Following a suicide attempt, U.S. R&B singer Houston gouged out his eye while on a performance junket in London, Reuters reports.
According to sources, the “I Like That” singer first attempted to jump out of a London hotel window last Thursday. Prevented from doing so by his security staff, Houston was locked in his room, at which time the injury occurred. No additional details as to his current condition or whereabouts have been disclosed.
CASTRO SPEAKS: In his first public remarks since the U.S. dubbed Cuba an outpost of tyranny, Fidel Castro on Tuesday called President Bush “deranged” and belittled recent improvements in relations between Cuba and Europe. The Cuban leader said in the televised speech his communist-run island is doing fine without the help of the U.S. or Europe.
SHARON, ABBAS TO MEET: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed Wednesday to meet in Egypt next week for the highest-level talks between the two sides in more than four years of violent conflict.
MADRID BOMBING ARREST: Spanish police have arrested a Moroccan, Rachid Bendouda, in connection with the March 11 train bombings in Madrid, authorities said on Wednesday.
BOMB DEFUSED IN TURKEY: Turkish police discovered a bomb in a nightclub near a southern Turkish military base used by the U.S., a U.S. military official said Wednesday. Police defused the homemade bomb.
TSUNAMI SURVIVORS FOUND: Nine survivors of the December 26 tsunami spent 38 days wandering through flattened villages on a remote island eating boars and coconuts before police found them Wednesday. The Nicobarese tribespeople were on Great Nicobar, India’s southernmost island–140 miles from Banda Aceh, the worst hit area in Indonesia.
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Compiled from news services and edited by Patrick Olsen (polsen@tribune.com) and Michael Morgan (mnmorgan@tribune.com)
