Three killed in Baghdad attacks ( September 8th, 2010 )
BAGHDAD (AFP)
A car bomb and several roadside blasts killed three people and wounded dozens in Baghdad on Wednesday morning, health and security officials said.
In the deadliest attack, a vehicle packed with explosives was detonated and quickly followed by a roadside bomb near a bus terminal in the south Baghdad neighbourhood of Bayaa, killing two people.
Officials [...]
Attack in northern Nigeria frees prison inmates: guard ( September 8th, 2010 )
KANO, Nigeria (AFP)
A guard at a prison in northern Nigeria attacked by suspected members of an Islamist sect said Wednesday that nearly all inmates had been freed and an unknown number of people were shot.
“The prison is virtually empty with almost all the inmates freed last night by the attackers,” Salisu Mohammed told AFP by [...]
China, Myanmar leaders to meet as election draws near ( September 8th, 2010 )
BEIJING (AFP)
Myanmar’s junta leader Than Shwe was to meet Wednesday with President Hu Jintao of China, the regime’s main trading partner and diplomatic ally, two months ahead of polls decried in the West as a sham.
Than Shwe, whose regime has drawn international condemnation for its human rights record and political repression, arrived in China Tuesday [...]
Drilling makes progress towards trapped Chile miners ( September 8th, 2010 )
COPIAPO, Chile (AFP)
A truck convoy bearing a huge oil drilling machine is expected to arrive Wednesday to offer a third rescue option, or “Plan C,” for the 33 men trapped for a month at the bottom of a Chilean mine.
“The 42 trucks will come in one or two at a time, they’ll unload and go [...]
US drone strike kills 10 militants in Pakistan ( September 8th, 2010 )
MIRANSHAH, Pakistan (AFP)
A US missile strike on a militant compound in Pakistan’s tribal district on the Afghan border killed at least 10 rebels on Wednesday, local security officials said.
The attack took place in Dandey Darpakhel village, five kilometres (three miles) northwest of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan tribal district, which is a renowned [...]
New Zealand extends emergency following aftershock ( September 8th, 2010 )
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AFP)
New Zealand authorities extended a state of emergency in Christchurch Wednesday after a powerful aftershock and doubled previous estimates of the damage bill from the disaster.
A 5.0-magnitude aftershock struck just below the surface at 7:49 am (1949 GMT Tuesday) sending frightened residents rushing into the streets, briefly cutting power supplies and bringing [...]
Fragile Australian government hit by wrangling ( September 8th, 2010 )
SYDNEY (AFP)
Australia’s newly elected Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged to serve a full term after scraping back into power but her fragile coalition was immediately at odds over a major new tax Wednesday.
Welsh-born Gillard, who cobbled together a one-seat majority helped by three independents and a Greens MP after inconclusive polls, promised the nation’s first [...]
Philippine massacre ‘carefully planned’: witness ( September 8th, 2010 )
MANILA (AFP)
A powerful Muslim clan carefully planned and carried out the killings of 57 people — including 30 journalists — in the Philippines’ worst massacre, a witness said Wednesday as the landmark trial began.
Lakmudin Saliao’s testimony directly linked Andal Ampatuan Jnr, the main defendant, to the planning and execution of the killings in the clan’s [...]
Rwanda ‘happy’ at Ban visit, outraged by UN report ( September 8th, 2010 )
KIGALI (AFP)
Rwanda was “very happy” that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon decided to visit the country but still “outraged” by the UN draft report he came to discuss, the foreign affairs minister said Wednesday.
“We are very happy that the secretary general thought it was important to come here and discuss this DRC mapping report,” said [...]
US appears powerless to stop Koran-burning ceremony ( September 8th, 2010 )
GAINESVILLE, Florida (AFP)
The United States appeared powerless to stop a Florida church from burning hundreds of Korans on the anniversary of 9/11 despite fears of global repercussions.
The White House added its voice to growing concern from military leaders that the incendiary move by a group of American evangelicals could trigger outrage around the Islamic world [...]