannabis charges
Perth. An elderly Perth couple risks losing their assets after being
convicted of serious drugs charges. Florence Davies, 77, and her
81-yo husband David have been convicted of possessing cannabis with
intent to sell or supply. A District Court jury took 6-and-1/2 hours
to convict the couple over 19 kg of cannabis found during a police
raid on the couple's home in Perth's S suburbs 2 y ago. Police valued
the haul at up to $264,000. The couple denied they knew anything
about the drugs. Their son Tyssul, a convicted drug dealer who served
time over part of the haul, told the court he was to blame. The
prosecution has indicated it does not intend pursuing an immediate
term of imprisonment. But it is yet to decide whether to apply for
them to be declared drug traffickers, which could result in them
having their assets seized.

Min defends WA extraditions
Perth. WA Justice Min Michelle Roberts has defended the cost of
extraditing prison fugitives back to the state, after a man was
yesterday sentenced to 40 days in jail for escaping legal custody.
Francis Dennis Pallas had been on the run for 2 decades. Yesterday,
Pallas was sentenced in the Perth Magistrates Court to 40 days jail on
top of the remaining 3 wk of his sentence, for escaping Wooroloo
prison 20 y ago. He was extradited to W AUS from Qld. Ms Roberts
says the Govt is determined to bring back all prison fugitives. "Now
that's about 40 people. We've got addresses for about 26 of them and
now we've got our 12th man back," she said. "I think that's good
news, good news for the community." Ms Roberts says even if prisoners
only serve a small extension to their jail term, the strong message it
sends to those in the justice system is worth the effort.

[From the "fish files":]
UN report highlights risks to marine life
UN. The UN Environment Program has warned that aggressive fishing is
threatening ocean corals. It says oil exploration, waste dumping and
telecommunications cables pose further risks. The warnings were
contained in a report issued ahead of World Environment Day tomorrow,
which this y focuses on risks to marine life. The UN report says
particularly damaging is bottom trawling, which involves pulling huge
weighted nets behind ships. The nets drag along the sea floor
scooping up all the marine life in their way, from valuable fish to
inedible species and delicate corals.

UN urges safe havens for fish from trawlers
Oslo (Reuters). The world should do more to set up protected zones in
the oceans to shield depleted fish stocks from the ravages of trawlers
and pollution, the UN said on Sat.
"Society can no longer view the world's oceans as a convenient dumping
ground for our waste, or as an unlimited source of plenty," UN Sec-Gen
Kofi Annan said in a statement to mark World Environment Day on Jun 5.
"Wanted! Seas and Oceans: Dead or Alive?," is the slogan for the 2004
Jun 5 annual event marked around the world.
Annan said almost 75% of fish stocks, from cod to tuna, are caught
faster than they can breed. And plastic waste alone -- like supermarket
bags -- kills a mn sea birds a year, 100,000 sea mammals and countless fish.
Saying urgent action was needed, Annan noted that govts agreed at an
Earth Summit in Johannesburg in 2002 to try to restore depleted fish
stocks by 2015 and to set up more protected marine areas, like
wildlife parks on land, by 2012.
"This last goal...is especially important," he wrote. "Less than 0.5%
of marine habitats are protected -- compared with 11.5% of global land area."
"Studies show that protecting critical marine habitats, such as warm-
and cold- water coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves can dramatically
increase fish size and quality," he said.
But one expert said that some ecosystems may be so depleted that it
may be impossible to revive stocks by banning fishing.
* COD STOCKS FAIL TO RECOVER
"It's like if you load too much on a camel -- you can't expect him to
jump up again if you remove the load that has just broken his back,"
Katherine Richardson, a professor at Aarhus University in Denmark,
told Reuters.
When large fish like cod are almost gone, smaller species may thrive
and gobble the young of any survivors. Cod stocks off Newfoundland,
Canada, have failed to recover despite a 1992 ban.
Activists around the globe plan to clean up beaches, plant trees and
encourage people to shift to renewable energies like solar or wind
power to mark Jun 5, the date a 1st global summit on the environment
was held in Stockholm in 1972.
In Greece, divers aim to remove waste including dumped cars and
refrigerators nr Athens. About 300 people were expected to turn up to
clean the beach at Thoothukudi in India.
On Fri, the UN Environment program sounded the alarm about threats to
little-understood cold-water corals, saying that the less glamorous
cousins of tropical corals were vital "kindergartens for fish."
Greenpeace also called for an immediate ban on high-seas bottom trawling.
Events scheduled for Sat even include exhibits at the Brit Atomic
Weapons Establishment (AWE) -- which maintains the nation's nuclear
arsenal -- to educate staff about how to protect the environment at
work and at home.
"Like any other large industrial complex we are aware that our operations
can have the potential to harm the environment," AWE said in a statement.

What's in a quack?
Brit researchers have discovered that ducks have distinct regional accents.
[Just this wk an American visitor discovered Vic crows have a
different accent from NY crows...]
London (AFP). To the untutored ear it might just sound like a load of
quacking, but Brit researchers have discovered that the country's
ducks -- much like its people -- have distinct regional accents.
Ducks from London make a rougher sound which resembles shouting so
that fellow birds can hear them above the hubbub of city life, whereas
their country cousins make a softer sound, the study found.
The differences were uncovered after academics at London's Middlesex
University recorded the calls of ducks at a city farm in the capital
and at a tranquil location in Cornwall, SW England, the Guardian
newspaper said.
There was a clear difference in sound, English language lecturer Vic
de Rijke told the paper, with the London ducks "much louder and (more)
vocally excitable".
"The Cornish ducks made longer and more relaxed sounds, much more
chilled out.
"The cockney (London) quack is like a shout and a laugh, whereas the
Cornish ducks sound more like they are giggling," she said.
"London ducks have the stress of city life and a lot of noise to
compete with, like sirens, horns, planes and trains."
The result was that the ducks' accents mimicked those of the humans in
their home region, Ms de Rijke said.
She noted that the London accent tends to use short, more guttural
vowel sounds whereas those in Cornwall are open and drawn out.

{{
Midnight.
BBC World Service. Analysts say with the sacking of 2 members of his
cabinet, Sharon's Gaza pull-out should pass by 1 vote. But then he
may face another crisis. Another right wing party could threaten to
pull out of the govt coal'n, forcing him into a minority govt.

The Russian Duma has given its final approval to a Bill that will
restrict street demonstrations. When it began passage 2 m ago the
leg'n triggered a storm of controversy. The original version banned
gatherings outside govt and politicians' offices and homes. The latest
version only bans meetings outside Presid'l homes and some govt buildings.

