Other world news in brief
Argentines wed in first gay wedding
BUENOS AIRES – Two Argentine men wed in Latin America’s first same-sex marriage on Monday, helped by a provincial governor who ignored a court ruling that blocked their marriage plans earlier this month.
Alex Freyre (39), and José Maria Di Bello (41), were married in the southern city of Ushuaia. “We’re extremely excited and happy about what this means for all gays and lesbians in Argentina,” Mr DiBello said.
The men were granted a marriage licence by a municipal judge in Buenos Aires in November that allowed them to wed, despite a national policy of defining marriage as between a man and a woman. – (Reuters)
Afghan soldier opens fire on foreign troops
HERAT – An Afghan soldier killed a US service member and wounded two Italian soldiers when he opened fire on foreign troops at an army base in western Afghanistan yesterday, a senior Afghan army officer said.
“The soldier opened fire on the two Italians and one American in a joint Afghan and foreign base,” said Gen Khair Mohammad Khawari.
“Two Italian soldiers were wounded, one American soldier was killed.”
Gen Khawari said the Afghan soldier had been wounded when Nato forces returned fire and was now in hospital.
The assailant comes from an area north of the Afghan capital, Kabul, and is thought to have mental health problems, Gen Khawari added. – (Reuters)
Woman murdered in ambassador's house
VIENNA – A 30-year-old Filipina woman was found stabbed to death yesterday in the basement of the Vienna residence of Lebanon’s ambassador to Austria, police said.
The woman, a domestic worker in the residence, was found yesterday morning by the residence’s cook.
Investigators were searching the scene and interviewing witnesses, a spokeswoman for the Vienna police department said.
“It was murder. There are multiple stab wounds,” the spokeswoman said, adding that there were no further details about how and when exactly the woman died. Nobody has been arrested.
The ambassador, Ishaya El-Khoury, was abroad, the police spokeswoman said. – (Reuters)
Palin custody case to be heard in public
WASHINGTON – The custody battle over Sarah Palin’s grandson will play out in public, a judge has ruled, rejecting a plea by Ms Palin’s daughter to keep the proceedings closed to shield her son from potential embarrassment when he is older.
Bristol Palin (19), daughter of the 2008 US vice- presidential candidate, last month filed for sole custody of her son, Tripp, telling a judge her former boyfriend Levi Johnston (19) was too immature to care for a child.
She said she and her family already care for the child and asked that the court case be sealed to keep it from the media.
She also said Johnston wanted to keep the case public to promote himself. – (Guardian service)