International Slipstream

The war of nerves between Baghdad and Washington continues, now raising hopes of Iraq relenting to the US demand for allowing unfettered access to UN arms inspectors and then quickly stymying any optimism. First it was Bush who publicly talked of bringing about a regime change in Iraq. Saddam Hussein quickly offered to allow arms inspectors into his country. Foreign minister Naji Sabri even said his country was formulating its response to UN secretary general Kofi Annan’s demand for unconditional inspection. Many thought a window of hope had opened for them to din some sense into Bush. But belying their expectations was Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf who told a TV channel last week that "the work of inspection teams in Iraq had been completed."Even Washington shifted its goal posts. For instance, defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld said UN inspection teams must be allowed to talk to anyone at any time. Obviously, few believe Iraq would accept such humiliating terms, more so because there’s no guarantee that such acceptance would keep Washington at bay.

EUROPE
Nature’s Fury
Floods have ravaged a large part of Europe. More than 50,000 people have been evacuated from the historic old city of Prague, where the Vitava river is running 22 feet above normal. In Austria, the Danube burst its bank in Vienna; evacuation was also ordered from parts of Dresden and Munich in Germany. The worst hit was the Black sea area of Russia, where 58 people have been reported dead.