Denpasar Bali, Indonesia (REUTERS/AP/DT) — Indonesian authorities said Tuesday that they have arrested six people on drug charges on the tourist island of Bali since July.
Four could face execution under the country’s strict drug laws.
Two Thai nationals, Rachanon Jongseeha, 33, and his girlfriend Woranawan Wongsuwan, 31, were arrested upon arrival at Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport on Sept. 8, with 1.9 kilograms (4.1 pounds) of methamphetamines mixed with ecstasy powder packed in 108 sachets of a fruit-flavored collagen drink, and 20 pills of the party drug ecstasy, according to provincial anti-narcotics chief Rudy Ahmad Sudrajat.
One of the Indonesian nationals was arrested at the same airport on Sept 8, while a courier, whose nationality was not given, was also arrested.
All four face the death penalty if found guilty, Mr Rudy said.
Police also arrested two Europeans in July – a Latvian man and a Swedish man.
The Latvian man – suspected of belonging to a crime syndicate in his country – faces up to 20 years in prison after being caught with 450g of hashish and 977g of marijuana.
The Swedish suspect faces up to 15 years in prison after being found with 201g of hashish at his villa.
Indonesia has some of the world’s toughest drug laws, including the death penalty for traffickers.
There are dozens of traffickers on death row in the country, including a cocaine-smuggling British grandmother and a Philippine woman accused of smuggling heroin.
All four could face execution by firing squad if charged and found guilty, Sudrajat said. In Nov. 2019, a court in Bali sentenced two Thais to 16-year prison terms for smuggling 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine.
Sudrajat said a Latvian man, identified by the initials VS, was arrested at the airport on July 4 carrying 450.41 grams (15.8 ounces) of hashish and 977.83 grams (34.5 ounces) of marijuana concealed in his suitcase.
Sudrajat said VS had a tattoo indicating affiliation with organized crime groups in the former Soviet Union.
A Swedish man identified by the initials SUE was captured on July 31 when police raided his villa in Gianyar, a popular tourist spot, and seized 201.28 grams (7 ounces) of hashish, following a tip that SUE had received a suspicious package by mail from Thailand, Sudrajat said. He faces up to 15 years on charges of possession.
Indonesia has dozens of convicted drug smugglers on death row. Its last executions were carried out in July 2016, when an Indonesian and three foreigners were shot by firing squad.
In May 2019, a French citizen was sentenced to death on Lombok, an island next to Bali, for smuggling 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of ecstasy before a higher court commuted his sentence to 19 years in prison.
Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes killed 16 people in the Gaza Strip on Monday, including five women and four children.
A strike flattened a home in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least 10 people there, including four women and two children. The Awda Hospital, which received the bodies, confirmed the toll and also said 13 people were wounded. Hospital records show that the dead included a mother, her child and her five siblings.
Another strike on a home in Gaza City killed six people, including a woman and two children, according to the Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government.
Israel says it only targets militants and accuses Hamas and other armed groups of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. The military rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack triggered the Israel-Hamas war nearly a year ago. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
The war has caused vast destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million.
Poland’s government declared a disaster in affected areas
EUROPE (AFP/REUTERS/DT/AP) – The death toll continued to rise in Central European countries on Sunday, September 15, following days of heavy rainfall that led to widespread flooding and forced evacuations. Nations such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania have already experienced severe flooding.
Slovakia and Hungary may face similar challenges due to a low-pressure system from northern Italy, which has been dumping record amounts of rain in the region since Thursday. Many rivers across Central Europe have overflowed, inundating towns and causing some of the worst flooding in at least two decades.
On Monday, the Polish government declared a disaster in the affected areas and allocated $260 million to assist victims. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Poland, along with other impacted countries, would seek financial aid from the European Union.
The southern Polish town of Klodzko remained submerged on Monday, following significant damage in border regions between the Czech Republic and Poland over the weekend. The surging water levels have caused bridge collapses, forced evacuations, and left a path of widespread destruction.
