ITALY: Italy, Germany defend Afghan Christian convert
ROME (Reuters): ITALY AND Germany, NATO countries with troops in Afghanistan, expressed urgent concern to the Kabul government yesterday about reports that an Afghan convert to Christianity faced the death penalty there.

SWITZERLAND: Bird flu kills five
GENEVA (Reuters): BIRD FLU has killed five young people in Azerbaijan, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said yesterday, adding it was investigating whether some of the victims could have been infected collecting feathers from dead swans.

SWEDEN: Foreign Minister resigns over cartoons
STOCKHOLM (Reuters): SWEDISH FOREIGN Minister Laila Freivalds quit yesterday after a row over the closure of a website with cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, embarrassing Prime Minister Goran Persson six months ahead of elections.

UNITED KINGDOM: High Court to rule on Muslim clothing in schools
LONDON (Reuters): A TEENAGE Muslim girl will learn today whether she has won her legal battle for the right to wear full Islamic dress at school. Britain's highest court, the House of Lords, will give its decision on an appeal by Shabina Begum...

BRAZIL: Government under pressure in scandal against Finance Minister
BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters): BRAZILIAN POLICE began investigating yesterday whether the federal government helped leak the private bank records of a key witness testifying against Finance Minister Antonio Palocci on corruption allegations.

UNITED KINGDOM: Police probing Labour Party over honours
LONDON (Reuters): BRITISH POLICE said yesterday they were investigating Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour party in response to complaints related to the country's age-old honours system.

NIGERIA: Census hits early snags
ABUJA (Reuters): NIGERIA LAUNCHED a census yesterday but logistical hitches delayed counting in many places, increasing pressure on organisers who also have to contend with political tensions that have derailed previous headcounts.