Potential da Vinci painting uncovered
Peter Paul Biro, a Montreal-based forensic art expert, stated Tuesday that a fingerprint on what was believed to be a 19th-century German painting of a young woman has led experts to believe it may be a new Leonardo da Vinci work. If correct, this will be the first major work by da Vinci to be identified in 100 years.
Biro stated the finger print found on the painting matched a finger print on da Vinci’s St. Jerome, located in the Vatican.
Currently, the painting is owned by New York art dealer Kate Ganz. If confirmed to be a da Vinci, it could now be† worth more than $150 million.
Russia opposes harsh sanctions on Iran
Russiaís foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, claimed on Tuesday that increasing pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program would be ìcounterproductive.” His statements are a notable change in rhetoric from Russian president Dmitri† Medvedevís recent claims that, ìin some cases, sanctions are inevitable.”
Russiaí s renewed reluctance to adopt harsher measures against Iran, coupled with Chinaís refusal to do the same, severly limits the ability of Europe and the United States to pursue a stricter nuclear policy with the Middle Eastern country.