International news in brief

Springsteen dedicates song to Trayvon Martin

NEW YORK (AP):

Bruce Springsteen dedicated his protest song American Skin (41 Shots) to teenager Trayvon Martin during a concert in Limerick, Ireland.

In a video posted online, the 63-year-old singer told the crowd Tuesday: "We'll send this as a letter back home for justice for Trayvon Martin" after noticing a fan's sign that read 'American Skin (41 Shots)'.

George Zimmerman was acquitted Saturday of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Martin's death. Zimmerman said he fired his gun in self-defence during a February 2012confrontation with the 17-year-old in Sanford, Florida.

Lyrics in the song include "you can get killed just for living in your American skin." Springsteen wrote the song about the 1999 police shooting death of Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo.

Seized equipment obsolete - Cuba

PANAMA CITY (AP):

Cuba said military equipment found buried under sacks of sugar on a North Korean ship seized as it tried to cross the Panama Canal was obsolete weaponry from the mid-20th century that it had sent to be repaired.

Panamanian authorities said it might take a week to search the ship, since so far, they have only examined one of its five container sections. They have requested help from United Nations inspectors, along with Colombia and Britain, said Javier Carballo, Panama's top narcotics prosecutor. North Korea is barred by UN sanctions from importing sophisticated weapons ormissiles.

Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli said Tuesday that the ship identified as the 14,000-tonne Chong Chon Gang, which had departed Cuba en route to North Korea, was carrying missiles and other arms "hidden in containers underneath the cargo of sugar."

Versace mansion headed for auction block

MIAMI BEACH, Florida (AP):

The South Beach, Florida mansion once owned by Italian designer Gianni Versace and the place he was fatally shot is headed for the auction block.

Fisher Auction Company is handling the sale, set for September 17. The 23,000 square-foot ocean-front mansion had been previously listed for $125 million.

Originally built in 1930, the 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom, gated home features a 54-foot long mosaic pool lined with 24-karat gold. It also includes numerous frescos, ornate statues, arched doorways and an open-air courtyard.

In 1997, the 50-year-old Versace was killed in front of the property by a man who later committed suicide. Versace had purchased the home in 1992 and spent about $33 million renovating and adding another wing. Tourists can still routinely be spotted taking photos in front of the house.