Bangladeshi refugee crisis grows at Tunisian border town of Ras Adjir
RAS ADJIR, Tunisia (AP) — Bangladeshis washed themselves with bottles of drinking water and Egyptians fought over bread handed out by aid workers Thursday as thousands fleeing chaos in Libya took refuge in this border town that didn’t have enough toilets, beds or food to meet the needs of a growing humanitarian crisis.
The stench of feces made the air uncomfortable to breathe, trash was everywhere and many of the tens of thousands of migrant workers had been stranded for several days and had no money.
The Tunisian army has set up tent camps to help house the laborers, but not nearly enough for everyone.
 
Soldiers open fire on women protesters in Ivory Coast, kill six
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Soldiers backing Ivory Coast’s defiant leader mowed down women protesting his refusal to leave power in a hail of gunfire on Thursday, killing at least six and shocking a nation where women’s marches have historically been used as a last resort against an unrestrained army.
 
Newest Mexico census reports fewer migrating, many returning
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s newest census shows the number of migrants leaving the country dropped by more than two-thirds since its peak in the last decade, and more migrants are coming back than before.
The National Statistics and Geography Institute says the 2010 census shows a net outflow of about 145,000 Mexicans leaving the country from 2005 to 2010, the years covered by the count.
That is down from a peak of about 450,000 between 2000 and 2005, and about 240,000 per year between 1995 and 2000.
The census is held every ten years, with an intermediate count every five years.
The census released Thursday shows a population drop in some Mexican towns hit by drug violence, but the institute cannot say whether violence cause was the cause.
 
US planes could leave Germany today to evacuate refugees of Libya
WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials say U.S. aircraft could leave as early as Friday for the first mission to help evacuate refugees from the crisis in Libya.
Senior defense officials said Thursday that flights from Ramstein Air Base in Germany were being prepared following President Barack Obama’s OK to use military planes to take home Egyptians who fled Libya and are stranded in Tunisia. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because plans have not been officially announced.
Officials had no details on when the first flight from Tunisia to Egypt will be made after the aircraft arrive in North Africa, nor on how many refugees they would eventually take to Egypt. But they say it’s likely the aircraft will be U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo planes, which can hold several dozen people.
 
Mariah Carey ‘embarrassed’ over Gadhafi-linked private concert
NEW YORK (AP) — Mariah Carey says she was unaware that she was booked to perform a concert linked to Gadhafi’s clan — and she’s embarrassed “to have participated in this mess.”
Carey is among a handful of entertainers who were paid handsome fees to give exclusive private concerts. It was later revealed the people behind those concerts were the family of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, whose country is in an open revolt against him and who faces an investigation for possible war crimes.
 
Mayor Landrieu asks cigarette company to butt out of Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The mayor of New Orleans asked a cigarette company to butt out of Mardi Gras. But by the time he made his request, the company had already snuffed out the advertising campaign with the Big Easy reference.
New Orleans was among 10 cities featured on Camel cigarette packs during the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. campaign, which drew protests last year from the National Association of Attorneys General, New York’s health commissioner and other officials.
 
Political watchdog group questions donations to Supriya Jindal charity
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A political watchdog group in Washington says donors to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s campaigns have also contributed big money to a charitable foundation headed by his wife.
Louisiana campaign finance law limits individual donors’ direct campaign contributions to $5,000. But the donors gave the Supriya Jindal Foundation for Louisiana’s Children much more.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington says nine companies collectively gave $790,000 to the charity.