In brief: Council will weigh Palestine request
UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. Security Council will meet Wednesday to start the process of formally considering the Palestinian request for membership in the world body, the council president said Monday.
Lebanese Ambassador Nawaf Salam, who holds this month’s rotating presidency, made a brief appearance before reporters Monday and issued a statement in English and Arabic. He said the council had met Monday afternoon and decided to take up a decision on referring the issue for further consideration two days hence. That will consist of forming a committee to study the Palestinian submission.
The United States has said it would use its Security Council veto to block Palestinian membership should the measure receive the necessary nine of 15 votes.
Afghan opens fire in U.S. Embassy
KABUL, Afghanistan – One American was killed and another was wounded when an Afghan employee of the U.S. Embassy opened fire Sunday night inside the CIA’s office here, the embassy confirmed Monday.
What prompted the shooting remained a mystery. U.S. officials provided details, and not even the Taliban, which usually is quick to claim any assault on American interests, commented on the attack.
Self-immolator protests judiciary
TAIPEI, Taiwan – A Taiwanese man set himself on fire near the presidential office in downtown Taipei today to protest actions taken by the island’s judiciary.
A police statement said the man, surnamed Tseng, stepped from a van parked near a pedestrian mall abutting the presidential office about 7 a.m. and set himself alight after dousing himself in gasoline. The statement said the van contained many letters accusing Taiwan’s judiciary of unfairness; it did not elaborate.
Police said Tseng was hospitalized with third-degree burns.
Cuba says it wants better U.S. relations
UNITED NATIONS – Cuba wants to re-establish relations with the United States with a focus on humanitarian and other issues, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Monday.
Rodriguez also called on President Barack Obama to release five Cubans serving U.S. espionage sentences, telling the opening of the new U.N. General Assembly that the continued imprisonment of the five men convicted of espionage in 2001 is “inhumane.” The Cuban government refers to the five men as heroes who were gathering information about terrorist groups in the United States to protect their homeland.
The foreign minister said the two countries had many points of understanding in common.
Dead Sea scrolls posted online
JERUSALEM – The Israel Museum in Jerusalem launched its Dead Sea Scrolls Project on Monday, placing five of the ancient texts online for the general public to study, the museum announced.
The website – http://dss. collections.imj.org.il/ – was developed in partnership with Google and displays searchable high-resolution images of the texts, as well as short explanatory videos and background information.
The five scrolls that have been so far digitized include the Great Isaiah Scroll, the Community Rule Scroll, the Commentary on Habakkuk Scroll, the Temple Scroll and the War Scroll.