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A Brazilian teenager was mauled to death by a lioness in full view of zoo visitors after scaling a 6m wall and safety fencing and shimmying down a tree into the enclosure, authorities said.Gerson de Melo Machado, 19, struggled with severe mental health issues and dreamed of being a lion tamer, according to those who knew him.The municipal government of the northeastern coastal city of Joao Pessoa said that Machado had “deliberately invaded the lioness’s enclosure” at the Arruda Camara Zoobotanical Park on Sunday morning.Flavio Fabres, head of the Joao Pessoa Legal Medical Institute, told AFP that Machado had been identified via his fingerprints.The cause of death was “bleeding due to injuries to the neck vessels”.On Monday state environmental authorities carried out an on-site inspection at the zoo, which remains closed, according to the municipality and the park. Source link
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party supporters protest to demand release of their jailed leader and former prime minister Imran Khan in Islamabad yesterday. (AFP) Imran Khan, Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister, is in good physical health but facing isolation and psychological strain, his sister said yesterday, after a rare supervised visit following weeks in which his family said access had been blocked.Uzma Khanum, one of Khan’s three sisters, was the only family member permitted to meet him in Adiala Jail, where supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had gathered outside to protest against conditions of his detention.She told reporters her brother “looked healthy” but had been undergoing “mental torture” being confined indoors for long periods with no communication with relatives or aides.”He is physically well,” said Khanum, who is a doctor. “But he is kept inside all the time and only goes out for a short while. There is no contact with anybody.”The meeting took place under strict supervision and without mobile devices, she said, declining to provide further details.Khan, 73, who served as prime minister from 2018-2022, has been in jail since his August 2023 arrest on disputed charges and is serving sentences in several cases he says are politically motivated.PTI says routine visits have been blocked for weeks despite court orders, fuelling rumours about his condition and possible prison transfers.Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said decisions about prison visits were up to jail officials and “not under control of the government”.Last week, one of Khan’s sons told Reuters the family had no direct or verifiable contact with him for more than three weeks and “no verifiable information at all” about his condition, saying they feared “something irreversible” might be concealed.They have also sought renewed access for his personal physician, who has not examined him for over a year.Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission, an independent rights monitor, said in a post on X it was “seriously concerned” by reports that Khan had been subjected to restrictive detention conditions and limits on family meetings.It called for regular access to relatives and legal counsel, which it described as a “fundamental safeguard against isolation and misuse of detention powers”, and urged authorities to comply with constitutional and international standards of humane treatment. Source link
President Vladimir Putin yesterday warned European powers that if they started a war with Russia then Moscow was ready to fight and that the defeat of European powers would be so absolute that there would be no one left to even negotiate a peace deal.Four years into the Ukraine war, the deadliest European conflict in Europe since World War Two, Russia has failed to conquer Ukraine, a much smaller neighbour which has been supported by European powers and the United States.Ukraine and European powers have repeatedly warned that if Putin wins the Ukraine war then he could attack a Nato member, a claim which Putin has repeatedly dismissed as nonsense.Asked by a reporter about remarks in the Russian media that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto had cautioned that Europe was preparing a war against Russia, Putin said that Russia did not want a war with Europe.”If Europe suddenly wants to start a war with us and starts it,” Putin said, then it would end so swiftly for Europe that there would be no one to negotiate with in Europe. Putin used the Russian word for “war”.He also suggested that the war in Ukraine was not a full-blown war and that Russia was acting in a “surgical” manner which would not be repeated in a direct confrontation with European powers.”If Europe suddenly wants to fight with us and starts, we are ready right now,” Putin said.The Kremlin chief accused European powers of hindering US President Donald Trump’s attempts to end the war in Ukraine by putting forward proposals they knew would be “absolutely unacceptable” to Moscow so they could then accuse Russia of not wanting peace.Putin said European powers had locked themselves out of peace talks on Ukraine because they had cut off contacts with Russia.”They are on the side of war,” Putin said of European powers.Putin also threatened to sever Ukraine’s access to the sea in response to drone attacks on tankers of Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea. Source link
A US appeals court has struck down an attempt by President Donald Trump to bypass the customary Senate confirmation process and appoint his former personal lawyer to a post as a top federal prosecutor.A three-judge panel ruled unanimously that Alina Habba, 41, has been unlawfully serving as the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey.It was the second time in a week that a federal court has ruled that a US attorney picked by Trump was unlawfully appointed.Last week’s ruling led to the dismissal of criminal cases brought against two of Trump’s political foes – former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey and New York Attorney-General Letitia James.In that case, District Judge Cameron Currie disqualified Trump appointee Lindsey Halligan from serving as the acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and threw out the indictments she obtained against Comey and James.Federal prosecutors are subject to Senate confirmation.Currie said Halligan had been unlawfully appointed because her predecessor was also serving in an acting capacity and US law does not allow two successive interim prosecutors.Halligan’s predecessor