A roundup of today's other world news in brief:
Peres sworn in as Israeli president
JERUSALEM -Elder statesman Shimon Peres (83) was sworn in as Israel's president yesterday, crowning the Nobel peace laureate's six-decade-long political career.
Mr Peres was elected by parliament a month ago to the post, which though largely ceremonial, carries a lot of weight in Israeli politics. He replaces Moshe Katzav, who resigned from the presidency last month after admitting to committing sex crimes. - (Reuters)
Rebels attack Somali peace rally
MOGADISHU -Suspected Islamist rebels fired mortar bombs at the opening ceremony of a Somali peace meeting yesterday, but missed their heavily- guarded target.
President Abdullahi Yusuf was addressing several hundred clan elders, ex-warlords and politicians at a former police compound in northern Mogadishu when the shells fell nearby. - (Reuters)
Pope plans to visit US and France
LORENZAGO DI CADORE -Pope Benedict hopes to visit the US and France next year, his spokesman said yesterday. Fr Federico Lombardi told reporters in northern Italy, where the pope is on a private mountain holiday, that planning for both trips was in the initial stages. - (Reuters)
Woman among 3 Iranians hanged
TEHRAN -An Iranian woman who killed her husband and paid two men to murder three of her in-laws has been hanged along with her two accomplices at an execution watched by thousands of people, a newspaper reported yesterday.
The woman, identified only as Houriyeh (29) and the two men were sentenced to death for the murders three months ago in northwestern Iran, the Tehran-e Emrouz daily said. - (Reuters)