■ United States
Depp says he loves America
Denying any anti-American sentiment on his part, actor Johnny Depp said quotes attributed to him as likening the US to a "dumb puppy" were inaccurate and taken out of context. "I am an American. I love my country and have great hopes for it," Depp said in a statement. "It is for this reason that I speak candidly and sometimes critically about it. I have benefited greatly from the freedom that exists in my country and for this I am eternally grateful." Depp responded after the German news magazine Stern published an interview with him. "What I was saying was that, compared to Europe, America is a very young country and we are still growing as a nation."
■ Canada
Canadian eyes NATO-job
Canadian Finance Minister John Manley is weighing his chances of becoming NATO's next Secretary-General and has called US Secretary of State Colin Powell to discuss the idea, diplomatic and political sources said. Sources in Washington and Ottawa said Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien had also made calls to push Manley's case. Manley, 53, is also deputy prime minister. But his chances of staying in either job for long are seen as low, especially given his cool relations with Chretien's likely successor, former finance minister Paul Martin.
■ Israel
Israel hires Arab guards
Israel's international airport is hiring 10 Arab security workers following complaints from an Arab police officer who said he was humiliated by thorough checks of his luggage and identification, an official said. The new Arab workers will be hired immediately at Ben-Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Airport Authority CEO Gabi Ophir told Israel's Channel One TV. Israeli Druse police officer Aazi Sayekh complained publicly about his treatment at the airport last week, alleging discrimination. Israeli airport security workers are on constant alert for possible terror attacks, and travelers often go through a long process of questioning and luggage inspection.
■ Canada
Forest fires blaze again
Forest fires flared anew in western Canada on Thursday, forcing another evacuation of the 3,200 residents of the town of Kelowna in southeastern British Columbia, local officials said. The wind-whipped blaze, which had already blackened 1,700 hectares in 24 hours, spread to another 23,000 hectares and was again threatening the 100,000 residents of the valley city of Okanagan in one of Canada's two major wine-growing regions. That same lightning-sparked blaze destroyed 250 homes in Okanagan 10 days earlier and forced 30,000 residents to flee.
Agencies
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