■ France
Threat underestimated
Terrorist plans for chemical attacks against targets in Europe have been underestimated by the security services, the British newspaper Financial Times quoted a senior French counter-terrorism official as saying yesterday. "We have underestimated the terrorists' willingness and capacity to develop chemical weapons," the unnamed official told the economic daily. The newspaper said the official warned that terrorists planned on using chemical weapons in Europe and were far more advanced in their plans than the security services suspected.
■ Russia
Kidnapped worker freed
A Dutch aid worker kidnapped almost two years ago near the lawless region of Chechnya was freed in a police operation on Sunday and returned to Moscow after months of failed attempts to negotiate his release. The aid worker, Arjan Erkel, 35, who headed the North Caucasus mission of Doctors Without Borders, had been seized by masked gunmen in an area terrorized by kidnappings by both the military and rebel fighters. "I want to thank MSF for having freed me of this nightmare," Erkel said, referring to the French initials of his group. He had grown a beard and lost weight during his 20 months as a hostage.
■ United States
Bush likes his vacations
US President George W. Bush has spent more than 40 percent of his presidency at one of his three retreats, sparking criticism from Democrats that he is not taking his job seriously at a crucial time in US history. Bush was on his 33rd visit to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, over the Easter weekend, where he has spent 233 days, or almost eight months, since his inauguration, according to a CBS tally. Adding in his 78 visits to Camp David and five to Kennebunkport, Maine, he has spent all or part of 500 days out of the office while in office. Bush was at his ranch on Aug. 6, 2001 as part of a month-long holiday when he received the briefing warning of Osama bin Laden's determination to attack the US.
■ United Kingdom
Birds are full of plastic
The seabirds of the North Sea are being turned into "living dustbins," campaigners warn, after a study found that the average fulmar has 30 pieces of plastic in its stomach. The findings are the latest from a long-running international study of the impact of litter on marine life. In the most recent survey, scientists found that 96 percent of dead fulmars studied had 0.6g of plastic fragments in their stomachs, double the amount found in the early 1980s. Fulmars were used in the study because they eat almost anything and do not regurgitate what they ingest. Items found in their stomachs have included rope, polystyrene, mattress foam, plastic bottles and tools.
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