World briefs

Former Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek, an architect of the country's independence from the former Yugoslavia, died after a long battle with cancer, Slovenian news agency STA reported yesterday. Drnovsek, 57, was Slovenia's last representative in the collective presidency of communist Yugoslavia, which comprised all eight constituent parts of the former federation.

He was Slovenian prime minister for some 10 years before becoming president in 2002 and was regularly among the most popular politicians in the country.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 1999 he turned to promote healthy lifestyle and vegetarian diet. In the last few years he wrote three books on awareness, which instantly became bestsellers in Slovenia.

Punter wins one million pounds

A British punter has won one million pounds from a 50 pence bet to defy odds of two million to one, a spokesman for bookmaker William Hill said yesterday.

The punter, who placed his bet in Thirsk in Yorkshire, was unaware of his new-found wealth until he walked into a betting shop in Bedale and staff told him of his success after he placed five more 50 pence racing bets.

The punter's winning bet on eight horses - the first of which was called 'Isn't That Lucky' and the last 'A Dream Come True' - was the first ever betting shop million pound payout.

French cuisine part of heritage list

France, home to delicacies such as foie gras and soufflé, wants to be the first country to put its cuisine on the UN's World Heritage List, President Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday.

"We have the best gastronomy in the world," he said at the inauguration of the annual Paris farm show.

"I have taken the initiative so that France becomes the first country in 2009 to submit its candidacy to obtain recognition of our gastronomic heritage as part of World Heritage."

French wine-producing regions, such as Saint-Emilion and the Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes, already enjoy World Heritage status. Other French sites on the list include Chartres Cathedral, Mont Saint Michel and the banks of the river Seine in Paris.

"This is great news," award-winning chef Marc Veyrat told France Info radio. "Gastronomy is something that is alive."

Head of journalist union wounded

The head of Iraq's national journalists' union was seriously wounded when gunmen opened fire on his car yesterday, relatives and colleagues said.

Shihab al-Tamimi, 74, was shot in the face, chest and shoulder in the Baghdad attack.Tamimi is an independent journalist working for many local newspapers. He is known for his outspoken views against the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and the continued presence of US troops on Iraqi soil. He is also a stern critic of Iraq's sectarian violence.

Tamimi's 25-year-old son, who was driving the car, was also wounded.

Booby trap bomb explodes

A booby trap bomb, thought to have been placed by Basque separatists, exploded at a radio and television transmission station in Spain's Basque country yesterday as a police robot moved it.

The explosion, which came less than two weeks before general elections next month, caused no injuries or damage when it exploded around midday outside the hilltop facility at Arnotegi, near the city of Bilbao, police said.

Authorities received a warning call that ETA guerrillas had planted the bomb and it would go off, police said. The 4-5 kg bomb exploded at noon when the police robot moved the cardboard box containing it.

The explosion appeared to be ETA's second attack this year after a bomb hidden inside a backpack caused considerable damage to a courthouse in Spain's Basque region earlier this month.

Bush fire at Kenyan wildlife park

Using branches to beat back flames, Kenyan rangers and residents struggled for a second day yesterday to control bush fires that have engulfed a third of one of the nation's best-known wildlife parks.

At least 100 local citizens joined wildlife officials to help put out the fire, which was accidentally started in a nearby village and has already destroyed large patches of the 188 square km Lake Nakuru National Park.

Hundreds of workers, soldiers and policemen battled the main blaze for 12 hours on Friday, largely containing it. But fresh fires broke out yesterday morning.