France: Tower closed
PARIS — A strike by security workers shuttered the Eiffel Tower for a second day Thursday, frustrating tourists hoping to view Paris from its balconies.
The tower was closed Thursday morning, then started allowing tourists back up to its balconies Thursday afternoon before shutting the door again.
The security workers are demanding bonuses for their long hours standing outside, year-round, usually in only a cotton suit and tie.
Tower operators SETE said it was lodging a complaint with a court over the action by the 16-member security staff.
Algeria: Election
ALGIERS — Sporadic riots, a bombing and a small earthquake marred Algeria's presidential election Thursday, which incumbent Abdelaziz Bouteflika was expected to win amid calls for a boycott by the opposition.
In power since 1999, Bouteflika is credited with largely pacifying a country ravaged by insurgency but is blamed for not doing enough to spread Algeria's oil and gas riches among the people.
Bouteflika faced five relatively unknown challengers and appeared almost certain to win a third term without a runoff.
Argentina: Wall leveled
BUENOS AIRES — In Argentina, good fences don't always make good neighbors.
Dozens of people pulled down metal poles and pummeled concrete blocks with sledgehammers on Thursday to destroy a wall being built to separate an impoverished neighborhood from a well-heeled district on the outskirts of the capital.
Mayor Gustavo Posse of wealthy San Isidro said he pushed for the construction of the 5,250-foot -long, 10-foot -high wall to keep thieves from crossing a major avenue separating the two neighborhoods.
But San Fernando Mayor Osvaldo Amieiro called the project "discriminatory" and a court heeded his call on Thursday, ruling to halt construction of what local media call the "Wall of Discord."
Mexico: Water off
MEXICO CITY — Mexico City has turned off the tap to millions of residents because water reserves have reached historic lows.
The two-day shutdown of a main pipeline starting Thursday affects at least 5 million of the 20 million people in the Mexico City valley. It is the third time this year the metropolis has temporarily turned off the tap to conserve water.
The water restrictions come as many residents are out of town for Holy Week.
An unusually dry rainy season last year left the city's Cutzamala water system at 47 percent capacity.
Vatican: Blessing
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI sent ceremonial oils blessed on Holy Thursday to Italy's devastated quake zone in a sign of solidarity with the survivors.
Benedict led a ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica that included the traditional blessing of holy oils, with some to be sent to the mountainous Abruzzo region. Benedict plans to tour the area of Italy's worst quake in three decades after the Easter holiday.