Indian-American sworn in as Texas judge
PTI, Houston
Indian-American KP George sworn in as the Fort Bend County Judge, becoming the first person from the community to hold the office of one of America’s most diverse counties.
Mr George, 53, a Democrat and Fort Bend Independent School District Board trustee, defeated Republican Judge Robert Hebert in November polls. In the US, county judges’ duties vary from state to state. Depending upon the size of the county, they perform a wide range of judicial and administrative duties.
Somalia orders top UN official to leave
AP, Nairobi
Somalia’s government has ordered the United Nations envoy to the country to leave, amid questions over the arrest of the al-Shabab extremist group’s former deputy leader who had run for a regional presidency.
A foreign ministry statement late Tuesday accuses Nicholas Haysom of diplomatic overreach that violated the Horn of Africa nation’s sovereignty, declaring him “persona non grata.” He arrived as envoy a few months ago.
37 killed in hunter-farmer conflict in Mali
AFP, Bamako
Thirty-seven civilians were killed when armed men believed to be traditional Dogon hunters attacked a village of Fulani herders in central Mali Tuesday in the latest clash between the warring communities, the government said.
The attack on Koulogon village near Bankass in the Mopti region was carried out by “armed men dressed like traditional dozo hunters” allied to the Dogon ethnic group, said an official statement.
5 Afghan soldiers killed in camp attack
Xinhua, Kandahar
At least five Afghan soldiers were killed and six others wounded after Taliban militants attacked an army camp in Maywand district of southern Kandahar province Tuesday night, a local official said Wednesday.
“Afghan National Army personnel repelled Taliban militants armed with guns and rocket propelled grenades after the militants stormed the camp outside the district center overnight,” a local official told Xinhua anonymously.
