Russia vetoed a resolution sponsored by the United States and Japan over the nuclear arms race in space at the United Nations on Wednesday (April 24). The resolution was aimed at preventing a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space which Russia called “a dirty spectacle" which is cherry-picking weapons of mass destruction among all other weapons which should also be banned.

Russia vetoed a resolution sponsored by the United States and Japan over the nuclear arms race in space at the United Nations on Wednesday (April 24). The resolution was aimed at preventing a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space which Russia called “a dirty spectacle" which is cherry-picking weapons of mass destruction among all other weapons which should also be banned. In the 15-member Security Council, 13 member countries voted in favour, China abstained from voting and Russia opposed the resolution. The resolution is likely to have appealed to all the countries not to develop and deploy nuclear arms or any weapons of mass destruction in space, which is banned under a 1967 international treaty which includes the US and Russia. The nations would also have been asked to agree to the requirement to verify compliance. Also Read: Ukraine claims to have attacked two Russian oil depots Russia's veto raises concern over Moscow's chances of developing nuclear arms for space Reacting to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to use a veto against the resolution, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield questioned Moscow over blocking the resolution if it is not interested in deploying nuclear weapons in space. “Today’s veto begs the question: Why? Why, if you are following the rules, would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them? What could you possibly be hiding? It’s baffling. And it’s a shame," she said. Meanwhile, echoing Thomas-Greenfield's remarks, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, “The United States assesses that Russia is developing a new satellite carrying a nuclear device.” Sullivan said that if Putin did not intend to deploy nuclear weapons in space, “Russia would not have vetoed this resolution.” Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the resolution “absolutely absurd and politicised,” and stated that it did not go ahead in banning every type of weapon in space. Watch: Russia-Ukraine war | US official: Long-range missile secretly shipped to Kyiv Russia, China propose amendment Later, Russia and China proposed an amendment in the draft in which they appealed to all the countries, especially those that had major space capabilities, “to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space, and the threat of use of force in outer spaces.” Seven countries voted in favour of the amendment and 7 against it and one abstained and the amendment was defeated since it failed to get the minimum 9 “yes” votes needed for adoption. The amendment was opposed by the United States and after the voting, Nebenzia, while addressing the US ambassador, said, “We want a ban on the placement of weapons of any kind in outer space, not just WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). But you don’t want that. And let me ask you that very same question. Why?” He stated that much of the actions of the United States and Japan became clear “if we recall that the US and their allies announced some time ago plans to place weapons … in outer space.” (With inputs from agencies)

Russia vetoes UN resolution on nuclear arms race in space, US questions Moscow's intention

Israel is now laying plans to move into Rafah and evacuate the Palestinian civilians before the invasion, amid continuous warnings that it may lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, as confirmed by a senior Israeli defence official on Wednesday (April 24).

