World at a glance
Friday, 04 Jul 2008 10:56
Flights with Taiwan began today
Direct flights between China and Taiwan have begun operating for the first time since the Chinese revolution.
An Airbus carrying 100 weekend tourists landed in Taiwan earlier this morning after taking off from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.
It is the first flight since 1949, when China descended into a civil war resulting in Taiwan's separation from the communist mainland.
The state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese official Wang Yi as saying: "Direct contacts between the compatriots on both sides must be beefed up to enhance their mutual understanding and achieve new progress in the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties."
Click here for full story
Zimbabwe will not be suspended from the International Cricket Council (ICC), an official has said.
But the south African nation has agreed to pull out of next year's World Twenty20 championship in Britain.
The ICC has been meeting in Dubai this week to discuss Zimbabwe's status as a full member following political turmoil and condemnation of Robert Mugabe's regime.
Zimbabwe's withdrawal from the World Twenty20 is believed to be a compromise agreement driven by India, with other south Asian nations unwilling to throw Zimbabwe out.
Click here for full story
An explosion at an open-air concert in Belarus' capital Minsk last night which injured 50 people was not politically motivated, police have said.
The blast occurred in a park where revellers were enjoying live music. President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country since its independence from the former Soviet Union, was attending but was not hurt.
"I heard a loud explosion and there was black smoke," 28-year-old Sergey told the Reuters news agency.
"People started shouting. No one stopped the concert. They just isolated the place around the explosion and emergency vehicles began coming."
Click here for full story
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt was freed after being held hostage by rebels for six years yesterday.
Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages were released after the left-wing Farc rebels were tricked into handing them over.
Reports claim that Colombian soldiers posed as non-government organisation members before flying them to freedom by helicopter.
Speaking after her release Ms Betancourt said: "This is a miracle. There is no historical precedent for such a perfect operation."
Click here for full story
Back in Britain, a senior judge has said British legal practices could incorporate sharia law for mediation purposes.
Lord Chief Justice Nicholas Phillips made the suggestion at a speech to the East London Muslim Centre last night.
He said sharia law was like any other religious code in that it could be used "as the basis for mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution".
Lord Chief Justice Phillips added: "It must be recognised, however, that any sanctions for a failure to comply with the agreed terms of mediation would be drawn from the laws of England and Wales."
Click here for full story
And finally, in sport, Middlesbrough have confirmed the £3.2 million signing of up-and-coming Dutch forward Marvin Emnes from Sparta Rotterdam.
The 20-year-old, who has already agreed personal terms and passed a medical, has signed a four-year contract at the Riverside.
Emnes, a Netherlands under-21 international, has 55 Eredivisie games under his belt and had attracted interest from Dutch giants Ajax and Feyenoord.
Boro boss Gareth Southgate said he was delighted to add to his squad's attacking options.
Click here for full story