World datelines

Bolivia: Telecom nationalized

LA PAZ -- President Evo Morales says he is nationalizing the leading Bolivian telecom company, Entel, a subsidiary of Telecom Italia, and will return four foreign-owned gas companies to state control.

Morales announced plans to buy back a majority of the former state company last year, but negotiations with Telecom Italia SpA have dragged out.

Terms of the Thursday nationalization announcement are not immediately clear, though Morales said the company's employees would keep their jobs.

China: Olympic torch arrives

HONG KONG -- The Olympic torch began its relay through Hong Kong Friday before a flag-waving crowd that heckled a pro-Tibetan protester and jostled the police officers protecting her.

The eight-hour relay through canyons of skyscrapers was expected to be a big challenge for the leaders and police in the Chinese territory. The torch was finally back on Chinese soil, and Beijing wanted no repeat of the protests and chaos that disrupted the flame during its 20-nation overseas tour.

Everyone was encouraged to wear red to show their support for the torch, and about 3,000 police were deployed to defend the flame.

Hong Kong was a British colony until the city was handed back to China in 1997. Although Beijing makes all the big political decisions, Hong Kong was promised a wide degree of autonomy under a formula called "one country, two systems."

Cuba: May Day shake-up

HAVANA -- Cuba announced a major shake-up of its troubled farm sector on May Day, shifting control of the island's farms from officials at the Agriculture Ministry to more than 150 local councils.

The move is part of an effort to increase food production and reduce Cuba's dependance on imports. It came as hundreds of thousands of Cubans marched Thursday in a May Day parade that was shorter than usual, reflecting the businesslike style of new President Raul Castro.

The Communist Party newspaper Granma said 169 new agricultural coordinating councils -- made up of local officials -- would take over control of the farm sector, and the government is considering slashing 104 state-run agricultural departments.

Myanmar: New U.S. sanctions

President Bush imposed new U.S. sanctions Thursday in Washington against property owned or controlled by the military junta in Myanmar.

Bush said in a statement that the regime "exploits and oppresses the people of Burma."

He signed an executive order that will block the property and assets of certain people and entities owned or controlled by the government of Myanmar, or officials of the government. The executive order expands existing authorities that allow the U.S. to target those responsible for supporting, empowering and enriching the Myanmar regime.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962.

Copyright C 2008 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.