GLOBAL SNAPSHOT

Political graft

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s anti-graft commission will declare the speaker of Parliament a fugitive if he doesn’t turn himself in after being accused of involvement in the theft of $170 million of public funds. Officials went to Setya Novanto’s home in a failed bid to arrest him and were met instead by his wife and lawyer. “We urge him to surrender,” a spokesman said. “We’ll consider declaring him a fugitive if he is unco-operative.”

Manson on edge

LOS ANGELES: Notorious US killer Charles Manson, who led a California cult that killed pregnant Hollywood star Sharon Tate, has been hospitalised in deteriorating health. The 83year-old was rushed to Bakersfield hospital in central California three days ago and underwent a series of treatments.

Quake strikes

SEOUL: A 5.4 magnitude earthquake that was South Korea’s second-strongest in decades damaged infrastructure, injured dozens and left about 1500 homeless. No deaths were reported after the quake rattled the coastal region around Pohang city.

Debt restructure

MOSCOW: Venezuela has signed a debt restructuring deal with major creditor Russia as ratings agencies declared Caracas in partial default. The country is seeking to restructure its foreign debts after it was hit hard by tumbling oil prices and American sanctions.

Fight cyber bullies

LONDON: Social media giants Facebook and Snapchat will trial a new service providing direct support to victims of cyberbullying. The Duke of Cambridge is spearheading a fresh battle against online abuse with the support of a taskforce made up of major tech firms and charities. He is to announce a code of conduct for the internet, said to be the first of its kind globally, urging young people to “stop, speak, support”.

Gender jail crisis

BOSTON: A transgender woman behind bars at an all-male prison in Massachusetts has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to force the state to transfer her to a women’s facility, saying she is routinely harassed by male inmates and lives in fear of being attacked.

Peaceful pursuits

VANCOUVER: Canada is committing a 200-soldier rapid response team, helicopters and transport aircraft to UN peacekeeping efforts. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the commitment on the second day of a peacekeeping summit hosted by Canada. It could be six to nine months before Canada and the UN decide where the Canadians are needed.