International briefs

Afghan civilian killed

MADRID: Spanish troops shot dead a civilian and wounded another in western Afghanistan on Wednesday who they believed were about to attack them, a defence ministry spokesman said. The troops, part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, first fired warning shots in the air and then at the ground as the two men approached the convoy on a motorcycle near Herat, he said. As the motorcycle continued to approach the convoy at great speed, the troops fired at the vehicle which then stopped and changed course, leading the soldiers to believe that the two men were not injured.

Taiwan leader in dock

TAIPEI: The legal plight of Taiwan’s ex-leader Chen Shui-bian worsened on Thursday when prosecutors said they had decided to indict him and 21 others for alleged wrongdoing in two high-profile bank mergers. Chen and the 21, who included several well-known and influential bankers, were charged with graft, money laundering, breach of trust and insider trading in connection with the mergers. The former president’s wife Wu Shu-chen and five other family members were also indicted for alleged wrongdoing in the mergers, which took place as part of financial reforms during Chen’s terms in office between 2000 and 2008.