Gold is trading lower at $US387.85/oz.

6 am
Oil is down another $1 to $US38.47/bbl. The AUD his lows o'night of
68.76 US c. It's finished at 69.57 US c.

A rep for Moqtada al-Sadr says militias and US forces have agreed to
withdraw from Najaff and nearby Kufa, and hand over security to Iraqi
police. The cities now appear quiet after days of fighting. US
observers called the agreement "a breakthrough".

The new Iraqi PM has gone on TV and called on Iraqis to unite and
fight terrorism. He says defeating terrorism is the duty of all
Iraqis. He address came just after 4 US soldiers were killed in Sadr
city, Baghdad.

PM Howard has wound up his 5th visit to Washington by defending Pres
Bush from accusations he's interfering in domestic Aussie politics.
Mr Howard says Pres Bush's attack on Mark Latham was "appropriate",
and denies he prompted the US Pres to make the comments. Elsewhere,
former Lib PM Fraser has criticised the Bush comments saying they were a
"significant interference" in AUS internal politics. Mr Bush was
treating AUS as though it were a 51st state of the US, says Fraser.
Last night on ABC Lateline, former PM Hawke defended the ALP's policy
to withdraw troops from Iraq by the end of the y.

7 am
No Bush no War. 10s of 1000s protesting against Bush visit to Rome
carried rainbow peace flags. Elsewhere, PM Berlusconi has again
ruled out a pull-out of Italian troops from Iraq.

The costs for the Olympic Games is continuing to blow out. Greek
authorities can't give a clear picture of the final cost, but the
prev Socialist govt estimated the bill at 4.6 bn euro. There have
been budget overruns of 60% for some projects. The security cost
alone has sky-rocketed past the SYD Olympic Games. The Athens
security budget is 1 bn euro. Observers say the final total is
expected to come in around 10 bn euro -- about 7% of Greece's GDP. A
massive financial burden for a small country.

Just hrs after authorities confirmed 2.5 mn signatures had been
gathered to force a Presid'l recall election, an ad blitz has hit TVs
in Venezuela. In neighbouring Argentina, the leftist Pres has accused
"certain sectors" of trying to destabilise his admin. BA has been hit
with a crime wave.

A French mayor has vowed to continue with the country's first gay
wedding today despite threats from the C govt to immediately declare
it invalid.

133 torch bearers will carry the Olympic flame through inner suburban
Melbourne today. The flame is due to visit Federal Square and end up
in the MCG before catching a flight to Tokyo.

Wall St has closed up on strong job data, lower oil prices, and a
positive outlook from Intel Corp. The Dow closed up 47 at 10,243
(1/2% higher over the wk). The Nasdaq ended up 18 at 1,979 (down
1/2%). NY gold closed up $US2.80 to $US391.70/oz. After volatile
trading o'night the AUD is now trading around 69.5 US c, up 3/4 since
last night's late local close.

In SYD the Lib member for Epping says it's a "joke" that people
affected by tunnelling for a new train line to Epping are being
offered free tickets to movies.

NSW doctors have been warned to look out for symptoms of meningococcal
disease as AUS heads into the peak season for the disease.

An elderly Perth couple have been convicted of possessing cannabis.
19 kg was found hidden in the ceiling cavities of their home in S
Perth. The haul was valued at $164,000. The couple have denied
they knew anything about the drugs. Their son is a convicted drug
dealer and said he was to blame. A Perth court is yet to decide
whether they're drug traffickers, in which case their assets could be
seized.

Midday.
The death toll of US troops killed in action in Iraq has exceeded 600
as 5 US soldiers were killed in an attack on their convoy on the edge
of Sadr City.

US Pres George W Bush says an Aussie troop withdrawal from Iraq by
Christmas would be "disastrous".

US Pres George W Bush has been accused of interfering in Aussie
domestic politics, after he criticised Labor's plan to withdraw troops
from Iraq by Christmas.

Former Liberal PM Malcolm Fraser says the US Pres George W
Bush should not treat AUS as though it is a US state.

American troops and militia loyal to the cleric Sheik Moqtada al-Sadr
have agreed to withdraw from the centre of Iraq's holy city of Najaff
in the latest attempt to shore up a fragile cease-fire.

Greece has confounded critics of its Olympic preparations as the
futuristic roof over the main Games stadium took shape with the
delicate meeting of 2 giant arches to support the translucent blue structure.

Iraq's interim PM has called for an end to the insurgency aimed at
driving US-led forces out of Iraq.

Iraqi police have captured a close aide to Al Qaeda operative Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi and the captive is cooperating with investigators,
the US military says.

PM John Howard said Iraq is nearing a crucial phase as the final
countdown to Jun 30 and the return of Iraq's sovereignty draws close
as he wound up his 5th visit to Washington during the Bush Admin.

Pope John Paul has called for the rapid return of Iraq's sovereignty
with UN involvement during a meeting with US Pres George W Bush.

The UN's top human rights official has said US-led
occupation forces have mistreated many ordinary Iraqis and called for
the appointment of an internat'l ombudsman to monitor the troops behaviour.

The US and Brit made apparent concessions over the role of coalition
troops in Iraq in a new draft UN resolution distributed Fri at the Sec Council.

The US is trying to soften allegedly harsh and inflammatory criticism
of the coalition in Iraq that is expected to be contained in a UN
human rights report to be released this wk, US officials said.

5.30 pm
Shiite militias from the al-Sadr brigades have attacked US troops
despite cease-fires in Najaff and Kufa. An RPG hit a military vehicle
in NE Baghdad, killing 1 US soldier and wounding 3 others. US cmdrs
say the vehicle was flipped by the blast.

6 pm
Canadian wage-earners have been upset this wk after a "computer
glitch" saw 1000s of payroll cheques held up. New s/w had been
installed across the country, and it had "gone badly astray". The
hitch affected wage earners as well as large corporates.

A UN rep says there is no technical reason elections in Iraq can't be
held next Jan. An 8-member electoral commission has been appointed.
The Iraqi parliament's 275 seats will be distributed on a proportional
basis, with no minimum number of votes. 1/4 of the seats will be
reserved for women. Authorities may use Iraq's food ration database
as the basis for an electoral roll. Originally, the UN said the roll
was too flawed to use. But now they may have forced to use it. A rep
for Moqtada al-Sadr, who'd originally proposed the food roll idea,
said it was a pity so much time had been lost quibbling over the
accuracy of the rations list. US officials say other factors stand in
the way, incl a legal framework for elections.

