A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Ethiopia signs deal to end 20-year war
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia signed a peace deal yesterday to end 20 years of war with a rebel faction that has comprised the main threat to foreign oil and gas firms in the disputed Ogaden region, both sides said.
Abay Tsehaye, national security adviser to prime minister Meles Zenawi, welcomed the deal as strengthening unity in the country. – (Reuters)
Seven killed in Afghan air crash
KABUL – All seven people aboard a civilian cargo aircraft that crashed on a mountainside near Kabul were killed in the accident, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and Transport said yesterday.
Spokesman Nangyalai Qalatwal said all seven were foreigners, but he had no information on their nationalities or the operator of the plane, which was flying to the Afghan capital from the Bagram military air base north of the capital, Kabul. – (Reuters)
US hands over Somali pirates
MOMBASA – A group of nine suspected Somali pirates arrested by the US navy four days ago was handed over to Kenyan police yesterday, despite misgivings in the east African country about hosting piracy trials.
Many of the suspected pirates detained in the busy shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia by US and European Union warships have been taken to Kenya to face trial and the east African country has called for more nations to share the burden. – (Reuters)
US to lift ban on deep-water drilling
WASHINGTON – The US is to lift its six-month ban on deep-water oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico imposed after the BP oil spill.
The Obama administration has been under heavy pressure because the ban has put people out of work and damaged the economy.
Congressional sources said interior secretary Ken Salazar planned to lift the moratorium, on the condition that companies would first have to meet a host of new safety regulations. – (AP)
Major accused of Texas killings appears in court
SAN ANTONIO – A Muslim army major charged in last year’s killing rampage at a Texas army base sat in a courtroom packed with victims and their families yesterday, as his lawyer sought to delay a military tribunal until November.
The accused, Maj Nidal Malik Hasan, appeared briefly before the Article 32 hearing in a wheelchair, but did not speak at the proceeding to determine if he will stand trial.
Hasan was left paralysed after a shooting which killed 13 people. – (Reuters)
Aguilera splits from husband
LOS ANGELES – Singer Christina Aguilera and her music executive husband of five years have separated and are living apart, US Weekly reported yesterday.
The celebrity news website said Aguilera (29) and Jordan Bratman split up a few months ago, but have not yet decided whether to divorce.
Aguilera, who had a huge early hit with Genie in a Bottle, and Bratman (33) have a two year-old son, Max. – (Reuters)