■ Spain
Socialists see first-vote win
The Socialists will have enough votes in Parliament next month for Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to be named prime minister on the first try, a top party official said yesterday. "We're talking with all the political groups," Jose Blanco, Zapatero's campaign coordinator, said in a broadcast interview. "Some already have shown their intention to support the Socialist party in the investiture session." The Spanish Socialist Workers Party defeated the ruling Popular Party in general elections March 14, winning 164 seats in parliament, 12 seats short of majority. The Socialists could form a minority government with the parliamentary votes they already have.
■ United Kingdom
Peter Ustinov dies
Oscar-winning British actor Peter Ustinov, renowned as being one of the world's most entertaining raconteurs and mimics, has died at the age of 82. "He died last night in Switzerland," his London agent, Steve Kenis, said yesterday. "I shall remember him for always seeing the bright side of everything." Just 18 months ago, Ustinov said in an interview he was happy to work until he dropped "as long as I can be guaranteed that I won't know in advance when it's going to happen." Ustinov, who spoke more than half a dozen languages, won Oscars for his roles in the films Spartacus and Topkapi But he led a richly varied life as a playwright, novelist, film director and goodwill ambassador for the UN Children's Fund.
■ Israel
Hamas leader denounces US
The new Hamas leader, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, on Sunday called US President George W. Bush the enemy of Muslims and said God had declared war on the US. Hamas has long said its battle is with Israel, and has directed its attacks, and most of its heated oratory, against it. But since Israel's killing last week in the Gaza Strip of the Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the Islamic movement has issued bitter denunciations of the US, though it has stopped short of saying it will strike at US targets.
■ Israel
Sharon son given court order
Israel's supreme court yesterday ordered Premier Ariel Sharon's son, Gilad, to hand over to the police all documents relating to two alleged bribery affairs involving the premier, Israeli media reported. The court order came a day after the state prosecutor recommended the premier be indicted for allegedly accepting nearly US$2 million in bribes from two businessmen. One of the businessman, David Appel, himself already charged in January, paid Gilad Sharon hundreds of thousands of dollars at the end of the 1990s, allegedly to win support of then foreign minister Sharon for the construction of a resort on a Greek island.
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