Paris attack suspect evades raid

BRUSSELS • Salah Abdeslam, a prime suspect in last November's bomb attacks and shootings in Paris, probably evaded a police raid in Brussels on Tuesday, Belgian public broadcaster RTBF said yesterday, after investigators found his fingerprints at the scene. Other media said DNA was also found

''It is more than likely he is one of two individuals who escaped during the shoot-out,''RTBF said on its website, referring to Tuesday's raid in which one Islamist gunman was killed by a police sniper.

REUTERS

Grandfather sets space record

MIAMI • A grandfather of three blasted into space and into record books yesterday to become the American astronaut who has spent the longest time in space, Nasa said.

Mr Jeff Williams, 58, is the first American to make three long-duration flights to orbit, and will break a US record set by astronaut Scott Kelly earlier this year.

Born in Wisconsin, Mr Williams,who is married and has two adult sons, headed to orbit yesterday with over 362 days in space, including three spacewalks.

This trip marks his first visit to the International Space Station since it was completely assembled, and he intends to document the history of the station for followers on Earth during his trip.He is scheduled to return to Earth in September.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Chinese caught for importing drugs

SYDNEY • Twenty-four people,many of them Chinese nationals, have been arrested in Australia and charged with illegally importing drugs, Australia's anti-money laundering regulator said yesterday.The suspects used Australia-based money transfer operators to send funds offshore to pay for the drugs.

News of the arrests comes weeks after it was revealed that risks of money laundering and underground fund transfers were growing in Australia, after its major banks quit the remittance business.

REUTERS