GLOBAL SNAPSHOT

Leprosy contracted

LOS ANGELES: A California elementary school student has been found to have leprosy, public health officials have revealed. Health officials emphasise it is incredibly difficult to contract leprosy. There was no word on how the child contracted it.

Ivory haul seized

NEW YORK: Authorities have seized $4.5 million worth of illegal elephant ivory items in what they describe as the biggest bust in the state’s history. The items include statuettes, a carved column, two pairs of tusks and a chess set.

Japan coast rocked

TOKYO: A strong earthquake which struck off Japan’s east coast yesterday morning was felt in Tokyo but caused no apparent damage. The US Geological Survey, which measured the magnitude at 6.4, said the quake hit about 150km off the coast. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 at a depth of about 10 kilometres.

Workers risk abuse

SAN FRANCISCO: California and other marijuana-growing regions are in the middle of their annual harvest, which attracts temporary workers with promises of big and quick paydays. But authorities have warned the industry is still largely unregulated, which leads to horrific abuses of workers. Authorities say they are searching for two men who helped keep four brothers in captivity and are investigating whether the operation had connections to Latin American drug cartels.

Officials ridiculed

BEIJING: Chinese officials are being pilloried due to the smoothing-over of a crumbling but much-loved 700-year-old section of the Great Wall of China in the name of restoration. The widely mocked project on the UNESCO World Heritage Site involved an 8km unrestored Xiaohekou section of the wall that has become known as the “most beautiful wild Great Wall”. Defensive works and guard towers were knocked flat as part of the project, officially launched to prevent further deterioration caused by the elements.

Amazon charged

LONDON: Online shopping giant Amazon is to be sentenced after being found guilty of attempting to ship dangerous goods by air in the UK. Items included lithium ion batteries and flammable aerosols, which were destined for flights within and outside the country in four shipments between January 2014 and June 2015. The items were discovered when the shipments were screened by Royal Mail.