Tainted alcohol: Death toll rises to 21

KUALA LUMPUR • A total of 21 people, mostly foreign workers, have died from drinking tainted alcohol in Malaysia, the authorities said yesterday as police made a series of arrests over the scandal.

The victims, including three Malaysians as well as people from Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, died after drinking whisky and beer in and around the capital, Kuala Lumpur. The first death took place on Monday and the toll has risen steadily since.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Fine for topless photos of duchess upheld

VERSAILLES (France) • A French court yesterday upheld a €45,000 (S$81,000) fine and dismissed an appeal by editors of gossip magazine Closer for publishing pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless.

The court upheld the maximum fine handed to the editors by a lower court for invading the privacy of Prince William's wife, Kate, with its 2012 publication.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

US surgeon, girlfriend charged with rape

LOS ANGELES • An orthopaedic surgeon in California, who once appeared on a dating reality show, and his girlfriend have been charged with drugging and sexually assaulting two women, in a case prosecutors suspect might involve hundreds of other victims.

The authorities said on Tuesday they had received dozens of leads in the probe, just hours after a press conference held to try to get other women to come forward.

The surgeon, Grant William Robicheaux, 38, and his girlfriend, Cerissa Laura Riley, 31, were charged on Sept 11 with rape as well as drug and weapons-related offences in connection with two alleged assaults.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE