Author: afp

  • Palestinian, 23, Dies In Israeli Jail: Prison Service

    Palestinian, 23, Dies In Israeli Jail: Prison Service

    A 23-year-old Palestinian prisoner has died in an Israeli jail, the prison service said Monday, adding it was looking into the circumstances of the inmate’s death.

    The prison service in a statement said the man from Nablus in the occupied West Bank had died in Meggido prison, in Israel’s north.

    He was arrested in June 2022 and later sentenced to jail time for “security offences”, the statement said without naming the prisoner.

    “As in all such incidents, the circumstances (of his death) will be examined,” it said.

    The Palestinian Authority’s detainees commission confirmed a prisoner had died but was unable to verify further information.

    The prison service said the inmate was affiliated with Fatah, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s movement.

    Last month Israeli police said they have questioned 19 prison guards as part of an investigation into the death of another Palestinian inmate following allegations of torture.

    According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, 38-year-old Thaer Abu Assab, from Qalqilya in the West Bank, died in November after being beaten by Israeli prison guards.

    The Public Committee against Torture in Israel said Abu Assab’s death “raises serious suspicion that the IPS (Israel Prison Service) is being transformed from a professional incarceration body to a vindictive and punitive force”.

    “Six prisoners have already died in prison,” the advocacy group said at the time, adding that “all the instances of abuse and death must be investigated immediately”.

    Israel’s prison service announced on October 7 that it had imposed new restrictions on Palestinian detainees.

    Authorities said inmates can no longer leave their cells, there would not be allowed visits, or permitted to buy food from the canteen, nor would they have power in their electrical outlets.

    As of early December, Israeli prisons housed some 7,800 Palestinian detainees, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group that keeps a tally of detainees from annexed east Jerusalem and the West Bank.

  • South Korean opposition leader stabbed in neck, expected to undergo surgery

    South Korean opposition leader stabbed in neck, expected to undergo surgery

    South Korean opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck on Tuesday by a man who pushed through a crowd pretending to be his supporter.

    Lee was surrounded by journalists and supporters at a construction site in the southern port city of Busan when a man lunged and struck him in the neck, South Korean television channels showed.

    He was bleeding but conscious as he was rushed to a local hospital, the Yonhap news agency reported, before being flown to the capital Seoul for surgery, according to an official from his party.

    An official from Pusan National University Hospital, where Lee received emergency treatment and CT scans before his transfer to Seoul, said the injury was not life-threatening.

    Police were seen wrestling the assailant, who wore a hat with a pro-Lee slogan, to the ground. He was arrested at the scene, Yonhap reported.

    Lee was “walking to his car while talking to reporters when the attacker asked for his autograph”, a witness told local broadcaster YTN, adding that Lee was then struck with what “looked like a knife”.

    The 59-year-old was seen collapsing to the ground as people rushed to aid him, one of whom pressed a handkerchief on Lee’s neck before emergency responders carried him to an ambulance.

    “This is an act of terror against Lee and a serious threat to democracy that should never occur under any circumstances,” Kwon Chil-seung, an MP from Lee’s Democratic Party, told reporters outside the hospital in Busan.

    Lee was later flown to the capital, where Kwon said he would undergo surgery at the Seoul National University Hospital.

    Police in Busan said Lee suffered a “one-centimetre laceration on his neck” and that he “remains conscious and bleeding is minor”, according to South Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo.

    The attacker has not stated his motive, according to police officials cited by Yonhap.

    Presidential contender

    Lee lost in 2022 to conservative Yoon Suk Yeol in the tightest presidential race in South Korea’s history.

    Yoon expressed “deep concern over the safety of Lee Jae-myung upon hearing of the attack”, his spokeswoman Kim Soo-kyung said.

    “Yoon emphasised our society should never tolerate this kind of act of violence under any circumstances.”

    A former child factory worker who suffered an industrial accident as a teenage school drop-out, Lee rose to political stardom partly by playing up his rags-to-riches tale.

    He is widely expected to run for president again in 2027, and recent polls have indicated that he remains a strong contender.

    But Lee’s bid for the top office has been overshadowed by a string of scandals.

    He avoided arrest in September when a court dismissed a request from the prosecution for him to be taken into custody pending trial on various corruption charges.

    Lee still faces trial on charges of bribery in connection with a firm that is suspected of illicitly transferring $8 million to North Korea.

