In Short

A roundup of today's other world stories in brief:

Death toll from Algiers bomb rises to 17

ALGIERS - The number of UN staff killed in a bombing that damaged two UN buildings in Algiers three days ago has risen to 17 after several bodies were found in the rubble, the UN said yesterday. It was one of the highest death tolls for UN employees in a single attack. Al Qaeda's North African wing claimed responsibility for twin car bombs on Tuesday, saying it had targeted what it called "the slaves of America and France".

- (Reuters)

SA amends laws on sexual crime

CAPE TOWN - South Africa, with one of the highest rape rates in the world, will enforce new laws from tomorrow to try to reduce sexual and predatory crimes. The justice department said yesterday the amended laws will help intensify the fight against sexual crime.

- (Reuters)

'War crimes' trial of Le Pen opens

PARIS - Prosecutors told a court yesterday French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen should receive a suspended prison sentence and a fine for saying that the Nazi occupation of France was "not particularly inhumane". Le Pen's trial for "justification of war crimes" and "contesting crimes against humanity" opened yesterday. It centres around a comment he made in a 2005 interview with right-wing magazine Rivarol , which angered the government, anti-racism organisations and Jewish groups.

- (Reuters)

Godmanis chosen as Latvian PM

RIGA - Veteran politician Ivars Godmanis was nominated as Latvia's prime minister yesterday and will try to form a new centre-right government in the Baltic state, where soaring inflation has delayed the introduction of the euro. President Valdis Zatlers said he had asked Mr Godmanis, prime minister in 1990-1993 when Latvia quit the Soviet Union, to form a coalition of the four parties in the outgoing government and the main opposition party.

- (Reuters)

Kidman wins case against 'Telegraph'

LONDON - Actress Nicole Kidman won an apology and substantial libel damages from a British newspaper yesterday over an article that falsely alleged the face of Chanel No 5 perfume had promoted a rival brand.

The Australian actress had sued the Daily Telegraph over the story last month which said she had been openly promoting her "favourite perfume", Jo Malone, while in London for the premiere of her latest film The Golden Compass .

Her lawyer, John Kelly, told London's high court the article suggested she had acted in an "unprofessional and disloyal manner" by brazenly snubbing Chanel.

- (Reuters)

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times