Clinton backers fail to woo GOP moderates
WASHINGTON, Dec 16 — US House Judiciary Republicans have said in a final report that President Bill Clinton has “disgraced himself and the high office he holds”.

Suspects’ trial okayed
TRIPOLI, Dec 16 — Libya’s Parliament has given its conditional approval for the trial of two suspects in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, saying the men cannot be freed unless several hitches are solved.

UN inspectors leave Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Dec 16 — UN humanitarian staff and weapons inspector were being evacuated from Baghdad on Wednesday, after UN arms chief Richard Butler warned that Iraq was failing to cooperate, UN sources said.

Tests disprove child was Anwar’s
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — Blood tests ordered by the Malaysian Police showed that ousted Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim did not father an illegitimate child, a key prosecution witness admitted today.

Hamdani is new Algerian PM
LONDON, Dec 16 — Sixty eight-year-old diplomat and Member of Parliament Ismail Hamdani has taken over as Algeria’s new Prime Minister, replacing Ahmed Onayhia, who resigned on Monday.

Peace efforts on in Kosovo
BELGRADE, Dec 16 — Warning Kosovo’s factions that they are playing with dynamite, US envoy Richard Holbrooke sought on Tuesday to revive peace efforts in the troubled province after the newest violation of an informal cease-fire left 42 persons dead.

Full House debate today
Clinton backers fail to woo GOP moderates

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters, AP) — US House Judiciary Republicans have said in a final report that President Bill Clinton directly attacked the judicial and legislative branches of the government and “disgraced himself and the high office he holds”.

“His high crimes and misdemeanours undermine our Constitution. They warrant his impeachment, his removal from office and his disqualification from holding further office,” the introduction to the Republican report yesterday said.

In a dissenting report, House Judiciary Democrats said Clinton’s actions did not warrant removal from office, and they decried the “sad three-month process” that led to articles of impeachment against him.

Both reports will be distributed to House members as supporting evidence to the four articles of impeachment approved by the committee on party-line votes last week.

Meanwhile, President Clinton suffered a steady loss of support from House Republican (GOP) moderates on and weighed advice to make an explicit, last-minute confession of wrongdoing to stop the slide.

“No one is above the law, not even the President,” Republican Nancy Johnson of Connecticut said yesterday as she joined the ranks of Republicans favouring impeachment and a Senate trial for America’s 42nd chief executive.

On a day of almost unrelenting gloomy news for the White House, one Republican lawmaker floated a proposal for Clinton to make a $ 2 million payment and accept a toughly worded censure resolution to avoid the humiliation of becoming only the second President to be impeached.

“Even at this late date, there are compelling reasons to pursue a different course with a better solution for our nation,” wrote Republican Mike Castle of Delaware.

A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Clinton’s aides were discussing Castle’s proposal and were eager to see any other “reasonable” ideas the might bring more moderates to Clinton’s side.

The Republican-controlled panel approved two articles of impeachment alleging perjury and one each of obstruction of justice and abuse of power stemming from actions following Clinton’s affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

The introduction to the Republican report said Clinton encouraged Lewinsky to file a false affidavit in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, made false statements under oath in that case and in later grand jury testimony and tried to get Lewinsky to conceal evidence that would help Jones.

But a 93-page draft copy of the Democratic report, obtained by Reuters, said the panel’s evidence was “shaky, at best”.

It said the panel had not satisfied constitutional standards for impeachment and had essentially “rubber-stamped” Independent counsel Kenneth Starr’s report to Congress in September.

Starr’s report alleging potentially-impeachable offences by Clinton sparked the impeachment inquiry, which has been marked by intense partisan rancour.

The articles of impeachment will be debated on Thursday by the full House. If approved, they would be sent to the Senate for a trial on whether to remove Clinton from office.

“There is no question that the President’s actions were wrong, and further that the President has suffered, perhaps properly, profound and untold humiliation and pain for his actions,” the Democratic report said.

“But it is undeniable that, when asked squarely about his relationship with Ms Lewinsky before the grand jury, the President directly admitted to the improper affair,” it said.

“The core of the charges against the President, thus, are that he did not adequately describe the intimate details of the relationship,” it said.

Not since Andrew Johnson in 1868 has a President been impeached by the House. Johnson’s case went to the Senate for trial, and he was acquitted by a single vote.

It is widely assumed that Clinton also would win acquittal in the Senate. But one Democrat, Senater Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, offered a word of caution, saying: “As far as I know, hardly any of my colleagues in the Senate have said how they would vote.”

Clinton’s chances of escaping impeachment in the House dimmed during the day, as he flew back to Washington from West Asia and Vice-President Al Gore telephoned wavering Republican lawmakers.

