A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Portuguese man (21) charged with NY murder
NEW YORK – A Portuguese male model has been charged with the murder of prominent Portuguese journalist Carlos Castro (65), who was beaten to death at a luxury Manhattan hotel, a police spokesman said yesterday.
The spokesman said Renato Seabra (21) was charged with one count of second degree murder and is being held at New York’s Bellevue psychiatric hospital pending a possible court appearance.
Local media said Castro had been castrated and was left lying in a pool of blood in his room. – (Reuters)
Ban deplores Israeli action
UNITED NATIONS – UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon has “deplored” Israel’s demolition of the Shepherd Hotel in East Jerusalem and believes it only serves to heighten tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, according to a UN spokesman.
The hotel, torn down as part of a settlement project, was declared “absentee property” by Israel after it captured and annexed East Jerusalem. Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital, a claim not recognised internationally. – (Reuters)
Iranian rights lawyer jailed
TEHRAN – An Iranian human rights lawyer who has worked with 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi has been jailed for 11 years for actions deemed “detrimental to national security”, her lawyer has said.
Nasrin Sotoudeh, who has worked to defend people accused of political crimes, was arrested in September and charged with undermining national security and making propaganda. – (Reuters)