NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
_1 Tourists abducted: A Congo park spokesman says one guard has been killed and two British tourists and their driver have been abducted in Virunga National Park. Joel Wengamulay, spokesman for the Congolese Institute for The Conservation of Nature, said the kidnapping occurred Friday just north of Goma after their vehicle was ambushed. Eastern Congo is home to multiple armed groups.
_2 Controversial airport: Polish lawmakers have approved divisive legislation paving the way for the construction of what is intended to be one of Europe’s largest airports — and China’s gateway to the continent. The airport is to be built in central Poland by the end of 2027, some 25 miles from Warsaw and near a highway leading toward Berlin and Western Europe. It is initially to serve some 45 million passengers a year, along with huge cargo traffic between Asia and Europe. The idea for the new airport was born out of the right-wing government’s efforts to develop large-scale trade cooperation with China and to help it get a foothold in Europe. _3 Workers’ rights: The Philippines and Kuwait have signed a new agreement regarding Filipino laborer rights after the Philippines earlier banned its citizens from working there amid a diplomatic dispute. In a statement issued Friday, the Philippines government stated “the more than 250,000 Filipinos in Kuwait can now be assured of prompt and effective assistance if needed.” The Philippines banned workers from coming to Kuwait over abuse complaints after a dead Filipina was found in a freezer in an abandoned Kuwait City apartment in February. Kuwait later expelled the Philippines ambassador amid the dispute. _4 U.S. diplomats restricted: Pakistani authorities have imposed “reciprocal” restrictions on the movement of U.S. diplomats in the country after Washington took similar measures. A letter sent to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad says the restrictions will be implemented Friday. The move comes after the U.S. required Pakistani diplomats to get permission five days in advance to travel more than 25 miles from their embassy. It was unclear what prompted the moves but the developments come weeks after Pakistan barred a U.S. diplomat from leaving the country after he killed a Pakistani motorcyclist in Islamabad. U.S. military attaché Col. Joseph Emanuel Hall, was not arrested because he enjoys diplomatic immunity. Hall is accused of running a red light and killing Ateeq Baig on April 7. _5 Singer found dead: Scott Hutchison, lead singer and songwriter of the Scottish folk-rock band Frightened Rabbit, was found dead Thursday near South Queensferry, Scotland, the Edinburgh police confirmed, after a dayslong search for the musician, who was said to be in a “fragile state.” The police could not immediately identify a cause of death, but said it was not being treated as suspicious. _6 Pompeii thoroughbred: Excavation in Pompeii has unearthed a stable with what appears to be the final resting place of an ancient racehorse. Pompeii officials displayed a cast of the horse, which appeared to have been lying on its left flank when it died. Pompeii director Massimo Osanna said Friday that the animal was a thoroughbred likely used for races, not farm work. Parts of the sprawling city destroyed by Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in the year 79 await excavation. The stable belonged to a villa on Pompeii’s northern outskirts.