A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Russia urged to soften law on NGOs
PARIS - A European rights watchdog urged Russia to soften a draft law restricting foreign funding of pro- democracy bodies and charities, saying it could breach the European Convention on Human Rights.
Citing the need to fight terrorism and money laundering, Russia's parliament last month gave a first reading to measures that would force groups ranging from human rights and green groups to medical charities and sports clubs to re-register. It ordered tougher state supervision of non-governmental organisations, banned foreign NGOs from working directly in Russia and restricted Russian groups' ability to accept foreign cash or employ non-Russian staff. - (Reuters)
Valerie Plame set to leave the CIA
WASHINGTON - Valerie Plame, who was at the centre of the leak investigation that caused an indictment of a White House aide, is leaving the CIA, friends said yesterday.
Ms Plame was outed as an undercover agent in a newspaper column, an act that may have violated secrecy laws and have been part of a campaign by Bush administration officials to discredit critics of the war on Iraq. She is married to Joseph Wilson, a former ambassador who publicly questioned the intelligence used by the administration to make its case for the war. - (Guardian Service)
Vice-president's firm investigated
BRASILIA - A firm owned by Brazil's vice-president will be investigated by congress for its possible involvement in an illegal campaign financing scheme, bringing the corruption scandal closer to the president himself.
The inquiry could further tarnish President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of next October's election. Vice-president José de Alencar's company, Coteminas, said it received 1 million reais ($458,000) from the governing Workers' Party in May, allegedly as a down- payment for supplying T-shirts in the 2004 congressional election campaign. - (Reuters)
Critical views on late pope sought
VATICAN CITY - Dissident theologians opposed to the beatification of Pope John Paul have issued an appeal urging Catholics critical of the late pope to tell the Vatican if they also think he should not be made a saint.
The 11 Catholic theologians said church officials who are reviewing John Paul's life should also consider the "negative evaluation" liberal critics have of the papacy. - (Reuters)
China denies torture allegation
BEIJING - China yesterday vigorously denied the findings of a UN special rapporteur that torture is widespread in the country and said it had asked the envoy to think again.
Manfred Nowak last week strongly criticised China for abusing prisoners.
"China cannot accept the so-called conclusion that torture is widespread," said foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang. He said torture was banned in China. - (Reuters)