Shopping centre guards in the LA's fashion district have been accused
of a rent-a-cop extortion racket. Illegal immigrants selling counterfeit
DVD's say security guards have come by threatening to confiscate the
DVD's unless they handed over up to 1/3 of their weekly income. 9
vendors have now filed complaints about guards who were demanding
payment. LA police are investigating. Some guards are getting money
and leaving vendors alone, but other guards not involved in the rackets
have seized property anyway. 34 guards have been dismissed over the
row. Another 21 continue to patrol. Secure-a-Cop -- the company
contracted to provide the service -- have refused to be interviewed.
The city pays $US1 mn pa for the guards. City reps say before the
guards, few people went to the area to shop. The guards responded to
50,000 citizen calls last y, taking a considerable load off the LAPD.

A 3rd version of the Res on Iraq has been circulated by the US and
Brit. The prev version stipulated the final govt to be elected in Jan
could ask foreign military forces to leave. But Zebari wanted the
interim govt to also have same power.

Philippines Pres Gloria Arroyo says her govt will not soften its
stance on terror, despite the Philippines being No 3 on the Al-Qaeda
hit list in the region. She said her govt would take all precautions
for the safety of its citizens.

10 pm
Speaking at a final press conf in Italy, Pres Bush said he was
confident the UN would accept the latest draft of a Res to ratify the
Iraq hand-over. He was about to leave for France which is not in
complete agreement on the details.

US Def Sec Rumsfeld is in Singapore. He told a conf there were more
terror attacks to come, and the fight against Islamic extremism was
closer to its beginning than the end. It was difficult to assess the
affect of the war on terror to younger minds, said Rummy. He urged
Asian countries teach students mathematics. Rummy also has talked
with officials about re-distributing US soldiers around the world.
Aussie Def Min Hill said if there were ways AUS could assist, it would
[US not-a-bases in Australia?!].

PM Howard has been awarded the US Liberties Medal for his friendship
toward the US and Israel. It's the highest award the Jewish community
in the US gives out.

D-Day anniversary celebrations are well advanced with vets from all
the countries that took part in Normandy, NW France. There are 12,000
vets from Brit alone. Rebuilt and modern vessels are making the
journey across the Channel to celebrate the invasion 60 y ago.

After completing its 66 km journey around and across MEL, the
Olympic touch is headed toward Tokyo. Andrew Gaze said he was
delighted to run the final leg into the MCG. Most of MEL's Greek
community turned out to see the flame.

In PNG, talks have resolved a dispute over a $1 bn aid package from
AUS. FM Downer flew in for talks amid a long-running dispute over
legal protections for AUS personnel working in PNG. PNG officials
said a broad agreement was reached. Officials from both sides will
hold more talks next wk. A new joint treaty could be signed and put
to the PNG parliament as early as next m.

S Korea has agree to supply 400,000 tonnes of food aid to the N. Road
and rail links are being re-established through the DMZ. The
decisions mark another step in the gradual process of reconciliation.
Trips between S and N will still need special permission. Only
officially sanctioned business trips can enter area nr the border.

Police have arrested a man who tried to enter SYD airport with 2,000
blank credit cards. Police also raided a house where they found false
medicare cards, equipment, and another 500 blank credit cards.
Malaysian, Chinese, and S African citizens were arrested in connection
with the credit scam that police say is worth $mns. Using false ID's
is becoming a problem. The max jail term for offences is 2 to 12 y jail.
}}

----------------------------------------
Sun, 06 Jun 2004.

HEADLINES:
New clashes in Nigeria's oil delta
The fog persists in Iraq's future
PM backs policy over polls on Iraq
Mixed reactions: Kurds are marginalised in the reviving Iraq
Iraq dominates Howard, Blair meeting
Critical 9/11, Iraq reports to target CIA
Bush, Chirac discuss Iraq ahead of D-day celebrations
Bush Welcomes Letter on Iraq Security
Allawi slams US over Iraq army
AFP investigates $150 mn superannuation fraud
APEC ministers hope to restart trade talks
Alice students snatch nat'l film award
Army misconduct investigation adds another 16 cases
Aussie D-day veterans receive Legion of Honour
Aussie leaders pay tribute to Reagan
Aust, NZ to sign biotechnology alliance
Blair would win election: poll
Books program focuses on community life
Burma criticised for failing to stop forced labour
Businessman on bulldozer levels Colorado buildings
Competition watchdogs air disagreement
Contractors killed on road to Baghdad Airport
D-Day veteran tells of scale of invasion
Darfur rebels seize 16 Sudanese working for UN: Sudanese govt
Drought takes tighter grip on NSW
Fallujah clashes threaten truce
France honours Aust WWII veterans
French Govt moves against gay wedding
Garrett touted as potential Labor MP
Govt to reveal $12 bn transport plan
Groups praise Labor bag ban plan
Half of France feel no moral debt to US
Hicks trial "a step closer"
Latham promises to ban plastic bags
Lebanon trip to interview terrorism suspect stalls
Mainland protests oppose Tas wood-chipping
Martian rover faces risky crater test
Newly-wed Dye arrested in wife-beating probe
Olympic torch leaves AUS
Parachute drops begin tribute to D-day heroes
Reagan "helped save the world"
Renegade congo leader agrees to UN plan
Ronald Reagan dies
Shark Bay hits out at green claims
Study to paint portrait of stalking's impact
Thatcher pays tribute to 'American hero' Reagan
US declares Sadr defeated
Veterans retrace D-Day route to Normandy
Watch Venus's travels online, doctors warn

