World Briefs

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Anne Pressly's personality made her a hit with television viewers. Now, police want to know whether her celebrity made her a target.

The popular KATV anchorwoman, who had a small part in the Bush biopic "W," was in critical but stable condition Tuesday after a severe beating in her home. Investigators aren't sure whether she was the random victim of a home invasion or a target because of her high-profile job.

"(It) is possible that it is something other than robbery," police spokeswoman Cassandra Davis said. "Our detectives are talking with co-workers because she was a public figure, because she was on the news, in the media." Her mother discovered the anchorwoman battered and bloodied after she didn't answer a wake-up call. Pressly was in her bed.

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia's constitution does not prohibit death by firing squad, a top court ruled Tuesday, clearing the way for the execution of three men convicted in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings.

The nation's Constitutional Court dismissed the men's request for a traditional Islamic-style beheading and claims by their defense lawyers that being shot to death is less inhumane.

"There is no method of execution without pain," said presiding Judge Mohammad Mahfud, outlining the decision.

The defendant's suffering is a logical consequence of the death penalty under Indonesian law and "cannot be categorized as torturing the convict," the nine judge panel concluded.

The October 2002 Bali nightclub bombings killed 202 people, 88 of them Australian tourists and the court decided they must pay.

PARIS – The Paris and Amsterdam airport operators announced a partnership Tuesday, sharing services and exchanging ownership stakes in a bid to make the two transport hubs more competitive.

Aeroports de Paris and Schiphol Group, both state-run, signed an "industrial partnership accord" for 12 years, their chief executives said at a news conference. The cooperation deal could mean harmonizing security systems, boarding procedures and the sharing of passenger information.

While they acknowledged the industry was facing difficult market conditions, AdP Chairman and CEO Pierre Graff insisted the deal was not related to the worldwide financial crisis but the fruit of two years of planning.

The French government will cede 8 percent of its majority stake in Aeroports de Paris to Schiphol Group for about euro530 million (US$711 million), or euro67 (US$89.94) per share, the statement said. In return, AdP will get 8 percent of Schiphol.