A round-up of today’s other stories in brief
Russia to refrain from sending missiles to Iran
Russia has confirmed that it will not deliver advanced air-defence missiles to Iran in the face of strong opposition from the US and Israel, demonstrating that Moscow is willing to support international pressure on the Islamic regime.
Gen Nikolai Makarov, the armed forces chief of staff, told Russian media yesterday that delivery of the high-precision weapons would violate UN sanctions imposed on Iran because of concerns about its nuclear programme. Iran says the programme is peaceful.
Until now, Russian officials had given conflicting signals about whether the fourth round of sanctions, agreed by the UN Security Council in June, would cover all weapons sales. Iran announced the $800 million deal in 2007, and Russia has used it as a lever in its relations with Tehran, the west and Israel. - (Guardian)
Italian government wins wiretap vote
ROME - Rebel Italian centre-right deputies hostile to prime minister Silvio Berlusconi sent a fresh signal of defiance yesterday, voting against the government over a former junior minister caught up in a scandal.
But, with several members absent, the opposition did not manage to defeat the government side which succeeded in blocking the use of wiretap evidence against Nicola Cosentino, a former junior minister accused of links with organised crime.
Mr Berlusconi's government has been in crisis since July, when a dramatic break with former ally Gianfranco Fini deprived the prime minister of a secure majority following months of infighting between supporters of the two centre-right leaders.
The split has raised the threat of a decisive showdown between the two camps which could bring the government down and trigger an early election.
Benedetto Della Vedova, deputy head of the Future and Liberty group loyal to Mr Fini, said in parliament before the vote that the group would back using the wiretap evidence. But he said the decision was not a signal that Fini loyalists would vote against the government in the event of a confidence motion that could push Italy into elections before they are due in 2013. - (Reuters)
Nine US troops die in helicopter crash
Nine US troops from the Nato-led force in Afghanistan's south were killed in a helicopter crash on Tuesday, making 2010 the deadliest year of the war for foreign troops.
The deaths take the toll so far in 2010 to at least 529, according to monitoring website iCasualties.org. Last year, previously the deadliest of the war, 521 foreign troops were killed.
BBC DJ broadcasts ire over late pay
Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles hit out at his BBC bosses yesterday in an extraordinary rant on his breakfast show, accusing them of "a huge lack of respect" and revealing he had not been paid since July.
Moyles told listeners he was "very, very angry" about the situation, and said he thought about not coming in to present the show.
He said the corporation could not "be bothered" to pay him, and asked: "Why should I come in? It's a two-way street. What annoys me is the fact I mentioned it to people this week. Fix it, just get it fixed. It's a huge lack of respect and a massive 'FU' to me."
Moyles said BBC bosses would not treat other broadcasters the same way, asking: "Can you imagine if Terry Wogan had not got paid for two months, would you even think that would ever happen? It just wouldn't, would it?"
"Do you ever think anyone would forget to pay Chris Evans for two months and nobody would panic about it?"
Moyles continued talking for around half-an-hour without playing any records.
He also criticised listeners who texted the show to complain about his diatribe.