Armed men hijack Papua New Guinea plane, steal baggage
AFP, Kokopo
A charter airline in Papua New Guinea said armed men hijacked one of its planes Tuesday and forced the pilot to fly to a remote unused airstrip before they made off with the cargo.
Tropic air told AFP that eight armed men approached the plane as it was refuelling in Gasmata, on the island of New Britain and forced the pilot to take off. A company spokesman said there were no other passengers on board.
Pope leaves Japan after nuclear-
dominated trip
AFP, Tokyo
Pope Francis left Japan Tuesday, bringing to an end a long-desired visit marked by messages on atomic power and weapons as he comforted survivors of nuclear bombings and accidents.
The emotional centrepiece of the pope’s Japan trip was a sombre visit to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only two cities to have been targeted by nuclear weapons, in attacks that killed at least 140,000 and 74,000 people respectively.
13 French soldiers killed in Mali copter collision
AFP, Paris
Thirteen soldiers from France’s Barkhane force in Mali were killed when two helicopters collided during an operation against jihadists in the country’s north, the Elysee said Tuesday.
The accident occurred on Monday evening while the forces were engaging the fighters who have staged a series of deadly strikes in northern Mali in recent weeks, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said.
Indonesia arrests dozens of Chinese over online scam
AFP, Jakarta
Dozens of Chinese nationals have been arrested in Indonesia over an online scam that bilked victims out of millions of dollars, authorities said Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off from their Chinese counterparts, Indonesian police said they conducted a half dozen raids Monday evening in the capital Jakarta and Malang city, arresting 85 Chinese nationals and six Indonesians.
