There may be no historical event more divisive than the present crisis in Iraq. Not only are nations bitterly divided but also communities, friends and families. We make no attempt to cover the breaking news, but have provided highlights of pertinent issues of international relations and the impact, to date, on the worldwide terrorist situation.

Despite the war in Iraq, diplomacy is proceeding on many fronts. This week's feature article looks at an issue that is -- beyond doubt -- crucial for the long-term interests of the world at large: Water. It is interesting to note that the last large-scale war over water was 4,500 years ago on the River Tigris, now part of Iraq.

CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Narco-terrorism
13. Transportation
14. Weapons of Mass Destruction
15. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
World Water

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

The week began with a short-lived burst of intense diplomacy over the Iraq crisis that was short-circuited when the US, with support from the UK and Spain, gave an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave Iraq within 48 hours. As the clock ticked down, UN weapons inspectors continued to supervise the destruction of banned weapons and gave their scheduled report to the UN Security Council (without a US presence) on the remaining disarmament issues, reporting continued progress. This became irrelevant as US President Bush declared war against Iraq. As UN staff withdrew from Iraq, chief weapons inspector Blix said he didn't think it reasonable to close the door on inspections after such a short time and regretted that more time was not available. Other inspectors cited flaws in US intelligence, including tips that were investigated without one being confirmed and documents showing purchases of material that could be used for uranium production to have been forged.

Now, with the war underway, the diplomatic focus has turned to what will happen after the war. International consternation and some domestic embarrassment accompanied the revelation that postwar reconstruction funds have been awarded almost entirely to private American companies, many with connections to the administration. Aid agencies, left out of the initial plans, are warning of the humanitarian crisis in which as many as 16 million Iraqis will need care. Discussions regarding these issues are ongoing among the UN, UK and US. There is significant international concern over the proposed occupation of Iraq by the US, and it is hoped that UN forces would be able to fulfill this role. An interesting article in this regard is by Hugh Pope and Peter Waldman, "Mideast Invasions Hold Many Pitfalls, History Teaches: Napoleon in Egypt and British In Iraq Found Grand Plans Faced Unexpected Hurdles" The Wall Street Journal, March 19, 2003.

The attack on Iraq is almost entirely a US operation, but there are a significant number of British troops and a smaller force from Australia. The US cites additional countries providing support, but there is nothing approaching the coalitions that have accompanied other such actions. Indeed, while people in the US and UK rallied behind their troops, attitudes in the rest of the world have been less supportive and often very angry. Peace protests have continued, now accompanied by civil disobedience, thousands of arrests, and in some instances, violence between protesters and their governments.

In other world news, the mystery pneumonia has been tentatively identified as a virus and the outbreak is now being traced around the world. Experts from ten countries are collaborating to uncover the secrets of this deadly disease.

The International Monetary Fund has issued a study acknowledging that encouraging global capital flows from developing countries by opening themselves to global markets has increased vulnerability to financial crisis while having no positive effect on economic growth. (http://www.inf.org)

North Koreans received food aid for the first time in several months. The leadership, seemingly unconcerned with the humanitarian crisis in the country, has focused their vitriol against the US, accusing it of planning a preemptive strike against its nuclear facilities and targeting it next after Iraq. Efforts to restart the nuclear reprocessing facility have continued. Japan has warned that if North Korea carries out a threatened ballistic missile test that it may withdraw from the 1999 moratorium agreement. All requests to the US to encourage talks with North Korea have fallen on deaf ears.

2. Africa

Leaders of South Africa, Senegal and Nigeria called for peace, saying that war in Iraq would damage the development of the entire continent. The US has shut embassies in South Africa and Kenya. Protests against the war, sometimes violent, were held from Egypt to South Africa.

Burundi government and rebel forces are holding peace talks in Switzerland. National Liberation Forces (FNL) rebels clashed with army units; 11 rebels were killed. FNL is not part of the ceasefire agreement.

The coup in Central African Republic was hailed in many communities, but as looting and shooting followed, enthusiasm dimmed. Rebel leader General Francois Bozize declared himself president, dissolved the legislature and suspended the constitution, and promised to set up a transitional council to reconstruct the country. Soldiers from Chad have come in to assist rebel leaders in disarming looters and insurgents and helping to establish peace.

