A coalition of 13 neighborhood groups released a seven-point proposal Monday designed to strengthen enforcement of the city's noise ordinance. The plan includes the levying of unlimited fines, closing or limiting the hours of noncompliant businesses, lowering accepted noise levels in the French Quarter and the creation of a full-time position in city government that will deal exclusively with complaints about loud music.

It is the latest salvo in a debate that has raged since 2010, when police crackdowns on brass bands playing on Bourbon Street led Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer to propose revamping the entire noise ordinance.

Russia's foreign minister says Iran is willing to halt its 20-percent enrichment of uranium, which has been a key concession sought in international negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

That is the highest level of enrichment acknowledged by Iran and one that experts say could be turned into warhead grade in a matter of months.

In an interview with the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA that was released by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Sergey Lavrov said that "for the first time in many years" there are encouraging signs in international efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute.