World briefly
Published 9:00 pm Saturday, February 17, 2007
China: New Year’s travel begins
The Chinese are on the move. Hundreds of millions of people have clamored aboard cars, buses, planes and trains to return to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year in an event that stretches the country’s transport system to near its breaking point. The People’s Daily said the total number of trips – including by plane, train, ship and vehicle – could total more than 2 billion journeys during the 40 days around the holiday, an increase of nearly 5 percent over last year’s holiday.
India: New airport for New Delhi
The head of India’s ruling coalition laid the foundation stone Saturday for an ambitious $1.5 billion plan to modernize New Delhi’s dilapidated, overcrowded airport. Authorities are planning a new, modern terminal to handle both international and domestic traffic, and a third runway to ensure that the airport can better cope with an ever-increasing tide of air traffic. The airport was designed to handle 12 million passengers a year, but now handles more than 16 million.
Afghanistan: Troops kill civilian
NATO-led troops mistakenly shot and killed an Afghan man in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, believing he was a suicide bomber, the alliance said in a statement. The victim was shot as he ran between vehicles of a military convoy that had stopped near Kandahar’s military airfield, an International Security Assistance Force statement said. Dozens of civilian deaths during operations by foreign troops have undermined government authority among Afghans.
Pakistan: Suicide bomber kills 15
A suicide bomber blew himself up Saturday in a courthouse in Quetta, killing 15 others, including a judge, in the deadliest of a series of attacks that have struck the country in recent weeks. There is suspicion that pro-Taliban militants are targeting sensitive sites to undermine the country’s support of the United States. Saturday’s explosion wounded 24 people and left bloodied clothes and body parts scattered next to wrecked furniture and shattered glass in the district courts. It forced police – already on alert – to further tighten security nationwide.
From Herald news services
