A round-up of today's other world news in brief
Ghana's presidential run-off close
ACCRA - The outcome of Ghana's presidential run-off is too close to call and will be decided by voting on Friday in a single constituency where balloting has yet to take place, the electoral commission said yesterday.
In a twist to what was already a tense race, the commission said the outstanding vote in the Tain constituency would determine the final result of the election.
With votes counted from 229 of the 230 constituencies, John Atta Mills of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) held a slender lead with 50.13 per cent of the votes, while Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had 49.87 percent. - (Reuters)
Deaths on duty of journalists down
PARIS- Fewer journalists were killed this year doing their jobs than in 2007 due to a big fall in the number of deaths in Iraq, a media watchdog said.
Sixty journalists around the world died in 2008 down from 86 in 2007, the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in an annual report, adding that the decline in fatalities did not signal an improvement in global press freedom.
"The figures may be lower than last years, but this should not mask the fact that intimidation and censorship have become more widespread," the report said.
Palin's daughter has baby boy
ANCHORAGE - Alaska governor Sarah Palins 18-year-old daughter Bristol, whose pregnancy briefly became a side issue in the US presidential campaign, has given birth to a son, People magazine has reported.
The 7 lb 4 oz (3.3 km) baby was born on Sunday in Palmer, Alaska, and is named Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, reported People, who spoke to Sarah Palins aunt Colleen Jones.
Kosovo Serbs destroy shops
MITROVICA - Hundreds of Kosovo Serbs destroyed several Albanian shops in the flashpoint town of Mitrovica yesterday after a Serb teenager was injured in a street fight.
Serbs gathered on the spot where the boy was hurt by two knife-wielding Albanian teenagers, setting several shops on fire and destroying cars with Kosovo plates.
Banker named as prime minister
CONAKRY - Guineas ruling military junta named banker Kabine Komara as prime minister yesterday, a week after it took control of the West African bauxite exporter.
The National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD), which seized power on the death of President Lansana Conte, had promised to appoint a civilian prime minister.
US army man was Israeli agent
NEW YORK, Dec 30 (Reuters) - An 85-year-old former US Army arsenal employee pleaded guilty yesterday to acting as an unregistered agent of Israel in the 1980s, US federal prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say Ben-Ami Kadish provided classified documents, including some relating to missile systems, to an Israeli agent.
Vinnie Jones on brawl charges
LONDON - Footballer turned actor Vinnie Jones did not appear in court yesterday to face assault charges after a bar brawl in the US. The actor was treated in hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota earlier this month for head and nose injuries after reportedly being hit in the face with a beer glass when a fight broke out in Wiley's Tavern in the town.