World in Brief

* CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has approved constitutional changes that bar white farmers from legally challenging land grabs and restrict travel for government opponents, state radio reported.

Mugabe, who is in Cuba on a state visit, told students he had approved the bill adopted by parliament two weeks ago. The constitutional changes adopted on August 30 will prevent Zimbabweans deemed as posing a threat to the state from travelling abroad and create an upper house of parliament, which critics say will strengthen the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front party’s grip on power.* TERROR THREAT – A flight to Britain was grounded in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus overnight after frightened passengers refused to take off with two Pakistanis they suspected were “Muslim terrorists”, police said.The plane had been due to take off for Manchester at 11:40pm on Sunday but was still on the tarmac at the island’s main international airport of Larnaca yesterday morning while checks continued.* CRICKET DEATH – A bouncer charged with killing former Australian cricket star David Hookes with a deadly punch outside a Melbourne pub was found not guilty.Zdravko Micevic was charged with manslaughter after hitting Hookes during an altercation outside the pub in January 2004.* PRISONER SWAP – India and Pakistan began exchanging more than 500 prisoners as part of their peace process, just days before a meeting of their leaders in New York.The prisoner swap began with a group of eight Indians, who had been held in Pakistani jails, crossing into India via the Wagah border post, the only land crossing between the two South Asian rivals.* SEPT 11 REMEMBERED – The United States paused in solemn and tearful remembrance of the September 11 attacks four years ago and in mournful solidarity with the victims of Hurricane Katrina.* NUCLEAR TALKS – Last-minute preparations were underway ahead of the resumption of talks aimed at denuclearising the Korean peninsula, with the United States and North Korea showing few signs of relaxing their positions.* MELBOURNE TARGETED – Australian authorities were hoping Monday to examine a new videotape purportedly showing an al Qaeda militant warning that the city of Melbourne would be the target of a terrorist attack.* SOLDIERS KILLED – Five soldiers were killed and three others wounded in clashes with Kurdish rebels in the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey, security officials said.- Nampa-AFPThe constitutional changes adopted on August 30 will prevent Zimbabweans deemed as posing a threat to the state from travelling abroad and create an upper house of parliament, which critics say will strengthen the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front party’s grip on power.* TERROR THREAT – A flight to Britain was grounded in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus overnight after frightened passengers refused to take off with two Pakistanis they suspected were “Muslim terrorists”, police said.The plane had been due to take off for Manchester at 11:40pm on Sunday but was still on the tarmac at the island’s main international airport of Larnaca yesterday morning while checks continued.* CRICKET DEATH – A bouncer charged with killing former Australian cricket star David Hookes with a deadly punch outside a Melbourne pub was found not guilty.Zdravko Micevic was charged with manslaughter after hitting Hookes during an altercation outside the pub in January 2004.* PRISONER SWAP – India and Pakistan began exchanging more than 500 prisoners as part of their peace process, just days before a meeting of their leaders in New York.The prisoner swap began with a group of eight Indians, who had been held in Pakistani jails, crossing into India via the Wagah border post, the only land crossing between the two South Asian rivals.* SEPT 11 REMEMBERED – The United States paused in solemn and tearful remembrance of the September 11 attacks four years ago and in mournful solidarity with the victims of Hurricane Katrina. * NUCLEAR TALKS – Last-minute preparations were underway ahead of the resumption of talks aimed at denuclearising the Korean peninsula, with the United States and North Korea showing few signs of relaxing their positions.* MELBOURNE TARGETED – Australian authorities were hoping Monday to examine a new videotape purportedly showing an al Qaeda militant warning that the city of Melbourne would be the target of a terrorist attack.* SOLDIERS KILLED – Five soldiers were killed and three others wounded in clashes with Kurdish rebels in the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey, security officials said.- Nampa-AFP