A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Russia and Chavez agree arms deal
MOSCOW - Russia signed a $2.9 billion (€2.3 billion) arms deal with President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela yesterday, risking a confrontation with the US, which has imposed an arms embargo on the South American country.
The outspoken Venezuelan president, who has claimed that the US wants to assassinate him and pledged cheap heating fuel for London's poor, also told reporters in Moscow that his country could develop its own nuclear programme. - (Guardian service)
NY socialite (104) taken from son
NEW YORK - The legendary socialite and philanthropist Brooke Astor, now 104, has been removed from her son's care by a New York court, following allegations that he was forcing her to spend her twilight years in squalor, lacking sufficient medical care and sleeping on a couch that smelt of urine in a chilly Park Avenue apartment.
The New York media has been set alight by accusations from Ms Astor's grandson that her son, Anthony Marshall, had "intentionally and repeatedly" ignored her health and personal needs "while enriching himself with millions of dollars". - (Guardian service)
25 killed by typhoon in China
BEIJING - Floods, landslides and other disasters triggered by Typhoon Kaemi have killed at least 25 people and left more than 50 missing in southern China, state media said yesterday.
Kaemi weakened into a tropical depression after sweeping across China's southeastern coast on Tuesday. - (Reuters)
Somali ministers resign over talks
MOGADISHU - Eighteen Somali ministers and assistant ministers resigned yesterday from the fragile interim government in what they said was a move to facilitate peace talks with rival Islamists.
"We have decided to vacate all the seats for the Khartoum talks," state minister of parliament and government relations Abdirahman Haji Adan said. - (Reuters)
16 dead in air crash in Afghanistan
KABUL - All 16 people aboard a helicopter, including several foreigners, were killed in Wednesday's crash in rugged mountain terrain in southeastern Afghanistan, foreign military officials said.
Col Tom Collins, a spokesman for US-led coalition forces, said 12 bodies had been recovered but the cause of the crash was not known. - (Reuters)