Paris

Judges to question Iranian opposition

Police tightened security at Paris’ main courthouse and braced for protests at a court appearance Saturday of 17 people rounded up in a sweeping crackdown on an Iranian exile group.

The suspects were expected to be questioned about their links to the Mujahedeen Khalq, which fiercely opposes the Muslim clerical government in Iran and has been accused of terrorism by the United States and the European Union.

Police detained more than 150 people in the raids Tuesday on the group’s offices near Paris. Most have since been released. But the action set off protests by Mujahedeen supporters in Paris and elsewhere in Europe, with several people setting themselves ablaze. One woman at a Paris protest died from her burns.

Among those still in custody was Maryam Rajavi, a co-leader of the Mujahedeen and wife of the organization’s chief Massoud Rajavi.

Tunisia

Nearly 200 still missing after boat capsizes

The Tunisian national guard, the navy and private boats continued to search for nearly 200 Africans reported missing after the vessel they were on capsized off the country’s Mediterranean coast, the state news agency said.

About 250 people were aboard the boat on their way to Italy when it sank at dawn Friday about 70 miles southeast of the Tunisian city of Sfax, the TAP news agency said.

TAP said that 41 people were pulled from the water alive, and that 12 bodies also were found. The boat was carrying people from several African nations hoping to go to Europe, the agency said.

The cause of the accident was still unclear. It was the latest in a series of deadly accidents involving boats of Africans trying to enter Europe illegally.

Beijing

Archaeologists discover 2,000-year-old liquor

Aged wines don’t get much older than this.

Archaeologists in western China discovered five earthenware jars of 2,000-year-old rice wine in an ancient tomb, and its bouquet was still strong enough to perk up the nose, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday.

Xinhua said 1.3 gallons of the almost clear, blue-tinged liquor was found, enough to allow researchers their best opportunity yet to study ancient distilling techniques.

Archaeologist Sun Fuzhi said the tomb dated from the early Western Han dynasty, which held sway over much of mainland China between 206 B.C. and 25 A.D. Liquor from the period has been found in other tombs but never as well-preserved, he said.

Liquor made from rice or sorghum grains was a major part of ceremonies and ritual sacrifices in ancient China, with elaborate bronze cups and decanters cast specifically for its use.

Several drinking vessels, along with bronze bells, more than 100 jade pieces and part of a human skull were found in the tomb, which Sun said probably belonged to a member of the Han nobility.