World briefs 6/4/06

Opposition narrowly wins in Czech elections

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- The conservative Czech opposition narrowly won general elections, according to preliminary results Saturday, but parliament could face a deadlock even if the Civic Democratic Party can form a coalition. Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek said he may challenge the result that gave his governing Social Democratic Party 74 seats, seven less than the center-right Civic Democrats, in parliament's lower chamber. Civic Democratic leader Mirek Topolanek has ruled out forming a coalition with either the Social Democrats or the Communists, who won 26 seats.

Pope joins youths in St. Peter's Square for rally

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI joined a cheering crowd of 350,000 people overflowing from St. Peter's Square for a Saturday evening rally aimed at boosting the faith and encouraging efforts to spread the Roman Catholic Church's message throughout the world. Benedict told the crowd they had come together "to proclaim the joy of believing in Jesus Christ and to renew the commitment of being faithful disciples to him in these times of ours." The Vatican is seeking to energize its followers as the Catholic Church faces competition from dynamic, evangelical Protestant churches.

Iran : Breakthrough in nuclear talks possible

TEHRAN, Iran -- A breakthrough in negotiations over Iran's nuclear program is possible, the republic's president told the U.N. chief Saturday while welcoming unconditional talks with all parties, including the United States. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a speech later Saturday that his government would not rush to judge an incentives package offered by Western countries to persuade Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program. State television reported that Ahmadinejad spoke by phone to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and told him the crisis could be settled as long as the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency preserved Tehran's right to use atomic energy.

-- From wire reports