The attack took place around sunset in the Egyptian border town of Rafah, when the troops were having the traditional meal at the end of the daily fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
- AP
Irish ex-president criticizes ANC
JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress' "moral authority has been eroded" by a string of corruption allegations, Ireland's former president said Sunday, telling South Africa's governing party to back away from a proposed official secrets law and confront poverty and inequality.
Mary Robinson used a speech Sunday in Cape Town at an event honoring Nelson Mandela, the ANC's iconic political leader, to prod his party's focus toward social justice. While acknowledging the party's long history at bringing true democracy to the country, Robinson said South Africa remains "a nation of paradoxes" where economic opportunities remain few for the nation's youth.
Robinson, also a former U.N. high commissioner for human rights, focused first on South Africa's proposed official secrets law. The bill, passed by lawmakers in November, makes it a crime to divulge state secrets, while not allowing for those who break the law to avoid going to jail if they argue they acted in the public interest.
- AP
Spain charges 2 in terror group
MADRID - Two Russians suspected of plotting a terror attack in Europe were charged in Spain on Sunday with belonging to an unnamed terror organization and possession of explosives, and placed under indefinite detention.
The judge who approved the charges, Pablo Ruz, also said a Turkish engineer who worked in Gibraltar and was arrested in the same case had paid for Spanish paragliding lessons for the men.
The court named the Russians of Chechen descent as Eldar Magomedov and Mohamed Ankari Adamov and said in a statement there was evidence linking them with "belonging to or forming part of a terrorist organization." The terror group was not specified, but Spanish authorities previously said it was al-Qaeda, and the Islamic network has many affiliates.
- AP
