ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2011
INTERNATIONAL 16
World News Roundup
Strauss-Kahn
Pressure mounts
‘Kahn won’t
plead guilty’
NEW YORK, July 7, (Agencies):
Dominique Strauss-Kahn will
not plead guilty to even a minor
charge to reach a plea deal in the
sexual assault case against him,
the former IMF chief’s defense
team said in Thursday’s New York
Times.
“Strauss-Kahn will not be
pleading guilty to anything,”
William Taylor, one of his lead
lawyers, told the newspaper.
Taylor spoke after he and
defense attorney
Benjamin
Brafman met
Wednesday with
Manhattan pros-
ecutors in a ses-
sion they
described as
“constructive.”
Taylor also
Strauss-Kahn said they did not
discuss a plea
bargain in the case at the meeting.
Wednesday’s meeting came
amid growing speculation that
prosecutors may have to abandon
the case against Strauss-Kahn, a
prominent French politician once
seen as in line for the presidency.
The case suffered a potentially
fatal blow last week when prose-
cutors cast doubt on the credibility
of the Guinean-born maid at the
luxury Manhattan hotel who
accused Strauss-Kahn of sexually
assaulting and attempting to rape
her on May 14.
Prosecutors have said the maid
lied in sworn testimony in the Revelers run next to Torrestrella ranch fighting bulls on Estafeta street during the running of the bulls at the San Fermin fiestas on July 7, in Pamplona, Spain. (AP)
case, and has given false informa-
tion on tax and asylum application
forms, including about an alleged No gorings on first day of Spain’s bull-running festival
gang rape in Guinea.
Indicated Spain’s San Fermin bull-running fes- 1923 inspired him to pen “The Sun got divorced and remarried my old will every morning for a week. bullring was opened in 1922, the lat-
Strauss-Kahn’s defense team tival got under way on Thursday with- Also Rises”, the novel which also girlfriend,” said Alastrue, a quality The Red Cross reported minor est of whom died in 2009.
indicated last week that they out any of the gorings which usually established his reputation. consultant in Madrid. “So San Fermin injuries only as runners mostly man- The most potentially serious injuries
would be unwilling to agree to a mark the week-long celebrations that One of many thousands thronging is a reference in my life.” Runners in aged to avoid the six bulls slithering so far in this year’s festival were sus-
plea deal over a lesser felony or draw tourists from around the world. the streets on Thursday was Joaquin white garb trimmed with red sashes over cobblestones in a two-and-a- tained by two men who dove head-first
misdemeanor charge unless the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Ernest Alastrue, 60, who has been visiting and scarves, herded the bulls in the half-minute dash across town. off the top of a fountain after the official
prosecution could find some Hemingway made what was once a the festival since he first found love in early morning through Pamplona’s Gorings, however, are common start of the festivities on Wednesday,
damning evidence of wrongdoing. local pageant world famous after a Pamplona 40 years ago. “We broke narrow medieval streets into the bull- and local media reckon 15 pilgrims but who were later discharged from
visit to northern town Pamplona in up and I got married, but years later I ring according to tradition, as they have been killed since the current hospital. (RTRS)
Prosecutors have insisted the
matter is not closed and that the
charges still stand. Strauss-Kahn,
who has been released from house
arrest and allowed to travel freely Belarus
within the United States, is due
back in court for another hearing
on July 18.
The meeting between Strauss-
Kahn’s lawyers and prosecutors
was private. But it only ratcheted
400 held in new anti-Lukashenko protest
up public debate over the sexual
assault case against him.
