The World

By: JournalNow Staff | JOURNAL WIRE REPORT
Published: February 08, 2010

Hundreds denounce Baath party in protest

BAGHDAD -- Hundreds of protesters denounced Iraqis still loyal to Saddam Hussein's Baath Party yesterday as tensions soared over the decision to blacklist suspected Baathists from next month's election.

Protesters chanted and carried signs that said, "No, No to Baath Party!" and "The return of the Baath Party is a return to mass graves."

Israelis arrest two women who work for Palestinians

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Israeli troops broke down the door of an apartment in the Palestinian-ruled West Bank town of Ramallah yesterday and arrested two pro-Palestinian activists from Spain and Australia, their roommate said.

The Israeli military said the two women overstayed their visas, but also alleged they were involved in violent protests in the West Bank.

The two women's attorney, Omer Shatz, said he believes the two were targeted for peaceful protests against Israeli policies in the West Bank.

Britain will tighten visas to stop student violations

LONDON -- Britain is tightening its rules on student visas to prevent people from flouting the rules and working illegally.

The changes -- which are effective immediately -- won't stop genuine students from traveling to Britain to study but will close an avenue that has been exploited, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said yesterday.

Skier buried 17 hours survives in Switzerland

EVOLENE, Switzerland -- A skier was buried beneath an avalanche for 17 hours in the Swiss Alps before being pulled from the snow with only mild hypothermia, police said yesterday.

The 21-year-old man appeared to have survived because he was trapped next to a pocket of air that allowed him to breathe even though he was unable to free himself from the crushing weight of the snow, police in the southern canton of Valais said.

"I've never heard of such a case before," said police spokesman Jean-Marie Bornet. "It's already very difficult to survive more than 45 minutes beneath an avalanche."

Karzai plans to get 300,000 in security force by 2012

MUNICH -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai said yesterday he is looking at instituting conscription to build an army big enough to provide security without international help.

Karzai told a conference of the world's top defense officials in Munich that he wants to build and train an army and police force of 300,000 by 2012 that will be able to provide security for Afghanistan by 2015 without international help.