Pics: Canadian police starts arresting protesters; few surrendered, others were taken into custody

Italy's Justice Ministry has issued an international arrest warrant for former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho after the country's top court confirmed his conviction for rape, a ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

The ministry has asked the global police agency Interpol to enact the warrant.

Robinho, whose full name is Robson de Souza, lives in Brazil. The South American country does not extradite its nationals, which means Robinho would only face arrest if he travelled abroad.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-manchester-united-should-be-fighting-for-more-than-top-four-says-david-de-gea-453706">Premier League: Manchester United should be fighting for more than top four, says David de Gea</a>

A Milan court in 2017 found Robinho and five other Brazilians guilty of gang-raping a woman after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and validated by Italy's Supreme Court last month.

Robinho, 38, has always denied the charge.

He was capped 100 times by Brazil and played for top European clubs Real Madrid and Manchester City as well as AC Milan.

Italy's Justice Ministry has issued an international arrest warrant for former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho after the country's top court confirmed his conviction for rape, a ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

Italy's Justice Ministry has issued an international arrest warrant for former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho after the country's top court confirmed his conviction for rape, a ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. The ministry has asked the global police agency Interpol to enact the warrant. Robinho, whose full name is Robson de Souza, lives in Brazil. The South American country does not extradite its nationals, which means Robinho would only face arrest if he travelled abroad. ALSO READ: Premier League: Manchester United should be fighting for more than top four, says David de Gea A Milan court in 2017 found Robinho and five other Brazilians guilty of gang-raping a woman after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and validated by Italy's Supreme Court last month. Robinho, 38, has always denied the charge. He was capped 100 times by Brazil and played for top European clubs Real Madrid and Manchester City as well as AC Milan.

Italy issues international arrest warrant for former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho

Several public high schools in Washington were evacuated after they received anonymous bomb threats. However, no explosives were found in any of these schools. A total of seven schools received bomb threats, namely: Dunbar High School, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Ron Brown High School, KIPP DC College Preparatory, IDEA Public Charter School, Seed Public Charter School and McKinley Tech High School.

Friendship Public Charter School became the eighth school to receive such a threat but fortunately, it was not in session.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), on Twitter, said that in each case, students were evacuated and the building searched and “cleared with no hazardous material found.”&nbsp;

A day after the threats, a 16-year old juvenile male, of Southeast, DC, was arrested and charged with "terroristic threats" in connection to multiple bomb threats.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Update: a 16-year old juvenile male, of Southeast, DC, has been arrested and charged with Terroristic Threats in connection to multiple bomb threats yesterday. MPD continues to investigate these incidents with our federal partners.
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/DCPoliceDept/status/1491776143711735809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

However, the police continue to investigate these incidents with the federal partners.

Earlier in November, very prestigious Ivy League universities in the US - Brown, Cornell and Columbia University had to evacuate parts of their campuses after receiving bomb threats. However, later, it turned out to be a false threat.

(With inputs from agencies)

Several public high schools in Washington were evacuated after they received anonymous bomb threats. However, no explosives were found in any of these schools. A total of seven schools received bomb threats, namely: Dunbar High School, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Ron Brown High School, KIPP DC College Preparatory, IDEA Public Charter School, Seed Public Charter School and McKinley Tech High School.

Several public high schools in Washington were evacuated after they received anonymous bomb threats. However, no explosives were found in any of these schools. A total of seven schools received bomb threats, namely: Dunbar High School, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Ron Brown High School, KIPP DC College Preparatory, IDEA Public Charter School, Seed Public Charter School and McKinley Tech High School. Friendship Public Charter School became the eighth school to receive such a threat but fortunately, it was not in session. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), on Twitter, said that in each case, students were evacuated and the building searched and “cleared with no hazardous material found.” A day after the threats, a 16-year old juvenile male, of Southeast, DC, was arrested and charged with "terroristic threats" in connection to multiple bomb threats. Update: a 16-year old juvenile male, of Southeast, DC, has been arrested and charged with Terroristic Threats in connection to multiple bomb threats yesterday. MPD continues to investigate these incidents with our federal partners. — DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) February 10, 2022 × However, the police continue to investigate these incidents with the federal partners. Earlier in November, very prestigious Ivy League universities in the US - Brown, Cornell and Columbia University had to evacuate parts of their campuses after receiving bomb threats. However, later, it turned out to be a false threat. (With inputs from agencies)

US: 16-year old male arrested in connection with school bomb threats

Chinese authorities have claimed that a mentally ill woman who was found in chains is a victim of human trafficking. In a video that went viral, the woman was shown chained around her neck.&nbsp;

In connection with the case, two people have been arrested so far.

The TikTok video of the woman in China's Xuzhou village in Jiangsu shocked netizens in the country and led to widespread anger.&nbsp;

Initially, the officials dismissed trafficking claims. However, the anger of netizens kept up the pressure as some continued making daily calls for an investigation. Netizens also raised suspicions about kidnapping and abuse.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/woman-found-chained-in-a-hut-causes-social-media-uproar-in-china-449288">Also read |&nbsp;Woman found chained in a hut causes social media uproar in China</a>

The woman was immediately taken to the hospital after her circumstances were made public by a Chinese vlogger. As per officials, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Earlier, the authorities claimed that the woman had developed mental illness and engaged in violent behaviour. The family decided to keep her separate from their home while putting her in a small hut.&nbsp;

The woman had apparently married a man named Dong in 1998 as reports claimed. Bloggers on China's social media claimed that the kids have been relocated, but it hasn't been confirmed by authorities.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese authorities have claimed that a mentally ill woman who was found in chains is a victim of human trafficking. In a video that went viral, the woman was shown chained around her neck.

Chinese authorities have claimed that a mentally ill woman who was found in chains is a victim of human trafficking. In a video that went viral, the woman was shown chained around her neck. In connection with the case, two people have been arrested so far. The TikTok video of the woman in China's Xuzhou village in Jiangsu shocked netizens in the country and led to widespread anger. Initially, the officials dismissed trafficking claims. However, the anger of netizens kept up the pressure as some continued making daily calls for an investigation. Netizens also raised suspicions about kidnapping and abuse. Also read | Woman found chained in a hut causes social media uproar in China The woman was immediately taken to the hospital after her circumstances were made public by a Chinese vlogger. As per officials, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Earlier, the authorities claimed that the woman had developed mental illness and engaged in violent behaviour. The family decided to keep her separate from their home while putting her in a small hut. The woman had apparently married a man named Dong in 1998 as reports claimed. Bloggers on China's social media claimed that the kids have been relocated, but it hasn't been confirmed by authorities. (With inputs from agencies)

Chained woman case: China declares arrests of human traffickers

A freelance photojournalist in Myanmar, Soe Naing, has died in military custody after he was arrested last week while covering protests, reports Associated Press. While over 100 journalists have been detained since the February coup, Soe Naing happens to be the first one to die in custody.

Journalists have been prominent targets for&nbsp;arrest after the coup as the new government is seeking to clamp down any source&nbsp;of information.

Apart from this, many outlets have been forced to close or operate underground, with their staff always being targeted. 
Soe Naing was arrested on Friday when he was in Yangon taking photos of the “silent strike" held by anti-coup demonstrators.

After being arrested, the journalist was sent to a military interrogation centre in Yangon’s eastern Botahtaung Township. His family was informed on Tuesday morning that he died at the 1,000-bed Defense Services general hospital.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/silent-strike-against-myanmar-junta-leads-to-deserted-streets-435969">Also read |&nbsp;'Silent strike' against Myanmar junta leads to deserted streets</a>

The streets of downtown Yangon were seen with no street vendors. Also, the famous Shwedagon pagoda, a Buddhist site usually full of visitors and pilgrims was all empty.&nbsp;

The country has been in turmoil since February, triggering nationwide protests. Over 1,300 people have been killed so far for protesting against the army.

Soe Naing had been covering the crisis in Myanmar for months now. His work majorly covered the anti-military protests and crackdowns by security forces. His work was also sometimes picked up by foreign news agencies.

(With inputs from agencies)

A freelance photojournalist in Myanmar, Soe Naing, has died in military custody after he was arrested last week while covering protests, reports Associated Press.