Outside the Manhattan District
Attorney’s closed doors, the
lawyer for the hotel maid who has
accused Strauss-Kahn of trying to
rape her said prosecutors had tried
US House ‘backs’ protesters
to discredit the woman and called WASHINGTON, July 7, (AFP): The ing part in “silent” protests against The protests went ahead on the Belarussian president said.
on them to appoint a special pros- US House of Representatives authoritarian President Alexander Wednesday evening in several cities Detentions
ecutor. A police fraternal organiza- approved a bill late Wednesday to Lukashenko organised on social net- in response to a call by Internet group German Foreign Minister Guido
tion and some others pressed pros- support democracy and human rights work sites, according to the local “Revolution through the Social Westerwelle slammed the latest
ecutors to go forward with the in Belarus, where at least 400 opposi- Vyasna rights group. Network”, the sixth such rally in a detentions, saying “the unrestrained
case, which has foundered on tion protesters were arrested. Several journalists were also month. brutality with which security forces
doubts about the accuser’s credi- Picture taken on July 6, of a French The Belarus Democracy and detained, including reporters for At least 180 people were arrested respond to peaceful rallies is
bility after prosecutors said she Rafale jet flying over the Paris Arch of Human Rights Act of 2011 calls for Nasha Niva newspaper, Radio in Minsk and 220 in other regional absolutely unacceptable.”
had a history of lying. Triumph (Arc de Triomphe) during a the release of all political prisoners Svoboda, and Interfax news agency. centres, the Vyasna rights group Plainclothes officers roughly
And while outside voices rehearsal of the Bastille Day military
parade scheduled on July 14. (AFP) and refuses to recognize the results of Crackdown said in a statement. As in previous grabbed both protesters and
weighed in on the case December’s elections, widely seen as demonstrations, protesters did not bystanders who happened to be in
Wednesday, outside forces contin- Lukashenko launched a crack-
fraudulent. down on the opposition — unprece- chant slogans or brandish banners the area by accident on Wednesday
ued to weigh on it. As prosecutors “This bill encourages those strug- but merely stood in silence, clap- night, and arrested about 25 journal-
said they hadn’t yet decided dented even in his 17 years of author-
gling for decency and basic rights itarian rule — after mass protests on ping their hands. ists, mostly reporters for Western
whether to go ahead with the case, against the overwhelming pressures “All this scabby mob, which is not and independent media, according
the clock ticked toward a July 13 the evening of his landslide reelec-
from the anti-democratic regime,” tion victory in December. that large, simply loiters in the to the Association of Belarus
deadline for Strauss-Kahn to enter Republican Representative Chris squares, either mumbling, stomping Journalists.
a primary for the presidential race US President Barack Obama last
Smith, the author of the bill, said in a month extended sanctions on or yelling,” Lukashenko said while Most reporters were released after
in France, where he was consid-
ered a leading contender until his statement. Belarus, which have frozen the assets on a trip to a newspaper plant in the being harassed and told not to take
May arrest. The bill adds congressional sup- of a number of top officials and provincial town of Shklov, the offi- pictures or record videos, the associ-
Further muddying the waters, port for US restrictions on senior banned many from traveling to the cial Belta news agency reported. ation said on its website.
the prosecutor’s office in Paris Garzon De Wever
Belarus government officials, their United States. In typically rambling yet ven- Several videos recorded at the
said Wednesday it had received a family members and business part- The European Union has placed omous style, Lukashenko proceeded Wednesday protests showed plain-
criminal complaint accusing ners, as well as security service mem- travel bans on and frozen the assets to call the opposition “enemies of the clothes officers pull people from the
Strauss-Kahn of attempting to bers involved in the post-election of some 188 individuals, including people” and offered to ship its mem- crowd and even off bicycles, pushing
rape a writer eight years ago. Europe crackdown. people from Lukashenko’s inner cir- bers to Europe in a train carriage. some to the ground as police said
The former International Authorities in Belarus arrested at cle and several judges who have “If (Europe wants them) faster, through the megaphone that every-
Monetary Fund chief denies the least 400 people Wednesday for tak- issued sentences in the recent trials. we’ll give a plane, take them away,” one should leave.
latest allegation. His French Garzon elected to body: Crusading
lawyers have called the writer’s Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, known
account “imaginary” and say they for his bid to pursue former Chilean dicta- It is not clear what will happen now. strength. (RTRS) European Parliament called on Russia on its affairs. A resolution passed with a clear
plan to file a complaint accusing tor Augusto Pinochet, was elected One possibility, increasingly mooted, is a Thursday to guarantee free elections and lift majority by the parliament in Strasbourg reit-
Wednesday to the Council of Europe’s ❑ ❑ ❑
her of slander. fresh election, even though it would likely curbs on an opposition party in a resolution erated concerns about difficulties faced by
anti-torture arm, it said.
