QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Save us, brother. I beg you, brother. I want to live. It’s so painful here … I have two little children.”
Mohammad Altab, a garment worker trapped in the rubble of an eight story building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, Bangladesh Article, this page
Afghan earthquake, flood kill at least 38
An earthquake and a flash flood in Afghanistan killed at least 38 people Wednesday in separate occurrences that destroyed homes and businesses.
The temblor killed 18 people and left hundreds injured in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar, the government said in an e-mailed statement Thursday. The flooding in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif left 20 people dead and displaced more than 1,800 from their homes, it said.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck at 1:55 p.m. local time Wednesday, 15 miles northwest of Jalalabad.
The tremor was the latest to buffet Asia this month. A quake hit Iran and Pakistan last week, shaking buildings as far away as Dubai and New Delhi.
7 hurt in Burma crackdown, activists say
RANGOON, Burma - Police in northwestern Burma injured seven people and arrested three others Thursday in a new crackdown on residents opposed to a Chinese-backed copper-mine project, activists said.
They said the violence broke out near the Letpadaung mine as farmers plowed their land, which was seized for the project.
Farmers had returned to their fields in the village of Hsede on Tuesday, and about 100 riot police and 50 soldiers tried to drive them away on Thursday, environmental activist Tha Gyi said.
Another activist, Han Win Aung, said police shot one farmer in the arm and beat six others as scuffles broke out.
He said police also arrested two villagers and one activist.
Local authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
State television reported the skirmish, saying police used rubber bullets to disperse 200 farmers. The report said 15 police officers also were injured.
The Letpadaung mine drew international attention in November when police dispersed protesters with smoke bombs containing white phosphorus. The bombs caused severe burns to protesters - mostly Buddhists monks - who had occupied the site for days.
Residents opposed to the $977 million project say it will cause major environmental, social and health problems.
Fire at Russia mental hospital fatal to 38
MOSCOW - A fire raged through a psychiatric hospital outside Moscow early today, killing 38 people, including two nurses, emergency officials said.
A third nurse managed to save two patients, and they were the only three thought to have survived, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the Health Ministry.
Police said the fire, which broke out at about 2 a.m.
local time in the one-story hospital in the Ramenskoye settlement, was caused by a short circuit, RIA Novosti reported.
A photograph on the website of the emergency services showed a building consumed by flames.
The emergency services also posted a list of the patients indicating they ranged in age from 20 to 76.
Cost of Thatcher’s funeral $5.6 million
The British government said former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s funeral cost taxpayers $5.6 million, mostly for security.
The bill for the April 17 ceremony included a little more than $3 million for policing by officers who would otherwise have been on other duties, nearly $1.7 million for extra security and a little more than $770,000 for the St. Paul’s Cathedral service, receptions for dignitaries and the distribution of invitations to more than 2,000 guests.
Prime Minister David Cameron’s office said Thursday that Thatcher’s family was paying the cost of the undertaker and flowers for the funeral.
Thatcher, who governed Britain from 1979-90, died April 8 at the age of 87.
Some Britons balked at the grand ceremonial funeral with military honors held for a politician whose legacy divides the country.
Front Section, Pages 6 on 04/26/2013