A freelance photojournalist in Myanmar, Soe Naing, has died in military custody after he was arrested last week while covering protests, reports Associated Press. While over 100 journalists have been detained since the February coup, Soe Naing happens to be the first one to die in custody. Journalists have been prominent targets for arrest after the coup as the new government is seeking to clamp down any source of information. Apart from this, many outlets have been forced to close or operate underground, with their staff always being targeted. Soe Naing was arrested on Friday when he was in Yangon taking photos of the “silent strike" held by anti-coup demonstrators. After being arrested, the journalist was sent to a military interrogation centre in Yangon’s eastern Botahtaung Township. His family was informed on Tuesday morning that he died at the 1,000-bed Defense Services general hospital. Also read | 'Silent strike' against Myanmar junta leads to deserted streets The streets of downtown Yangon were seen with no street vendors. Also, the famous Shwedagon pagoda, a Buddhist site usually full of visitors and pilgrims was all empty. The country has been in turmoil since February, triggering nationwide protests. Over 1,300 people have been killed so far for protesting against the army. Soe Naing had been covering the crisis in Myanmar for months now. His work majorly covered the anti-military protests and crackdowns by security forces. His work was also sometimes picked up by foreign news agencies. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar photojournalist, Soe Naing, dies a week after being arrested

New South Wales Police in Australia on Wednesday arrested a fugitive dubbed 'Australia's most wanted man' on Wednesday. Mostafa Baluch, the fugitive, was on the run after cutting off an ankle bracelet that was tracking his location. Baluch was out on bail.

The police had to launch a 17-day nationwide manhunt to recapture Baluch. On Wednesday, he was caught when trying to cross from New South Wales to Queensland.

When he went on the run, Baluch was wanted for attempting to smuggle 900 kg cocaine from Ecuador.

On Wednesday he was caught while inside a car placed inside a shipping container, which in turn was being hauled in a lorry. The police halted the lorry after a tipoff.

When police knocked on the container, they heard someone knocking back from the inside. The container was opened and Mostafa Baluch was arrested.

"Today will be considered one of the great days of NSW Police," state Police Minister David Elliott was quoted as saying by BBC. Elliott questioned the decision to give Baluch a bail as "extraordinary" amount of resources were used to capture Baluch again.

New South Wales Police in Australia on Wednesday arrested a fugitive dubbed 'Australia's most wanted man' on Wednesday. Mostafa Baluch, the fugitive, was on the run after cutting off an ankle bracelet that was tracking his location.

New South Wales Police in Australia on Wednesday arrested a fugitive dubbed 'Australia's most wanted man' on Wednesday. Mostafa Baluch, the fugitive, was on the run after cutting off an ankle bracelet that was tracking his location. Baluch was out on bail. The police had to launch a 17-day nationwide manhunt to recapture Baluch. On Wednesday, he was caught when trying to cross from New South Wales to Queensland. When he went on the run, Baluch was wanted for attempting to smuggle 900 kg cocaine from Ecuador. On Wednesday he was caught while inside a car placed inside a shipping container, which in turn was being hauled in a lorry. The police halted the lorry after a tipoff. When police knocked on the container, they heard someone knocking back from the inside. The container was opened and Mostafa Baluch was arrested. "Today will be considered one of the great days of NSW Police," state Police Minister David Elliott was quoted as saying by BBC. Elliott questioned the decision to give Baluch a bail as "extraordinary" amount of resources were used to capture Baluch again.

'Australia's most wanted man' found in lorry after 17-day manhunt

Bangladesh police have arrested 172 Rohingya in recent weeks after a crackdown sparked by the brutal murder of a prominent community leader, the force said Monday.

Mohib Ullah was shot dead in late September in a refugee camp near the port city of Cox's Bazar, in a region home to over 700,000 members of the stateless Muslim minority who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar.&nbsp;

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-invited-for-global-aid-conference-on-rohingya-refugees-335590">&nbsp;India invited for global aid conference on rohingya refugees&nbsp;</a>

The 48-year-old teacher was a respected advocate for the community but in the weeks before his assassination he had been the target of death threats from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant group.

Among those arrested in the weeks since were 10 suspected of involvement in the killing, said Naimul Haque, commander of the elite Armed Police Battalion (APB).

"Our drives against the miscreants in the camps will continue," he added.

Another 114 people taken into custody had declared themselves ARSA members, Haque's unit said in a statement.

Bangladesh routinely denies that the insurgents operate in the refugee camps, claiming instead that criminals involved in armed violence and drug trafficking use the group's name to trade on their reputation.&nbsp;

But Ullah's family and colleagues have blamed the group for his murder, an allegation that ARSA denies.

Police have also relocated more than 70 people, including the slain advocate's family and relatives of seven people shot dead last month in an assault on an Islamic school -- another attack blamed on the militants.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/65-islamic-state-terrorists-surrendered-in-afghanistans-nangarhar-taliban-425698">65 Islamic State terrorists surrendered in Afghanistan's Nangarhar: Taliban</a>

"All the families of the victims were terrified after these incidents," senior officer Kamran Hossain told AFP.

Nurul Islam, a Rohingya refugee whose son was killed in the school attack, said his family felt too afraid to remain in the camps.

"All Rohingya are unsafe from ARSA," he told AFP by phone. "They want to kill us, they want instability."

The UN refugee agency has also helped move some refugees to "safe locations" since Ullah's killing, UNHCR spokeswoman Regina De la Portilla told AFP.

Bangladesh police have arrested 172 Rohingya in recent weeks after a crackdown sparked by the brutal murder of a prominent community leader, the force said Monday.

Bangladesh police have arrested 172 Rohingya in recent weeks after a crackdown sparked by the brutal murder of a prominent community leader, the force said Monday. Mohib Ullah was shot dead in late September in a refugee camp near the port city of Cox's Bazar, in a region home to over 700,000 members of the stateless Muslim minority who fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. Also Read | India invited for global aid conference on rohingya refugees The 48-year-old teacher was a respected advocate for the community but in the weeks before his assassination he had been the target of death threats from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant group. Among those arrested in the weeks since were 10 suspected of involvement in the killing, said Naimul Haque, commander of the elite Armed Police Battalion (APB). "Our drives against the miscreants in the camps will continue," he added. Another 114 people taken into custody had declared themselves ARSA members, Haque's unit said in a statement. Bangladesh routinely denies that the insurgents operate in the refugee camps, claiming instead that criminals involved in armed violence and drug trafficking use the group's name to trade on their reputation. But Ullah's family and colleagues have blamed the group for his murder, an allegation that ARSA denies. Police have also relocated more than 70 people, including the slain advocate's family and relatives of seven people shot dead last month in an assault on an Islamic school -- another attack blamed on the militants. Also Read | 65 Islamic State terrorists surrendered in Afghanistan's Nangarhar: Taliban "All the families of the victims were terrified after these incidents," senior officer Kamran Hossain told AFP. Nurul Islam, a Rohingya refugee whose son was killed in the school attack, said his family felt too afraid to remain in the camps. "All Rohingya are unsafe from ARSA," he told AFP by phone. "They want to kill us, they want instability." The UN refugee agency has also helped move some refugees to "safe locations" since Ullah's killing, UNHCR spokeswoman Regina De la Portilla told AFP.

Bangladesh arrests more than 170 Rohingya after leader's murder

According to data released by the Department of Homeland Security, the US government recorded more than 1.7 million interdictions of migrants along the southern border during the past 12 months. This is the highest figure of any fiscal year in history.

The numbers surged when there was a massive increase in migration to the US-Mexico border that peaked during the hot summer months.&nbsp;

Roughly 61 per cent of the migrants encountered during the past 12 months were immediately expelled to Mexico or their homeland. This was done under a pandemic-era emergency policy known as Title 42.

Various Rights groups have said that the measure is not based on science and it denies migrants the right to seek protection. Title 42 involves quick expulsions and not deportations. This means that the US officials do not retain records of those sent back.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fda-highlights-risk-of-myocarditis-in-review-of-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids-5-11-423340">Also read |&nbsp;FDA highlights risk of myocarditis in review of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11</a>

Many of the arrests this fiscal year are believed to be repeat crossings.

Customs and Border Protection, in a statement, said, "The large number of expulsions during the pandemic has contributed to a larger-than-usual number of migrants making multiple border crossing attempts, which means that total encounters somewhat overstate the number of unique individuals arriving at the border."

A total of 671,000 migrants and asylum-seekers were processed under immigration laws and placed in deportation proceedings during the fiscal year 2021. This can be halted if judges find they are fleeing persecution or torture.

Arrests of adults travelling without children formed the largest migrant demographic group. They made up more than 1.1 million, or 64 per cent, of all interdictions by border agents in the fiscal year 2021. Nearly 600,000 of those adults were from Mexico.

Nearly 480,000 migrant parents and children entered US custody as families. This is the second-largest tally of any fiscal year.&nbsp;

Approximately 57 per cent of families hailed from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which are collectively known as Central America's Northern Triangle.

According to data released by the Department of Homeland Security, the US government recorded more than 1.7 million interdictions of migrants along the southern border during the past 12 months.

