■ Spain
Aznar loses little in polls
Spain's ruling conservatives shrugged off popular opposition to their backing of US Iraq policy in local and regional polls Sunday, as Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's Popular Party gave ground only slightly to the opposition. While the Socialists -- whom opinion polls favored going into the elections -- came out slightly ahead in the popular vote, the PP took major cities such as Burgos and Granada and the region of the Balearic Islands, as well as the mayorship of Madrid. The leftist PSOE got its best score since Aznar roared to power in 1996.
■ United States
Cruise ship fire kills four
A boiler room explosion sparked a fire aboard a cruise ship docked at the Port of Miami early on Sunday, killing four crewmen and injuring 17 others, the Coast Guard said. No passengers were injured in the fire aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship, the Norway, the company and the Coast Guard said. The fire was sparked by a boiler room explosion, possibly caused by a steam leak, Coast Guard Petty Officer Anastasia Burns said. Two crewmen died in the explosion and two others died later at a hospital, she said. Passengers were evacuated and the fire was extinguished. A cruise line spokeswoman said there were 2,135 passengers and 911 crew members aboard the 314m ship.
■ United Kingdom
Redgrave matriarch dead at 92
Actress Rachel Kempson, matriarch of perhaps the century's most accomplished dynasty of actors, has died at the age of 92, her family said. The wife of Sir Michael Redgrave, mother of Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave and grandmother of Natasha and Joely Richardson was a noted stage, film and television actress in her own right, often appearing alongside her more famous daughters. She was best known to television audiences as Lady Manners in the classic British colonial drama "Jewel in the Crown." A family spokesman said she had died of natural causes early on Saturday morning at the upstate New York home of her granddaughter, Natasha Richardson and Richardson's husband, the actor Liam Neeson.
■ United States
Officer defends counterpart
An American officer who served with Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Collins in Iraq has defended the British officer against allegations of war crimes. The controversial commander of the Royal Irish Regiment is being investigated by the army for breaches of the Geneva convention after a US reservist complained about his treatment of prisoners of war and of an Iraqi civilian. But Major Stan Coerr, a US marines reservist who was also attached to Collins' unit, has called the allegations a "travesty" and claimed the accuser acted out of "spite." British Sunday newspapers named Collins' accuser as Major Re Biastre, a part-time serviceman from New York state, who works as a school counsellor and traffic police officer.
Agencies
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