Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Blast in Afghanistan Kills 3, Including British Journalist

   Four other Marines were reported to be seriously wounded in the blast

   VOA News 10 January 2010

   British  officials  say  a  roadside blast in southern Afghanistan has
   killed a British journalist, a U.S. Marine and an Afghan soldier.
   Britain's   Defense   Ministry   says   Rupert   Hamer,   the  defense
   correspondent  for  Britain's Sunday Mirror  newspaper, was killed and
   photographer Philip Coburn was seriously wounded when the vehicle they
   were traveling in with U.S. Marines hit a makeshift bomb on Saturday.
   Four other Marines were reported to be seriously wounded in the blast.
   Meanwhile,  U.S.  and  Afghan  authorities  have signed a deal that is
   expected   to  transfer  responsibility  for  the  U.S.-run  detention
   facility at Bagram Air Base by the end of the year.
   Afghanistan's  Defense  Ministry announced Saturday that Afghan troops
   will soon begin training to take over the investigation, detention and
   trials of inmates.
   The  site,  near  Kabul,  has  been  used  to hold detainees since the
   U.S.-led offensive in Afghanistan began in 2001.
   U.S.  troops  were accused of beating two prisoners to death at Bagram
   in  2002.   Human  rights groups have criticized the United States for
   detaining inmates for lengthy periods of time without charge.
   About 700 detainees are being held at Bagram.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP .

.