A round-up of today's world news in brief
Ireland to fund Kenyan peace efforts
DUBLIN- Ireland is to provide funding to assist the peace efforts of former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan in Kenya. Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said yesterday Ireland would be "only too pleased" to respond favourably to the UN request for help.
Diabetes drug 'not to blame' in deaths CHICAGO - The diabetes drug Avandia, a GlaxoSmithKline product, was not to blame for heart deaths in a trial to see if treating diabetes would reduce heart disease, US
government-funded researchers said yesterday.
They said no single drug appeared to be responsible, and that they would adjust the trial, called Accord, so that patients' blood sugar would not be lowered so intensively. - (Reuters)
Deby would consider pardon
N'DJAMENA -Chad's President Idriss Deby said yesterday he could consider pardoning six French aid workers jailed for eight years for abducting children if France requested it.
"It's not impossible if France asks for it . . . Of course it's not impossible for me to consider that question," Mr Deby said, when asked if he would pardon the six members of French humanitarian group Zoe's Ark, convicted in December. - (Reuters)
Ledger death accidental
NEW YORK -Actor Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of six prescription drugs, with a combination of painkillers, tranquillisers and sleeping aids found in his system, officials said yesterday. - (Reuters)
Grange Hill axed after 30 years
LONDON -One of the longest-running and most popular British children's TV shows, Grange Hill, has been axed after three decades, the BBC announced yesterday.
The gates will close for a final time at the fictitious London school - which has been entertaining children all over the world - later this year, the state broadcaster said. - (Reuters)