More news in brief.
US engineer arrested on spying charge
WASHINGTON -US authorities arrested an American engineer yesterday on suspicion of giving secrets on nuclear weapons, fighter jets and air defence missiles to Israel during the 1980s, the US justice department said.
Ben-Ami Kadish, a Connecticut-born US citizen who worked at an army engineering centre in New Jersey, was suspected of reporting to the same
Israeli government handler as Jonathan Jay Pollard, who is serving a life term
on a charge of spying for Israel.
Court papers say Mr Kadish's spying lasted roughly from 1979 to 1985, and his contact with the unidentified Israeli handler continued until March of this year. - (Reuters)
Somali militias recapture port
MOGADISHU - Militias allied to the Somali government recaptured a southern port from Islamists yesterday, as the death toll from an upsurge of fighting in recent days rose to almost 100, witnesses said.
The militias recaptured Guda, which had been taken by the Islamists' militant al-Shabaab wing on Monday, after overnight fighting that brought fatalities on both sides. - (Reuters)
End to E Timor emergency rule
DILI -East Timor president José Ramos-Horta yesterday asked parliament to lift a state of emergency imposed following an attack on him in February.
However, Mr Ramos-Horta he said the state of siege would be extended for another month in a district where army rebels involved in the assassination attempt are believed to be hiding. - (Reuters)
Belarus detainee sentenced
MINSK -Andrei Kim, one of two Belarussian detainees considered political prisoners by western governments, was sentenced yesterday to one year and six months in jail for his actions at a January protest.
Kim was convicted of attacking a policeman at a protest by small entrepreneurs denounced by President Alexander Lukashenko. - (Reuters)
'Wall St Journal' editor resigns
NEW YORK -The Wall Street Journal'smanaging editor is resigning, Dow Jones & Co said yesterday, setting the stage for News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch to further consolidate his power in the business paper's newsroom.
Marcus Brauchli, who was named to the top editorial position at the newspaper a year ago, has accepted a position as consultant at News Corp. - (Reuters)
Call for end to Lebanon crisis
KUWAIT -Western-allied Arab and G8 countries meeting in Kuwait yesterday urged an end to outside interference in Lebanon and the immediate election of a president to end the worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Lebanon's parliament did not hold a scheduled session to elect a president yesterday - the 18th time the chamber has failed to vote due to a political crisis that has paralysed the government and left the presidency vacant since November. - (Reuters)
Troops storm hijacked ship
BOSASSO -Somali troops stormed a Dubai-flagged ship yesterday that had been hijacked off the Horn of Africa nation, releasing
its crew and arresting seven pirates, authorities said.
They pledged to do the same to rescue a Spanish ship that has been held by pirates since the weekend. - (Reuters)