Funeral Held for Punjab Governor, World Food Prices Reach Record High

Pakistani police guards carry the coffin of late Punjab governor Salman Taseer during the funeral procession in Lahore on Jan. 5, 2011. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)

Thousands of mourners gathered in Lahore amid tight security for the funeral of Salman Taseer, the moderate politician and governor of Punjab who was gunned down by one of his own security guards in an Islamabad marketplace on Tuesday. Taseer had recently spoken out against Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and appealed for the pardoning of a Christian woman convicted under those laws.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called for three days of national mourning, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Taseer’s death a “great loss.” Despite the national call, some religious leaders called for a boycott, saying anyone who expressed grief was also a blasphemer and would also be targeted. Last week, religious groups held demonstrations in which effigies of Taseer were burned. He responded on Twitter by saying he would not give into pressure, “[E]ven if I’m the last man standing,” according to the New York Times.

His was the most prominent political assassination since Benazir Bhutto was killed in Rawalpindi in 2007. One of his bodyguards has been arrested, and police are investigating whether he acted alone or was part of a larger conspiracy.

World Food Prices Hit Record Highs

According to data released by the United Nations, higher costs for sugar and grain helped world food prices hit a record in December, higher than the 2008 levels during which there were food riots in Mozambique, Haiti and other nations. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, prices will continue to climb in 2011 without a marked increase in grain production.

Increased demand in India and China, Russia’s drought and high fuel costs all contributed to the spike. Though the 2008 riots were mostly in poorer countries, developed economies could feel the negative effects as well, with higher prices at large chains or higher inflation.

Australia Flood Waters Could Linger for Weeks

Flooding in sections of eastern Australia could peak Wednesday, with reports of water levels at 30 feet. The flooding in the state of Queensland covers an area larger than France and Germany combined, creating a massive logistical challenge for relief crews and threatening the region’s economic output for months to come.

As residents traveled the street by boats, there were warnings of snakes and crocodiles in the rising waters, swept out of their habitats by the swollen river. At least 10 people have died from the flooding, and 200,000 have been affected.

Navy Continues Investigation After Firing Captain Over Videos

After firing Capt. Owen Honors, commander of the USS Enterprise, after inappropriate videos made in 2006 and 2007 were released on the internet, the Navy is continuing its investigation into who knew about those videos and why they were not reported.

Honors’ defenders say the videos, which the Navy condemned for their sexual innuendo, were part of traditional morale-boosting efforts while at sea, though in recent years there has been a stricter attitude toward comments or humor that may be offensive to other sailors.