A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Voting rerun for five Kosovo areas
PRISTINA – Kosovo’s election commission has ordered a rerun of voting in five areas because of irregularities, an act that may overturn the result of Sunday’s general election, the first since independence.
It was not clear how the rerun would affect prime minister Hashim Thaci’s PDK party, which won 33.5 per cent of the vote, but analysts said it might lose 5 per cent of its support if there were no fresh irregularities. – (Reuters)
Term of 16 years handed down in Kercher murder
ROME – Italy’s top court has confirmed a 16-year jail sentence for an African immigrant convicted of assisting in the murder of a British student during a drunken sex game.
Rudy Guede (23), originally of Ivory Coast, is one of three accused of involvement in the 2007 murder of exchange student Meredith Kercher.
Yesterday’s ruling is final.
Ms Kercher was found dead in a flat she shared with American student Amanda Knox in the university city of Perugia. – (Reuters)
Georgia pledge set to help Russia talks
GENEVA – A promise by Georgia not to use force to retake its separatist territories should improve the atmosphere in talks with Russia on security and humanitarian issues, a senior US diplomat has said.
The promise should also help build confidence and resolve the underlying conflict but a response by Russia was also required, assistant secretary of state Philip Gordon said yesterday. – (Reuters)
Brazilian president hits 80% approval
RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil’s president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is more popular than ever as he prepares to step down. Brazilians though are warier about prospects for successor Dilma Rousseff, a poll showed yesterday.
Mr Lula’s government had 80 per cent approval in a December survey by polling firm Ibope, beating the previous high of 77 per cent marked in September. – (Reuters)