In Congo Brazzaville the government and Ninja rebels have agreed to end fighting, disarm, and restore rule of law.

Democratic Republic of Congo's truce, agreed on Monday, has failed to stop the fighting. It is heaviest in the Ituri region, controlled by Ugandan troops fighting the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC).

Ivory Coast opposition party members of the Rally for Republicans (RDR) returned to take up posts in the new unity government. The rebels who have controlled half the country for the last six months have boycotted the cabinet meetings for the second time because their concerns about the peace agreement have not been addressed.

Liberians United for Democracy and Development (LURD) rebels have taken control of a strategic town in the north. Government troops continue fighting.

Nigeria's ethnic fighting near coastal oil ports has led Shell oil company to evacuate non-essential staff and close two of forty flow station. Chevron Texaco and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation have taken similar measures; closing operations and airlifting affected villagers. Dozens of people were killed last week in clashes between troops and ethnic militias. Nigerian troops have been sent in to stop the violence. Oil installations have also been disrupted.

Low levels of ethnic and political violence plague other areas of Nigeria as well. President Obasanjo has warned that the level of violence puts into question the success of elections due next month. The US Embassy in Abuja issued a warning that minor traffic accidents posed a security risk in which they can quickly escalate to mob violence and summary justice.

In South Africa, a campaign of civil disobedience has begun against the government for its refusal to provide antiretroviral drugs to combat HIV/AIDS. They have accused health minister Manto Tshabalala Msimang of manslaughter, specifying 16 deaths attributed to his advice to use traditional African remedies. Alec Erwin, Minister of Trade and Industry, has also been accused. The peaceful demonstration was interrupted by police water cannon.

Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have killed eight people in another civilian ambush despite their announced ceasefire.

An opposition-led national strike in Zimbabwe shut down factories, banks and stores for two days. Opposition rallies were dispersed by police with tear gas and live ammunition. This constituted the largest protest against the regime in the last three years. President Mugabe said that the US and UK had sponsored the protests. Army troops continued attacks against farm workers.

3. Americas

Canada has greatly increased border security in light of increased threats of terrorism associated with the military campaign against Iraq. The number of random auto checks has been increased.

Colombians have been offered a reward of more than $300,000 and a US visa by the US Department of Defense, in exchange for information on the three government contractors kidnapped last month by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

A Cuban plane was hijacked and forced to fly to Florida, where it was escorted by fighter jets. The passengers and crew returned to Cuba; the hijackers were arrested and will stand trial in the US. Cuba has arrested 72 dissidents and journalists who were in contact with US diplomats. US diplomats will also be subject to restricted movements like those Cuban diplomats in Washington face.

Mexican army and police are on increased security alert in light of increased threats of terrorism associated with the military campaign against Iraq. Border crossings are being monitored and forces are on alert at the border with Guatemala.

Peruvian officials have ordered a new civilian trial for Abimael Guzman, head of the Shining Path rebels.

In the US, President Bush formally notified Congress under the 1973 War Powers Resolution that US troops are entering combat in Iraq. The 1973 law requires congressional approval if troops are in conflict more than 60 days. Bush invoked an October 2002 resolution as having authorized the action in Iraq. In addition to Iraq, the US launched heavy military action in Afghanistan (See South Asia, below).

Following the announcement of imminent hostilities against Iraq, the government raised the terrorist threat level from yellow to orange. This triggered the most extensive mobilization of domestic security forces since the September 11 attacks. Abroad, the US closed a number of foreign embassies.

The FBI issued a worldwide alert to find Adnan el-Shukrijumah ("Abu Arif". "Jafar Tayar") wanted for information in connection with the September 11 attacks. Also sought for questioning are former MIT student Aafia Siddiqui and Dr. Mohammed Kahn.

Attorney General Ashcroft has authorized FBI agents and US marshals to arrest people on immigration charges. This practice has been used initially to detain several dozen Iraqis and has ordered that other asylum seekers from Arab and Muslim countries also be detained.

4. Asia Pacific

Japan, South Korea and the Philippines have expressed their support for the military attack on Iraq. Australia has strongly supported the action and supplied troops to join US and UK forces in action. China demanded an immediate halt to the campaign. Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand condemned the attacks, called for immediate cessation, and warned of long-term consequences.