New York Republican Jack Quinn jolted the White House when he announced he was reversing positions and would support impeachment.

Whatever strategy Clinton settles on, Republicans and Democrats alike said the President would have to move beyond his former, vaguely worded apologies to have a strong chance of avoiding impeachment.

In another development the White House urged members of the US House of Representatives to read President Clinton’s legal defence before casting their vote on whether to impeach him.

The 184-page letter, turned over a week ago to the House Judiciary Committee, concluded that the case against the President did not justify impeachment. A number of scholars that the White House defence team used as witnesses in the committee’s hearings made the same argument.

“I certainly hope that every member, before they vote, will sit down and read the case in defence of the President,” said White House Senior Adviser Paul Begala. “That’s not asking too much”.

Libyan House okays suspects’ trial

TRIPOLI, Dec 16 (AP) — Libya’s Parliament has given its conditional approval for the trial of two suspects in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, saying the men cannot be freed unless several outstanding hitches are solved.

Western diplomats in Libya said Parliament’s statement appeared to be a major step toward a trial, but the US State Department and diplomats at the UN headquarters in New York were less impressed.

The General People’s Congress, Libya’s Parliament, expressed satisfaction with the agreement of the Libyan, British and American sides on trying the two suspects in the Lockerbie incident in a “third country.”

But a statement, read on state-run television during a televised meeting of Parliament, made no mention of whether Libya would hand over the two suspects. The Parliament ended its eight-day meeting yesterday afternoon.

The Congress also asked these sides to work on removing “any obstacle” preventing the two suspects from standing trial as soon as possible.

Libya already has accepted in principle to a trial of the two suspects before a panel of Scottish judges in the Netherlands.

The handover of the men has been held up because of Libya’s demand for guarantees that the two men, if convicted, would be jailed in Libya.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the approval a positive development but asked the Libyan ambassador to explain what obstacles his Parliament was referring to, a UN spokesman said.

The USA and Britain insist that the two suspects — Abdel Basset Ali Al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah — serve prison terms in Britain.

NEW YORK (Reuters): A US appeals court has ruled that relatives of Americans killed in the Pan Am 103 explosion 10 years ago can continue their wrongful death suit against Libya and its agents.

Libya had appealed a lower court decision in which the court refused to dismiss the civil case. Libya argued that US courts had no jurisdiction over the matter since Tripoli has immunity as a sovereign power.

UN inspectors leave Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Dec 16 (AFP) — UN humanitarian staff and weapons inspector were being evacuated from Baghdad on Wednesday, after UN arms chief Richard Butler warned that Iraq was failing to cooperate, UN sources said.

“We are in the process of evacuating to Bahrain,” a source with the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) in charge of disarming Iraq told AFP, declining to give more details.

Witnesses said humanitarian staff left UN headquarters at the canal hotel with their baggage. “All the staff are being evacuated,” said a witness at the building.

Mr Butler, the UNSCOM chief, reported on Tuesday that Iraq had not only failed to provide full cooperation but had introduced new restrictions on the experts’ work.

The negative report to the UN Security Council could prompt us and British military strikes which were called off last month after Iraq promised to resume full and unconditional cooperation.

UNITED NATIONS (AP): Chief UN Weapons Inspector Richard Butler has reported to Secretary-General Kofi Annan that Iraq did not fully cooperate with UN Weapons inspectors as it promised a month ago, according to a western diplomat.

Mr Annan delivered the report to members of the UN Security Council last night but it was not immediately made public.

A western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Butler’s key finding was that Iraq had not provided the full cooperation it promised on November 14 under threat of US and British air strikes.

The UN weapons chief has already reported that Iraq’s compliance has been far from perfect: Baghdad denied the inspectors access to two sites, refused to hand over several key documents, buzzed a helicopter the inspectors were using, and imposed unacceptable conditions during several inspections.

A UN Security Council resolution says a comprehensive review of Iraq’s compliance with UN resolutions which Baghdad desperately wants would only go ahead if Mr Butler reported that Iraq had resumed full cooperation with inspectors.

Washington and London have said military strikes remain an option to compel Baghdad to cooperate with the inspectors.

While Mr Butler’s report was fairly negative, the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iraq’s nuclear disarmament was fairly positive, according to a UN diplomat, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

Mr Annan noted at a news conference on Monday that there are differences between the United Nations and the USA over Iraq.

“US policy goes beyond that, but I am guided only by the United Nations policy”, Mr Annan said.

While the Secretary-General indicated that Baghdad’s cooperation had fallen short of his expectations, he indicated that he expects the comprehensive review to go ahead even though the final decision is up to the Security Council.

