WORLD briefs

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan. Anguished by ethnic violence in China but fearful that crackdowns on their minority group could spread, Uighur activists across Central Asia said Tuesday they have urged local communities to avoid large public protests.

Up to half a million Uighurs live in the former Soviet states west of China, prompting concerns that ethnic clashes in China's western Xinjiang region could trigger a wave of violence across the region.

Up to half a million Uighurs live in the former Soviet states west of China, prompting concerns that ethnic clashes in China's western Xinjiang region could trigger a wave of violence across the region.

LONDON. Senior editors at Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper arm asked a private investigator to obtain information on public figures from confidential databases, a rival journalist told British lawmakers on Tuesday.

Reporter Nick Davies was giving evidence to a parliamentary committee after writing in The Guardian last week that Murdoch journalists had tapped the cellphone messages of thousands of celebrities and obtained other secret personal information by deception.

WASHINGTON. Long-suspended talks between the U.S. and Cuba will resume Tuesday, the latest signal of the Obama administration's efforts to revive ties between the two nations.

The State Department wouldn't confirm the resumption of the talks, but several members of Congress said they were scheduled to be held in New York , for one day.

SYDNEY. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Tuesday efforts to free an Australian detained in China over claims of spying took precedent over bilateral ties and he was not worried about potentially antagonizing Beijing.

THE HAGUE. Saying the new H1N1 virus is "unstoppable", the World Health Organization gave drug makers a full go-ahead to manufacture vaccines against the pandemic influenza strain on Monday and said healthcare workers should be the first to get one. Every country must vaccinate citizens and choose who gets priority.