10 METRO Monday, October 12, 2009 D METROWorld A protester wears a mask of Zimbabwes president Robert Mugabe during a London demonstration calling for aid to all 14 South African Development community countries to be suspended until Zimbabwes human rights record improves Picture: AFP CAMBODIA: At least 17 people were missing and presumed drowned yesterday after an overloaded ferry sank in the Mekong river. The 14 women and three men were travelling to a performance at a local Buddhist temple in the north-eastern Kratie province, about 200km from the capital Phnom Penh, when their ferry sank in the strong currents of a tributary. They couldnt wait to see the performance so they all got on the same ferry, Som Sarith, chief of Chhlong district in Kratie province said. Authorities have also removed at least nine motorbikes from the ferry, which went down in an area that has been hit hard by recent flooding. EAST AFRICA: Soldiers defended two fishing boats from pirates in the Indian Ocean, and 11 men suspected of involvement in the failed attack were pursued at sea and captured. After the French soldiers chased away the pirates, the coastguard of the Seychelles archipelago, south of where the attack took place, took up the pursuit. The coastguard captured two boats a small craft with eight men aboard and a larger ship carrying three that was the pirates suspected mothership. The nationality of the suspects was not known, but Somali pirates are active in the Indian Ocean. All those aboard the boats were unharmed. AMERICA: President Barack Obama has restated his campaign pledge to allow gay men and women to serve openly in the military, But he left many at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay civil rights advocacy group, wondering when he would make good on the promise. I will end dont ask-dont tell, Mr Obama (pictured) said in his speech, referring to the policy which allows gay men and women to serve as long as they keep their orientation hidden. He offered no timetable or specifics on the intended policy change. CROATIA: An amateur blogger is to become the first in Europe to be jailed for refusing to take down comments made by one of his readers from his site. Damir Fintic, 29, has said that he wont pay a 21,700 fine for the comments that insulted local mayor Vladimir Stengl. But judges in Vukovar have ruled that he will be jailed for 40 days if he fails to pay. ThAIlAnD: Thousands of supporters of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, all in red shirts, rallied yesterday in Bangkok to demand the government step down and call fresh elections. Supporters of Mr Thaksin (pictured) have staged sporadic protests that threaten to rekindle the political turmoil that has gripped the country since before the former leader was ousted in a 2006 military coup. The protesters called for Parliament to reinstate the 1997 peoples constitution that was abolished after the coup. PhIlIPPInES: Rescue teams searched yesterday for more bodies under tonnes of mud and debris in the north as officials counted the cost on crops and property from two typhoons this month. Nearly 200 people have died and more than 5billion pesos (72.8million) in crops and infrastructure were lost after a week of heavy rains from Typhoon Parma, said Lieutenant- Colonel Ernesto Torres, spokesman for the national disaster agency. Dozens of people are still missing. We have heavy equipment there, but our rescuers are very cautious because they are also at risk. We lost three men who were buried by loosened soil while trying to pull out some bodies in La Trinidad town. SRI lAnKA: President Mahinda Rajapaksas ruling coalition has recorded a strong victory at the polls in his native south, helped by his popularity after defeating Tamil Tiger rebels in a 25-year war. The presidents coalition won 38 seats in the 55-member council of Southern Province in the weekend poll, officials said yesterday. The popular vote for parties in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance was 68 per cent, less than the government had forecast but strong enough to suggest Mr Rajapaksa (pictured) may call early national elections. ISRAEl: Turkey has excluded Israel from an air exercise over Turkish territory, leading to its cancellation, the military said yesterday in a sign of worsening relations between the two US allies. Turkish officials had no immediate comment. The secular Muslim country has been a key ally to Israel, but relations have cooled over Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogans outspoken criticism of Israels three- week offensive in the Gaza Strip last December and January. The military exercise was scheduled to begin today, and takes place every few years. The two countries also share intelligence and have strong trade ties, including the sale of important military equipment. Commandos end siege at army HQBy ELLEN OREILLyA BLOODY 22-hour siege ended in Pakistan as commandos freed doz- ens of hostages held by militants at the armys very own headquarters. At least 19 people died in the stand- off, including three captives and eight of the militants, who wore army fa- tigues in the audacious assault. The rescue operation began before dawn yesterday, freeing 42 hostag- es. One attacker, described as the militants ringleader, was captured after injuring himself by setting off explosives he was carrying. The attack in Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, came as the army was planning its own assault on the Taliban and al-Qaeda. It proves that insurgents have withstood military operations and US missile strikes. Five heavily armed militants took the hostages after they and four oth- ers attacked the main gate on Satur- day, killing six soldiers, including a brigadier and a lieutenant colonel. It was the third major attack in Pa- kistan in a week. The government said that the siege only increased its resolve to undertake an offensive in South Waziristan, a militant tribal region along the Afghan border. Security analysts say that the mili- tants ability to invade the heavily guarded army HQ is evidence that they may have infiltrated the coun- trys security forces. The US and Pakistans other West- ern allies also want Islamabad to take more action against rising in- surgency in Afghanistan. Indian artist Sudersan Pattnaik puts the final touches to a huge sand sculpture of last Fridays Nobel Peace Prize recipient US President, Barack Obama at Golden Sea Beach in the eastern city of Puri Picture: STR/AFP/ Getty A Nobel CAuse Nine die in three bomb attacks THREE bombs killed at least nine people and wounded scores more yesterday in Ramadi, the capital of Iraqs western Anbar province, in the latest in a string of attacks in the vast desert region. Two parked cars exploded close to Anbars provincial government building, and a third blast occurred near the entrance of Ramadis main hospital when a guard opened fire on a suspicious vehicle. Security and health officials said the first two blasts killed at least eight people and wounded 60 more. Major Hussein Ali, an Anbar security official, said only one hospital guard had been killed in the third blast, although other sources said as many as seven had died. Formerly an al-Qaeda stronghold, Anbar has been rocked by a series of bomb attacks in recent months. Last week, a minibus bomb killed at least nine people and a suicide bomber killed six others. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html