COMING UP TO THE HALF-WAY POINT

Milosevic Case Postponed Over Ill Health (AP, New York Times. July 5th, 2004)

Slobodan Milosevic's defense case was postponed Monday for a third time because of his poor health, prompting judges to review whether his trial on charges of war crimes and genocide could go forward.

A medical report read in court said the 62-year-old former Yugoslav president has suffered damage to his heart from the stress of defending himself.

Even after a four-month break in hearings and a shortening of his trial schedule, Milosevic's blood pressure was still at dangerously high levels, the report said.

Facing repeated trial delays, prosecutors again pressed the court to impose defense counsel on Milosevic, who has insisted on representing himself since the trial began in February 2002. [...]

Milosevic appeared relaxed, vigorous and fit in the courtroom, and objected when Robinson began discussing his medical file but was overruled.

Nevertheless, Milosevic accused the judges of ordering him to appear Monday, despite a doctor's report earlier in the day that he should remain at the nearby U.N. detention center to rest.

In other news, Al Jazeera reports that Saddam Hussein is now suffering from hemorrhoids