According to data released by the Department of Homeland Security, the US government recorded more than 1.7 million interdictions of migrants along the southern border during the past 12 months. This is the highest figure of any fiscal year in history. The numbers surged when there was a massive increase in migration to the US-Mexico border that peaked during the hot summer months. Roughly 61 per cent of the migrants encountered during the past 12 months were immediately expelled to Mexico or their homeland. This was done under a pandemic-era emergency policy known as Title 42. Various Rights groups have said that the measure is not based on science and it denies migrants the right to seek protection. Title 42 involves quick expulsions and not deportations. This means that the US officials do not retain records of those sent back. Also read | FDA highlights risk of myocarditis in review of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 Many of the arrests this fiscal year are believed to be repeat crossings. Customs and Border Protection, in a statement, said, "The large number of expulsions during the pandemic has contributed to a larger-than-usual number of migrants making multiple border crossing attempts, which means that total encounters somewhat overstate the number of unique individuals arriving at the border." A total of 671,000 migrants and asylum-seekers were processed under immigration laws and placed in deportation proceedings during the fiscal year 2021. This can be halted if judges find they are fleeing persecution or torture. Arrests of adults travelling without children formed the largest migrant demographic group. They made up more than 1.1 million, or 64 per cent, of all interdictions by border agents in the fiscal year 2021. Nearly 600,000 of those adults were from Mexico. Nearly 480,000 migrant parents and children entered US custody as families. This is the second-largest tally of any fiscal year. Approximately 57 per cent of families hailed from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which are collectively known as Central America's Northern Triangle.

US-Mexico border: Arrests reach record highs, reveals report

Myanmar authorities have rearrested around 110 political prisoners who were freed earlier this week under the general amnesty announcement by the junta, reported local media.

Family members have said that some of their loved ones were re-arrested "right at the entrance of the prison," while others were taken back within hours of returning home, reported Radio Free Asia [RFA].

Citing sources, the publication said, the detainees are now being held in police custody under Myanmar's anti-terrorism law.

"We are devastated - our mother is 84 and her health is deteriorating," RFA quoted a family member of Lay Lay Naing as saying, on condition of anonymity.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-alarmed-by-myanmar-military-moves-419172">UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves</a>

Naing was arrested on May 21 and sentenced to three years in prison for charges of spreading "false news [or] agitates directly or indirectly a criminal offense against a government employee," "We went to meet her at the prison, hoping that the whole family would be reunited and happy.

We saw her from a distance, and she was taken away. We were not allowed to say anything," the family member added.

According to the publication, the junta on Monday had released 1,316 prisoners from various facilities throughout the country as well as 4,320 detainees who faced ongoing cases for anti-junta activities, including well-known politicians, celebrities, film actors and journalists.

But the re-arrest suggests that the amnesty was only a bid by the junta to appease the international community amid criticism of its rule, observers told RFA.

Earlier in June also, the junta had announced a general amnesty and freed nearly 200 detainees from detention across the country. On February 1, the military seized power in Myanmar, imprisoning the nation's de facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi and then President Win Myint and prompting mass protests demanding a return to civilian rule.

Myanmar authorities have rearrested around 110 political prisoners who were freed earlier this week under the general amnesty announcement by the junta, reported local media.

Myanmar authorities have rearrested around 110 political prisoners who were freed earlier this week under the general amnesty announcement by the junta, reported local media. Family members have said that some of their loved ones were re-arrested "right at the entrance of the prison," while others were taken back within hours of returning home, reported Radio Free Asia [RFA]. Citing sources, the publication said, the detainees are now being held in police custody under Myanmar's anti-terrorism law. "We are devastated - our mother is 84 and her health is deteriorating," RFA quoted a family member of Lay Lay Naing as saying, on condition of anonymity. Also Read | UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves Naing was arrested on May 21 and sentenced to three years in prison for charges of spreading "false news [or] agitates directly or indirectly a criminal offense against a government employee," "We went to meet her at the prison, hoping that the whole family would be reunited and happy. We saw her from a distance, and she was taken away. We were not allowed to say anything," the family member added. According to the publication, the junta on Monday had released 1,316 prisoners from various facilities throughout the country as well as 4,320 detainees who faced ongoing cases for anti-junta activities, including well-known politicians, celebrities, film actors and journalists. But the re-arrest suggests that the amnesty was only a bid by the junta to appease the international community amid criticism of its rule, observers told RFA. Earlier in June also, the junta had announced a general amnesty and freed nearly 200 detainees from detention across the country. On February 1, the military seized power in Myanmar, imprisoning the nation's de facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi and then President Win Myint and prompting mass protests demanding a return to civilian rule.

Myanmar authorities re-arrest over 100 political prisoners after amnesty

The United States on Thursday announced $ 2 million rewards for information regarding Pakistani national and "human smuggler" Abid Ali Khan - one million USD for information leading to the arrest and another one million USD for information leading to the financial disruption of his network.

US State Department spokesperson said that Ali Khan allegedly operates a Pakistani-based smuggling network that facilitates the travel of undocumented individuals into the United States from the middle-east and southwest Asia in exchange for payment.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/top-us-naval-commander-hosts-senior-indian-navy-officers-aboard-uss-carl-vinson-420814">Top US naval commander hosts senior Indian Navy officers aboard USS Carl Vinson</a>

In addition to planning and coordinating the international travel from Pakistan through multiple countries, Ali Khan allegedly offered or provided false documents for foreign nationals to use for travel.

"Today, the Department of State is announcing two rewards for information regarding Pakistani national and human smuggler Abid Ali Khan.

The first reward of up to $1 million is offered for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ali Khan, while a second $1 million reward is offered for information leading to the financial disruption of Ali Khan's human smuggling network," the spokesperson said in a statement.

It said smuggling organizations like Ali Khan's take advantage of vulnerable populations, pose high risk, and gravely endanger the individuals being smuggled.

"Persons smuggled to the United States are often subject to perilous travel through South and Central America, which can involve many days of walking through difficult terrain with little food or water, with many falling victim to robbery and abuse during the journey."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/56-in-us-feel-cheating-affected-2020-presidential-election-outcome-says-poll-420060">56% in US feel cheating affected 2020 presidential election outcome, says poll</a>

On April 7, the US&nbsp;Department of Justice unsealed a federal indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia charging Ali Khan with Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States, Encouraging and Inducing an Alien to Unlawfully Entering the United States, and Bringing an Alien to the United States.

On the same date, the Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against Ali Khan and the Ali Khan Transnational Criminal Organization pursuant to Executive Order 13581 "Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations," stemming from the same criminal conduct.

The statement said these rewards are offered under the Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP).

More than 75 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice under the TOCRP and the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) since 1986, with the Department paying more than $135 million in rewards to date.

The State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages the TOCRP in close coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DHS/Homeland Security Investigations, and other US&nbsp;government agencies.

The United States on Thursday announced $ 2 million rewards for information regarding Pakistani national and "human smuggler" Abid Ali Khan - one million USD for information leading to the arrest and another one million USD for information leading to the financial disruption of his network.

The United States on Thursday announced $ 2 million rewards for information regarding Pakistani national and "human smuggler" Abid Ali Khan - one million USD for information leading to the arrest and another one million USD for information leading to the financial disruption of his network. US State Department spokesperson said that Ali Khan allegedly operates a Pakistani-based smuggling network that facilitates the travel of undocumented individuals into the United States from the middle-east and southwest Asia in exchange for payment. Also Read | Top US naval commander hosts senior Indian Navy officers aboard USS Carl Vinson In addition to planning and coordinating the international travel from Pakistan through multiple countries, Ali Khan allegedly offered or provided false documents for foreign nationals to use for travel. "Today, the Department of State is announcing two rewards for information regarding Pakistani national and human smuggler Abid Ali Khan. The first reward of up to $1 million is offered for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ali Khan, while a second $1 million reward is offered for information leading to the financial disruption of Ali Khan's human smuggling network," the spokesperson said in a statement. It said smuggling organizations like Ali Khan's take advantage of vulnerable populations, pose high risk, and gravely endanger the individuals being smuggled. "Persons smuggled to the United States are often subject to perilous travel through South and Central America, which can involve many days of walking through difficult terrain with little food or water, with many falling victim to robbery and abuse during the journey." Also Read | 56% in US feel cheating affected 2020 presidential election outcome, says poll On April 7, the US Department of Justice unsealed a federal indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia charging Ali Khan with Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States, Encouraging and Inducing an Alien to Unlawfully Entering the United States, and Bringing an Alien to the United States. On the same date, the Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against Ali Khan and the Ali Khan Transnational Criminal Organization pursuant to Executive Order 13581 "Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations," stemming from the same criminal conduct. The statement said these rewards are offered under the Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP). More than 75 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice under the TOCRP and the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) since 1986, with the Department paying more than $135 million in rewards to date. The State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages the TOCRP in close coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DHS/Homeland Security Investigations, and other US government agencies.

