A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Conan O’Brien to leave ‘Tonight Show’
LOS ANGELES – Conan O’Brien will end his short- lived stint as host of the Tonight Show today after signing a $45 million (€32 million) exit deal with NBC that ends two weeks of embarrassing on-air bickering and allows Jay Leno to return to the flagship late-night comedy programme.
After more than a week of negotiations, NBC said it had agreed to release O’Brien from his contract after seven months and he would be free to take a new job elsewhere after September 1st.
The struggling network, already bottom of the four big US TV networks, said Leno will resume the Tonight Show on March 1st.
Leno handed over to O’Brien in June 2009, only to see audiences slump. Media analysts expect it will take time for Leno to recover the show’s audience. – (Reuters)
Army ordered to stop Nigeria clashes
ABUJA – Nigerian vice- president Goodluck Jonathan yesterday ordered the army to take over security in and around the central city of Jos to prevent further clashes, which have killed more than 460 this week. “I have today ordered the army to lead the security forces and take over the entire security of the affected areas, including those areas that are considered prone to risk,” he said in a live television broadcast to the nation.
“The security forces have the overwhelming mandate of the federal government to arrest the situation urgently.”
It was Mr Jonathan’s first national address since a court ruled last week he could perform all executive duties in the absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who has been in hospital in Saudi Arabia for the past two months but who has not formally transferred powers.
However, the opposition has questioned whether he is legally able to deploy troops. – (Reuters)
Pakistan rules out fresh attack on Taliban
ISLAMABAD – US defence secretary Robert Gates met Pakistani leaders yesterday to urge them to begin hunting down Afghan Taliban on their border, but signalled that the US would not push the pace of operations.
Pakistan ruled out a new offensive against militants soon, saying it had to consolidate gains against its homegrown Pakistani Taliban, fighting to bring down the government.
Islamabad has mounted major offensives against Pakistani Taliban factions, but has resisted US pressure to go after Afghan Taliban in border enclaves, who do not strike in Pakistan but cross the border to fight US troops in Afghanistan.
Mr Gates, on his first trip to Pakistan since US president Barack Obama took office last year, is visiting after a period of tense relations marked by suspicion on both sides. – (Reuters)