Israel is now laying plans to move into Rafah and evacuate the Palestinian civilians before the invasion, amid continuous warnings that it may lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, as confirmed by a senior Israeli defence official on Wednesday (April 24). Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led Israeli government spokesperson said that Israel was "moving ahead" with the plans of a ground operation, without specifying any time period. According to an official of Israel's Defence Ministry, they have purchased 40,000 tents, each of which has a capacity for 10 to 12 people to house the Palestinians, once they are displaced from Rafah in advance of an assault. As reported by Reuters, an Israeli government official said that the war cabinet of Netanyahu planned to meet in the next two weeks for authorising civilian evacuations, which is likely to take a month. Also Read: Satellite photos show extent of damage in Iran during alleged Israeli attack Rafah, which is near the Egyptian border, is home to more than a million Palestinians who have travelled from the rest of Gaza amid the Israeli offensive. Why does Israel want to invade Rafah? Israel, which launched an attack on Hamas after its towns were infiltrated by the Islamist group in the October 7 attacks, claims that Rafah is hosting four Hamas combat battalions which are filled with thousands of retreating fighters, and that they need to be eradicated for victory. "Hamas was hit hard in the northern sector. It was also hit hard in the centre of the Strip. And soon it will be hit hard in Rafah, too," said Brigadier-General Itzik Cohen, commander of Israel's 162nd Division operating in Gaza, while speaking to Kan public TV. What is the take of the US on Israel's latest plans? The United States, which is the closest ally of Israel, has appealed to the country to keep the plans for an assault on hold and has stated that Israel is capable of combatting Hamas fighters in other ways. "We could not support a Rafah ground operation without an appropriate, credible, executable humanitarian plan precisely because of the complications for delivery of assistance," said David Satterfield, US special envoy for Middle East humanitarian, while speaking to the reporters on Tuesday (April 23). Watch: Israel-Hamas War: US to begin Gaza aid pier construction 'very soon' "We continue discussions with Israel on what we believe are alternate ways of addressing a challenge which we recognise, which is Hamas military present in Rafah," he added, What are Egypt's concerns over the Rafah invasion? Egypt's State Information Service said that it will not permit Gazans to be pushed beyond the border towards its territory. Egypt also warned Israel to reconsider the Rafah offensive as it "would lead to massive human massacres, losses (and) widespread destruction", stated State Information Service said. In the wake of Israel's plans, Egypt's top intelligence chief held talks with top Israeli intelligence and military officials along with other key officials in Cairo on Wednesday (April 24) to discuss a possible operation by Israel Defense Forces in Rafah, said three senior Israeli officials. Egyptian officials have also hinted that such an operation will rupture the relations with Israel and can also harm the peace agreement between the two nations. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel to go ahead with Rafah invasion even as Egypt warns of humanitarian crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that he is suspending his public duties to "stop and reflect" on whether he should continue holding the position after a preliminary inquiry, involving his wife Begona Gomez, was started by the court.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that he is suspending his public duties to "stop and reflect" on whether he should continue holding the position after a preliminary inquiry, involving his wife Begona Gomez, was started by the court. The prime minister, in a statement, said that he immediately needed to decide "whether I should continue to lead the government or renounce this honour". The court stated that the investigation has been opened in response to the corruption claims made against Begoña Gomez. Also Read: European Union votes in favour of migration rules overhaul after nearly a decade of deadlock PM Sanchez said that his wife will co-operate with the judiciary and defend herself. “As is only logical, Begoña will defend her honour and will cooperate with the justice system as much as is necessary to clear up facts that are as scandalous in appearance as they are nonexistent," he said. Taking to X, Sanchez said that a probe was opened against his wife Begoña Gomez, “at the request of a far-right organisation called Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) to investigate the alleged crimes of influence peddling and corruption in her business dealings.” Spanish PM says complaint based on “right and far-right” digital media The Spanish prime minister added that the complaint by Clean Hands was based on “alleged information” which was published by what he called “right and far-right” digital media. In his post, PM Sanchez said, “I need to stop and reflect” about “if I should continue leading the government or step down." Anti-corruption campaigner Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) has participated in high-profile court cases in recent years. Watch: Spain reopens Pegasus probe, Spain PM Pedro Sanchez's phone infected by spyware The Spanish prime minister stated that he will take a decision on his future plans before the media personnel on Monday (April 29) after he reflects upon whether he should remain in office "despite the mud" that the right and far-right have been trying to turn politics into. "Now that we’ve reached this point, the question I quite legitimately ask myself is, ‘is it all worth it?’ I sincerely don’t know. I need to stop and think about it … All of which leads me to tell you that I will keep working, but cancel all my public duties for a few days while I decide which path to take. Next Monday, 29 April, I’ll appear before the media to let you know my decision," PM Sanchez said. In his statement, Sanchez further complained about a "strategy of harassment" over months which is aimed at politically weakening him and also targeting his wife personally. (With inputs from agencies)

Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez considers resignation, halts public duties as wife faces corruption probe

Iraqi authorities have executed at least 11 people convicted of "terrorism" this week, security and health sources said Wednesday, with rights group Amnesty International condemning an "alarming lack of transparency".

