World briefs

Patrick Ricard, who transformed a small firm based on his father’s anis-flavoured spirit into a global entity with some of the most famous names in alcohol,has died. He was 67, the company, Pernod Ricard, said in a statement.

Ricard’s father founded the company in 1932 and developed pastis, beloved in France as an aperitif but relatively unknown outside the country.

His son joined the company in 1967 and became chairman and CEO in 1978, turning Pernod Ricard into a global brand, with the acquisition of some of the world’s best-known alcoholic brands, including Absolut vodka, Jameson Irish whiskey and Perrier-Jouet champagne.

Ricard, who was chairman of the board of directors, is survived by his wife and three children. (PA)

Ship found

A US-based oceanographic institute says it has found the wreckage of a ship that was manned by a crew of doomed Antarctic explorers more than a century ago.

The Schmidt Ocean Institute says that in July its researchers discovered the SS Terra Nova using echo sounders off the southern coast of Greenland, where the ship sank in 1943 after being damaged by ice.

Built in the late 19th century, the SS Terra Nova gained fame by taking the explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott and a crew to the Antarctic in 1910 in an effort to become the first to reach the South Pole.

Scott and several of his men froze to death in 1912 during their march to the earth’s southernmost point. (PA)

Strong quake hits north Indonesian island

A strong earthquake of 6.6 has rocked a north Indonesian island. No tsunami warning has been issued and there are no immediate reports of damages or casualties.

The US Geological Survey says yesterday’s quake struck 35 miles south-east of Palu city on Sulawesi Island at a depth of 12.6 miles.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it is in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Convoy attacked, three wounded

Egyptian security officials say militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a security convoy in the Sinai Peninsula, wounding three military officers and a policeman.

The officials say yesterday’s attack took place along a major road linking northern Sinai’s main city of el-Arish to the Egypt-Gaza border town of Rafah. The troops were returning from a raid on homes of suspected militants and had arrested two people.

Earlier this month, militants killed 16 Egyptian soldiers near the Israel-Gaza border.

That attack prompted authorities to take a tougher stance toward the growing militancy in the peninsula.

It also led to the dismissal of Egypt’s intelligence chief and the retirement of the longtime defence minister. (PA)

Drone attack kills five militants

Pakistani officials say a US drone-fired missile has struck a suspected insurgent hideout along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, killing five militants.

The two intelligence officials said yesterday’s strike targeted allies of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a militant commander in North Waziristan whose forces frequently target Nato troops in neighbouring Afghanistan.

The officials say three militants were also wounded in the strike.

The attack comes amid speculation over a possible Pakistani military operation in North Waziristan. (PA)

Interior Secretary missing in plane crash

A light plane carrying Philippines Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has crashed while attempting to make an emergency landing. At least one person has been rescued but there is no word on Robredo’s fate.

Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas said the Cessna plane took off from central Cebu city heading to Robredo’s home town of Naga city in Camarines Sur province when the pilot informed the Masbate airport that it would make an emergency landing, but it crashed into the sea.

He said an aide of Robredo was able to jump out and was rescued. (PA)