as acting US attorney, Erik Siebert, stepped down after reportedly telling Justice Department leaders there was insufficient evidence to charge Comey and James.In Habba’s case, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit panel upheld a lower court ruling that her appointment violated the law regarding the filling of federal vacancies.”Under the government’s delegation theory, Habba may avoid the gauntlet of presidential appointment and Senate confirmation and serve as the de facto US Attorney indefinitely,” the judges said.”This view is so broad that it bypasses the constitutional (appointment and confirmation) process entirely,” they said, and “should raise a red flag”.The Justice Department is weighing seeking new indictments against Comey and James, according to two people familiar with the matter.The department could seek new charges against Comey and James as soon as this week, though the timing was not yet clear, the people added, speaking anonymously in order to discuss non-public department deliberations.Representatives for James could not be immediately reached for comment. An attorney for Comey declined to comment.Both Comey and James have been longtime targets of Trump’s ire.Comey as FBI director oversaw an investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 election campaign and the Russian government, and was fired by Trump in 2017.James, an elected Democrat, successfully sued Trump and his family real estate company for fraud. Source link
A US admiral acting under the authority of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a second strike that targeted survivors of an initial attack on an alleged drug smuggling boat, the White House said on Monday.The legality of the Trump administration’s deadly strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific has been questioned, and reports of the follow-up attack on survivors triggered further accusations of a possible war crime.Venezuela’s leftist leader Nicolas Maduro has accused Washington of using drug trafficking as a pretext for “imposing regime change” in Caracas and rejected a “slave’s peace” for the region, amid mounting fears of US military action.A total of 11 people were killed in the two strikes in early September, the first in a months-long military campaign that has so far left more than 80 dead.Trump’s administration insists that it is effectively at war with alleged “narco-terrorists”, and the White House said Admiral Frank Bradley, who currently leads US Special Operations Command, had acted legally and properly in ordering a second strike.Bradley “worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated”, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists.Hegseth “authorised Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes”, she said.With pressure on the Pentagon chief, Hegseth appeared to stress the decision was Bradley’s.”I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since,” he posted on Monday evening on X, calling Bradley “an American hero”.Some military personnel under the condition of anonymity told the *Washington Post that this is “protect Pete (expletive)”.Another military official told the publication that Leavitt’s statement “left it up to interpretation” who was responsible for the second strike and implored the White House to provide more clarity.”We will eventually find out what really happened,” promised Republican Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who has opened an investigation into the matter.Democrats also pounced on the issue, with Senator Chris Murphy accusing Hegseth of “passing the buck”.”Both Republicans and Democrats are coming to the conclusion that this was an illegal, wildly immoral act, and he is shifting the blame,” Murphy told broadcaster CNN.Congressman Mike Turner, a Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said lawmakers have yet to be briefed on the “double-tap” strike.”People have been very concerned about how these strikes have been operated,” Turner said on the same news broadcast.US media reported last week that an initial September 2 strike left two people alive who were killed in a subsequent attack to fulfill Hegseth’s orders, but Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell insisted that “this entire narrative was false”.Subsequent strikes that left survivors were followed by search-and-rescue efforts that recovered two people in one case and failed to find another later in October.International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on incapacitated combatants.The Pentagon’s Law of War Manual states that shipwrecked persons cannot be knowingly attacked and must receive medical care unless they act with hostility or attempt escape.George Washington University law professor Laura Dickinson said most legal experts do not believe the boat strikes qualify as armed conflict, so lethal force would only be allowed as a last resort.”It would be murder outside of armed conflict,” she said.Even in war, the killing of survivors “would likely be a war crime”. Source link
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US President Donald Trump is personally following up on efforts to end the war in SudanSpeaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Rubio described the current period as one of the most transformative years in US foreign policy since the end of World War II, stressing that President Trump has placed “America at the forefront of every decision” in Washington’s relations with the world.”For the first time in probably four decades, American foreign policy is driven by what is good for America and Americans, and that kind of clarity is transformational,” Rubio said.President Trump has recently expressed his intention to engage directly in efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis and achieve peace.The war in Sudan, which broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and the displacement of nearly 14 million people, according to local and international reports. Related Story Source link
