worlddebatetest

ship test post

2009-04-06T04:31:00.001-07:00

Somali pirates have captured a British-owned ship operated by an Italian company.
Andrew Mwangura of the Mombasa-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme said 'A 32,000-tonne bulk carrier was seized early this morning.'
'It is UK-owned but operated by Italians. The crew is mixed but we are not sure of their nationalities,' he added.
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Over the weekend, a French yacht and a Yemeni tug were captured off Somalia, but there were no further details.
Mr Mwangura said a 20,000-tonne German container vessel seized last Saturday was the Hansa Stavanger.

zuma article

2009-04-06T04:30:00.001-07:00

South African prosecutors have dropped corruption charges against ruling party leader Jacob Zuma.
Mr Zuma is expected to become president of South Africa.
Chief prosecutor Mokotedi Mpshe said the former head of the country's elite anti-crime unit had manipulated the legal system and cited 'abuses of process' uncovered in taped conversations for the decision.
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The South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority said the case was now closed.
'In light of the above, I have come to the difficult conclusion that it is neither possible, nor desirable for the NPA to continue with the prosecution of Mr Zuma,' Mr Mpshe, acting head of the National Prosecuting Authority, told a news conference.
Mr Zuma's African National Congress is widely expected to win a 22 April election and choose him as president of South Africa.
Dropping the corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering charges ends a case that has been going on for eight years.
Mr Mpshe called for an investigation into the abuses of process but said there was no conclusive evidence that former President Thabo Mbeki was involved.
Mr Zuma has said he has been the victim of a political conspiracy while his opponents have accused the ANC of back-room deals to clear his name.
Mr Zuma denies wrongdoing.

article test

2009-04-06T02:35:00.001-07:00

At least 27 people have been killed and thousands left homeless by a strong earthquake in central Italy.

A further 30 people are reported missing after the earthquake in the Abruzzo region, shortly after 3.30am (2.30am Irish time) this morning.

The epicentre of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake was some 5km below L'Aquila, a town in the Apennine mountains, 100km northeast of Rome.

test

2006-01-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

this is a test