Mandela postpones visit to Russia

The South African president, Nelson Mandela, has postponed a planned visit to Moscow on the advice of his doctors.

The trip was planned for the beginning of next month.

No details of Mr Mandela's health or when the trip might be rescheduled were given.

One report said the president's doctors suggested he postpone the trip to Russia because of the harsh winter -- among the worst in recent memory.

President Mandela, who is seventy-nine, has twice before postponed visits to Russia -- once in 1995 when fighting in Chechnya intensified and again in September 1996 due to the ill health of President Yeltsin.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service