AP News in Brief

Obama says he’ll accept Nobel Peace Prize as ‘call to action’ toward peace and prosperity

Bolivia demands Peru hand over asylum-seeking ex-ministers charged in 2003 protest bloodshed

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivia demanded Monday that Peru hand over three former government ministers charged with genocide in the 2003 killing of dozens of protesters, and President Evo Morales called asylum an “open provocation of the Bolivian people.”

Japan donates $4 million to Khmer Rouge genocide tribunal to pay Cambodian staff

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Japan has donated $4.17 million to the U.N.-backed genocide tribunal trying former Khmer Rouge leaders on war crimes charges, just as the troubled court was running out of funding, a court official said Friday.

Khmer Rouge’s former chief jailer: Even Pol Pot couldn’t free prisoners from torture center

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Incarceration at the Khmer Rouge’s most notorious prison was tantamount to a death sentence since not even the movement’s supreme leader had the right to release prisoners, the center’s chief told a special tribunal Thursday.

Kan. man accused of involvement in Rwanda genocide pleads not guilty in citizenship fraud case

WICHITA, Kan. — An 82-year-old immigrant accused of participating in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he lied about his past to obtain U.S. citizenship.

Ex-Khmer Rouge prison chief describes torture used to extract confessions

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The chief jailer of the Khmer Rouge, on trial for the killing of thousands of “state enemies” in the 1970s, said Wednesday that he trained peasant children as young as 12 to guard prisoners who were routinely electrocuted and whipped.

Cambodian genocide defendant says infamous sign detailing prison regulations a fabrication

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A Khmer Rouge jail chief on trial for the torture and execution of thousands of people said Monday that an infamous sign listing prison regulations was fabricated by Vietnamese who overthrew the late 1970s regime.

Turkish president says Obama failed to mention slain Turks in message on Armenian deaths

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s president said Saturday that President Barack Obama failed to honor Turks slain by Armenians in a message remembering the dead in massacres nearly a century ago.

Family of Rwanda genocide suspect says he’s innocent, charges a misunderstanding

WICHITA, Kan. — The family of an 82-year-old immigrant suspected of participating in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide says he’s innocent, contending he was too old and sick to commit atrocities.

PROMISES, PROMISES: Obama breaks vow on Armenian genocide, dodging issue he said he’d confront

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama was unequivocal during the campaign: As president, he would recognize the nearly century-old massacre of Armenians in Turkey as genocide.

Obama calls Armenian killings by Ottoman Turks as ‘one of greatest atrocities’ of 20th century

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Friday refrained from branding the massacre of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey a “genocide,” breaking a campaign promise while contending his views about the 20th century slaughter had not changed.

Tens of thousands of Armenians mark anniversary of World War I era mass killings

YEREVAN, Armenia — Tens of thousands of Armenians marched through the capital on Friday to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the start of mass killings by Ottoman Turks, many calling on Turkey to recognize the slayings as genocide.

Thousands of Armenians mark anniversary of WWI-era mass killings; some burn Turkish flags

YEREVAN, Armenia — Thousands of Armenians are marking the anniversary of what they call the 1915 genocide despite a diplomatic thaw between Armenia and Turkey.

Obama faces dilemma on annual day of remembrance for killings of Armenians by Turks

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama faces a dilemma as he prepares to issue an annual presidential statement on the World War I-era killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.

Biden talks to Armenian leader, welcomes progress in Turkey-Armenia ties

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday made the Obama administration’s highest-level comments yet on the historic moves toward reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.

Spain justice system shying from once-famed role as international prosecutor

MADRID — Spain grabbed world headlines a decade ago by indicting Chile’s former dictator Augusto Pinochet, and has since probed alleged atrocities as far away as Tibet and Rwanda.

Defendant at Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge trial says Pol Pot feigned ignorance of torture center

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The late Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot was lying when he said he was unaware that his 1970s communist regime operated a torture center, the man accused of running it testified Wednesday.

Mia Farrow declares hunger strike in solidarity with people of Darfur

LOS ANGELES — Mia Farrow plans to begin a hunger strike next week in solidarity with the people of Darfur.

Defendant at Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge trial says class hatred inspired torture, executions

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The former Khmer Rouge prison commander accused of overseeing the torture and execution of thousands of men, women and children said Tuesday that his underlings were taught class hatred that allowed them to kill their enemies.

Former Khmer Rouge who worked at Cambodian torture to sell what he says are Pol Pot’s shoes

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A former member of the Khmer Rouge member said Monday that he is auctioning off a pair of shoes he claims belonged to the group’s late leader Pol Pot to fund a museum about the brutal regime.