WORLD IN BRIEF

• VILNIUS, Lithuania -- Human rights activists called for curbs on the powers of anti-corruption officials after they raided political party offices. The call came a day after Lithuania's top electoral official said that the legitimacy of the presidential election Sunday could be put in doubt by the controversial raids, but that the runoff was unlikely to be delayed.

THE AMERICAS

• TIJUANA, Mexico -- Journalists wearing black ribbons marched through Tijuana's streets, remembering a slain colleague and demanding an end to violence against those who report the news. Francisco Ortiz Franco, a senior editor of the crusading Zeta newspaper, was gunned down Tuesday as he sat in his car with two young children, who were uninjured in the shooting. It was the third attack against a leading figure at the weekly since 1988.

• HAVANA -- A Cuban journalist became the sixth ailing dissident to be freed from prison since April. Manuel Vazquez Portal, 52, who suffers from respiratory problems, was one of 75 dissidents sentenced after a crackdown last year.

THE MIDDLE EAST

• RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Foreign residents of Saudi Arabia will be allowed to carry guns, the police minister announced, after a series of bombings, attacks and kidnappings targeting Western workers in the kingdom.

• TEHRAN -- Eight British servicemen who were detained Monday after their boats strayed into Iranian territorial waters have been turned over to British diplomats and were taken to the embassy in Tehran under tight security, officials said.

-- From News Services