Across the region, security has been greatly increased. There are fears of potential terrorist reprisals by militant Islamic groups and an expectation that North Korea may increase provocative actions.

Australia has sent 2,000 troops to join UK and US forces in Iraq. The strong support shown by the government for this action has led to a bitter division within the country, where people largely oppose the war. One interesting debate in the parliament was related to the rules of engagement. The government emphasized they would be fighting under their own rules since Australia is party to more international conventions that the US and under these they are, for example, forbidden to use cluster bombs or fire on unarmed people.

Australia's security has been dramatically increased, with extra police patrols at key installations and locations and a 24-hour alert in light of a dramatically increased risk of terrorist attacks. Regional states in Australia increased their security alert level, although it was maintained the same at the federal level.

Cambodia and the UN have reached a draft agreement for the prosecution, under Cambodian law, of crimes related to genocide under the Khmer Rouge rule in the late 1970s.

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to reopen their common border. It has been closed following riots in January. Cambodia will pay nearly $6 million for damages to the Thai embassy and other properties during the rioting.

A Chinese fishing boat was attacked allegedly by Tamil Tigers who surrounded it in small boats. With no apparent reason for the attack, it was possibly a case of mistaken identity. The boat sank, killing 18, while 16 people (including three Sri Lankans) were rescued. The Tigers denied responsibility for the attack on the ship and also for alleged machine gun fire aimed against the survivors.

Malaysian police have uncovered four tons of bomb-making ingredients such as those used in the Bali bombing. It had been hidden on a plantation where a suspected Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant works, and police theorize it was intended for use in the foiled Singapore attack planned for December 2001. Malaysia provided a detailed threat assessment of JI that was presented to the ASEAN Regional Forum and concluded that a number of arrests will keep their activities under control.

In the Philippines, authorities claim to have found a sleeper cell of Iraqis planning attacks against western interests. US involvement in counterterrorism operations has been ruled out. Attacks in the south have continued. In ambush of a van, six men were taken away and shot. Shortly thereafter, a bomb in a parked car exploded outside a Cathedral, injuring five. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels were blamed for both attacks but denied involvement, saying they target only the military, not civilians. In clashes between the army and MILF, nine rebels were killed. MILF claims the attacks against them violated the ceasefire. MILF has agreed to send a representative to Malaysia for preliminary peace talks.

Thailand has expelled 11 Iraqis fearing they could be preparing terrorist attacks. Warlord leader of the Wa, Bao Yuxiang, has denied any plot to assassinate Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra and says he supports the campaign to end the drug trade.

5. Europe

As relations between Europe and the US are in crisis, so there are also divides between government positions and the feelings of their people. Russia, France and Germany's anti-war positions mirror the feelings of the general public, while the UK, Spain and Italy support the US position in opposition to popular opinion. One of the casualties of the deep divisions has been a stop to work on a new constitution, given limitations on a debate on foreign policy under present circumstances.

The Czech Interior Ministry has posted the list of collaborators under the former Communist government on the web and in print. The list, published after a law last year required disclosure of informants, contains more than 100,000 names. These names were generally known before publication.

Denmark has issued an international warrant for the arrest of Nizar al-Khazraji, a former Iraqi army chief who had been held under house arrest after his defection. It is suspected that he might have been kidnapped by US or Iraqi agents.

In Paris, France, traces of ricin were found in bottles stored in a locker in a Paris train station. Police are looking for the people who left the bottles. It is suspected they could be linked to a terrorist network connected to Chechen rebels or possibly to al Qaeda suspects in London. Security has increased and train lockers will now be checked more frequently.

The German constitutional court dismissed a proposal to outlaw the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party. Five suspected Islamic militants, found while searching a mosque, have been detained in Berlin and are being questioned. It was suspected they were set to use the war in Iraq as a trigger for attacks.

Russia continued its objections to the US-led war in Iraq with strong statements that this action would adversely effect the anti-terrorism coalition. President Putin has for the first time admitted that military operations in Chechnya, where a referendum is now underway, went beyond legal limits. He has also approved a plan for a mainly volunteer army within five years.

