Briefs, January 2, 2013

2012 deadliest year for journalists as 132 killed

VIENNA - 2012 was the "deadliest year for journalists", the International Press Institute said, with the highest number of deaths recorded since the media watchdog began its annual tally. The year had "been marked by an appalling and disturbing truth: an unprecedented 132 journalists were killed in the line of duty or as a consequence of their reporting in 2012", the institute said. The previous highest figure had been 110 deaths in 2009. AFP

Russia limits beer sales to tackle alcoholism

MOSCOW - Russia is restricting sales of beer in a bid to curb alcoholism. Russia has one of the world's highest alcohol consumption rates. The new law restricts the amount of beer stalls and kiosks can sell and bans sales between the hours of 11pm and 8am. Reuters

Aleppo airport closed after rebel attacks

ALEPPO, Syria - The international airport in Syria's second city of Aleppo had been temporarily closed because of repeated attacks by rebel fighters, an airport official said. "There have been continued attempts by opposition militants to target civilian aircraft, which could cause a humanitarian disaster," he said. AFP

Swimmers flee Bondi Beach after shark alert

SYDNEY - Thousands of bathers on Australia's Bondi Beach fled the water after a shark alert was sounded. The crowded sea was cleared in minutes after a surf patrol boat said it had seen what it thought could have been a large shark. A helicopter was called in to scour the water but found no sign of the animal. AFP

Clinton blood clot found near her brain

NEW YORK - Top US diplomat Hillary Rodham Clinton remained in a New York hospital yesterday with what doctors said was a potentially dangerous blood clot near her brain. But they said she should make a full recovery. Clinton is being treated with blood thinners to dissolve the clot. AFP

Iran fires missiles in naval exercise

TEHRAN - Iranian forces have fired what military officers said was a new generation of surface-to-air missiles during a wide-ranging naval exercise that focused on striking hypothetical unmanned aircraft and vessels in international waters to the south of the country. The missiles were fired on Monday, the fourth day of a six-day naval exercise. NYT