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WORLD IN BRIEF

NEW DRUG TUNNEL FOUND NEAR US-MEXICO BORDER
TIJUANA, Mexico: Mexican authorities said they have discovered a “sophisticated” tunnel likely intended for smuggling drugs and migrants across the US-Mexico border.

The entrance to the tunnel, which was still under construction, is located in a warehouse about 300 meters from the border between the Mexican city of Mexicali and Calexico, California, Mexicali police chief Marco Antonio Carrillo said. The tunnel, which is about 10 meters deep and 30 meters long, has a ventilation system and lighting and is considered the most “sophisticated” of such structures found in recent years, Carrillo said. Authorities uncovered it thanks to an anonymous tip, he added.

GAZA CHILD DIES IN MYSTERY EXPLOSION
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: A 6-year-old boy in Gaza died and three others were wounded in an explosion in Khan Yunis, Palestinian medical sources said. The Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis was not able to state what caused the explosion that resulted in the death of Moussa Kawaree. Israel maintains a “buffer zone” of at least 300 meters in the Gaza Strip along the border, and prevents access to Palestinians under threat of firing.

IRAN DESIGNS SOFTWARE FOR CONTROLLED SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS
TEHRAN: Iran is designing “intelligent software” that would give citizens restricted and controlled access to banned social networking sites, local media Sunday quoted police chief Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghadam as saying. Facebook, Twitter and many other social websites are blocked by an official filtering mechanism as part of Iran’s strict Internet censorship. But many web users in Iran, where half of the 75-million population is connected to the Internet, have found ways around the blocks through sophisticated software known as VPN despite it being declared illegal in Iran. AFP

World

Japan, Vietnam vow to cooperate on sea row

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : World   |  Hits:16
By : AFP

HANOI: Vietnam and Japan must “play a more active role” in maintaining regional peace and security, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in the face of growing maritime tensions with China. Read more

Algeria troops surround Islamist hostage-takers

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : World   |  Hits:18
By : AFP

ALGIERS: Algerian troops surrounded Islamists holding foreign hostages at a gas field on Thursday, a day after a deadly attack the gunmen said was in reprisal for Algeria’s cooperation in French operations in Mali. Read more

Floods bring Indonesia’s capital to near stand still

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : World   |  Hits:17
By : AFP

JAKARTA: Waist-deep floods brought the Indonesian capital Jakarta to a standstill on Thursday, with roads impassable, thousands of homes under water and the president forced to roll up his trousers at the palace. Read more

Obama unveils sweeping gun control measures

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : World   |  Hits:15
By : AFP

WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Barack Obama on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) demanded an assault weapons ban and universal background checks for gun buyers as part of sweeping gun control measures in response to the Newtown school massacre. Read more

WORLD IN BRIEF

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : World   |  Hits:14
By : AFP

NO SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO ARREST PAKISTAN PMISLAMABAD: The head of Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog told the Supreme Court on Thursday he did not yet have enough evidence to move against Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and 15 Read more

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