A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Confusion in UK's contest for Eurovision
LONDON- The competition to select Britain's Eurovision Song Contest entry plunged into farce after the wrong winner was announced on Saturday night. Scooch, a four-piece group who have reformed especially for Eurovision, were selected for the contest in Helsinki in May.
But confusion reigned when hosts Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton simultaneously announced different winners.
Seconds later Cotton said that Scooch had won the public vote and not soloist Cyndi - also in the final "sing-off".
The BBC apologised for the mix-up. A spokesman said: "We would like to sincerely apologise to viewers for the confusion when announcing the winner of last night's programme. "This is live television and unfortunately sometimes these things do happen. "We can confirm that the clear winner was Scooch."
Scooch's song Flying The Flag (For You) was classic Eurovision fare. - ( PA)
Centre Party wins Finnish election
HELSINKI -Finland's ruling Centre Party won a narrow victory in yesterday's election, but the conservative National Coalition Party made strong gains to come a close second and set a course for a place in a new coalition cabinet.
The National Coalition won 50 seats in the 200-member parliament - one fewer than the Centre Party and ahead of the 45 seats of the Social Democrats, the current partners in the cabinet, official figures showed, with more than 99 per cent of votes counted. - ( Reuters)
Azeri opposition stages protest
BAKU- Up to 2,000 Azeris protested yesterday against recent price increases, poverty and corruption in the biggest opposition rally so far this year in the oil-producing Caspian Sea state.
"Where is the money from oil?" and "No to high prices!" protesters shouted, while some demanded the government resign. Isa Gambar, head of the opposition Musavat party, said: "Our party is not trying to make the government resign but urges it to improve living conditions for the people." - (Reuters)
Italian fugitive found in Brazil BRASILIA - Leftist Italian militant Cesare Battisti, on the run since a prison break 26 years ago, was arrested on a Brazilian beach yesterday, authorities said.
Battisti was captured in 1979 and later sentenced to life imprisonment for four murders and several robberies as part of his activities with a left-wing group close to Italy's Red Brigades. - ( Reuters)
Cameron on the attack over NHS
NOTTINGHAM- David Cameron pledged yesterday that the health service would be a central priority of a Conservative government as he squared up to Gordon Brown on traditional Labour territory. - ( PA)