INDONESIA BLASTS: Indonesian police say nine people have been killed and at least 50
others wounded in near simultaneous bombings at two luxury hotels in
Jakarta Friday.
Indonesia's security minister (Widodo Adi Sucipto) said
the blasts that ripped through the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels
were caused by "high explosives" which were detonated just minutes apart
A government official says many of the victims were foreign nationals.
Authorities say the bombs were planted near the restaurant of the
Ritz-Carlton and in the basement of the Marriott.
INDONESIA SDBR - BRITISH: Britain's Manchester United football (soccer) club has canceled the Indonesian leg of its Asian tour after Friday's deadly bombing attacks in Jakarta. Manchester United was set to arrive in Jakarta Saturday to prepare for a match against the Indonesian All Star team scheduled for Monday. Nine people were killed and at least 50 others wounded in near simultaneous bombings at the Ritz Carlton and Marriott luxury hotels in Jakarta. Manchester United was booked to stay at the Ritz Carlton. The hotel sustained extensive damage in the bombings.
CLINTON - ASIA: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to arrive in India Friday for talks aimed at boosting emerging ties between the United States and India. Clinton will arrive in India's financial hub Mumbai Friday evening where she will attend a memorial service for 166 people killed in last year's terrorist attacks in the city. On Sunday, Clinton heads to New Delhi for talks with senior Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The leaders will discuss ways to build on a strategic partnership that began with a nuclear cooperation accord in 2005.
CHINA - AUSTRALIA: Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is dismissing allegations that four of its executives engaged in spying in China. Sam Walsh, chief executive of Rio Tinto's iron ore division, issued a statement Friday calling the charges "wholly without merit." The four executives were detained last week and accused of bribing executives at all of China's 16 steel companies to obtain information during global iron ore talks earlier this year. China considers steel production to be a state secret.
PAKISTAN - SHARIF: Pakistan's Supreme Court has tossed out a hijacking conviction against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, clearing the way for the popular politician to run for public office again. The high court ruled Friday there was no evidence to support the charges that the former prime minister ordered the 1999 "hijacking" of a commercial plane carrying then army chief Pervez Musharraf. Mr. Sharif went into exile after Mr. Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup. Mr. Sharif was barred from holding office following the conviction.
IRAN - POLITICS: Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani says Iranians still
have "doubts" about last month's disputed presidential vote and he
called for the release of opposition supporters detained during
post-election demonstrations.
The influential cleric spoke to tens of thousands of people gathered
for Friday prayers at Tehran University. Many in the crowd were
supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who
attended the prayer service in his first public appearance since the
election.
OBAMA - NAACP: U.S. President Barack Obama has challenged members of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to continue
fighting discrimination and other barriers that African-Americans face.
Mr. Obama, the nation's first African-American president, spoke late
Thursday in New York City at a convention marking the civil rights
organization's 100th anniversary. In a dramatic speech that echoed his oratory during last year's
campaign for the presidency, Mr. Obama praised those who took part in
the U.S. civil rights movement during the 20th century.
MEXICO - DRUGS: The Mexican government is sending 5,500 police officers and military
personnel to the western state of Michoacan to help quell an increase
in drug-related violence.
Mexican officials said Thursday the force will be backed by armored
vehicles and Black Hawk helicopters. It will include soldiers, navy
personnel and federal police.
About 1,000 police officers began arriving in the area Thursday.
The police and military outfits join an anti-drug force of several
hundred troops and federal police in the state, which is a home base
for the drug cartel known as La Familia Michoacana.
TEENAGER - SAILING RECORD: A 17-year old from California docked his
boat Thursday after 13 months at sea, becoming the youngest person ever
to sail solo around the world. Zac Sunderland left port in southern
California on June 14, 2008. He
endured storms, breakdowns, and a run-in with suspected pirates on his
journey across more than 50,000 kilometers. Hundreds of onlookers
welcomed Sunderland as he finally arrived back in
southern California. He said, "it's been a crazy 13 months."
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