At A Glance

LONDON: Britain8217;s House of Lords opened a fresh hearing to decide whether former Chilean dictator can return to Chile or must face prosecution in Spain for crimes against humanity. Seven judges from Britain8217;s highest court began hearing arguments by the Crown prosecution service, which is seeking Pinochet8217;s extradition on behalf of the Spanish government. The judges will examine the case, listening to both his supporters and detractors. Apart from the crown prosecution service and Pinochet8217;s lawyers, Amnesty International will be allowed to submit its case to the court.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia8217;s sacked finance minister Anwar Ibrahim has said his struggle for political reform is irreversible and already half won8217;. Anwar said in a letter to an opposition lawmaker released on Monday that he detected growing disillusionment with prime minister Mahathir Mohamad8217;s government. The letter was sent to Lim Guan Eng of the opposition Democratic Action Party who was jailed in August, barely a week beforeMahathir dismissed Anwar from his cabinet. The letter was released by Lim8217;s father, Lim Kit Siang, who is parliamentary opposition leader. Lim Guan Eng was sentenced to two concurrent 18-month prison terms for publishing in 1995 a pamphlet which criticised the government8217;s handling of allegations of statutory rape against a former state chief minister.

BANGKOK: Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio tried to calm an environmental row raging over his new movie on Monday, insisting he loved Thailand and would not tolerate any damage being done to a picturesque beach used in filming. Environmental campaigners claim alterations made to Maya beach in southern Phi Phi Island national park for the movie The Beach will ruin the eco-system of an idyllic bay. But DiCaprio said he would never be associated with a project that damaged the environment. 8220;Before I arrived, I was assured that nothing done by 20th Century Fox would have any detrimental effect whatsoever, and that the island of Phi Phi would bereturned to its natural state.8221;