World Scene

The deal marks a significant step toward unifying the long-divided Palestinian leadership and cleared the way for Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, to promote itself as the leader of all Palestinians.

Hamas historically has opposed the PLO’s peace efforts with Israel, and having a strong voice in the group would further complicate the already troubled Middle East diplomatic process.

“The reconciliation has taken off. It might take time, but we have started,” Azzam al-Ahmed, a top Fatah negotiator, said after the talks in Cairo.

Under the agreement, Hamas‘ supreme leader, Khaled Mashaal, joined a committee that will prepare for elections of the PLO’s parliament in exile. He will serve alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the rival Fatah movement.

MEXICO

Shakeup aims to rid port police of corruption

MEXICO CITY | A Mexican armed forces official said police in the Gulf port city of Veracruz were heavily infiltrated by criminal elements, primarily the deadly Zetas drug cartel.

The official said it could take months to replace the 800 officers and 300 administrative employees who were dismissed Wednesday in Mexico’s most dramatic step to date in battling corrupt cops.

He said Thursday that about 800 marines will patrol the city of 700,000 in the meantime. He could not be named for security reasons.

Veracruz state government spokeswoman Gina Dominguez said the mass firing was not about corruption, but about meeting a federal edict to build police forces certified under stricter standards.

Ms. Dominguez said none of the dismissed employees is under investigation for corruption.

FRANCE

Lawmakers pass ban on denying Armenian genocide

PARIS | French lawmakers easily passed a measure Thursday to make it a crime in France to deny that the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman Turks amounted to genocide.

State TV in Turkey, which promised retaliation if the bill passed, said the country’s ambassador to France would be withdrawn.

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