Iran
Opposition Members Deny Claims of Leaders Having Fled
Iranian opposition members have denied claims made by Iran’s state media IRNA that two opposition leaders have fled to a Northern Iranian province, saying they are still in the capital, Reuters news agency reported. Hossein Karoubi, son of opposition candidate Mehdi Karoubi said, “My father and [Mirhossein] Mousavi are in Tehran and IRNA’s report is baseless. They are still pursuing the people’s demands,” in the Parlemannews, according to Reuters. The nephew of Mousavi was finally buried on Wednesday, three days after he was killed in a protest on Sunday. The body had been held and not released from the hospital in what several analysts see as an attempt to prevent any more protests amidst memorial and funeral ceremonies. On Wednesday, pro-regime protests, reportedly organized by the regime, were held in response to opposition protests.
Somalia
Man Under Investigation After Alleged November Airplane Attack
A Somali man has been in custody since November this year after allegedly trying to board a flight in Somalia carrying explosives, and is under investigation by U.S. officials, the Associated Press reported. The man, who was arrested by African Union peacekeeping forces on Nov. 13 tried to board a plane bound for the northern city of Hargeisa, then Djibouti and Dubai. The tools the man carried on him, a syringe filled with liquid and powdered chemicals, are similar to the tools of the suspect of the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound plane last week, a Somali diplomat told AP. “We don’t know whether he’s linked with al-Qaeda or other foreign organizations,” a Somali police spokesman told AP.
The Netherlands
Full Body Scanners on Amsterdam-U.S. Flights
The Dutch government is planning to start using full body scans in Amsterdam airport in three weeks, Minister of Internal Affairs Guusje ter Horst said on Wednesday. All passengers traveling to the United States from the Amsterdam airport will be scanned. The announcement comes a day after Dutch authorities called upon Brussels to make the scanners mandatory. The x-ray passenger scanners, capable of scanning plastic and chemical explosives, have run into privacy concerns in the EU. The Dutch will now adjust the software of the scanners so that a computer analyzes the pictures taken instead of people, Minister ter Horst said. Until the scanners come into use, passengers will be increasingly searched.
India
Protests for Separate State
Strikes and protests erupted in India’s Southern Andra Pradesh State on Wednesday, calling for the creation of a separate state. Security measures have increased in the region and more than 100,000 security personnel have been deployed and over 9,000 bus services have been cancelled, the BBC reported. The Indian central government approved the creation of the separate state, Telangana, earlier this month but backed off after 20 ministers resigned from the cabinet in protest of the decision. The government now says it that a decision will be made after consultation with all parties.
Australia
Wildfires in Western Australia
Wildfires ravaged Western Australia Wednesday, destroying 40 homes and forcing hundreds to flee for their lives. The fire, consisting of two separate large fires, burned over 33,000 acres of forest and farmland, AP reported. Western Australia State Premier Colin Barnett declared the situation a state disaster, and emergency funds are now available for victims. Although wildfires are common during the summer in Australia, homes are not often destroyed. Falling power lines are thought to have started the fires.
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