JAKARTA: An Indonesian fisherman fought off an attack by a huge crocodile that dragged him out of his boat on Borneo island but needed 80 stitches to patch up his mutilated arm, an official said yesterday.
Fandi, who goes by one name, was refuelling his small wooden boat in the Sebangau river, Central Kalimantan province, when the reptile leapt up and dragged him into the water, said local government official Herman.
The 41-year-old was treated at a nearby hospital following the attack on Sunday and needed 80 stitches on his arm, added Herman.
China dissident’s kin get passports
BEIJING: The brother of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, whose flight to the US embassy last year provoked a diplomatic crisis, has been given his first ever passport by authorities in Beijing, he said yesterday.
Chen Guangfu now plans to travel to Taiwan to meet his brother, who now lives in the US after his dramatic escape from house arrest last year, which infuriated Chinese authorities.
Chen Guangfu said he received a passport along with his mother, Wang Jinxiang, after applying in January. “We received (the passports) by post, there was no reason stated for why they arrived now,” he said.
Thai rice losses lower: Minister
BANGKOK: Losses incurred by the Thai state budget from its rice intervention scheme are lower than the 260bn baht ($8.5bn) mentioned by some media but it is too soon to come up with a precise figure, Deputy Commerce Minister Nattawut Saikuar said yesterday. The government has been buying rice from farmers at a price higher than the market since October 2011.
It has given very little information on how much it has bought or how much it has managed to sell, and at what price. AGENCIES