US announces reward for arrest of Pakistani 'human smuggler'

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation.

The detention of Georgia's foremost opposition figure raised the stakes in the elections seen as a key test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party.

Saakashvili founded Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), and was president between 2003-2013.

The 53-year-old said Friday he had returned from Ukraine, where he heads a Ukrainian government agency steering reforms.

The flamboyant pro-Western reformer was detained shortly afterwards over a 2018 conviction in absentia on abuse of office charges. He denies wrongdoing and had denounced his sentence of six years in jail as politically motivated.

His jailing will almost certainly spark upheaval in the small ex-Soviet nation that has been plagued for years by political instability.

"I want to ask you all to go to the elections so that not a single vote is lost," he wrote on Twitter Saturday, posting a picture of a letter to supporters from prison.&nbsp;

"My freedom and, more importantly, the freedom of Georgia depends entirely on your actions and fighting ability."

Prior to his arrest, he posted a video message on Facebook calling on supporters to take to the streets against the government.

Protracted crisis

The municipal elections are being watched inside and outside Georgia for signs of the ruling party Georgian Dream backsliding on democracy.

Saakashvili - who commands a fiercely loyal following -- called in one video Friday for his supporters to gather on the main thoroughfare in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday.

Critics have accused Georgian Dream -- in power since 2012 -- of using criminal prosecutions to punish political opponents and journalists. Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili.

Opposition parties decried widespread fraud and refused to take their seats after parliamentary elections in October last year, which Georgian Dream won narrowly.

The EU mediated an agreement in May, under which Georgian Dream pledged to hold a snap parliamentary vote if it wins less than 43 percent in Saturday's local elections.

Georgian Dream, which was founded by the country's richest man and a former prime minister, withdrew from the agreement in July, but Saakashvili insists it remains in place.

Georgia's Western partners urged the EU-aspirant country's government to implement the agreement that envisaged sweeping political and judiciary reforms.

With concerns mounting in the West over the ruling party's democratic credentials, the United States has hinted at possible sanctions against Georgian Dream officials.

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation.

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation. The detention of Georgia's foremost opposition figure raised the stakes in the elections seen as a key test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party. Saakashvili founded Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), and was president between 2003-2013. The 53-year-old said Friday he had returned from Ukraine, where he heads a Ukrainian government agency steering reforms. The flamboyant pro-Western reformer was detained shortly afterwards over a 2018 conviction in absentia on abuse of office charges. He denies wrongdoing and had denounced his sentence of six years in jail as politically motivated. His jailing will almost certainly spark upheaval in the small ex-Soviet nation that has been plagued for years by political instability. "I want to ask you all to go to the elections so that not a single vote is lost," he wrote on Twitter Saturday, posting a picture of a letter to supporters from prison. "My freedom and, more importantly, the freedom of Georgia depends entirely on your actions and fighting ability." Prior to his arrest, he posted a video message on Facebook calling on supporters to take to the streets against the government. Protracted crisis The municipal elections are being watched inside and outside Georgia for signs of the ruling party Georgian Dream backsliding on democracy. Saakashvili - who commands a fiercely loyal following -- called in one video Friday for his supporters to gather on the main thoroughfare in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday. Critics have accused Georgian Dream -- in power since 2012 -- of using criminal prosecutions to punish political opponents and journalists. Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili. Opposition parties decried widespread fraud and refused to take their seats after parliamentary elections in October last year, which Georgian Dream won narrowly. The EU mediated an agreement in May, under which Georgian Dream pledged to hold a snap parliamentary vote if it wins less than 43 percent in Saturday's local elections. Georgian Dream, which was founded by the country's richest man and a former prime minister, withdrew from the agreement in July, but Saakashvili insists it remains in place. Georgia's Western partners urged the EU-aspirant country's government to implement the agreement that envisaged sweeping political and judiciary reforms. With concerns mounting in the West over the ruling party's democratic credentials, the United States has hinted at possible sanctions against Georgian Dream officials.

Georgia holds vote after ex-president Saakashvili's arrest

A British man suspected of spying for&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;in exchange for cash has&nbsp;been&nbsp;arrested&nbsp;in Germany, prosecutors said Wednesday, in a highly unusual case compared to a Cold War thriller.

Germany has&nbsp;arrested&nbsp;a number of people in recent years accused of spying for&nbsp;Russia, but the capture of a citizen of a NATO ally is exceedingly rare.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin was taking the case "extraordinarily seriously" as the "selection by an intelligence service of a close alliance partner is absolutely unacceptable".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-arrests-russian-scientist-over-spying-for-moscow-392942">Germany arrests Russian scientist over ‘spying’ for Moscow</a>

The suspect identified only as David S., who worked as local staff at the British embassy, "on at least one occasion passed on documents he acquired as part of his professional activities to a representative of Russian intelligence".&nbsp;

"The accused received a cash payment in an unspecified amount in return," the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.

It said David S. was detained Tuesday in the eastern city of Potsdam on an arrest warrant issued on August 4. His home and place of work were searched and he was&nbsp;remanded in custody Wednesday by an investigating judge.

The suspect was believed to have&nbsp;been&nbsp;spying since November 2020 "at the latest".&nbsp;

His arrest was the result of a joint operation by German and British authorities. The British foreign office confirmed the arrest of someone "contracted to work for the government" but declined to comment further.

The Metropolitan Police in London said the suspect was a 57-year-old British national and that the investigation was conducted by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and German counterparts.

It said his alleged offences were related to being engaged in "Intelligence Agent activity" under German law and that the German authorities would retain primacy over the probe.

Like Le Carre&nbsp;

Maas said Germany stood in "full solidarity" with Britain and would provide any assistance necessary to aid the prosecutors' probe.

Security specialist Edward Lucas likened the arrest to an early spy novel by the British writer John le Carre.

"The fact that the arrest has&nbsp;been&nbsp;made in Berlin suggests it's a non-diplomatic member of the embassy, that's why the German judicial system has&nbsp;been&nbsp;brought to bear on it," he told Times Radio.

Lucas, who formerly covered eastern and central European affairs for The Economist, said the arrest was "a reminder of how much effort the Russians put in to trying to find out what Western alliances are up to".

In June, German police&nbsp;arrested&nbsp;a Russian scientist at a German university accused of working for the Russian secret service since October 2020 at the latest.

And German prosecutors in February filed espionage charges against a German man suspected of having passed the floor plans of parliament to Russian secret services in 2017.

Moscow is at loggerheads with a number of Western capitals following a Russian troop build-up on Ukraine's borders and a series of espionage scandals.

In June, Italy said it had created a national cybersecurity agency following warnings by Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Europe needs to protect itself from Russian "interference".

The move came after an Italian navy captain was caught red-handed by police selling confidential military documents to a Russian embassy official.

&nbsp;Tit-for-tat expulsions

The leaders of nine eastern European nations in May condemned what they termed Russian "aggressive acts", citing operations in Ukraine and&nbsp;"sabotage" allegedly targeted at the Czech Republic.

Several central and eastern European countries expelled Russian diplomats in solidarity with Prague, but&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;has branded accusations of its involvement as "absurd" and responded with tit-for-tat expulsions.

The latest espionage case also comes at a time of highly strained relations between&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;and Germany on a number of fronts, including the ongoing detention of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who received treatment in Berlin after near-fatal poisoning.

Relations between London and Moscow have&nbsp;been&nbsp;at a low point since the attempted poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in British Salisbury in 2018.

The Kremlin has denied any involvement in either case.

A British man suspected of spying for Russia in exchange for cash has been arrested in Germany, prosecutors said Wednesday, in a highly unusual case compared to a Cold War thriller.

