Briefly World

Zimbabwe deports UN investigator to SA

JOHANNESBURG: Zimbabwean immigration officials barred the UN’s torture investigator from entering their country and returned him to South Africa on Thursday,an act he termed a “serious diplomatic incident” that reflects a split in the coalition government. “There are certainly some parts of the government who do not want me to assess the current conditions of torture,” Manfred Nowak said in Johannesburg.

NRI ‘Hezbollah aide’ pleads not guilty

New York: An NRI charged with attempting to provide material support to Lebanon’s Hezbollah,a US designated foreign terrorist group,and illegally possessing fire arms and ammunition has pleaded not guilty. Patrick Nayyar,who was indicted on Wednesday by a Manhattan court,pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Iraq makes arrests in Baghdad blast

BAGHDAD: Iraq announced the arrests of dozens of military and security personnel on Thursday over Baghdad suicide bombings that killed 155 people,trying to calm public outrage at the government’s apparent inability to protect its people. Maj Gen Qassim al-Moussawi,a military spokesman,said that 11 army officers and 50 security officials have been taken into custody over Sunday’s bombings — the worst attacks in Iraq in over two years.

Quake hits Pak,Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: A meteorology official said on Thursday night a strong earthquake had shaken large areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the earthquake. The quake was centered in Afghanistan’s Hindukush mountains about 160 miles. The US Geological Survey said its preliminary magnitude was 6.0,but Pakistani officials said it was 6.1.

Singer Jessica Simpson embraces Indian fashion

London: Singer Jessica Simpson,who is currently filming her globe-trotting reality show The Price of Beauty in India,has embraced the country’s fashion while taking a special liking to sarees. The 29-year-old star wore a turquoise saree,a bindi and mehndi on her hands at a party thrown in her honour by Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia in Mumbai this weekend,Female First reported. “Her bindi was shaped like a goddess’s spear,and painted in holy vermilion,which is really fashionable with young Indian women,” a source said. “She looked stunning in a turquoise sari.”

Russian road roulette,a new gambling game

SOFIA: Bulgarian prosecutors are investigating a new gambling game in which drivers defy death by speeding through red lights for bets of up to 5,000 euros ($7,400),the chief prosecutor’s office said on Thursday. Known as ‘Russian road roulette’,the driver must jump red lights at busy intersections at high speed and not crash into any other cars or pedestrians,according to local media reports. Onlookers also gamble on the result. Prosecutors launched their investigation after media reported the new game had been held at night at busy crossroads in Sofia since the summer.

Cambridge University’s ‘Page 3’ girls spark row

London: A row has erupted at Cambridge University after its first tabloid showed off its ‘Page 3’ girls,fuelling demands that girls on The Tab be covered up. The online “redtop” launched this year has received 80,000 hits in its first week,but it has sparked a row with complaints being filed that “semi-naked women in provocative positions are being shoved in freshers’ faces”. Natalie Szarek,the university’s student union women’s officer,demanded that the “Page 3” girls be removed.