Another campus shooting in the US. Another tragedy. Top story around the world today:

A gunman killed five students and wounded 16 others in a Northern Illinois University lecture hall on Thursday afternoon in DeKalb before killing himself, according to university and police officials.

The shooting occurred on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill. Jim Killam/Northern Star.

John G. Peters, the president of Northern Illinois University, reported at a news conference that four of the dead were women and two were men. He said four died at the scene, including the gunman, and the other two died at the hospital. All the wounded and the dead were students, including the graduate student leading the ocean sciences class.

According to students in the class, a tall white skinny man dressed in black stepped out from behind a curtain on the stage of the lecture hall, said nothing, and opened fire with a shotgun. (NY Times)

Free Burma.

We had a call at work today from a Norwegian man who wanted to pass on this message:

In support of our incredibly brave friends in Burma: May all the people around the world wear a red shirt on Friday, September 28.

This message has been spreading by SMS across Phuket, but it’s also being passed on by bloggers, users of Facebook and MySpace, and anyone with access to the Internet. Tomorrow has apparently been declared red-shirt Friday.

Without access to a red shirt, I won’t be joining in with this display, but it’s interesting that this appears to have spread from one individual (who, I don’t know) in Norway, without the support of any major media. Why red was the chosen color I’m unsure, particularly as there was a red-shirt campaign in the US this year showing support for troops in Iraq.

I can’t decide whose benefit wearing a red shirt is really for.

I had given some serious thought to flying to Myanmar over the weekend if I could get a flight, but news such as this, from DPA, makes me questions whether I’d even be able to get near Rangon:

Escalating protests in the streets of Rangoon claimed an unknown number of casualties Thursday including two foreigners, both of whom were believed to be foreign photo-journalists.

Both foreigners were shot near the Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon. The Kyodo news agency of Japan has identified one of the foreign victims as a Japanese photo-journalist.

A Caucasian man was also shot and died as he attempted to pass through a police barrier, a Burmese photo-journalist who witnessed the shooting told DPA.

This from the NY Times today:

In response to the violence, the United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the crisis, but China blocked a Council resolution, backed by the United States and European nations, to condemn the government crackdown.

I don’t think there is much a red shirt can do now.

Techno’ tags: Myanmar, Rangon, Burma

Great news as Alan Johnston, the BBC journalist kidnapped in Gaza, was freed today. He was understandably elated after his 16-week ordeal.

From the BBC:

He said it was “fantastic” to be free after an “appalling experience”. Mr Johnston, 45, was seen leaving a Gaza City building accompanied by armed men.

He said he had been unable to see the sun for three months, and was once chained for 24 hours.

“The last 16 weeks have been the very worst of my life,” he added. “I was in the hands of people who were dangerous and unpredictable.”

Cheers to you, Alan. Welcome back. Full story here.

Techno’ tags: Alan Johnston

This really is a grim piece of news that instills little optimism. From today’s Bangkok Post:

A new video of kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston shows him wearing an explosives vest and warning he will be blown up if Hamas continues to surround the area where he is being held, the US-based Intel Center said Sunday in an e-mail to news organisations.

The video was released by Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) of Gaza, the militant group that has been holding the journalist since March, the Intel Center said.

Only Johnston speaks on the video, which is entitled “Alan’s Appeal,” the Intel Center said.

According to a transcript of Johnston’s remarks, the journalist says his captors “are ready to turn the hideout into what they describe as a death zone if there’s an attempt to free me by force.”

This situation is reaching boiling point. Hamas delivered an ultimatum that Johnston be released today or else gunmen will storm the location where he is being held. The threat by his captors is that if force is used, Johnston will be killed. It’s been more than three months since Johnston was kidnapped in Gaza City. Spare a though.

Techno’ tags: Alan Johnston