A round-up of today's world news stories in brief
Ex-Guatemalan president indicted
NEW YORK – A federal grand jury in New York has indicted former Guatemalan president Alfonso Portillo for money laundering, alleging he embezzled tens of millions of public dollars that he washed through foreign and local banks.
The charges were unsealed yesterday, a day after authorities in Guatemala searched for him at several of his properties on an extradition request from the US. His whereabouts remain unknown.
The grand jury suspects Mr Portillo, who was president from 2000 to 2004, of diverting $1.5 million of donations by the Taiwanese government to accounts controlled by friends and family. – (Reuters)
Mayor vows to ban gay parade
MOSCOW – The city’s mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, has vowed to block a gay parade planned for the Russian capital, describing the march as a “satanic act” and threatening to use the full force of the law to prevent it.
Gay activists, who say they are fighting for their constitutional rights in a deeply intolerant society, promised to go ahead with the May 29th march with or without the permission of city authorities.
Mr Luzhkov (73), has angered Moscow’s gay community and drawn international criticism for his fiery anti-homosexual rhetoric and for sending riot police to break up earlier attempts to hold gay parades. – (Reuters)
Abbas studies new Mitchell talks proposals
RAMALLAH – President Mahmoud Abbas is studying a US proposal for talks between the Palestinians and Israel at a level below full-scale negotiations between their leaders.
The proposal is the latest idea by US Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell to bring about a resumption of peace talks.
Palestinian sources familiar with Mr Mitchell’s weekend round of diplomacy said he had proposed confidence-building measures that would improve conditions in the Palestinian territories. Israeli prime minister Binyamin Benjamin had on Sunday welcomed unspecified “new ideas” for talks from Mr Mitchell. – (Reuters)
Man denies aiding Mumbai attackers
CHICAGO – A Pakistani-born Chicago businessman pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges he aided planners of the 2008 attack in Mumbai, India, that killed more than 160 people.
Tahawwur Rana (49), entered his second not guilty plea in the case during a brief hearing before a US judge. Mr Rana could face life in prison if convicted on three counts. Those counts involve conspiring with the Mumbai attackers, aiding the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba that is accused of being behind the attack and plotting an assault on a Danish newspaper. The newspaper published cartoons in 2005 depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
– (Reuters)