New clashes in Nigeria's oil delta
Lagos (AP). Soldiers in gunboats clashed with ethnic militants in the
rivers of Nigeria's oil delta Fri, and militants and villagers claimed
that dozens of fighters and civilians were killed. A navy rep denied
there were casualties.
Residents of Port Harcourt, the oil-rich Niger Delta's main city,
which is several kms from where the clashes occurred, reported
hearing pre-dawn gunfire at the time of the attack.
Hundreds of soldiers and police have deployed to the nearby villages
of Ogbakiri, Buguma and Tombia since last wk _ apparently to stem
months of fighting between 2 rival ethnic Ijaw militant factions.
Villagers in Oduoha said they woke to gunfire before dawn.
Community leader Lloyd Eyime said he went outside his house and saw
soldiers in gun-mounted speedboats firing upon his riverside community.
"They have been burning houses and shooting at people, both young and
elderly," Eyime said.
Residents fled into mangrove swamps and dense bush, he said.
When Eyime returned, he said, he found about 30 bodies lying about the
otherwise abandoned village.
"Right now where I'm hiding, I can see flames from one of my cars that
was set ablaze by the soldiers. As I'm talking to you, I don't even
know the whereabouts of my wife and children," he said, speaking to
The Associated Press by cell phone.
Kenneth Etu, a village elder from Ogbakiri, said he saw 15 dead bodies.
"We were sleeping and we heard shooting," he said. "Everyone was running."
Dokubo Asari, one of the 2 feuding ethnic Ijaw cmdrs involved, said
his men were fighting back.
"We shot at them and one of their gunboats sank," Asari said.
A snr navy official in Port Harcourt denied that anyone had been
killed or injured. Most villagers deserted their communities during
fighting before security force members began arriving, he said.
"We've been sending troops there since last wk. They heard we were
coming and they deserted towns and villages. There have been no
killings. Everything is quiet," the navy officer said, speaking on
condition he not be identified.
A govt rep for the area's River state said he did not know of any
killings but defended the deployment.
"The military have had to come in because of the escalating nature of
the violence by the cultists," state rep Emma Okah said, referring to
the factions, which are often called "cults" in SE Nigeria.
It was impossible to determine independently the situation in the
riverine area of swamps and jungle.
Nigeria's military regularly plays down ethnic, political and
religious violence in a bid to stem retaliatory attacks. On 2
occasions -- in 1999 and 2001 -- authorities denied army massacres of
100s of civilians until witness accounts made them indisputable.
Political, religious and ethnic unrest has killed more than 10,000
people since Pres Olusegun Obasanjo was 1st elected in 1999, ending 15
y of brutal military rule.
The clash on the eastern side of the oil-rich Niger Delta appeared
unrelated to ethnic bloodletting pitting ethnic Ijaw and Itsekiri
militants in the W delta. Since last y, that fighting has killed 100s
and shut wells accounting for between 7 and 25% of Nigeria's daily oil
production.
Ijaws and Itsekiris pledged peace on Tue, although tensions remain
high and oil companies have been hesitant to return to facilities
abandoned since last y.
Nigeria is the world's seventh-largest oil exporter and the
5th-largest source of US oil imports.

APEC ministers hope to restart trade talks
Santiago. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers
meeting in Chile have signed a declaration aimed at restarting World
Trade Organisation talks that collapsed last Sep in Mexico. It called
for a set date to abolish agricultural export subsidies and promised
to step up efforts to increase market access. The end of Jul is the
deadline for reviving trade talks and APEC trade ministers are pushing
hard for success. Aussie Trade Min Mark Vaile says the APEC agreement
could deliver a big boost. "This has probably been one of the
positive outcomes of any APEC meeting I have been to," he said. "We
really are on the cusp of something, by the end of Jul that we can
lock away, that will open the door to the future." The next major
meeting of the World Trade Organisation is at the end of Jul in
Geneva. It is seen as a last chance for this round of trade talks.

Parachute drops begin tribute to D-day heroes
Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Normandy. Hundreds of Brit and American
parachutists dropped into NW France on Sat to launch poignant
commemorations of the D-day landings on Jun 6, 1944, which hastened
the end of World War II.
At the W end of the coast where the liberation of Europe from Nazi
occupation began, grey parachutes blossomed open in lead-grey skies in
a spectacular re-enactment of the capture by the US 82nd Airborne
Division of the village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise.
The aim was to seize the village at 1.00 am, 5 hours before 135,000
Allied troops began landing on the 100 km beaches to launch the
largest seaborne invasion in history.
Sainte-Mere-Eglise was the 1st village liberated, but many of the US
soldiers who dropped there, carrying heavy guns and other equipment,
drowned in deep ditches and flooded land before they could even fire a shot.
At the village of Ranville, members of the Brit First Parachute Regiment,
were to re-enact the legendary operation to capture Pegasus Bridge
across the Orne River and secure the eastern flank of the beach landings.
Brit's Prince Charles paid tribute to the 90 paratroopers who flew in
darkness aboard 3 wooden gliders and crash-landed just after midnight
on or close to the bridge in a surprise attack which has entered the
annals of military history.
They were among 380 Brit gliders which floated into Normandy that night.
Other parachute drops were scheduled to commemorate the US 101st Airborne,
which suffered serious losses while attempting to secure the western
flank nr Omaha Beach.
Except at Omaha, the landings commanded by US Gen Dwight D Eisenhower
were an unqualified success, leading to the fall of Normandy in late
Jul and then the Allied sweep through northern France into Belgium,
the Netherlands and Germany.
Operation Overlord, as it was dubbed, had been in the planning since
Aug 1943 and was meticulous and imaginative in its scope and detail.
A huge disinfo campaign including phoney generals and fake armies
fooled Adolf Hitler into thinking the invasion when it came would be
further north.
But 4,000 Allied troops were killed on the 5 beaches -- code named Utah,
Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword -- on the 1st day and another 55,000 were
to die in the Normandy campaign.
More than 20 world leaders will attend a ceremony on Sun to pay homage
to bravery of those who took part in the landings, including US Pres
George W Bush, French Pres Jacques Chirac and Brit's QEII.
For the 1st time, they will stand alongside the leaders of Germany and
Russia putting the accent heavily on reconciliation, aiming to lay to
rest the ghosts of the past, and rebuild ties badly frayed by the
US-led war on Iraq.
Mr Chirac, a staunch opponent of the war on Iraq, thanked Americans
for helping to liberate Nazi-occupied France 60 y ago.
"The French say 'thank you' to the Americans and they will not forget
what they have done 60 y ago. And that is very, very important in our
minds and in our hearts," he said an interview given in English to the
NBC TV channel.
In a letter to the French newspaper Ouest France, Mr Bush also sought
to rebuild bridges, saying "countries that shared the same values"
like France and the US were "capable of getting together to accomplish
what pessimists considered impossible."
"Europe owes them peace and freedom" said Sat's Ouest France front
page headline over a picture of some of the 9,387 white crosses at the
US cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.
A former Brit paratroop colonel, Nick Nichols, summed up the feelings
of many veterans about the German participation in this year's commemoration,
saying: "Some wounds will never be healed, but we recognise that many
of them died and we should give them time and space to remember too.
Many of them fought gallantly and after all they were soldiers."
Mr Schroeder, who lost his own father in the war, also struck a
conciliatory note in open letter also published in Ouest France.
"The Germany which had to be defeated in this war to end the Nazi
nightmare is no longer the same country which I have the honour to
represent today in these ceremonies commemorating Jun 6, 1944," he said.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin also welcomed his unprecedented
invitation to the 60th anniversary in a message in Ouest France.
"In Russia we will forever pay homage to the courage of our brothers
in arms, and honour all those who sacrificed their lives in the fight
against the worst evil of the 20th century."

