World Briefs

Barack Obama

TEHRAN, Iran – Thousands of pro-reform protesters marched Tuesday in a second straight day of large street demonstrations in the Iranian capital, defying both their leader and the government after the clerical regime said it would recount some disputed ballots from the presidential election.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Iranians to unite behind the cleric-led ruling system despite the rival demonstrations and street clashes, state television reported, and he said representatives of all four candidates should be present for any limited recount of disputed ballots.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Tuesday that a nuclear-armed North Korea poses a "grave threat" to the world, and he vowed to end a cycle of allowing Pyongyang to create crises and then be rewarded with incentives to back down.

"This is a pattern they've come to expect," Obama said. "We are going to break that pattern."

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela's telecommunications regulator is asking prosecutors to determine if an opposition-aligned television network is responsible for a talk show guest's suggestion that foes might kill President Hugo Chavez.

The probe, which potentially could force the station off the air, adds to a string of government actions against Globovision and its owner.

LIMA, Peru – In a conciliatory move, Peru's government promised Amazon Indians to ask Congress to revoke decrees that native groups say would make it easier to exploit their lands for oil, gas and other development.

Indigenous peoples' anger over the decrees spurred two months of blockades of roads and rivers that turned violent on June 5 when police opened fire on activists at a roadblock.

MEXICO CITY – A survey by Mexico's National Human Rights Commission shows that thousands of mainly Central American migrants crossing the country to reach the United States are kidnapped for ransom every year.

The commission says an estimated 9,758 migrants were kidnapped in Mexico between September and February, mainly by drug gangs but some migrants reported that authorities were involved.

The survey said the victims were released in exchange for ransoms ranging from $1,500 to $5,000. Based on the number of cases, the report estimated that total ransom payments would amount to about $25 million over that six months.

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