Police had learned that Takahashi was a keen comic book fan and had concentrated on Tokyo's manga cafes, where patrons can use the Internet or browse comics round the clock. A worker at a manga cafe in Tokyo's Ota Ward recognized Takahashi from the image police had been showing, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported.
- Los Angeles Times
U.N. council: Free 4 court staffers
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council urged Libyan authorities on Friday to take action to immediately release four International Criminal Court staffers detained in Libya where they went to visit the imprisoned son of deposed dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
The council expressed "serious concern" at the detention of the staff members. The council press statement urging "Libyan authorities at all levels and all concerned to work toward immediate release of all the ICC staff members" followed an appeal from ICC President Sang-Hyun Song.
He said that despite agreement by Libyan authorities to facilitate the ICC mission, the staffers have been held since June 7 in the western city of Zintan, where Seif al-Islam Gadhafi has been detained since militiamen captured him in November.
On Wednesday, Libya's government spokesman said an initial investigation showed the ICC team committed a "security breach." Libya's prosecutor ruled that the team should be held for 45 days.
- AP
Hurricane grows off Mexico's coast
MEXICO CITY - Carlotta grew into a powerful Category 2 hurricane on Friday as it neared Mexico's southern Pacific coast, where it is expected to brush the resort town of Puerto Escondido and then lash Acapulco.
Authorities opened emergency shelters, and tourists began leaving Puerto Escondido, a laid-back port popular with surfers. Hotel owners gathered up furniture in preparation for the hurricane, which was expected to move over or near the coast early Saturday.
Hurricane Carlotta's center was about 10 miles southwest of Puerto Angel and 225 miles southeast of Acapulco Friday evening, with winds of 105 m.p.h., according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. - AP