A British man suspected of spying for Russia in exchange for cash has been arrested in Germany, prosecutors said Wednesday, in a highly unusual case compared to a Cold War thriller. Germany has arrested a number of people in recent years accused of spying for Russia, but the capture of a citizen of a NATO ally is exceedingly rare. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin was taking the case "extraordinarily seriously" as the "selection by an intelligence service of a close alliance partner is absolutely unacceptable". Also read | Germany arrests Russian scientist over ‘spying’ for Moscow The suspect identified only as David S., who worked as local staff at the British embassy, "on at least one occasion passed on documents he acquired as part of his professional activities to a representative of Russian intelligence". "The accused received a cash payment in an unspecified amount in return," the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement. It said David S. was detained Tuesday in the eastern city of Potsdam on an arrest warrant issued on August 4. His home and place of work were searched and he was remanded in custody Wednesday by an investigating judge. The suspect was believed to have been spying since November 2020 "at the latest". His arrest was the result of a joint operation by German and British authorities. The British foreign office confirmed the arrest of someone "contracted to work for the government" but declined to comment further. The Metropolitan Police in London said the suspect was a 57-year-old British national and that the investigation was conducted by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and German counterparts. It said his alleged offences were related to being engaged in "Intelligence Agent activity" under German law and that the German authorities would retain primacy over the probe. Like Le Carre Maas said Germany stood in "full solidarity" with Britain and would provide any assistance necessary to aid the prosecutors' probe. Security specialist Edward Lucas likened the arrest to an early spy novel by the British writer John le Carre. "The fact that the arrest has been made in Berlin suggests it's a non-diplomatic member of the embassy, that's why the German judicial system has been brought to bear on it," he told Times Radio. Lucas, who formerly covered eastern and central European affairs for The Economist, said the arrest was "a reminder of how much effort the Russians put in to trying to find out what Western alliances are up to". In June, German police arrested a Russian scientist at a German university accused of working for the Russian secret service since October 2020 at the latest. And German prosecutors in February filed espionage charges against a German man suspected of having passed the floor plans of parliament to Russian secret services in 2017. Moscow is at loggerheads with a number of Western capitals following a Russian troop build-up on Ukraine's borders and a series of espionage scandals. In June, Italy said it had created a national cybersecurity agency following warnings by Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Europe needs to protect itself from Russian "interference". The move came after an Italian navy captain was caught red-handed by police selling confidential military documents to a Russian embassy official. Tit-for-tat expulsions The leaders of nine eastern European nations in May condemned what they termed Russian "aggressive acts", citing operations in Ukraine and "sabotage" allegedly targeted at the Czech Republic. Several central and eastern European countries expelled Russian diplomats in solidarity with Prague, but Russia has branded accusations of its involvement as "absurd" and responded with tit-for-tat expulsions. The latest espionage case also comes at a time of highly strained relations between Russia and Germany on a number of fronts, including the ongoing detention of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who received treatment in Berlin after near-fatal poisoning. Relations between London and Moscow have been at a low point since the attempted poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in British Salisbury in 2018. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in either case.

Briton arrested in Germany for 'spying for Russia'

Another presidential candidate was arrested in&nbsp;Nicaragua&nbsp;on Saturday, police said -- the seventh potential contender detained by Daniel Ortega's government in the lead-up to elections on November 7.

Noel Vidaurre was put under house arrest, accused of "undermining the sovereignty" of the country, in the latest of a series of arrests condemned by the United States and European Union.

Long-term Nicaraguan leader Ortega will seek a fourth consecutive presidential term at the elections.

Ortega, 75, will be the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front's candidate for the presidential vote, Gustavo Porras, the speaker of&nbsp;Nicaragua's assembly, confirmed last week.

Seven opposition presidential hopefuls have been among 28 people detained by Ortega's government.

In a clampdown that began on June 2, Ortega's government has rounded up political rivals in a series of house raids and nighttime arrests on charges of threatening&nbsp;Nicaragua's "sovereignty."

The charges are rooted in a law initiated by Ortega and approved by lawmakers in December, widely criticized as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents ahead of the election.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nicaragua-lambastes-spanish-foreign-minister-in-furious-broadside-394227">Also read |&nbsp;Nicaragua lambastes Spanish foreign minister in furious broadside</a>

The law bars "those who ask for, celebrate and applaud the imposition of sanctions against the Nicaraguan state" from seeking public office.

Vidaurre, 66, was one potential candidate for the Alianza Ciudadanos por la Libertad group standing against Ortega.

Presidential candidates will be able to register from July 28 to August 2.

Ortega says the people rounded up by his forces are "criminals" seeking to overthrow him with US backing.

But the clampdown has drawn international condemnation and fresh sanctions, with the United States branding the long-term leader a "dictator."

The European Union has said it was "inconceivable" the November elections "will be anything remotely approaching a democratic competition."

A firebrand Marxist in his younger days, Ortega and his Sandinistas toppled a corrupt autocratic regime to popular applause and seized control of the country in 1979.

He was elected president in 1984 and ruled until 1990 when he was beaten by Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, then returned to power in 2007. He has won two successive reelections.

Cristiana Chamorro, ex-president Chamorro's daughter and widely seen as the favorite to beat Ortega this year, was the first to be targeted and is now under house arrest on government claims of money laundering.

Ortega has been accused of increasing authoritarianism, especially following the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2018 which left more than 300 dead and thousands in exile, according to rights bodies.

His vice president since 2017 is his wife, Rosario Murillo.&nbsp;

Another presidential candidate was arrested in Nicaragua on Saturday, police said -- the seventh potential contender detained by Daniel Ortega's government in the lead-up to elections on November 7.

Another presidential candidate was arrested in Nicaragua on Saturday, police said -- the seventh potential contender detained by Daniel Ortega's government in the lead-up to elections on November 7. Noel Vidaurre was put under house arrest, accused of "undermining the sovereignty" of the country, in the latest of a series of arrests condemned by the United States and European Union. Long-term Nicaraguan leader Ortega will seek a fourth consecutive presidential term at the elections. Ortega, 75, will be the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front's candidate for the presidential vote, Gustavo Porras, the speaker of Nicaragua's assembly, confirmed last week. Seven opposition presidential hopefuls have been among 28 people detained by Ortega's government. In a clampdown that began on June 2, Ortega's government has rounded up political rivals in a series of house raids and nighttime arrests on charges of threatening Nicaragua's "sovereignty." The charges are rooted in a law initiated by Ortega and approved by lawmakers in December, widely criticized as a means of freezing out challengers and silencing opponents ahead of the election. Also read | Nicaragua lambastes Spanish foreign minister in furious broadside The law bars "those who ask for, celebrate and applaud the imposition of sanctions against the Nicaraguan state" from seeking public office. Vidaurre, 66, was one potential candidate for the Alianza Ciudadanos por la Libertad group standing against Ortega. Presidential candidates will be able to register from July 28 to August 2. Ortega says the people rounded up by his forces are "criminals" seeking to overthrow him with US backing. But the clampdown has drawn international condemnation and fresh sanctions, with the United States branding the long-term leader a "dictator." The European Union has said it was "inconceivable" the November elections "will be anything remotely approaching a democratic competition." A firebrand Marxist in his younger days, Ortega and his Sandinistas toppled a corrupt autocratic regime to popular applause and seized control of the country in 1979. He was elected president in 1984 and ruled until 1990 when he was beaten by Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, then returned to power in 2007. He has won two successive reelections. Cristiana Chamorro, ex-president Chamorro's daughter and widely seen as the favorite to beat Ortega this year, was the first to be targeted and is now under house arrest on government claims of money laundering. Ortega has been accused of increasing authoritarianism, especially following the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2018 which left more than 300 dead and thousands in exile, according to rights bodies. His vice president since 2017 is his wife, Rosario Murillo.

Another presidential hopeful arrested in Nicaragua

A former editor of the now-defunct Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper, Lam Man-Chung was arrested on Wednesday by Hong Kong national security officers, weeks after the paper was forced to dissolve when authorities froze its assets.&nbsp;

Since authorities launched a broad probe into the 26-year-old publication founded by jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-Ying last month, Lam is the ninth top corporate official to be arrested.

It was forced to close after the arrests and the freezing of millions of dollars in assets.

In a statement, police said they had arrested a 51-year-old former newspaper editor for "collusion with foreign forces", a national security crime.

After its top leadership was jailed and its assets were frozen under the security law, Apple Daily, an outspoken supporter of democracy, published its final edition last month.

Lam was the editor in charge of the final edition, which marked the end of the paper's 26-year history. &nbsp;

Apple Daily's reporting and editorials, according to authorities, endorsed calls for international penalties against China, a political stance that is now illegal under the new security law.

Jimmy Lai, the tabloid's owner, is wrongfully imprisoned on charges of collusion, along with two other executives who have been granted bail.&nbsp;

Following months of anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing last year imposed a sweeping national security law in the semi-autonomous city that critics say restricts the freedoms promised to the former British colony that is not found on mainland China. More than 100 pro-democracy supporters have been arrested, and many others fled abroad.

(With inputs from agencies)

A former editor of the now-defunct Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper, Lam Man-Chung was arrested on Wednesday by Hong Kong national security officers, weeks after the paper was forced to dissolve when authorities froze its assets.

