Russia voices sanction support

Two senior Russian officials indicated Tuesday that Moscow could back a draft U.N. Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on Iran, in an apparent sign of the Islamic republic’s growing isolation over its nuclear program.

The comments came after months of Russian opposition to sanctions.

On Tuesday, Yuri Volkov, a deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament, said Russia “will apparently have to join a new resolution on Iran proposed by Britain, Germany and France that envisages limited economic sanctions.”

And Igor Ivanov, the head of Russia’s presidential Security Council, made comments later that also suggested Moscow could support the draft European resolution.

Berlin

Head scarf remark leads to threats

A Turkish-born lawmaker who urged Muslim women in Germany to take off their head scarves has received death threats and is now under police protection, a spokesman for her party said Tuesday.

Two weeks ago, Ekin Deligoz, a member of Germany’s opposition Green Party, said “the head scarf is a symbol of women’s oppression.”

Markus Kamrad, a spokesman for the Green Party, said Deligoz “is under protection following the recommendation of the security authorities.”

Oaxaca, Mexico

Blockades rebuilt in besieged city

Some of the barricades torn down by federal police went back up Tuesday as protesters regrouped, and at least one federal official acknowledged that this city besieged by striking teachers and anarchists remained outside government control.

Federal police held the central square, but schools and most businesses remained closed. Residents tired of five months of paralyzing strikes looked on in dismay as protesters used debris, stones and sandbags to block recently cleared streets.

Demonstrators who flocked to the capital city of 275,000 are demanding the resignation of Gov. Ulises Ruiz, whom they accuse of rigging the 2004 elections.