The world in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The Turkish step and NATO’s support for it are provocative moves that constitute psychological warfare.”

Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad,

on NATO’s plan to place Patriot missiles and troops along Syria’s border with Turkey to protect against potential attacks Article, 7A

Netanyahu sticks to settlement line

BERLIN - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel gave no ground Thursday over his plans to expand Jewish settlements, which have been widely criticized by European allies.

Speaking at a news conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Netanyahu said the 3,000 new homes planned for settlers represented “a consistent policy” that Israel would continue under any version of an eventual peace deal with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu repeatedly stressed that Germany and Israel remained close friends despite their disagreement, and thanked Merkel for her unstinting support during the latest Gaza conflict.

Asked whether Israel had “lost Europe,” Netanyahu said that was not the case, but acknowledged, “There is obviously a difference of view in Europe on the issue of the settlements.”

Merkel concurred. “On the question of settlements, we agreed that we do not agree,” she said.

U.N.-complex architect mourned

BRASILIA, Brazil - Hundreds of mourners lined up in the vast open plaza at the heart of Brasilia, Brazil’s modernist capital, to honor internationally renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer during a Thursday memorial.

Niemeyer’s remains were flown by presidential plane to the capital from his native city, Rio de Janeiro, where he died Wednesday night at age 104.

Elisa Barboux, a spokesman for the Hospital Samaritano in Rio, said the cause of death was a respiratory infection.

After Thursday’s vigil and public visitation, his remains will be returned today for burial in Rio, where the governor, Sergio Cabral, has called for three days of mourning.

Niemeyer’s hallmarks include much of the United Nations complex in New York and the Museum of Modern Art in Niteroi, which is perched like a flying saucer across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro.

Bid in works to let

McAfee stay put

GUATEMALA CITY - Software company founder John McAfee was hospitalized briefly Thursday after being denied political asylum in Guatemala, and his lawyers said they were making a lastditch court effort to keep him from being flown back to Belize for questioning about the killing of a fellow American expatriate.

McAfee said he suffered chest pains overnight but didn’t believe he had a heart attack. A government doctor who examined him agreed, saying that McAfee’s heart rhythm and blood pressure were normal and that he appeared to be suffering from high stress.

McAfee was moved from an immigration center to a police-run hospital Thursday afternoon after Guatemalan authorities said McAfee’s request for asylum had been denied.

He was released from the hospital and taken back to the detention center Thursday night.

McAfee issued a plea on his blog for the public to petition Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina to let him stay.

Front Section, Pages 6 on 12/07/2012

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