US ambassador killed

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The US Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, and three officials were killed when a mob attacked the US consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi, Libyan authorities said on Wednesday.

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday condemned the attacks, saying he had ordered "all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe".

Stevens, a career officer with the US foreign service, had been in the country for less than four months after taking up his post in the capital, Tripoli, in May.

The envoy died when an armed mob attacked the US mission, just hours after Islamists also stormed Washington's embassy in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

The killing of the ranking official in Libya raised questions about the vulnerability of American officials at a time when the profound changes sweeping the Arab world which have hardly dispelled the rage against the US in the region, the New York Times said.

Abdelmonoem al-Horr, spokesman for the Libyan Interior Ministry's security commission, earlier said rocket-propelled grenades were fired at the consulate from a nearby farm.

Witnesses said the attackers ripped up a US flag, then looted the consulate before setting it on fire on the eleventh anniversary of the Sept 11 attacks.

"Dozens of demonstrators attacked the consulate and set fire to it," said a Benghazi resident, who only gave his name as Omar, adding that he had seen flames and heard shots.

The violent protest was strongly condemned by Libya's General National Congress, which issued a statement expressing "outrage at the unfortunate attack".

The Libyan incident came after thousands of Egyptian demonstrators on Tuesday tore down the Stars and Stripes at the US embassy in Cairo and replaced it with a black Islamic flag.

Questions:

1. Where was the ambassador killed?

2. When did the US ambassador take up his post?

3. What other US embassy was attacked?

Answers:

1. Benghazi, Libya.

2. May.

3. Cairo, Egypt.

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.