Briefly

EUROPEAN UNION

Belarus recalls envoy after sanctions on Minsk

Belarus on Monday recalled its top envoy to the European Union for consultations after Brussels imposed economic sanctions in response to Belarus authorities forcing a Ryanair passenger flight to land in Minsk. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry suggested the EU representative in Minsk also leave for consultations and said those responsible for the sanctions, which target Belarus' main export industries and access to finance, would be banned from entering Belarus.

JAPAN

Veteran says he regrets helping Ghosn flee

US Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor told a court on Tuesday he regretted helping Carlos Ghosn flee Japan and said the former Nissan chairman should have stayed to face trial for alleged financial misconduct. Taylor, who was brought handcuffed into court with his son Peter, bowed deeply to the three judges that will decide their sentence, asking they allow him to return to the United States. They have pleaded guilty to charges that in December 2019, they illegally helped Ghosn escape from Japan's Kansai airport hidden in a box aboard a jet to Lebanon.

SOUTH KOREA

Ex-Busan mayor jailed 3 years for sex abuse

The former mayor of South Korea's second-largest city was jailed for three years on Tuesday for sexually harassing two female staffers, the latest such high-profile conviction in a still patriarchal society. Oh Keo-don stepped down as mayor of Busan, a city of 3.5 million that hosts Asia's biggest film festival. This followed allegations last year he acted inappropriately toward subordinates. Three months later, Seoul mayor Park Won-soon was found dead in an apparent suicide after a female staffer accused him of sexual harassment.

Agencies - Xinhua