In Brief

* IRAN WARNED – The European Union warned Iran on against delaying a response to a proposal on resolving the international standoff over the country’s controversial nuclear programme.

* TALIBAN CHALLENGE – The Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan is “perhaps more virulent” than expected, but British troops are “more than equal” to confronting the challenge, a senior British general said. Speaking a day after two British soldiers were killed in combat in Helmand province, Major General Peter Wall said it had been “anticipated” that as British troops deploy, “the Taliban are going to challenge us”.* LIBYA PRISON KILLINGS – Human Rights Watch urged Libya to investigate the suppression of a prison revolt 10 years ago during which hundreds of inmates are believed to have been killed.The New York-based rights watchdog said Tripoli had failed to release details of the killings, the number of dead and their identities.* KONY INTERVIEW – Joseph Kony, leader of Uganda’s infamous Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), argued in a unique interview that he was not a terrorist and again proposed peace talks with the Ugandan government.* MINE ACCIDENT – At least 21 miners were killed and 36 injured after a gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in northeastern China, state press said.* MURDERER EXECUTED – The US state of Tennessee put a convicted murderer to death by lethal injection, in the second execution carried out by the state since 1960, The Tennessean newspaper said.* PRISONERS RELEASED – About 450 detainees were released from prisons in Iraq under a peace plan al Qaeda-led insurgents brushed aside by vowing to carry on the bloodshed.* GANDHI REGRET – A Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebel leader expressed regret over the 1991 assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, in an interview aired on Indian television.- Nampa-AFP-ReutersSpeaking a day after two British soldiers were killed in combat in Helmand province, Major General Peter Wall said it had been “anticipated” that as British troops deploy, “the Taliban are going to challenge us”.* LIBYA PRISON KILLINGS – Human Rights Watch urged Libya to investigate the suppression of a prison revolt 10 years ago during which hundreds of inmates are believed to have been killed.The New York-based rights watchdog said Tripoli had failed to release details of the killings, the number of dead and their identities. * KONY INTERVIEW – Joseph Kony, leader of Uganda’s infamous Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), argued in a unique interview that he was not a terrorist and again proposed peace talks with the Ugandan government.* MINE ACCIDENT – At least 21 miners were killed and 36 injured after a gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in northeastern China, state press said.* MURDERER EXECUTED – The US state of Tennessee put a convicted murderer to death by lethal injection, in the second execution carried out by the state since 1960, The Tennessean newspaper said.* PRISONERS RELEASED – About 450 detainees were released from prisons in Iraq under a peace plan al Qaeda-led insurgents brushed aside by vowing to carry on the bloodshed.* GANDHI REGRET – A Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebel leader expressed regret over the 1991 assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, in an interview aired on Indian television.- Nampa-AFP-Reuters