Six In The Morning

Eurozone leaders agree rescue deal



Geoff Meade and Diana Pilkington Thursday, 27 October 2011

Eurozone leaders sealed a three-part deal today, which they hope will convince markets they have an effective response to the growing economic crisis. Officials in Brussels said an accord had been reached with banks on a 50% write-off of Greek debt and they also approved a complex mechanism to boost the eurozone's main bailout fund to 1tr euro (£880bn). It means that, coupled with an earlier decision to recapitalise vulnerable banks, the summit has delivered on the package it promised. Asian stock markets climbed today after European leaders reached their agreement, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index rising 1.6% to 8,891.93 and South Korea's Kospi adding 1.4% to 1,921.21.

Argentina's 'Angel of Death' jailed for crimes against humanity

Alfredo Astiz, who murdered activists during 'dirty war' and came to symbolise junta's crimes, sentenced to life in prison

Associated Press guardian.co.uk, Thursday 27 October 2011

A former navy spy known as the Angel of Death and 11 other former Argentine military and police officers have been sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity committed during the 1976-83 military dictatorship. Alfredo Astiz, a 59-year-old ex-navy captain, became notorious for his infiltration and betrayal of activists and was viewed by many Argentines as the symbol of the junta's crimes. He was accused of participating in the kidnapping, torture and murder of two French nuns, a journalist and three founders of a human rights group.

Bangkok residents flee rising waters



irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Thursday, October 27, 2011

Thailand's prime minister said Bangkok was fighting the forces of nature today as rising flood waters undermined dikes protecting the capital and residents took to the road at the start of a five-day holiday called to let them escape. The country's worst flooding in half a century, caused in part by unusually heavy monsoon rain, has killed 373 people since mid-July and disrupted the lives of nearly 2.5 million, until now mostly in the north and centre. Traffic in central Bangkok was light as the holiday began but a main road out of the city to the flood-free south was jammed. Many people headed for the seaside towns of Hua Hin and Pattaya, where hotel rooms and homes to rent were hard to find.

Yemenis burn veils to protest crackdown



October 27, 2011 - 9:19AM

Hundreds of Yemeni women have set fire to traditional female veils to protest the government's brutal crackdown against the country's popular uprising, as overnight clashes in the capital and another city killed 25 people. In the capital Sanaa, the women spread a black cloth across a main street on Wednesday and threw their full-body veils, known as makrama, onto a pile, sprayed it with oil and set it ablaze. As the flames rose, they chanted: "Who protects Yemeni women from the crimes of the thugs?"

Growing alarm over stockpiled weapons in Libya



JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

Ian Martin, head of the UN mission in Libya, also told a Security Council meeting that new previously undeclared sites for storing chemical weapons had been uncovered since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's government. World powers have raised fears that militant groups in neighbouring countries have obtained Gaddafi's weapons and that the arms could fall into the hands of al-Qaeda followers. Gaddafi's regime had "accumulated the largest known stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles", Martin said.

Oakland protesters hold late-night march after vet injured

Demonstration remains peaceful in contrast to violence the night before; former Marine in critical condition with skull fracture

msnbc.com news services

OAKLAND, Calif. — Anti-Wall Street protesters filled a street with a late-night march Wednesday and Oakland's police chief pledged a vigorous investigation into an earlier clash between police and protesters that left an Iraq War veteran in critical condition with a fractured skull. Police Chief Howard Jordan spoke as tensions grew over demonstration encampment in the Bay area. "It's unfortunate it happened. I wish that it didn't happen. Our goal, obviously, isn't to cause injury to anyone," the chief said at an afternoon press conference. Scott Olsen, 24, suffered a fractured skull Tuesday in a march with other protesters toward City Hall, said Dottie Guy, of the Iraq Veterans Against the War. The demonstrators had been making an attempt to re-establish a presence in the area of a disbanded protesters' camp when they were met by officers in riot gear.