CANADA
Seal-hunt protesters to face charges
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — The Canadian government will file charges against a conservation group for allegedly getting too close to seal hunters as it protested the country's annual hunt, Canada's federal fisheries minister said Thursday.
Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn announced in parliament that he's taking legal action action against the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for allegedly breaking a law that requires them to maintain a specific distance from the hunt.
The annual hunt, the largest marine mammal hunt in the world, began last week.
BRAZIL
14 die in shootouts
RIO DE JANEIRO — Police killed at least 14 people in shootouts in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, including 10 suspected gang members who were gunned down in a raid targeting their leader, officials said.
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About 120 officers raided the Coreia shantytown in western Rio Thursday morning, recovering drugs and guns, Rio police said. Three suspects were arrested, but the gang leader authorities were seeking escaped, police said. Police said they found the bodies of 10 suspected gang members.
IRELAND
Path quickly cleared for Ahern successor
DUBLIN — The path quickly cleared Thursday for Finance Minister Brian Cowen to become Ireland's next premier after the entire Cabinet backed him to replace Bertie Ahern.
Cowen, 48, who is also deputy prime minister, was poised to be the only candidate after nominations close Saturday for the next leader of Fianna Fail, Ireland's perennial No. 1 party.
Fianna Fail chief whip Tom Kitt said the party's 77 lawmakers eligible to vote would crown their new party leader Wednesday morning.
The leader then would formally replace Ahern when parliament elects a new prime minister May 7, the day after Ahern's resignation takes effect.
FRANCE
13 students arrested in protest melee
PARIS — French protesters hurled bottles and stones at riot police who responded with tear gas Thursday during a march by high school students in Paris over teacher job cuts.
Thousands of peaceful dem-onstrators headed out from the Luxembourg Gardens for a march when a few hundred broke off and tried to attack storefronts along the march route. Police detained several protesters. Others then began throwing projectiles at police, who responded with tear gas.
A total of 13 people were detained, police said. No injuries were reported.
The march was one of several demonstrations throughout France on Thursday by high school students protesting a government plan to cut thousands of educational positions for the next school year, part of a broader attempt by President Nicolas Sarkozy to cut costs and bureaucracy.
Faculty concerned about changes to U of A admissions policy
