Saying it had exhausted other alternatives, Mexico...

Saying it had exhausted other alternatives, Mexico appealed to the World Court to stop the execution of 51 of its citizens in the United States.
Mexico had initially sought to spare 54 citizens, but said at the start of hearings that three were removed from death row by Illinois Governor George Ryan on January 11.
The Mexican government is first seeking a court order to postpone the executions until a 15-member panel of judges can hear its arguments that the United States has violated international conventions in imposing the death penalty on its citizens.
Although its judgments are binding under international law, the World Court has no way of enforcing its rulings.
"The United States should not be allowed to set any execution dates until the court has heard the merits of the case," Mexico's lead attorney, Juan Gomez Robledo, said in opening remarks.
Barring appeals and other delays, six Mexicans could be executed by June.
The death penalty has been a source of ongoing tension between Mexico and the United States. Mexico asserts that US authorities have violated the Vienna Convention by not informing its citizens that they have the right to contact their consulate when arrested in the United States.
"Mexico and the United States have irreconcilable views about the application of the treaty," Mr. Gomez said.
Mexico's suit before the World Court covers cases in California, Texas, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma and Oregon. It could take several days for the judges to reach a verdict on the request for preliminary order to immediately halt the execution process.