A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Security chief is new Jordan prime minister
AMMAN - King Abdullah of Jordan has appointed his national security chief as prime minister, underscoring the king's desire to give security forces a bigger role in decision-making.
A senior official said the king asked Marouf Bakheet (58), a former ambassador to Israel with a long career in military intelligence, to form a new government to address security concerns after triple suicide bombings which killed 60 people.
Former prime minister Adnan Badran and his government resigned after he was criticised for pushing pro-Western reform while ignoring tribal sensitivities.
Security has become a priority after the November 9th bombings, claimed by an al-Qaeda wing in Iraq led by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. - (Reuters)
Irving concedes Nazi gas chambers
VIENNA - A lawyer for British historian David Irving said yesterday on the eve of a court hearing that Mr Irving had admitted that past statements could be interpreted as denying the existence of Nazi gas chambers - but he now acknowledged they existed.
Prosecutors charged Mr Irving earlier this week under an Austrian law that makes denying the Holocaust a crime. - (AP)
Call for early elections in Kenya
NAIROBI - Kenya's opposition has called for early elections after President Mwai Kibaki dissolved his cabinet in response to a humiliating referendum defeat on a new constitution. - (Reuters)
Cloning pioneer admits ethics lapse
SEOUL - South Korean cloning pioneer Hwang Woo- suk has publicly apologised for ethics lapses, admitting two scientists in his lab donated their own eggs for research, in a setback for the work that has raised worldwide hopes for cures for untreatable diseases.
"I should be here reporting the successful results of our research," Hwang said at a news conference, "but I'm sorry instead to have to apologise." He said he would resign as head of the World Stem Cell Hub "to atone to the public". - (AP)
Canadian PM faces no-confidence vote
OTTAWA - Opposition parties in Canada have introduced a no-confidence motion that is expected to topple Paul Martin's government and force an election campaign during the holidays.
Canada's three opposition party leaders say they will vote on Monday to bring down Mr Martin's minority government. - (AP)
Burundi army kills 41 rebel fighters
BUJUMBURA - Burundi government forces have killed 41 fighters from the last remaining rebel group and captured 50 over the past few weeks, according to an army spokesman.
In clashes that undermine the country's transition to peace, 23 rebels belonging to the Forces for the National Liberation (FNL) were killed in in Bujumbura and 18 were killed in the Cibitoke province.
The spokesman added that 60 rebels and 800 young recruits had voluntarily surrendered. - (Reuters)