WORLD IN BRIEF

RUSSIA

Moscow to Offer Aid To S. Ossetia, Abkhazia

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Sunday that his country will give military aid to the two separatist regions at the center of the war with Georgia -- signaling that Moscow has no intention of backing down in the face of Western pressure.

Medvedev reaffirmed his decision Tuesday to recognize the Georgian breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent.

"We have made our decision, and it's irreversible," he said in a speech broadcast on Russian television.

Medvedev also warned that American domination of world affairs is unacceptable, though he insisted that Russia did not want hostile relations with the United States and other Western nations.

MEXICO

President Vows to Enact Anti-Crime Proposals

Moving quickly to address mounting anger over crime, President Felipe Calderón vowed Sunday to adopt several proposals from civic groups who led more than 100,000 Mexicans in marches against daily kidnappings and killings.

Among the measures are the creation of a citizens' panel to monitor government progress in fighting crime, better police recruiting and oversight systems and equipping police with more powerful weapons, Mexico's president said.

The government "shares the demands and the indignation of the people," Calderón said after meeting with 14 civic leaders who staged Saturday night's candlelight protests in the capital and cities across the country. "We know the biggest problem in Mexico is public insecurity."

Homicides and kidnappings have surged despite the deployment of more than 25,000 soldiers and federal police to hotspots in Mexico, and the arrests of several top drug lords.

THAILAND

Prime Minister Debate Extends Into Parliament

Facing chaotic street protests demanding his resignation, Thailand's embattled prime minister turned to lawmakers Sunday to find a way out of the crisis, but ended up having to fend off his critics' calls to step down or call new elections.