World in brief

Honduras may be hit with sanctions over coup

A top diplomat said Thursday he is heading to Honduras today to demand the return of the president toppled at gunpoint Sunday. The head of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, said he would insist on the restoration of President Manuel Zelaya. The OAS says it will suspend Honduras if Zelaya isn’t back in office by Saturday, bringing sanctions that could block international aid to one of the poorest nations in the hemisphere.

Iran makes more arrests in post-election turmoil

Iran on Thursday announced more arrests in the post-election turmoil, detaining seven alleged provocateurs of violence it says were linked to Iranian exiles. The arrests continue a heavy crackdown that has squashed the mass protests that erupted over the disputed June 12 presidential vote. Iran’s top police chief has said 20 people were killed in violence during the protests, and that 1,032 people were detained.

Swine flu spreading fast; worldwide cases tracked

Swine flu is running wild in the Southern Hemisphere and is spreading rapidly through Europe, with Britain projected to reach 100,000 daily cases by the end of August, and the virus showing signs of rebounding in Mexico. World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan and health ministers from around the globe huddled Thursday in Cancun for a two-day summit. Nations attending include the United States, Canada, China, Britain and Brazil. Separately, the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that the number of U.S. swine flu cases has reached nearly 34,000, and deaths have risen 34 percent in the past week to 170.

Sole survivor of Yemen crash returns to France

A severely bruised young girl believed to be the only survivor of an Indian Ocean plane crash that killed 152 people flew back Thursday to Paris, where she was embraced gently by her father, who tried to lift her spirits with a joke. Bahia Bakari, 12, returned to France from the Comoros Islands on a French government plane. Yemenia Flight 626 crashed Tuesday morning off Comoros amid heavy winds.

Ex-congresswoman still in Israeli custody

Former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia said in a phone call posted online that she’s in an Israeli prison with others who tried to run a naval blockade to deliver supplies to Gaza. McKinney and about 18 other activists in Israeli custody for the past three days will likely be released by Sunday, according to an Israeli embassy spokesman in Washington. McKinney is not cooperating with the authorities and is refusing to sign a document acknowledging deportation, he said.

Homosexuality legal, New Delhi court rules

New Delhi’s gay community celebrated a landmark court ruling Thursday that decriminalizes homosexuality —- a decision that could end widespread police harassment and be a harbinger for gradual acceptance for homosexuals across India. The Delhi High Court ruled that treating consensual gay sex between adults as a crime is a violation of fundamental rights protected by India’s constitution. The ruling is not binding outside New Delhi.

Study: Global warming causes sheep to shrink

Along with polar ice caps and sandy beaches, sheep on the remote Scottish island of Hirta are gradually shrinking as a result of global warming, according to a study published today in the journal Science. The finding, that sheep lost nearly 3 ounces per year on average since 1985, offers unusual proof that large animals already are having to adapt to changes wrought by climate change, experts said.