World datelines

Britain: Apology given

LONDON — Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized Wednesday to the tens of thousands of poor British children shipped to former colonies such as Australia, where instead of a better life many were treated to harsh conditions, neglect and abuse.

Brown said the country was sorry for the "shameful" and "misguided" child migrant program of the 1920s to 1960s, in which an estimated 150,000 British children were sent to distant colonies.

The programs were intended to ease pressure on British social services, provide the children with a fresh start and supply the empire with a sturdy supply of white workers. But many children ended up in institutions where they were physically and sexually abused, or were sent to work as farm laborers.

Dubai: More suspects

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — At least 15 more suspects carrying foreign passports were linked Wednesday to an elaborate hit squad slaying of a Hamas commander that Dubai's police chief contends was likely carried out by Israel's Mossad secret service.

The latest accusations by Dubai police raised the size of the alleged assassination team to at least 26 and further expanded the investigation's international web — now stretching from a bank in America's heartland to European capitals and Australia.

Some of the new suspects — 10 men and five women traveling on British, French, Irish and Australian passports — were allegedly part of "logistical support" teams that staked out Dubai for months before the Jan. 19 slaying of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, one of the founders of Hamas' military wing.

Italy: Google verdict

MILAN — It seems that when it comes to letting the Web be the Web, it could be the United States against the world. An Italian judge on Wednesday held three Google executives criminally responsible for an online video of an autistic teenager being bullied — a verdict that raises concerns that the Internet giant, and others like it, may be forced to police their content in Italy, and even beyond.

The reaction to the verdict in the United States was swift and nearly unanimous in its condemnation of a dangerous precedent experts said threatens the principle of a free and open Internet.

However, Milan Prosecutor Alfredo Robledo reflected a European concern with privacy.

Mexico: More killings