    He is also accused of breaching his duties, allegedly resulting in a loss of 20 billion won ($15 million) for a company owned by Seongnam city during his term as its mayor.

    Lee has denied all allegations against him.

    In August last year, he launched a hunger strike against what he called the Yoon government’s “incompetent and violent” policies.

    He was hospitalised because of fasting-related ailments after not eating for 19 days.

  • Putin Says Russia Will ‘Intensify’ Attacks on Ukraine

    Putin Says Russia Will ‘Intensify’ Attacks on Ukraine

    President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Moscow will intensify strikes on military targets in Ukraine after an unprecedented attack over the weekend on the Russian city of Belgorod.

    The attack killed 24 people and left over 100 wounded in Belgorod on Saturday. It came after Moscow launched a large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities.

    “We’re going to intensify the strikes, no crime against civilians will rest unpunished, that’s for certain,” Putin said Monday during a visit to a military hospital.

    He said Russia will press on with hitting what he called “military installations.”

    “We are doing that today, and tomorrow we will continue doing it,” Putin said, almost two years into Moscow’s offensive.

    He spoke as Ukraine said Russia had hit it with a “record” number of drones on New Year’s Day.

    Putin called the Belgorod hit a “terrorist attack” and accused Ukrainian forces of targeting “right in the city centre, where people were walking, before New Year’s Eve.”

    He repeated a claim that Ukraine is being used by the West to “settle its problems” with Russia.

    The Russian leader said he believed the “strategic initiative” in the dragging conflict was on the Russian side.

    “In any case that is how I am being briefed and I always insist: any offensive operations should be done after a defeat of the enemy,” he said, according to the Interfax news agency.

  • Nobel winner Yunus convicted in Bangladesh labour law case

    Nobel winner Yunus convicted in Bangladesh labour law case

    Dhaka (AFP) – Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus was convicted on Monday of violating Bangladesh’s labour laws in a case decried by his supporters as politically motivated.

    Yunus, 83, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his pioneering microfinance bank but has earned the enmity of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has accused him of “sucking blood” from the poor.

    Hasina has made several scathing verbal attacks against the internationally respected 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who was once seen as a political rival.

    Yunus and three colleagues from Grameen Telecom, one of the firms he founded, were accused of violating labour laws when they failed to create a workers’ welfare fund in the company.

    A labour court in the capital Dhaka convicted and sentenced them to “six months’ simple imprisonment”, lead prosecutor Khurshid Alam Khan told AFP, adding that all four were immediately granted bail pending appeals.

    All four deny the charges. Dozens of people staged a small demonstration of support outside the court for Yunus, who left without speaking to media.

    “This verdict is unprecedented,” Abdullah Al Mamun, a lawyer for Yunus, told AFP. “We did not get justice.”

    Yunus is facing more than 100 other charges over labour law violations and alleged graft.

    He told reporters after one of the hearings last month that he had not profited from any of the more than 50 social business firms he had set up in Bangladesh.

    “They were not for my personal benefit,” Yunus said.

    Another of his lawyers, Khaja Tanvir, told AFP that the case was “meritless, false and ill-motivated”.

    “The sole aim of the case is to harass and humiliate him in front of the world,” he said.

    ‘Travesty of justice’

    Irene Khan, a former Amnesty chief now working as a UN special rapporteur who was present at Monday’s verdict, told AFP the conviction was “a travesty of justice”.

    “A social activist and Nobel laureate who brought honour and pride to the country is being persecuted on frivolous grounds,” she said.

    In August, 160 global figures, including former US president Barack Obama and ex-UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, published a joint letter denouncing “continuous judicial harassment” of Yunus.

    The signatories, including more than 100 of his fellow Nobel laureates, said they feared for “his safety and freedom”.

    Critics accuse Bangladeshi courts of rubber-stamping decisions made by Hasina’s government, which is all but certain to win another term in power next week at elections boycotted by the opposition.

    Her administration has been increasingly firm in its crackdown on political dissent, and Yunus’s popularity among the Bangladeshi public has for years earmarked him as a potential rival.

    Amnesty International accused the government of “weaponizing labour laws” when Yunus went to trial in September and called for an immediate end to his “harassment”.

    Criminal proceedings against Yunus were “a form of political retaliation for his work and dissent”, it said.

