Briefly

JAPAN

Abe evades indictment over govt-funded events

Prosecutors on Thursday said they had decided not to indict former prime minister Shinzo Abe over allegations his support group failed to report spending related to annual parties thrown for Abe's supporters at Tokyo hotels in its political fund reports. Prosecutors issued an indictment for Hiroyuki Haikawa, a state-paid secretary to Abe, and will seek to fine him for failing to report in the group's political fund spending and revenue related to parties that were held on the eve of government-funded cherry blossom viewing events during Abe's premiership. Many of the parties' guests were voters in Abe's constituency in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

FRANCE

'Extremist' gunman kills 3 police officers

A heavily armed gunman in southern France killed three police officers responding to a domestic violence call at his house and then fled. He was found dead nearby on Wednesday after an apparent suicide, the regional prosecutor said. The unusual killing of three on-duty officers prompted a broad search and drew national concern. Preliminary investigations suggested the assailant had undergone brief military training, held "extremist "Catholic views and was known as a survivalist who "was apparently convinced the end of the world was approaching", the prosecutor said.

Xinhua - Agencies