Two French journalists trapped inside the besieged Syrian city of Homs have safely crossed into Lebanon. French president Nicholas Sarkozy said Edith
Bouvier and Williams Daniels were being looked after by the embassy and receiving medical attention. It is unclear when they will return to Europe.
Chavez recovers
Cuban doctors for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said the surgery to remove a growth from his pelvis went “satisfactorily”. He underwent surgery and chemotherapy for cancer last year. It is unclear whether the legion was related to the cancer or was cancerous itself.
Anonymous arrests
Interpol officers in Europe and South America have arrested 25 members of the subversive hacking group Anonymous. The arrests include four in Spain, 10 in Argentina, six in Chile and five in Colombia. Shortly after the announcement, the Spanish police website crashed.
Murdoch moves
Embattled boss of Britain’s News International, James Murdoch, has resigned. The son of media baron, Rupert, has been widely panned for his handling of the hacking crisis to engulf the company. He will move to New York to head-up a section of the American arm of the company.
Istanbul explodes
A bombing in Istanbul targeting police has left 16 people injured. The bomb was detonated by remote control as a van carrying 21 officers drove past. An investigation is underway, however, authorities said it is unclear who masterminded the attack.
Organ organisation
Sixteen people, including some doctors, were involved in the sale of human kidneys and will be prosecuted by Chinese authorities. Police said the ring selling human organs paid poor young people about 10 percent of the price they charged for the organs. The enterprise made a total of $1.6 million.
Cruise nightmare
A powerless cruise ship which has drifted since it lost its electricity Monday arrived in a Seychelles port on Thursday. The Costa Allegra lost power after a fire in its engine room. Its 1000 passengers endured an uncomfortable drift into the port, their first chance to alight.
War charges
An arrest warrant has been issued for Sudan’s defence minister on 41 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The charges against Abdelraim Mohamed Hussein were allegedly committed during 2003 and 2004 in the Darfur troubled region. Sudan does not recognise the court.
Vale Jones
The front man of the made-for-television band The Monkees, Davy Jones, died of a heart attack in Florida on Wednesday. He was 66. The British-born entertainer started on the stage in the UK before becoming a teen heartthrob with the band.
Unemployment high
Unemployment in the European Union has hit an all-time high. Figures collated in January indicate 10.7 percent of people in the 17-member bloc are without work. It represents a loss of 185,000 jobs since December. The situation is particularly dire in Spain with unemployment at 23.3 percent.
Bell tolls
New Zealand city Christchurch will lose a landmark when its iconic cathedral is demolished. Structural engineers found the 131-year-old building cannot be fixed after sustaining significant damage in the February 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people.
Teen charged
A 17-year-old has been charged with three counts of murder after allegedly taking a gun to his school and shooting dead his peers. Police allege TJ Lane opened fire in the cafeteria of his school in Ohio on Monday. Prosecutors said they plan to try him as an adult.
Post published in: News