Under Iraqi law, terrorism and murder offences are punishable by death, and execution decrees must be signed by the president.

A security source in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province told AFP that 11 "terrorists from the Islamic State group" were executed by hanging at a prison in the city of Nasiriyah, "under the supervision of a justice ministry team".

A local medical source confirmed that the health department had received the bodies of 11 executed people.

They were hanged on Monday "under Article 4 of the anti-terrorism law", the source added, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

All 11 were from Salahaddin province and the bodies of seven had been returned to their families, the medical official said.

Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death and life sentences&nbsp;in recent years for people convicted of membership in "a terrorist group", an offence that carries the death penalty regardless of whether the defendant had been an active fighter.

Iraq has been criticised for trials denounced by rights groups as hasty, with confessions sometimes said to have been obtained under torture.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/bidens-iran-oil-sanctions-likely-to-spare-global-market-from-major-disruption-714094">Biden's Iran oil sanctions likely to spare global market from major disruption</a>

Amnesty in a statement on Wednesday condemned the latest hangings for "overly broad and vague terrorism charges".

It said a total of 13 men were executed on Monday, including 11 who had been "convicted on the basis of their affiliation to the so-called Islamic State armed group".

The two others, arrested in 2008, "were convicted of terrorism-related offences under the Penal Code after a grossly unfair trial", Amnesty said citing their lawyer.

The Britain-based rights group denounced "a disturbing lack of transparency regarding executions in Iraq in recent months".

"The Iraqi government must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions and work towards abolishing the death penalty entirely," said Razaw Salihy, Iraq researcher at Amnesty.

In late January, UN experts looking into capital punishment in Iraq expressed their "deep concern at reports that Iraq has begun mass executions in its prison system".

Watch:&nbsp;Iran President Ebrahim Raisi arrives in Sri Lanka, to sign five MoUs

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-president-ebrahim-raisi-arrives-in-sri-lanka-to-sign-five-mous-714567/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The independent experts, who are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on its behalf, mentioned in their statement executions carried out late last year in the same Nasiriyah prison.

The statement said that "13 male Iraqi prisoners -- previously sentenced to death –- were executed on 25 December 2023", calling it "the largest number of convicted prisoners reportedly executed by the Iraqi authorities in one day" since November 16, 2020, when 20 were executed.

The IS group overran large swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014, proclaiming its "caliphate" and launching a reign of terror.

It was defeated in Iraq in 2017 by Iraqi forces backed by a US-led military coalition, and in 2019 lost the last territory&nbsp;it held in Syria to US-backed Kurdish forces.

But its remnants continue to carry out deadly hit-and-run attacks and ambushes, particularly from remote areas and desert hideouts.

Iraqi authorities have executed at least 11 people convicted of "terrorism" this week, security and health sources said Wednesday, with rights group Amnesty International condemning an "alarming lack of transparency".

