CALIFORNIA

Rampage at poultry plant leaves 3 dead A parolee who worked at a California chicken processing plant opened fire, killing two people and wounding two before taking his own life, authorities said. Police said they didn't know what prompted the handgun attack by Lawrence Jones, 42, midway through his shift at Apple Valley Farms. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said the victims did not hear the suspect because the plant was loud and at least some of them had noise protectors.

CHINA

Activists hauled off in crackdown As a leadership transition begins in Beijing, police are cracking down on petitioners attempting to bring local complaints to the central government. But lawyers have been arrested, dissidents sent back to their hometowns and activists harassed.

Greece

Trade unions launch strike over austerity Tens of thousands of angry Greek strikers marched through Athens before a crucial vote in parliament on a new round of unpopular austerity measures. If parliament rejects the bill, Greece will face the threat of being cut off from bailout loans.

SOUTH AFRICA

Police suspected of manipulation in strike South African police may have altered evidence and planted weapons after they shot dead 34 striking miners near Lonmin's Marikana mines in August, according to photographic evidence presented at an inquiry.

BULGARIA

Orthodox Patriarch Maxim dies at 98 Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria, who weathered a revolt over his communist-era ties to lead the Balkan country's Orthodox Christians for more than 40 years, has died. He was 98. The Holy Synod will meet to choose an interim patriarch.

ISRAEL

Building goes ahead on 1,200 settler homes Israel said it was pushing forward with construction of more than 1,200 new homes in Jewish settlements, in an apparent warning to the Palestinians to rethink their plan to ask the United Nations to recognize an independent state of Palestine. The government announced late Monday that it was accepting bids from contractors to build the homes in two Jewish enclaves in east Jerusalem, Ramot and Pisgat Zeev.

news services