Man 'torches in-laws' in Austria

Man 'torches in-laws' in Austria
Map

An Austrian man has been arrested on suspicion of burning his in-laws to death with a home-made flame-thrower.

Police said the 48-year-old used a propane gas container to torch the elderly couple as they lay in bed in the village of St Magdalena am Lemberg.

The bed-ridden woman, who had lost both her legs to diabetes, died where she lay but her husband was found in the garden having tried to escape.

Police said the suspect's wife was in the house but escaped through a window.

The suspect fled the scene but was found later having stabbed himself in the stomach, said police.

Chief investigator Anton Kiesl said the man was being kept in hospital in an induced coma. The suspect's motives were not immediately clear.

Man 'torches in-laws' in Austria

Man 'torches in-laws' in Austria
Map

An Austrian man has been arrested on suspicion of burning his in-laws to death with a home-made flame-thrower.

Police said the 48-year-old used a propane gas container to torch the elderly couple as they lay in bed in the village of St Magdalena am Lemberg.

The bed-ridden woman, who had lost both her legs to diabetes, died where she lay but her husband was found in the garden having tried to escape.

Police said the suspect's wife was in the house but escaped through a window.

The suspect fled the scene but was found later having stabbed himself in the stomach, said police.

Chief investigator Anton Kiesl said the man was being kept in hospital in an induced coma. The suspect's motives were not immediately clear.

Kim Jong-il 'at football match'

Kim Jong-il 'at football match'
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Kim Jong-il has not been seen in since mid-August

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il is reported to have made his first public appearance since rumours surfaced that he had suffered a stroke.

Mr Kim attended a student football match in Pyongyang, state media said.

The 66-year-old leader had not been seen since mid-August. US and South Korean officials said he had suffered a stroke and undergone brain surgery.

Mr Kim did not appear at a 9 September anniversary parade, but North Korean officials denied he was ill.

North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, reported that Mr Kim watched a football game to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of Kim Il-Sung University, named for his father, the founder of North Korea.

Kim Il-Sung University was reported to have beaten Pyongyang University of Railways 4-1.

The report did not say what day the game had taken place but the anniversary of Kim Il-Sung University is 1 October.

No-one has been named to succeed Mr Kim as leader.

His reported illness has come at a difficult time in international negotiations over North Korea's nuclear programme.

North Korea agreed last year to give up its nuclear programme in return for aid and diplomatic concessions but the deal has floundered in recent months.

Kim Jong-il 'at football match'

Kim Jong-il 'at football match'
Advertisement

Kim Jong-il has not been seen in since mid-August

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il is reported to have made his first public appearance since rumours surfaced that he had suffered a stroke.

Mr Kim attended a student football match in Pyongyang, state media said.

The 66-year-old leader had not been seen since mid-August. US and South Korean officials said he had suffered a stroke and undergone brain surgery.

Mr Kim did not appear at a 9 September anniversary parade, but North Korean officials denied he was ill.

North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, reported that Mr Kim watched a football game to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of Kim Il-Sung University, named for his father, the founder of North Korea.

Kim Il-Sung University was reported to have beaten Pyongyang University of Railways 4-1.

The report did not say what day the game had taken place but the anniversary of Kim Il-Sung University is 1 October.

No-one has been named to succeed Mr Kim as leader.

His reported illness has come at a difficult time in international negotiations over North Korea's nuclear programme.

North Korea agreed last year to give up its nuclear programme in return for aid and diplomatic concessions but the deal has floundered in recent months.

there is No banks bail-out fund for Europe

No banks bail-out fund for Europe

Nicolas Sarkozy: Each government will act in a co-ordinated manner

Europe's biggest economies have agreed to work together to support financial institutions - but without forming a joint bail-out fund.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy hosted the meeting of the leaders of Britain, Germany and Italy in Paris.

They agreed to seek a relaxation of the EU rules governing the amount of money individual states could borrow.

Mr Sarkozy announced a series of other measures - including unspecified action against the executives of failed banks.

