News In Brief

Russia, China sign $270b oil deal
Afp, Saint-petersburg

Russian oil giant Rosneft and Chinese state firm CNPC yesterday signed a $270 billion deal to supply China with oil over 25 years, an agreement hailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as marking a new era of energy cooperation.
The agreement was signed by Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin and CNPC head Zhou Jiping in the presence of Putin and visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli at the annual Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Greek coalition splits over TV row
Afp, Athens

Greece's coalition government lost its smallest partner yesterday after emergency talks failed to break a deadlock caused by the dramatic closure of state broadcaster ERT last week.
The pullout of Democratic Left, which has 14 deputies in the 300-seat parliament, leaves the conservatives and socialists with a combined strength of 153 MPs, just enough to keep control of the chamber.

Mandela improving: Mbeki
Afp, Johannesburg

Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is improving in hospital as he fights a recurrent lung infection and is not 'going to die tomorrow,' former South African president Thabo Mbeki has said.
The 94-year-old who became South Africa's first black president was spending his 14th day in hospital where he has been listed in serious condition.

Israel chief rabbi under house arrest
Afp, Jerusalem

Israel's chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger  has been put under house arrest after a marathon grilling by detectives on suspicion of bribery, theft and breach of trust, police said yesterday.
Metzger has been the subject of months of covert investigations involving three other suspects, according to police. Israel has two chief rabbis, the Ashkenazi and Sephardi, whose responsibilities include the country's rabbinical courts and regulating the food supervision industry.