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U.N. offical, rebel head meet over captives

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published November 13, 2006

The United Nations' top humanitarian official helicoptered to a jungle clearing in Sudan on Sunday to meet with a Ugandan rebel leader accused of war crimes, but failed to secure immediate freedom for women and children held captive. The official, Jan Egeland, met with the Lord Resistance Army's leader, Joseph Kony. Egeland was seeking to secure the release of women and children enslaved by the group during its 20-year conflict with the Ugandan government. Kony denied that his forces are holding prisoners.

Police say youths damage restaurant

Four youths wearing masks tossed gasoline bombs at a McDonald's restaurant in the conflict-torn city of Oaxaca on Sunday, damaging the windows, seats and play area, police said. Security personnel at the shopping center where the restaurant is located extinguished the blaze, police said. The restaurant was closed during the predawn attack, and nobody was hurt. A Burger King restaurant was attacked last week.

Proposals by EU face veto threat

European Union foreign ministers will consider proposals today for building closer ties with Russia, but they face a possible veto from Poland unless Moscow ends a ban on Polish meat imports and commits to an international energy trade pact. The EU is preparing a wide-ranging economic cooperation deal with Russia to replace a 1997 accord. EU officials hope a Nov. 24 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki will lead to the opening of negotiations on the deal.

Greek Orthodox leader enthroned

Newly elected Archbishop Chrysostomos II was enthroned Sunday as head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus in a ceremony that traces its roots back centuries. Shouts of "axios" - Greek for "worthy" - reverberated inside the 17th century St. John Cathedral in Nicosia as Chrysostomos II, 65, stood on the steps of a gold-covered throne and took hold of an imperial scepter, a symbol of the Cyprus archbishop. He succeeds Chrysostomos I, 79, who is reportedly suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Hospital attacked, rights group says

About 2,000 people mobbed a hospital in southwest China where a young boy died after his grandfather was sent away to raise money for the child's treatment, the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said Sunday. At least 10 people were injured in fighting with police in Sichuan province on Friday, it said. The boy, who was about 3 years old, became sick after swallowing farm chemicals. It was not clear if any effort was made to treat the child.

Elsewhere

SOMALIA: Islamic militants said they captured the town of Bandiradley, about 430 miles north of Mogadishu, on Sunday after they came under attack. Several peace initiatives between the interim government and the militants failed to take hold.

CANADA: A variety of Hershey chocolate products and candies were voluntarily recalled Sunday because of fears of salmonella contamination at a factory. There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the products, Hershey said.

[Last modified November 13, 2006, 01:20:14]