Suicide bomber kills 4 in Saudi mosque attack

RIYADH • Four people were killed and 18 wounded yesterday when a suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Shi'ite-populated eastern Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry said.

Residents said the mosque belonged to the minority Shi'ite community.

The ministry said security personnel had prevented two bombers from getting inside the Al-Rida mosque in the Mahasen neighbourhood of Al-Ahsa city during the main weekly prayers.

One of the two bombers was arrested after a gunfight with security forces, an official said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

US navy commander admits to corruption

WASHINGTON• A US navy commander charged with accepting paid travel, prostitutes and Lady Gaga concert tickets from a Malaysian defence contractor in exchange for classified information pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal corruption charges.

Commander Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz admitted to providing Malaysian businessman Leonard Francis with classified information worth millions of dollars.

The information he gave Francis included ship movements, and he helped to arrange visits by US naval vessels to ports where Francis' company, Singapore-based Glenn Davis Marine Asia, had contracts to provide tugboats, security, fuel, waste removal and other services, prosecutors said.

REUTERS

Tax fraud trial of Spanish princess to go ahead

MADRID• • A court ruled yesterday that the trial of Spain's Princess Cristina on charges of tax fraud must go ahead in a case that has badly damaged the image of the royal family at a time of economic hardship for many ordinary Spaniards.

The 50-year-old sister of King Felipe is one of 18 people on trial following a six-year investigation into the Noos Foundation, a charity that is run by her husband Inaki Urdangarin.

Prosecutors say that Noos was used to embezzle millions of euros in public funds and that Urdangarin, who is also on trial, exploited his royal connections to win public contracts to stage events through the non-profit organisation.

REUTERS

Italian police catch fugitive mobster bosses

ROME• Italian anti-mafia police nabbed two fugitive mobster bosses yesterday after discovering them "living like animals" in a mountain hideout with an arsenal of weapons.

Giuseppe Ferraro, 47, and Giuseppe Crea, 37, both high-ranking members of the powerful and immensely wealthy 'Ndrangheta organised crime group, had been on Italy's most dangerous fugitives list.

Ferraro had been on the run for 18 years while Crea disappeared 10 years ago.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE