News In Brief

Myanmar frees 56 political prisoners
Afp, Yangon

Myanmar yesterday began freeing dozens of its remaining detained activists, officials said, after the country vowed to release all prisoners of conscience by the end of the year.
Former Political Prisoners, an activist group, said many of those released Tuesday are believed to be from the country's armed ethnic minority groups in northern Kachin and eastern Shan states.

UK reopens Iran diplomatic channels
BBC Online

The UK will restore some diplomatic relations with Iran by appointing a charge d'affaires to work with the country, William Hague has announced.
Iran will appoint a charge d'affaires to work with London in return. The UK shut its embassy in Tehran in November 2011 after it was attacked by protesters. It then ordered the closure of the Iranian embassy in London.

EU adopts new anti-smoking bill
Afp, Strasbourg

European lawmakers yesterday approved a long-fought and divisive anti-smoking bill aimed at making cigarettes less attractive to youngsters but threw out a bid to curb sales of increasingly popular e-cigarettes.
The law, which still must win approval from the 28 European Union states, aims to cut the number of smokers across the 500-million bloc "by two percent in the next five years," the EU's health commissioner said.

Kirchner surgery successful
Afp, Buenos Aires

Surgery to remove a blood clot from the brain of Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner was successful, a government spokesman said yesterday.
Kirchner was diagnosed over the weekend with a "chronic subdural hematoma" resulting from a blow to the head sustained in a fall in mid-August. She remains in an intensive care unit.

Brazil leader slams 'Canadian spying'
Afp, Brasïlia

President Dilma Rousseff on Monday hit out at alleged Canadian spying on Brazil's Mining and Energy Ministry, demanding that the United States and its allies stop such practices.
Canada's Ambassador Jamal Khokhar to Brazil on Monday was summoned to the foreign ministry, where Brasilia's chief diplomat Luiz Alberto Figueiredo delivered a strong protest and demanded an explanation.

N Korea puts army on alert
Reuters, Seoul

North Korea yesterday said its military would be put on high alert and be ready to launch operations, stepping up tension after weeks of rhetoric against the United States and South Korea, whom it accuses of instigating hostility.