War crimes prosecutors cleared to call Naomi Campbell

THE HAGUE — A war crimes court will allow prosecutors to call supermodel Naomi Campbell to testify over a "blood diamond" she was allegedly given by Liberian ex-president Charles Taylor, it said on Wednesday.

Actress Mia Farrow can also be called to the stand over claims that Campbell was given the rough diamond by Taylor after a dinner hosted by former South African president Nelson Mandela in September 1997.

"The trial chamber hereby grants the motion" filed by prosecutors in May seeking permission to call Campbell, Farrow, and the model's former agent Carole White to the stand, said a decision by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, dated June 29 and made public on Wednesday.

Campbell has refused to give evidence on the matter, but Farrow and White, both present at the dinner, were willing to do so, according to the prosecution's request to the court.

A court spokesman said Wednesday the prosecution was awaiting the outcome of a separate application for a subpoena compelling Campbell to appear.

In its filing to the court, the prosecution claimed that White was present when the diamond was delivered, while Farrow "was told by Ms Campbell the next morning about the gift".

"She told us ... she had been awakened in the night by a knocking at her door. She opened the door to find two or three men -- I do not recall how many -- who presented her with a large diamond which they said was from Charles Taylor," Farrow said in a declaration in the hands of prosecutors.

The prosecution alleges the rough diamond was among those Taylor had obtained from Sierra Leone rebels and took to South Africa "to sell ... or exchange them from weapons".

Taylor, 62, has been on trial in The Hague since January 2008 on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the 1991-2001 civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

He is accused of having fuelled war there by arming the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in exchange for "blood diamonds" -- the name given to diamonds mined in rebel-held regions of Africa and sold to fund warfare.

The RUF is blamed for the mutilation of thousands of civilians who had their hands and arms severed in one of the most brutal wars in modern history, which claimed some 120,000 lives.

Prosecutors said they had not known about the Campbell diamond, which they consider "material" to the case, until June 2009 -- by which time they had already closed their case, now in the phase of hearing defence witnesses.

Taylor has opposed the bid to reopen the prosecution case to call the women, saying in court papers the evidence sought was "more appropriate for a screen-play than a courtroom hearing".

But a panel of four judges, having studied Farrow's declaration and notes of an interview with White, found the proposed new evidence was "highly probative".

It allowed the prosecution to reopen its case and call the three to the stand before the last defence witness expected to be heard in August.

Chile coach Bielsa plotting Swiss downfall

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa — When Marcel Bielsa took charge of Chile the first game under his watch was a friendly against Switzerland in Vienna.

In a quirk of fate 33 months later Argentinian Bielsa's adopted country once again cross paths with Switzerland, but this time in South Africa the stakes are higher.

Monday's World Cup tie pits two countries who have kicked off their 2010 campaigns in the best possible fashion, Chile beating Honduras and the Swiss toppling Spain.

With a last 16 ticket for both teams dangling tantalisingly in front of them Bielsa, a noted tactician, has spent large chunks of his time since the opening win studying how to get the better of Ottmar Hitzfeld's giantkillers.

He told a press conference at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium on Sunday: "The Swiss had perfect command of the ball against Spain who had problems attacking as spaces were being reduced.

"They had two defensive lines close to each other, but of course tomorrow's match may not be a replica, we'll have to see."

Chile secured a first World Cup win in 48 years by edging Honduras 1-0 last Wednesday through a late first-half goal from striker Jean Beausejour.

The Group H success ended a 13-game winless run spanning four tournaments for the Chilean 'Reds' since defeating Yugoslavia in 1962 to finish third as hosts.

Star striker Humberto Suazo missed Wednesday's game with injury but Bielsa had encouraging news on the fiery forward.

"Humberto is in better physical shape today, but we can't ignore that he only played 45 minutes in a World Cup warm-up recently against Israel."

Bielsa is intent on guiding Chile into the last 16 as he failed to accomplish that with his native Argentina in 2004.

Hitzfeld has claimed that Chile are favourites and represent a more dangerous threat than even Euro 2008 champions Spain.

Bielsa denied this, saying: "In this World Cup especially there are no favourites, even less so than at other finals."

Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart tie knot: report

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood heart-throb Harrison Ford has tied the knot with long-time girlfriend Calista Flockhart, the TMZ.com entertainment website confirmed Wednesday.

