China: 60th anniversary
BEIJING — Beijing closed down its streets overnight Friday in the heart of the city near Tiananmen Square as tens of thousands of people joined in the first dress rehearsal for China's 60th anniversary parade.
On Oct. 1, the People's Republic of China celebrates six decades since its founding. The first full-fledged rehearsal was held overnight for hours along Chang An Avenue, the major boulevard that runs in front of the Forbidden City.
Honduras: Deal rejected
TEGUCIGALPA — The head of the Organization of American States closed the door Friday on a compromise offered by Honduras' interim leader because it would not restore the president ousted in a coup.
OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza warned there will be no agreement to end Honduras' crisis unless Manuel Zelaya returns to the presidency. Interim President Roberto Micheletti offered this week to resign if Zelaya gives up his claim to the presidency.
Indonesia: Ferry capsizes
JAKARTA — An overcrowded ferry sank off the coast of Indonesia, leaving five people dead and at least 18 others missing, police and media reports said Saturday.
The ship, Sari Mulia, capsized Friday night while traveling from Negara to Banjarmasin on Indonesia's part of Borneo island, police Sgt. Edy said. He said more than 100 people were rescued while five were found dead.
Iran: Prosecution sought
TEHRAN — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for the prosecution of Iran's top opposition leaders Friday, backing hard-liners pushing for escalation of the postelection crackdown.
More than 100 prominent opposition politicians and activists have been on trial on charges of seeking to topple the clerical leadership through a "velvet revolution." But so far, the top rung of the opposition — Mir Hossein Mousavi, who claims to have won the June 12 election, and his allies Mahdi Karroubi and former President Mohammad Khatami — have not been touched.
Mexico: Swine flu surge?
MEXICO CITY — Mexico says there could be as many as 1 million swine flu cases nationwide during the winter, a steep rise from the current number of 21,264.
Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said Friday the situation at present is in "a very stable phase," with about 80 to 100 cases reported daily across Mexico. He says 184 deaths have been reported since the swine flu virus strain was identified in Mexico in April.
Mexico: Shootout kills 5
MEXICO CITY — A convoy of gunmen engaged state police in a running shootout Friday that killed five officers and possibly one of the attackers in the western Mexico state of Jalisco, authorities said.
The state attorney general's office said the gunbattle began when a convoy of seven vehicles carrying at least 30 gunmen approached state policemen on a local highway. Four policemen died in the initial fighting and another officer was killed when police gave chase to the assailants. The attackers and their motive had not yet been identified.
Paraguay: Deadly design
ASUNCION — A Paraguayan court has upheld a two-year prison sentence for architect Bernardo Ismachowiez, designer of a supermarket where 420 people died in a 2004 fire.
The Palace of Justice press office says an appeals court confirmed the conviction for defective design and construction that placed lives at risk. Prosecutors argued there were not enough emergency exits.
U.N.: Armed ship seized
The United Arab Emirates has seized a cargo ship bound for Iran with a cache of banned rocket-propelled grenades and other arms from North Korea, the first such seizure since sanctions against North Korea were ramped up, diplomats and officials told The Associated Press on Friday.
The seizure earlier this month was carried out in accordance with tough new U.N. Security Council sanctions.