A former editor of the now-defunct Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper, Lam Man-Chung was arrested on Wednesday by Hong Kong national security officers, weeks after the paper was forced to dissolve when authorities froze its assets. Since authorities launched a broad probe into the 26-year-old publication founded by jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-Ying last month, Lam is the ninth top corporate official to be arrested. It was forced to close after the arrests and the freezing of millions of dollars in assets. In a statement, police said they had arrested a 51-year-old former newspaper editor for "collusion with foreign forces", a national security crime. After its top leadership was jailed and its assets were frozen under the security law, Apple Daily, an outspoken supporter of democracy, published its final edition last month. Lam was the editor in charge of the final edition, which marked the end of the paper's 26-year history. Apple Daily's reporting and editorials, according to authorities, endorsed calls for international penalties against China, a political stance that is now illegal under the new security law. Jimmy Lai, the tabloid's owner, is wrongfully imprisoned on charges of collusion, along with two other executives who have been granted bail. Following months of anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing last year imposed a sweeping national security law in the semi-autonomous city that critics say restricts the freedoms promised to the former British colony that is not found on mainland China. More than 100 pro-democracy supporters have been arrested, and many others fled abroad. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrest another Apple Daily editor under China national security law 

Hong Kong police arrested a former senior journalist with the Apple Daily newspaper at the international airport on Sunday night on a suspected national security charge as he tried to leave the city, according to media reports. 
 
Fung Wai-kong would be the seventh staffer at the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper to be arrested on national security grounds in recent weeks. He was an editor and columnist at the now-closed paper, Hong Kong media reported. 
 
Police said in a statement that a 57-year-old man had been arrested at the airport for 'conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security'. They added that he had been detained and investigations were continuing. 
 
A former Apple Daily journalist, Jack Hazelwood, said on Twitter that Fung was attempting to board a flight to London and called on British authorities to take action. 
 
Apple Daily, a popular tabloid, was forced to fold following a raid by several hundred police on its headquarters on June 17 and the freezing of key assets and bank accounts. It printed its last edition last Thursday. 
 
Authorities say dozens of the paper's articles may have violated a China-imposed national security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media reports under the legislation. 
 
Critics of the law, introduced last June, say it has been used to stifle dissent and erode fundamental freedoms in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. 
 
Some of the critics also say the closure of Apple Daily, which mixes pro-democracy views with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power, marks the end of an era for media freedom in the city. 
 
Officials in Hong Kong and China have repeatedly said media freedoms are respected but not absolute, and cannot endanger national security. 
 
The shutdown of Apple is the latest setback for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the newspaper's owner and a staunch Beijing critic, whose assets have been frozen under the legislation and who is serving prison sentences for taking part in illegal assemblies. 
 
Lai is also awaiting trial after being charged with collusion with foreign forces, which carries up to life in jail. 
 
The Hong Kong Journalists'&nbsp;Association, reacting to reports of the airport arrest, condemned the police for targeting journalists again, and asked them to explain the incident. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrested a former senior journalist with the Apple Daily newspaper at the international airport on Sunday night on a suspected national security charge as he tried to leave the city, according to media reports.

Hong Kong police arrested a former senior journalist with the Apple Daily newspaper at the international airport on Sunday night on a suspected national security charge as he tried to leave the city, according to media reports. Fung Wai-kong would be the seventh staffer at the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper to be arrested on national security grounds in recent weeks. He was an editor and columnist at the now-closed paper, Hong Kong media reported. Police said in a statement that a 57-year-old man had been arrested at the airport for 'conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security'. They added that he had been detained and investigations were continuing. A former Apple Daily journalist, Jack Hazelwood, said on Twitter that Fung was attempting to board a flight to London and called on British authorities to take action. Apple Daily, a popular tabloid, was forced to fold following a raid by several hundred police on its headquarters on June 17 and the freezing of key assets and bank accounts. It printed its last edition last Thursday. Authorities say dozens of the paper's articles may have violated a China-imposed national security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media reports under the legislation. Critics of the law, introduced last June, say it has been used to stifle dissent and erode fundamental freedoms in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Some of the critics also say the closure of Apple Daily, which mixes pro-democracy views with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power, marks the end of an era for media freedom in the city. Officials in Hong Kong and China have repeatedly said media freedoms are respected but not absolute, and cannot endanger national security. The shutdown of Apple is the latest setback for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the newspaper's owner and a staunch Beijing critic, whose assets have been frozen under the legislation and who is serving prison sentences for taking part in illegal assemblies. Lai is also awaiting trial after being charged with collusion with foreign forces, which carries up to life in jail. The Hong Kong Journalists' Association, reacting to reports of the airport arrest, condemned the police for targeting journalists again, and asked them to explain the incident. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrest former Apple Daily journalist at airport: Media

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper. 
 
The latest arrest came after police froze assets of companies linked to the newspaper and arrested five executives last week, moves that are likely to force the newspaper to shut down this week. 
 
Police have said dozens of Apple Daily pieces may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media articles under the legislation. 
 
Rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the government's actions and expressed concern over freedom of the press and other rights in the Chinese-ruled city. 
 
Police, who typically do not disclose the names of those arrested, said they had arrested a 55-year-old man on the national security charges. A senior executive at Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, said a lead writer for editorials and a reporter were arrested, without identifying them. It was unclear why the reporter was arrested. 
 
A police representative said they had no immediate information on a second arrest. 
 
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of last week's raid and arrests at Apple Daily amounted to attempts to 'beautify' acts that endangered national security. 
 
Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since its tycoon owner and staunch Beijing critic, Jimmy Lai, was arrested last year under the contentious legislation. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the security law, is already serving a prison sentence for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. 
 
According to an internal staff memo, the tabloid, which employs about 600 journalists, looks set to close for good by Saturday. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper.

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper. The latest arrest came after police froze assets of companies linked to the newspaper and arrested five executives last week, moves that are likely to force the newspaper to shut down this week. Police have said dozens of Apple Daily pieces may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media articles under the legislation. Rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the government's actions and expressed concern over freedom of the press and other rights in the Chinese-ruled city. Police, who typically do not disclose the names of those arrested, said they had arrested a 55-year-old man on the national security charges. A senior executive at Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, said a lead writer for editorials and a reporter were arrested, without identifying them. It was unclear why the reporter was arrested. A police representative said they had no immediate information on a second arrest. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of last week's raid and arrests at Apple Daily amounted to attempts to 'beautify' acts that endangered national security. Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since its tycoon owner and staunch Beijing critic, Jimmy Lai, was arrested last year under the contentious legislation. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the security law, is already serving a prison sentence for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. According to an internal staff memo, the tabloid, which employs about 600 journalists, looks set to close for good by Saturday. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily columnist under security law

The protesters who gathered in the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota came from across the country — Native American tribes and their supporters, environmentalists and religious leaders — all to fight an expansion of Line 3, a $9 billion pipeline operated by Canadian company Enbridge, that would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil through Minnesota’s delicate watersheds and tribal lands.

Some said they had come ready to risk arrest by lying down in the path of construction. Others said they were here to support tribes that have been battling oil and gas pipelines for years, including the highly contentious Dakota Access Pipeline.

Late Monday, police began making arrests after dozens of activists used an old fishing boat, bamboo and steel cable to blockade the road to a construction site off Highway 71 north of Park Rapids. Several hundred others scaled the&nbsp;fence at the site and occupied it, some climbing atop diggers and transformer boxes or chaining themselves to construction equipment.

Police in riot gear “broke through the steel fences and they just began arresting everyone,” said Tara Houska, a tribal attorney and member of the Couchiching First Nation Anishinaabe along the Canadian border. “This is an act of violence on tribal land,” she said.

Police later escalated their attempts to end the protest, using what appeared to be a crowd-dispelling sonic device known as an LRAD, or Long Range Acoustic Device, on the protesters, and using bolt cutters and saws to cut people loose from the equipment they had chained themselves to.

Near midnight, representatives of the legal aid nonprofit National Lawyers Guild, who were present at the protest, said more than 100 people had been arrested. As the last of the police closed in, a core group of protesters made a stand at the boat. A lone voice shouted in the dark, “Water is life.”

Local police had earlier dispatched a helicopter to try to disperse the crowd at the pump station, kicking up clouds of dust.

Earlier in the evening, Cory Aukes, sheriff of Hubbard County, had said that arrests would be continuing through the evening, and that because there would not be enough room at the local county jail to house the detainees, they would be transferred to other counties as well. “We’ve arrested a lot of people,” he said. “And it’s up to them how long this gets drawn out.”

Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. More than 100 protesters pitched tents to settle in for the night at another site near the Mississippi River’s headwaters, and some said they would camp out indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging there.

Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. Near La Salle Lake, a small group of protesters late in the day began setting up about half a dozen tents, saying they would camp there indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging into the Mississippi River’s headwaters nearby.

“Taking care of the water is our responsibility, and we take that responsibility seriously,” said Winona LaDuke, executive director and a co-founder of Honor the Earth, a Native environmental advocacy organization that is a lead group opposed to the pipeline. “We’ve been at this fight against Enbridge for seven years already. It’s like an invasion.”

