Almaty gunman 'close to Salafists'

ALMATY (Kazakhstan) • One gunman close to Salafists, followers of an ultra- conservative school of Islam, was behind the three deadly shootouts in Kazakhstan's financial capital Almaty yesterday, officials said.

The 26-year-old suspect, Ruslan Kulikbayev, had been imprisoned before for robbery and illegal arms possession and "became close to Salafists" in prison, according to KNB security service head Vladimir Zhumakanov.

At least four policemen and one civilian were killed, sources said. It was the second attack on the security services in less than two months.

The government has ordered tighter security in public areas.

REUTERS

African teens still dying of Aids

JOHANNESBURG • HIV/Aids remains the leading cause of death among Africans aged between 10 and 19, Unicef chief Anthony Lake said yesterday at the start of a major international conference on the virus.

"Despite remarkable global progress in tackling the pandemic, much work remains to be done to protect children and adolescents from infection, sickness and death," he said.

Unicef said Aids-related deaths among people aged between 15 and 19 have more than doubled since 2000, with 29 new infections within this age group taking place across the world every hour.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Venezuelans rush to Colombia to shop

SAN ANTONIO DEL TACHIRA (Venezuela) • Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have streamed into the Colombian city of Cucuta, taking advantage of the temporary reopening of a long-closed border to buy food and medicine due to shortages at home.

Venezuela has suffered crippling shortages for months, a ripple effect from the falling price of oil, its primary export. Critics also blame grave mishandling of the state-led economy.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE