World News in brief for October 16, 2012

Oct 16 2012 By Cheryl Mullin

NETHERLANDS: Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic claimed he was a peace-lover as he addressed his trial for crimes against humanity today.

He cast himself as a “mild man, a tolerant man” who tried to prevent war and then worked to reduce casualties on all sides in the bloody 1992-95 Bosnian conflict, as he opened his defence in his long-running genocide trial.

AMERICA: Barack Obama vows to put up a fight in his second debate with Republican challenger Mitt Romney, a promise the president will need to keep if he is to overcome his lacklustre, momentum-stalling performance in the candidates’ first debate two weeks ago.

Mr Romney will likewise need to turn in a repeat of his strong showing in the initial face-to-face-competition, a performance which propelled him into a virtual tie in nationwide polling.

AMERICA: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is taking responsibility for security at the US consulate in Libya where an attack by extremists last month killed the US ambassador and three other Americans.

Pushing back against Republican criticism of the Obama administration for its handling of the situation, Mrs Clinton said in Lima, Peru, that security at all of America’s diplomatic missions abroad is her job, not that of the White House.

NETHERLANDS: Seven paintings by artists including Picasso and Monet have been stolen from a Dutch museum.

The theft at Rotterdam’s Kunsthal museum is a stunning blow for the private Triton Foundation collection, which was being exhibited publicly as a group for the first time.

ISRAEL: Israel’s parliament has voted to dissolve itself ahead of early national elections set for January 2013.

Parliament speaker Reuven Rivlin made the announcement after a long day of political speeches and debates that ended in a unanimous vote.

RUSSIA: Russia’s prime minister has called for a ban on all tobacco adverts as the government prepares to phase out smoking in public.

Dmitry Medvedev insisted that the government’s clampdown is not targeting smokers, but smoking.

CAMBODIA: Cambodians prayed for the soul of their former king Norodom Sihanouk and world leaders sent their condolences as the country prepared for the return of his body.

Sihanouk died aged 89 of a heart attack in Beijing, where he had been receiving medical treatment since January for multiple ailments.