World in brief

France wants to put Papon back in jail

PARIS -- The French government said on Thursday that it would seek to overturn the decision to free Maurice Papon, the highest-ranking French civilian ever to be convicted of Nazi war crimes in World War II.

With support from both President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Justice Minister Dominique Perben ordered the state prosecutor in Paris to seek the reversal of a decision by a three-judge appeals court panel on Wednesday to release Papon, 92, from prison because of his age and poor health.

Security forces attempt coup in Ivory Coast

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- Loyalist troops put down an uprising by security forces who attacked military and police bases across the Ivory Coast on Thursday while the president was in Italy.

The Cabinet minister in charge of police was killed by rebels, while government soldiers shot to death a former junta leader accused of having a role in the uprising.

President Laurent Gbagbo declared the rebellion had been halted after hours of heavy gunfights and mortar exchanges left at least 10 rebel soldiers and seven loyal police dead.

Gbagbo's government has been struggling to calm ethnic and political tension and a restive military since a coup in 1999.

OPEC decides to leave production levels stable

OSAKA, Japan -- OPEC ministers decided Thursday to keep oil production levels unchanged through year's end, despite calls from the West for more output and fears a U.S. war on Iraq could disrupt supplies.

Consuming nations had lobbied for an increase in output to cut rising fuel bills, but OPEC said the market is adequately supplied with its official supply ceiling of 21.7-million barrels per day. That amount is boosted by up to 2-million barrels daily as most members cheat on their individual output quotas.

Nicaragua takes step against ex-president

MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- Nicaraguan lawmakers ousted former President Arnoldo Aleman from his leadership post in Congress on Thursday, a crucial step in efforts to try him on charges of stealing $100-million during his presidency.

Aleman, who was not in Congress during the vote, has said legislators do not have the authority to remove him.

Amid rumors that Aleman and his supporters would try to block access to Congress, legislators arrived early Thursday to find the building shuttered, with no electricity or water. Lawmakers needed a locksmith to enter the congressional building.

Once inside, the majority of leftist Sandinistas and supporters of current President Enrique Bolanos, who was vice president under Aleman, voted to replace the governing board of Congress.

As outgoing president, Aleman inherited his congressional seat, and the immunity that goes with it, under a clause of the Nicaraguan constitution. He had led the governing board.

Smog alert forces cars off Mexico City streets

MEXICO CITY -- Hundreds of thousands of cars were ordered off Mexico City streets Thursday as the city declared its first pollution alert in almost three years after ozone levels reached 21/2 times acceptable limits.

The one-day driving ban may be extended if the smog does not dissipate.

In the past, almost half of the city's estimated 3-million vehicles were ordered off the streets during such alerts. But many residents have bought newer, cleaner models that are allowed even during emergencies.

Thursday's ban affected about 350,000 older-model vehicles. The last such emergency was declared in October 1999.

Despite the urging of environmentalists, the city has not lowered the level at which smog alerts are declared: 240 points on a scale in which 100 is considered acceptable.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright