China indicates interest in buying maglev train technology

Beijing - China on Wednesday signalled its interest in acquiring the technology for a German-developed magnetic-levitation, or maglev, train.

"We would greet the sale of the magnetic train technology from the German developers to Chinese firms," said the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planning agency.

It added that it hoped China could win the technology at an "attractive price."

However, the German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, which developed the Transrapid system with Siemens, rebutted speculation that it might sell the propulsion technology or a license to China after high costs last month killed a maglev track that had been planned between downtown Munich and its airport.

China is home to the only Transrapid track in commercial service. The track runs between downtown Shanghai and the city's airport.

Xie Weida, deputy director of the Railway Institute at Shanghai's Tongji University, who was involved in the development of the Shanghai line, warned that the cost of such know-how would be extremely expensive but would allow China to produce maglev trains itself and market them internationally.

An expansion of the Shanghai line is planned, but it has been put on hold because of protests by residents. Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng recently ruled out a completion of the expansion by the Shanghai-hosted World Expo 2010 as originally planned.

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Two Picassos stolen in Brazil

Armed robbers in Sao Paulo in Brazil have stolen two Picasso engravings and two works by famous Brazilian artists.

The men were seen on closed-circuit TV entering the Estacao Pinacoteca gallery in broad daylight, unmasked.

A print from Picasso's The Painter and the Model series and Minotaur, Drinker and Women were taken. The stolen works were valued at $600,000 (£308,350).

This is the second theft of work by Picasso in the centre of Sao Paulo in only six months.

Two oil paintings by the Brazilian artists Emiliano Di Cavalcanti and Lasar Segall were also stolen.

The museum says all the works are insured.

Last year, Pablo Picasso's Portrait of Suzanne Bloch and The Coffee Worker by Brazil's Candido Portinari, were taken from the Museum of Art of Sao Paulo.

The framed paintings were later recovered in perfect condition, leaning against a wall in a house on the outskirts of Sao Paulo.

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Military 'runs Mugabe campaign'

The BBC has obtained documents suggesting that Zimbabwe's military is actively involved in running Robert Mugabe's re-election campaign.

The documents outline plans by ruling party Zanu-PF to harass and drive out opposition supporters, especially from rural areas.

A run-off presidential vote is due to take place later in the month.

More than 60 people have been killed, thousands beaten and many more driven from their homes in related violence.

Testimony from eye-witnesses and victims from across Zimbabwe as well as internal party documents show that violence and intimidation are being used to try to guarantee the re-election of Robert Mugabe against the challenger, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), on 27 June.

The documents suggest that the Joint Operations Command (JOC) is now running logistics and operations.

The JOC is made up of the heads of the military and state security organisations.

Another document lays out the party's tactics, including the use of scarce food supplies as a political weapon.

"Basic commodities should be sold from either people's shops or pro-Zanu-PF shops," it says. "Emphasis should be in party strongholds."

It talks about giving the notorious and feared war veterans, responsible for much of the violence in Zimbabwe, a "leading role in Zanu-PF campaigns".

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Ireland in crunch EU treaty vote

The Irish Republic is set to hold a referendum on whether to ratify the European Union reform treaty, in a vote anxiously watched across the EU.

All other 26 member states have left the issue to their parliaments, but Ireland is obliged to hold a popular vote on changes to its constitution.

All of the main Irish parties back the treaty but the No campaign has been putting up a strong challenge.

With many voters undecided, opinion polls suggest the result will be close.

Voters will be asked whether or not they approve an amendment to the constitution which would allow Ireland to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon.

The treaty's main provisions include a smaller European Commission, the removal of the national veto in more policy areas, a new president of the European Council and a strengthened foreign affairs post.

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Airliner in Sudan ignites, kills dozens

KHARTOUM, Sudan - A Sudanese Airbus carrying 214 people veered off the runway in a thunderstorm and burst into flames late yesterday, killing dozens unable to escape the inferno. Officials said more than 100 people fled the plane before it was engulfed by towering orange flames.

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that 103 passengers and all 11 crewmembers survived. It said some other passengers might have gone home directly from the crash on the rain-soaked runway after crewmembers helped them through the emergency doors.

The death toll wasn't immediately clear. Reports right after the crash said about 100 were killed, but officials later put the toll at dozens without being more precise. Deputy parliament speaker Mohammed al-Hassan al-Ameen said "about 30 people" died, while police spokesman Mohammed Abdel Majid al-Tayeb said 23 bodies were brought to the morgue.

The fire's roaring flames dwarfed the Airbus A310's shattered fuselage as firefighters sprayed water with little apparent effect, Sudanese TV footage showed. Members of the media were kept away but an Associated Press reporter heard several explosions after flames engulfed the aircraft.

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Analysis: Growing talk of Iran attack

The BBC's Middle East Editor, Jeremy Bowen, looks at increasing speculation that Iran may come under attack because of its nuclear programme.

The debate on Iran's nuclear intentions is heating up again, as is talk of attack

Last December American intelligence agencies said they had "high confidence" that in late 2003 Iran had stopped trying to build nuclear weapons.

That seemed to end much of the talk about an American - or Israeli - attempt to destroy the facilities that Iran has developed for what it insists is a purely peaceful nuclear programme.

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