Half of France feel no moral debt to US
Paris. Fewer than 50% of French people think France has a moral debt
to the US 60 y after the Allied D-day landings, according
to an opinion poll published on Sat.
The poll of 1,000 people on May 25 and 26 showed 48% of respondents
thought France, which was liberated by US and other Allied forces
during World War II, had a moral debt to the US.
50% thought it did not.
The poll was published by Le Parisien newspaper hours before US Pres
George W Bush was due to arrive in France for the anniversary of the
D-day landings on Jun 6, 1944.
It also showed growing French criticism of the US.
44% of people polled were critical of the US, up from 36%
in a similar poll in Mar 2003 and compared to 34% in Oct 2000.
A further 29% of respondents said they were worried by the US
in the poll published on Sat.
US-French relations have soured since France bitterly opposed the US-led
war in Iraq and because of differences over a draft UN
resolution on the future of Iraq for which Mr Bush is seeking French backing.

France honours Aust WWII veterans
Salute: This weekend marks the 60th anniversary of D-day.
Canberra. A group of Aussie World War II veterans will be awarded
France's highest military honour today, on the 60th Anniversary of
D-day. The Legion of Honour will be bestowed to 5 veterans during a
ceremony at the Aussie War Memorial in CBR today. Group Capt Hamilton
Connolly, Frederick Cowpe, Robert Cowper, Ian Hill-Smith and Laurence
Turner will receive the honour from the French ambassador. 4 other
veterans will receive their honours in France, while a 10th veteran
will receive his award at a later date. The awards recognise AUS's
role in the D-day landings and the subsequent Normandy campaign to
liberate France. G-G Michael Jeffrey will address the ceremony, which
will conclude with a flyover by a vintage Mustang aircraft as a
reminder of the role Mustangs played in providing air cover for the
Allied forces during the landings.

Aussie D-day veterans receive Legion of Honour
Paris (AFP). France has awarded its highest distinction, the Legion
of Honour, to 99 US and 3 Aussie D-Day veterans in a Paris ceremony on
the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy.
French Defence Min Michele Alliot-Marie, For Min Michel Barnier and
junior tourism minister Leon Bertrand presided over the ceremony at
the Hotel des Invalides.
AUS's ambassador to France William Fisher and US Veterans Affairs Sec
Anthony Principi looked on as the veterans received medals from
France's top military brass, including armed forces chief of staff Gen
Henri Bentegeat.
French Pres Jacques Chirac will bestow the honour upon a 100th US
veteran and an Aussie at a multinat'l commemoration in the Normandy
town of Arromanches on Sun.
The US veterans and their families who travelled to France aboard a
chartered Air France flight funded by French companies and
individuals, are staying in top-flight hotels and will travel to
Normandy on Sun on a special train.
Some 20 heads of state or govt, including US Pres George W Bush, are
expected in NW France this weekend to mark the 60th anniversary of the
D-Day landings, which paved the way for the liberation of Europe from
Nazi occupation.
The Legion of Honour, or, in French, the Legion d'Honneur, was created
by Napoleon Bonaparte in May 1802 for valour in military or civil service.

Veterans retrace D-Day route to Normandy
A mn poppies have rained down on the English Channel as a ferry full
of Brit veterans heads for Normandy.
Normandy (ABC, Philip Williams). About 12,000 D-day veterans have
joined a flotilla of ships heading for the beaches of Normandy which
they stormed 6 decades ago.
They will join many 1000s more to commemorate the beginning of the end
for the Nazis' European occupation.
As the flotilla followed the route taken 60 y ago, a Lancaster bomber
released 1 mn poppies over the English Channel.
Prince Charles unveiled a statue honouring a surviving officer from a
parachute brigade that lost more than 1,500 men on the 1st day of the
Normandy invasion.
At the same time, 100s of American and Canadian parachutists made
their jumps as their tributes to the veterans.
In Paris, 3 Aussie veterans received the French Legion of Honour, the
highest award possible, at a special ceremony.
A 4th Aussie veteran will be presented with his Legion of Honour by
French Pres Jacques Chirac later today and 4 more will receive theirs
in a ceremony at the Aussie War Memorial in CBR.
Prime Min John Howard has joined 17 heads of state gathered to honour
those who fought in a battle that eventually claimed more than 250,000.

D-Day veteran tells of scale of invasion
Darwin. A D-Day veteran has told how you could have walked from
France to Brit over the ships steaming across the English Channel when
he was flying with the Air Force the night before the invasion of Normandy.
Neil Conway, who has lived in Darwin for 40 y, was part of the RAAF's
76 Squadron and was on a mission bombing road junctions behind the
landing beaches in Normandy.
Mr Conway says as he was flying back from France across the English
Channel, he was confronted with a sight he will never forget.
"You could have walked walked from England to France without getting
your feet wet, just walking on boats," he said.
"There was 1000s of them and the air was full of gliders and glider
tugs, paratroop carriers and God knows what coming straight at me.
"I realised then that the invasion was on."
Mr Conway says it was a turning point in the Second World War.
"That was when we started to win the war," he said. "Up till then it
was virtually at a stalemate.
"The Brit and the Allies had been kicked out of France and the only
ones taking the war to Germany was bomber command, which I was a part of.
"We were the only ones actually fighting the Germans in Europe."
Mr Conway says it is important for the younger generation to remember
the D-Day invasion because it was the beginning of the end of the war.

Blair would win election: poll
London (AP). PM Tony Blair is unpopular with voters, but his Labour
Party would still win a nat'l election, a poll indicates.
The survey by pollster ICM suggests that Labour would win by a greater
margin if treasury chief Gordon Brown, rather than Blair, led the
party into Brit's next election.
The poll of voters in 202 closely contested constituencies found
Labour supported by 28% of respondents, compared to 33% who backed the
Conservative Party and 26% for the Liberal Democrats.
In an election, those%ages would give the Tories 43 more seats than
they now hold but give Labour a majority of 107 in the 659-seat House
of Commons, according to the poll for the News of the World newspaper.
Blair, whose popularity has been battered by the divisive Iraq war,
must call a nat'l election by mid-2006, but many expect a vote to be
held next y.
Asked if Blair was doing a good job, 60% of poll respondents said no
and 35% said yes.
58% felt Brown was doing a good job, while 36% disagreed.
The poll estimates that with Brown at the helm, Labour would win a
160-seat majority in the Commons.
ICM interviewed 1,522 people over 18 between Jun 1 and Jun 3. The
margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 points.