The floods have claimed six lives in Romania and one each in Austria and Poland. In the Czech Republic, four people who were swept away by waters were missing, police said.
Most parts of the Czech Republic have been affected as authorities declared the highest flood warnings at around 100 places across the country. But the situation was worst in two northeastern regions that recorded the biggest rainfall in recent days, including the Jeseniky mountains near the Polish border.
Polish rescuers and soldiers evacuate local residents in the village of Rudawa, southern Poland, on September 15, 2024. One person has drowned in Poland and an Austrian fireman has died responding to floods, authorities said, as Storm Boris lashed central and eastern Europe with torrential rains. Since Thursday, September 12, 2024, swathes of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have been hit by high winds and unusually fierce rainfall. The storm had already caused the death of five people in Romania, and thousands have been evacuated from their homes across the continent. Photo : Sergei GAPON / AFP
In the city of Opava, up to 10,000 people out of a population of around 56,000 have been asked to move to higher ground. Rescuers used boats to transport people to safety in a neighborhood flooded by the raging Opava River.
“There’s no reason to wait,” Mayor Tomáš Navrátil told Czech public radio. He said that the situation was worse than during the last devastating floods in 1997, known as the “flood of the century.”
“We have to focus on saving lives,” Prime Minister Petr Fiala told Czech public television on Sunday. His government was set to meet Monday to assess the damages. The worst ” is not behind us yet,” the prime minister warned. President Petr Pavel sounded more optimistic, saying “it’s obvious we’ve learned a lesson from the previous crisis.”
Thousands of others also were evacuated in the towns of Krnov, which was almost completely flooded, and Cesky Tesin. The Oder River that flows to Poland was reaching extreme levels in the city of Ostrava and in Bohumin, prompting evacuations. Ostrava, the regional capital, is the third-largest Czech city. Mayor Jan Dohnal said the city will face major traffic disruptions in the days to come. Almost no trains were operating in the region.
Authorities declared the entire state of Lower Austria in the northeastern part of the country a disaster zone, while 10,000 relief forces have so far evacuated 1,100 houses there. Emergency personnel have started setting up accommodation for residents who had to flee their homes due to the flooding. The municipality of Lilienfeld with about 25,000 residents is cut off from the outside world. Residents were told to boil tap water as a precaution.
The situation is particularly dangerous along the Kamp River, which flows into the Danube.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said the situation “continues to worsen.” He said 2,400 soldiers were ready to support the relief effort in Austria. Of those, 1,000 soldiers will deploy to the disaster zone in Lower Austria, where dams were beginning to burst.
Romania reports two more flooding victims
Romanian authorities said Sunday that another two people had died in the hard-hit eastern county of Galati after four were reported dead there a day earlier, following unprecedented rain.
This aerial photograph taken on September 15, 2024 shows local residents being evacuated by Polish rescuers in the village of Rudawa, southern Poland. SERGEI GAPON / AFP
In Poland, one person was presumed dead in floods in the southwest, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday. Tusk said the situation was “dramatic” around the town of Klodzko, with about 25,000 residents, located in a valley in the Sudetes mountains near the border with the Czech Republic. Helicopters were used to pick up people from roofs in a few cases.
A bridge in the town collapsed under flood pressure and a police station building was knocked down in Stronie Śląskie after floodwaters burst through a dam. Submerged cars could be seen in many places in the Kłodzko Valley region bordering the Czech Republic, while a new flood wave was expected there.
In the city of Jelenia Gora, which has 75,000 residents, downtown streets were flooded after one of the embankments burst on the Bobr River. City authorities have warned residents they may need to evacuate as more flooding was moving toward the city. Energy supplies and communications were cut off in some flooded areas, and regions may resort to using the satellite-based Starlink service, Tusk said.
Florida, USA (AFP) – A man suspected of plotting to assassinate former US president Donald Trump was charged with federal gun crimes on Monday.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number at his initial court appearance.
Routh, who was arrested on Sunday after an alleged abortive bid to shoot the Republican presidential candidate at his West Palm Beach golf course, is expected to face further charges at a later date.
