 Turkish state prosecutors have dropped one of two criminal charges against the best-selling writer Orhan Pamuk. The charge that he had insulted Turkey's armed forces was dropped, but he still faces the charge that he insulted "Turkishness", lawyers said. His trial was halted on its first day, when an Istanbul judge said the case needed the justice ministry's approval. Brussels has described the case as a litmus test of Turkey's European Union membership credentials. It has called on Ankara, which has just started negotiations over EU membership, to do more to protect freedom of expression. The trial was halted on 16 December and adjourned until 7 February. The justice ministry's permission is being sought because of a dispute over whether Mr Pamuk is to be tried under Turkey's old penal code or a recent, revised version. Mr Pamuk's lawyers have argued that he must be tried under the old code, requiring the justice minister to give a ruling. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk
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Editor - 11:41:00 12-29-05
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 Sites exploit Windows image flaw |
Computer users are being alerted to a new flaw in Microsoft Windows which can be used to attack a PC. The US net watchdog, the Computer Emergency Response Center (Cert), and security firms have issued warnings about certain types of image files called Windows Metafiles. Experts said numerous websites were taking advantage of the flaw to sneak into computers and install spyware. Microsoft has said it is looking into the issue. The flaw centres on the way Microsoft's operating system handles Windows Metafiles (.wmf). These are image files that can contain both vector and bitmap-based picture information. The hole means that an attacker can hide malicious code on a webpage or an e-mail containing files with the wmf extension. "Exploit code has been publicly posted and used to successfully attack fully-patched Windows XP SP2 systems," said Cert. "However, other versions of the Windows operating system may be at risk as well." ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4566504.stm
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Editor - 10:37:00 12-29-05
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| Iraqi Groups Pushing for Elections Review |
Sunni Arab and secular groups refused Thursday to open discussions with the Shiite religious bloc leading in Iraq's parliamentary elections until a full review of the contested results is carried out. Their refusal could deepen the political turmoil following a U.N. observer's endorsement of Iraq's Dec. 15 elections. The official said the results were credible and that the results should stand. ``We are not taking part in discussions,'' said Nasser al-Ani, a senior official in the main Sunni Arab coalition - the Iraqi Accordance Front. Preliminary results from the vote have given the governing Shiite religious bloc, the United Iraqi Alliance, a big lead - but one which still would require forming a coalition with other groups. Al-Ani told The Associated Press that his political group favored participating in broad-based coalition government, but would not begin contacts ``until we get a clear picture about the results of the investigation.'' ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5510692,00.html
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Editor - 10:27:00 12-29-05
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| Man apparently pulled into wood chipper dies |
A man trimming trees was killed after he apparently was pulled into a wood chipper, police said.The tree-service employee died Wednesday while he and a co-worker were cutting branches at a Loveland residence, Police Sgt. Rae Bontz said.“It appears he was pulled into the chipper,” Bontz said. He described the death as an industrial accident but released no other details, saying police were investigating. After the accident, the man’s partner, who was cutting branches from a bucket on a hydraulic lift, ran to the house where they were working, and a resident called 911. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.Police did not release either man’s name. Police Chief Luke Hecker said the victim was experienced at his work....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10640346/from/RSS/
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Editor - 10:25:00 12-29-05
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| Indonesian Military Admits to Taking Money |
Indonesia's military acknowledged for the first time Thursday that a U.S. gold-mining conglomerate has been providing direct ``support'' to army units accused of human rights abuses for decades in the remote province of West Papua. Joint services spokesman Maj. Gen. Kohirin Suganda said the armed forces ``as an institution'' had never received donations from Freeport-McMoRan Co. ``But we have heard that Freeport provides support such as vehicles, fuel and meals directly to the units in the field,'' Suganda said. ``That's the company's policy. It was not done because we requested it.'' Suganda was responding to an article published Tuesday in The New York Times that detailed the New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan's payments of $20 million to military commanders in the area in the last seven years in exchange for protection of its facilities in the remote province. ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5510649,00.html
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Editor - 10:10:00 12-29-05
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| Five die in wildfires sweeping US |
At least five people have died in the wildfires which have swept across parts of the US states of Texas and Oklahoma. The fires, fanned by strong winds and dry weather, have destroyed nearly 200 homes and scorched thousands of acres of land in the past two days. Wednesday's calmer winds helped efforts to contain many fires but the winds are forecast to pick up this weekend. Children playing with fireworks, tossed cigarettes and burning rubbish have been blamed for the outbreaks. An estimated 124 homes were destroyed in Texas and 50 in the neighbouring state of Oklahoma. Worst hit was the central Texan town of Cross Plains, where the fires forced its 1,000 inhabitants to leave...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4566228.stm
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Editor - 10:00:00 12-29-05
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