A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD - Two British special forces soldiers were killed and another seriously injured early yesterday in an hour-long gunfight after being ambushed in the Sangin Valley, a notorious Taliban sanctuary in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.
The attack was one of three major gun battles that erupted across the southern provinces, underscoring the dangers facing British and other Nato troops as they aim to curb the Taliban resurgence. - (Guardian service)
Violent student protests in Greece
ATHENS - Greek university students hurled rocks and petrol bombs at riot police who responded with teargas yesterday, in the latest protest against education reforms to turn violent.
Universities and technical colleges in Greece have been in uproar through protests and sit-ins since the government unveiled reforms a month ago aimed at bringing the education system into line with EU standards. - (Reuters)
Fischer quits German politics
BERLIN - Former foreign minister Joschka Fischer, a high-school dropout who became one of Germany's most popular and colourful politicians, announced yesterday he was leaving German politics for good.
Fischer (58) said he would relinquish his seat in the German parliament at the end of the summer and had accepted a position at Princeton University in the US, where he is expected to teach a course on crisis diplomacy in the autumn.
"The door has closed, the key will be turned and then thrown away," Mr Fischer told a news conference after informing members of his Green party of his decision. - (Reuters)
Axl Rose freed after arrest
STOCKHOLM - Axl Rose, lead singer of rock band Guns 'n' Roses, was released by police yesterday after having been arrested in the Swedish capital for violent conduct and damaging a hotel room. - (Reuters)
Dutch politician to keep citizenship
AMSTERDAM - A Somali-born Dutch politician and outspoken critic of Islam is to be allowed to keep her Dutch citizenship despite admitting that she lied in her asylum application, newspapers said yesterday.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali resigned from parliament in May and said she would leave the country after immigration minister Rita Verdonk, a member of her own VVD liberal party, told her she might lose her citizenship.
But Dutch cabinet members agreed on Monday that she should not be stripped of her citizenship. - (Reuters)
Questions over N Korea missile plan
WASHINGTON - Reports that North Korea has fuelled a long-range missile and was preparing to carry out its first test in eight years were called into question yesterday after more than a week went by without a launch. A report on June 18th quoted US officials as saying that the missile, capable of reaching the US, had completed fuelling and "all systems are go".
But if the missile had been fuelled when reported, it would almost certainly have been fired by now, experts said. - (Guardian service)
Radio host held after Viagra find
MIAMI - Right-wing US radio commentator Rush Limbaugh, a one-time target of a prescription fraud investigation, was detained at a Florida airport when agents found a bottle of Viagra in his luggage that was not prescribed in his name, police said yesterday.
Under Florida law certain prescription drugs, including Pfizer's erectile dysfunction remedy Viagra, must bear the name of the person carrying them. - (Reuters)