THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012
PAGE 3
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Associated Press
AFRICA
Bomb blasts injure soldiers outside Nigerian capital
LAGOS, Nigeria — Bombs exploded Tuesday at two major military bases on the outskirts of a central Nigerian city at the heart of ethnic and religious unrest in Africa's most-populous nation, injuring an unknown number of people.
The attacks came as a radical Islamist sect, known as Boko Haram, launches increasingly bloody attacks on Nigeria's weak central government. No one immediately claimed Tuesday's bombings, though suspicions quickly fell on the sect, even as state-run television aired a purported video Tuesday from the group claiming it welcomed peace talks with the government.
Maj. Gen. Raphael Isa, an army spokesman, said in a statement that one of the suicide bombers was dressed in a military uniform. Soldiers guarding the gate opened fire on the man, who died from gunshot wounds.
It was unclear how many people were wounded in the attacks, though witnesses said they saw injured soldiers wearing blood-drenched uniforms after the blasts.
The blasts struck at the Nigerian army's 1st Mechanized Division headquarters and the training command of the Nigerian air force near Kaduna, officials said. Soldiers and security agencies quickly shut down access to the two areas, with some seizing the cameras of working journalists.
EUROPE
New prime minister, new government in Romania
BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania's newly appointed prime minister began talks Tuesday to form a new government after the previous one collapsed following protests over austerity measures and declining living standards.
Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, a former foreign minister and former head of Romania's foreign intelligence service, was appointed by President Traian Basescu late Monday.
Emil Boc, who had been prime minister since 2008, said he resigned Monday "to defuse political and social tension" after thousands of Romanians took to the streets in January to protest salary cuts, higher taxes and the perception the government did not care about the hardships faced by many in this nation of 22 million.
Romanians are growing increasingly angry about widespread cuts the government instituted to get a $26-billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the World Bank in 2009. The government needed the money to help pay salaries and pensions after its economy shrank more than 7 percent during the global credit crunch.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boc accompanied Ungureanu, a 43-year-old with a pro-American outlook who is not a member of any party, to talks Tuesday with coalition partners who are likely to be invited into the new government.
Romanian Pres. Traian Basescu, right, walks with the Prime Minister designate Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, left, who is currently the head of Romania's foreign intelligence service in Bucharest.
SOUTH AMERICA
Venezuela's first presidential primary to choose strongest Chavez opponent
CARACAS, Venezuela Outmatched time and again at the polls by Pres. Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan's opposition leaders are trying a new strategy to unseat the populist leader this year, holding the nation's first presidential primary to choose the strongest challenger.
first presidential primary to choose the strongest challenger.
The front-runner in Sunday's election is Henrique Caprilas, a 39-year-old state governor who has won a large following as a youthful alternative to the 57-year-old Chavez. Caprilas has crowd appeal that makes him a formidable adversary.
Other contenders range from Pablo Perez, a popular state governor, to Maria Corina Machado, a congresswoman who is the most forceful in her criticisms of Chavez and his effort to bring socialism to Venezuela.
Chavez saw his popularity grow after a failed 2002 coup, swept a 2005 congressional vote boycotted by the opposition and won re-election in 2006 with 63 percent of the vote. Since then, though, his popularity has slipped as ills such as crime, inflation, and problem-riddled public services have taken a toll.
Machado
NATIONAL
Perez
"The opposition has never been in better shape to defeat Chavez," said Angel Alvarez, director of the Institute of Political Studies at the Central University of Venezuela.
Polls show more than half of Venezuelans still approve of Chavez.
Federal court rejects Californian ban on same-sex marriage
MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court struck down Proposition 8 on Tuesday, finding that California's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional because it deprives gay and lesbian couples of the equal right to wed.
With a decision that pushes the gay marriage issue a step closer to the U.S. Supreme Court, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
upheld former San Francisco Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who invalidated Proposition 8 in 2010 after conducting an unprecedented trial.
"Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples," Judge Stephen Reinhardt
wrote, joined by Judge Michael Daly Hawkins.
Proposition 8 backers can now ask the 9th Circuit to rehear the case with an 11-judge panel, or proceed directly to the Supreme Court. Smith's dissent could be a strong indicator there will be some
Judge N. Randy Smith dissented, saying there were "legitimate governmental interests" in restricting the definition of marriage to a union between a man and woman.
support within the court to take a second look at the case.
The appeals court also rejected the argument that Walker's ruling should be scrapped because he did not disclose he was in a long-term same-sex relationship while he was handling the case. Smith joined in that part of the ruling.
As a result of the continued legal wrangling, same-sex marriages are not expected to resume in California any time soon, with
further appeals likely to stretch at least into next year.
Attorney General Kamala Harris, who refused to defend the law in the 9th Circuit, called the decision a "victory for fairness."
And California Gov. Jerry Brown, who also has refused to defend Proposition 8, issued a statement saying the ruling is "a powerful affirmation of the right of same-sex couples to marry"
The appeals court's ruling marks
another setback for gay marriage opponents, who passed Proposition 8 in 2008 by a 52 to 48 percent margin.
The appeals court's ruling marks another setback for gay marriage opponents, who passed Proposition 8 in 2008 by a 52 to 48 percent margin.
"No court should presume to redefine marriage," said Brian Raum, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund.
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