'Suspicious item' aboard American Airlines flight in Miami declared safe

A suspicious item found aboard an American Airlines flight at Miami Day International Airport on Monday morning has been declared safe, according to federal officials.

Indonesia aids Australian flash flooding with $1 million

The Government of Indonesia will be sending $1 million to help the relief efforts in Australia's Lockyer Valley flash flooding which has, according to the latest report, killed 18 people, the country's state-run Antara news agency reported on Monday.

"I have written to the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) to send $1 million in funds to Queensland," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said.

Laksono said the order was received directly from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, adding that Australia has previously shown constant support in Indonesian disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes.

Egyptian man sentenced to death for Christmas Eve mass shooting

An Egyptian man has been sentenced to death for the shooting and killing of seven people outside a church on Coptic Christmas Eve, the Daily News Egypt reported on Monday.

Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, also known as "Hammam El-Kamouny," was sentenced to death for shooting and killing six Coptic Christians and one Muslim in Naga Hammadi last year. It happened on the Coptic Christmas Eve, which fell on January 6. 

German police discovers explosive devices in front of Croatian embassy

German police on Monday discovered explosive devices in front of the Croatian embassy in the capital city Berlin, Welt newspaper reported.

A suspicious package was discovered in front of the Croatian Embassy in Berlin. A special police team was rushed to the scene to avoid an explosion. A hand grenade was found inside the package. 

Death toll reaches 633 in Brazil's mudslides and flooding

The death toll in southeastern Brazil's mudslides and flooding has risen to 633, according to the latest numbers released on Monday by the Government of Rio de Janeiro.

The largest number of victims were from Nova Friburgo where 287 people have died, followed by Teresopolis with 271 fatal victims. In Petropolis and Sumidoro, 56 and 19 people have died, respectively.

Oceania Football Confederation elects new President

The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) on Sunday announced that Papua New Guinea's David Chung, who has been Acting President since November last year, has been elected unopposed to officially become OFC President for the next four years.

"I thank you for entrusting me with the position of OFC President for the next four years," said the Malaysia-born Chung. "I am truly humbled. You can be rest assured that I will do everything possible to promote unity, solidarity and transparency.

With his election as President, David Chung also becomes FIFA Vice President with immediate effect. He will be officially presented to the Congress of FIFA on the 1st of June.

Indonesia backs East Timor's ASEAN membership

Indonesia on Sunday expressed its support of East Timor's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), local media reported.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the country "openly supports" East Timor's wish to join ASEAN, which currently has 10 members, Indonesia's state-run media Antara news agency reported.

Even though no official application has been submitted, Natalegawa said he had heard that East Timor would begin processing it this year to follow the ASEAN membership stages.

Hospital: Giffords' condition upgraded to serious

The condition of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was upgraded from critical to serious on Sunday, the hospital said, a day after she was freed from a ventilator.

University Medical Center in Tucson said Giffords is continuing to 'do well' and is breathing on her own, allowing her status to be upgraded to serious. On Saturday morning, a tracheotomy was performed on Giffords to replace the breathing tube which had been running down her throat with a tracheotomy tube in her windpipe, protecting her airway and freeing her from the ventilator. 

Irish Prime Minister Cowen refuses to step down

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen announced on Sunday that he will remain as the leader of the governing Fianna Fáil party, the Irish Times reported.

After two days of consultation, Cowen said that resigning would lead to confusion and a loss of authority.
" "For Fianna Fáil the party is important but the interests of the country are paramount," Cowen said. "No. I made no indication of resigning at any time as leader of the party."

Despite demands for him to step down, Cowen added that he plans to table a motion of confidence in his leadership at Tuesday's Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting.



Hospital: Giffords' condition upgraded to serious

The condition of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was upgraded from critical to serious on Sunday, the hospital said.The upgrade came a day after Giffords had a surgical procedure which freed her from a ventilator. "The Congresswoman continues to do well. She is breathing on her own. Yesterday's procedures were successful and uneventful," the hospital said on Sunday.

Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved.

