World news in brief
Bollywood star Sridevi dies aged 54
The Bollywood star Shridevi has died after a cardiac arrest at the age of 54, her family has said. Sridevi was reportedly with her husband Boney Kapoor and daughter Khushi attending her nephew’s wedding in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, when she died.
She was born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan and made her Bollywood debut at the age of four in the 1975 drama Julie. She went on to become one of the biggest female stars in India. In 2013, the Indian government awarded her the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour.
She was making films as late as last year and appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language productions. Actress Priyanka Chopra said: “I have no words. Condolences to everyone who loved #Sridevi. A dark day. RIP.”
In December veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor died, aged 79. Star of huge hits like Deewar, In
Custody, and Junoon, the actor was a member of the Kapoor dynasty, which had been a dominating force in the Hindi film industry for decades.
Mexico arrests 4 police officers in case of missing Italians
Four municipal police officers were arrested yesterday in connection with the disappearance of three Italians last heard from more than three weeks ago in western Mexico. Authorities said the agents apparently handed the men over to a criminal gang.
Jalisco state Attorney General Raul Sanchez said at a news conference that the suspects, three men and a woman, all active-duty police officers in Tecalitlan, “confessed” to delivering the Italians to members of an organised crime group operating in the town.
“They were asked to hand them over,” Mr Sanchez said, adding that authorities were still investigating why. Mr Sanchez did not name the crime group, but the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel is dominant in the area.
The Italians have been identified on search posters as 60-year-old Raffaele Russo, his 25-year-old son Antonio Russo and his 29-year-old nephew Vincenzo Cimmino, all from the Naples area. They disappeared in Tecalitlan while traveling in two white SUVs, which have not been found either.
More than 20 killed in two attacks in Afghanistan
A suicide bomber killed at least two people and wounded seven in an attack claimed by Isis in the diplomatic area of Afghanistan’s capital yesterday. At least 18 soldiers died in an another attack on a checkpoint by Taliban insurgents in the country’s west, authorities said.
Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the Kabul attack took place in the Shash Darak area near Nato headquarters and not far from the US Embassy. Mr Danish said the initial casualty count could rise. Isis claimed responsibility in a statement on its website.
Lebanon: man arrested in connection with maid’s death
A suspect in the death of a Filipina maid whose body was found stuffed in a freezer in Kuwait is being questioned in Beirut. A senior official with Lebanon’s General Security Directorate refused to provide details other than that the man is being held by the agency and is being interrogated.
A judicial official said yesterday that Lebanese citizen Nader Essam Assaf was handed over by Syrian authorities to Lebanon on Friday. He added that the man’s Syrian wife is in Syria.
Mr Assaf and his wife are suspects in the death of Joanna Demafelis. On Friday, the Philippine Foreign Secretary said the suspect is under arrest in Lebanon.