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World in brief

Family says Aruban officials weren't serious about case

By wire services
Published November 4, 2005

ORANJESTAD, Aruba - The family of a U.S. teenager who vanished on a school trip to Aruba urged Thursday that three law enforcement officials be removed from the case, saying they ignored promising leads and did not take the investigation seriously in the crucial early stages.

Natalee Holloway's family made the charges in a letter released as the missing teen's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, left the Dutch Caribbean island after she said prosecutors and the police chief refused to meet with her.

The 18-year-old student was last seen early on May 30 leaving a bar with Dutch national Joran van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. They were arrested on June 9 but released after a court ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.

The police chief said he and the chief prosecutor were willing to meet with Twitty but first wanted her to clarify statements she made about an investigator whose name he did not disclose.

MANILA, Philippines - Five U.S. Marines who participated in counterterrorism exercises were barred from leaving the Philippines on Thursday after being accused of raping a woman in a former U.S. naval base, officials said.

A rape complaint against six Marines that was filed with a state prosecutor alleged that the crime occurred late Tuesday at the Subic freeport, a sprawling industrial and recreation hub northwest of Manila. However, only five Marines were identified and barred from leaving the country, officials said.

Philippine authorities briefly delayed the departure of the warship USS Essex while searching for the Marines accused of assaulting a 22-year-old woman. The ship left without the five Marines, who were placed under the custody of the U.S. Embassy, said Jose Calimlim, deputy administrator of the freeport.

GUANTANAMO BAY: Five Kuwaitis who had been held in U.S. custody at the prison camp in Cuba, including one who had been on a three-month hunger strike, returned home early Friday.

CHINA: China on Thursday announced that nuclear talks with North Korea will resume next week in Beijing.

ETHIOPIA: Riot police trying to put down a fourth day of protests against Ethiopia's disputed elections shot and killed three people Thursday and wounded 12 others, including children, doctors said.

[Last modified November 4, 2005, 01:42:07]