World in brief

39 drown as boat sinks off coast

Turkey: At least 39 illegal immigrants drowned when a fishing boat carrying about 100 people sank after hitting rocks off the coast.

Only 50 survivors were able to swim to shore 50 yards away.

Several people were trapped below the deck of the submerged vessel and divers launched an operation to try to find them.

Authorities arrested two Turkish suspects in the smuggling operation.

Spanish firm makes gas find

Peru: Spanish energy company Repsol said today that it has made a significant natural gas find in the Amazon region of Peru.

The company claimed gas flows at rates of 50 million cubic feet per day.

The find is located between the Otishi National Park and the Megantoni Sanctuary, an area reserved for indigenous peoples who have voluntarily sought isolation from modern society.

Unemployment hits 13-year high

France: The national statistics agency said today that unemployment rose again in the second quarter, reaching 10.2 per cent.

Youth unemployment is also creeping up and was 23.5 per cent for the quarter that ended June 30.

French unemployment has been climbing steadily since last year after dropping for a few quarters. It is now higher than at any time since 1999.

'Militants' killed on Israeli border

Gaza: Israeli aircraft killed three Palestinians allegedly planting explosives along the border with Gaza today.

The Israeli military said that it targeted a "terrorist squad."

An airstrike the night before killed four Palestinians as they were preparing to fire rockets at nearby cities, the military alleged.

Fukushima chief: keep using nuclear

Japan: The head of Japanese utility firm Tepco that owns the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant says his company has no money to develop alternative energy.

Naomi Hirose says nuclear power should remain a part of the nation's energy mix. Tepco was faced with huge compensation and cleanup costs after an earthquake and tsunami last year destroyed a nuclear power plant, causing extensive meltdowns.

The company was nationalised in July.

Hand grenade mishap kills 25

Turkey: An explosion triggered by an accidentally dropped hand grenade has killed 25 soldiers during a stock check at an ammunition depot, the government said today.

Four other soldiers were injured in the blast, which lit up the night sky and shattered windows in homes in the nearby town of Afyonkarahisar late on Wednesday.

The soldiers' remains were discovered today after a subsequent blaze was extinguished.

OIC investigate ethnic fighting

Myanmar: The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation has sent a team to investigate clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims that left 80 people dead and displaced tens of thousands.

The 57-nation OIC said it will present its findings at the coming UN general assembly.

Human rights groups have accused government troops of committing "atrocities" in attempts to restore order.

PM to try again on austerity

Czech Republic: The government will try again to get its unpopular austerity measures through parliament after they were voted down on Wednesday.

The lower house rejected a 1 per cent increase in VAT and a 7 per cent income tax rise for the highest earners.

Prime Minister Petr Necas said the vote in three months time will be a vote of confidence in the government.

Police arrest 11 after massive blaze

India: Police today arrested at least 11 employees of the fireworks factory where a massive blaze killed 38 workers and injured 60 others.

Police said the Om Sivasakthi factory had been operating illegally after local authorities suspended its licence on finding major safety violations including overcrowding, safety failures and illegal subletting.

The arrests on charges of culpable homicide included the foreman of the plant and police were still looking for the factory's owner, a local leader of the governing regional party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam, who fled from the town of Sivakasi after Wednesday's fire.