In Brief

* HOLOCAUST – Israel introduced a watershed resolution in the UN General Assembly on Monday that designates January 27 as an annual commemoration day for the 6 million Jews and other victims murdered in the Nazi Holocaust during World War Two.

The measure rejects any denial that the Holocaust took place. It also urges members to “inculcate” future generations with the lessons on the genocide so it would not be repeated in the future.* COALITION – Incoming German chancellor Angela Merkel insisted late on Monday that she would continue her attempts to form a coalition government despite a bombshell decision to quit by the leader of the Social Democrats, the party she is in talks with.Social Democratic party (SPD) chairman Franz Muentefering, who has been named to serve as vice-chancellor and labour minister in the grand coalition government under conservative leader Merkel, signalled he may turn down the key post after suffering a rebellion within his party’s ranks.* RIOTS – Police fired tear gas and rioters hurled Molotov cocktails as violence hit a poor Paris suburb for the fifth straight night in unrest that officials said had also spread to neighbouring towns.* JUSTICE – US President George W.Bush nominated a conservative appeals court judge, Samuel Alito, to the Supreme Court, in a move that may heal a rift in the weakened leader’s Republican party.- Nampa-Reuters-AFPIt also urges members to “inculcate” future generations with the lessons on the genocide so it would not be repeated in the future.* COALITION – Incoming German chancellor Angela Merkel insisted late on Monday that she would continue her attempts to form a coalition government despite a bombshell decision to quit by the leader of the Social Democrats, the party she is in talks with.Social Democratic party (SPD) chairman Franz Muentefering, who has been named to serve as vice-chancellor and labour minister in the grand coalition government under conservative leader Merkel, signalled he may turn down the key post after suffering a rebellion within his party’s ranks.* RIOTS – Police fired tear gas and rioters hurled Molotov cocktails as violence hit a poor Paris suburb for the fifth straight night in unrest that officials said had also spread to neighbouring towns.* JUSTICE – US President George W.Bush nominated a conservative appeals court judge, Samuel Alito, to the Supreme Court, in a move that may heal a rift in the weakened leader’s Republican party.- Nampa-Reuters-AFP