Briefly

S. KOREA

Ex-president indicted over alleged bribery

South Korea's former president Moon Jae-in, serving as president between 2017 and 2022, was indicted by prosecutors over an alleged bribery charge, local media said on Thursday. According to the prosecution, Moon's former son-in-law, surnamed Seo, had worked for a budget carrier, Thai Eastar Jet, between August 2018 and March 2020 and had been paid about 150 million won ($104,600) in salary and 65 million won in residence benefits. Former lawmaker Lee Sang-jik of the liberal Democratic Party was appointed as chief of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency before Seo's employment at the airline, established by the lawmaker. Prosecutors saw the payment of Seo's salary and benefits as a bribe to the former president.

RUSSIA

Afghan mission to get elevated status

Russia announced on Wednesday that it will elevate the Afghan diplomatic mission in Moscow to the ambassador level, the latest move to further strengthen bilateral relations with the Taliban authorities. "Representatives of the Afghan leadership were informed that in support of the decision announced by the Russian Supreme Court to suspend the ban on the activities of the Taliban movement, the Russian side has decided to raise the level of the Afghan diplomatic mission in Moscow to ambassador," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has met with Afghan foreign and interior ministers and informed them of the decision, added the ministry.

EUROPE

Tesla's Q1 sales in Europe fall 45%

Tesla electric car sales in the European Union plunged 45 percent in the first quarter of 2025, according to figures released on Thursday. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said that sales of new Tesla vehicles in the bloc fell by 36 percent in March, and by 45 percent — to just over 36,000 units — in the first quarter compared to the same periods a year earlier. It was the biggest fall in sales of any of the major car groups tallied in the association's report, despite a growth in electric vehicle sales overall. On Tuesday the company reported a 71-percent drop in first-quarter profits, signaling a hit to demand due to what it called "changing political sentiment".

Xinhua - Agencies