U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN GIFFORDS' CONDITION UPGRADED TO SERIOUS - HOSPITAL

The condition of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has been upgraded to serious from critical, hospital says.

Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved.

President Obama commends 'peaceful and orderly' Sudan referendum

U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday congratulated Sudan for peacefully carrying out their historic, week-long referendum regarding the future of southern Sudan.


"The sight of so many Sudanese casting their votes in a peaceful and orderly fashion was an inspiration to the world and a tribute to the determination of the people and leaders of south Sudan to forge a better future," Obama stated.

Somali pirates release Greek ship, then hijack another

Somali pirates on Sunday released a Greek-owned ship which was hijacked more than half a year ago, hours before hijacking another Greek ship in the Somali Basin, according to the European Union Naval Force - Somalia on Monday.

EU Naval Force spokesman Paddy O'Kennedy said pirates released the Marshall Islands flagged product tanker MV Motivator on early Sunday morning, approximately 160 nautical miles (296 kilometers) southwest of the island of Socotra near the coast of Somalia. It was originally hijacked on July 4, 2010 when it was in the Southern Red Sea.

Mine threats after flood waters recede in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's military and the United Nations on Sunday warned of the threat posed by unexploded mines which are surfacing now flood waters are receding, the Sunday Times reported.

"There is every possibility of mines surfacing as a result of flood waters," military spokesperson Udaya Madawala told the Sri Lankan newspaper. The mines are remnants of the civil war between government troops and Tamil rebels that ended in May 2009.

The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the flood waters could unearth mines, ERWs and explosives, and carry them to areas thought to be safe.

Nebraska's Teresa Scanlan crowned Miss America 2011

Nebraska's 17-year-old Teresa Scanlan was crowned Miss America 2011 on Saturday night, becoming the youngest since a 1938 age regulation was changed in 1993.

Scanlan, from Gering, Nebraska and a Scottsbluff High School student, was selected out of 52 other participants in the pageant's 90th edition, which was held at Las Vegas' Theater for the Performing Arts, winning a $50,000 scholarship.

In 1938, the beauty pageant placed a rule, requiring all participants to be at least 18 years old, with an age limit at 28. However, in 1993, the rule was changed to 17 to 24. The youngest to ever win Miss America was Connecticut's 15-year-old Marian Bergeron in 1933. 

Anti-government protests continue in Jordan

Jordanian opposition political parties and professional associations demonstrated in front of the parliament on Sunday afternoon to protest government actions and the difficult economic situation, the Ammo News agency reported.

NATO oil tankers attacked in Pakistan

Gunmen on Saturday torched at least 16 tankers in Pakistan carrying oil supplies for U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, Dawn Television reported.

The attack took place in the Dera Murad Jamali district of the southwestern province of Balochistan as the tankers were parked at a roadside restaurant when eight gunmen struck. Two tankers were saved after, while sixteen others were destroyed.

The frequent attacks on trucks carrying supplies for troops have led the United States to rely on other supply routes, including through countries north of Afghanistan. In 2010, more than 170 supply vehicles were torched and six people, most of them drivers, were killed.

Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved.

Roadside bomb kills nine taxi passengers in northern Afghanistan

A roadside bomb killed nine people traveling in a taxi in northern Afghanistan on Sunday, police and coalition forces said.

The attack happened around 1 p.m. local time in the Pul-e Khumi district of Baghlan province when a taxi struck an improvised explosive device (IED), according to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The nine people traveling in the taxi were killed.

U.S. cancels 'virtual' fence along Mexican border

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has canceled the controversial project to build a virtual wall to secure the U.S. border with Mexico, the El Universal newspaper reported.

After almost five years, the virtual fence project, which had already consumed more than one billion dollars, was not meeting the objectives according to internal reports of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Office of Government Accountability Office.

Nigeria starts voter registration for April elections

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday launched the voter registration for the general election in April, Xinhua news agency reported.


Jonathan, who on Thursday won the Peoples Democratic Party presidential primary election, registered as a voter along with family members in southeast Bayelsa State.