Fresh fighting in Sudan: He-vy fighting has erupted between Sudanese government troops and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) In southern Sudan, the rebels announced here Friday. AFP reports from Nairobi.
The SPLA led by John Garang said battle had been raging between the town of Yel and the location of Morbo for the last days.
It said the new fighting began with a government offensive code-named Sudan-al-Izza launched from the garrison town of Yel on July 25.
Former Albanian DPM held: Former Deputy Premier Sokrat Pl aka has been arrested and charged with abuse of power in a spreading investigation into allegations of massive mismanagement of aid spending in Europe's poorest country, AP reports from Tirana.
Plaka's arrest Thursday was reported by state-run television Friday, less then a week after the detention of Former Premier Fatos Nano on the same charge.
The brief TV report gave no details. But It was clear his arrest was connected with the accusations leveled at Mano, like Plaka. a former communist.
Akashi visits refugee camp: Cambodia's UN peacekeeping chief Yasushi Akashi yesteraay visited a border camp of several thousand ethnic Vietnamese awaiting approval to return to Cambodia, a UN spokesman said, reports Reuter from Phnom Penh.
The camp is at CVB-3, about 90 km (55 miles) southeast of Phnom Penh the UN name for the Bassac river checkpoint on the Vietnam-Cambodian border
‘He's stopping at CVB-3 to see the situation with the Vietnamese," said UN spokesman Eric Fait, adding that Akashi would continue on to Ho Chi Minh city on a 'private visit." Quake hits Japah: A strong earthquake measuring 6.4 on the open-ended Rk-hter scale shook the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa on Saturday, the Meteorologlcai agrnry said, Reuter reports from Tokyo.
No caaualtlev or damage were reported, It said
The tremor occurred at 9.01 am (0001 gmt) beneath the east China sea some 125 km (80 miles) not diwest of Kume Island in the Okinawan archipelago.
Storms kill or hurt 180 in China: More than 180 people were killed or Injured In torrential rainstorms that hit China's northeastern coastal province of Shandong, a newspaper reported Saturday. AFP says from Hong Kong
In Llnyl country, the hardest hit area, some 50 miners were reportedly trapped Inside a coal mine by flooding, the Ta Kung Pap daily said, adding that about 63.000 people were stranded by rising (food waters as rivers burst their hanks.
Two held with drug in London: London police Friday seized a recordamount of (he designer drug ecstasy with a street value of nearly 10 million pounds (15 million dollar) and arrested two suspects, Scotland Yard announced. AFP reports from London
"it la certainly the largest seizure of ecstasy in Britain this year and may be the largest since the drug became prevalent in this country,“ detective inspector Colin Taylor said
The two suspected drug traffickers were tn their twenties and had been tracked down for two weeks Police also uncovered a large amount of money In the apartment where the drug was found. .
Riots erupt in Kenya: p^ were injured and several hotels and businesses were set ablaze when violent riots erupted in the Kenyan holiday resort of Lamu. press reports said here on Saturday. AFP quoted from Nairobi.
Trouble started Immediately after Friday prayers at Pwanl Mosque when more than 200 Muslim activists marched to the district Commissioner's office to protest against the administrations seeming inability to crush armed banditry In the area resulting in many deaths.
A running battle between the rioters and security forces ensued when anti-riot police and the para military General Serice unit intervened and tried to disperse them.
5 newsmen to cover UNGA session: Five young Journalists from Africa. Asia. Eastern Europe and Latin America will cover the annual UN General Assembly session opening on September 21 on scholarships awarded on Monday by the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA). Reuter reports from United Nations.
The awards are given annually by UNCAs Dag Hanunarskjoeld memorial scholarship fund, established In honour of the late UN Secretary-General shortly after he was kilied In a 1961 air crash In Africa.