World datelines

Vatican: Sex abuse

ROME — A top Vatican prelate told Irish bishops at an extraordinary Vatican summit with Pope Benedict XVI Monday they must admit their own blame in cover-ups of generations of sex abuse of minors, or risk losing the faith of Ireland's Catholics.

But the former Dublin altar boy who helped expose the scandal doubted that any real hierarchy housekeeping would result from the two days of talks behind closed doors in the Apostolic Palace.

Benedict's top aide, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, delivered a stinging homily at a Mass before the talks decrying the "particularly abhorrent deeds" of some in the Irish church hierarchy, although he didn't name any names.

Mexico: Journalists

MEXICO CITY — Mexico has replaced its special prosecutor for crimes against the media amid complaints that the country is becoming one of the world's deadliest places for journalists and that most killings have gone unresolved.

Gustavo Salas, who previously worked for the federal crimes investigation unit, replaces Octavio Orellana, the Attorney General's Office announced in a statement Monday.

The agency did not give a reason for the replacement. However, it comes a month after the governmental National Human Rights Commission complained that federal and state authorities have not shown results in investigating the killings of journalists.

The commission says 60 journalists have been killed since 2000.

Australia: Whaling

ADELAIDE — An anti-whaling activist was being held in custody on board a Japanese whaling vessel Tuesday after secretly boarding it the day before, the whalers said.

Peter Bethune scaled the Shonan Maru 2 early Monday with the goal of making a citizen's arrest of the ship's captain and handing over a $3 million bill for the destruction of a protest ship last month.

Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, which sponsors the whale hunt, said the boat's captain had advised Bethune "that in line with the Japanese Mariners Act he was taking necessary measures and restrained Mr. Bethune."

Czech Republic: Pain