Recently in International News Category

By Mike Munzenrider

Two photojournalists were killed and two others were injured in the Libyan city of Misurata by forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi on Wednesday.

Tim Hetherington, award winning war photographer and director of the Oscar nominated documentary "Restrepo," a film about the Afghan war, and Chris Hondros, a well traveled war photographer, were killed when they came under fire in Misurata reports The New York Times.

The men arrived in the besieged city by sea and arrived in the area in which they were killed early Wednesday. They were killed either by a rocket propelled grenade or a mortar witnesses told The New York Times.

Hetherington died shortly after being brought to hospital, while Hondros died a couple of hours after his arrival at the hospital according to Rueters.

By Mike Munzenrider

An Italian activist was killed in Gaza on Thursday, and his body was found by Hamas on Friday.

The activist, Vittorio Arrigoni, was taken hostage by a group in order to be used to free prisoners held by Hamas reports Al Jazeera.

Arrigoni worked for International Solidarity Movement, which defends Palestinian's rights reports Al Jazeera.

The New York Times reports that Arrigoni was killed by strangulation, most likely a few hours after he was kidnapped.

By Mike Munzenrider

A man killed six people and wounded 15 at a suburban mall near Amsterdam before taking his own life on Saturday.

The shooter, 24-year-old Tristan van der Vlis, appeared to shoot victims at random, using guns for which he had permits reports the Associated Press and the BBC.

Van der Vlis had a previous run-in with the police for charges related to illegal weapons possession, though the charges were later dropped reports the Associated Press.

Police found a note in Van der Vlis' car and his mother found a suicide note, though they offered no explanation why he chose to hurt others, reports the Associated Press.

By Mike Munzenrider

More wreckage from Air France flight 447, which crashed into the Atlantic off Rio de Janiero, has been found according to French investigators.

A fourth attempt to locate wreckage containing the jet's flight data recorder began a month ago and investigators are hoping to determine the cause of the crash reports the BBC.

The search is funded by Air France and Air Bus, the manufacturer of the plane that crashed reports the BBC.

Determining the reason for the crash could have potentially important legal ramifications for both companies involved. According to the BBC, a French judge recently filed manslaughter charges against Air France, while the CBC reports the judge filed charges against Air Bus.

By Mike Munzenrider

Rebel forces are advancing westward across Libya towards Tripoli as forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi appear to be in retreat.

With the help of coalition bombing the rebels have seized control of several key cities along the coastline reports Al Jazeera.

The next town in the rebels' sights is Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte which is under coalition bombardment reports Al Jazeera.

Appearing on CBS' Face the Nation, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that there were reports that Gaddafi has been placing people he's killed at coalition bombing sights to make it appear they were killed in the bombings.

By Mike Munzenrider

Japan was struck by a massive earthquake Friday, triggering a tsunami and causing problems for the country's nuclear power plants.

The death toll from the quake, the biggest ever recorded in Japan, is estimated to be over 10,000 reports The New York Times.

Threats of nuclear meltdowns in several reactors remain. One reactor exploded, and officials fear a second reactor could explode reports the Associated Press.

The government has mobilized 100,000 troops for humanitarian purposes, the largest mobilization in the country since World War II, reports The New York Times.

By Mike Munzenrider

A man attacked a bus carrying U.S. airmen on Wednesday, killing two and wounding two others, at the Frankfurt, Germany, airport.

The man was taken into custody following the shooting, and has been identified as a 21-year-old from Kosovo who works at the airport, reports the Associated Press.

Family members of the the alleged shooter described him as a devout Muslim, according to the Associated Press. German officials have said that it's unclear whether the shooting is linked to terrorism, reports Reuters.

The attacker and the airmen apparently had an altercation before the shooting, reports the Associated Press.

By Mike Munzenrider

Two were killed in Sohar, Oman, after police fired rubber bullets at a crowd on Sunday.

About 2,000 protesters gathered in Sohar for a second day demanding political reforms. The protests turned violent and police fired on the crowd, reports Reuters.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said, leader of Oman, promised to create 50,000 jobs in after the violence, reports The New York Times.

A police station and other government buildings were burned, and a supermarket was looted, reports Al Jazeera.

By Mike Munzenrider

Protests occurred across North Africa and the Middle East, and more are planned through the end of the month, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Protesters clashed with police in Algeria on Saturday, and protesters marched to the presidential palace in Yemen, before being stopped by the police on Sunday, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Tear gas and electric prods were used against protesters in Tehran on Monday, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Further protests are planned in Libya, Morocco, Camaroon, and Kuwait, reports the Los Angeles Times.

By Mike Munzenrider

The Egyptian military has suspended the country's constitution and dissolved parliament.

Following the ouster of former-President Hosni Mubarek, the military has said these actions were necessary to provide stability, reports the Associated Press.

Further, elections are planned to be held in six months, reports The New York Times.

The military is urging young people to form political parties, and promises to engage with them, according to the Associated Press.