Participants on both sides were The 55-year-old judge was elected over return the same parties with similar EU deplores party poll curb: The Russia condemned as “crude” interference in parties in registering ahead of a December
tight-lipped about Wednesday’s parliamentary vote, saying the restrictions
two other candidates to the European were obstacles to political plurality.
meeting in Manhattan District Committee for the Prevention of Torture
Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.’s It said the parliament “deplores” the
office, which came five days after
by delegates from the council’s 47 mem- Extradition blocked decision to deny the People’s Freedom
ber countries, the body said in a state- Party registration and called on the
prosecutors said the accuser had ment. Among his duties will be inspec- authorities to scrap rules against the prin-
not been truthful about her back-
ground and the aftermath of the
tions of prisons, psychiatric hospitals and
other detention facilities of member coun- ‘Hopes’ dashed ciple of free elections. (RTRS)
❑ ❑ ❑
alleged attack. tries to ensure that inmates’ basic rights
are respected. COPENHAGEN, July 7, (AP): Prosecutors wrap up case:
A spokeswoman for Vance hit Denmark’s top prosecutor on
back in a statement emailed to The judge, best known for his attempt Lithuanian prosecutors Thursday wrapped
to extradite Pinochet from Britain for Thursday dashed India’s hopes up their court questioning of an Irishman
AFP, calling the recusal request of getting hold of a Danish
human rights abuses in 1998, is awaiting charged with attempting to smuggle arms
“wholly without merit.” trial for abuse of power in Spain over a national who has admitted to dissident paramilitary group the Real
The war between the alleged probe into Franco-era crimes. (AFP) involvement in a major arms IRA, his lawyer said.
victim and those supposedly pur- ❑ ❑ ❑ smuggling case in the 1990s. Michael Campbell, 38, had been
suing the case against Strauss- Prosecutor General Joergen expected to learn Thursday what sentence
Kahn came days after the prosecu- Belgian coalition bid rejected: Steen Soerensen said he won’t prosecutors would seek in the long-run-
tion admitted in a dramatic court The Flemish separatist N-VA party reject- appeal a decision by Danish ning case, but that part of the hearing was
hearing that it had grave doubts ed a proposal to restart stalled Belgian courts to block the extradition of delayed until Friday. “The questioning
about her credibility. coalition talks on Thursday, prolonging 49-year-old Niels Holck. was finished today and the prosecutor has
the country’s 13-month search for a gov- Holck, who used the name asked for a pause until tomorrow to pre-
In the latest twist to the stun- ernment following an inconclusive elec- Kim Davy in India, has acknowl-
ning case, the maid’s lawyer pare for a final speech,” defence attorney
tion. edged taking part in dropping Ingrida Botyriene told AFP.
Kenneth Thompson sent a letter N-VA leader Bart De Wever told a assault rifles, rocket launchers Under Lithuanian law, Cambpell faces
Wednesday to Vance requesting news conference that a note presented on and missiles from a cargo plane up to 20 years in prison. While the pro-
he immediately recuse himself Monday by French-speaking socialist Elio over eastern India in 1995. posed sentence should be revealed on
from the case and allow the Di Rupo, the man asked by the Belgian Supporters hold a poster depicting former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Indian police said the cache Friday, Campbell’s legal team will only
appointment of a special prose- king to form a new government, did not Tymoshenko during a rally in Kiev, July 7. The Ukrainian security service says was meant for an Indian revolu- present his final defence at hearings in the
cutor. provide a sound basis for successful nego- it has opened a criminal investigation into the activities of an energy company tionary group. middle of September, Botyriene
tiations. once headed by former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. (AP) explained. (AFP)