World Briefs

WASHINGTON - Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said his country was not ready to talk to the United States without preconditions, in a television interview broadcast Sunday.

"No, no," Ahmadinejad said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" program when asked if he was ready to talk to the United States without preconditions.

"We should just have a clear-cut framework for talks," he added. "The agenda should be clear."

KABUL – Afghan officials burned more than 6.7 tons of drugs outside the capital Kabul on Sunday, the counter narcotics minister hailing it as a victory against insurgents but just a small step in the fight against drugs. Afghanistan is rapidly becoming one of the world's largest producers of hashish.

REYKJAVIK – Social Democrat Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir swept to victory in Iceland's election on Sunday after street protests over an economic meltdown toppled the previous conservative-led government.

Though on course for an outright majority in parliament, her new center-left coalition government will have to overcome disagreements about entering the EU and on cutting spending and raising revenues to get state finances back in order.

ROME – An Italian cruise ship with 1,500 people on board fended off a pirate attack far off the coast of Somalia when its Israeli private security forces exchanged fire with the bandits and drove them away.

The ship's commander told Italian state radio on Sunday that six men in a small white speed boat approached the Msc Melody and opened fire.

BEIRUT– US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for free and fair elections in Lebanon during a visit to Beirut on Sunday ahead of a parliamentary vote that could see Hezbollah and its allies emerge victorious.

"I (came) to express our support and President (Barack) Obama's support for the people of Lebanon, for a free independent and sovereign Lebanon and for elections that will be free of any intimidation and outside interference," she told reporters.

APPENZELL, Switzerland – Voters in the heart of the Swiss Alps have banned naked hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their picturesque region.

By a show of hands citizens of the tiny canton (state) of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a 200 Swiss franc ($176) fine on violators.