Palestinian slayings on the increase
Ramallah, West Bank The number of Palestinians slain in vigilante killings and other internal violence has nearly quadrupled in four years, from 43 in 2002 to 151 so far in 2005, according to statistics presented Thursday. The numbers were released by the Independent Commission for Human Rights, an independent Palestinian group.
A top security official said more Palestinians were killed in internal violence this year than by Israeli troops.
The descent into lawlessness is hurting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas politically at a time when he is trying to beat back a tough challenge by Islamic militant rivals. This week, a Palestinian parliament frustrated with armed gangs and corrupt police officers ordered Abbas to disband his Cabinet and make crime-fighting his top priority.
Bali restaurants warned beforehand
Bali, Indonesia Restaurants on a Bali beach hit by terrorists were warned a month ago that they could be targets following the discovery of a partially made bomb at a nearby hotel, but village leaders delayed plans to bolster security, an official said Thursday.
Cafes along Jimbaran Bay were told in August to station guards and to check bags and cars entering the area, but the village decided to wait until after a Hindu holiday celebrated on the resort island Wednesday — four days after the deadly Oct. 1 attacks by three suicide bombers, police Capt. D. Dharmada told the Associated Press.
Merkel, Schroeder meet over stalemate
Berlin The nearly three-week battle of wills came down to a face-to-face meeting: Gerhard Schroeder and reform-minded challenger Angela Merkel sat down Thursday to negotiate who should be Germany’s next chancellor, amid signs their parties will join in a “grand coalition.”
Merkel and her Christian Democrats pressed her demand to become the country’s first female leader ahead of her meeting with Schroeder, whose Social Democratic party clung to its competing claim that he should extend his seven years in the chancellery.
Analysts and politicians predicted Schroeder’s camp would drive a hard bargain, demanding cabinet seats or even the parliamentary chairmanship if he should agree to step aside.
Officials provided no details of Thursday’s meeting and said results might come only Sunday or Monday.
Legionnaires’ disease cited in Toronto deaths
Toronto Toronto health officials on Thursday said Legionnaires’ disease was likely the cause of 16 deaths at a Toronto nursing home and warned that more deaths were possible before the bacteria was fully contained.
Dr. David McKeown, the chief medical officer for Public Health Toronto, said there had been no new deaths since Wednesday, when six more elderly people residing at the Seven Oaks Home for the Aged succumbed to the bacteria. In all, 70 residents, 13 employees and five visitors to Seven Oaks have been affected by the elusive bacteria.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia named after a severe outbreak that killed 29 people at a meeting of the American Legion in Philadelphia in 1976.