Ford, 67, the iconic star of the "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars" films, has been in a relationship with Flockhart since 2001. The veteran actor has been married twice before.

Flockhart, 45, is best known for her leading role on the hit television legal sitcom "Ally McBeal" which aired for five seasons between 1997 and 2002.

The couple were married in New Mexico by state governor Bill Richardson, TMZ reported.

South Africa passes World Cup security test

RUSTENBURG, South Africa — South African police passed their first major security test of the World Cup on Saturday as potential flashpoint matches involving Argentina and England went off peacefully.

After a dozen suspected hooligans were arrested at Johannesburg airport, police staged a show of strength at Argentina's match against Nigeria in the same city and England versus the United States in northwestern Rustenburg.

England's supporters reacted with dismay after a howler by their goalkeeper Robert Green enabled their opponents to snatch a 1-1 draw but there was no immediate reports of unrest in the stadium or fan parks outside.

The Argentinian fans had more reason to celebrate as their team ran out 1-0 winners against Nigeria.

Both matches involved major security operations with the Argentina-Nigeria match taking place next to a Johannesburg neighbourhood notorious for gangland crime and with a large expatriate Nigerian community.

As large numbers of reinforcements, including police motorbike squads, patrolled the streets around Ellis Park, helicopters flew overhead.

In Rustenburg, security was even tighter as US Vice President Joe Biden attended the game. Fans had to queue for up to an hour to get past metal detectors and have their bags searched as police helicopters flew overhead.

Large numbers of local and national police patrolled the streets ahead of a match that has been deemed to have a high terror risk rating, along with sniffer dogs and teams who swept the stadium for bombs.

"We all know that the US, the UK are very much a priority ... That's not to say that we have traced any specific risk, but one never wants to take anything for granted," national police spokeswoman Sally de Beer told AFP.

British police were also on hand to help their South African counterparts spot any potential troublemakers.

While English fans have a history of violence, Andy Holt, head of the British police contingent dispatched to Rustenburg, said that reputation was now outdated. "There has been a wholesale change," said Holt.

South Africa has been working closely with other national police forces to prevent any possible outbreak of hooliganism.

Argentina handed over a blacklist of 800 fans barred from attending, while Britain required 3,200 known hooligans to surrender their passports during the tournament.

"We don't really view hooliganism as a very big risk because of all the measures we have in place and the good cooperation with various countries," de Beer said.

The area around Ellis Park emptied quickly after the match while dejected England fans also made a rapid exit from the Rustenburg stadium, many in stony silence.

The American fans were in better voice, chanting "U.S.A" as they walked down the ramp. Towards the end of the game as they sniffed the possibility of a shock win, they chanted Barack Obama's campaign trail mantra "Yes We Can."

"It was so dismal I don't really know if I have anything to say. With goalkeeping mistakes like that it's not really World Cup standard," said England supporter Andy Lowe.

So far the only real organisational problems have been with public transport, with traffic jams and delayed trains proving a headache for the 85,000 fans who attended Friday's opening match at Johannesburg's Soccer City.

South Africans largely ignored the traffic hassles, overjoyed with their 1-1 draw with Mexico.

"Respect! That's what we earned yesterday," The Star newspaper said on its front page.

South Africa has fended off worries about its readiness for the tournament ever since it was named the host six years ago.

All the stadiums and major projects like new highways and rail lines have been completed on time, although crime is still a worry.

Canada to ease foreign ownership restrictions on telecoms

OTTAWA — The Canadian government proposed on Friday three plans for easing restrictions on foreign ownership of local telecommunications firms, including lifting all checks.

The current limit of direct foreign investment in broadcasting and telecommunications carriers is 46.7 percent.

Industry Minister Tony Clement issued a feeler to increase the limit to 49 percent; lift restrictions only on small carriers with only 10 percent market share or less; or remove restrictions completely.

In a statement, he invited the public to offer their input by July 30.

"Our goal is to encourage investment, innovation and competition in the telecommunications sector for the benefit of both businesses and consumers," said Clement.

"We look forward to receiving Canadians? views on this important issue."

According to a government consultation paper, only three countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) restrict foreign investment in their telecommunications sectors: Canada, Mexico and South Korea.

Among them, Canada's rules are the strictest.