Critical 9/11, Iraq reports to target CIA
Chief's resignation not related, agency says
Washington (AP). As attention turns to who will run the CIA,
investigators are about to issue reports that are expected to
castigate the spy agency and its top leaders for intel failures on Sep
11 and Iraq. A version of one report has been in the CIA's hands for 3 wk.
A day after CIA Director George Tenet's sudden resignation
announcement, many in Washington were still grappling for an
explanation, despite assurances from Tenet and others close to him
that he simply wanted to spend more time with his wife and teenage son.
Upcoming reports are expected to place significant blame for recent
intel failures on the CIA, especially the Senate Intel Committee's
investigation into the flawed weapons estimates on Iraq.
The date of its public release was unclear Fri, although Senate
officials expect it out by summer. This summer, the president's
commission investigating the Sep 11, 2001, attacks is also expected to
release a report critical of US intel.
"That had no bearing whatsoever on Director Tenet's decision," said
CIA rep Mark Mansfield. "As he said yesterday, it was a personal decision."
Sen Carl Levin, D-Mich, and congressional aides have said the intel
committee report is expected to be highly critical of the agency for
overestimating the threat posed by Iraq. The report is expected to
identify titles and positions of a number of people.
One congressional aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity because
of the sensitive nature of the subject, said the CIA was given all but
the conclusions 3 wk ago for declassification and fact-checking. The
document makes clear the extent of the problem behind the Iraq weapons
estimates, the aide said.
Still unclear is whether Pres George W Bush will nominate Tenet's
replacement soon or steer clear during the presidential election
campaign, avoiding debate over intel failures in what could be a tough
confirmation fight. Bush has asked Tenet's deputy, John McLaughlin, to
temporarily head the agency after Tenet leaves on Jul 11.

Darfur rebels seize 16 Sudanese working for UN: Sudanese govt
Khartoum (AFP). Rebels in Sudan's W Darfur region abducted 16
Sudanese nat'ls working as UN aid workers, a snr govt official said.
Sudanese minister of state for foreign affairs, Nejib al-Khari Abdel
Wahab, said the Sudanese, all employees of the UN Development
Programme (UNDP), were taken hostage by rebels of the Sudan Liberation
Movement (SLM).
He added they were abducted in Malit east, in N Darfur State.
He said the UN has made contact with the rebels, adding that they have
admitted that they are holding the aid workers and promised to release them.
Abdel Wahab condemned the incident and said he regretted the threats
posed to the safety and security of employees of the UN and other aid
agencies, particularly given the efforts they are exerting to restore
stability in the Darfur region.
Officials for the SLM could not immediately be reached for comment.
When contacted in Nairobi, Ben Parker, the rep for the UN humanitarian
coordinator in Sudan, declined to confirm or deny the abduction.
Earlier, the state-owned Sudanese Media Center reported that 4
civilians died in separate rebel attacks in the same region.
It said rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) ambushed a
vehicle that was carrying a patient to hospital nr al-Fashir, the main
city in N Darfur State, killing 3 people.
The report added that another group of armed men also commandeered a
vehicle loaded with workers in S Darfur State and fled towards Kobri
Masko area.
It also accused SLM rebels of raiding villages E of Kutom in North
Darfur State. They commandeered a vehicle and took with them some 250
sheep, according to the centre, without saying when the incidents took place.
The reports could not be immediately verified.
The internat'l community has accused the Sudanese govt of impeding
access of aid workers to the region, despite growing concerns about an
imminent humanitarian disaster.
At least 10,000 people are believed to have died in Darfur since early
2003 when armed conflict broke out between 2 major rebels groups in
the region and Sudanese forces and their Janjawid Arab militia allies
in the area.
An estimated one mn people have fled the impoverished region following
attacks by govt troops and the militias on black African civilians,
with up to 100,000 of them taking refuge in neighbouring Chad,
according to UN figures.
The Sudanese govt and the main rebel groups in the area, the SLM and
the JEM, signed a cease-fire in Apr. But the govt and rebels continue
to accuse each other of violating the truce.

Lebanon trip to interview terrorism suspect stalls
Sydney. Efforts to interview Aussie man Saleh Jamal, who has been
arrested in Lebanon on terrorism charges, have stalled. The NSW Crime
Commission's counter-terrorism unit has applied to Lebanese
authorities to interview Jamal, who is being held in a Beirut jail.
Police had hoped the investigators would leave AUS today but delays
caused by "bureaucratic paperwork" mean the officers might not be able
to travel for several weeks. The officers want to interview Jamal
about his activities in AUS. Jamal was arrested in Lebanon after
leaving AUS without a valid passport and while on bail for his alleged
role in a shooting attack on Lakemba police station in SYD.

