A round-up of today's world news in brief
Seven shot dead in Beirut violence
BEIRUT- Seven people were shot dead in Beirut yesterday in some of the worst internal violence since Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, raising tensions in a country gripped by a political crisis.
At least five of the dead were supporters of the pro-Syrian opposition, opposition sources said.
The opposition has been locked in a power struggle for more than a year with the western-backed government of prime minister Fouad Siniora.
The conflict has fuelled tensions between Shia Muslims loyal to the opposition and Sunni followers of Saad al-Hariri, who leads the governing coalition. - (Reuters)
10,000 facing forced evacuation
MAPUTO- Mozambique will forcibly evacuate 10,000 people who have defied calls to leave areas at risk of flooding, the government said yesterday as an advancing tropical cyclone threatened to swell floodwaters.
Floods have already cost at least 18 lives and destroyed homes, livestock and crops. The government says 92,000 people have been rescued. Mozambique said early this month that 200,000 were at risk. - (Reuters)
Disruption at SA mines to continue
JOHANNESBURG- South African mining companies were allowed to resume underground maintenance work yesterday as a power crisis that has crippled the country's mining industry entered a third day.
But mineral extraction was still not permitted after a flurry of weekend talks and mining officials said it appeared that no production would be possible for a few more days. - (Reuters)
Aid worker in Afghan kidnap
KANDAHAR- Afghan forces searched yesterday for a US aid worker kidnapped by gunmen from the southern city of Kandahar. No one has claimed responsibility for the abduction of the 49-year-old unidentified burka-clad woman who was seized from her car along with her driver while heading for work on Saturday. - (Reuters)
Six youths killed in train crash
KIEV -A train ran over and killed six young people in Ukraine as they were crossing the rail tracks on their way home from a nightclub, the emergencies ministry said yesterday.
The revellers, all aged between 17-20 years, were crossing the tracks to reach their village in western Ukraine in the early hours, the ministry said. The train driver spotted the youths but could not break quickly enough. - (Reuters)