UN condemns hospital seizure in Thai south

BANGKOK • The United Nations condemned insurgents in Thailand's deep south for seizing a hospital during a recent attack on security forces in the violence-plagued region.

The assault was one of several small-scale but coordinated attacks on Thai forces in the region on Sunday night.

"Hospitals, medical units and medical personnel are protected under international humanitarian law," the UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

16 killed in bomb blast on Peshawar bus

PESHAWAR • At least 16 people were killed and over two dozen wounded yesterday when a bomb blew up inside a bus in Peshawar, the main city of north-west Pakistan, officials said, with the toll expected to rise. The explosion took place in Saddar, a busy shopping district, as the bus was picking up government workers to take them to their offices. Pakistan has been battling a homegrown Islamist insurgency for more than a decade.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Moped cabby nabbed over underwear theft

BANGKOK • A taxi driver accused of stealing some 4,000 items of women's underwear in Thailand has been nicked for the second time in six years.

The 54-year-old motorbike cabby was paraded before the media yesterday next to the underwear that he allegedly stole in between ferrying passengers on his moped.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

118-storey tower to top Petronas Twin Towers

KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia's equity fund Permodalan Nasional Berhad yesterday unveiled details of its planned 118-storey tower that will top 88-floor Petronas Twin Towers as the country's tallest building.

Work started in 2014 on Merdeka PNB118, which will be the second tallest building in Asia after China's Shanghai Tower, at 630m, The Malay Mail Online reported.