News In Brief

Turkish centres shut in Syria
Afp,Beirut

Turkey has closed its cultural centre and commercial office in Beirut after the kidnap of two Turkish Airlines pilots, Ankara's ambassador to Lebanon told AFP yesterday.
The two pilots were kidnapped on Friday by a group demanding Turkey use its influence with Syria's rebels, who it backs, to secure the release of nine Lebanese Shiites kidnapped in Syria in May 2012.

Philippines typhoon kills 2; 44 missing
Ap, Manila

A powerful typhoon battered the northern Philippines on Monday, toppling power lines and dumping heavy rain across cities and food-growing plains. The storm left at least two people dead and 44 missing.
Typhoon Utor, described as the strongest globally this year, slammed ashore in mountainous eastern Aurora province with sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 210 kph.

Mugabe in stinging attack on rival
Afp, Harare

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe yesterday said those upset by his disputed landslide election victory could "go hang".
The 89-year-old vowed never to let go of his victory as his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai lodged a petition in court challenging the election outcome.
Mugabe was declared the winner with 61 percent of the ballots, against Tsvangirai's 34 percent.

Pakistan summons Indian deputy HC
Pti, Islamabad

Pakistan yesterday summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner to protest "ceasefire violations" by the BSF along the LoC, claiming that it resulted in the death of a civilian at Rawalakot in PoK.
Pakistan also asked India to uphold the 2003 ceasefire agreement while committing itself to a "constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement" between the two countries.

Apple to unveil next iPhone on Sept 10
Reuters, London

Apple, the world's largest technology company, is expected to present its redesigned iPhone in September, according to technology blog AllThingsD.
The blog cited unnamed sources as saying that Apple will unveil its next smart phone at a special event on September 10.
The company was not immediately available for comment.

Nazi 'war criminal' Csatari dies
Afp, Budapest

Laszlo Csatari, a 98-year-old Hungarian who topped the Simon Wiesenthal Center's list of alleged Nazi war criminals, has died in hospital, his lawyer said yesterday.
Csatari was alleged to have been actively involved in the deportations of thousands of Jews to death camps in World War II from a town in present-day Slovakia.
After being sentenced to death in absentia by a Czechoslovakian court in 1948 he made it to Canada where he lived and worked.