World briefs 6/14/05

Israel a vice president of U.N. Gen. Assembly

UNITED NATIONS -- Israel was elected one of 21 vice presidents of the next General Assembly session on Monday, in what the Jewish state called a historic move toward its full representation on key U.N. bodies. The 191-member assembly approved the uncontested slate of vice presidents. Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman called it "a historic moment for Israel" and Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the General Assembly's decision.

Quake rattles Chile; 8 dead, damage reported

SANTIAGO, Chile -- A powerful earthquake rattled Chile's remote northern Andes near the Bolivian border Monday, killing at least eight people and causing widespread damage in several mountain villages. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.9, according to both the U.S. Geological Survey and Chilean officials, making it the world's third strongest temblor since the quake that set off an Asian tsunami in December.

ElBaradei reappointed as chief of U.N. agency

VIENNA, Austria -- Mohammed ElBaradei won a third term Monday as head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency and said he was "grateful to the United States" after the Bush administration last week publicly dropped its opposition to him. ElBaradei, a 62-year-old Egyptian diplomat, said his priorities will include fighting the threat of nuclear proliferation and the potential menace posed by nuclear terrorism.

-- From wire reports