A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
McCartney to defend attack accusations
LONDON - Paul McCartney has vowed to defend himself in court against accusations published in a British paper that he physically attacked his estranged wife Heather during their four-year marriage.
"Our client will be defending these allegations vigorously and appropriately," McCartney's lawyers Payne Hicks Beach said in a statement.
"Since the breakdown of his marriage, Sir Paul McCartney has maintained his silence in not commenting on the media stories believing that it was best for all concerned, particularly his children, for there to be some dignity in what is a private matter," the statement said.
"Our client would very much like to respond in public and in detail to the allegations made recently against him by his wife and published in the press but he recognises, on advice, that the only correct forum for his response to the allegations made against him is in the current divorce proceedings." - (Reuters)
Teenage girl given asylum status
LONDON - A teenage girl who feared she would be forced to undergo genital mutilation as part of an initiation rite in Sierra Leone was granted asylum by the highest court in Britain yesterday.
Five Law Lords overturned decisions by an Immigration Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, who ruled that asylum laws did not apply to Zainab Fornah, who was just 15 when she arrived three years ago.
Although the Home Office had agreed Zainab could stay in Britain on human rights grounds, her claim for asylum had been refused because it was said she did not belong to a particular social group fearing persecution - one of the requisites of the Refugee Convention. - (PA)
Execution of UK man opposed
ISLAMABAD - The execution of British death row inmate Mirza Tahir Hussain in Pakistan for murder has been scheduled for November 1st, prompting British authorities - including prime minister Tony Blair - to step up efforts to save his life.
Hussain (36) was convicted of murdering taxi driver Jamshed Khan in 1988 and has been in custody since then. A court official confirmed the date for Hussain's execution, carried out by hanging in Pakistan.
Mr Blair said he had raised concerns over the planned execution with Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf during Musharraf's recent trip to Britain. - (AP)
Opposition party to boycott event
BUDAPEST - Hungary's main opposition party is to boycott celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Hungary's uprising against Soviet rule to protest against prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, who has admitted lying to win election. Mr Gyurcsany is due to speak at anniversary events on October 23rd.
The opposition Fidesz party's vice president, Laszlo Kover, said pressure for Mr Gyurcsany to quit would intensify next year as disillusioned voters felt the impact of higher taxes.
Celebrations of the 1956 uprising have been marred by a tape leaked a month ago in which Mr Gyurcsany admitted to lying about the economy to win April's election. - (Reuters)
Poll puts Liberals on even footing
OTTAWA - The lead in popular support enjoyed by Canada's minority Conservative government has evaporated, according to a poll released yesterday, emboldening the opposition Liberals to speculate about an election early next year.
A Strategic Counsel poll for the Globe and Mail and CTV News put both parties at 32 per cent support among voters, the first time since the Conservatives' victory in the January 23rd election that a poll no longer had the Liberals trailing. - (Reuters)