World In Brief

Assamese flee over retaliation rumours

INDIA: Thousands of Assamese Indians fled Bangalore today, spurred by rumours that they would be attacked in retaliation for communal violence in Assam.

Panicked families crowded Bangalore’s railway station trying to get out of the city, while government officials tried in vain to assure them of their safety.

Clashes between Muslims and the indigenous Bodo tribe have killed more than 50 and left 300,000 in displacement camps in Assam.

Bomb alert lands plane to Moscow

RUSSIA: An Aeroflot plane carrying 256 people from New York to Moscow made an unscheduled landing in Iceland today after a report of a bomb on board.

Aeroflot spokeswoman Irina Dannenberg said the bomb warning was made by an anonymous caller to New York City police about 90 minutes after the plane took off.

The Airbus A330 landed at Iceland’s Keflavik airport, where baggage and passengers were searched for explosives.

Clan vows revenge for member seizure

LEBANON: A spokesman for a powerful Shi’ite Muslim clan vowed today to abduct more Syrian nationals in retaliation for the seizure of a clan member.

Armed members of the al-Mikdad clan already abducted more than 20 nationals and a Turk on Wednesday.

Rebels who kidnapped Hassane Salim al-Mikdad claimed he was a member of Shi-ite militant group Hezbollah.

Hezbollah and his family deny this.

Three opposition protesters die

GABON: Three women died on Wednesday following a demonstration that turned violent.

About 30 others were wounded in an opposition protest when police fired tear gas whaile protesters set up burning barricades on roads and threw rocks.

Opposition leader Andre Mba Obame returned this weekend from 14 months of self-imposed exile in France.

General accused of improper spending

US: The Department of Defence admitted today that four-star General William “Kip” Ward is under investigation for allegedly spending hundreds of thousands of dollars improperly.

Gen Ward allegedly spent several hundred thousand dollars allowing unauthorised people, including family members, to fly on government planes and spentexcessive amounts of money on hotel rooms, transport and other expenses when he traveled as head of Africa Command.

Dictator’s millions belong to bank

SINGAPORE: The High Court ruled today that more than $23 million (£15m) seized from the estate of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos rightfully belongs to a Philippine bank.

The funds, comprising $16.8m and £4.2m, were part of an illicit fortune that Marcos hid in Swiss bank accounts.

Justice Andrew Ang dismissede rival claims from the Philippine government, a group of human rights victims and five foundations believed to be Marcos fronts.

Five arrested for Amiens riots

FRANCE: Five people have been arrested in connection with rioting in Amiens earlier in the week.

The local authrities in Amiens say that two of the men were arrested while trying to burn rubbish bins. The three others had been sought by police for days.

More than 100 people are believed to have taken part in the rioting and police are still looking for them.

Soldiers charged for ministry attack

YEMEN: Around 62 officers and soldiers loyal to ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s son have been charged with resisting authorities and mutiny after trying to storm the Ministry of Defence.

Spokesman General Ali al-Ubaidi said that the 62 will be referred to a military tribunal for joining a force of 200 in an attack on the ministry three days ago, where they clashed with Ministry’s guards leaving five dead.