30 hospitalised for suspected food poisoning in China

About 30 people have been hospitalized after eating at a restaurant in Foping County, Shaanxi Province, northwest China, on Monday morning.

The local government said that the food poisoning had been traced to a a cold noodle dish.

Those that are exhibiting severe symptoms were transferred to a hospital in Hanzhong City, which administers the county, the rest are being treated at a local hospital.

Punch 

20 Afghan policemen die in Taliban attack

At least 20 Afghan policemen have been killed after dozens of Taliban fighters stormed their outpost in the southern Helmand province.

The assault comes as the Taliban intensifies its summer offensive despite repeated government attempts to reopen peace negotiations.

Al Jazeera’s Nicole Johnston, reporting from the capital Kabul, said another 16 policemen were wounded in Saturday’s pre-dawn attack.

“We are told the attack was executed by hundreds of the Taliban fighters,” she said.

“Over the last six weeks, most of the reports that we’ve heard about the Taliban attacks have actually been in the north and less in the south.”

Nabi Jan Mullahkhil, Helmand police chief, said: “Dozens of armed Taliban attacked a police checkpoint in Musa Qala district of Helmand.”

The raid reportedly occurred just after midnight and lasted several hours.

Punch 

New bird flu cases slow

No new bird flu cases have been reported in nearly a week on commercial farms in Minnesota and Iowa, giving government officials, scientists and farmers hope that the worst United States outbreak of the bird flu is winding down, but not over.

As such, farms are focused on disposing of the poultry carcasses, disinfecting barns and preparing to restock their flocks.

But according to a report by the Associated Press, laboratories have continued to intensely study the virus in hopes of developing an effective vaccine, determining how it evaded biosecurity measures and establishing what can be done to prevent a repeat.

The frequency of new cases has slowed as temperatures in the Midwest rise — up to 90 degrees in Iowa and 70s and 80s in Minnesota. It follows scientists’ predictions that temperatures in the 70s and above would neutralize the H5N2 virus so it would no longer infect birds.

Nationally, 47 million birds died or had to be euthanized. Iowa lost more than 30 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens, although 1 million turkeys also died. Minnesota lost nearly nine million birds, mostly turkeys; Nebraska was third with 3.8 million birds, mostly chicken.

#punch

Kidnapped Kogi State Comminssoner Found Alive

On my previous story I told you guys about the comminssoner that was kidnapped in kogi state, if you have missed the gist, I suggest you should be more frequent here  Yay!

The Police in Kogi on Thursday announced the rescue of the state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Stephen Maiyaki, who was abducted on May 30.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Shola Adebayo, said in a statement in Lokoja that Maiyaki was rescued at about 2am from the kidnappers hideout at Abobo village in Adavi Local Government area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the commissioner and six other persons were abducted at Osara village also in Adavi local government while there to resolve a land dispute.

The statement said Maiyaki had been reunited with his family but was silent on the fate of the other six persons abducted along with him.

It was also silent on the fate of Justice Samuel Obayomi of the state High Court who was abducted in the same local government area on May 25.

The kidnappers had killed the policeman attached to the High Court Judge before taking him away.

The judge was on his way to court when he was kidnapped by six masked men.

Already, judiciary workers and lawyers in the state have embarked on strike in protest over his abduction.

The police command in the state has since deployed units of mobile policemen and special anti-robbery squad to areas where Obayomi and others are believed to be held by the abductors.

Punch