Behind the scenes, Native lawyers have been urging the Biden administration to intervene. They are trying to flex a newfound political clout among tribal nations — Native Americans now hold important positions within the Biden administration — and say they intend to hold President Joe Biden to his campaign promises on racial equity, particularly for their communities.

The project, which received its final approvals under President Donald Trump, is a 340-mile rerouting of a wider pipeline network. Once completed, it would carry 760,000 barrels of tar-sands oil a day from Alberta, Canada, across northern Minnesota and into Wisconsin to the tip of Lake Superior.

In April, Enbridge’s CEO, Al Monaco, said Line 3 was on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. Native American tribes see the construction as a violation of their tribal sovereignty, an issue that Biden explicitly pledged to prioritize during his campaign.

The pipeline would pass through treaty-protected tribal lands, they stress, including watersheds that support wild rice, a staple food and important cultural heritage of the Ojibwe people. And in the event of a spill, the heavy oil traveling through the pipeline could sink to the bottom of rivers and streams, complicating a cleanup, environmental groups warn.

In recent years, protesters in Minnesota and across the country have faced a growing number of local bills, backed by the oil and gas industry, that in many cases would make trespassing on or impeding the operation of pipelines and other infrastructure a felony. Minnesota has not yet passed such a bill, but since construction began at Line 3 in December, the Northern Lights Task Force — a police force funded by Enbridge, as mandated under the state's approval of the pipeline project — have arrested more than 70 protesters since construction began on Dec. 1, according to a task force tally.

The Line 3 expansion also tests the Biden administration’s commitment to climate policy.

In his first week as president, Biden signed an executive order vowing to address climate change, rejoined the Paris climate agreement among the nations of the world, and canceled another pipeline, the Keystone XL, which would also have brought tar-sands oil, one of the dirtiest forms of energy, from Canada. He also recently suspended oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

At the same time, the Biden administration has defended a huge Trump-era drilling project and has taken other actions that could guarantee the drilling and burning of oil and gas for decades. And the president has so far stayed silent on Line 3, which would carry enough oil that, when burned, would add nearly 200 million tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year during the pipeline’s lifetime, according to the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. That’s the equivalent impact of annual emissions from 45 coal-fired power plants, or 38 million cars.

“Particularly from a climate standpoint, the case for a brand-new, massive tar-sands pipeline is extremely thin and frankly nonexistent,” said Moneen Nasmith, an attorney with the environmental legal organization, EarthJustice, which is challenging the pipeline.

“We respect everyone’s right to peacefully and lawfully protest, but trespass, intimidation, and destruction are unacceptable,” Michael Barnes, a spokesperson for Enbridge, said in an email. He said 44 workers had been evacuated from the site, including employees of a Native-owned contractor.

The project employed more than 500 Native workers and had brought more than 5,000 construction jobs to the region overall, he said. “We hoped all parties would come to accept the outcome of the thorough, science-based review and multiple approvals of the project. Line 3 has passed every test through six years of regulatory and permitting review,” he said.

So far, protests have had little effect on construction, which began in December and was 60% complete, he said.

Built in the 1960s, the current crude oil pipeline has been beset with corrosion, leaks and spills, forcing Enbridge in 2008 to reduce its capacity by half, to 390,000 barrels a day. In 2015, Enbridge cited corroding pipes and future oil demand to say it would reroute Line 3, a move that would allow it to restore its original capacity.

Opponents have tried a number of legal challenges. A decision is expected this month in one case, filed in Minnesota state court by tribes and environmental groups, which has focused on whether Enbridge carried out an adequate environmental review.

Two other cases challenge the project’s permits, issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, under the Clean Air Act. Opponents argue that the Army Corps failed to fully consider how an oil spill would affect the Lake Superior watershed.

Native lawyers and lobbyists have also been working their Washington connections. Late last month, Houska, the tribal attorney, pressed top Biden officials on what she saw as policy hypocrisy: Having canceled Keystone XL, how could the administration then allow Line 3 to go forward?

“This is a huge project with huge climate implications,” Houska said she told Gina McCarthy, the White House domestic climate adviser, and David Hayes, who advises Biden on land and water use policy. “You can’t cancel Keystone and then build an almost identical tar sands pipeline,” she said.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting.

Tribal leaders are hoping that Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who made history as the first Native American Cabinet member, will also be influential in Biden’s decision on the Enbridge pipeline.

Haaland’s public views on oil pipelines are well known: In 2016, Haaland joined the Standing Rock Sioux protesters in North Dakota who camped out for months in opposition to the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to comment on the role that Haaland might play in determining the fate of Line 3.

Meanwhile, one of the most senior officials with authority to determine whether pipeline permits could be reviewed or rescinded is Jaime Pinkham, the Army Corps of Engineers’ acting assistant secretary of civil works, who is a member of the Pacific Northwest’s Nez Perce Tribe. In 2016, Pinkham co-wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune opposing the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline.

A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers said Pinkham is scheduled to meet with tribal members later this month at their request.

“The point has been for a long time to get to at least where we had the ear of those who were making decisions of consequence on tribal sovereignty,” said Julian Brave NoiseCat, a Native activist who played a key role in the campaign urging Biden to nominate Haaland. “Hopefully that means that more of these decisions will be made to the benefit and with respect for tribal sovereignty.”

The protesters who gathered in the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota came from across the country — Native American tribes and their supporters, environmentalists and religious leaders — all to fight an expansion of Line 3, a $9 billion pipeline operated by Canadian company Enbridge, that would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil through Minnesota’s delicate watersheds and tribal lands.

