10 News Wednesday, January 13, 2010 D Airport to be built at 14,500ft CHINA has said it plans to build the worlds highest airport in Tibet by 2011. The 4,436m (14,500ft) Nagqu Dagring Airport is expected to surpass Bamda Airport, also in Tibet, by 102m. The new airport is part of plans to encourage transportation development in the Himalayan region with six new railway lines in and around Tibet being constructed, following the opening in 2006 of the final link in a line from Beijing to Tibets capital Lhasa. Critics warn the rush into Tibet could destroy much of its delicate ecosystem, and an influx of the majority Han Chinese could threaten its Buddhist culture and traditional way of life. China says Tibet has been part of its territory since the 13th century, and it has ruled the region since Communist troops arrived in 1951. But Tibetans say their territory was an independent theocracy for most of that time. Their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, leads a self-declared government-in-exile in India. Cabbie gives back $21,000 A CAB driver in New York has been praised for his honesty in returning more than $21,000 left behind by a passenger who was visiting from Italy. Felicia Lettieri, 72, left her purse in a Manhattan taxi on Christmas Eve. It contained about $21,000, which was travelling money for her and six relatives. When she reported it to police, she was told not to get her hopes up about finding the missing money. However, the honest cabbie went to great lengths to return the cash. He drove about 80km to a Long Island address he had found in the purse and finding there was no one home, he left his phone number along with a note. Then he returned again later to the address with the money. Speaking from Pompeii in Italy, Ms Lettieris daughter, Maria Rosaria Falonga, told New York newspaper Newsday that the cabbies note read: Dont worry, Felicia. ... Ill keep it safe. The driver, whose name is Mukul Asaduzzaman, and who could not be reached for comment, apparently refused to accept a reward. HIGH WIRE RESCUE: A helicopter flies over cable cars to rescue 60 skiers stuck in the cabins in Lenggries, Germany yesterday, after a technical glitch left them dangling for several hours. The skiers in the Bavarian resort were then lowered on to the piste or pulled up into the helicopters Picture: AFP worlddigest VENEZUELA: Soldiers closed down 70 shops for raising prices after president Hugo Chavez devalued the currency four days ago. They were deployed in a bid by Mr Chavez to curb 25 per cent inflation. Meanwhile, shoppers have rushed to buy luxury and imported goods to beat future price mark-ups. The bolivar went from 2.15 to the dollar to 2.6 for priority goods such as food and medicine and 4.3 for non-essential imports. Troops shut shops for raising prices HOLLAND: The last survivor of a group that helped Anne Frank hide from the Nazis in Amsterdam has died, aged 100. Miep Gies (pictured) often said she did nothing special in hiding the Frank family. She saved Annes World War II diaries after her death. Last of Anne Frank helpers dies at 100 AMERICA: Sarah Palin (pictured) is to bring her conservative message to TVs Fox News. The former governor of Alaska will offer political commentary. Its wonderful to be part of a place that values fair and balanced news, she said. Palin joins Fox as political analyst SRI LANKA: President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday announced 2.5billion would be spent on rebuilding the Tamil heartland in the north of the country. It follows the defeat of the Tamil separatists in May which ended 25 years of civil war. Mr Rajapaksa is facing a tough challenge from ex army general Sarath Fonseka in the January 26 presidential elections. It will be the first time Tamils can vote freely. 2.5bn aid pledge for Tamil region and finally... POLAND: A prostitute was fined 564,000 for failing to pay tax on her earnings of at least 3million. She told the taxman in the southern city of Katowice she had generous clients with one paying her 1million between 1997 and 2002. Iran nuclear scientist dies in bomb blast ONE of Irans leading nuclear scientists has been killed by a bomb blast just a few metres from his front door. Massoud Ali Mohammadi was on his way to work when the device, rigged to a parked motorbike, was detonated by remote-control. Officials immediately pointed a finger of blame at the West for the assassination. Tehran prosecutorAbbas Jafari Dolatabadi said the booby- trapped bike went off as the 50- year-old got into his car. The blast shattered the win- dows of Mr Mohammadis home in the capital and left the pave- ment outside smeared with blood and strewn with debris. Given the fact that Mr Mohammadi was a nuclear scien- tist, the CIA and Israels Mossad serv- ices and agents most probably have had a hand in it, Mr Dolatabadi said. There was no confirmation that the nuclear physics pro- fessor at Tehran University was directly involved in the atomic programme. The US state department said it was absurd to suggest it was involved in Mondays attack. The West has become increasingly concerned that the programme is being geared to de- veloping weapons. Iran maintains it is solely for peaceful purposes. By Jo Steele Grim: The body of the scientist is removed from the street Picture: Reuters Mr Mohammadi index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html