Karadzic won’t recognize tribunal
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic declined to enter a plea Friday in a courtroom in The Hague, refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the United Nations war crimes tribunal bringing genocide and other charges against him.
“This court is representing itself falsely as a court of the international community, whereas it is in fact a court of NATO, whose aim is to liquidate me,” said Karadzic, who faces charges relating to the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica and other crimes during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.
Karadzic, 63, faces 11 charges including genocide counts relating to the siege of Sarajevo, in which thousands of people were killed in shelling and sniper fire, and the Srebrenica massacre, the single worst atrocity in Europe since the end of World War II. Judge Iain Bonomy entered not guilty pleas for Karadzic on all counts.
Los Angeles
Two convicted in wiretap case
Private investigator Anthony Pellicano and attorney Terry Christensen were convicted Friday of conspiring to illegally wiretap the ex-wife of billionaire Kirk Kerkorian.
Christensen, who was an attorney for investor and casino mogul Kerkorian, was accused of hiring Pellicano to listen in on the phone conversations of Lisa Bonder Kerkorian during a bitterly fought child support case. The lawyer and investigator each were charged with two felony counts relating to the alleged wiretap.
The guilty verdicts by a federal jury were the result of a 2002 FBI probe into Pellicano’s business, which catered to high-powered celebrity clients.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Brazil to develop nuclear submarine
Brazil will spend $160 million by the end of next year on the development of a nuclear-propelled submarine to protect the oil reserves found recently off its coast, the defense minister said Friday.
The vessel – which officials hope to be complete by 2020 – would be the first nuclear-propelled submarine in Latin America. Brazil does not have nuclear weapons.
The submarine is the highlight of the Brazil’s new defense plan – to be made public on Sept. 7.
Brazil is believed to be preparing to spend $3.5 billion by the end of 2010 to upgrade its weapon systems, according to reports in the local media.
Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said the upgrade includes provisions for a massive technology transfer from France – essential if Brazil hopes to have a nuclear submarine.