Taipei - A Taiwan court Thursday sentenced a Singaporean businessman to two years and four months in prison over the embezzlement of 30 million US dollars intended to be used to persuade Papua New Guinea (PNG) to switch diplomatic recognition to from China Taipei.

"The court has found Wu Shih-tsai guilty of forgery of document(s) and defamation and thus sentenced him to two years and four months in prison," said the Taipei District Court in its verdict.

Johannesburg - The split in South Africa's ruling African National Congress took an increasingly nasty turn Thursday, with supporters of the biggest faction loyal to party leader Jacob Zuma threatening to kill dissidents planning to form a rival party.

A group of Zuma supporters demonstrated outside a hall in a township south of Johannesburg where former ANC chairman and splinter faction leader Mosiuoa Lekota was due to address a rally.

"Kill Shilowa, kill Lekota," they were quoted by SAPA news agency as chanting.

London  - A homeless man is set to receive a reward for finding a wax likeness of Paul McCartney's head a week after it was lost on a train, according to The Sun in its Thursday edition.

According to the paper, Tony Silva, 45, discovered the likeness of the former Beatle at a train station west of London. Now he could receive a finder's fee of 2,000 pounds
(3,248 dollars).

"I feel like I've won the lottery," said Silva, who learned about the finder's fee from a newspaper he happened to be sleeping on.

New Delhi  - At least 27 people, including 12 chi

New York  - Goldman Sachs Group Inc plans to slash its workforce by about 10 per cent - or about 3,300 jobs - as a consequence of the financial crisis, reported the Wall Street Journal in its Thursday edition.

Such a move would mean that the financial crisis has hit an institution that has weathered the troubles relatively well so far. As other banks have had to accept buyouts or go under, Goldman Sachs has continued to book profits.

Jerusalem  - A Palestinian stabbed to death an elderly Israeli passerby Thursday in the Jewish settlement of Gilo, south of Jerusalem, Israel Radio reported.

The Palestinian was stopped by two police officers and asked to identify himself, but he drew a knife and stabbed one of the officers.

The officer then shot the stabber, but he escaped and while running away fatally stabbed a second Israeli, a civilian in his 80s, whom he ran into, a witness who chased after the attacker and overpowered him said.