More Ivorians fleeing, U.N. says
Abidjan, Ivory Coast The United Nations said Wednesday that thousands of refugees were without help after riots forced it to curtail operations in Ivory Coast.
Speaking as Ivory Coast’s new national unity government held its first Cabinet meeting, the U.N. also said that days of deadly of riots had created new refugees: 167 Ivorians who had crossed into neighboring Liberia.
“They were afraid of the violence going on. They were afraid of being killed. Some of them walked for days to Liberia,” said Annette Rehrl, a U.N. spokeswoman in Liberia.
Rioters in western Ivory Coast stole and burned massive amounts of food aid during the protests over a ruling by a U.N.-backed group mediating a years-long crisis in the divided West African nation. U.N staff left the region before the unrest ended Friday.
Rehrl said Wednesday that 10,000 refugees from Liberia, itself recovering from a civil war, were struggling in western Ivory Coast without aid from U.N. and other aid workers.
Bush congratulates new Canadian leader
Toronto President Bush telephoned Canada’s Prime Minister-designate Stephen Harper on Wednesday to congratulate him on his victory in parliamentary elections as ties between the world’s largest trading partners were expected to improve
The Conservative leader’s win in Monday’s vote ended nearly 13 years of Liberal Party rule that saw strained U.S.-Canadian relations as outgoing Prime Minister Paul Martin and his predecessor, Jean Chretien, opposed the war in Iraq and other Bush administration positions.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush congratulated Harper, but he declined to be more specific about the conversation when asked if the two leaders discussed any specifics such as the new leader’s campaign positions on strengthening the military or re-examining Canada’s position on the Kyoto Protocol on limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
“The president looks forward to working with him. They had a very good conversation,” McClellan said in Washington. “We are looking forward to working with the new government and building upon our strong relationship.”
Carolyn Stewart-Olson, press secretary for Harper – who is expected to be sworn in within the next two weeks – declined to comment on the phone conservation, saying they would reserve all remarks until a press conference today.
Explosion kills one at Jakarta laboratory
Jakarta, Indonesia A powerful explosion at a chemistry laboratory in central Jakarta killed one person and injured at least 22 others today, police said.
The blast damaged the laboratory located on the grounds of the country’s Food and Drug Agency and panicked people living close by, said Kardiono, a staffer at the agency.
One person was killed and at least 22 others were injured, said Brig. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam, a police spokesman.
There was no immediate word on the source of the explosion, but a bomb squad and forensic teams were at the scene, he said.
Metro TV reported that the blast occurred as students at the lab were taking a morning exam.
Witnesses said at least three classrooms were destroyed in the powerful explosion.