Khaleda aide jailed

Dhaka: A key aide to former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia has been sentenced in absentia to 10 years in jail as part of the military-backed government’s anti-graft crackdown, a report said on Monday.

Harris Chowdhury, the powerful political secretary of the two-time PM, was found guilty on Sunday of giving a car belonging to a government tea company to his brother-in-law, the state-run BSS agency said. — AFP

Thai law ‘dangerous’

Bangkok: Thailand’s draft Internal Security Act would allow the military unprecedented powers even after elections next month to return the country to democracy, Human Rights Watch said on Monday. — AFP

Dies of bird flu

JAKARTA: An Indonesia woman has died of bird flu after handling dead chickens, bringing the national death toll from the disease to 90, the Health Ministry said on Monday. The latest victim was a 30-year-old woman who died in an east Jakarta hospital on Saturday. — AP

Fiji coup plot

SUVA: Fijian police charged three suspects on Monday and rounded up others over an alleged plot to assassinate coup leader Voreqe Bainimarama and other political and military leaders. The number of arrests since Saturday rose to 16 as the Australia and New Zealand denied hints by the Fijian police chief that they could be linked to the alleged plot. — AFP

Volcano eruption

MOUNT KELUD: Indonesia’s deadly Mount Kelud billowed thick smoke on Monday amid signs of a major eruption, while another volcano nearby sent clouds of ash raining down on towns and villages. — AP