Serbia has selected a Djindjic colleague, Zoran Zivkovic, as the new Prime Minister. In continued security measures following Djindjic's assassination, more than a thousand people have been arrested, including the famous pop singer Ceca and the deputy public prosecutor Milan Saraljic; three papers have been shut down; and 35 judges were forced to retire for not prosecuting crime bosses.

In Spain, the 16 suspected al Qaeda members arrested last week after the suspected chemical weapon found at their homes turned out to be soap. Spain's Supreme Court has allowed a permanent ban on the Basque political party, Batasuna.

Under high terror alert, the British government has provided additional security advice to "go in, stay in, tune in" in the event of an attack, and to stock standard emergency supplies but no unusual stockpiles or special equipment. Hundreds of extra police have been deployed at key installations and surveillance has been increased. Three men have been held under the Terrorism Act, after two homemade bombs were discovered in an apartment. Police have been given additional time to question the men and investigate possible charges.

In Northern Ireland, attacks against paramedics responding to emergencies have led some emergency workers to refuse to respond to some locations. IRA member Keith Rogers was shot dead in an organizational argument, and police are on alert now for possible revenge killings. The Real IRA has admitted responsibility for the bomb planted at the Belfast courthouse. The town of Warrington commemorated the 10th anniversary of the IRA bomb attack that killed two children and wounded 56.

6. Middle East

Across the region, countries are braced for domestic upheaval, serious economic repercussions and an increase in terrorist following the US-led attack against Iraq. There have been widespread calls for peace, accompanied by high levels of frustration at the lack of influence of the Arab world. Only Kuwait feels that the war could benefit the Iraqi people.

The Quartet Road Map -- the joint UN, US, EU, and Russian plan for peace, is supposed to be published now that there is a Prime Minister for the Palestinians. But prior to the formal presentation, conflict within the quartet has arisen over US willingness to allow Israel to suggest changes to a plan that the UN, EU and Russia all consider final. US Secretary of State Colin Powell plans to meet with the Israeli foreign minister at the end of the month.

In the Gaza Strip Israeli troops entered a refugee camp, killing wanted Islamic Jihad operative Mohammed Saafin, three armed militants and three children, injuring 19. In a second incident three Palestinian police were killed and a fourth died in crossfire. Later in the week, Palestinian authorities tried to break up a Hamas training session and in the ensuing gunbattle one Hamas member was killed.

Iran and Iraq have reached an agreement to free all prisoners of War held from the 1980-88 war.

Iran continues developing its nuclear program. Atomic Energy Agency officials have requested greater access following suggestions that Iran's development of weapons may have progressed further than expected.

In Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, a suicide bomber drove in a taxi to a checkpoint near Halabja and detonated the bomb, killing himself, a journalist, and two Kurdish peshmerga fighters, injuring nine. US forces launched a targeted attack against Ansar al-Islam, a radical group with possible links to al Qaeda, which controls one section of this area.

Israel is alert to exacerbated security threats but believes Iraq does not have the ability to reach it and in any case is protected with new weapons systems and enhanced US monitoring. Israeli people are well equipped with emergency supplies, safe rooms, and gas masks. The Israeli Defense Forces has decided to distribute children's gas masks to Israeli Arabs who have one Palestinian parent (though not the parents) but, despite a ruling by the High Court, has not distributed gas masks to Palestinians in parts of the West Bank.

In Saudi Arabia, a man blew himself up apparently while constructing a bomb. During the investigation other weapons were found. There have been a number of anti-western attacks in the kingdom, and continued investigations into al Qaeda financing continue to turn up links to Saudi elites. For an excellent summary of the newest findings, see Glenn R. Simpson's article "Al Qaeda List Points to Saudi Elite" in The Wall Street Journal, March 18, 2003.

Syria has closed its border to Iraqi refugees.

In the occupied West Bank, two Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades members were killed in a warehouse explosion. Israeli Defense Forces killed two Hamas militants in separate raids, including Nasser Assideh from their most wanted list. Detentions and demolition of homes continued.

The Palestinian parliament has approved the new position of Prime Minister and denied Yasser Arafat's request to approve cabinet ministers, thus giving the PM position new authorities. Mahmoud Abbas has been approved as the new Prime Minister.

