World Briefs

Kyrgyzstan's provisional leader said her government would push for an international probe of former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who has fled the country.

The ousted leader left last Thursday for neighbouring Kazakhstan on a flight arranged by the US, Russian and Kazakh leaders in an unusual joint effort to ease fears of a civil war in the ex-Soviet nation.

Interim leader Roza Otun-bayeva said Mr Bakiyev's departure was the only chance to avoid the escalation of violence, but warned: "Bakiyev won't evade justice."

Sex education 'responsible'

Mexico's education chief defended state school sex education from criticism by a Roman Catholic bishop who said the teachings made celibacy vows more difficult for priests to keep.

Education secretary Alonso Lujambio said sex education texts "seek to make our boys and girls responsible, to take responsibility for their actions, and for that they need information".

His comments came after Bishop Felipe Arizmendi of the San Cristobal de las Casas diocese in Chiapas state said that "when there is generalised sexual licentiousness, it is more common to have pederasty".

Former Blackwater security chief charged

The former president of Blackwater Worldwide and four other former officials at the embattled security firm were indicted on weapons charges.

The move is partially the result of a raid two years ago by agents that rounded up 22 weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles.

The indictment charges Gary Jackson, who left the company last year in a management shake-up, along with four other former workers.

The charges against Jackson include a conspiracy to violate firearms laws, false statements and possession of an unregistered firearm.

Also indicted were former general counsel Andrew Howell, former executive vice-president Bill Mathews, Ana Bundy, who at one point had oversight of the firm's armoury, and Ronald Slezak, who was hired to oversee documents related to the company's status as a firearms dealer.

Placido Domingo's triumphant return

A beaming Placido Domingo blew a kiss at an adoring crowd at La Scala after his heroic portrayal of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra - the Spanish tenor's first performance since colon cancer surgery.

"It was a great evening," Domingo, 69, said backstage, after greeting friends, including fellow tenor Jose Carreras, who crowded to congratulate him. "It was very emotional. I was happy to be in front of an audience."

Domingo underwent surgery six weeks ago after suffering severe pain following concerts in Japan in February.

School takes 'secret' snaps of pupil

A Philadelphia education authority took secret webcam pictures of a high school pupil when he was partially undressed or in his bed and captured instant messages he exchanged with friends, a court was told.

The Lower Merion School District has admitted its efforts to find missing school-issued laptops was misguided and officials promised to release the findings of an internal investigation.

The software programme took screenshots and webcam photos every 15 seconds when activated, meaning the district captured more 400 screenshots and webcam images of Harriton High School pupil Blake Robbins, according to a lawsuit by his family.

'Execution allergy' appeal rejected

A prisoner due to die this week for raping and strangling a 16-year-old girl did not present enough evidence of an allergy to anaesthesia that could affect the execution, a judge ruled.

Darryl Durr waited too long to raise the issue of an allergy, then relied mainly on speculation to ask for time to investigate, said US district judge Gregory Frost in Ohio. Durr's lawyers immediately appealed.

Durr claimed no-one knew how his body would react if state officials were allowed to inject him with the one lethal drug they now use. But the state said there was no proof an allergic reaction would occur before Durr was already deeply unconscious.

Actor Danny Glover arrested for trespass

Actor Danny Glover and 11 others were arrested during a union protest at the Maryland headquarters of a food service company.

Montgomery County police spokesman Captain Paul Starks said Lethal Weapon star Glover and others passed police tape and were asked to step back three times at the headquarters of Sodexo. They were reported for trespassing and now face a €675 fine or 90 days in jail.

The Service Employees International Union was protesting at what it said was Sodexo's unfair and illegal treatment of workers.