World Briefs: US takes precautions amid Venezuela crisis

US takes precautions amid Venezuela crisis

CARACAS • The US government ordered family members of employees at its embassy in Venezuela to leave on Thursday as a political crisis deepened ahead of a controversial vote that critics contend will end democracy in the oil-rich country.

Violence continued to rage on the street, with seven people killed during the latest opposition-led strike against President Nicolas Maduro's planned election for a powerful new Constituent Assembly tomorrow.

REUTERS


Macau billionaire found guilty of bribery

NEW YORK • A US jury has found Macau billionaire Ng Lap Seng guilty on charges that he bribed two UN ambassadors to help him build a multibillion-dollar conference centre.

Prosecutors accused Ng of paying more than US$1 million (S$1.36 million) in bribes to bypass the normal procedures of dealing with the United Nations, with a dream of winning "fame and more fortune" by developing in Macau what he thought of as the "Geneva of Asia".

REUTERS


Uzbekistan jails late president's daughter

MOSCOW • Uzbekistan said yesterday that it has jailed the eldest daughter of late president Islam Karimov, Gulnara Karimova - a singer and fashion designer - after charging her with fraud and money laundering.

The Uzbekistan Prosecutor-General's Office said "Gulnara Karimova has been charged" with crimes including fraud, money laundering and concealing foreign currency.

It said she was a member of an "organised criminal group" that controlled assets worth more than US$1.3 billion (S$1.8 billion) in 12 countries.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 29, 2017, with the headline World Briefs: US takes precautions amid Venezuela crisis. Subscribe