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution late Monday calling for Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and reaffirming the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination, the establishment of their independent state, and the achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue in accordance with Resolution 194 of December 11, 1948.The resolution was adopted with 151 votes in favor, 11 against, and 11 abstentions, during the General Assembly’s 80th session under agenda item 35.The resolution reaffirmed the permanent responsibility of the United Nations toward the question of Palestine until it is resolved in all its aspects in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions. It underscored that achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement, as the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is essential for peace and stability in the Middle East. It also emphasized that the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples constitutes a cornerstone of the UN Charter.The General Assembly further reaffirmed the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, stressing the need to respect the unity and territorial integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. It stated that Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated not to obstruct the Palestinian people from exercising their right to self-determination, including the establishment of their independent and sovereign state on all occupied Palestinian territory. It also stressed that all states must ensure, in accordance with international law, the removal of obstacles arising from Israel’s illegal presence that hinder the exercise of this right.The resolution also stressed the illegality of Israeli settlement activities and all unilateral measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territory as a whole, including the wall and its associated regime, demanding their immediate cessation. It condemned the use of force against Palestinian civilians, particularly children, in violation of international law, and emphasized the necessity of ensuring the safety, protection, and well-being of all civilians across the Middle East, as well as rejecting all acts of violence and terrorism against civilians on all sides.The resolution reiterated the urgent need to end the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, and affirmed the right of all states in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders. It renewed calls for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on relevant UN resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016), the Madrid terms of reference, the land-for-peace principle, and the Arab Peace Initiative, while reaffirming unwavering support for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, with Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace and security. Related Story Source link
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced Tuesday that the Arirang-7 multi-purpose satellite successfully has reached its orbit after being launched from a spaceport in South America.In a statement, KASA said that the satellite separated from the Vega-C rocket 44 minutes after its launch from the Guiana Space Centre.The statement added that Arirang-7 is equipped with a high-resolution electro-optical camera and an infrared sensor, and will provide high-quality images for environmental monitoring and observation. Source link
China announced today that it has expelled a Japanese fishing vessel for illegally entering Chinese territorial waters.China Coast Guard (CCG) spokesperson Liu Dejun said a Japanese fishing vessel was warned and expelled after illegally entering the territorial waters of China’s Diaoyu Dao region, Xinhua news agency reported.The spokesperson added that the CCG had taken the necessary control measures in accordance with the law, issued warnings, and turned the ship away, while emphasizing that Diaoyu Dao and its islands are integral Chinese territory.”The CCG will continue to conduct rights-protection law enforcement operations in the waters of Diaoyu Dao to firmly safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the spokesperson added. Related Story Source link
Rubio (center L), flanked by Witkoff and Kushner, speaks during a meeting with Ukrainian officials headed by Umerov (center R) in Hallandale Beach, Florida Sunday A meeting between US and Ukrainian officials in Florida Sunday was “very productive,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding that work still remains towards ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.”There are a lot of moving parts, and obviously there’s another party involved here that will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week, when Mr. Witkoff travels to Moscow, although we’ve also been in touch in varying degrees with the Russian side, but we have a pretty good understanding of their views as well,” Rubio told reporters.Rubio Sunday hosted high stakes talks with a Ukrainian delegation on Washington’s plan to end Russia’s war with its neighbour — discussions a source close to Kyiv’s team characterized as “not easy.”The talks in Florida come as Kyiv faces mounting military and political pressure, along with the fallout from a corruption scandal. They could set the stage for next week’s visit to Moscow by President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to discuss Ukraine diplomacy.”This is not just about peace deals. It’s about creating a pathway forward that leaves Ukraine sovereign, independent and prosperous,” Rubio said at the start of the negotiations.Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were also attending the meeting in Hallandale Beach, north of Miami.Ukraine’s security council secretary Rustem Umerov led Kyiv’s delegation, which also included Andrii Hnatov, the chief of staff of Ukraine’s armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.”We are discussing about the future of Ukraine, about the security of Ukraine, about no repetition of aggression of Ukraine, about prosperity of Ukraine, about how to rebuild Ukraine,” Umerov said as the talks kicked off.A source close to the Kyiv delegation, however, cautioned that “the process is not easy because the search for formulations and solutions continues.” The exchanges had nevertheless been “constructive,” the source said.The US talks come amid turbulence for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government. A blockbuster corruption probe forced him to sack his chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, on Friday.Washington has put forward a plan to end the nearly four-year conflict and is seeking to finalize it with Moscow and Kyiv’s approval.An initial 28-point proposal — drafted without input from Ukraine’s European allies — would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognize the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.The United States pared back the original draft following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but the current contents remain unclear. …