A roundup of today's other stories in brief.
Pro-Kremlin parties to get 50% of vote
MOSCOW -Two pro-Kremlin parties jointly won more than 50 per cent of the votes yesterday in Russia's regional elections, viewed as a dress rehearsal for crucial national polls in December, said an exit poll. Polls for 10 out of 14 regions showed that United Russia and Fair Russia combined won between 55 and 71 per cent of the total vote. - (Reuters)
Mauritania holds free elections
NOUAKCHOTT-Democratic civilian rule is on the brink of being restored to Mauritania after a landmark free election in the vast north African country which has seen little stability since winning its independence from France more than 40 years ago.
Members of the outgoing military junta are stepping down after barring themselves from standing as candidates in yesterday presidential poll. - (Guardian service)
UN to decide Kosovo's future
PRISTINA -Serbian and ethnic Albanian leaders ended a year of negotiations over Kosovo at the weekend, meaning that the dispute over what becomes of the province in the southern Balkans will be decided by the UN Security Council. UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari said there was no chance of the two sides reaching a compromise and that he would take his plan to the security council by the end of the month. - (Guardian service)
Tory plan would tax air travel
LONDON-Britain's Conservative party is planning a range of taxes on air travel as part of a new initiative to tackle climate change which will set personal "green miles" allowances.
Party officials said the proposals were constructed around a "pay as you burn" rather than a "pay as you earn" structure.
"Our plans will target dirtier planes and relatively wealthy people who fly often instead of package holidays," Conservative shadow finance minister George Osborne said. - (Reuters)
Bush asks for 8,000 more troops
WASHINGTON -President George Bush has asked Congress for an extra 8,000 troops for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, on top of the 21,500 reinforcements announced two months ago. US military officials have hinted there will be even more requests for troops for Iraq in May, when Gen David Petraeus, who took over as the American commander in Baghdad last month, submits a new strategic plan to Capitol Hill. - (Guardian service)
Nine injured in light aircraft crash
LONDON -Nine people were injured, two seriously, when a light aircraft crashed while taking off at a local airport in Kent, southeast England, yesterday. The pilot suffered serious head injuries in the crash at Headcorn airport, while the co-pilot sustained serious chest injuries. - (Reuters)
Divorcee in settlement robbed
LONDON -A British woman awarded £48 million (€70m) in a landmark divorce settlement last year was tied up and robbed of jewellery at her home in Kent, southeast England, said police yesterday.
Beverley Chapman (53) was alone on Saturday when a masked robber carrying a gun forced his way into her home. Police said several hundred thousand pounds worth of jewellery was stolen. - (Reuters)
Wade confirmed Senegal victor
DAKAR -Senegal's top court confirmed President Abdoulaye Wade's landslide re-election to five more years in office yesterday, throwing out an appeal by the main opposition over alleged irregularities in last month's poll. - (Reuters)