Briefly

IRAN

Israeli spies arrested over assassinations

Iranian security forces have arrested elements of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad who were plotting to assassinate the country's nuclear scientists, official news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday, quoting a local prosecutor general. "The assassination of nuclear scientists has been on the agenda of some of these people," Mehdi Shamsabadi, prosecutor general of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan, was quoted by IRNA as saying. In April, Iran announced the arrest of three Mossad spies who were reportedly involved in the dissemination of classified information and documents.

INDONESIA

Japanese suspect in relief fraud deported

Indonesia on Wednesday deported a fugitive accused of masterminding a lucrative scheme in his native Japan to defraud a government fund offering COVID-19 relief subsidies, officials said. Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, 47, appeared before reporters at an immigration office in the capital Jakarta and was flown back to Tokyo on an early morning Japan Airlines flight following his arrest this month. The Japanese national and several associates are accused of submitting false applications to claim $7 million in COVID-19 relief funds meant for small businesses, according to Japanese media reports.

FRANCE

Macron allies divided over far-right role

Divisions emerged among President Emmanuel Macron's allies on whether his centrist alliance should rule out any deal at all with far-right MPs or could work with them on an ad hoc basis as the French leader seeks an elusive majority following an election upset. Some of Macron's ministers have been unequivocal about not working with Marine Le Pen's National Rally, which is now the second-biggest party in the lower house of parliament. Voters delivered what is for France a rare hung parliament, with Macron's alliance 44 seats short of an absolute majority, and the far right and a broad left-wing alliance battling to be the main opposition force, while the conservatives could be kingmakers. Macron has not openly said a word on the election, but his allies say they want to rally opposition lawmakers to find a workable majority as talks with parties continue.

Agencies - Xinhua