Iraq summons US envoy over
offensive comments
BAGHDAD, Apr 28: Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that it has summoned the charge d'affaires of the US embassy in Baghdad over comments on social media considered offensive to the diplomatic norms. Iraqi Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf told Xinhua that the ministry summoned the US charge d'affaires on what was considered "a violation of diplomatic norms and international rules governing the operation of missions in host states." — Xinhua
Benin holds vote with no
opposition candidates
COTONOU, Apr 28: People in Benin are voting for a new parliament but without a single opposition candidate taking part. The electoral authorities ruled last month that only two parties - both loyal to President Patrice Talon - met the requirements to take part. New electoral laws mean a party had to pay about $424,000 (£328,000) to field a list for the 83-seat parliament. — BBC
UK Labour Party may force
climate emergency vote
LONDON, Apr 28: Britain's opposition Labour Party is expected to force a vote this week to declare a national climate change emergency following the 11-day protests that gridlocked parts of central London. "On Wednesday, the UK Parliament will have the chance to be the first in the world to declare an environment and climate emergency, which we hope will trigger a wave of action from parliaments and governments around the world," Corbyn said Saturday. — AFP
Airstrikes kill four in Tripoli
TRIPOLI, Apr 28: Unknown airstrikes attacked a residential area south of the Libyan capital Tripoli late Saturday, killing four people and injuring 10 others, according to military and medical sources. "Five airstrikes targeted sites in Abu Salim and Al-Fallah (southern Tripoli)," a government military source told Xinhua. — Xinhua
Four perish as crane falls
on busy Seattle street
SEATTLE, Apr 28: A construction crane fell from a building on Google's new Seattle campus during a storm that brought wind gusts, crashing down onto one of the city's busiest streets and killing four people. One female and three males had died by the time firefighters had arrived Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. — AP
Three Pakistani forces die in bomb blast
ISLAMABAD, Apr 28: A Pakistani security official says a bomb blast near the Afghan border has killed three security personnel. Local administration official Rehmat Khan says a paramilitary soldier was wounded in Saturday's blast near a security checkpoint in North Waziristan, which was a longtime stronghold for the Taliban, al-Qaida and other militant groups. — AP
Former Algerian police chief faces graft charges
ALGIERS, Apr 28: A former Algerian police chief once considered a pillar of the regime of ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been summoned for questioning about allegations of corruption, state media said on Sunday. Since Bouteflika resigned in early April after weeks of mass protests against his rule, several regime officials and businessmen who were close to him have been sacked or detained over alleged graft. — AFP
Colombia offers $1.0m for
ex-FARC leader info
BOGOTA, Apr 28: The Colombian government on Saturday said it was offering a near-$1 million dollar reward for information leading to the capture of a senior former FARC guerilla commander wanted for violating a peace treaty that ended half a century of armed conflict. Defence Minister Guillermo Botero announced the reward of around $930,000 a day after a peace tribunal canceled Hernan Dario Velasquez Saldarriaga's parole. — AFP
