Egypt women protesters forced to take 'virginity tests'

Clashes broke out as the military tried to clear protesters from Tahrir Square on 9 March.

 

A leading rights group says the Egyptian army arrested, tortured and forced women to take "virginity tests" during protests earlier this month.

Amnesty International is calling on the authorities in Cairo to investigate.

It says at least 18 female protesters were arrested after army officers cleared Tahrir Square on 9 March.

It says they were then beaten, given electric shocks and strip searched.

The army denies the allegations.

India revokes licences of 14 'fake pilots'

India's air safety record is generally good despite the scandals

 

The licences of 14 pilots have been revoked by India's aviation authorities as they were allegedly proved to be flying with fake documents.

A police probe found a flying club had issued "fake records" of their training sessions, India's civil aviation chief, Bharat Bhushan.

Earlier this month the licences of seven pilots were cancelled because of fake certificates.

The licences of 4,000 pilots are being checked for irregularities.

China activist Liu Xianbin jailed for 10 years

Liu Xianbin was previously jailed for taking part in the nationwide protests of 1989

 

A Chinese democracy activist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for inciting subversion of state power.

Liu Xianbin was charged after writing a series of articles calling for democratic reforms.

He was convicted after a trial lasting only a few hours; the third time he has been sent to jail for his activism.

South Korea sex scandal diplomats to be disciplined

South Korea is to discipline 10 current and former diplomats at its consulate in Shanghai, in connection with a sex scandal involving a Chinese woman.

The government investigation found that some staff had "inappropriate relationships" with her.

The staff had issued visas to some Chinese citizens without properly checking applications.

The series of affairs came to light after a tip-off from a South Korean businessman, married to the woman.

Media reports suggested that state secrets had been sold for sex with this woman, suspected of being a professional spy.

BHP Billiton to invest $9.5bn in Australian projects

BHP Billiton is trying to meet demand from fast-developing countries like India and China

 

BHP Billiton, the world's biggest miner, has said it will expand its Australian iron ore and coal mining projects, as it tries keep up with rising demand in Asia.

The company has approved $9.5bn (£5.9bn) in capital investments, it said in a statement.

US playwright Lanford Wilson dies aged 73

Wilson was a prominent member of the Off-Broadway theatre scene

 

Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, best known for such plays as Talley's Folly and Burn This, has died aged 73.

The writer passed away at a New Jersey hospital on Wednesday after a long illness, his agent said.

Wilson wrote 17 full-length plays and more than 30 one-acts.

He was awarded the Pulitzer in 1980 for Talley's Folly, part of a trilogy of plays about several generations of a Missouri family.

'Civilians spared' by Libya raids

Western aircraft have flown hundreds of sorties over Libya

 

The US chief of staff for the mission in Libya has insisted there have been no reports of civilian casualties caused by allied action.

Rear Admiral Gerard Hueber's comments come despite claims to the contrary by Muammar Gaddafi's government.

Earlier, British Air Vice Marshal Greg Bagwell said Col Gaddafi's air force "no longer exists as a fighting force".

This has been the fifth consecutive night of air strikes by the US-led international force over the country.

Work resumes at stricken Japan nuclear plant

All six reactors at Fukushima Daiichi had their external power supplies restored on Tuesday

 

Engineers have resumed work to restore the cooling system of reactor 3 at Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, reports say.

Work had been suspended after a plume of black smoke was seen coming from the overheating reactor on Wednesday.

Later on Thursday, two workers at reactor 3 were taken to hospital after being exposed to radiation.

The plant was badly damaged by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami which struck north-eastern Japan on 11 March

Syria unrest: Troops 'kill 10 protesters in Deraa'

There were protests after the funerals of those killed in an overnight raid

 

At least 10 people have been killed and dozens wounded after Syrian police opened fire on people protesting against the deaths of anti-government demonstrators in Deraa, witnesses say.

Hundreds of youths from nearby villages were shot at when they tried to march into the centre of the southern city.

A Syrian human rights activist told the BBC that at least 37 had died.

Troops also reportedly shot at people attending the funerals of six people killed in a raid on a mosque overnight.

Before the violence on Wednesday afternoon, at least 12 people had been killed in clashes with the security forces in the southern city.

Pakistan suicide car bombing kills five near Hangu

A suicide car bomb near a police station in a restive province of north-west Pakistan has killed at least five people, police say.

Some 25 people, including a policeman and some pedestrians, were injured by the blast in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, reports said.
The car exploded in Doaba, a town about 30km (18 miles) from Hangu district, reports said.
It is the latest in a series of attacks near the Afghan border.
The bomber had failed to strike the police station because of the security barricades outside the building, police said.