Hooch toll rises

AHMEDABAD: The hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad is growing bigger and bigger, as the number of dead has now risen to over 100. According to official figures, almost 207 people are in hospital. On Thursday, mobs disrupted traffic in Odhav and Viratnagar areas of Ahmedabad.Police suspect that as much as 1,000 litres of spurious liquor was sourced from Mehamdabad in Kheda district by bootleggers. The man-made disaster is fast taking political colours with the Congress alleging that a BJP councillor from Mehamdabad was the main supplier. — Agencies

Suu Kyi trial resumes

YANGON: The trial of the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has resumed after a six-week break for a defence appeal over allowing more witnesses. Suu Kyi has been charged with breaking the terms of her house arrest after a US man eluded guards to visit her lakeside home in Rangoon. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was refused permission by Burma’s military rulers to meet Ms Suu Kyi last week. — Agencies

Sarkozy warns Israel

L’AQUILA: A unilateral attack by Israel against Iran to thwart the Islamic republic’s nuclear ambitions would be an “absolute catastrophe”, French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned on Thursday. Sarkozy was speaking after a summit of G8 and other leaders in Italy at which they agreed on the need to pursue a negotiated deal with Tehran to halt a programme which Western powers fear hides a plan to acquire nuclear weapons. — AFP

Youth gored to death

Pamplona: A young man has been gored to death in the traditional

running of the bulls in northern Spain. The 27-year-old was gored

in the neck on Friday, during the fourth bull run of the week-long San Fermin festival. Daniel Jimeno Romero, from Madrid, had emergency surgery in hospital but died of his injuries. — Agencies