AFP, Riyadh
The king of Saudi Arabia has sacked the country’s water and electricity minister, Abdullah al-Hussayen, amid public anger over price hikes, state media reported.
King Salman issued a decree on Saturday ordering his dismissal and replacement in the interim by Agriculture Minister Abdel Rahman al-Fadli, said the official SPA news agency.
His removal comes after the government reduced subsidies on electricity, water and other services.
Ecuador quake death toll rises to 646
Reuters, Quito
The death count from Ecuador’s devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake last week has risen to 646 people, President Rafael Correa said during a TV broadcast today.
Last Saturday’s quake, the worst in nearly seven decades, injured around 12,500 people and left 130 missing along the country’s ravaged Pacific coast.
“These have been sad days for the homeland,” a visibly moved Correa said during his regular Saturday television broadcast. “The country is in crisis.”
Darfur votes to retain multi-state system
BBC Online
Sudan’s western region of Darfur has voted to retain its current multi-state administrative status, the electoral commission says.
More than 97% of voters in a referendum chose to remain as five states rather than form a single region, it said. The vote was boycotted by major rebel and opposition groups which say a united region would have more autonomy.
Suicide attacks kill 14 in Iraq
AP, Baghdad
Suicide attacks targeting security forces in two Baghdad suburbs have killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens, officials said Sunday.
A suicide car bomb struck a checkpoint in the eastern suburb of Hussainiyah late Saturday, killing six civilians and four soldiers, a police officer said. He added that another 28 people were wounded in the attack.