Routh appeared calm during the brief court hearing before Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe of the Southern District of Florida, answering “yes” in a soft voice to several questions.
A bond hearing was scheduled for September 23 and an arraignment on further potential charges was set for September 30, according to US media.
Routh was arrested on Sunday after a US Secret Service agent on the president’s security detail saw what appeared to be the barrel of a rifle pointing out of a tree line on the perimeter of the Trump International Golf Course, according to a criminal complaint filed by an FBI special agent.
“The Agent fired his/her service weapon in the direction of the rifle,” the complaint said.
Trump, who was slightly wounded in a July 13 assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, was several hundred yards away when the golf course shooting occurred and was unharmed.
A man later identified as Routh was seen by a witness fleeing the area in a Nissan sport utility vehicle at high speed, the complaint said.
Routh was arrested by local police shortly afterward and replied in the “affirmative” when asked if he knew why he was being stopped, it said.
According to the complaint, a “loaded SKS-style, 7.62×39 caliber rifle with a scope,” a digital camera, a backpack and a black plastic bag containing food were recovered from the tree line.
Routh is reported to be a self-employed builder based in Hawaii, with an arrest record spanning decades.
He regularly posted about politics and current events on social media, including criticism of Trump, according to US media.
According to the criminal complaint, he was convicted in North Carolina in December 2002 of “possession of a weapon of mass death and destruction.”
He was convicted in North Carolina in 2010 of multiple counts of possession of stolen goods, it said.
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number carries a maximum five-year sentence.
Tehran, Iran (AFP) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed Monday to ensure the morality police will no longer “bother” women, in remarks to the media on the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death in custody.
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died in police custody on September 16, 2022, days after the morality police arrested her in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.
Her death triggered months-long protests across the country, with hundreds of people, including dozens of security personnel, killed in the unrest. Thousands of demonstrators were arrested.
“The morality police were not supposed to confront (women). I will follow up so they don’t bother” them, Pezeshkian said during his first press conference since he took office in July.
Pezeshkian replaced the ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.
During his election campaign, he had vowed to “fully” oppose police patrols enforcing the mandatory hijab headscarf as well as easing long-standing internet restrictions.
Iran has over the years tightly controlled internet use, restricting popular social media platforms such as Facebook and X.
Harsher curbs were enforced following 2019 protests against fuel price hikes and during the wave of demonstrations triggered by Amini’s death.
On Monday, Pezeshkian said his government was working to ease restrictions online, especially on social media.
At Monday’s press conference, Pezeshkian briefly touched on other topics including Iran’s fraught relations with the United States and the 2015 nuclear deal.
“We do not want to fight with America if it respects our rights,” he said.
It is not us who are hostile (to the Americans). We have not built military bases around their country.”
Iran and the United States have had no diplomatic relations since 1980, the year after the Islamic Revolution that toppled its Western-backed Shah Mohammed Reza.
A landmark 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers granted Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
But the deal quickly collapsed and tensions reignited following the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 and reimposition of sanctions on Iran the following year.
Iran has since suspended its compliance with caps on nuclear activities.
“We are not seeking nuclear weapons; we have respected the framework of the nuclear agreement,” said Pezeshkian.
“They (the United States) broke the agreement and forced us to do something.” Pezeshkian also spoke about newly imposed sanctions.
Last week, Britain, France and Germany announced punitive measures targeting Iranian air transport, accusing it of delivering ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.
Iran has repeatedly denied sending any weapons to Russia for use in the war, and vowed to respond to the latest in a long string of Western sanctions on Tehran including over its nuclear activities.
Pezeshkian said Iran “has not given” Russia any weapons.
“It is possible that Iran and Russia had military cooperation in the past… because there was no ban at the time,” he said.
“What I can say with certainty is that since our arrival, we have not given them anything so that (the West) boycotts us.”
New Delhi, India (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz is seeing a rise in the number of Indian buyers opting for electric vehicles as their first luxury car, the country’s managing director told Reuters, a trend that is helping the German carmaker boost their sales.
