April 23, 2015 – Shirshobindu

An East London election has been declared void and will have to be re-run after the mayor was found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices. An Election Commissioner concluded Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman had breached election rules and would have to vacate his post immediately. Four voters alleged Mr Rahman used corrupt and illegal practices in last year's election. Mr Rahman, who denied any wrong-doing, has been banned from standing again. At the special High Court hearing, Election Commissioner Richard Mawrey also ordered Mr Rahman to pay £250,000 in costs. One of Mr Rahman's aides Alibor Choudhury was also found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices. Evasive and discursive Mr Mawrey - who sat as a judge - said the mayor had "driven a coach and horses throu...

EU leaders are due to hold an emergency summit on ways to stem the number of migrants risking the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. BBC Europe editor Katya Adler says draft proposals include a push for a military mandate to destroy boats used by people traffickers. More than 800 people drowned off Libya's coast on Sunday, bringing the number of deaths this year to 1,750. Italian PM Matteo Renzi has called for direct action against people smugglers. He described them as "the slave traders of the 21st Century". A draft statement for Thursday's meeting in Brussels, seen by AFP news agency, says leaders will commit to "undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers". It says EU foreign policy chief Federica Mo...

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Day: April 23, 2015

Lutfur Rahman found guilty of illegal practices in Tower Hamlets election

EU to hold emergency migrant summit