News In Brief

March 14, 2001

By Compiled from wire service reportsRobert Kilborn and Stephanie Cook

Crisis measures were in place across much of Europe as more livestock herds showed signs of the spreading foot-and-mouth disease. It was too soon for a Continent-wide vaccination campaign, European Union officials said, but they met in emergency session in Brussels following confirmation of the first cases in France. Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland quickly banned all imports of animals from France, and, in Italy, sheep suspected of carrying the malady were being slaughtered. British authorities said their caseload was up to 200 sites, and Army troops were assigned to help kill infected animals.

The new cease-fire between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Yugoslav forces appeared to be holding in southern Serbia, but a few milesmarkets Monday, and members are said to be worried that a global economic slowdown will reduce demand and swell stockpiles.

It's impossible to schedule an early session of Indonesia's legislature for the purpose of impeaching controversial President Abdurrahman Wahid, its speaker said. His comments seemed to give Wahid a few months' grace despite a violent second day of protests in the capital by thousands of demonstrators demanding his ouster. Wahid was censured by the People's Consultative Assembly in February and has until May to submit his formal response. Meanwhile, the Army warned it would take control of security from the police if turmoil continued, and the Jakarta stock market closed at a two-year low.

Today's scheduled no-confidence vote in parliament on Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared destined to fail after