Raid on site linked to Panama Papers firm

PANAMA CITY • Panamanian authorities launched a new raid on an address linked to the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers scandal.

Prosecutors focused on organised crime on Friday "carried out a raid on a storage property belonging to the firm Mossack Fonseca", local newspaper La Prensa said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Ex-Thai PM Banharn Silpa-archa dies

BANGKOK • Veteran Thai politician and former premier Banharn Silpa-archa died yesterday at the age of 83.

"Mr Banharn Silpa-archa passed away peacefully," said a statement from the Siriraj hospital in Bangkok, where he was admitted with asthma on Thursday.

Born to a Chinese family in central Suphan Buri province in 1932, Mr Banharn was first elected as MP in the 70s and went on to become Thailand's 21st prime minister in 1995.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

2nd minister visits Japanese war shrine

TOKYO • Japan's Justice Minister visited the Yasukuni Shrine yesterday morning, becoming the second member of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet to attend its latest festival, which has already angered China and South Korea.

Mr Mitsuhide Iwaki's visit came a day after dozens of lawmakers made their pilgrimage to the Tokyo war shrine for a spring festival.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE