World Briefs

The body parts of two police officers were dumped outside the police headquarters of Mexico's Guerrero state in eight black bin bags, state security officials said yesterday.

The victims, commander Predix Luna Simon and officer Cristobal Luna Garcia, had been missing since Saturday, a statement from the state security ministry said.

The gruesome discovery came amid a wave of drug-related violence, particularly in northern border areas as well as the southwestern Guerrero state, home of Acapulco and a major transit point for drug trafficking.

More than 15,000 people, including many police, have died in suspected drug attacks since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown on organised crime, involving some 50,000 troops, at the end of 2006. (AFP)

Tonne of marijuana seized

Police have seized more than a tonne of marijuana and arrested five people, including two Dutch nationals, in separate operations in Albania and Serbia, officials and local media said yesterday.

Police in Albania said it had seized at least 1,000 kilos of cannabis in the south of the country.

Authorities said the drugs were found in a truck in Kakome, some 280 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana, and were destined for Italy. The Albanian driver of the truck was arrested, but two other people escaped.

The drugs are believed to have been produced in the village of Lazarat in southern Albania, considered a hub for cannabis production.

Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, is a known crossroads for smuggling.

In a separate operation, Albanian police also arrested two people late Sunday in the port town of Vlora. The suspects were trying to smuggle two kilograms of heroin to Italy, police said. (AFP)

Breast cancer prevention slogan opposed

Polish feminists have objected to a hospital's breast cancer prevention slogan which they say encourages workplace harassment, the Gazeta Wyborcza daily said on its website yesterday.

The slogan "I check the breasts of my workers on my own" was devised by a cancer hospital in the southern town of Opole and aimed at convincing employers to encourage their female workers to have their breasts checked regularly for cancer symptoms.

"This is a sexist slogan that obviously brings sexual molestation to mind," the head of the Feminoteka foundation, Joanna Piotrowska, was quoted on the website as saying.

"This campaign treats women as objects and is not far removed from advertisements in which girls flaunt their breasts over car bonnets. I wonder if this would be equally funny if it were changed to 'I check the penises of my workers on my own'." (Reuters)

Poker heist mastermind arrested

German police said yesterday they had arrested the alleged mastermind behind a spectacular armed raid earlier this month on a high-stakes poker tournament at one of Berlin's swankiest hotels.

The 28-year-old Lebanese man was seized on Sunday night, police said.

"According to the current state of our investigation, the suspect is thought to have been the organiser and brains behind the operation. He also drove the getaway car," a black Mercedes-Benz, Berlin police said in a statement.

Investigators are still searching for the €242,000 in cash snatched in the brazen, daylight raid, likened in some media to the Hollywood blockbuster Ocean's 11.

On March 6, a masked gang of four wielding handguns and machetes burst into the Hyatt hotel near Berlin's Potsdamer Platz and made off with bags of cash in the ensuing chaos, which was captured on dramatic TV pictures.

Police have since gradually reeled in all the gang members.

The tournament, the German leg of the European Poker Tour, attracted around 950 participants including German tennis legend Boris Becker with €4.7 million in prize money up for grabs. (AFP)

Tributes paid to Voice of Boxing

Tributes have been paid to BBC commentator Harry Carpenter - dubbed the Voice of Boxing.

The 84-year-old sports broadcaster died on Saturday at King's College Hospital, London.

During his lengthy career he became closely identified with Frank Bruno, whose catchphrase "Know what I mean, 'Arry?" featured in their post-fight interviews.

The former heavyweight champion's agent said Mr Bruno was "very upset" at the news. He said: "When I told him, he said it was 'terrible, sad news'. Frank has many acquaintances but not many real friends. Harry Carpenter was a friend."

Mr Carpenter famously appeared to momentarily lose his neutral stance during Mr Bruno's world title fight against Mike Tyson in Las Vegas in 1989, as he said: "Go on... get in there, Frank."

He worked as a sports reporter on national newspapers before joining the BBC and commentated on major sporting events including Wimbledon and the university boat race. But it was as the public face - and voice - of the corporation's boxing coverage that he became best known. (PA)

Tiger Woods answers questions

Tiger Woods finally faced questions on Sunday about the sex scandal that turned him from the biggest brand in sport to the disgraced target of hundreds of jokes.

He said: "It was hurtful, but then again you know what, I did it," he said. "I'm the one who did those things and looking back on it now with a more clear head, I get it.

"I can understand why people will say these things because you know what, it was disgusting behaviour. As a person, it's hard to believe that was me, looking back on it now." (Reuters)