Today's other stories in brief
Another five US soldiers killed in Iraq
BAGHDAD - Iraqi insurgents, using a suicide bomber to explode a fuel tanker, launched one of their biggest assaults in months on a joint US and Iraqi outpost yesterday, killing two US soldiers and wounding 17 others.
Three US soldiers were killed and two others wounded in a roadside bomb blast southwest of Baghdad. More than 40 Iraqis were killed, including 10 in other bombings in Baghdad. - (Reuters)
Bird flu confirmed at Moscow market
Moscow's best known pet market was in quarantine yesterday as health officials confirmed a strain of H5N1, potentially lethal to humans, was responsible for five bird flu outbreaks around the Russian capital.
Veterinary officials traced the outbreaks, in separate villages around Moscow, to birds bought in the past two weeks at the capital's Sadovod market.
- (Reuters)
Royal drops in opinion poll
PARIS - French Socialist Ségolène Royal hit a new opinion poll low yesterday.
An Ipsos survey showed fewer than a quarter of voters intended to cast their ballot for her in the April 22nd first vote of France's two-round election.
A Ifop survey showed centrist candidate François Bayrou, on 16 per cent, could beat either Mr Sarkozy or Ms Royal if he made it into the decisive second round.
- (Reuters)
Exorcism priest jailed for 14 years
BUCHAREST - A Romanian priest has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after a nun died during an exorcism ritual. Sr Maricica Irina Cornici (23), who was being treated for schizophrenia, believed the devil was talking to her. Daniel Petru Corogeanu and four other nuns chained Sr Cornici to a cross in an attempt at exorcism. - (Reuters)
Poland recalls its envoy to Austria
WARSAW - Poland has called its ambassador to Austria home for talks after an official report identified him as a collaborator with a disbanded intelligence agency the government says worked for Russia.
Marek Jedrys was named last week in a report that accused hundreds of Poles of working for the disbanded Military Intelligence Service.
Critics say the report contained plenty of innuendo but little evidence and that it failed to back up claims that former communists had too much influence on Polish public life. - (Reuters)
Bulgaria warned on corruption
SOFIA - Bulgaria must speed up trials and produce convictions against powerful underworld bosses or face tough sanctions, the EU's justice commissioner has said.
Brussels has warned Bulgaria to tackle widespread corruption and organised crime or the commission will withhold aid and prevent its court rulings being recognised in other EU states. - (Reuters)