Bombs kill 2 in Afghanistan
KABUL: Bomb strikes killed two NATO soldiers in Afghanistan while a rocket attack at the major international military base in southern Afghanistan wounded eight international troops, officials said Monday. A Norwegian soldier died Monday when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Faryab province in the north, officials said. An explosion Sunday in the southern of Helmand killed a British soldier, according to the British Ministry of Defense. The latest deaths bring the total of NATO forces killed in Afghanistan this month to 37, compared with 23 in January 2009.
Massacre witness goes missing
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Police in the southern Philippines ordered a massive search for an officer — a probable key government witness to the brutal slaying of 57 people in Mindanao — who had gone missing from since last week, officials said on Monday. Officials said Inspector Ariel Diongon left the main police headquarters in Camp Crame in Manila on Jan. 21 and did not return since then. It was unknown how Diongon was able to flee despite his restricted custody at the police headquarters.
UNESCO nod for IGNOU
NEW DELHI: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is the world’s largest, with its student base extending to three million, according to UNESCO. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova says on its website: ‘Enrolments of nearly three million students across 34 countries, including Saudi Arabia, and networks across the country and making the best use of ICT, IGNOU’s accomplishments are recognized worldwide.” With 21 schools of study, 59 regional centers, 2,300-learner support centers and some 52 overseas centers, the university offers certificate, diploma, degree and doctoral programs for around 1,500 courses.
Consular team to visit Abha
JEDDAH: A team from the Consulate General of India will visit Abha on Thursday (Jan. 28) to provide consular services, limited to attestation and passport services not being provided by the outsourced agencies, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hotel Al Rayah (07-2270654).
The team will also be available for the community for receiving written statements about their grievances or suggestions relating to labor and welfare issues, and consular related services.
— Compiled by Arab News
