A round-up of today's world news in brief
Peru's former president jailed over bribery
LIMA – Peru's supreme court yesterday convicted and sentenced former president Alberto Fujimori to 7 1/2 years in jail for paying a $15 million (€10.5 million) bribe to his spy chief.
This is the third time he has been convicted since returning from exile in 2007 to face a raft of charges.
Fujimori, who has heart trouble and will turn 71 this month, told the court he paid Vladimiro Montesinos because he feared his trusted right-hand man was plotting a coup against him. Critics say he gave Montesinos the cash to flee the country as Fujimori’s government collapsed in a corruption scandal in 2000. – (Reuters)
Afghan bomb kills four US soldiers
KABUL – Four US soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, military officials said, making July the deadliest month of the war for US forces.
In the remote west, 12 Afghan traders were killed when their van hit a roadside bomb most likely meant for Afghan or foreign troops. – (Reuters)
Police propose Olmert charges
JERUSALEM – Israeli police have recommended that former prime minister Ehud Olmert be indicted in the latest of a series of corruption scandals that forced him to resign last year.
The recommendation against Mr Olmert stemmed from allegations of cronyism from his term as minister of industry and trade between 2003 and 2006. Police stated they found “evidence of criminal acts of fraud and breach of trust”. – (Reuters)
Bulgaria urged to fight corruption
BRUSSELS – Bulgaria may drift away from the EU and fall under Russian influence unless the government gets to grips with crime and corruption, a group of European experts advising Sofia said.
In a report, the experts urged the Black Sea country to step up the fight against organised crime and graft, especially involving state officials, and to tighten control over EU aid funds.
The European Commission last year suspended some €500 million in EU aid to Bulgaria, one of the bloc’s newest members, because of corruption. – (Reuters)
Outrage over goose-stepping
BUCHAREST – A Romanian mayor outraged Jewish and pro-democracy groups after he goose-stepped with his son in second World War German uniforms during a weekend fashion show.
Radu Mazare, mayor of Constanta, said the uniform had no swastikas and was the uniform of a German infantry general. – (Reuters)
1960s pop star Gordon dies in US
EDINBURGH – A British singer who shot to fame in the 1960s has died aged 64 in the US.
Gordon Waller, of the British pop duo Peter and Gordon, died last Friday in hospital in Norwich, Connecticut, following a heart attack.
The pair had a string of hits in the 1960s, including several written by Paul McCartney. – (Reuters)
‘Substantial’ UK terror threat
LONDON – Britain yesterday downgraded the threat of international terrorism on its territory from “severe” to “substantial” – the third highest on a five-point scale – but said there was still a strong possibility of an attack.
British authorities define the international terrorist threat as stemming from diverse groups including al-Qaeda and associated networks, and others which share their ideology but have no direct contact with them. – (Reuters)