WASHINGTON: A university student in the United States has been charged with possessing a potentially lethal amount of the powerful toxin ricin, court documents showed. Daniel Harry Milzman, from Georgetown University in Washington, told the FBI earlier this week that he produced the ricin himself in his dormitory room about a month ago, having bought the precursor materials in local stores. He wore goggles and a dust mask when he was extracting the ricin, according to the court documents, which said he had produced 123 milligrams and stored the material in a plastic bag secured with hockey tape. The concentration of the ricin was such that it could have been deadly if inhaled, the documents said, adding that Milzman had told his residential adviser on Monday that he had created the poison and showed the adviser the plastic bag. He was interviewed by FBI agents the next day.
Australia plane crash kills five
BRISBANE: A light aircraft used for skydiving crashed in an airfield in eastern Australia yesterday and burst into flames, killing all five people on board, police said. The plane veered left shortly after taking off from the Caboolture airstrip, 50km north of Brisbane on Australia’s east coast, before plunging to the ground. Queensland police superintendent Michael Brady said a male pilot, two skydiving instructors and two skydivers including a woman were on board.
Venezuela protest toll rises to 33
CARACAS: Two Venezuelans died from gunshot wounds during protests against socialist President Nicolas Maduro, witnesses and media said yesterday, pushing the death toll from almost two months of anti-government protests to 33. Opposition demonstrators complaining of soaring prices and product shortages have vowed to remain in the streets until Maduro resigns, although there are few signs that the country’s unrest will force him from office.
Saakashvili summoned
TBILISI: Prosecutors in Georgia yesterday said they have summoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili for questioning over a raft of criminal cases. Saakashvili has been told to appear on Thursday in connection with 10 cases, including a possible probe into the 2005 death of former prime minister and his close ally Zurab Zhvania, a statement from the prosecutor’s office said. Some of the other cases relate to a police raid on an independent broadcaster, the alleged misappropriation of funds by the state security service and the illegal seizure of assets. Agencies