  • First Tsunami Waves Hit Japan After Major Quake: Weather Agency

    First Tsunami Waves Hit Japan After Major Quake: Weather Agency

    The first tsunami waves, some more than a metre high, arrived on the north coast of central Japan on Monday after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the region.

    Waves as high as 1.2 meters (four feet) hit Wajima port in Ishikawa prefecture at 4:21 pm (0721 GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said, after the US Geological Survey and other agencies registered a major 7.5 magnitude quake little more than 10 minutes earlier.

    Total of 21 earthquakes above 4.0 magnitude hit Japan.

  • India may miss Davis Cup match hosted by rival Pakistan

    India may miss Davis Cup match hosted by rival Pakistan

    India may be forced to forfeit a Davis Cup play-off hosted by rival Pakistan, with the local tennis association saying Thursday the team was waiting on New Delhi’s approval to travel.

    The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought several wars since winning independence from British rule in 1947, and sporting contests between the two have long been the victim of their enduring animosity.

    The All India Tennis Association (AITA) asked the sports ministry for approval to travel to Pakistan after a request to shift the fixture to a third country was rejected by the International Tennis Federation tribunal.

    “The proposal is still pending with the ministry and we are awaiting a decision,” AITA secretary-general Anil Dhupar told AFP.

    Pakistan Tennis Federation president Salim Saifullah Khan said 18 members of the Indian squad had requested visas for the World Group 1 clash scheduled for February 3-4.

    “We have all the arrangements put in place. They will be given the best security and accommodation,” he told AFP. “Let politics be kept away from sports and better sense prevail.”

    New Delhi last hosted the Pakistani tennis team in 2006 and the Indian Davis Cup team last travelled to Islamabad in 1964, according to news outlet India Today.

    Local media reports said a 2019 match was moved to Kazakhstan, with the AITA citing political tensions as the reason for the request.

    Sports matches between India and Pakistan are rare owing to decades of hostility between the two nations.

    They share one of the world’s great sporting rivalries in cricket, by far the most popular sport in both countries.

    But their teams have not played a bilateral series in more than a decade, and typically only face each other in larger tournaments.

    India refused to travel to Pakistan for the 50-over Asia Cup in September, a move that forced its neighbour to partially relinquish hosting duties to Sri Lanka.

    Pakistan travelled to India the following month for the Cricket World Cup after its request to stage some matches in a third country was rejected.

  • India targeting high-profile journalists with spyware: Amnesty

    India targeting high-profile journalists with spyware: Amnesty

    New Delhi (AFP) – India’s government has recently targeted high-profile journalists with Pegasus spyware, Amnesty International and The Washington Post said in a joint investigation published Thursday.

    Created by Israeli firm NSO Group and sold to governments around the world, Pegasus software can be used to access a phone’s messages and emails, peruse photos, eavesdrop on calls, track locations and even film the owner with the camera.

    Amnesty said journalists Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire and Anand Mangnale of The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project had been targeted with the spyware on their iPhones, with the latest identified case occurring in October.

    “Our latest findings show that increasingly, journalists in India face the threat of unlawful surveillance simply for doing their jobs, alongside other tools of repression including imprisonment under draconian laws, smear campaigns, harassment, and intimidation,” said Donncha O Cearbhaill, Head of Amnesty International’s Security Lab.

    India’s government did not immediately respond, but it denied similar accusations in 2021 that it used Pegasus spyware to surveil political opponents, activists and journalists.

    Indian media reported last month that the country’s cyber security unit was investigating allegations by opposition politicians of attempted phone tapping after they reported receiving Apple iPhone warnings of “state-sponsored attackers”.

    In that case, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the information and technology minister, said the government was “concerned” by the complaints.

  • ‘Parasite’ actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead

    ‘Parasite’ actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead

    South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite”, was found dead Wednesday, police said. He was 48.

    The actor was found inside a vehicle parked on the street in Seoul’s mid-northern Seongbuk district, an official from the Seongbuk police station told AFP.

    “We believe his body has now been transferred to the Seoul National University Hospital,” he added.

    South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing police, that Lee had left a “note that reads like a will”.

    Lee had been under police investigation over his alleged use of marijuana and other drugs.

    Once celebrated for his wholesome image, local news outlets reported that the actor was being dropped from television and commercial projects following the scandal.

    A graduate of South Korea’s prestigious Korea National University of Arts, Lee made his acting debut in 2001 in a television sitcom titled “Lovers”.