Sales of luxury cars in India are surging helping market leader Mercedes post record numbers. In the first six months of 2024 Mercedes sold 9,300 cars in India of which 5% were electric models – doubling its EV penetration from 2.5% last year.
A growing clutch of young Mercedes buyers are turning to EVs for “differentiation”, Santosh Iyer said after the launch of the EQS 580 SUV, a 7-seater electric model priced at around $168,200.
“Most of them are opinion leaders in their own small target groups be it doctors, lawyers, architects. So they want to show that they have first transitioned,” said Iyer, adding that this group is small but growing.
About 15% of all EVs sold by Mercedes in India this year were to first-time luxury car buyers, up from 5% in 2023, helped by new electric SUV launches, Iyer said.
India’s EV market is small but growing. Electric models made up about 2% of the total 4.2 million cars sold in India last year and the government wants to grow this to 30% by 2030.
Mercedes, which in January announced a new investment of $24 million in India, sells 18 combustion engine car models in India and six EVs.
In 2022, the German carmaker began assembling EVs in India instead of importing fully-built units that attract duties as high as 100%. The EQS SUV is its second locally-assembled EV.
“We are taking the (EV) transition seriously, and pushing it hard by not only importing products but also localising more and more,” he said.
The high price of EVs compared with gasoline cars and uncertainty over its resale value are still a deterrent for many buyers.
Reporting by Aditi Shah; editing by David Evans For REUTERS
Port Moresby, PNG (DT/ Reuters) – Violent attacks near Barrick Gold’s (ABX.TO), opens new tab Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has likely killed at least 20 people and forced women and children to flee the region, local media reported. Papua New Guinea has granted police emergency powers, including the use of lethal force, to contain the violence in Porgera between illegal settlers squatting near the gold mine and local landowners, newspapers Post-Courier and The National reported late on Sunday.
Barrick Gold and PNG Police did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
Several schools, hospitals, banks and other government services in the regions have been closed due to the violence, the Post-Courier said in a report.
Home to hundreds of tribes and languages, the Pacific nation to Australia’s north has a long history of tribal warfare. However, violence has ratcheted up over the past decade as villagers swapped bows and arrows for military rifles and elections deepened existing tribal divides.
Violent attacks on three remote villages in July in the country’s north killed 26 people, including 16 children, according to the United Nations.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (DT) — Air India has launched a new daily non-stop flight linking the capital cities of Delhi and Kuala Lumpur, marking a significant enhancement in connectivity between India and Southeast Asia.
The inaugural ceremony was held yesterday, ushering in a new era of travel convenience for passengers journeying between these dynamic capitals.
The event was graced by the presence of Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy, who highlighted the importance of this new route in strengthening the cultural and economic bonds between India and Malaysia. “This flight not only bridges two capitals but also brings closer the hearts and minds of our people,” stated Reddy at the ceremony.
Dignitaries Guests, along with directors from the airline and Oscar Travel, celebrate the joyous occasion by cutting the cake on 15 September, 2024. Photo : AS/DT
Air India’s selection of the Airbus A320neo for its new route offers passengers a blend of comfort and efficiency, with the aircraft featuring modern amenities in a two-class configuration. This expansion into the Delhi-Kuala Lumpur market is a strategic move by the airline to meet the rising demand for direct flights, which will reduce travel time and enhance the overall passenger experience.
Shri Rajesh Maniyil, First Secretary at the Indian High Commission, was present at ceremony at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA 2). “This direct service highlights the strengthening partnership between India and Malaysia, providing easier access for tourists, students, and business professionals,” Maniyil noted.
Andy Sengiah, Director of Oscar Travel, shared excitement about the route’s impact on the travel industry. “This flight offers competitive pricing and connects Malaysian travelers to Air India’s extensive network, making it easier for them to explore destinations beyond India,” Singhia said, highlighting the route’s potential to boost tourism and business exchanges.
As part of their collaboration, Oscar Travel Services will handle reservations and ticketing, assist with marketing initiatives, and offer extensive passenger sales support in Malaysia on behalf of Air India. This partnership aims to enhance the airline’s market presence and support its global expansion efforts.