Iraqi authorities have executed at least 11 people convicted of "terrorism" this week, security and health sources said Wednesday, with rights group Amnesty International condemning an "alarming lack of transparency". Under Iraqi law, terrorism and murder offences are punishable by death, and execution decrees must be signed by the president. A security source in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province told AFP that 11 "terrorists from the Islamic State group" were executed by hanging at a prison in the city of Nasiriyah, "under the supervision of a justice ministry team". A local medical source confirmed that the health department had received the bodies of 11 executed people. They were hanged on Monday "under Article 4 of the anti-terrorism law", the source added, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. All 11 were from Salahaddin province and the bodies of seven had been returned to their families, the medical official said. Iraqi courts have handed down hundreds of death and life sentences in recent years for people convicted of membership in "a terrorist group", an offence that carries the death penalty regardless of whether the defendant had been an active fighter. Iraq has been criticised for trials denounced by rights groups as hasty, with confessions sometimes said to have been obtained under torture. Also Read: Biden's Iran oil sanctions likely to spare global market from major disruption Amnesty in a statement on Wednesday condemned the latest hangings for "overly broad and vague terrorism charges". It said a total of 13 men were executed on Monday, including 11 who had been "convicted on the basis of their affiliation to the so-called Islamic State armed group". The two others, arrested in 2008, "were convicted of terrorism-related offences under the Penal Code after a grossly unfair trial", Amnesty said citing their lawyer. The Britain-based rights group denounced "a disturbing lack of transparency regarding executions in Iraq in recent months". "The Iraqi government must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions and work towards abolishing the death penalty entirely," said Razaw Salihy, Iraq researcher at Amnesty. In late January, UN experts looking into capital punishment in Iraq expressed their "deep concern at reports that Iraq has begun mass executions in its prison system". Watch: Iran President Ebrahim Raisi arrives in Sri Lanka, to sign five MoUs The independent experts, who are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on its behalf, mentioned in their statement executions carried out late last year in the same Nasiriyah prison. The statement said that "13 male Iraqi prisoners -- previously sentenced to death –- were executed on 25 December 2023", calling it "the largest number of convicted prisoners reportedly executed by the Iraqi authorities in one day" since November 16, 2020, when 20 were executed. The IS group overran large swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014, proclaiming its "caliphate" and launching a reign of terror. It was defeated in Iraq in 2017 by Iraqi forces backed by a US-led military coalition, and in 2019 lost the last territory it held in Syria to US-backed Kurdish forces. But its remnants continue to carry out deadly hit-and-run attacks and ambushes, particularly from remote areas and desert hideouts.

Iraq hangs 11 convicted of 'terrorism' in a week, confirms security and health sources

US House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday (April 24) was heckled by Columbia University students as pro-Palestine protests continued to spread across various university campuses in the United States.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday (April 24) was heckled by Columbia University students as pro-Palestine protests continued to spread across various university campuses in the United States. Johnson's visit to the university, which he claimed was aimed at supporting Jewish students who had been intimidated by the demonstrators, happened shortly after the deadline to reach an agreement for removing the encampment was extended from Wednesday morning to Friday morning. Republican House Speaker Johnson claimed that Columbia University officials have no control over the situation now. He further asked university president Nemat Shafik to resign. Also Read: Columbia University shifts to virtual classes following on-campus arrests amid anti-Israel protests Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University also demanded Shafik's resignation for allowing a police crackdown on the protests. House Speaker gets booed at press conference, hints at calling National Guard troops In a press conference held at Columbia University along with other Republican lawmakers, Johnson said that the protests were not legally protected free speech. He further stated that Columbia University failed to restore order on campus and protect Jewish students amid increasing concerns about antisemitism on campus. "This is dangerous. We respect free speech, we respect diversity of ideas, but there is a way to do that in a lawful manner and that's not what this is. My message to the students inside the encampment is go back to class and stop the nonsense," said Johnson. "I am here today joining my colleagues and calling on President [Minouche] Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos," said the Louisiana Republican to the gathered crowd amid boos and chants of "Mike, you suck", “Free, free Palestine”. and "We can't hear you". The speaker added that he briefly met with Shafik and other top officials to encourage them "to take immediate action and stamp this out." "Our feeling is that they have not acted to restore order on the campus. This is not free expression. This is not First Amendment. They are threatening, intimidating," he said. Watch: Protests grip US universities: Pro-Palestinian protests sweep US campuses Johnson also hinted that the authorities may call National Guard troops to control the situation. Violent clashes erupt between protesters and police amid calls for dispersal Meanwhile, various universities appealed to the protesters to disperse as police clashed with pro-Palestinian student protesters in Texas and California. The police arrested around 20 protesters at the University of Texas campus in Austin and also detained some of them at the University of Southern California. The University of Texas had earlier issued a “Notice of Dispersal Order” for the protesters. The university's faculty members, meanwhile, called the police crackdown a “militarised response” to the protests. “We have witnessed police punching a female student, knocking over a legal observer, dragging a. student over a chain link fence, and violently arresting students for simply standing at the front of the crowd,” read the statement. The police also arrested some pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Southern California after they failed to abide by the orders of dispersal. Some of the protesters even blocked traffic on nearby streets. At least 30 protesters were taken into custody. (With inputs from agencies)

US campus protests: Speaker Johnson heckled by protesters amid encampments and violent clashes

Eleven Republicans, who had allegedly acted as fake electors in the 2020 presidential election by submitting a document to Congress that falsely declared victory of former president Donald Trump over US President Joe Biden in Arizona, were indicted by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Wednesday (April 24).

