In Brief

* PROBE – The crisis in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina deepened because of a virtual standoff between hesitant federal officials and besieged authorities in Louisiana, The New York Times said.

* VIOLENCE – Rioters fired gunshots at police and soldiers, and hurled bombs in some of the worst violence seen in Northern Ireland for years, after a march by a Protestant group in Belfast turned violent. * DISMAYED – The dismissal of Yulia Tymoshenko as Ukrainian prime minister has dismayed many of those who camped out on the streets of this former Soviet republic in last year’s “orange revolution”, demanding a fresh start for their country.* VOTE – Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi appeared headed for re-election as Japan went to the polls in a snap election he called to win broad public support for reforming the world’s second largest economy.* PROTESTS – Protests grew louder as Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated his desire to bolster ties with Canada, after forging a “strategic partnership” with the country.* NUCLEAR – A new draft US defence paper calls for preventive nuclear strikes against state and non-state adversaries in order to deter them from using weapons of mass destruction and urges US troops to “prepare to use nuclear weapons effectively.”- Nampa-AFP* DISMAYED – The dismissal of Yulia Tymoshenko as Ukrainian prime minister has dismayed many of those who camped out on the streets of this former Soviet republic in last year’s “orange revolution”, demanding a fresh start for their country.* VOTE – Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi appeared headed for re-election as Japan went to the polls in a snap election he called to win broad public support for reforming the world’s second largest economy.* PROTESTS – Protests grew louder as Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated his desire to bolster ties with Canada, after forging a “strategic partnership” with the country.* NUCLEAR – A new draft US defence paper calls for preventive nuclear strikes against state and non-state adversaries in order to deter them from using weapons of mass destruction and urges US troops to “prepare to use nuclear weapons effectively.”- Nampa-AFP