A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Castro cancer terminal, says US report
NEW YORK - US intelligence officials believe that the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, has terminal cancer and will not be returning to power, reports Time magazine.
According to the magazine, the theory gaining ground in Washington is that the Cuban leadership is aware of President Castro's terminal condition and has arranged his lengthy retreat from the limelight to test public reaction. - (Guardian service)
France to bring in smoking ban
PARIS - France will ban smoking in most public places from February 1st next and in bars, restaurants, hotels and discotheques less than a year later, prime minister Dominique de Villepin said yesterday.
Bar-tabacs, discos and other such places would have until January 1st, 2008 at the latest to comply with the rules, he said. - (Reuters)
Serb Radicals re-elect leader
BELGRADE - The ultranationalist Radicals, Serbia's strongest party, unanimously re-elected war crimes defendant Vojislav Seselj as their leader yesterday.
Deputy leader Tomislav Nikolic said the party had seen its toughest times since its last congress, when it "bade farewell to Seselj and sent him to The Hague to defend the honour of Serb fighters.
"But we will keep on trying to lift Serbia up from its knees and make it stand tall," Mr Nikolic said. - (Reuters)
Israelis kill militant
NABLUS - Israeli troops killed a Palestinian militant and a Palestinian civilian yesterday near the West Bank city of Nablus.
The gunman, from al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, was shot in Balata, a refugee camp near Nablus. Two other members of al-Aqsa, an armed wing of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, were wounded. - (Reuters)
Mockery of Islam condemned
COPENHAGEN - Denmark's prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday condemned the youth wing of an anti-immigrant party for mocking the Prophet Muhammad produced during a summer camp meeting. "I strongly condemn the behaviour of members of the youth wing of the Danish People's Party," Mr Fogh Rasmussen said. "Their tasteless behaviour in no way represents the way the Danish people or young Danish people view Muslims or Islam," he said.
Videos showing the behaviour at the youth camp were posted online earlier this week, drawing criticism and condemnation from Muslim leaders in Egypt and Indonesia. - (AP)
Georgia offers talks with Russia
LONDON - Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili said yesterday he was ready to talk to Russia at any time, anywhere, following the most serious confrontation with its giant neighbour in decades.
Asked on a phone-in programme on BBC World television whether there were any attempts at reconciliation, Mr Saakashvili said he had offered to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin since the two last spoke together two months ago. - (Reuters)
Senior Iranian cleric arrested
TEHRAN - A senior Shia Muslim cleric who has challenged Iran's system of clerical rule was arrested yesterday after his supporters clashed with police outside his house in Tehran.
Ayatollah Mohammad Kazemeini Boroujerdi was detained with several supporters. - (Reuters)