ATHENS: Greek police fired teargas at dozens of immigrants pelting them with sticks and metal objects during a protest at a detention centre in the northeastern city of Komotini yesterday, police said. The clashes broke out after more than 400 of about 550 immigrants held at the centre protested against their living conditions, shouting “Freedom!” and “Send us home!”. Some set fire to dozens of mattresses. At least four immigrants and four police officers were injured, police said.
Two dead in violence at South Africa gold mine
JOHANNESBURG: A South African gold mining company says two of its workers have been killed and another injured in violence at one of its mines as unrest continues in the industry. Harmony Gold Mining Co Ltd said yesterday that the attack happened late Thursday at its Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville, about 80km southwest of Johannesburg. Harmony said production at the mine had not been affected by the attack. The company said police had begun an investigation.
Italian mobsters received EU farm aid
ROME: Italian mafiosi have been pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros from European farm funds for years thanks to a legal loophole, according to rulings from Italy’s Court of Auditors. Convicted gangsters and suspects under police surveillance were able to receive Common Agricultural Policy payments of up to ¤153,000 without triggering more in-depth controls on their criminal history. “Until two months ago we didn’t even have a list of mafiosi” to check against when making payments, said Giancarlo Nanni, director of Agea, the Italian government agency that handles European agriculture funding.
Agencies
