News In Brief

Iran, powers eye final deal in talks
Afp, Vienna

Iran and world powers yesterday held a new round of nuclear talks hoping to move to the next level and start drafting a historic but highly ambitious final deal next month. Iran and the five UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany want to transform a temporary accord struck in November into a permanent agreement before it lapses on July 20.

UK queen welcomes Irish president
Cnn Online

Queen Elizabeth II welcomed the Irish president to Britain yesterday for the first time since the republic became independent, in a historic state visit consolidating ties between the once hostile neighbours. The four-day trip by President Michael D. Higgins follows the queen's groundbreaking visit to Ireland in 2011, which helped put British-Irish relations on a new footing.

Philippine SC okays birth control law
Afp, Manila

Millions of poor people in the Philippines will have access to free contraceptives for the first time after the nation's top court yesterday approved a deeply controversial birth control law. The legislation requires government health centres to supply free condoms and birth control pills, as well as mandating that sex education be taught in schools. It also requires that public health workers receive family planning training, while medical care after an abortion will also be legalised.

Maduro agrees to negotiate
Afp, Caracas

President Nicolas Maduro has agreed to meet with a Venezuelan opposition delegation yesterday, after a fresh push from top diplomats from across South America. But a leading opposition coalition has not said if it will take part.
In just over two months, 39 people have died in clashes between security forces and protesters angered by soaring crime, high inflation in the LatAm country.

AAP candidate pulls out from Rae Bareli
Ians, Lucknow

The AAP suffered a jolt yesterday with its candidate Justice (retd.) Fakhruddin withdrawing from the electoral fray in Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency where Congress president Sonia Gandhi is a candidate. AAP leaders confirmed that the former Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh high court judge has recused himself from the polls.