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Party says it has coalition lined up

By Times Wires
Published December 25, 2007

Thailand

The Thai political party allied with deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday that it has recruited enough other parties to form a coalition government following its win in the country's first election since a 2006 coup.

The claim drew immediate skepticism from its top rival, which is also wooing other parties to the same end.

With most results in, the pro-Thaksin People's Power Party appeared to have won 232 seats in Sunday's parliamentary election, nine seats short of an outright majority in the 480-seat lower house of parliament. The result appeared to be a recipe for continuing political instability in Thailand, beginning with the wheeling and dealing needed to form a coalition.

Israel

Use of cluster bombs deemed a 'necessity'

Israeli military prosecutors have decided not to take any legal action over Israel's use of cluster bombs during last year's war in Lebanon, the army said Monday, closing an investigation into a practice that has drawn heavy criticism from the U.N. and human rights groups. The investigation determined that the use of the weapons was a "concrete military necessity" and did not violate international humanitarian law.

Mauritania

4 in French family killed during robbery

Four members of a French family were killed by gunmen during a robbery in the town of Aleg on Monday, police said. The four were robbed and then sprayed with automatic weapons fire, said Mohamed Ould Lemine, the police chief of Aleg. The father of the family survived the attack, but was seriously injured, Lemine said. Two children were among the dead. The robbers sped off in an old Mercedes-Benz.

Vatican City

Pope blesses masses in Midnight Mass

Pope Benedict XVI ushered in Christmas as he led midnight Mass early today amid thousands of the faithful who filled St. Peter's Basilica. Hours before the Mass, Benedict briefly appeared at his studio window to light a candle as a symbol of peace, blessing the crowd with the light before leaving it on the sill. At noon today, Benedict was to deliver his traditional Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" speech.

Elsewhere

Egypt: A 12-story building collapsed Monday in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, killing at least three people.

Panama: Authorities were searching Chiriqui province Monday for a small aircraft carrying three Americans and a Panamanian pilot, after the plane lost contact with controllers Sunday.

Somalia: Police said French journalist Gwen Le Gouil was released Monday, eight days after he was abducted by gunmen.

Times wires

[Last modified December 24, 2007, 21:05:08]