2008 Woodie Awards
World Briefs
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: News
Middle East
According to Al-Jazeera, 16 US troops commited suicide inside a former Iraqi airbase earlier this month. The soldiers from the 57th Airborne Division were found in their dormitory after dinner. Iraqi security forces have said that the soldiers used "potent narcotics" to kill themselves. Ali al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi police official, noted that members of the 57th Airborne were behind the murders of several families in Northern Baghdad. Iraqi officials estimate that close to 600 US troops have attempted suicide since 2003.
Europe
Italy has declared war on the mafia, specifically the Camorra crime family in southern Naples, according to BBC. 500 police officers were deployed to attempt to arrest members of the Casalesi part of the Camorras after a number of mob-related murders of African immigrants that Italy's interior minister called acts of "terrorism." Thirty members of the Camorra family have been arrested and police seized an estimated 100 million Euro in assets.
South America
Ecuador's new constitution was approved by 64 percent, the BBC reported on Monday. President Rafael Correa will soon ratify the country's twentieth constitution, which gives him the power to dissolve congress and run for two more consecutive terms. Also, the new constitution will allow for free health care for seniors as well as more political power for women and indigenous citizens. Correa said in a victory speech that Ecuador will be "a society with more justice, much more equality and without so much... misery."
According to Al-Jazeera, 16 US troops commited suicide inside a former Iraqi airbase earlier this month. The soldiers from the 57th Airborne Division were found in their dormitory after dinner. Iraqi security forces have said that the soldiers used "potent narcotics" to kill themselves. Ali al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi police official, noted that members of the 57th Airborne were behind the murders of several families in Northern Baghdad. Iraqi officials estimate that close to 600 US troops have attempted suicide since 2003.
Europe
Italy has declared war on the mafia, specifically the Camorra crime family in southern Naples, according to BBC. 500 police officers were deployed to attempt to arrest members of the Casalesi part of the Camorras after a number of mob-related murders of African immigrants that Italy's interior minister called acts of "terrorism." Thirty members of the Camorra family have been arrested and police seized an estimated 100 million Euro in assets.
South America
Ecuador's new constitution was approved by 64 percent, the BBC reported on Monday. President Rafael Correa will soon ratify the country's twentieth constitution, which gives him the power to dissolve congress and run for two more consecutive terms. Also, the new constitution will allow for free health care for seniors as well as more political power for women and indigenous citizens. Correa said in a victory speech that Ecuador will be "a society with more justice, much more equality and without so much... misery."
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