Issue 152

World News in Brief: Issue 152

12th February 2007

News in brief from across the world. In this issue: a video showing the death of a British soldier is leaked, an international child pornography ring is uncovered and India predicts it's economy will grow by nearly 10% this year.

Iraq

A video showing the death of a British soldier due to 'friendly fire' has been leaked. Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, was killed in March 2003 in an incident involving a US helicopter. However, it has been revealed that the pilots were cleared of any wrongdoing as a result of an investigation launched shortly after the incident.

Vienna

An international child pornography ring has been uncovered in the Austrian Captial, where the Russianrun website was hosted. Over 2,000 suspects, from over 70 countries, paid to view "the worst kind of child sexual abuse" according to the Austrian Interior Minister Guenther Platter.

Saudi Arabia

Talks have begun between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The aim of the negotiations is to establish a national unity government and prevent civil war.

Palestine

A tentitive agreement by the two main factions in Plaestine, Hamas and Fatah, was reached in the last couple of days during talks in Mecca. This brings hope for new stability in the region and an end to the violence that has plagued the area in recent times.

India

The Indian government have announced their prediction that the country's economy will grow by up to 9.2% over the next financial year. The increase comes from the manufacturing and service sector, rather than from farming which employs 60% of the population.

Daniel Budden