A round-up of other world news in brief
Grandson of ex-emir killed at dinner party
KUWAIT – A member of Kuwait’s ruling family, the grandson of a former emir, was killed at a dinner party and a relative is being questioned in the case, a security official said yesterday.
“Authorities received a report on Thursday evening that a crime had been committed and the victim was Sheikh Basel al-Sabah,” the security official said.
“The crime took place at the victim’s home in Messilah during a dinner party held for a number of sheikhs . . . he was killed after being hit by five bullets.”
The relative held for questioning was his uncle, Sheikh Faisal al-Sabah, he said.
The official gave no word on a possible motive for the killing. – (Reuters)
Three miners killed in explosion
ALMATY – An explosion killed three copper miners in central Kazakhstan yesterday, mine owner Kazakhmys said.
Kazakhmys is the world’s eighth-largest copper mine and its shares trade on the London Stock Exchange.
A company spokeswoman said a fourth miner had also been injured in the explosion, which occurred at about 4am (10am local time) at the Stepnoi underground mine in the town of Satpayev, in the Karagandy region.
Kazakhmys said it had set up a special commission to investigate the cause of the explosion.
The company expects to produce about 300,000 tonnes of copper cathode this year. – (Reuters)
Former detainees return to militancy
RIYADH – About 25 former detainees from Guantanamo Bay camp returned to militancy after going through a rehabilitation programme for al-Qaeda members in Saudi Arabia, a Saudi security official said on Saturday.
The United States have sent back about 120 Saudis from the detention camp at the US naval base in Cuba, set up after the US launched a “war on terror” following the September 11th attacks by mostly Saudi suicide hijackers sent by al-Qaeda.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, has put the returned prisoners along with other al-Qaeda suspects through a rehabilitation programme, which includes religious re-education by clerics and financial help to start a new life. – (Reuters)
Tropical storm Celia to remain offshore
MEXICO CITY – Tropical Storm Celia in the Pacific off southern Mexico was set to become the first hurricane of the 2010 season yesterday but it was moving away from the coast, the US National Hurricane Centre said.
Celia was 555km (345 miles) south of the tourist resort of Acapulco, the Miami-based hurricane centre said.
“Celia is expected to become a hurricane later today or tonight,” the centre said in a statement.
With winds up to 100kph (65mph), Celia was moving towards the west and was expected to remain offshore from Mexico and was not a threat to land, the centre said. – (Reuters)