    He later won acclaim for his performances in a variety of roles, including a charismatic chef and a genius neuroscientist who is incapable of empathy.

    Lee received widespread critical acclaim for his performance in the 2018 TV drama series “My Mister”, for his portrayal of a diligent architectural engineer who, despite facing personal turmoil, steadfastly upheld his sense of responsibility as both an adult and a professional.

    Globally, he is best known for his portrayal of the wealthy and shallow patriarch in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 Oscar-winning film “Parasite”.

    He was also recognised for his performances in romance flicks, such as 2007 TV drama “Coffee Prince” and the 2012 film “All About My Wife”.

    His last film, this year’s horror flick “Sleep” — in which he played a husband whose sleepwalking eventually leads to terrifying circumstances — was well-received and featured in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes festival.

    Devastated fans expressed their grief on social media, with one user writing on X: “I laughed and cried a lot while watching your acting. Thank you.”

    Renowned Korean-American writer Min Jin Lee joined others in expressing their condolences.

    “Lee was praiseworthy in ‘Parasite’ and exceptional in ‘My Mister,’” she wrote on Instagram.

    “May he be remembered for his excellent work and creative gifts.”

    • ‘Great disappointment’ –

    Lee’s reputation suffered a significant blow when South Korean authorities launched an investigation into his alleged drug use in October.

    He had been suspected of using illicit drugs at the residence of a hostess employed at a high-end bar in Seoul’s glamorous Gangnam district.

    According to Yonhap, the actor asserted that he was “tricked” by the hostess into consuming the drugs and was unaware of their illegal nature.

    From December 23 to 24, he attended his third police investigation session, which lasted 19 hours, Yonhap reported.

    He briefly spoke to reporters in late October before entering a police station in Incheon to meet with investigators.

    “I sincerely apologise for causing great disappointment to many people by being involved in such an unpleasant incident,” he said at the time.

    “I feel sorry for my family, which is enduring such difficult pain at this moment.

    “Once again, I sincerely apologise to everyone.”

    South Korea has extremely tough laws on illegal drugs, with Koreans who take drugs such as marijuana legally abroad risking prosecution upon returning to their home country.

    Lee is survived by his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin and two sons.

  • 120 Kilos Of Cocaine Wash Up On Australian Beaches

    120 Kilos Of Cocaine Wash Up On Australian Beaches

    Australian police said Wednesday they were scouring beaches after mysterious packages believed to contain more than 120 kilograms (260 pounds) of cocaine washed up over the Christmas period.

    A first batch of 39 barnacle-encrusted, one-kilogram bricks of suspected cocaine was discovered on Friday near Magenta Beach, north of Sydney, police said.

    Since then, another 85 packages of  the same size had been spotted along about 80 kilometres (50 miles) of the New South Wales coastline, state police said.

    Police urged people to report any suspicious packages, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Weinstein said in a statement.

    “Detectives and specialist police are currently combing beaches and coastlines for any outstanding packages and working behind the scenes to make sure we find and hold accountable those responsible,” said Weinstein, who is director of the state’s crime command.

  • Apple Watch import ban goes into effect in US patent clash

    Apple Watch import ban goes into effect in US patent clash

    A US import ban on certain Apple smartwatch models came into effect Tuesday, after the Biden administration opted not to veto a ruling on patent infringements.

    The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) decided in October to ban Apple Watch models over a patented technology for detecting blood-oxygen levels.

    Apple contends that the ITC finding was in error and should be reversed, but last week paused its US sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

    The order stemmed from a complaint made to the commission in mid-2021 accusing Apple of infringing on medical device maker company Masimo Corp’s “light-based oximetry functionality.”

    “After careful consultations, Ambassador (Katherine) Tai decided not to reverse the… determination and the ITC’s decision became final on December 26, 2023,” the president’s executive office said in a statement on Tuesday.

    Apple has been steadily ramping up fitness and health features with each generation of its Apple Watch, which dominates the smartwatch category.

    In September, Apple released its Apple Watch Series 9, touting increased performance along with features such as the ability to access and log health data.

    “Our teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness and safety features,” Apple said when the ITC ban was issued.

    “Masimo has wrongly attempted to use the ITC to keep a potentially lifesaving product from millions of US consumers while making way for their own watch that copies Apple.”

    In May, a trial of Masimo’s allegations ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

    Late last year, Apple filed two patent infringement lawsuits accusing Masimo of copying Apple Watch technology.