Speaking after the meeting at a joint news conference, he said the four had agreed that the leaders of a financial institution that had to be rescued should be "sanctioned".

Mr Sarkozy added: "Each government will operate with its own methods and means, but in a co-ordinated manner."

Gordon Brown: We're doing everything that we can

Leaders were reminded of just how serious the crisis is as talks to rescue Germany's second largest mortgage lender collapsed.

Hypo Real Estate said the 35bn euro (£27.8bn, $51.21bn) deal had fallen apart after the banking consortium involved pulled out. The lender said it would seek to stay in business through "alternative measures".

Meanwhile, Mr Sarkozy suggested EU budget rules - requiring eurozone states to keep their budget deficits below 3% and overall public debt below 60% of gross domestic product - would be adapted to deal with the current "exceptional circumstances".

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso agreed that the budget rules would be applied with "flexibility".

European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet and the chairman of the eurozone group of finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker also attended the summit.

The leaders issued a joint call for a G8 summit "as soon as possible" to review the rules governing financial markets.

Ireland reproach

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said governments would continue to take measures to ease the credit shortage.


It has to be indicated to the markets... that European countries will not react as every man for himself
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF head

Send us your comments
"The message to families and to businesses is that, as our central banks are already doing, liquidity will be assured in order to preserve confidence and stability," he told reporters after the mini-summit.

He said European leaders should send the message that "no sound, solvent bank should be allowed to fail through lack of liquidity".

Mr Brown also won approval at the summit for his proposal for a £12bn EU fund to help keep small businesses afloat during the economic crisis.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel - who said she was not happy with Ireland's action in guaranteeing bank deposits - said each country must act in "a balanced way" that did not cause harm to other EU member states.

"Each country must take its responsibilities at a national level," she said.

'Trial by fire'

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn, had earlier urged the EU to take co-ordinated action, saying the financial crisis was presenting Europe with a "trial by fire".


Bank of Ireland building

No business rush to Irish banks
He held talks with Mr Sarkozy before the EU leaders' meeting and said that although the EU was a more complex organisation than the US, Europe needed to take "concerted collective action".

He said: "It has to be indicated to the markets... that European countries will not react as every man for himself."

He also said he would be scaling back his world economic growth forecasts.

Ahead of the meeting, Germany had made clear its opposition to any co-ordinated European bail-out plan. Mr Brown was also sceptical of the need for any Europe-wide plan.

The president of the European Parliament has criticised the summit, warning that the leaders of Europe's four largest economies have no power to decide for the entire European Union.

Calls for European action follow the bail-out of both Bradford and Bingley in the UK and Fortis Bank by the governments of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

there is No banks bail-out fund for Europe

No banks bail-out fund for Europe

Nicolas Sarkozy: Each government will act in a co-ordinated manner

Europe's biggest economies have agreed to work together to support financial institutions - but without forming a joint bail-out fund.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy hosted the meeting of the leaders of Britain, Germany and Italy in Paris.

They agreed to seek a relaxation of the EU rules governing the amount of money individual states could borrow.

Mr Sarkozy announced a series of other measures - including unspecified action against the executives of failed banks.

Speaking after the meeting at a joint news conference, he said the four had agreed that the leaders of a financial institution that had to be rescued should be "sanctioned".

Mr Sarkozy added: "Each government will operate with its own methods and means, but in a co-ordinated manner."

Gordon Brown: We're doing everything that we can

Leaders were reminded of just how serious the crisis is as talks to rescue Germany's second largest mortgage lender collapsed.

Hypo Real Estate said the 35bn euro (£27.8bn, $51.21bn) deal had fallen apart after the banking consortium involved pulled out. The lender said it would seek to stay in business through "alternative measures".

Meanwhile, Mr Sarkozy suggested EU budget rules - requiring eurozone states to keep their budget deficits below 3% and overall public debt below 60% of gross domestic product - would be adapted to deal with the current "exceptional circumstances".

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso agreed that the budget rules would be applied with "flexibility".

European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet and the chairman of the eurozone group of finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker also attended the summit.

