A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Irving barred from speaking to the press
VIENNA - Right-wing British historian David Irving, who was convicted by an Austrian court of denying the Holocaust, has been barred from speaking to the press, a court spokeswoman said yesterday.
Alexandra Mathes, spokeswoman for the court, said it was unusual for a judge to grant reporters the right to interview a convict in the first place, but because media interest in Irving was so large, an exception was made.
That right was revoked yesterday, after Irving said "certain things" to media that could be grounds for him to face fresh charges, Ms Mathes said. - (AP)
Russia has no new plan for Iran
WASHINGTON - Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday denied that Russia had a new proposal to curb Iran's nuclear programmes, a day after Washington rejected an idea to allow Tehran atomic research that diplomats said Moscow had floated.
"There is no compromise new proposal," Mr Lavrov said at a news conference with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington. Dr Rice underscored the point. "The Russians did not tell us of any new proposal that they have made to the Iranians." - (Reuters)
Famous guitarist Touré dies
MALI - The renowned Malian musician Ali Farka Touré (66) has died of bone cancer at home in Mali. An exceptional guitarist, he transposed the traditional music of his native north Mali and single-handedly brought the style known as desert blues to international audiences.
Last month he won his second Grammy award for the album In the Heart of the Moon with Toumani Diabaté, and work had just been completed on his new solo album.
He saw himself primarily as a farmer and for a large part of his life dedicated his time and resources to improving the agricultural and social situation in Niafunké, his home village in the semi-desert region in northern Mali.
Vicar cannot forgive bombers
LONDON - A British vicar, whose daughter was killed in last year's London suicide bombings, has stepped down from her parish role, saying she cannot and does not want to forgive the killers.
The Rev Julie Nicholson said she had taken the difficult decision after her daughter Jenny (24) died in the July 7th bombing on the underground transport network. She said she could not reconcile her faith with the feelings of hatred she has towards the killers.
... "I rage that a human being could choose to take another human being's life," she said. "I rage that someone should do this in the name of a God. I find that utterly offensive." - (Reuters)
Court ruling on Zuma rape trial
JOHANNESBURG - A South African court has ruled that the sexual history of the woman accusing former deputy president Jacob Zuma of rape could be presented at trial, dealing a blow to prosecutors in the politically charged case.
The High Court made its decision yesterday after prosecutors and lawyers had argued behind closed doors over the admissibility of the 31-year-old accuser's sex life in the case, which threatens to derail the career of the charismatic Mr Zuma. - (Reuters)
Notorious Mafia hitman dies
NEW JERSEY - Richard Kuklinski (70), a notorious Mafia hitman known as "The Iceman", who claimed to have killed more than 100 people and was the subject of several books and two TV documentaries, has died.
Corrections spokeswoman Deirdre Fedkenheuer did not disclose the cause of death. Kuklinski was serving life sentences at New Jersey State Prison for two murders. - (AP)