■ The Netherlands
Coffee ad gets flak
The Netherlands is famed for its tolerant attitude toward drugs, but some Dutch say a commercial for a new iced cappuccino drink glorifies cocaine use and has gone too far. The commercial features three young women in bikinis gathered around a silver tray, with straws in their hands. They slurp up small, thin "lines" of the drink from the tray, and are then shown with expressions of ecstasy spreading across their faces. The drink, called "Caffiato," targets young adults with the slogan "Caffiato: Too Cool for You?" Douwe Egberts, the company which makes Caffiato, said the reference to cocaine was intentional, but "done with a wink."
■ United States
Video cameraman arrested
Federal authorities on Tuesday took custody of a Pakistani man who had videotape footage of landmark buildings, dams and transit systems throughout the southeastern US. Buildings included the Bank of America and Wachovia bank -- two of the largest financial institutions in the country -- in Charlotte, as well as the Texas state Capitol, the Texas governor's mansion and key business and financial buildings in Dallas, Austin, Houston, Atlanta, and New Orleans. After police questioning Akhtar was handed over to immigration agents, who found that in 1998 a New York City immigration court ordered him to leave the country.
■ United Kingdom
Lifer wins lottery
A rapist and serial sex attacker serving life in a British prison has won ?7 million (US$12.8 million) in the country's National Lottery, a report said on Tuesday. Iorworth Hoare, 52, was on temporary weekend release at a bail hostel when his lucky numbers came up in Saturday's draw, the Sun newspaper reported. Before the huge win, Hoare -- who was jailed for life in 1989 -- was considered a low-security detainee and was allowed to spend weekends away. However, now that he was rich, Hoare had been moved to a higher-security jail and refused leave, the Sun reported.
■ Germany
Al-Qaeda captive cleared
A key al-Qaeda captive in US custody told interrogators that a Moroccan on trial for helping the Hamburg-based Sept. 11 suicide pilots had no knowledge of the plot, according to a summary read out in a Hamburg court yesterday. Mounir el Motassadeq, accused of providing logistical help to the Hamburg al-Qaeda cell that included hijackers Mohamed Atta, Marwan el-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah, is being retried after having his conviction thrown out in March by an appeals court.
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