News In Brief

Imran sworn in as Pak MP
Afp, Islamabad

Pakistani politician Imran Khan yesterday urged the government and military leaders to build a strategy to halt US drone attacks in the country's northwest as he was sworn into parliament.
Khan, the head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party which made a major breakthrough at the May 11 general election, couldn't take the oath on June 1 for health reasons.

Shebab attacks UN compound
Afp, Mogadishu

Somalia's al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents yesterday said they had attacked and shot their way into a key United Nations compound in the capital Mogadishu, the first major attack in recent years targeting the UN.
An AFP reporter said a loud explosion had been heard followed by heavy gunfire from the complex -- home to UN humanitarian agencies. A UN source in Nairobi said that "all staff are in a safe room" inside the compound.

US confidence in news- papers hits new low
Afp, Washington

Confidence in newspapers has taken another hit among Americans, dropping to 23 percent, according to a new survey.
That compares to confidence levels of 25 percent in 2012 and 28 percent in 2011, said the Gallup poll.
The latest figure is just above the all-time low of 22 percent in 2007, but the downward trend has been generally steady since 1979, when it stood at 51 percent.

Assange marks 1 year in embassy
Afp, London

A year after seeking refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Julian Assange remains fearful of US "revenge" over the WikiLeaks disclosures and aware that the diplomatic deadlock over his case may continue for months, if not years.
Assange was arrested in London on December 7, 2010, on a warrant issued by Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning for the alleged sexual assault of two women.