Other world stories in brief
Lebanese leaders to hold peace talks
BEIRUT -Rival Lebanese leaders flew to Qatar yesterday aiming to end a protracted political conflict that has pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.
One of the most influential members of the US-backed ruling coalition, which was dealt a military blow by Hizbullah in six days of fighting, called for concessions to avoid more conflict.
"Let us deal with matters calmly at the dialogue table. Each one of us and them must offer concessions to bury strife," Walid Jumblatt said during a tour of Druze villages where his followers this week battled the Iranian-backed Shia group Hizbullah.
Arab mediators, led by the Qatari prime minister, concluded a deal on Thursday to end the fighting which killed 81 people and exacerbated sectarian tensions. -(Reuters)
Concern over xenophobia claim
ROME- Europe's leading human rights watchdog and Spain both expressed concern yesterday over episodes of xenophobia and violence against immigrants in Italy.
Rome said the worries were unfounded. Italian police evacuated illegal Roma camps in Naples this week after local people, angry at a suspected baby-snatching incident involving a 17-year-old Roma girl, set fire to Roma shacks. Nobody was injured. Police said they had arrested almost 400 suspected illegal immigrants associated with crime. - ( Reuters)
Indonesia cited over torture
GENEVA- Indonesia's police, armed forces and intelligence services routinely torture and degrade criminal suspects to extract confessions, with almost total impunity for those responsible, a United Nations rights body said yesterday.
The UN Committee Against Torture said it was "deeply concerned about numerous ongoing credible and consistent allegations" of abuse in the Indonesian justice system. - (Reuters)
Danish minister to make amends
COPENHAGEN- Denmark's finance minister said yesterday that he would pay 12,758 Danish crowns (€1,704) to charity in amends for expenses he filed from 1998 for cigarettes and visits to casinos and discotheques.
Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a statement that he had hired accountants to identify expenses filed while he was in local government and later serving as interior and health minister. An official audit has cleared him of wrongdoing. - (Reuters)