A roundup of today's other world news in brief
19 Turkish officers to be arrested again
ISTANBUL – An Istanbul court has ordered the rearrest of 19 serving and retired military officers charged over an alleged plot to overthrow the government, broadcaster CNN Turk reported yesterday.
Among the 19, who were freed from detention on Thursday pending trial, were retired Gen Cetin Dogan, the former head of Turkey’s First Army, and Lieut Gen Engin Alan, a former special forces commander. Their arrest in February had fuelled strains between the secularist establishment and the Islamist- rooted government of Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan.
The officers are linked to the alleged 2003 “sledgehammer” plot, which media reports say involved plans to overthrow the government. – (Reuters)
Murdered schoolgirl had multiple injuries
LONDON – Police say that a schoolgirl found stabbed to death in Manchester had suffered multiple injuries.
The girl, discovered at a home in the city’s Cheetham Hill area, has been named by police as Tia Rigg (12).
A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of her murder and remains in custody. Greater Manchester Police said they were not seeking anyone else over the killing.
“Tia’s family are understandably devastated by what has happened, but we have officers who are supporting them at this horrendous time,” said Det Supt Mary Doyle.
“Although the postmortem examination is not complete, it is clear that Tia suffered multiple significant injuries and our thoughts are with her family and friends,” Det Supt Doyle said. – (Reuters)
Bob Dylan’s east Asia tour called off
Dylan’s planned tour of east Asia later this month has been called off.
Chinese officials refused permission for him to play in Beijing and Shanghai, his local promoters said.
China’s ministry of culture, which vets planned concerts by overseas artists, appeared wary of Dylan’s past as an icon of the counterculture movement, according to Jeffrey Wu of the Taiwan-based promoters Brokers Brothers Herald. – (Guardian service)
Dubai court upholds sentence for kissing
DUBAI - A Dubai court is reported to have upheld a one-month jail sentence given to a British couple for kissing in public,.
The British man living in Dubai and a female friend were arrested in November on charges of kissing intimately in public and consuming alcohol.
An Emirati mother had complained her child had seen their indiscretion. This the third time in two years that Britons have fallen foul of Dubai’s indecency laws – (Reuters)