authorities – Page 14 – 4VF News

Allied Irish Banks hit by $81M loans scam

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office and London police are investigating an alleged $81 million (£56 million) fraud on the corporate banking department of Allied Irish Banks (AIB). The SFO said it had searched a business and two residential addresses in London and believed AIB was not the only financial institution deceived by the suspects. It said that between 2003 and 2007 AIB, Ireland’s largest bank by market value, loaned money for the purchase of UK investment properties to companies controlled by an individual who was now the main suspect

Red Cross fears for Philippines aid workers

The International Committee of the Red Cross has said it is "extremely worried" about the fate of three aid workers kidnapped in the Philippines in January.

Ex-president of Israel blasts legal ‘lynching’ after rape indictment

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav on Thursday accused the country’s authorities of "lynching" him, four days after the attorney general said Katsav would be indicted for rape and sexual assault. “History will find in my favor,” he said in a news conference. “The legal onslaught on me was a hysterical eruption of hatred and malice and it included witness tampering, coaching and coercing, all to frame the president of Israel.” Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said Sunday he would indict Katsav on charges of rape and sexual assault of a number of his employees, plus obstruction of justice.

Thai PM admits boat people pushed out to sea

Thailand’s prime minister suspects there were "some instances" in which Thai authorities pushed Myanmar’s Rohingya boat people out to sea, a frank admittance of a practice drawing worldwide condemnation. In an exclusive interview with CNN Thursday, Abhisit Vejjajiva said he could not pinpoint who in the government approved the practice, but said he was working on rectifying the problem.