Oscar Travel leverages the vast expertise and resources of the Oscar Holidays Group, which collectively represents over six international carriers. This joint venture combines their diverse strengths, deep market knowledge, and extensive industry experience to provide exceptional service for Air India.
Johnson Francis, Director of Oscar Travels, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We are honored to be appointed as Air India’s General Sales Agent (GSA) in Malaysia. We are dedicated to leveraging Air India’s extensive network, our deep industry expertise, and our customer-focused approach to highlight Air India’s services and strengthen its presence in the Malaysian market.
Distinguished guests, company directors, and airline staff pose for a group photo, 15 September, 2024. Photo Andy Sengiah/DT
We are especially excited about the recent increase in passenger traffic between India and Malaysia across various traveler segments. By capitalizing on this positive trend, we aim to offer passengers seamless and exceptional travel experiences while fostering cultural and economic exchanges between the two countries.”
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India, stated, “With the launch of our Delhi-Kuala Lumpur route, we are not only linking two vibrant cities but also enhancing cultural exchange and bolstering bilateral trade and tourism between our nations. We eagerly anticipate welcoming passengers from India and Malaysia, as well as travelers from North America and Europe, who will now have a convenient connection to Kuala Lumpur through our Delhi hub.”
The launch of this service is expected to not only meet current demand but also drive further growth in travel and trade between India and Malaysia. As Air India extends its reach into Southeast Asia, this new route underscores the airline’s commitment to enhancing global connectivity and passenger satisfaction.
For more information on fares and schedules, passengers can visit Air India’s official website or contact travel agencies such as Oscar Travel for bookings and additional details.
USA (REUTERS) – US Presidential candidate Donald Trump says he will not debate Kamala Harris again before November’s election, calling the Vice President a liar and lashing out against ABC’s debate moderators.
“THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” the former president wrote on social media site Truth Social. Trump had participated in a debate against President Joe Biden in June before his debate against Harris on Tuesday.
Harris, speaking at a rally shortly after Trump’s post went live, said: “I believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate.”
While Trump said in his post that polls showed he won the debate, several surveys showed that respondents thought Harris did better.
Among voters who said they had heard at least something about Tuesday’s debate, 53% said Harris won and 24% said Trump won, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday.
The poll showed that 54% of registered voters believed that the single debate between Trump and Harris was enough, while 46% had wanted a second debate.
Tokyo, Japan (DT/KYODO) – One in four married adults under 40 in Japan found their partners through dating apps, making it the most common way couples meet, a recent government survey showed.
The study was conducted in July as part of the Japanese government’s efforts to devise ways to help younger generations marry and have children, as the rise of the unmarried has become a key reason behind the country’s declining birthrate.
The Children and Families Agency said it plans to step up cooperation with the private sector in promoting dating apps that adhere to safety guidelines and in publicizing their proper usage.
In an online questionnaire of 20,000 men and women aged 15 to 39 nationwide, 25.1 percent of respondents who married in the last five years said dating apps gave them the opportunity to meet the person they ended up marrying.
The Japanese government launched a dating app in July to boost the country’s birth rate. FILE PHOTO
Individuals who met their spouses through work or work-related activities accounted for 20.5 percent, while 9.9 percent met at school, 9.1 percent through friends or siblings, and 5.2 percent at parties or other social events.
The survey also showed that 56.8 percent of married people said they have experience using dating apps, compared to 26.8 percent of unmarried individuals.
An interim report compiled by a panel under the Children and Families Agency to discuss life planning for the younger generation noted that dating apps are especially popular among individuals in their 20s. The report highlighted that “Generation Z,” born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, values dating apps as a tool for prioritizing cost and time efficiency.
While dating apps offer the convenience of connecting at any time and bridging distances for those in remote areas, many people continue to express concerns about safety, the report said.
According to government data, the number of couples who married in 2023 fell below 500,000 for the first time in 90 years to 474,717, its lowest level since World War II.
