A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Ban in talks on Zimbabwe run-off vote
UNITED NATIONS - UN secretary-general Ban Ki- moon says he has talked to African states about how the United Nations could help ensure an election run-off in Zimbabwe was credible, and has voiced concern at growing violence.
qZimbabwe's opposition MDC has yet to say whether its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, would contest a second round against President Robert Mugabe, but has said one condition for doing so might be a UN-led observer mission. - (Reuters)
Tadic threatened over EU links
BELGRADE - Serbian president Boris Tadic has received death threats for "betraying the Serb people" by seeking closer ties with the European Union despite its support for Kosovo's secession, according to officials. Mr Tadic is also the leader of the main pro- Western party. - (Reuters)
Five police killed in Chechnya
GROZNY - At least five policemen have been killed and two injured in an explosion in Russia's turbulent southern region of Chechnya.
A ministry spokesman said a bottle packed with explosives and nails went off late on Sunday near a group of police officers on patrol in the Chechen capital Grozny. - (Reuters)
Erdogan denies new party reports
ISTANBUL - Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan's office has denied local media reports about his ruling AK Party's planned response to a bid to close it down for Islamist activities.
A leading broadcaster and national newspaper had said Mr Erdogan would form a new party if the constitutional court shut it down in a case that has triggered fears of months of political uncertainty. - (Reuters)
Military medal for Prince Harry
LONDON - Britain's Prince Harry has been awarded a military service medal for 10 weeks of frontline service in Afghanistan.
The prince (23) served in Afghanistan with other members of his Household Cavalry regiment last winter but was flown home in February after just 10 weeks when a media blackout collapsed. - (Reuters)
Schiller body mystery goes on
BERLIN - A painstaking two-year investigation to determine which of two skulls belonged to Friedrich Schiller has found neither is a match, prolonging a 180- year-old mystery over the remains of the celebrated German poet and dramatist.
A team of international experts came to its surprise conclusion after comparing DNA samples from the two skulls in question to material from the graves of the poet's relatives. - (Reuters)
'Mona Lisa' liner to be evacuated
RIGA - About 650 passengers are to be evacuated from a luxury cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Latvia after overnight efforts to move the vessel failed, according to the local coastguard service.
The Bahamas-registered Mona Lisa, whose passengers are mostly German, ran aground in the Irbe Strait, a main route from the Baltic Sea to the port of the Latvian capital Riga. - (Reuters)
Anglican leader meets Pope
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict and the Archbishop of Canterbury have discussed Christian-Muslim relations in their first meeting since the Anglican leader caused a storm in Britain with comments on Sharia law.
A Vatican spokesman said Dr Rowan Williams and the pope spoke privately for about 20 minutes. - (Reuters)