News In Brief

Left-wing Israeli Labor group parts with party over Sharon

The Labor Party's left-wing Mapam faction voted Sunday to leave the party over the decision to form a joint government with Likud and give Ariel Sharon, Likud's controversial former defense minister, a senior Cabinet post.

Labor leader Shimon Peres said yesterday he had ''no choice'' but to bow to Likud demands he give former Defense Minister Ariel Sharon a powerful job in the next Cabinet.