Eleven Republicans, who had allegedly acted as fake electors in the 2020 presidential election by submitting a document to Congress that falsely declared victory of former president Donald Trump over US President Joe Biden in Arizona, were indicted by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Wednesday (April 24). The Republicans were charged with conspiracy, fraud and forgery, as per the press release issued by the office of the attorney general. Arizona becomes the fourth state to indict 'fake electors' This made Arizona the fourth state in the United States to levy charges against “fake electors", who had allegedly announced Trump's false victory in their respective states during the 2020 election. Also Read: Biden vows to hold Trump 'accountable' for his role in restricting abortion rights Meanwhile, several of the names were redacted, however, Mayes said that they would be unredacted after "all defendants have been served." The 11 Republicans indicted in Arizona included then-Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward, state legislators Anthony Kern and Jake Hoffman; Michael Ward, Kelli Ward’s husband; Tyler Bowyer, the Republican National Committee's Arizona committeeman and the chief operating officer of the Trump-aligned Turning Point USA; Greg Safsten, the former Arizona GOP executive director; former U.S. Senate candidate Jim Lamon; Robert Montgomery, the former head of the Cochise County GOP; and Republican Party activists Samuel Moorhead, Nancy Cottle and Loraine Pellegrino. In December 2020, these 11 Republicans gathered in Arizona and signed documents which falsely announced Trump's victory in Arizona, while claiming that they were “duly elected and qualified” electors. "Today, Arizona's 11 Republican presidential electors met to cast their votes for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence," wrote the Arizona GOP on X, in December 2020. "With ongoing legal challenges to the 2020 presidential election still being heard in the courts across the country holding hearings on election fraud and voting irregularities, it is imperative that the proper elections are counted by Congress," he added. "We conducted a thorough and professional investigation over the past 13 months into the fake electors scheme in our state," said Mayes, in a video while announcing the charges. Watch: Donald Trump Unclassified Documents Case, Trump ignores advice to return classified documents "I understand for some of you today didn't come fast enough. And I know I'll be criticized by others for conducting this investigation at all. But as I've stated before, and we'll say here again, today, I will not allow American democracy to be undermined," he added. Meanwhile, Trump, his former attorney Rudy Giuliani and his former chief of staff Mark Meadows have been listed as “unindicted co-conspirators” in the case. (With inputs from agencies)

Arizona 2020 ‘fake electors’ case: Jury indicts 11 Republicans for falsely declaring Trump's win

Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight. Watch in for more details!

Russia-Ukraine war | US official: Long-range missile secretly shipped to Kyiv

In a rare step to control over-tourism, a pilot programme has been launched by the Italian city of Venice according to which the day-trippers will be charged an entry fee of €5 (around $5.

