International Risk
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Nepal:
Demonstrators, mostly students, attacked the car of Nepal's chief
justice as they rallied against high fuel prices. The justice escaped
unhurt, although the vehicle was damaged. Protesters are demanding that
the government immediately withdraw the increases on petrol, diesel and
cooking fuel and reverse a recent decision to let public transport fares
rise by up to 35 per cent.
THAILAND
Thousands of demonstrators descended on the government complex in
Bangkok to demand the resignation of the prime minister. There have
been reports of minor clashes with police, involving pushing and
shoving, although no injuries have been reported.
There is some concern whether the Thai military will intervene if the
police fail to control the situation. Officials have closed school and
government buildings in the area.
AFGHANISTAN
Suicide bombing and six dead, at least four wounded.
A dismounted suicide bomber approach a NATO convoy and detonated the
explosive attached to his body, killing at least six, including one NATO
soldier and three children. The nationality of the soldier has not been
released. Sources indicate that the Taliban has claimed responsibility
for the attack.
The attack comes a day after two soldiers from the US-led force were
killed in a shooting incident in Helmand.
The attack comes a day after two soldiers from the US-led force were
killed in a shooting incident in Helmand.
PAKISTAN
Four Pakistani soldiers were killed Thursday after exchanging small arms
fire with "unknown miscreants", according a Pakistani military
spokesman.
The incident occurred when a Pakistan force was patrolling
along the Line of Control (LOC) that divides the region between Pakistan
and India.
The Kashmir region historically has been the site of conflict between
Pakistan and neighboring India. Indian sources confirmed that they were
not involved in this incident, although the two countries have been
skirmishing for weeks.
BOSNIA
Two Spanish pilots and two German officers of the European Union's
peacekeeping force were killed when their helicopter crashed in central
Bosnia on Thursday.
The helicopter crashed near the northern town of Kotor Varos in a
mountainous, heavily forested and inaccessible area.
The EU's 2,000-strong multinational force took over in 2005 from NATO,
which had originally deployed at the end of the 1992-95 war.
ZIMBABWE
Four political activists belonging the MDC opposition party, as well as
wife of a mayor affiliated with the party were found dead Thursday,
according to a spokesman for the party. The party blamed the deaths on
current President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF, as political violence
intensifies leading up to next week's presidential runoff election.
Local police confirmed the deaths, but not did not indicate the victims
or any suspects belonged to any specific political party.
Election monitors say they fear that mounting violence makes a fair
election impossible. Mugabe has been Zimbabwe's only leader since the
country's 1980 war of liberation. He said last week that veterans from
that war would take up arms if he lost the election.
INDIA
Heavy rains have resulted in widespread flooding in Orissa and nearby
states in India. Several villages have been washed away, around 850 are
isolated by the flooding, over 30,000 people have been evacuated and the
number of people affected is estimated to be between 500,000 TO
2,000,000.
Experts say that more rains are expected over the weekend, and
conditions are likely to worsen
NIGERIA
Armed attack on the Bonga oil platform about 120km (75 miles) off the
coast of the Niger Delta.
Gunmen attacked an offshore oil platform owned by Royal Dutch Shell off
the coast of the Niger Delta. No deaths have been reported, but the
company temporarily ceased oil production at the platform, which has a
capacity of 200,000 barrels a day.
After the gunmen left the oil platform, they came across a separate oil
supply vessel and kidnapped its US captain.
The militant group Movement for the Emancipation of the Shell Delta
claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Nigeria's oil output has dropped by 20 percent over the past few years,
due to attacks on inland oil fields in the Niger Delta region. Security
of these fields in one of the issues affecting the volatile oil market.
And I could not help but think of this scripture..
II Tim 3:1 to 5 (NIV)
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful,
proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God-
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing
to do with them.
Whether or not you believe in the end times, you must agree that we live
in ''terrible'' times. I just want you to know that there is HOPE!
