Panama ex-president to sue Taiwan lawmakers over alleged bribes
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Panama's former president Mireya Moscoso said she would file a libel suit against a group of Taiwanese lawmakers who accused her of receiving a one-million-dollar &quot;gift&quot; from Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian.
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The founder and former chairman of the world&#39;s second largest contract chip maker was found not guilty of investing in and transferring technology to a Chinese chip maker, a Taiwanese court said Friday.Taiwan&#39;s Hsinchu District Court said there wasn&#39;t enough evidence to prove wrongdoing in the government&#39;s case against Robert Tsao. A former vice-chairman of United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), John Hsuan, and the head of a venture capital firm, Cheng Tun-chien, were also found not guilty in the case, the court said in a statement.The trio were&#160;indicted last year&#160;for allegedly investing in and transferring chip technology to Chinese chip maker He Jian Technology (Suzhou) Co. The executives and UMC repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the case. They have admitted to advising He Jian during its startup phase, but maintain that all help was within legal bounds. Prosecutors plan to appeal the verdict.Taiwan carefully controls chip investments to China, fearing it could lead to job losses on the island or that its technology could be used to bolster Chinese military might. The two separated in 1949 amid civil war, and Beijing has long threatened the use of force to take the island if it moves towards formal independence. Due to their strained relationship,&#160;Taiwan chip makers are required to receive government approval&#160;before investing in or transferring chip-related technology to China.The verdict is the second setback for the Taiwan government so far this year in its efforts to enforce regulations governing Taiwanese chip investments to China. In July, a Taipei court overturned an NT$5 million (US$154,000) fine against UMC, also citing a lack of evidence that it invested in He Jian.The court actions underline a rift among Taiwanese in their dealings with China. Some people on the island, which share linguistic and cultural ties to China, are working towards independence as a way to safeguard democratic reforms that have taken hold in Taiwan over the past two decades. Others view China as their homeland, and are working to ensure Taiwan unites with the mainland and takes part in its economic boom.Last year, UMC said a 15 percent stake in He Jian that the Chinese chip maker offered as payment for help establishing the company was put into a trust. The payment was part of UMC&#39;s efforts to make sure its shareholders benefitted from the growth of He Jian.UMC Chairman Jackson Hu has repeatedly referred to He Jian as UMC&#39;s partner in China, and said UMC will refer its customers to He Jian when they&#39;re looking for some chip work to be done in China.&#160;
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BRASILIA, Brazil  - A Brazilian congressional  probe accused 91 people, including a former central bank chief  and an ex-mayor of Sao Paulo, on Tuesday of involvement in  suspected laundering of money from drug trafficking, smuggling  and other crimes.
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Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian headed Saturday to the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, media reported, in a move likely to spark tensions in the region.
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A US judge rules ex-Panama President Manuel Noriega can be extradited to France on laundering charges.
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BOGOTA, Colombia  - The former boss of the Cali  drug cartel, who once controlled most of the world's cocaine  trade, was sent to the United States on Friday to face  trafficking and money laundering charges.
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By Jude Webber LIMA, Peru  - Peru named a little-known humanrights lawyer as the new state attorney on Monday to leadinvestigations into the corruption that flourished during the1990-2000 government of former President Alberto Fujimori.
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A bipartisan resolution has been introduced in the House of Representatives demanding resumption of diplomatic ties with Taiwan in a move certain to upset China and embarrass the Bush administration.
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Former Turkish PM Mesut Yilmaz appears in court to face corruption charges over a banking scandal.
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As a new scandal envelops Taipei's opposition mayor, the heat on President Chen Shui-bian lets up
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Venezuela's ambassador to Panama,  Flavio Granados, said late on Friday his country had asked him  to leave Panama after statements made by its leader in the  midst of a diplomatic scandal involving Cuba.
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Justice Department lawyers asked a federal court Tuesday to extradite former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega to France when his U.S. prison term ends later this summer.
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Philippine President Gloria Macapagal  Arroyo ordered an inquiry on Thursday into allegations of  government kickbacks in a deal with China's ZTE Corp, in which  her husband's name has figured.
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Panama's ruling party has nominated a lawmaker who was indicted for the murder of a U.S. soldier in the 1990s as its candidate to head the National Assembly in a vote likely to upset Washington.
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Japan plans to allow former Taiwan  President Lee Teng-hui to visit for a sightseeing tour, the  government said on Thursday, prompting an angry protest from  China at a time of already frosty ties.
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Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega will get a new hearing on France's request to extradite him on money-laundering charges, a federal judge decided Thursday.
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The ex-president of Peru is facing multiple-court proceedings. Already found guilty of abuse of power, he faces murder charges that could see him in prison for 30 years