Moscow: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a bill officially classifying beer as an alcoholic drink, thereby restricting its sale, the Kremlin said.
Under the bill, alcoholic drinks, including beer, can only be sold in licensed stores.
Beer was earlier classified in Russia as a foodstuff.
The bill comes into force on January 1, 2013.
Russia has one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption in the world, with around 40 percent of people drinking excess amounts on a regular basis, according to health ministry statistics.
In August last year, the Russian president passed a law restricting sales of beverages containing more than 15 percent alcohol between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. in a bid to curb the problem. (IANS)
Woman killed, eaten by lion in Kenya reserve
London: A woman has been killed and eaten by a lion in her home after it escaped from a reserve in Kenya, a media report said.
Officials, who searched the area in Nyahururu district for Martha Nduta, found only a human skull and a few scraps of bone last Friday, The Sun reported Tuesday.
Relatives identified the 58-year-old’s body from the remains of her ripped clothes and a shoe found at the scene.
Francio Nyamatari, Laikipia West police chief, said Kenya Wildlife Service rangers will hunt down the male lion as panic-stricken villagers fear it may strike again.
It is believed the rogue animal escaped through a broken fence at the private Laikipia Nature Conservancy before entering a nearby village, about 177 km north of Nairobi, where it killed the woman. (IANS)
Hitler’s bomber turns up in a Somerset home garden
London: One of Hitler’s bombers was found buried in the garden of a British couple’s home, a media report said.
Andy and Betty Jennings had no idea their bungalow was built next to the spot where a Heinkel was shot down in the Battle of Britain, The Sun reported Tuesday. Archaeologists found its remains on radar and will start excavating next week.
Retired engineer Andy, 56, of Puriton, Somerset, said parts of the plane could be six feet below the surface. He added: “It was a surprise, but we’re quite excited by it now.”
Wartime records show the Heinkel was part of a Luftwaffe raid on aircraft works in Filton, Bristol, and Cardiff docks in August 1940. It was shot down by Spitfires and the crew bailed out safely, the report said. (IANS)
Boy killed, chopped up, turned into mincemeat
Beijing: A nine-year-old schoolboy was abducted, killed, chopped up and then his kidnappers used a meat grinder to mince his body, before throwing it in a river in China.
The three suspects are facing kidnapping and murder charges.
Schoolboy Zhang Shihao met Liu Zhiwei Nov 2, 2010, in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province.
Liu asked Zhang to help pick up a yo-yo for his niece and he then drove away with him, Shanghai Daily cited Henan Business News as reporting.
Liu then made a ransom call for 100,000 yuan to Zhang’s family.
Zhang’s parents informed the police and then went to a bank to pay the money into an account.
Two days later, Liu demanded 100,000 yuan more, and warned them not to report to police. The police stopped them from sending the ransom money. A probe has revealed that Liu and two accomplices had killed Zhang. (IANS)
Bride dumps British hubby in 20 minutes!
London: A man in Britain was left shattered after his newly-wedded wife deserted him within 20 minutes of entering his home.
Johnny Gannon, a charity worker, spent 5,000 pounds for flying in the Jamaican woman to London.
He had spent a lot of money on arranging a visa for 24-year-old Patrice Chambers so they could live in marital bliss in his council flat in Perth, Scotland, Daily Mail reported.
But as soon as Patrice arrived in Perth, she sent Gannon, 57, out to buy Pot Noodles. When he returned she grabbed her bags and told him she was going.
She flagged down a car and left him.
Heartbroken, Gannon, who married Patrice in Jamaica early this year, believes his new wife fled to Bristol to meet her Jamaican boyfriend with whom she had organised the scheme.
“I had a vision of happiness laid out. I feel like a bit of a fool,” he said. Gannon had met Patrice two years ago in Jamaica, which he visits during holidays. A friend set them up on a blind date but despite the 33-year age gap he had fallen in love with her. (IANS)