Mexico: Wanted drug hit man found under false name
Police found one of Mexico’s most-wanted drug hit men awaiting trial under a false name in a Tijuana prison and said he probably participated in a 1993 shootout that killed a Roman Catholic cardinal. Humberto Rodriguez Banuelos, known as “La Rana” – The Frog – had undergone liposuction, a face lift and a hair implant, police said. He allegedly participated in a 1993 shootout at the Guadalajara airport in which Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo was killed in the crossfire. Mr. Rodriguez Banuelos was transferred Tuesday from his Tijuana jail cell to a maximum security federal prison in the western Mexico city of Guadalajara.
Philippines: Ex-leader arraigned on plunder charge
Ousted President Joseph Estrada was arraigned Tuesday on the capital offense of economic plunder – a law he once championed to fight official corruption. Mr. Estrada’s lawyers argued that the 1991 law is unconstitutionally vague and that the charge should be dropped. The courts stood firm, however, on trying the former action film star, who is accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks during 31 months in office.
United Kingdom: Northern Ireland’s peace pact in jeopardy
The bid to rescue Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government suffered a double blow on Tuesday when two Protestant paramilitary groups withdrew their support for negotiations and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said it was not possible to resolve the issue of Irish Republican Army disarmament before time runs out. In an angry speech in London, Mr. Adams accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of allowing IRA disarmament to become the stumbling block of the peace process.
Jamaica: Soldiers deployed to subdue violence
Backed by helicopter gunships, soldiers deployed in a troubled Kingston neighborhood Tuesday, patrolling streets blocked with debris from days of gun battles between police and government opponents that have killed 22 people.
United Kingdom: A plan aimed at reducing weekday traffic.
Drivers will have to pay $7 a day to bring their cars into congested central London as part of a plan aimed at reducing weekday traffic. The fee goes into effect in 2003.