7. South Asia

South Asia has expressed a mixture of sadness and anger at the start of the US-led war on Iraq and called for peace.

In Afghanistan, US forces and coalition troops launched the largest military campaign in the last year, with attacks in the south designed to flush out al Qaeda and Taliban members and allies. Prior to this initiative, the number of attacks had increased, including an incident in which Italian troops came under fire, and there were reports of militants regrouping.

Afghanistan has agreed to release hundreds of Pakistani prisoners who fought with the Taliban. President Karzai's scheduled visit to Pakistan has been postponed because of the war in Iraq.

India is reviewing the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Several opposition politicians have been arrested under the act, but it is the case of a 16-year-old in Tamil Nadu has drawn particular attention. He was arrested in place of his absconded father, a member of the Revolutionary Youth Front. A court ruled he could not be arrested, a special court ruled that he could be, and the high court in Madras again released him.

In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, militant Hindu leader Praveen Togadia of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP, Hindu World Council) was arrested to prevent his addressing a banned public meeting. The state High Court ruled the meeting could proceed with some restrictions and Togadia was freed. He is scheduled to address similar meetings, in towns with substantial numbers of Muslims.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, nine police and two civilians were killed in the ambush of a police post.

In Pakistan, there have been additional arrests of suspected al Qaeda members, including the important operational leader Yasir al-Jaziri. Christians in Pakistan have asked for protection against attacks, fearing they will be particular targets of reprisals against the war in Iraq.

In Sri Lanka, peace talks are under stress following coastal tensions. Last week the Sri Lankan navy sank a Tamil Tiger boat. This week, Tamil Tigers were alleged to have attacked a Chinese fishing boat. Reports say the Tigers surrounded it in small boats and sank it, killing 18, while 16 people (including three Sri Lankans) were rescued. With no apparent reason for the attack, it was possibly a case of mistaken identity. The Tigers denied responsibility for the attack on the ship and also for alleged machine gun fire aimed against the survivors.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

Antiwar activists and virus writers are taking advantage of the war. More than a thousand web sites have been hacktivated with peace messages. A number of these have been attributed to the pro-Islamic Unix Security Guards hacking group. Virus writers are using the Ganda-A worm with war information headlines to encourage people to run the infected attachment.

Microsoft has issued an advisory of a critical security flaw in Windows 2000. A patch is available and should be installed with due speed, though there have been reports of a minor flaw in machines with previous patches installed. Users with W2K SP2 should upgrade to SP3 before applying the patch. Before the warning, a US Army server was attacked using the flaw that is related to an unchecked buffer.

For the latest in credit card fraud tactics, see Ariana-Michele Moore's article "The Ever-Changing World of Credit Card Fraud" in Bank Systems and Technology, March 17 http://www.banktech.com/story/BNK20030217S0001

Bugging devices were found in European Union offices of five of the 15 member nations. The source is under investigation and is assumed to have hostile intentions.

A shortage of satellites has forced the US Pentagon to purchase commercial capacity and led to delays for the large number of journalists using satellite phones over a limited number of channels.

9. Finance

US President Bush issued an Executive Order to seize non-diplomatic Iraqi government assets in the US. The Treasury has been authorized to seize "All blocked funds held in the United States in accounts in the name of the Government of Iraq, the Central Bank of Iraq, Rafidain Bank, Rasheed Bank, for the State Organization for Marketing Oil" and use them for the good of the Iraqi people. Funds subject to section 201 of the Terrorism Risk InsuranceAct are also exempted. About $1.74 billion will be confiscated and combined. $300 million is being reserved for future lawsuits and the balance planned to contribute to the costs of rebuilding (for which estimates range from $10-$60 billion per year.)

A number of US "Operation Green Quest" raids took place last week. They include accusations of a Pakistani money laundering operation based in a restaurant in New York, tobacco stores in Minnesota smuggling cash to Jordan and Lebanon, a money transfer operation in Los Angeles shipping money orders to Lebanon, and two bank accounts in New Jersey sending checks to Yemen.

Continued investigations into al Qaeda financing, particularly related to documents found in Bosnia, continue to turn up links to Saudi elites. For an excellent summary of the newest findings, see Glenn R. Simpson's article "Al Qaeda List Points to Saudi Elite" in The Wall Street Journal, March 18, 2003.

