■ Austria
Survivors begin vacation
Nearly 100 young survivors of last September's bloody hostage crisis in Russia began a two-week vacation in Austria yesterday as guests of Joerg Haider. Ninety-six survivors of the massacre at a school in Beslan in Russia arrived in the province of Carinthia where Haider is governor. Haider welcomed the youths, aged 10 to 18, and told themhe hoped they would "find some distance from this terrible tragedy and recover in this peaceful region." The former right-wing leader offered to provide an all-expenses-paid vacation to young survivors within days of the Sept. 1-3 standoff.
■ Israel
Color choice causes row
An Arab party has asked an Israeli court to stop right-wing Jews using orange in protests against withdrawing from Gaza settlements, saying the color was already theirs. "If we appear now in a march in the streets with orange, people will think we are settlers," said parliament member Azmi Bishara of the Arab Balad party, which is fundamentally opposed to settlements on Israeli-occupied land. Orange, displayed on ribbons, flags and shirts, has emerged as a powerful pro-settler symbol in the run-up to the pullout. Bishara said his party has used an orange flag and logo since 1999, and launched the lawsuit after being flooded with calls from constituents.
■ Mexico
Postage stamp causes stir
Hundreds lined up at the Mexico City's main post office to buy postage stamps which US critics call racist, but which Mexicans snapped up at such a rate that all 750,000 sold out on Friday, two days after they hit the market. "They're the racists. They're worse than we are, but they just want to belittle us, like always," said businessman Cesar Alonso Alvarado, 53, as he waited in line to buy stamps featuring the Memin Pinguin character. Alvarado said that he started reading the comic at age 10, and denies it is racist. By midday Friday, bidding on eBay had risen to more than US$127.50 for a strip of five stamps, about 45 times their face value.
■ Kenya
Report issued on sex abuse
A Care International report that was based on a survey of abuse cases in and around Nairobi found that girls under the age of four bear the brunt of sexual abuse that is often perpetrated by their fathers or other male relatives. Rape, incest and indecent assault have increased fourfold in the past four years. The report said fathers were accused of abuse in four out of 10 reported cases. High levels of poverty and unemployment were linked to the prevalence of abuse, with 80 percent of the cases taking place in the slums. "Whole families share tiny single rooms, where both children and parents have little or no privacy at all. Children witness the sexual activities of their parents, while fathers watch their girls grow up," the report said.
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