World news, 18th September, 2015

1.USA

US frees Moroccan held for 13 years at Guantanamo Bay

Another Guantanamo Bay prisoner has been released as part of the drawn-out effort to wind down and eventually close the detention centre at the US base in Cuba.

Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri was sent to his native Morocco after more than 13 years in custody at Guantanamo.

2. MEXICO

Mexico arrests cartel figure over 43 missing students

Federal authorities in Mexico have captured a suspected high-ranking drug cartel member who they says is implicated in last year’s disappearance of 43 college students in the state of Guerrero.

State prosecutor Miguel Angel Godinez Munoz announced the arrest of Gildardo Lopez Astudillo, whose nickname is ‘El Gil’, in a statement on Thursday, and National Security Commissioner Renato Sales later confirmed the detention.

Sales called Lopez Astudillo, 36, the “intellectual author” of the students’ disappearance. He was arrested in the city of Taxco and is suspected of drug, extortion and organised crime offences.

3. EUROPE

Man convicted over Ex- Iraqi PM plot shot dead in Berlin

A man previously convicted over a plot to kill a former Iraqi prime minister during a 2004 visit to Berlin has been shot dead by police in the German capital, officials say.

The 41-year-old man, named as Rafik Y, was threatening pedestrians with a knife in the street in Heerstrasse in Berlin’s Spandau district.

The man seriously injured a female officer before another officer shot him dead, according to police.

4. ASIA

Pakistani Taliban storms airbase near Peshawar

Fighters belonging to the Pakistani Taliban have stormed an air force station near Peshawar in Pakistan’s northwest, resulting in a firefight with security forces and the deaths of at least 43 people, sources say.

ISPR, the Pakistan military’s media wing, said at least 21 security officers and five civilians working at the Badaber Air Force base died and 14 fighters were killed in Friday morning’s gun battle.

5. AFRICA – BURKINA FASO

Coup leaders release Burkina Faso interim president

Burkina Faso’s military has reportedly released the country’s interim president after he was detained during a coup that dissolved his government.

The military released a statement on Friday saying that Michel Kafando has been released from military custody.

The move comes after international condemnation and demands for his release. The interim prime minister was also detained and remains under house arrest.

6. Protesters against military coup killed in Burkina Faso

At least three people have been killed and 60 injured during street clashes in Burkina Faso’s capital as protesters demonstrated against a military coup, a senior source in the main hospital has said.

Witnesses said that soldiers fired warning shots on Thursday to disperse crowds gathering in the streets of Ouagadougou, who responded by throwing stones.

The military had taken to the airwaves earlier on Thursday to declare it now controlled the country, confirming that a coup has taken place on Wednesday – just weeks before national elections.

Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general, called for the country’s military to “exercise restraint”.

Ban condemned “in the strongest terms” the coup led by a close ally of toppled former leader Blaise Compaore.

7. SPORTS

FIFA reels again as secretary- general Valcke suspended

FIFA is reeling from a fresh scandal as Secretary-General Jerome Valcke was dramatically suspended over allegations of involvement in a ticketing scam and placed under investigation. In a strongly worded statement issued by Valcke’s US-based lawyer, the official decried the allegations as false.

8. Nigeria emerges Tops again

Team Nigeria has emerged, the best; best track and field country after the conclusion of the athletic events of the 11th All Africa Games at the new Kintele Stadium in Brazzaville, Congo on Thursday. Nigeria won a total of 10 gold medals t emerge tops for the ninth consecutive edition and 10th overall.