A round-up of today’s other world stories in brief
Police seize 10 tonnes of fake medicines
PARIS – Police seized about 10 tonnes of counterfeit medicines and arrested 80 people in a sweep across eastern Africa, international police agency Interpol said yesterday.
The operation, co-ordinated over the last two months, included the arrest of suspects involved in the manufacture, trafficking and sale of fake medical products. Production and sale of the fakes is on the rise, especially in Africa, where fake medicines are commonly available to treat life-threatening conditions such as malaria and HIV/Aids. – (Reuters)
Relevant troops not used in hijacking
MANILA – Filipino soldiers trained to deal with hostage situations were sent to Manila’s bus hijacking this week but were not used by the ground commander, the military said yesterday.
Spokesman Brig Gen José Mabanta could not say if the outcome of the hijacking, in which eight hostages and the gunman were killed, would have been different if the squad was used instead of the police’s special weapons and tactics team.
The botched rescue has been widely criticised, particularly in Hong Kong, where the victims were residents, and China. – (Reuters)
Maid tortured by Saudi couple
COLOMBO – A Saudi couple tortured their Sri Lankan maid by hammering 24 nails into her hands, legs and forehead after she complained of a too heavy workload, officials said yesterday. Nearly two million Sri Lankans sought jobs overseas last year and about 1.4 million, mostly maids, were employed in the Middle East. LT Ariyawathi, a 49-year-old mother of three, had returned after five months in Saudi Arabia.
Her family only realised what had happened when she complained of pain and they took her to see the doctor, foreign employment bureau officials said. – (Reuters)
Eight Afghan police officers killed in Taliban dawn attack
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, – Taliban rebels killed eight Afghan police officers in northern Kunduz, stepping up strikes in what was once a relatively secure region, an official said.
The attack happened just before dawn when the police were asleep, Kunduz governor Mohammad Omar said.
One policeman was wounded and one managed to escape, he said.
Residents said there were some casualties among civilians, but details were not immediately available. Kunduz has been the focus of attacks in the north and insurgents are increasingly using it as a base to launch attacks elsewhere in the region. – (Reuters)