In brief: Vatican formally recognizes state of Palestine

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine in a new treaty finalized Wednesday, immediately sparking Israeli ire and accusations that the move hurt peace prospects.

The treaty, which concerns the activities of the Catholic Church in Palestinian territory, is both deeply symbolic and makes explicit that the Holy See has switched its diplomatic recognition from the Palestine Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine.

The Vatican had welcomed the decision by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012 to recognize a Palestinian state and had referred to the Palestine state since. But the treaty is the first legal document negotiated between the Holy See and the Palestinian state, giving the Vatican’s former signs of recognition an unambiguous confirmation in a formal, bilateral treaty.

“Yes, it’s a recognition that the state exists,” said the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it was “disappointed.”

“This move does not promote the peace process and distances the Palestinian leadership from returning to direct and bilateral negotiations,” the ministry said in a text message.

The United States and Israel oppose recognition, arguing that it undermines U.S.-led efforts to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of Palestinian statehood. Most countries in Western Europe have held off on recognition, but some have hinted that their position could change if peace efforts remain deadlocked.

Malaysia says no to boats containing 800 migrants

LANGKAWI, Malaysia – Thousands of Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis abandoned at sea had nowhere to turn today as Malaysia turned away two boats crammed with more than 800 migrants, saying it could not afford to keep being nice.

Indonesia and Thailand also appeared unwilling to provide refuge to men, women and children, despite appeals by the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, international aid agencies and rights activists, who warned lives were at risk.

Fearing arrests, captains tied to trafficking networks have in recent days abandoned ships in the busy Malacca Strait and surrounding waters, leaving behind their human cargo, in many cases with little food or water, according to survivors.

Around 1,600 have been rescued, but an estimated 6,000 remain stranded at sea.

Unclear in Burundi whether presidential coup is success

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – Burundi’s capital was quiet Wednesday night but it was not clear who was in charge after a tumultuous day in which thousands of people celebrated an attempted coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza.

The military is divided between those supporting Nkurunziza and those backing the coup, said a senior military official who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The attempted coup took place while Nkurunziza was in neighboring Tanzania for a summit on his country’s troubles. An army general announced on a private radio station that the president had been relieved of his duties. Nkurunziza’s office said in the evening that the coup attempt was unsuccessful, posting a statement on the president’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.

It was not clear where Nkurunziza was on Wednesday night.

Fire toll rises to 58 dead, workers reportedly trapped

MANILA, Philippines – Police recovered 58 bodies and about a dozen more people are still missing Thursday from a Philippine factory fire that an angry relative said had trapped workers on the second floor of the building where iron grilles on windows prevented their escape.

The search for bodies resumed after it was suspended late Wednesday because of the heat and worries about the instability of the two-story building, a rubber slipper factory in the outskirts of the Philippine capital, Manila.

Mayor Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela city, where the Kentex Manufacturing Corp. factory burned for several hours Wednesday, said 13 people are still unaccounted for.

Questions are being raised if the factory followed fire and building safety standards.

Dionesio Candido, whose daughter, granddaughter, sister-in-law and niece were among the missing, said iron grilles reinforced with fencing wire covered windows on the second floor that “could prevent even cats from escaping.”

Gatchalian said the fire was apparently ignited by sparks from welding work being done at the factory’s main entrance door, triggering an explosion of the chemicals used to make the slippers.