A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Iran president queries reality of Holocaust
TEHRAN - Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reignited the row provoked by his recent calls for Israel to be "wiped off the map" yesterday by casting doubt on the historical authenticity of the Holocaust and demanding that an alternative Jewish homeland be established in Europe. Mr Ahmadinejad told journalists at an international Islamic conference in Mecca: "Some European countries insist on saying Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail.
"Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, our question for the Europeans is: 'Is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler the reason for their support to the occupiers of Jerusalem?' "If Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe. . . to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe." - (Guardian service)
Pakistan blast kills 12, injures dozens
WANA - At least 12 people were killed and dozens wounded when a bomb exploded yesterday in a market in Pakistan's troubled tribal region near the Afghan border, officials said. The blast hit a hotel and shops in Jandola town, in South Waziristan, the latest violence in the lawless Waziristan region since authorities reported the death of a senior al-Qaeda figure there last week. - (Reuters)
Italian porn stars resist tax proposal
ROME - Italian porn stars were up in arms yesterday over plans by Silvio Berlusconi's government to introduce a tax on their work. The proceeds from the proposed new "porn tax" would go towards paying for working mothers to afford babysitters. - (Guardian service)
Japan to keep troops in Iraq
TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said yesterday Japan had decided to keep its non-combat troops in Iraq for up to a year after their current mandate expired on December 14th.
But he left open the possibility that the troops may be withdrawn before the year is up, saying he wanted to make an appropriate decision while heeding factors such as local security conditions. - (Reuters)
East Asia 'grand plan' agreement
KUALA LUMPUR - Diplomats preparing for the inaugural East Asia Summit in Malaysia today reached a tenuous agreement on a grand plan to eventually create a cohesive economic community across the disparate region.
At issue was how deeply integrated the community should be and how fast it should be created, and whether it should be driven by the summit's sponsor, the 10-nation Association of South-east Asian Nations. - (AP)
Avian flu outbreak in Ukraine villages
KIEV - Ukraine said yesterday it had detected the highly pathogenic type of bird flu that is dangerous to humans, the strain known as H5N1, quoting preliminary Russian data.
The outbreak was located in several villages in the Crimean peninsula where about 2,500 birds died within hours. - (Reuters)
Pope says life of virtue not 'boring'
ROME - Pope Benedict XVI decried what he called the mistaken idea that leading a virtuous life was "boring" as he marked today's 40th anniversary of the end of Vatican Council II, which sparked modernising reforms in the Catholic Church.
Among those who were eager participants at the 1962-1965 council but who later questioned whether its legacy was too loosely interpreted by liberal clergy was German theologian Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict. - (AP)