A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Cargo ship drifts toward gas platform
LONDON -A 3,000-tonne cargo ship adrift in a stormy North Sea threatened to smash into a gas platform yesterday, prompting rescue services to pluck workers off the threatened structure.
"The vessel is still broken down and we're looking into getting a tug out to it to pull it off course with the platform," said the Humber Coastguard. - (PA)
House defies Bush over stem cell ban
WASHINGTON -The new Democratic-led US House of Representatives voted yesterday to lift President Bush's restrictions on federal funds for human embryonic stem cell research.
But the vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to over-ride a promised presidential veto. The measure now goes to the Senate, where supporters believe it will pass with a veto-proof majority. - (Reuters)
Bangladesh's president resigns
DHAKA -Bangladesh postponed controversial elections set for January 22nd after the president stood down as head of the caretaker government yesterday in an attempt to halt weeks of political violence. Iajuddin Ahmed's resignation came hours after the declaration of a state of emergency and a night-time curfew. - (Reuters)
Nato troops kill Taliban militants
KABUL -In the biggest battle of the Afghan winter, Nato forces say they killed or severely wounded 130 insurgents who crossed over from Pakistan.
Nato tracked the militants through air surveillance while the fighters were still in Pakistan. Once they crossed over, Nato and Afghan soldiers attacked the two separate groups with ground fire and airstrikes. - (Reuters)