Quake sows panic in Papua New Guinea
Sydney: A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, sending frightened residents fleeing from their homes, but a threatened tsunami passed without incident, seismologists said.
Top Burundi judge flees country Bujumbura (Burundi): The vice-president of Burundi’s constitutional court — which was about to decide on the legality of a third term for President Pierre Nkurunziza — has dramatically fled the country.
Student held for rearing pythons
Beijing: A Chinese university student has been detained for rearing nine pythons at his home after buying snake eggs from the internet. The student from Fujian province was held for illegally purchasing and transporting precious, endangered wild animals.
Dengue cases soar in Brazil
Sao Paulo: Cases of dengue have soared in Brazil where the disease has caused 229 fatalities this year, the Health Ministry has said, as authorities try to combat its spread using transgenic mosquitos.
Egypt’s Mubarak turns 87
Cairo: Egypt’s deposed longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak celebrated his 87th birthday by waving to some 100 supporters gathered outside of the military hospital where he is being held in Cairo.
Qatar to house 250,000 labourers
Doha: Qatar is to build seven “cities” to house more than a quarter of a million migrant labourers building major infrastructure and projects for the 2022 World Cup, officials said on Tuesday.