News In Brief

SpaceX launches commercial satellite
Afp, Washington

The private US company SpaceX said it successfully launched on Tuesday its first commercial satellite, designed to provide telecommunications services to China and other Asian countries.
On Tuesday the $100 million satellite roared into space at 2241 GMT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, SpaceX said in a statement.

Nigeria busts 'baby factory'
Afp, Lagos

Nigerian police yesterday said that they raided a home registered as a NGO and freed 16 pregnant girls and young women allegedly being forced to have babies to be sold. Officials said the rescued women and girls told officers that they were each offered 100,000 naira (632 dollars, 466 euros) to sell their babies after delivery.

Turkey loses popularity in ME: poll
Afp, Istanbul

Turkey's popularity in the Middle East, specially in Egypt and Syria, has dropped sharply over the past two years, an opinion poll showed yesterday, reflecting Ankara's sometimes controversial foreign policy strategy. The number of people surveyed in 16 countries slid to 59 percent this year from 78 percent in 2011.

Looting as cops shun work in Argentina
Afp, Buenos Aires

People looted stores Tuesday in the central Argentine province of Cordoba after police demanding pay raises refused to leave their barracks, TV footage showed. Vandals, some on motorcycles, ransacked stores as they took advantage of the lack of police, local TV reported.