World briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 22, 2001

China detaining American scholar

BEIJING -- A Chinese-born scholar from American University in Washington has been detained by Chinese police for nearly six weeks, and her husband and 5-year-old son were held separately for nearly a month before being reunited and allowed to leave China, a human rights group said Wednesday.

Gao Zhan was picked up Feb. 11 at the Beijing airport with her husband and son as they were leaving after a family visit, Human Rights in China said. Her husband, Xue Donghua, and son were released 26 days later and returned to the United States.

Report: Annan to seek second term at U.N. helm

UNITED NATIONS -- Kofi Annan will seek a second five-year term as secretary-general of the United Nations, the Washington Post reports, quoting unnamed U.N. diplomats.

The Ghanaian, 62, who is expected to announce today that he is willing to stay on, appears to have broad support in the General Assembly, the diplomats said.

The United States, Russia, Britain and France have indicated support for Annan's re-election when his term comes up for renewal at the end of the year.

Pakistan junta rounds up pro-democracy leaders

NEW DELHI -- The police in Pakistan detained more than 20 leaders of political parties on Wednesday, and since Monday have arrested hundreds of party workers, according to politicians and human rights lawyers.

The police were acting ahead of a rally against military rule that was to be held in the nation's capital Friday.

Senior leaders from the two major parties, the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League, were rounded up, as were representatives of some of the 16 other parties that have joined the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.

Also Wednesday . . .

OIL RIG WORKERS REMEMBERED: Widows of oil workers tossed rose petals from a helicopter over a mile-long oil slick in the South Atlantic where the world's biggest floating oil rig sank off Brazil on Tuesday, taking eight bodies with it.

MEXICAN REBELS REJECT TALKS: Mexico's Zapatista rebels snubbed President Vicente Fox's call for immediate talks, saying the government had not yet met its conditions.

FOX IN CALIFORNIA: Making his first visit to the United States since he took office, Mexican President Vicente Fox arrived in Sacramento, Calif., bearing the promise of business partnerships south of the border.

RUSSIA ACCUSED OF BRUTALITY: Human Rights Watch of New York accused the Russian military of responsibility for a wave of disappearances, torture and executions of civilians in Chechnya.

TALEBAN SENDS ENVOY: Stung by international criticism of its destruction of ancient statues of Buddha, Afghanistan's Taleban government sent a special envoy to Washington to negotiate with the Bush administration about ending the country's economic isolation.

© 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