Zelaya cools his heels

Tegucigalpa: Diplomats and activists streamed out of the increasingly isolated Brazilian Embassy in Honduras where ousted President Manuel Zelaya holed up with a shrinking core of supporters and relatives, prompting Brazil to urge the UN Security Council to guarantee the compound’s safety. Zelaya’s backers ventured out at several points in Honduras’ capital to skirmish with police, after hundreds of their colleagues were routed by baton-wielding soldiers from the street in front of the embassy and police roadblocks sealed off the mission building on Tuesday.— AP

Baby weighs 8.7kg

JAKARTA: An Indonesian woman has given birth to an 8.7-kg baby boy, the heaviest newborn ever recorded in the country, a doctor said on Wednesday. The baby, who is still unnamed and is 62 centimetres long, was born by caesarean section on Monday at a public hospital in North Sumatra province. The boy is in a healthy condition despite having to initially be given oxygen to overcome breathing problems.— AFP

Knut’s companion

BERLIN: Giovanna, the new

companion of Berlin’s favourite polar bear, Knut, has star qualities, as well. The female polar bear from Munich delighted photographers and visitors at the Berlin zoo on Wednesday but without Knut. Giovanna has to get used to her new environment and get a grip on her nerves before she meets superstar Knut in public. — AP