10. Human Rights

The UN Commission on Human Rights opened a new session, citing HIV/AIDS, Hunger and terrorism as the dominant issues that threaten human rights today. There were protests over Libya's chairmanship.

Egypt's highest Court of Cassation declared Egyptian rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim not guilty of all charges. He plans to resume campaigning at once.

The German constitutional court dismissed a proposal to outlaw the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party.

Former President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana was given 28 days by the National Reconciliation Commission to respond to alleged human rights abuses.

The Guinea-Bisseau Human Rights league reports that several alleged coup plotters have been tortured, with one, Corporal Gassama, tortured to death.

The final report of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been handed over to President Mbeki.

Spain's Supreme Court has allowed a permanent ban on the Basque political party, Batasuna. This is under the terms of a new law that prevents political parties colluding with political violence.

The UK Court of Appeals has rejected a Home Office policy to deny benefits to asylum seekers, but suggested changes that would make a similar rule acceptable.

The Economist has published a Special Report on Asylum called "A strange sort of sanctuary" that asks, "As the West contemplates another war and more refugees, are current policies on asylum the best way to help them?" The Economist, March 15, 2003.

11. Law and Legal Issues

Professor Sami al-Arian and three other defendants accused of supplying material resources to Islamic Jihad in Palestine, are appearing in court for bail hearings. There have been demonstrations outside the courthouse in Florida, protesting his arrest.

Carlos Fernandez, leader of the Venezuelan strike, has been freed by the appeals court.

Said Harb, convicted of aiding Lebanese Hezbollah with funds raised through a cigarette smuggling operation, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison. With credit for good behavior and time served he may be released by the end of this year.

Raed Hutri has been arrested by Israeli troops in the West Bank. He is accused of membership in Hamas and planning suicide bombings against Israel, including the June 2001 nightclub attack that killed more than 20.

Yassir al-Jaziri, accused al Qaeda operative with ties to communications and business operations, has been arrested in Pakistan.

Samuel Hinga Norman, former interior minister of Sierra Leone and leader of a pro-government militia, has pleaded innocent to war crimes charges in the UN tribunal.

Egyptian rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim was declared not guilty of all charges by Egypt's highest Court of Cassation.

Issa, a suspected al Qaeda militant accused of involvement in the 1998 US embassy bombings and the Paradise hotel attack. He was arrested in Somalis, flown to Kenya, and has now been handed over to US authorities.

Initial jury selection has begun in the trial of Karim Koubriti, Farouk Ali-Haimoud, Abdel-Ilah Elmardoudi and Ahmed Hannan for conspiracy to support terrorism. The trial is taking place in Detroit.

Mullah Krekar, leader of Ansar al-Islam (that operates in Kurdish northern Iraq), has been arrested in Norway on kidnapping charges and planning terrorist attacks.

Clifford McKeown of the Loyalist Volunteer Force in Northern Ireland has been found guilty of the murder of a Catholic taxi driver in 1996.

Zacarias Moussaoui has filed motions calling three more al Qaeda members as defense witnesses. His trial has been postponed indefinitely.

Captain Atiqur Rahman and three soldiers were convicted in a military court in Bangladesh of torture and extortion during the recent anti-crime crackdown. Eight accused police will be tried in a civilian court.

Brian P. Regan, convicted of attempting to sell intelligence secrets to Iraq, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Union Carbide will not be liable for damages from the 1984 Bhopal gas leak following the dismissal of a lawsuit in a US court.

Savvas Ziros, Vassilis Tzortzatos, Dionyssios Georgiadis and Christodoulos Xiros on trial in Greece as members of November 17, have withdrawn their confessions on the grounds they were forced.

Tony Yengeni, prominent member of South Africa's National Congress party, has been sentenced to four years prison for fraud in a multi-billion arms deal.

Asif Zaheer and Rizwan Bashir appeared in court on charges of planning the Sheraton car bomb attack in Karachi last May. The trial has been moved to the jail for improved security.

12. Narco-terrorism

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime forecasts a large reduction in cocaine production as the result of a 30 percent decline in Colombian coca cultivation. In Peru, coca production has increased by 15 percent.