In a rare step to control over-tourism, a pilot programme has been launched by the Italian city of Venice according to which the day-trippers will be charged an entry fee of €5 (around $5.35). The authorities hope that the entry fee will discourage visitors from coming on peak days and turn the city into a more livable place for its dwindling number of residents. How has Venice prepared to charge its tourists? The authorities have placed signs which inform the visitors regarding the new requirement for a test phase of 29 days across July. The signs have been placed outside the main train station and other important points of arrival. Meanwhile, the authorities have trained some 200 stewards to politely inform anyone who is not aware of the fees and the process of downloading a QR code. Also Read: Venice to start charging entry fees from visitors in 2024 The authorities have also set up a kiosk for those who are not equipped with a smartphone. Once the tourists cross the designated entry ports, officials will conduct random checks for QR codes which show that the day-tripper tax has been paid or that they have exempted the bearer. A fine of €50 ($53) to €300 ($321) will be imposed on the transgressors. The entry fee is applicable only to people who are entering the city between 8:30 am and 4 pm. Those who wish to enter Venice outside of those hours are not required to pay any fees. Venice's tourism official, Simone Venturini said, "We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents. We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.” Venice battles mass tourism The move was supported by the city's council executive just weeks after Venice was recommended by the UN cultural agency UNESCO to be included in its list of world heritage in danger, especially because of the negative impact of mass tourism. Watch: Venice to charge tourists an entry fee to avoid overcrowding For years, the authorities in Venice have sought to ease the pressure of the increasing number of tourists who reach Venice to see sights, which include St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge. Repeatedly, the ticketing plan has been postponed as concerns were raised that it is likely to seriously affect tourist revenue and compromise people's freedom of movement. Locals marched in protest of the city's new day-trip entrance charge. Protesters argue that the admission charge will not address the lagoon city's problems of overtourism and depopulation. (With inputs from agencies)

Planning to travel abroad? Venice will now charge you for entry

A pig kidney was transplanted by doctors in a New Jersey woman who was on her deathbed as part of a dramatic combination of surgeries which also included giving her a mechanical heart pump to stabilise her failing heart.

A pig kidney was transplanted by doctors in a New Jersey woman who was on her deathbed as part of a dramatic combination of surgeries which also included giving her a mechanical heart pump to stabilise her failing heart. The combination of kidney and heart failure had made the woman, identified as Lisa Pisano, too sick to qualify for a traditional transplant. A novel one-two-punch method was devised by the doctors at NYU Langone Health. According to this method, the doctors implanted a mechanical pump to keep her heart beating and after days, transplanted a kidney in the woman from a genetically modified pig. Also Read: Cross-border heart transplant: Indian donor saves Pakistani teenager's life The NYU team on Wednesday (April 24) said that Pisano is recovering well and that she is the second patient to ever receive a pig kidney after a historic transplant was completed successfully at the Massachusetts General Hospital last month. On April 4, Pisano received the heart pump and then she got a gene-edited pig kidney along with the pig’s thymus gland on April 12. NYU Langone Health said that her case is the first to be reported where a person has received an organ transplant along with a mechanical heart pump. Woman recovers after historic surgery, takes first steps The 54-year-old has been recovering fast from the surgery and recently took her first few steps. Speaking to The Associated Press, Pisano said, “I was at the end of my rope. I just took a chance. And you know, worst case scenario, if it didn’t work for me, it might have worked for someone else and it could have helped the next person.” The director of NYU Langone Transplant Institute, Dr Robert Montgomery remembered the cheers he heard in the operating room just after the organ started making urine immediately. Watch: Xenotransplantation: Pig kidney transplanted into human Speaking about the early results of the surgery, Montgomery said, “It’s been transformative." However, “we’re not off the hook yet,” Dr Nader Moazami said. He is the NYU cardiac surgeon who carried out the heart pump's implantation. Speaking about the woman's health condition prior to the surgery, Montgomery said Pisano “was getting sicker and sicker, and really, her life expectancy could be measured in days or weeks". He added that her situation was a "medical Catch-22". “She had both heart and kidney failure but was not a candidate for a combined heart and kidney transplant because of her other health conditions,” Montgomery stated. Meanwhile, transplant experts have kept a close watch on how the patient is performing. In the United States, more than 100,000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney. (With inputs from agencies)

Miraculous surgery! New Jersey woman gets first pig kidney transplant plus heart pump

South Korea's 'first-ever' sex festival was cancelled hours before it was about to get started, as performers backed out fearing that they would be stabbed. The event, which was called '2024 KFX The Fashion', was organised by 'Play Joker', as per the announcements.

