Crime

German hostages free in Yemen - government sources

Sana'a, Yemen - Three Germans taken hostage earlier in the week in Yemen have been freed, Sana'a government sources said Friday.

Yemen kidnappers deny reports on demand to release clerics

Sana'a, Yemen - Kidnappers holding three Germans in Yemen denied on Friday reports claiming that they have demanded the release of two clerics jailed in the United States.

Piracy watchdog hails "perfect" cooperation in Chinese ship rescue

Kuala Lumpur - A global anti-piracy watchdog on Friday hailed what it called a "perfect cooperation" between international naval forces in warding off pirates from attacking a Chinese ship this week off Somalia's coast.

Malaysian warship KD Sri Inderafakti and naval helicopter Fennec responded to an emergency call by crew members of the Zhenhua 4 Wednesday after pirates had boarded the Chinese vessel, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Nine armed pirates had boarded the ship when the 30-member crew sent a distress message to the bureau, Choong said.

Critical Taiwan peeping Tom indicted

Taipei - A Taiwan man who peeped at a neighbour changing her clothes and complained to her that her breasts were too small has been indicted, a newspaper said Thursday.

Police alleged that the man, identified only by his surname Liao, had spied for two years on his neighbour Liu, 30, who lived in an apartment 5 metres from his balcony, to the United Daily News said.

Police said that on July 29, Liao stole a letter from Liu's mailbox, opened it and wrote on the back: "You are very graceful when you take off your clothes, but your breasts are too small. I hope you can wear less or wear nothing at all when you are at home. I have been watching you for a long time, so you don't need to be shy."

Malaysian police kill armed robbery suspects in pre-dawn shootout

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police on Thursday shot dead four suspects, including two foreigners, believed to be involved in a spate of recent armed robberies in the northern state of Penang, news reports said.

The suspects, in their 30s and 40s, were driving toward a housing estate before dawn = when they realized they were being tailed by the police, deputy state police chief Salleh Mat Rasid said.

Salleh said the eight-member police team opened fire on the suspected robbers after one of the men took out a gun and shot at the officers.

"These suspects were believed to be involved in several burglaries in Penang," Salleh was quoted as saying by the Star daily.

Malaysian cops bust drug syndicates, arrest 13

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police busted two drug syndicates believed to be helmed by Singaporeans with the seizure of drugs worth about 1.5 million ringgit (434,783 dollars) and the arrest of 13 suspects, news reports said Thursday.

Two raids conducted by police Tuesday night in the southern state of Johor resulted in the seizure of 26 kilograms of drugs, including ketamine; nimetazepam pills, also known as Erimin 5; methamphetamines; and ecstasy.

The suspects, including two accused Singaporean masterminds, were aged 20 to 66 and were believed to be part of the syndicates that have been in operation for the past six months, acting state police chief Hisan Tun Hamzah said.

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