A refugee Bahraini footballer with residency status in Australia boarded a flight for Melbourne early on Tuesday after Bahrain dropped its bid to have him extradited from Thailand, bringing to an end a case that had drawn international criticism.
Hakeem al-Araibi, 25, who fled Bahrain in 2014 and received refugee status in Australia, was arrested in November last year at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport while on his honeymoon, following an Interpol notice issued at the Gulf state’s…
New forfeiture order powers used to recoup £500,000 from Moldovan student
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has secured a forfeiture order amounting to nearly £500,000 on frozen bank accounts belonging to the son of Moldova’s former prime minister, in one of the first uses of new powers.
Rahul Gandhi’s plans to end Indian poverty work economically, just not politically
Call it competitive populism. As the campaigning gains pace ahead of an Indian general election that must be held by mid-May, the governing BJP of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the opposition Congress party are locked in an epic struggle to win over voters.
In recent weeks, each has rolled out plans to ramp up public welfare spending on the country’s rural poor. But while some of these are simply the same old failed policies warmed up and worked over, others are remarkably innovative…
Indonesia police admit using snake to terrorise Papuan man
Indonesian police have acknowledged officers terrorised a Papuan man with a live snake after a video of the incident circulated online showing the man screaming in fear and his interrogator laughing.
Police in Indonesia’s easternmost Papua region apologised but also tried to justify the officers’ actions by saying the snake was not venomous and they had not resorted to beating the man, who was suspected of theft. Disturbing new #torture footage has emerged from #WestPapua showing…
US-led backlash against China’s Huawei, Hikvision seen giving higher-cost rivals an opening to win contracts
Increasing resistance by the US and other governments to Chinese hi-tech companies such as Huawei Technologies and Hikvision is providing opportunities for suppliers from other countries to win business from their lower-cost competitors. In Australia, Chinese security camera makers Hikvision and Dahua have faced increased scrutiny after a report by Australian Broadcasting Corporation cited concerns raised by experts about the potential for these networks to be used for espionage. The two…
‘Free Hakeem al-Araibi,’ say Australian divers who helped rescue Thai cave boys
Two Australian divers who helped save 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave have written to the Thai prime minister to ask for the release of a Bahraini footballer with refugee status in Australia, media reported on Saturday.
The case of Hakeem al-Araibi, 25, has drawn international criticism as a Thai court considers an extradition request from Bahrain for him to serve a 10-year sentence related to the Arab spring uprising of 2011. He denies the charges.
He was arrested at a…
Donald Trump’s second meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un will be in Hanoi, US president tweets
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this month will be held in Hanoi. There has been speculation the meeting would be in Da Nang.
“My representatives have just left North Korea after a very productive meeting and an agreed upon time and date for the second Summit with Kim Jong-un. It will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 & 28,” Trump said on Twitter. “I look forward to seeing Chairman Kim &…
Government seeking views on English light rail ‘potential’
New tramways and other ‘light rail’ systems could improve journey times in English towns and cities, while also offering a boost to UK manufacturing, the government has suggested.
Thailand’s king declares sister Ubolratana Rajakanya’s bid for PM ‘inappropriate’ and unconstitutional, likely killing princess’ bid for political power
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn said his elder sister’s announcement that she is running for prime minister in March elections was “inappropriate” and unconstitutional, likely sinking her candidacy for a populist opposition party.
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, 67, shocked the nation when she announced on Friday that she would be the sole prime ministerial candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart party, which is loyal to ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. But the…
Facebook to appeal German data decision
Facebook has said it will appeal a decision by Germany’s main competition authority that serves to restrict its collection and aggregation of personal data.