The UN International Narcotics Control Board and the World Bank both expect record levels of opium cultivation in Afghanistan.

13. Transportation

Marine traffic is under special alert as the war in Iraq proceeds. Some insurance underwriters have imposed "hold cover" restrictions and other measures to ensure security. Some ships, particularly those carrying civilians, are under military escort.

Singapore has begun screening cargo under the US Container Security Initiative.

Following the discovery of bottles containing traces of ricin stored in a locker in a Paris train station security has been increased and lockers will now be checked more frequently.

14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Calder Hall, in Sellafield, UK the first industrial nuclear power station, will close on March 31 after 47 years in use.

Protection from urban dirty bombs is discussed in "When terrorists play dirty" by Ronnie Garrett in Law Enforcement Technology, March 2003 http://www.law-enforcement.com

New forms of US weaponry have been under the spotlight as the result of the war in Iraq. Psychological weapons, including direct phone calls to senior leaders as well as the traditional leaflets and radio broadcasts, have been important. The use of precision-guided weapons and new types of ordnance has also been featured, and use of electromagnetic weapons to disrupt communications is possible. Depleted uranium remains popular despite possible adverse health effects. The use of the internet for news, communication, and protests is also an important new trend.

15. Recently Published

Geneive Abdo and Jonathan Lyons, "Answering Only to God: The Failure of Democracy in Twenty-First-Century Iran" Holt/Macrae

Bruce Berkowitz, "The New Face of War" Free Press

Niall Ferguson, "Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and its Lessons for Global Power" Basic Books, Allen Lane

Robert Harvey, "Global Disorder: America and the Threat of World Conflict" Carroll and Graf

Robert Kagan. "Of paradise and Power: American and Europe in the New World Order" Knopf, Atlantic Books

William Kristol and Lawrence Kaplan, "The War Over Iraq: Saddam's Tyranny and America's Mission" Encounter

Charles A. Kupchan, "The End of the American Era: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Geopolitics of the Twenty-first Century" Knopf

Daniel Litvin, "Empires of Profit: Commerce, Conquest and Corporate Responsibility" Texere

Dana Priest, "The Mission: Waging War and Keeping Peace with America's military" Norton

Andrew Roberts "Hitler and Churchill: Secrets of Leadership" Weidenfeld and Nicolson

Philip Taubman, "Secret Empire: Eisenhower, the CIA and the Hidden Story of America's Space Espionage" Simon and Schuster

FEATURE ARTICLE: World Water

March 22 was World Water Day. It coincided with the third international World Water Forum, held in Japan March 16-23. At this meeting, some 24,000 people from 182 countries attended 351 sessions looking into ways to bring safe water and sanitation to the world, taking into account issues of supply, food production, transportation, energy, environment, governance, capacity, and financing.

First, some background. Only 2.53 percent of the world's water is freshwater; the remainder is sale. Two-thirds of so of the freshwater is held in glaciers and permanent snow cover. Most freshwater comes from precipitation, which is renewable, and other sources include groundwater that is not always renewable. These freshwater resources are diminished primarily through agricultural use, run-off, and pollution. In fact, there is more polluted water in the world than that in the ten largest river basins. Consumption of water has more than doubled since 1950. At this rate, within the next twenty years, the average supply of water per person will have dropped by a third.

These are not hypothetical risks. Consider, for example:
* Dams, canals, and embankments along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have constricted the flow of water to the extent that more than 90 percent of the Mesopotamian marshes have been destroyed.
* Similarly, the river delta of the Indus has been overbuilt in the northern region of Punjab to such an extent that by the time it reaches Sind province, the last 80 miles contain no fresh water.
* The Aral Sea has nearly disappeared.
* Californians in the western US have had water withheld pending implementation of conservation measures. They were in breach of the river resource sharing agreement. Many other areas in the US, particularly in the west, are classified as under "severe water stress" by the World Water Assessment Program.
* Drought, HIV/AIDS, and instability in Africa have combined to create a level of hunger not seen for decades, even areas that had become net exporters of agricultural crops.

These examples raise another important point, that water distribution is uneven. Asia is particularly vulnerable, where more than half the world's population is sustained by only about a third of the water resources. In the Middle East, five percent of the world's population is supported by one percent of the water resources. There are also conflicts of interest among shared resources. There are 261 international river basins, in which 145 countries have territory in shared basins. Management of trans-boundary resources, even among states within a country, has been problematic.

