World at a glance
Thursday, 17 Jul 2008 14:27
Anwar Ibrahim has been bailed
Five prisoners returned to Lebanon by Israel in exchange for the bodies of two soldiers have attended a rally in their honour.
But as the five men – including notorious killer Samir Kuntar – were given a heroes' welcome, Israel was to bury reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah, making his first public appearance since January at the rally in south Beirut, said the day was a "victory" for the Lebanese people.
"This people and this nation and this country that gave a clear picture to the world – [it] cannot be defeated."
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The main opposition figurehead in Malaysia has been bailed by police after being arrested at gunpoint over claims he sexually assaulted a male office volunteer.
Anwar Ibrahim was arrested on Wednesday before a deadline for him to appear at a police station to begin questioning expired.
Mr Ibrahim was deputy premier a decade ago when he was convicted and jailed for six years over sodomy charges.
Speaking to reporters today, he said police had arrested him due to a personal vendetta: "I don't deserve this. No Malaysian deserves this. Why treat me as a major criminal and a public enemy? Mind you they have no case against me."
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Two 17-year-old London students jailed in Ghana for trying to smuggle £300,000 worth of cocaine out of the country have been released.
Yasemin Vatansever and Yatunde Diya, from Islington, north London, were detained at Accra Airport in July last year while trying to board a London-bound flight.
The teenagers denied attempting to smuggle 6kg of cocaine out of Ghana and maintained they had been set up and unaware the drugs were in their luggage.
In January, the girls were sentenced to one year in prison after being found guilty of drug possession and trafficking.
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Colombia's president said yesterday that a Red Cross symbol was worn by one of the rescue crew which freed 15 hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, from left-wing Farc rebels.
Alvaro Uribe issued an apology to the international organisation for the mistake made by the soldier.
It is considered a violation of the Geneva Conventions and international law to misuse the Red Cross symbol.
Ms Betancourt and the other hostages were freed after rescuers tricked the rebels into releasing them by posing as international aid workers.
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Back in Britain, Robert Murat, the first official suspect in the Madeleine McCann investigation, has accepted £600,000 in libel damages from 11 British newspapers in the high court today.
He had originally brought the libel action over allegations about his involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Speaking outside the London court Mr Murat said the sensational headlines about him had caused the "total and utter destruction of my and my family's life".
He said that he felt "vindicated" after receiving the apology from the publications and claimed he could "now start to rebuild my life".
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And finally, in sport, sprinter Dwain Chambers will not find out until tomorrow whether he will be allowed to represent Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
At a high court hearing today, which had already been put back by one day after it was originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday, the judge delayed the decision by a further 24 hours.
The 100m runner is challenging a life ban imposed upon him in accordance with a British Olympic Association (BOA) law that prevents any athlete who has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs from competing at the Games.
Opinion is mixed over whether Chambers' appeal will be successful. He is challenging the law on the basis that it is a restraint of trade.
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