BBC News with Michael Powles
The British defence company BAE Systems is to pay a fine of 400 million dollars to the">the United States government for misleading it over arms deals. It was accused of
breach
ing undertakings it gave to the">the US over payments to a Saudi official as part of a 40-billion-dollar weapons deal. BAE will also pay a fine of nearly 50 million dollars to the">the British government over an arms deal with Tanzania. The Director of the">the Serious Fraud Office in London Richard Alderman said he was delighted with the">the
outcome
of the">the case.
"It's a big lesson to corporates. It's a lesson showing them">them that the">the SFO is very much
on top of
looking at these">these issues. We find cases, we investigate them">them and we don't give up. I think it's a warning sign to corporates to
wake up to
the
implication
s of what's been happening, get their house in order, come and talk to us if needed, but to solve themselves out."
At least 40 people have been killed and more than 140 wounded by bombs apparently aimed at Shiit pilgrims on the final day of a religious ceremony in the Iraqi city of Kerbala. Police say two suicide bombers detonated cars packed with explosives as pilgrims streamed in and out of Kerbala. The attacks come as Iraq prepares for a nationwide parliamentary election next month.
Shiite Muslims were also the target of several attacks in Pakistan's largest city Karachi. A motorbike laden with explosives hit a bus going to a religious procession, killing 12 people. An hour later, another motorcycle exploded outside the hospital where the victims of the first attack were being treated, killing another 13 people. Pakistani officials said at least one of the blasts was a suicide attack. BBC Jaffer Rizvi was at the hospital when the second bomb went off.