Seven killed in Sri Lanka prison bus shooting

COLOMBO • Attackers opened fire on a prison bus outside Colombo yesterday, killing five prisoners and two armed guards in the worst gang-related violence to hit Sri Lanka in decades. Police said the attack also injured four guards.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

No extension, probe into Park scandal to end today

SEOUL • South Korea's Acting President Hwang Kyo Ahn will not extend a probe by the special prosecutor into a graft scandal involving President Park Geun Hye beyond the Feb 28 deadline. His spokesman yesterday said the special prosecution probe had served its purpose and it was in the country's best interests for the investigation to conclude as scheduled today.

REUTERS

Indonesian collapses while being caned in Aceh

BANDA ACEH • An Indonesian man collapsed yesterday while being publicly caned for spending time with a woman who is not his wife, in contravention of strict Islamic laws in a staunchly Muslim part of the country.

Herizal bin Yunus, 27, fainted after being caned eight times in front of a crowd in Aceh, the only province in Indonesia that imposes syariah law.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Lawmakers who back Duterte critic lose posts

MANILA • Four Philippine legislators who supported a staunch critic of leader Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs lost important positions in the Senate yesterday, drawing political lines in a tightening of the President's grip on power.

REUTERS

Airline confirms carrying 7 more fliers than allowed

ISLAMABAD • Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) confirmed yesterday that it had carried seven passengers more than the maximum allowed on an international flight and had launched disciplinary measures against the crew.

But a spokesman denied a report that the extra passengers were forced to stand for the three-hour flight from Karachi to Medina in Saudi Arabia on Jan 20. However, he did not clarify how the passengers had spent the journey.

REUTERS