News in Brief-(30-03-2018)

US judge rules 9/11 suits against Saudi can proceed

WASHINGTON, Mar 29: A US federal judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia's bid to drop lawsuits alleging it helped orchestrate the September 11, 2001 attacks. Manhattan-based Judge George Daniels said in his ruling the plaintiffs "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis" to proceed. These relatives of 9/11 victims say Saudi Arabia provided support to Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. In late September 2016 US Congress passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), allowing survivors and relatives of victims of "terrorism" to sue foreign governments. — AFP

Sierra Leone picks new president

FREETOWN, Mar 29: Sierra Leone chooses a new president on Saturday following a delay caused by a ruling party-backed court case over alleged electoral fraud, spiking tensions following an already fractious campaign. The West African nation's 3.1 million voters will choose between the ruling All Peoples' Congress (APC) candidate Samura Kamara and opposition challenger Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). — AFP

DiCarlo becomes first female UN political chief

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 29: Long-serving American diplomat Rosemary DiCarlo was on Wednesday appointed to become the first woman to head UN political affairs, one of the most high-profile positions at the world body. DiCarlo will replace Jeffrey Feltman, another American who held the post of under- secretary-general for political affairs since 2012, overseeing UN efforts to end conflicts worldwide. A former deputy US ambassador to the United Nations, DiCarlo "brings more than 35 years of experience in public service and academia," a UN statement said, announcing the appointment. — AFP

Suicides rise as years-long war grinds down South Sudanese

MALAKAL, Mar 29: By the time her 19-year-old son was shot in front of her, Ayak had already lost her four brothers and witnessed countless deaths in South Sudan's brutal war. Living alone in a miserable structure of plastic sheets and tin in a huge camp for displaced people, watching as relentless rains turned earth to mud, it all became too much to bear for the 44 year-old. — AFP