News In Brief

Pak defence budget gets 10pc boost
Afp, Islamabad

Pakistan's new government yesterday announced a 10 percent increase in defence spending a week after taking office, despite a crippling budget deficit of 8.8 percent.
The new budget earmarked 627 billion rupees ($6.3 billion) for defence, a 10 percent increase compared to 570 billion rupees in the outgoing year, ending June 30.

Myanmar man gets 26 yrs for inciting riots
Afp, Yangon

Myanmar has sentenced a Muslim man to 26 years in prison for an attack on a Buddhist woman that sparked a fresh outbreak of religious violence last month in the former army-ruled nation, police said yesterday.
The man was convicted of intent to kill, assault and drug use by a court in Lashio in eastern Shan State on Tuesday, Police Major Moe Zaw Linn told AFP by telephone.

Dalai Lama to preserve Mandela's ideals
Afp, Paris

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama yesterday said he was "one of the greatest admirers" of fellow Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela and pledged to perpetuate his ideals.
Speaking to France Info radio while in New Zealand, the Dalai Lama said South Africa's anti-apartheid icons like Mandela and Desmond Tutu were ageing and frail and "logically they are going to go."

Self immolation hits Jordan
Afp, Amman

A young Jordanian man died in hospital yesterday after setting himself on fire outside the ministry of social development last week in despair over failing to meet the minister.
His reasons were unclear. The so-called Arab Spring was sparked when Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire in December 2010 after police confiscated his cart and prevented him from selling his products.

France stalled by rail, air strikes
Afp, Paris

Thousands of flights in and out of French airports were cancelled yesterday as a strike by air traffic controllers intensified just hours before a nationwide rail strike was due to start.
The French air traffic controllers strike coincided with work-to-rule protests in a number of other countries over the European Commission's proposals to create a single European airspace that, according to the EU executive, will cut costs, reduce pollution and increase safety.

Mumbai collapse toll rises to 10
Afp, Mumbai

The death toll from an apartment block collapse in central Mumbai has risen to 10, police said yesterday, as they ended nearly two days of search and rescue operations.
A section of the five-storey Altaf Manzil building collapsed late on Monday, followed by the cave-in of another part of the structure.

Mexico rescues 275 workers from 'slavery'
Afp, Toliman

Mexican authorities have rescued at least 275 people who were being held in slave-like conditions at a camp where tomatoes are sorted and packed for export, officials said.
Thirty-nine teenagers were among those being held against their will at the Bioparques de Occidente camp in Toliman, in the western state of Jalisco, regional prosecutor Salvador Gonzalez said late Tuesday.
The victims were rescued when a worker escaped and made it to the state capital Jalisco to file a complaint.

Myanmar readmitted to EU trade scheme
Afp, London

The European Union yesterday readmitted Myanmar to its trade preference scheme, saying it wanted to support reform in the once pariah state through economic development.
Myanmar's membership of the scheme was withdrawn in 1997 due to concerns over the use of forced labour under the then-military junta.