Tests disprove child was Anwar’s

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (AFP) — Blood tests ordered by the Malaysian Police showed that ousted Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim did not father an illegitimate child, a key prosecution witness admitted today.

Even though Anwar was suspected of having an affair with the wife of his private secretary, the tests proved that the private secretary Azmin Mohamad Ali was indeed the girl’s father, the court was told.

The Musa Hassan, Deputy Director of the Police Criminal Investigation Department, told the court earlier that the police suspected Anwar of having an affair with Azmin’s wife Ms Shamsidah Mohamad Tahrin.

Under cross-examination, Mr Musa said he ordered blood samples to be taken on July 29 which showed Mr Azmin to be the father. Asked by defence counsel Christopher Fernando to state the name of the father, Musa replied: “It’s Mr Azmin Mohamad.”

The tests were carried out almost three weeks after the police seized a stained mattress from the apartment where Anwar allegedly had sex with Shamsidah.

Anwar, fired on September 2 and arrested 18 days later, has been on trial on four corruption charges related to allegations he used his position to cover up claims of sexual misconduct. He faces another corruption charge and five charges of sodomy, a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of 20 years.

‘Monica’, ‘Viagra’ dates to break fast

CAIRO, Dec 16 (AFP) — “Monica” and “Viagra” dates are available to help Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan from shops across Cairo, which are promoting the traditional fast-breaking food.

And shopkeepers claimed that the so-called “viagra” brand, which sells for a steep $ 7 per kg is as efficient as the little revolutionary blue pill in countering sexual impotence.

The “Monica” date was named after the former White House intern whose encounters with US President Bill Clinton have rocked his presidency and may cost him his job.

The government press said the extra-sweet “Monica” variety is dried in moderately hot ovens and is high in calories.

“Monica” made its Egyptian debut in the southern town of Aswan, winning over fans of the popular “shabah” (ghost in Arabic) and “mulluki” (royals) dates despite costing four times as much.

Muslims, emulating the prophet Mohammed, eat a date to break the dawn-to-dusk fast during Ramadan, whose beginning is set according to the sighting of the moon. The fasting month is expected to start this weekend in Egypt.

Hamdani is new Algerian PM

LONDON, Dec 16 (ANI) — Sixty eight-year-old diplomat and Member of Parliament Ismail Hamdani has taken over as Algeria’s new Prime Minister, replacing Ahmed Onayhia, who resigned on Monday.

Reports reaching here said Hamdani had been selected by President Liamine Zeroual. Hamdani is expected to retain the present cabinet.

Rumours in Algiers, however, said the country’s Interior Communication and Justice Ministers could be replaced.

Peace efforts on in Kosovo

BELGRADE, Dec 16 (AP) — Warning Kosovo’s factions that they are playing with dynamite, US envoy Richard Holbrooke sought on Tuesday to revive peace efforts in the troubled province after the newest violation of an informal cease-fire left 42 persons dead.

On arrival in Pristina, capital of the Albanian-majority Serbian province, Mr Holbrooke said the latest bloodshed will not in any way deter the international community from carrying out its obligations to work for peace in the region.

Missile boats launched
TAIPEI: The Taiwan navy has launched the latest of its fleet of missile patrol boats in the southern city of Kaohsiung, state radio has said. The 540-tonne “Tseng Chiang” is the fifth of a total 10 such vessels the navy ordered from the state-run Chinese Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) at a price of 5.5 billion Taiwan dollars (170.28 million US dollars). Armed with Hsinggfeng II ship-to-ship missiles and canons, the vessel uses a fire control system built by Contraves Brashear Co of the USA, which features laser ranging and infrared thermal imaging. — AFP

Laden ‘seriously ill’
WASHINGTON: The Pentagon has said it is aware of intelligence reports that Osama bin Laden, the Saudi expatriate accused of masterminding US Embassy bombings in Africa, is seriously ill. “I’m aware of those reports, and they’re interesting reports,” Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said on Tuesday. “They don’t all come from the USA. I think when it comes to intelligence it is better not to discuss the intelligence reports,” he said. A US official said rumours have circulated that the Saudi millionaire was ill and that photographs show him walking unsteadily. — AFP

Salamanders stolen
BEIJING: Sixteen giant salamanders have been stolen from a Chinese zoo, possibly by individuals trying to keep up with the “fashion of keeping pets”, Xinhua has reported. An official from the Chongoing zoo in south-western China said on Tuesday that the salamanders, which are protected by the state, live in warm water and expressed concern about their chances of survival in the chilly Chongoing winter. Law enforcement officials claimed the thieves, who left only one salamander behind, scaled a 2m high wall around the salamander hall and pried open the gate. — AFP