China accuses US man of mobster crimes |
Guangzhou court rejects US status of Vincent Wu, ordering trial over kidnaps, gambling and revenge attacks on rivals.
Last updated: 10 Feb 2014 08:54
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A Chinese court has put an American businessman on trial, rejecting his US citizenship, for allegedly heading a violent mob that kidnapped rivals and operated illegal casinos, AP news agency reported.
Vincent Wu, who has said he was tortured into confessing the charges, appeared before the judge in the southern city of Guangzhou on Monday as his family claimed he was a law-abiding businessman whose rivals have framed him to seize his assets.
Wu is charged with getting an associate to throw acid at a judge who ruled against him in a lawsuit, and with ordering thugs to set fire to sheds owned by farmers who refused his offer of compensation to clear off land he wanted to develop.
He is also accused of operating illegal casinos that earned $7.8m, and of attacking or kidnapping people who crossed him in various disputes.
"We are still very confident, because our lawyers have all the evidence to prove that he is innocent," Wu's daughter, Anna Wu, told the Associated Press news agency. "We believe we still have a chance and so we'll hope for the best."
France's tough stance on female genital mutilation is working, say campaigners
Parents and 'cutters' have been jailed in France but concerns remain that parents go abroad – including to UK – for FGM
The girls were ready to leave for London on Eurostar when French police arrived at the school gate to take them into care and their parents into custody. It is doubtful the cousins, both six, had been told why they were crossing the Channel. But activists campaigning against female genital mutilation (FGM) told the Guardian they had learned that the parents were planning to have them "cut", and tipped off the police just in time.
"We had to stop them going," said Isabelle Gillette-Faye of the Gamsmovement. "We were alerted by a family friend who knew what the parents were planning and was against mutilation. But we didn't have much time. We heard about it on the Thursday and they were travelling on Saturday morning. It was a close thing."
The story demonstrates France's zero-tolerance towards FGM, a tough approach that has jailed about 100 people in dozens of high-profile cases.
US and South Korea confirm military exercises as North Korea cancels visit for US prisoner
The US and South Korea have announced annual joint military drills are to take place from February to April. The news came as North Korea canceled a visit planned for a jailed American missionary.
The United States and South Korea announced on Monday they are to hold their annual joint military drills from February 24 until April 18. The command of the combined forces said that North Korea had been notified of the plan.
"The United Nations Command has informed the Korean People's Army in North Korea through their Panmunjom mission about both Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercise dates and the non-provocative nature of this training," the command said in a statement.
North Korea called for the drills to be canceled and described them as a prelude to war. It also warned the exercises could endanger plans for reunions between families from the North and South of the country.
Attack on Syrian aid convoy raises fears about evacuation of Homs
February 10, 2014 - 12:41AM
Aid workers are hoping to evacuate civilians trapped in Syria's besieged city of Homs, a day after the shelling of their convoy killed five residents.
The humanitarian operation, made possible by a UN-brokered local truce, was set to take place on the eve of a new round of talks between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and the rebels battling to overthrow him.
Another 300 people were killed as battles raged across Syria on Saturday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the latest deaths in a nearly three-year conflict that has killed 136,000 people and displaced millions.
DR Congo's Bosco Ntaganda to appear at Hague court
Former Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda is due to appear at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
He is accused of committing war crimes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo a decade ago.
Gen Ntaganda, who denies the charges, surrendered at the US embassy in Rwanda last March as the Congolese M23 rebel movement was fracturing.
The hearing will help judges decide if there is enough evidence to try him.
He was once one of the ICC's most wanted suspects, accused of using child soldiers, keeping women as sex slaves, and murder.
When he appeared in The Hague soon after his surrender, he pleaded not guilty, before the judge interrupted him and said he should not enter a plea at this stage.
Colombia stands up to Big Coal
Colombia’s government is making a big show of prosecuting US coal producer Drummond for a series of environmental blunders. Why?
Colombia’s government is making a big show of prosecuting US coal producer Drummond for a series of environmental blunders, says our correspondent in Medellín. The case is reverberating all the way to Europe, where coal prices spiked on Jan. 9 when the government suspended Drummond’s shipping activities.
Some see the developments as a sign the government is taking a tougher environmental stance with dirty coal. Last month the environment minister also promised to bring forward legislation requiring environmental permits for mining exploration.
“This is one of the few times the Colombian government has put its foot down,” says our correspondent. “It’s a very significant.”
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