court had granted a stay
to consider whether DNA evidence connecting Cooper to the crime should be retested amid repeated claims that he was framed
by law enforcement.
■ United States
Diet guru's widow peeved
The widow of diet guru Robert Atkins, who died
last year after a fall, accused "unscrupulous individuals" on Monday of trying to use his history of heart disease to discredit his ideas about healthy eating. Veronica Atkins issued a statement acknowledging that her husband had been diagnosed with a heart condition known as cardiomyopathy about three years before
he died, and that he had a cardiac arrest in April 2002. But she said the condition was caused by a viral infection, and rejected any suggestion that he had died of a heart attack.
■ France
Scarf bill goes to the vote
France forged ahead with
a plan to ban Muslim head scarves in public schools with a parliamentary vote yesterday that was expected to pass comfortably, despite concerns the measure could backfire and strengthen Islamic radicalism. France's conservative government is hoping for broad support
for the bill in the 577-seat National Assembly to assure cohesion over a divisive issue and give a strong
sense of legitimacy to the legislation. The government made a tactical compromise last week with the Socialist opposition and expects that the bill will get a comfortable ride through its first vote in parliament.
■ Sudan
President offers amnesty
President Omar el-Bashir said on Monday that "major military operations" in western Darfur province had ceased and offered amnesty to rebels who would turn themselves in to authorities. Fighting in the western region has intensified recently, and for the
last week the army has announced numerous
major successes over the rebel groups, mostly near
the border with Chad. El-Bashir did not say what would happen to those who did not turn themselves in. Rebel groups began an uprising for autonomy last year, and the fighting has killed hundreds of people and caused about 100,000 others to flee to Chad.
■ United Kingkom
UK, France form joint force
Britain and France are to create joint rapid-reaction military units as part of a strategy to beef up Europe's defence, the Financial Times said yesterday. The paper said the plan would be unveiled to EU chiefs later this week. Under the Anglo-French bid, units of 1,500 troops, operating under the UN if needed, could be ready within 15 days for all terrain missions that would last
no more than one month,
the Financial Times said. London and Paris want the plan accepted by all member states by the time the Irish EU presidency ends on June 30 and troops to be available by 2007, it said.
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