Shortages of clean water and sanitation have profound personal effects:
* More than a billion people have no clean water and 2.5 billion lack sanitation
* 6,000 children die each day of diarrhoeal diseases
* Contaminated water carries disease to 200 million people a year, killing seven million

Personal use is a very small part of the water use equation. A person needs about four liters a day for personal use, but the food to feed him or her requires 2,000-5,000 liters. In all, agriculture, particularly livestock, is responsible for about 70 percent of water consumption and industry for 20 percent.

Agricultural and industrial use incorporate high levels of waste. The top five "water wasters" are the United States, Djibouti, Cape Verde, New Zealand and Italy, emphasizing the point that the available resources are less important than the way in which the resources are used.

Speakers at the Forum raised many interesting and important points. For example:
* Dr. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid of the World Water Council emphasized the need to protect water infrastructure during conflict. He said, "Water is a catalyst for peace and source of security for nations, communities and individuals alike".
* Nane Annan pointed out that "without hygiene, water and sanitation can only go so far".
* The World Conservation Union emphasized the importance of natural purifiers, such as marshes and forests, and their effectiveness relative to sewage treatment plants.
* OECD described successes in integrated water management systems that look at a whole basin or river basin in its entirety.

A number of delegates raised the linkage between water and security. Former Soviet President Gorbachev emphasized growing demands on water shared among countries where "we could be faced with a very grave situation" and that cooperation is necessary because "...the entire basin has to be considered together" to avoid control by the dominant country, or those upstream.

UNESCO described the top potential conflict zones in the next 5-10 years as those areas that feature "three danger signs". These are " the “internationalization” of basins, or the creation of newly independent states (as was the case after the break-up of the Soviet Union); unilateral development projects, such as the construction of dams in basins lacking bilateral legal agreements and structures for negotiation; general hostility over issues other than water." Such areas include "the Ganges-Brahmaputra, Han, Incomati, Kunene, Kura-Araks, Lake Chad, La Plata, Lempa, Limpopo, Mekong, Ob (Ertis), Okavango, Orange, Salween, Senegal, Tumen and Zambezi. In addition, there are four basins “currently in conflict or in the midst of active negotiations: Aral, Jordan, Nile and Tigris-Euphrates."

Discussions broke down somewhat over the issue of balancing public and private interests. In particular, the issue of dam construction was highly controversial. The World Bank called for more dams to meet power needs, while many other organizations pointed out the massive environmental damage that dams have caused. Privatization was another controversial issue, with many delegates citing revolts against such schemed in Bolivia, Ghana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere.

In the final conference declaration, an earlier UN reference to water being a basic human right was omitted, but the conference called for better cooperation, the continued role of the UN, and emphasized the immediate priority of the issues raised.

However, a number of practical initiatives were announced. An African Water Facility will be established, to pool international aid to target water problems. China has launched a revolutionary ecological sanitation program called ECOSCAN that includes new separation and reuse techniques. The Water Cooperation Facility, a new UN agency, will act as mediator in international water disputes where countries share a single river basin.

In announcing the new agency, UNESCO emphasized that "...scarcity need not mean catastrophe or conflict. The World Water Development Report... highlights a study analyzing every single water-related interaction between two countries or more over the past 50 years. Of the total of 1,831 interactions, the overwhelming majority, 1,228, were cooperative. They involved the signing of about 200 water-sharing treaties or the construction of new dams. Turning to the 507 conflictive events, 37 involved violence, 21 of them with military action."

Further information:
Food and Agricultural Organization (http://www.fao.org)
Sebastian Galiani, Paul Gertler and Ernesto Schargrodsky "Water for Life: The Impact of the Privatization of Water Services on Child Mortality" http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/gertler/
OECD Observer (Sustainable Development - Water) http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/categoryfront.php/id/1038/Water.html
World Water Day http://www.waterday2003.org (especially the Vital Water Graphics section)
World Water Forum http://www.world.water-forum3.com
World Water Portal (combines 23 UN agencies and convention secretariats; check out their "Water for People Water for Life" report) http://www.unesco.org/water/

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