English News July 13th

In Ireland, Police firing water cannon on Friday quelled serious rioting by Roman Catholics in Belfast but the violence cast a pall of gloom over Northern Ireland peace talks restarting later in the day.

In the Middle East, A Palestinian attack that killed a Jewish settler triggered the heaviest gunbattle in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday since the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation began nine months ago.

The Bush administration on Thursday outlined a plan to quickly develop missile defenses, including breaking ground on an Alaskan test site, that within months will "bump up against" a key arms pact with Russia.

In business news...

European stock markets were flat at midday on Friday as a profit warning from chip maker Epcos left investors edgy ahead of a barrage of quarterly results due next week from tech blue chips like Nokia and SAP. A heavy dose of U.S. economic data due later this afternoon added to the cautious mood as players awaited any indication the world's biggest economy was finally picking up.

In Sports....

Unwilling to set up China's 1.3 billion people for disappointment once again, the nation's flagship newspaper raised the prospect that Beijing may lose Friday's vote on its bid to host the 2008 Olympics. The tone of the People's Daily contrasted sharply with the media euphoria that built up Chinese hopes eight years ago.

Hopes that were crushed when Beijing lost the right to host the 2000 Games to Sydney by just two votes.

At the Festival...

One of tonight's films in Competion, Ghost World features actress Scarlett Johansen. The actress is also prominently featured in the festival's opening night film, American Rhapsody. Ghost world screens tonight in the Great Hall.

Christopher Nolan's "Memento" stars Joe Pantoliano, an actor seen in films as the Fugitive, La Bamba and the Matrix. Memento screens Friday evening at the Pupp.

This evening in the Great Hall, the competion film from Yugoslavia, WAR LIVE. At Midnight, Mike Figgi, Time Code.

Exchange rates today:

1 Euro: 32.5 Czech Koruna 1 US Dollar: 38 Czech Koruna 1 British Pound: 53.5 Czech Koruna