Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose country held...

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose country held the rotating EU presidency, called on Lebanese President Emil Lahoud to intervene to stop the execution of three men, due to be put to death on January 17. "Ahern expressed his very grave concern to the president in relation to the proposed executions, which would bring to an end the moratorium on the use of the death penalty that Lebanon has maintained since 1998," according to a statement from the prime minister's office.