Army misconduct investigation adds another 16 cases
Inquiries into abuse of Iraqis, Afghans increased to 85 in all
Washington (WashPost). The Army reported on Fri 16 more criminal
investigations into possible misconduct by US soldiers against
detainees and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The revised figures brought to 85 the number of inquiries by the
Army's Criminal Investigation Division into detainee deaths and
alleged assaults and thefts by US soldiers in the region. Counting 22
other investigative actions by cmdrs in the field, the cases now total
107 and have involved at least 111 Iraqis and Afghans, Army officials said.
Much of the increase reflects a surge in accusations by Iraqis and
Afghanis in the wake of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, according to a
snr Army official. The widely publicised revelations about
mistreatment of detainees at the prison on the outskirts of Baghdad
encouraged others to come forward with complaints about the conduct of
US troops, the official said.
Whether most of the accusations involve recent incidents or ones that
occurred some time ago could not be determined from the list provided
by the Army.
But at least one of the new death investigations was triggered by the
killing of an Iraqi last wk after a high-speed car chase nr Kufa, a
restive Shiite city in south-central Iraq.
A brief statement issued Fri by the US military command in Baghdad
said the killing, which occurred on the afternoon of May 21, may have
violated the rules of engagement that govern when US soldiers can use
deadly force.
In releasing the updated figures, the Army provided no info about the
people, places or times involved. In the past, military officials have
cited concerns about privacy rights and judicial process to justify
keeping disclosures to a minimum.
Fri's tally did identify many of the cases as already completed. But
even for these, the Army offered nothing that would shed light on any
of the outcomes.
"I have absolutely no idea whether anyone was charged or not in most
of them," an Army rep said. The new numbers were based on data
available as of May 28. They showed 36 death investigations, a rise of
3 over the last report 2 wk ago. Of these, 31 involved Iraqis and 5 Afghans.
Cases of alleged abuses totalled 49 -- 45 of them involving Iraqis. The
investigations in Iraq divided into 24 assault cases, such as kicking
or punching, 2 sexual assault cases and 19 theft cases. The investigations
in Afghanistan included one sexual assault case and 3 other assault cases.
In a related development, the Acting UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights released a report Fri that said the mistreatment of detainees
at the Abu Ghraib prison could amount to war crimes.
The report by Bertrand Ramcharan noted that "willful killing, torture
or inhuman treatment" of detainees constitutes a grave breach of
internat'l law, adding that such acts "might be designated as war
crimes by a competent tribunal." The report called for "full accountability"
regarding the mistreatment of prisoners at detention facilities
throughout Iraq and recommended a "high-level internat'l ombudsman" be
designated to monitor US and other occupation troops while they remain
in the country.
State Dept rep Adam Ereli declined to comment on whether US soldiers
may have committed war crimes at the Abu Ghraib facility, but defended
the US military justice system as sufficient to deal with those
responsible for the abuses.

Hicks trial "a step closer"
David Hicks will face trial this y, the PM says.
Canberra. The Fed Govt says it is disappointed that no charges have
yet been laid against Aussie Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks. But
the Govt insists the prosecution of the terrorism suspect is moving
forward. Prime Min John Howard says the case against Mr Hicks is
progressing towards a military trial this y. "The charges against Mr
Hicks by the prosecutors have been presented to what's called the
appointing authority," Mr Howard said. But For Min Alexander Downer
says that does not mean charges have been laid. "It's a step forward
but we're disappointed the charging has taken quite as long as it's
taken," Mr Downer said. The For Min says he expects charges are
imminent, possibly in the next 2 to 3. The US has held Mr Hicks
and fellow Aussie Mamdouh Habib at its Guantanamo Bay military prison
in Cuba for more than 2 y without charge.

The fog persists in Iraq's future
Op/Ed (LA Times). As the military and security situation in Iraq has
deteriorated, the US and the UN have pinned ever-higher expectations
on the appointment of a new interim govt. That process, completed Tue,
did not go quite as either the US or the UN expected. The future of
Iraq is not much clearer, and the popular legitimacy of the new govt
is an unknown.
The politicians of the old US-picked Iraqi Governing Council simply
out-flanked the UN special envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, in forcing their own
choices for a Shiite PM, Iyad Allawi, and a Sunni, Ghazi Ajil Yawer,
for the more ceremonial post of president.
One of the 2 deputy PMs will be a Kurd.
Political analysts believe the US was weakened by military stand-offs
in Fallujah and Najaff and by the still-developing prison abuse scandal.
It could not arrest militant cleric and militia leader Moqtada Sadr,
much less provide the muscle to get Brahimi top choices installed.
At least former exile leader Ahmad Chalabi, whose false claims of
Iraqi WMD played a major part in leading the US to invade, has been
shoved aside. Allawi, though he has received CIA funding and support,
is now a critic of the US and an avowed foe of Chalabi, whose own y of
US funding belatedly ended last m.
Pres Bush said 2 wk ago that it was "time to take the training wheels
off" and let an interim govt replace the US-led Coalition Provisional
Authority on Jul 1. That's more an insult than a declaration of
confidence in the new govt ability to protect itself, the frightened
cadre of foreign workers in Iraq or the ordinary Iraqis who are
desperate to lead normal lives. A longtime exile, Allawi has little
base of support inside Iraq. With the wholesale resignation of the
Governing Council, his biggest local backers have left the scene.
Perhaps it is not a portent that Tue was punctuated by a mortar attack
and 2 deadly car bombings in and nr Baghdad. But the attacks were
business as usual in a city increasingly too dangerous for walking
around or conducting legitimate business.
More than 800 US military personnel have been killed in Iraq since the
war began, most of them since Bush declared "major combat" effectively
over more than a y ago. More than 130,000 troops will stay on after
Jul 1. But to whom will they answer? Allawi said he wanted control
over US forces except when they had to defend themselves. What
constitutes self-defence will not be a question settled easily, if at all.
Allawi's cabinet is neatly divided among Iraq's diverse and competing
groups. Whether its members can even be protected from assassination
precedes the question of whether they can govern effectively. That, in
a nutshell, is the continuing US problem in Iraq.

