WORLD BRIEFS

JAPAN: Russian envoy recalled

Japan has recalled its ambassador to Russia, the first such diplomatic step in at least five years, in response to a renewed territorial dispute over islands claimed by both countries. Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said he had asked Ambassador Masaharu Kono "temporarily" to return to Tokyo after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the islands. The chain lies near Sakhalin Island, where Russia ships liquefied natural gas to Japan. "I want to hear about the situation in Russia regarding the trip by President Medvedev," Maehara told reporters in Tokyo. "Russia is an important country to us, and we have to resolve this lingering territorial issue." On Monday, Medvedev became the first Russian or Soviet leader to visit one of four islands called the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan.

SOUTH AFRICA: First newspaper in Zulu

South Africa's most widely circulated weekly will become the first national paper to be printed in Zulu, the language of the country's biggest ethnic group, the publication's editor said Tuesday. A 32-page Zulu edition of the Sunday Times will be launched in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province on Sunday, editor Ray Hartley told The Associated Press. Hartley said Zulu is an important language in politics and commerce in South Africa. In some parts of the country, official business is conducted in Zulu, one of South Africa's 11 official languages. Almost a quarter of South Africans speak Zulu, according to the country's last census in 2001. Prominent Zulu speakers include President Jacob Zuma.

SPAIN: 10-year-old gives birth

A 10-year-old girl has given birth in southern Spain and authorities are evaluating whether to let her and her family retain custody, an official said Tuesday in Madrid. The baby was born last week in Jerez de la Frontera, said Micaela Navarro, the Andalusia region's social affairs minister. She said the father is also a minor, and both mother and baby were in good health. Her department declined to give details, including the baby's gender.