INDIA TOPS RUSSIA IN LIST OF MISSIONS OWING LONDON CONGESTION CHARGES

LONDON: After years ranking fifth in the list of foreign missions owing millions of pounds to London’s transport authority in ‘congestion charge’, India has ‘overtaken’ Russia in the latest list to end fourth with dues of £5,827,825. Every vehicle entering a zone in central London marked ‘C’ needs to pay £11.50 per day as the congestion charge from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm, which was introduced in 2003 to raise funds to improve the transport infrastructure. Dues accruing to Indian diplomatic vehicles from 2003 to September 30, 2018 are the fourth highest after those owed by the missions of the US, Japan and Nigeria, according to the list released on Thursday. The US embassy tops the list with £12,307,805.

Peru opposition leader Fujimori detained

LIMA : Former Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori has been detained as part of a money-laundering investigation, the latest political leader in the Andean nation to face scrutiny over alleged corruption. Photos of Fujimori covering her cuffed hands with a black jacket and escorted by police officers circulated on social media to the surprise of Peruvians who thought the powerful daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori would never see the inside of a jail cell. The conservative politician was taken into custody on Wednesday after she showed up at the chief prosecutor’s office. AP

Libyans find 75 bodies of suspected IS fighters

BENGHAZI: Libyan authorities have found a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of 75 Islamic State fighters near the coastal city of Sirte, formerly the main North African stronghold of the extremist group, an official said on Thursday. Salem el-ameel, a spokesman for a local force, said a resident reported the grave about a month ago on his farm in al-daheir district, east of Sirte. “At the time we did not have the capabilities to go and dig it up, but now we have dug up more than 75 bodies,” he said. He says those buried at the site appear to have been wearing the clothes of IS fighters. AP

Chinese official extradited to US over spying charges

BEIJING: For the first time, a Chinese intelligence official has been extradited to the US to face espionage charges for conspiring and attempting to steal trade secrets from multiple American aviation and aerospace companies, the department of justice has said. Yanjun Xu, aka Qu Hui, aka Zhang Hui, a Chinese ministry of state security operative, was extradited to the US on Tuesday, following which the charges were unsealed on Wednesday. Arrested in Belgium on April 1, Xu was indicted on four counts of conspiring and attempting to commit espionage and theft of trade secrets. He was extradited to the US on Tuesday after losing his appeal.

Limo owner in deadly crash charged with homicide

COBLESKILL, NEW YORK: The operator of a limousine company that owned the vehicle involved in a crash that killed 20 people in upstate New York was charged on Wednesday with criminally negligent homicide, court officials in Cobleskill, New York, said. Nauman Hussain, 28, was charged with one felony count related to the deadliest U.S. transportation accident in nearly a decade. All 20 victims were listed on the charging document. Hussain was released on $150,000 bail by a court in Cobbleskill, near the state capital, Albany. The judge entered a not guilty plea. REUTERS