Toxic liquor kills 4 in Libya

At least four people have died after drinking tainted homemade liquor in the Libyan capital Tripoli, said hospital officials Sunday. “Initial examinations showed that the cases were symptoms of alcohol poisoning due to drinking alcohol mixed with methanol, which can result in death, kidney failure, blindness and epileptic fits,” said Youssef al-Wafi, the director of the Tripoli Medical Centre. He told Libya’s news agency that 69 people have been admitted to the centre since Friday with symptoms of liquor poisoning. Most of the victims are aged between 19 to 50 years, according to the official.