World in brief

State of siege aims to quell anger

Guatemala: The government has declared a state of siege in Huehuetenango province where 200 people armed with machetes and guns briefly took over an army outpost on Tuesday night to demand justice for a man killed hours earlier.

Interior Secretary Mauricio Lopez Bonilla sent troops and police to restore order. A state of siege gives the army emergency powers, including permission to detain suspects without warrants.

Residents have been protesting against the construction of a hydroelectric plant in the town and believe that the man was killed in retaliation.

Ader picked as new president

Hungary: MPs chose MEP Janos Ader as the new president today by a vote of 262-40.

Mr Ader, a veteran of the ruling Fidesz party, replaces Pal Schmitt, who resigned last month after he was stripped of his doctoral degree over charges that he had plagiarised his 1992 thesis.

After taking his oath Mr Ader, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said: "The homeland before all else - we offer our allies in the European Union and Nato friendship and respect - which also means that we expect the same respect and friendship back."

Former Guatanamo prisoner denied bail

Algeria: A judge denied bail to a former Guantanamo detainee this week, despite his meeting all of the bail requirements set out in the country's penal procedures code.

The US cleared Abdul Aziz Naji after eight years at Guantanamo. He was then forcibly returned to Algeria where he imprisoned on unsubstantiated charges.

Despite meeting all the requirements in Algeria's penal code, his bail was rejected as he had not proven that he is unable to withstand imprisonment because of his medical condition.

Roadside bomb kills soldier

Syria: A roadside bomb killed a member of the country's security forces today and wounded three others in Hama province.

State news agency Sana said that the explosion between the towns of Tibet al-Imam and al-Latamneh was the work of a terrorist group.

And US-based Human Rights Watch claimed today that Syrian government forces committed war crimes during a two-week offensive in Idlib province shortly before the April 12 cease fire came into effect.

Anti-nazi Islamists to be investigated

Germany: Police announced today that they have opened a criminal investigation against the 81 Islamists arrested on Tuesday after clashes with officers policing a neonazi rally.

Police spokeswoman Claudia Otto said the salafists are being investigated on suspicion of dangerous bodily harm and breach of the peace.

The men were arrested after attempting to stop a neonazi march in Solingen during which cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed were shown.

Mahmoud Abbas cancels Libya trip over security

Palestine: President Mahmoud Abbas called off a planned trip to Libya on Tuesday after a militia group surrounded the headquarters of the Libyan administration.

A spokeman for the Palestian Authority president, who has been in Tunisia this week, was expected to go to Libya but cancelled because of security concerns.

A militia surrounded the building of the National Transitional Council in Tripoli on Tuesday morning. Mr Abbas was scheduled to meet NTC head Mustafa Abdul-Jalil there.

Newspapers get circulation bump

United States: Newspapers reported a slight increase in circulation over the past year as more readers purchased digital subscriptions, according to a report on Tuesday.

Daily circulation in the six months to March 31 rose nearly 1 per cent for the 618 newspapers that participated in the US Audit Bureau of Circulations biannual study.

Digital circulation accounted for 14.2 per cent of overall circulation. That was up from 8.6 per cent in the same period a year earlier.

North Korea sanctions hit a wall

United Nations: A security council committee can't agree on fresh sanctions for North Korea, UN diplomats revealed on Tuesday.

On April 16 the council unanimously condemned North Korea's failed satellite launch and gave the sanctions committee 15 days to prepare additions to the sanctions list or the security council would step in.

The EU, US, Japan and South Korea all made suggestions, but China did not respond by Tuesday's deadline.