Smoke-filled airplane makes emergency landing in Maine
A Scandinavian Airlines Airbus en route from Newark, New Jersey to Copenhagen, Denmark was forced to make an emergency landing at Maine’s Bangor airport after its cockpit filled with smoke. The 230 passengers and 12 crew members aboard were then checked for smoke inhalation, but no injuries have so far been reported, airport director Tony Caruso said. The flight has been cancelled and airport officials are helping the stranded passengers find provisional accommodations.
US, Japan, South Korea conduct first-ever joint naval exercises
The US, Japanese and South Korean navies are conducting their first-ever joint naval exercises south of the Korean peninsula. The two-day training will see the three nations hone their cooperative capabilities both in military and rescue operations. The US is deploying the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, while Japan sent three ships, including aircraft carrier Kurama and destroyer Kirisima. South Korea did not disclose the scale of its participation due to its tense situation with North Korea. Experts believe the training exercises are to demonstrate the three nations’ ability to cooperate and keep a check on Chinese and North Korean naval aspirations.
Ecuador weighs Assange’s death sentence risk - FM
Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said that Julian Assange’s request for political asylum "requires profound analysis," and that the country is now studying the “charge that he risks being tried for political reasons and could be sentenced to death.” Ecuador is committed to protecting “the human right to life and to freedom of expression,” the FM wrote on his Twitter account. Earlier, Ecuadorian Deputy Foreign Minister Marco Albuja said that President Rafael Correa is expected to give his instructions on whether to proceed with granting Assange asylum or not on Thursday.
Pakistani textiles minister nominated as next PM
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has nominated the country’s textile industry minister, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, for the post of prime minister, state television reported. This comes after the Supreme Court ruled that Yousaf Raza Gilani, the country’s Prime Minister since 2008, was to be removed from office because of an earlier conviction of contempt of court. Gilani, Zardari and Shahabuddin are all members of the center-left Pakistan Peoples Party.
Assange asylum decision expected within 24 hours
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa will “give his instructions tomorrow” about Julian Assange’s request for political asylum, deputy foreign minister Marco Albuja said Thursday. "We still can't make a final decision public yet, until tomorrow,” Albuja said as cited by AFP. Assange is seeking political asylum in Ecuador and is currently at the embassy in London’s Hans Crescent, with Scotland Yard aware of his whereabouts. British police say Assange breached his house arrest conditions by staying at the Ecuadorian Embassy Tuesday night.
Former Romanian PM shoots self after corruption conviction
Former Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase shot himself in the neck after the country’s Supreme Court upheld a corruption conviction that sentenced him to two years in prison, the country’s current Prime Minister Victor Ponta reported. Nastase was taken to hospital and his condition was reportedly under control. Nastase served as the country’s prime minister from 2000 to 2004, under President Ion Iliescu. He ran for president in 2004, but lost to Bucharest mayor Traian Basescu. Nastase was then accused of using funds obtained by charging companies and state agencies to attend a conference to finance his unsuccessful campaign. In March this year, he was found guilty, but appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
Woman reported dead aboard airplane
A woman became unresponsive aboard a Delta Airlines flight from Detroit to Phoenix, and was pronounced dead after the plane made an emergency landing in Colorado Springs, a Delta spokesperson said. Flight attendants and a doctor performed CPR on the woman while the aircraft was making its way to the airport, but officials determined she was dead after the plane landed. The name, age and cause of death of the woman have not been disclosed. The plane continued its flight to Phoenix shortly after the incident.
31 killed in Yemeni raids on al-Qaeda
At least 28 militants and three soldiers have been killed in a Yemeni offensive against al-Qaeda, military officials said. They also discovered the bodies of seven militants, including three Egyptians, killed in earlier fighting. The clashes have been taking place in the southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa. At least six air raids have been launched on militants’ positions in Mahfad, an al-Qaeda stronghold in the Abyan province, alone. The Yemeni strikes are supported by a US military command center at the al-Annad air base. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Yemen.
Fed downgrades forecast; extends cheap credit program
The US Federal Reserve reduced its forecast of economic growth, saying the US economy will grow no more than 2.4 per cent this year, down from the 2.9 per cent figure it gave in April. It also noted that unemployment is not likely to fall and will stay at 8.2 per cent until the end of the year. In order to stimulate the economy, the Federal Reserve extended its “Twist” program, which seeks to spur borrowing and spending by drastically cutting the interest rate for long-term bonds. The body’s chairman, Ben Bernanke, said additional action was needed as no improvements were seen in the job market. He cited the European debt crisis and worries over tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect next year if Congress doesn’t come up with a debt-reduction plan as the main factors holding back economic growth.
Hamas ready for truce with Israel
The military wing of Hamas, the Palestinian movement governing the Gaza Strip, says it will agree to an Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel as long as Israel stops its airstrikes. The statement came amidst an upsurge in violence, with Israel conducting airstrikes on what it claims are militants, and Hamas’ Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades firing rockets and mortars at Israeli settlements along the border. The clashes have so far resulted in eight deaths, all of them of the Palestinian side, over the past three days.
Egypt delays election results
Egypt’s election commission has delayed the official announcement of presidential results scheduled for Thursday, the official MENA news agency reports. The new date of the results’ announcement has not been made public. The election commission said it was looking into more than 400 appeals from lawyers of both candidates into alleged campaign violations. Earlier both candidates – the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq – claimed victory in the presidential run-off which took place on June 16 and 17.
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