South Korea's 'first-ever' sex festival was cancelled hours before it was about to get started, as performers backed out fearing that they would be stabbed. The event, which was called '2024 KFX The Fashion', was organised by 'Play Joker', as per the announcements. The event was organised aboard a ship at Jamwon Hangang Park in Seoul on April 21 and 22. The organisers, however, faced pressure from councils and women's groups because of which they had to change the location of the event three times. The event, which featured Japanese porn stars, cost the head of Play Joker Lee Hee Tae thousands of dollars. Also Read: South Korea successfully launches second military spy satellite amid race with North Korea Finally, the organisers decided to host the event in secret at a bar in the Gangnam neighbourhood in Seoul, in their last effort to make the festival happen. Gangnam council adopts extreme measures to stop sex festival The council, however, did not budge and took extreme measures to stop the event from happening. As reported by the BBC, Gangnam council wrote letters to hundreds of restaurants in their neighbourhood and warned them that they would be shut down if they were caught hosting the event, which the council called "morally harmful". The bar decided not to back out from hosting the event, however, the programme stumbled upon a rock when the Japanese stars of the show pulled out while citing fears of violence, as well as stabbing. The performers' agency stated that backlash "reached fever pitch". Speaking to the BBC, Lee said that he failed to believe "such an unthinkable turn" had happened and added that death threats were sent to him. "I have been treated like a criminal without doing anything illegal", he added. He further claimed that the event was not violating any law since there were to be no sexual acts or nudity. Watch: South Korean environmentalists celebrate Earth Day in Seoul According to the BBC, the festival was to comprise a bondage fashion show, some adult games and a sex toy exhibition. "Virtually every developed country has a sex festival, but here in South Korea we don't even have an adult entertainment culture. I want to take the first steps towards creating one," Lee Hee Tae said. He added, "The authorities are hypocrites. If you go online everyone is sharing pornography, then people log off and pretend they are innocent. How much longer are we going to keep up this pretence?" (With inputs from agencies)

South Korea's 'first' sex festival gets cancelled. Here's what changed its fate

7 Fruits Which Help Maintain Glowing Skin In Summer 

Watermelon has high water content which helps in keeping the skin hydrated. Also, vitamins A and C in the fruit help in collagen production which gives you youthful skin. 

Papaya is filled with vitamins A, C and E along with enzymes like papain which promote skin renewal and exfoliate dead skin cells. 

Berries are filled with antioxidants which can combat free radicals and promote healthy skin cell regeneration. 


Oranges, filled with vitamin C, help protect against sun damage and boost collagen which brightens the skin. 

Kiwi is filled with vitamins C and E along with antioxidants which help fight wrinkles and maintain skin elasticity. 

Pineapple contains enzymes like bromelain which help in exfoliation, brighten the complexion and remove dead cells. 

Mango is filled with vitamins A and C which increase collagen production, maintain skin hydration and fight against premature ageing. 


The content provided on the website is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.


7 Fruits Which Help Maintain Glowing Skin In Summer

7 Ways In Which Star Anise-Infused Water Detoxes Our Body 

The compounds of star anise help in reducing inflammation, which can occur due to underlying health issues like arthritis, heart disease, and several malignancies, in the body.  

Star anise detox water also helps with weight loss. It increases metabolism and digestion and also keeps the body hydrated. 

Star anise contains antioxidants which help strengthen the immune system, and protect the body from illnesses and infections.  

Star anise is filled with antioxidants which contribute to healthy skin by reducing signs of ageing, promoting glowing and clear skin and fighting free radicals.  

5. Resolves Respiratory Health Issues 


Star anise is filled with compounds which help in alleviating symptoms of respiratory conditions like bronchitis, asthma and cough.  

Star anise's soothing aroma eases stress and helps calm you down. Drinking a glass of star anise-infused water keeps the mind and body calm and improves the quality of sleep. 

Star anise is used for treating menstrual symptoms like bloating and cramping. The compounds in star anise were discovered to have a relaxing effect on muscles which provides relief from menstrual cramps. 

7 Ways In Which Star Anise-Infused Water Detoxes Our Body

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