News In Brief

Desmond Tutu's home burgled in S Africa
Afp, Cape Town

Burglars broke into the Cape Town home of South African peace icon Desmond Tutu when he was away speaking at Nelson Mandela's memorial, an aide said yesterday.
The timing of the incident is embarrassing for South Africa. It earlier emerged that the sign language interpreter at Mandela's memorial had been "faking" his signing.

Pak court bans airing of foreign films
Pti, Lahore

A Pakistani court has stopped the screening of foreign films, serials and television shows, especially Indian content, on the country's TV channels, triggering panic and outrage among exhibitors and viewers.
Despite the court's order, none of the Pakistani channels have stopped screening foreign content, including Indian and Turkish serials that are extremely popular in the country.

Police strike: 7 killed amid Argentina looting
Afp, Buenos Aires

Seven people died in overnight looting in northern Argentina sparked by a police strike, bringing the toll to nine since the job action began a week ago, authorities said Tuesday.
Riots and looting first erupted in the city of Cordoba a week ago, after police demanding higher wages and better working conditions refused to go on patrol there. So far, the strikes have spread to about 10 provinces.

Tejpal remanded to 12-day judicial custody
Pti, Panaji

A Goa court yesterday remanded Tehelka magazine founder-editor Tarun Tejpal to 12-day judicial custody in the case of alleged sexual assault of a junior woman colleague. He was previously under a 10-day police custody which expired yesterday. Tejpal was arrested by Goa Police on November 30.

Myanmar frees 44 political prisoners
Afp, Yangon

Myanmar yesterday freed 44 political detainees, a presidential adviser said, the latest in a series of prisoner amnesties by the country's reformist regime. President Thein Sein has pledged to release all prisoners of conscience in Myanmar by the end of the year.

New greenhouse gas discovered
Afp, Montreal

Scientists in Canada on Tuesday announced the discovery of a greenhouse gas with unprecedented potential to warm the Earth, and said the chemical has been lurking in the atmosphere for decades.
The substance -- perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) -- "is the most radiatively efficient chemical found to date, breaking all other chemical records for its potential to impact climate," scientists said in a statement.