Three carriers -- Bell, Rogers and Telus -- currently dominate the Canadian telecommunications sector, which is worth 40 billion dollars annually.

England cheered by support from troops in Afghanistan

RUSTENBURG, South Africa — England will go into their World Cup opener against the United States inspired by messages of support from British troops currently on duty in Afghanistan.

Good luck messages from the soldiers were filmed by military chiefs and delivered to the squad's training camp in South Africa and Steven Gerrard, the team captain, said the players had been moved by the show of support.

"We've watched a DVD of the guys out in Afghanistan," Gerrard said. "It was very inspiring, very touching. Now it is time for the players to deliver."

It shows troops at the Camp Bastion base in the troubled southern Helmand Province passing on their best wishes to the team.

They are seen pausing as they maintain vehicles to wish the players well -- and also enjoying a kick-about during their "down time".

"Just like you, we have to hit the target under pressure," one member of the Armed Forces says.

Other messages include: "Good luck, and bring it home for us", and "Get to the final for us".

Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel were all represented on the DVD.

Former England captain David Beckham - who missed his chance of playing in the finals after suffering an Achilles tendon injury playing for AC Milan - paid a morale-boosting visit to the British troops late last month.

294 British personnel have died since operations began to topple the Taliban government in October 2001.

EADS to unveil algae-powered aircraft

BERLIN — European aerospace giant EADS is poised to unveil a "hybrid" aircraft which runs on algae fuel, a world first, its technical director said on Friday.

The firm will present the machine at the Berlin Air Show (ILA) that runs from June 9 to 13, Jean Botti told the Die Welt daily.

"At the ILA, we are going to fly for the first time a craft with biofuel that has been made 100 percent from algae. That is a world premiere," Botti said.

"We need a paradigm shift in the aviation industry. We soon need an alternative to kerosene," he said, adding: "If 10 percent of our fleet is flying with biofuel in 2040, I would be extremely happy."

Die Welt had reported the aircraft was a helicopter, but company spokesman Gregor Kursell later told AFP that the technology would be used only in planes.

Slimy, fast-growing and full of fat, algae is quickly gaining ground as a potential renewable energy source.

Experts say it is also potentially useful for its ability to gobble up carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, while living happily in places not needed for food crops.

"I have high hopes for algae," said Botti.

Tennis ace Nadal wears down Almagro at French Open

PARIS — Rafael Nadal moved a step nearer recapturing his French Open crown on Wednesday by once again dominating Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in a quarter-final tie.

It was the seventh time in seven matches that Nadal has seen off Amalgro and means that he has reached the semi-finals without losing a set yet again.

The four-times former champion was pushed at the start, dropping the first three games of the match, but once he had pocketed the first set on a tie-break, there was little doubt over the outcome.

He will play the winner of the tie between third seed Novak Djokovic and Jurgen Melzer for a place in Sunday's final when he hopes to regain the title he lost last year to Roger Federer.

Federer crashed out of the tournament the previous evening on the same court when he lost in four sets to Robin Soderling, the man who ended Nadal's 31-match winning streak in Paris last year.

"It was a tough match and I was more nervous than I usually am at the start and found myself 3-0 down," Nadal said.

"But in the tie-break I was more aggressive and that helped me to get in control of the match.

"Anything can happen now. All the players at this stage of tournament are there because they are the best.

"I saw the Federer-Soderling match and Soderling was impressive. He was serving great and getting everything back from the back of the court."

Almagro, who was seeking to reach the semi-final of a Grand Slam for the first time, was quick out of the blocks going for winners off both flanks, while Nadal worked his way slowly into the match.

From 0-3 down, the second seed pulled back to 3-3 and serves stayed on top until the tie-break which Nadal won with some ease as mistakes started to tarnish Almagro's go-for-broke tactics.

He stuck grimly to the task though in the second set staying with Nadal and even had a break point at 4-4. Nadal though warded this off with a brave serve and volley.

It needed another tie-break to separate the two and again it was Nadal who dominated from the start moving 4-0 up on the back of three crunching forehand drives that left Almagro gasping.

It was more of the same in the third set with serves on top, but the pressure of Nadal's relentless groundstrokes eventually wore down Almagro and he finally conceded his serve for just the second time in the match in the ninth game.

That left Nadal serving for the match and he made no mistake despite Almagro saving one match point.