Mixed reactions: Kurds are marginalised in the reviving Iraq
London (KurdishMedia). The Contour of the New Iraq is taking place
but how has this shaped the hearts and minds of the people?
The last few wk have seen a vital and eventful time in both Baghdad
and the UN Sec Council. Crucially, the dawn of a new era is upon
us. On the 1st of Jul 2004, Iraq will once again become a sovereign
country with a pre-selected Interim Govt in sole charge of Iraqi
affairs. In principle, perhaps this is the most significant date in
Iraq's history; in reality many people doubt the effectiveness and
composition of the new UN Resolution and most importantly the new
govt. None more so than the Kurds. They have raised serious doubts
about their new role as partners in a new united democratic,
pluralistic and free Iraq. This is a chance for them to air their
views and respond to the new Iraq.
The main question is whether what was agreed in Baghdad and the UN Sec
Council i.e. the shape of the new Iraqi govt, served the interest of
the Kurds or otherwise.
KurdishMedia.com conducted interviews with people to get their
reactions. Here we publish the opinion of a number of diaspora Kurds.
Aram Azez, Journalist, Canada:
In my opinion, the Kurdish people have not been sold-out or betrayed
by the US, but by their irresponsible leaders who represented them in
Baghdad. The Kurdish position in the new Iraq govt is weaker than it
was during the Saddam era. During Saddam's period in power, Kurds had
2 Presid'l Deputies, Taha Miheddin Maaruf who was considered as a
"cartoony representative" and Taha Yassin Ramadan who was in a better
position. But now, Kurds have only Taha Miheddin in Baghdad.
I believe, those who without being elected by the Kurdish people, and
still don't even ask the people's opinion about their fates, but call
themselves Kurdish representatives, must apologise to the Kurdish
people for the failure that these "5 leaders" have done on their behalf.
Aryan Baban, a Kurd from US:
I do not know how history will ever forgive our Kurdish party leaders
for their actions since 1991. They totally ignored the will of Kurdish
nation. Since the liberation of Iraq, both PUK and KDP are brain-washing
Kurds to rebuild a dictatorial regime like Iraq.
Finally they succeeded it. Iraq for another time will be built in Jun
30, 2004 by old Baathist's and old Arab chauvinists with help of our
Kurdish leaders. The future is not optimists for Kurds. PUK and KDP
are both busy accumulating money by the mn and they do not care about
anything else. Just go back to S of Kurdistan to see for yourself.
Until now there is no regular electricity for example. Instead of
thinking of the welfare of our nation and taking advantage of this
golden opportunity, they are busy with their selfish interests. They
even make people forget that there are 2 Admins and people are getting
tired of asking when both Admins will be united. The reason is money.
Both PUK and KDP members are very comfortable with they way the
situation is. What makes everyone sick to our stomach is both leaders
are talking about peace and compromise among Iraqi forces and hold
congress in Hawler, but they are not trying to unite both Admins.
Jalal Talabani was gladly talking about he can mediate between US and
Al-Sadr but he cannot do it for the Kurds. He wanted to open a bank
account in Najaff and Karbala to help the victims when he was Pres of
the Iraqi Governing Council but ignored Halabja and Anfal victims and
he even did not ask UN or US to open an account for them. Massaud
Barzani is even worse than him. He bravely talks about Kurds and
Kurdistan in S Kurdistan but when he is in Baghdad or Pres in the
Iraqi Council, nobody even hears anything from him.
Both leaders betrayed Kurds again. If you ask me if Kurdish
aspirations were met, I say Kurdish aspiration is going die because of
PUK and KDP. And mark my words for it. We are sold out again. USA
always acts this way and does not care about anyone. But I do not
blame anybody except Kurdish leaders. They are criminals.
Hadi Elis, Canada, a Kurd believing in an Independent Kurdish State,
with saying that having in mind Greater Kurdistan:
What do you think about the shape of the new govt in Baghdad?
A quick look at the list of the PMs and the Cabinet members, and the
history of the Govts of Iraq will show that by the size, amount of
Ministries rewarded, there is no change in the attitude of Govt
forming in Iraq. 5 posts in 33 does not make any sense by the
comparisons of the Kurdish contribution to old and new Iraq, or by
the%age of the population of Iraq. If the Kurds are around 30% then at
least 10 posts should be given to the Kurds.
However my opinion is Kurds must get their rights based on ethnic and
territorial criteria's today in order to have a legitimate position to
declare their statehood, in any case this project of New Iraq doesn't
work as expected.
I don't think Kurds got what they were expecting as their natural
rights in being the main force of opp'n and military force of defeating
the Baathist govts and Saddam Hussein. When you give 1000s of martyrs,
think about 1000s of rural and urban settlements destroyed, bombarded
by chemical weapons, having ANFAL operations and a Genocide issue,
then the Kurds definitely deserved better treatment, starting from the
1st Post-Saddam govt to Interim Law, to the new constitution.
If today Iraq can call itself Iraq, still, it is because Kurds kept it
as it is.
Is this a "Kurdish sell-out" by the US? Of course it is a
"Sell-Out". Where in the world US went in and did the right thing, I
do not know any single positive example. Even Germany and Japan after
WWII did not receive fair treatment, as many W political scientists
would like to claim as successful examples. Why was Jay Garner
replaced by Paul Bremer? When a civilian replaces a military man, it
doesn't mean the issue will be dealt with in a more civil matter. On
the contrary Paul Bremer's attitude was anti-Kurdish from the
beginning. When he started cancelling UN programs, appointing his men
at the posts of key positions. He was there to do the Job the way US
wanted it to be done. Don't blame Bremer alone; blame Washington and
the Bush Admin altogether. Does the US treat the issues how it can
solve the issue with receiving the maximum interests?
Kurdish Leadership and Kurdistan Regional Govt must act with the same
approach.
They have been dealing with US over a quarter of century, and still
not learning from the mistakes.
Kurds in the IGC were too weak to negotiate on behalf of Kurds.
However they were thinking if they stay quite, not playing a role of
opp'n, they might receive a better treatment from the Americans. On
the contrary if you make noise you will receive attention, if you make
noise you get bargaining power. Kurdish leadership was in an illusion
in expecting a fair and just treatment from US. Don't forget what
Kissinger said to us not to be confused between covert action and a
humanitarian mission. For us, the US war on Saddam looked like a
humanitarian mission, in fact it was a covert action to save the
situation from getting worst, specifically Kurds in Turkey and Kurds
in Iraq were getting close to create the conditions for a Kurdish
state. In my opinion US declared war on Iraq to stop this process from
reaching its destination, and I see the arrest and hand over of Ocalan
connected to this.
Do you think that the Kurds formally part of the IGC should acknowledge
their failure to the Kurds and resign from their new govt'l positions?
Definitely. This will create an opportunity to do the things which
done wrong in the 1st place. Kurds has to show their power and weight
in the project of new Iraq, and this is the key for the survival of
new Iraq. Without Kurds getting what they deserve according to their
position and their contribution, the new Iraq does not deserve to exist.
Do you think the Kurds have been treated as 2nd class citizens in
Iraq? Yes. Because Shia and Sunni are still thinking with the old
Iraqi mentality, Arabs 1st and Kurdish later. Kurdish land is Iraqi,
Kurdish Oil is Iraqi, Kirkuk is Iraqi, etc.
They do not want to see the Kurds as equal to themselves. At least
they are not ready to accept that yet.
Do you think it is in the interest of Kurds for Iraq to regain its
sovereignty? No. Iraqi Sovereignty is based of denial of Kurdish
rights. Kurdistan and rest of Iraq together is creating something
else, I like to be called the US of Mesopotamia.
Then may be there is a point to discuss the issue of sovereignty.
Does the problem lay in the representation of Kurds in the new interim
govt or other otherwise? For me the main problem is the position of
the Kurdish De Facto State, its evolution and the transformation. The
Kurdish self-determination, and its relation and the connections with
the other problems of the ME have to be dealt in a new way of thinking.
It must start with the recognition of Kurdish right to self-determination,
not only in Iraq but in all occupied parts of Kurdistan.
=== end 2/4 ===