World datelines

Vatican: Sex abuse

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI told Irish bishops at a special summit meeting Tuesday to be courageous in confronting the pedophile priest scandal that has rocked that Catholic nation's church, but he took no action on victims' demands the Vatican take some responsibility.

Specifically, bishops said the pope didn't rule on whether to accept the resignations offered by several bishops for their role in decades of concealment or push for resignations from those resisting calls to step down.

Greece: Labor protests

ATHENS — Greek customs officials and finance ministry employees walked off the job Tuesday, as labor protests grew against government austerity measures aimed at pulling the country out of a debt crisis that has shaken the entire euro zone.

The three-day customs strike will affect imports and exports, with a skeleton staff processing only certain items such as perishable goods and pharmaceuticals, and could affect the supply of fuel.

Argentina: Falklands

BUENOS AIRES — Argentina's president issued a decree Tuesday seeking to control all shipping to and from the Falkland Islands, escalating her fight with Britain over drilling for oil and gas in the South Atlantic.

Cristina Fernandez's order doesn't stop at shipping for the oil industry: It applies to any boat going to or from the islands, which Argentina refers to as the Malvinas.

Lebanon: Hezbollah

BEIRUT — Hezbollah's leader warned Israel Tuesday that the militant group would fire rockets at Tel Aviv airport and other strategic targets if Israel's military strikes Lebanese infrastructure.

Hezbollah and Israel fought a 34-day war in 2006, and in recent months both sides have exchanged tough words of warning. The new threat from Hezbollah is backed up by what the group says is an arsenal of thousands of rockets and missiles, some of which it says can reach anywhere in Israel.

Spain: Guantanamo

MADRID — Spain said Monday it is willing to take in five inmates from the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, not just the two it had announced last month.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told breakfast meeting with reporters that the inmates will not pose a security threat.