Somali cabinet approves state of emergency

Somalia's government is calling for a state of emergency to be declared in the lawless country. Information Minister Farhan Ali Mohamud says the Cabinet made the decision Saturday because Somalia "is in danger" and is facing a deteriorating humanitarian crisis. The president must announce the state of emergency before it can begin, though it is unlikely to change much as the weak government controls only a few blocks of the capital and a border town. Islamic insurgents have been trying to topple the government for more than two years. Meanwhile, Somali lawmakers passed a resolution calling for immediate international military intervention to help fight the Islamic insurgents.