World Scene

BRITAIN

Lawmakers vote against spanking ban

LONDON — British lawmakers, after a passionate debate in the House of Commons, voted overwhelmingly yesterday against banning parents from spanking their children.

Some lawmakers argued that even mild spanking should be outlawed and insisted that children should have the same legal protection as adults when it comes to being hit.

But Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government has shied away from an outright ban, fearing that it will be accused of intruding into family affairs. Instead, ministers urged lawmakers to back legislation that would allow mild smacking but make it easier to prosecute parents who harm a child physically or mentally.

Lawmakers voted by 424-75 against an outright ban. They will vote on the government proposal later.

Britain is out of step on the issue with several other European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Austria, where all physical punishment of children is illegal.

SUDAN

Troops block aid to refugee camps

KHARTOUM — The Sudanese army and police surrounded several refugee camps in the war-torn Darfur region yesterday and denied access to humanitarian groups, the United Nations said. The Sudanese government denied that its security forces had closed off the camps, but said angry Arab tribesmen have gathered in the area.

The U.N. World Food Program said that three camps were surrounded — apparently in retaliation for the abduction of 18 Arabs by Darfur rebels — and that it was forced to pull 88 relief workers from those areas.

JAPAN

Jenkins found guilty of desertion to N. Korea

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