Africa
Foreigners ‘abducted’ by Algerian Islamists
Islamist militants in eastern Algeria are reported to have abducted several foreigners in what the British Foreign Office says is a “terrorist incident”. At least one person has been killed in an attack on an oil facility at the town of In Amenas, according to local media. It is unclear which nationalities were involved, with unconfirmed reports suggesting French, Japanese, British or Norwegian citizens may have been taken hostage. Oil giant BP, which runs the installation in partnership with Norwegians and Algerians, confirms there has been an incident there. It is unclear if today’s attack is related to French preparations to attack Islamist militants in Mali, Algeria’s southern neighbour. The Algerian army has reportedly launched an operation to free the hostages.
French set for first major ground combat in Mali
French troops are preparing for their first major ground combat with Islamist militants in Mali after heading out from the capital, Bamako, where locals have given them a warm welcome. A convoy of about 30 armoured vehicles set out yesterday for Diabaly, a town captured by rebels on Monday, which lies about 350km (220 miles) to the north. The first units of an African force are due to arrive today to bolster the French attack.
Somalian Al-Shabab militants ‘to kill’ French hostage
Al-Shabab militants in Somalia say they will execute French intelligence agent Denis Allex in retaliation for a botched rescue attempt. The French government, however, says it believes Mr Allex was killed by his captors during Friday’s raid in which two French commandos died. Al-Shabab have denied this.
Asia
Major Japanese airlines ground Boeing 787s after emergency
Japan’s two main airlines have grounded their Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one was forced to make an emergency landing due to battery problems. All Nippon Airways (ANA) grounded its fleet of 17 Dreamliners when its flight NH 692 from Yamaguchi Ube was forced to land shortly after takeoff. Japan Airlines followed suit, saying it would ground its fleet of seven 787s until further notice. This is the latest of several setbacks for Boeing and its beleaguered Dreamliner planes. In recent weeks, Dreamliners have suffered issues including fuel leaks, a cracked cockpit window, brake problems and an electrical fire. Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group said: “you’re nearing the tipping point where they need to regard this as a serious crisis… this is going to change people’s perception of the aircraft if they don’t act quickly.”
Middle East
Suicide bombing in Iraq kills ten, injures 90
At least ten people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on a political office in northern Iraq, according to officials. More than 90 people are reported to have been injured in the attack on the offices of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) in the city of Kirkuk. The KDP is led by the president of the largely autonomous Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani. Police say the blast was caused by a vehicle driven by a suicide bomber and caused considerable damage. Kirkuk is the most bitterly contested of Iraq’s disputed territories, claimed by both the Kurdish region and by the Arab-dominated central government in Baghdad, which currently controls it. It is rich both in oil and in symbolic importance to Kurdish nationalists.
Suicide bomb attack on Afghan security offices in Kabul kills three
Three civilians were killed and 30 hurt in a major suicide bombing on a building belonging to Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) in the capital, Kabul, according to officials. The explosion came from a car bomb, while explosives in a second such car were successfully defused, likely preventing further deaths. Five attackers were killed. The Taliban, who have launched several major raids on Kabul, claimed responsibility for the attack. Reporters say the target area is often packed with civilians who come to collect passports and national ID cards at the interior ministry.
Europe
Germany’s central bank considering recalling gold reserves
Germany’s central bank is considering bringing gold reserves worth €133bn ($177bn) home from France, Britain and the United States. The bars were originally removed from Germany as a precaution against an invasion by the Soviet Union, and are currently being stored in vaults in New York, London and Paris. The Bundesbank is expected to set out its plans in full later today. It is common practice for central banks to store gold abroad in case it needs to buy foreign currency quickly in a time of crisis; it is faster to use gold stored in New York as collateral to buy US dollars than using gold stored in Berlin, for example.
Helicopter crashes in central London, killing two
Two people have been killed and nine injured when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London in misty conditions this morning. Police said the helicopter appeared to hit a crane on top of The Tower, One St George Wharf, at about 0800 GMT. Doctors said one of the dead was the pilot and the other was on the ground. Burning wreckage lay in the road but the fire was brought under control by the fire brigade.
North America
Obama to unveil gun control measures
US President Barack Obama is expected to unveil wide-ranging measures aimed at curbing gun violence at 1145 EST (1645 GMT) today. The proposals could echo measures, considered the toughest in the nation, passed in New York State yesterday. President Obama has said he favours bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as broader background checks. The US gun control debate has been reignited following last month’s massacre of 27 people, including 20 children, in a mass shooting at a school in Connecticut.
House approves $51bn Sandy aid package
The US House of Representatives has approved $51bn in aid for damage caused by ‘super-storm’ Sandy, despite opposition from conservatives criticising the spending. In separate votes, the lower chamber of the US Congress passed $17bn in emergency aid and $34bn for long-term projects. Congress has already approved $9.7bn in flood insurance aid, after north-eastern lawmakers criticised House leaders for delaying a vote. The October 2012 storm flooded East Coast areas and killed at least 120 people.
Latin America
Cuba confirms 51 cholera cases in Havana
Cuba’s health ministry has confirmed a cholera outbreak in Havana with 51 people infected – the biggest incidence of the disease there in decades. An official statement said health workers had detected an increase in “acute diarrhoea” in some districts, which has been established as cholera. The outbreak was detected on 6 January. According to the health ministry, measures taken since then mean the disease is in its “extinction phase”. Cholera is carried by contaminated water or food. It causes severe dehydration through diarrhoea and can be fatal if untreated.
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