A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Priests suspected in sex abuse case
RIO DE JANEIRO – Three Roman Catholic priests in northeastern Brazil are suspected of sexually abusing children in a scandal that arose after a video showed one of the priests in a sex act with a young man.
Luiz Marques Barbosa, a Catholic monsignor in the city of Arapiraca in Alagaos state, was arrested after a congressional commission examined the video and heard witness statements from alleged victims.
Police said Msgr Barbosa, who media said was between 82 and 84 years old, and two other priests were suspected of child abuse and prosecutors were now deciding whether to file charges. – (Reuters)
‘Poll-rigging’ in Sudan video
KHARTOUM – A video appearing to show elections officials stuffing ballot boxes in Sudan has been posted on the internet and the opposition said yesterday it proved their case that the ruling party had rigged the polls.
The National Elections Commission dismissed the video as a fake.
Official results have been delayed but so far indicate a landslide victory for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and his party’s candidates by massive margins in the national elections that were
supposed to transform the oil producer emerging from decades of civil war into a democracy. – (Reuters)
N Korea ‘preparing for nuclear test’
SEOUL – North Korea is preparing for a third atomic test that may come in May or June, South Korean broadcaster YTN reported yesterday, an act that could further isolate Pyongyang and complicate already troubled nuclear diplomacy.
South Korean foreign minister Yu Myung-hwan dismissed the report, and the US state department also voiced doubts.
North Korea has boycotted international nuclear disarmament talks for more than a year and put strict conditions on its return. – (Reuters)
Woman blames Red Bull for her Asbo
HULL – A woman who was given an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) for terrorising people in her neighbourhood has blamed an addiction to Red Bull for her behaviour.
Amy O’Donnell (24) from Hull was given an Asbo last month after verbally abusing a number of her neighbours.
However, she has now put her behaviour down to 15 cans of the energy drink each day.
A spokesman for Red Bull said: “A 250ml can of Red Bull energy drink contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, which is 80mg.”