The leaders issued a joint call for a G8 summit "as soon as possible" to review the rules governing financial markets.

Ireland reproach

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said governments would continue to take measures to ease the credit shortage.


It has to be indicated to the markets... that European countries will not react as every man for himself
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF head

Send us your comments
"The message to families and to businesses is that, as our central banks are already doing, liquidity will be assured in order to preserve confidence and stability," he told reporters after the mini-summit.

He said European leaders should send the message that "no sound, solvent bank should be allowed to fail through lack of liquidity".

Mr Brown also won approval at the summit for his proposal for a £12bn EU fund to help keep small businesses afloat during the economic crisis.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel - who said she was not happy with Ireland's action in guaranteeing bank deposits - said each country must act in "a balanced way" that did not cause harm to other EU member states.

"Each country must take its responsibilities at a national level," she said.

'Trial by fire'

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn, had earlier urged the EU to take co-ordinated action, saying the financial crisis was presenting Europe with a "trial by fire".


Bank of Ireland building

No business rush to Irish banks
He held talks with Mr Sarkozy before the EU leaders' meeting and said that although the EU was a more complex organisation than the US, Europe needed to take "concerted collective action".

He said: "It has to be indicated to the markets... that European countries will not react as every man for himself."

He also said he would be scaling back his world economic growth forecasts.

Ahead of the meeting, Germany had made clear its opposition to any co-ordinated European bail-out plan. Mr Brown was also sceptical of the need for any Europe-wide plan.

The president of the European Parliament has criticised the summit, warning that the leaders of Europe's four largest economies have no power to decide for the entire European Union.

Calls for European action follow the bail-out of both Bradford and Bingley in the UK and Fortis Bank by the governments of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Tata abandons cheapest car plant

Tata abandons cheapest car plant
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The Tata Nano was unveiled at India's biggest car show in Delhi in January

India's Tata group has abandoned plans to build the world's cheapest car in the eastern state of West Bengal.

Tata group chief Ratan Tata said: "We have little choice but to move out of Bengal. We cannot run a factory with police around all the time."

He was speaking after protests in a row over land acquired from local farmers.

The car, the Nano, is expected to cost about 100,000 rupees ($2,130). It was due to be launched in October and will be ready "this year", Mr Tata said.

We will have to make the best of the deadline that we have

Tata group chief Ratan Tata

The BBC's Subir Bhuamik in Calcutta says the company is initially expected to produce several thousand Nanos this year at other sites in India.

It had planned to make 250,000 cars a year at the Singur plant in West Bengal, rising to 350,000.

A number of other car firms also plan vehicles to compete with the Nano but have not yet begun production.

The dispute in West Bengal highlights a wider problem between India's growing industry - which needs land - and its farmers who are unwilling to give it up.

'Offers'

Work at Tata's Singur plant has been suspended since the end of August following protests led by the state's opposition Trinamul Congress party.




Exclusive look at the Tata Nano

Mr Tata said the Nano will be built "within this year but I can't tell you where".

"We are going to do everything possible to come close to the deadline we had established," he told journalists in Calcutta.

"We have got offers from several Indian states but we have not yet finalised where to produce the Nano... All these issues we will announce in the next few days when we have a clearer picture."

Mr Tata said his group would still consider West Bengal as an investment destination in future.

"I value the considerable intellectual resources this state has, but something will have to change here," he said.

He was speaking after meeting the West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya and his colleagues.

"This is a black day for Bengal. We will have so much more difficulty getting investments now," said the state's industry minister, Nirupam Sen.

Compensation

The West Bengal government acquired 1,000 acres of land for the Nano project two years ago.

More than 10,000 farmers accepted compensation for their land, but just over 2,000 of them refused and demanded land be returned.

During the protests Tata's engineers and workers were attacked, prompting the group to stop work.

Our correspondent says the Bengal governor then intervened and tried to mediate a deal between the government and the opposition but that did not work.

The plant was seen as a key part of industrialisation efforts in what is one of India's least developed states.