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British journalists held in Sri Lanka after news report

Sri Lankan authorities on Saturday detained a British news team that produced a report about allegations of abuse and ill-treatment of Tamil refugees. Three journalists from Channel 4 were seized and handed over to Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department for interrogation, police spokesman Ranjih Gunasekera told reporters. The report, aired Tuesday on Channel 4, chronicled the alleged abuse of Tamils in internment camps in the city of Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka, where fighting has raged between government and rebels

Sri Lanka: Troops close in on rebels

Tamil Tiger rebels have been pinned down by Sri Lankan government troops in a small section of the country’s north, the Ministry of Defense claimed Tuesday. “Security forces have now cornered the remaining [rebels], including its most wanted terror chiefs,” the ministry’s Web site reported, saying the rebels are confined to less than 2 square miles (4.5 sq

Pirates hijack UK-owned ship in Indian Ocean

Pirates hijacked a British-owned bulk carrier Saturday in the Indian Ocean, but NATO forces stopped an attack on another vessel in the Gulf of Aden hours earlier, NATO maritime authorities said. The UK cargo ship, the MV Ariana, was carrying 35,000 tons of soya about 250 nautical miles (287 miles) northwest of the Seychelles when it was seized around dawn.

Red Cross: Thousands still trapped in Sri Lanka

Thousands of civilians remain trapped and at risk in a small area of the conflict zone along the northeastern Sri Lankan coast, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday. The civilians include women, children, and elderly, and many are wounded and sick, the ICRC said in a statement.

U.S. airlines waive fees for passengers traveling to Mexico

Though the United States has not issued any travel warnings related to the swine flu outbreak in Mexico, major U.S. airlines are waiving fees for passengers who want to change their tickets to Mexico. Three marines were wounded in the operation conducted by Yemeni forces, according to the SABA news agency

Sri Lanka rejects Tamil Tigers cease-fire

Sri Lankan officials rejected a proposed cease-fire from the Tamil Tiger rebels Sunday, warning instead that government troops intended to continue a new offensive until the group surrenders, a senior government official said. “The government is firm that (the rebels) lay down their arms and surrender. We do not recognize this so-called offer,” said Lakshman Hulugalle, director of Sri Lanka’s Media Center for National Security.

Clinton calls for ‘open and fair’ Lebanon elections

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Lebanon on Sunday to pledge U.S.

5 dead in attack targeting Afghan governor

Five security officials were killed Saturday morning by suicide bombers who were targeting the governor’s office in Kandahar, Afghanistan, government officials said.

More than $200M pledged to beat Somali pirates

Countries have pledged $213 million at an international conference to boost security in Somalia and halt the country’s growing piracy problem. “We have a unique opportunity to support leaders who have shown a commitment to building peace and rebuilding the Somali state,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “By opening the space for security, we open the door to a better life for Somalia’s people.” “The risks of not supporting the new government are too high and the costs of failure too enormous,” Ban added

Spain’s jobless rate soars above 17 percent

Spain’s jobless rate rose sharply, to 17.36 percent in the first quarter, with more than 4 million people out of work, the government said Friday. Nearly half of the 4 million lost their jobs in the past year, the National Statistics Institute said. It’s the first time that Spain’s jobless total has exceeded 4 million, economist Carlos Maravall told CNN.