The protesters who gathered in the boreal forests of Northern Minnesota came from across the country — Native American tribes and their supporters, environmentalists and religious leaders — all to fight an expansion of Line 3, a $9 billion pipeline operated by Canadian company Enbridge, that would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil through Minnesota’s delicate watersheds and tribal lands. Some said they had come ready to risk arrest by lying down in the path of construction. Others said they were here to support tribes that have been battling oil and gas pipelines for years, including the highly contentious Dakota Access Pipeline. Late Monday, police began making arrests after dozens of activists used an old fishing boat, bamboo and steel cable to blockade the road to a construction site off Highway 71 north of Park Rapids. Several hundred others scaled the fence at the site and occupied it, some climbing atop diggers and transformer boxes or chaining themselves to construction equipment. Police in riot gear “broke through the steel fences and they just began arresting everyone,” said Tara Houska, a tribal attorney and member of the Couchiching First Nation Anishinaabe along the Canadian border. “This is an act of violence on tribal land,” she said. Police later escalated their attempts to end the protest, using what appeared to be a crowd-dispelling sonic device known as an LRAD, or Long Range Acoustic Device, on the protesters, and using bolt cutters and saws to cut people loose from the equipment they had chained themselves to. Near midnight, representatives of the legal aid nonprofit National Lawyers Guild, who were present at the protest, said more than 100 people had been arrested. As the last of the police closed in, a core group of protesters made a stand at the boat. A lone voice shouted in the dark, “Water is life.” Local police had earlier dispatched a helicopter to try to disperse the crowd at the pump station, kicking up clouds of dust. Earlier in the evening, Cory Aukes, sheriff of Hubbard County, had said that arrests would be continuing through the evening, and that because there would not be enough room at the local county jail to house the detainees, they would be transferred to other counties as well. “We’ve arrested a lot of people,” he said. “And it’s up to them how long this gets drawn out.” Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. More than 100 protesters pitched tents to settle in for the night at another site near the Mississippi River’s headwaters, and some said they would camp out indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging there. Over the weekend and into Monday, some 2,000 people took part in drum circles and prayer gatherings, and surveyed the network of construction sites that dot the woods. Near La Salle Lake, a small group of protesters late in the day began setting up about half a dozen tents, saying they would camp there indefinitely to prevent Enbridge from digging into the Mississippi River’s headwaters nearby. “Taking care of the water is our responsibility, and we take that responsibility seriously,” said Winona LaDuke, executive director and a co-founder of Honor the Earth, a Native environmental advocacy organization that is a lead group opposed to the pipeline. “We’ve been at this fight against Enbridge for seven years already. It’s like an invasion.” Behind the scenes, Native lawyers have been urging the Biden administration to intervene. They are trying to flex a newfound political clout among tribal nations — Native Americans now hold important positions within the Biden administration — and say they intend to hold President Joe Biden to his campaign promises on racial equity, particularly for their communities. The project, which received its final approvals under President Donald Trump, is a 340-mile rerouting of a wider pipeline network. Once completed, it would carry 760,000 barrels of tar-sands oil a day from Alberta, Canada, across northern Minnesota and into Wisconsin to the tip of Lake Superior. In April, Enbridge’s CEO, Al Monaco, said Line 3 was on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. Native American tribes see the construction as a violation of their tribal sovereignty, an issue that Biden explicitly pledged to prioritize during his campaign. The pipeline would pass through treaty-protected tribal lands, they stress, including watersheds that support wild rice, a staple food and important cultural heritage of the Ojibwe people. And in the event of a spill, the heavy oil traveling through the pipeline could sink to the bottom of rivers and streams, complicating a cleanup, environmental groups warn. In recent years, protesters in Minnesota and across the country have faced a growing number of local bills, backed by the oil and gas industry, that in many cases would make trespassing on or impeding the operation of pipelines and other infrastructure a felony. Minnesota has not yet passed such a bill, but since construction began at Line 3 in December, the Northern Lights Task Force — a police force funded by Enbridge, as mandated under the state's approval of the pipeline project — have arrested more than 70 protesters since construction began on Dec. 1, according to a task force tally. The Line 3 expansion also tests the Biden administration’s commitment to climate policy. In his first week as president, Biden signed an executive order vowing to address climate change, rejoined the Paris climate agreement among the nations of the world, and canceled another pipeline, the Keystone XL, which would also have brought tar-sands oil, one of the dirtiest forms of energy, from Canada. He also recently suspended oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. At the same time, the Biden administration has defended a huge Trump-era drilling project and has taken other actions that could guarantee the drilling and burning of oil and gas for decades. And the president has so far stayed silent on Line 3, which would carry enough oil that, when burned, would add nearly 200 million tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year during the pipeline’s lifetime, according to the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. That’s the equivalent impact of annual emissions from 45 coal-fired power plants, or 38 million cars. “Particularly from a climate standpoint, the case for a brand-new, massive tar-sands pipeline is extremely thin and frankly nonexistent,” said Moneen Nasmith, an attorney with the environmental legal organization, EarthJustice, which is challenging the pipeline. “We respect everyone’s right to peacefully and lawfully protest, but trespass, intimidation, and destruction are unacceptable,” Michael Barnes, a spokesperson for Enbridge, said in an email. He said 44 workers had been evacuated from the site, including employees of a Native-owned contractor. The project employed more than 500 Native workers and had brought more than 5,000 construction jobs to the region overall, he said. “We hoped all parties would come to accept the outcome of the thorough, science-based review and multiple approvals of the project. Line 3 has passed every test through six years of regulatory and permitting review,” he said. So far, protests have had little effect on construction, which began in December and was 60% complete, he said. Built in the 1960s, the current crude oil pipeline has been beset with corrosion, leaks and spills, forcing Enbridge in 2008 to reduce its capacity by half, to 390,000 barrels a day. In 2015, Enbridge cited corroding pipes and future oil demand to say it would reroute Line 3, a move that would allow it to restore its original capacity. Opponents have tried a number of legal challenges. A decision is expected this month in one case, filed in Minnesota state court by tribes and environmental groups, which has focused on whether Enbridge carried out an adequate environmental review. Two other cases challenge the project’s permits, issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, under the Clean Air Act. Opponents argue that the Army Corps failed to fully consider how an oil spill would affect the Lake Superior watershed. Native lawyers and lobbyists have also been working their Washington connections. Late last month, Houska, the tribal attorney, pressed top Biden officials on what she saw as policy hypocrisy: Having canceled Keystone XL, how could the administration then allow Line 3 to go forward? “This is a huge project with huge climate implications,” Houska said she told Gina McCarthy, the White House domestic climate adviser, and David Hayes, who advises Biden on land and water use policy. “You can’t cancel Keystone and then build an almost identical tar sands pipeline,” she said. A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting. Tribal leaders are hoping that Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who made history as the first Native American Cabinet member, will also be influential in Biden’s decision on the Enbridge pipeline. Haaland’s public views on oil pipelines are well known: In 2016, Haaland joined the Standing Rock Sioux protesters in North Dakota who camped out for months in opposition to the Dakota Access oil pipeline. A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to comment on the role that Haaland might play in determining the fate of Line 3. Meanwhile, one of the most senior officials with authority to determine whether pipeline permits could be reviewed or rescinded is Jaime Pinkham, the Army Corps of Engineers’ acting assistant secretary of civil works, who is a member of the Pacific Northwest’s Nez Perce Tribe. In 2016, Pinkham co-wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune opposing the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline. A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers said Pinkham is scheduled to meet with tribal members later this month at their request. “The point has been for a long time to get to at least where we had the ear of those who were making decisions of consequence on tribal sovereignty,” said Julian Brave NoiseCat, a Native activist who played a key role in the campaign urging Biden to nominate Haaland. “Hopefully that means that more of these decisions will be made to the benefit and with respect for tribal sovereignty.”

Police make mass arrests at protest against oil pipeline in US

Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday, he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country. 
 
A former member of the Russian parliament, Gudkov, 41, was detained by Russian law enforcement officials on Tuesday over allegations he failed to pay a debt on a rented property, which he denies. 
 
He was released from custody on Thursday but remains a suspect in a criminal case. A group of Kremlin opponents, many of them allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have fled the country due to the latest crackdown on the opposition after street rallies to demand Navalny's release. 
 
Gudkov said the true purpose of the probe was barring him from the September parliamentary election. 
 
"I`m approaching Kyiv where I have long-planned meetings and TV appearances," he posted on his Telegram account. 
 
"Several sources close to the presidential administration circle said that if I do not leave the country, my fake criminal case would be taken further to the point of my arrest," he said. 
 
The Kremlin has said recent arrests of politicians, such as Gudkov have nothing to do with politics, and denies trying to clear the field of political opponents. 
 
Gudkov said on Sunday, he would make a decision later about his further plans. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday, he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country.

Russian opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on Sunday, he had left Russia after receiving warnings by people close to the Kremlin that he would be arrested if he stayed in the country. A former member of the Russian parliament, Gudkov, 41, was detained by Russian law enforcement officials on Tuesday over allegations he failed to pay a debt on a rented property, which he denies. He was released from custody on Thursday but remains a suspect in a criminal case. A group of Kremlin opponents, many of them allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have fled the country due to the latest crackdown on the opposition after street rallies to demand Navalny's release. Gudkov said the true purpose of the probe was barring him from the September parliamentary election. "I`m approaching Kyiv where I have long-planned meetings and TV appearances," he posted on his Telegram account. "Several sources close to the presidential administration circle said that if I do not leave the country, my fake criminal case would be taken further to the point of my arrest," he said. The Kremlin has said recent arrests of politicians, such as Gudkov have nothing to do with politics, and denies trying to clear the field of political opponents. Gudkov said on Sunday, he would make a decision later about his further plans. (With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin critic Gudkov leaves Russia fearing new arrest

Two people have been arrested in a road-rage shooting on a freeway in Orange County, California, last month in which a 6-year-old boy was killed while his mother was driving him to school, authorities announced Sunday.

Eriz Marcus Anthony, 24, and Lee Wynne, 23, are expected to be charged with the murder of the boy, Aiden Anthony Leos, who was struck by gunfire on May 21 while riding in the back seat of his mother’s car on the 55 Freeway in Orange, California, the California High Patrol said.

The shooting happened after what authorities said was a perceived unsafe lane change, with an occupant of a white Volkswagen station wagon firing at least one round at the vehicle carrying Aiden.

The killing of the boy, who was struck in the torso while riding in a child car seat, has drawn widespread attention. A $500,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest, and the California Highway Patrol released images of the suspects’ vehicle.

“While these arrests will not ease the pain of a mother’s loss, my hope is for the Leos family to have some peace of mind and to rest assured the CHP will work with the Orange County district attorney to bring justice for Aiden,” Amanda Ray, the California Highway Patrol commissioner, said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear if the two suspects, who were taken into custody at their home in Costa Mesa, California, had lawyers.

Authorities did not say which of the two had shot Aiden, who was in kindergarten.

Joanna Cloonan, Aiden’s mother, was driving north on the 55 Freeway when she tried to get out of the carpool lane on the morning of May 21, The Los Angeles Times reported, citing information from another motorist who had stopped to help. Another vehicle cut her off, and she gestured at the people in the car, who opened fire, the newspaper reported.

A memorial service for Aiden was held Saturday.

Two people have been arrested in a road-rage shooting on a freeway in Orange County, California, last month in which a 6-year-old boy was killed while his mother was driving him to school, authorities announced Sunday.

Two people have been arrested in a road-rage shooting on a freeway in Orange County, California, last month in which a 6-year-old boy was killed while his mother was driving him to school, authorities announced Sunday. Eriz Marcus Anthony, 24, and Lee Wynne, 23, are expected to be charged with the murder of the boy, Aiden Anthony Leos, who was struck by gunfire on May 21 while riding in the back seat of his mother’s car on the 55 Freeway in Orange, California, the California High Patrol said. The shooting happened after what authorities said was a perceived unsafe lane change, with an occupant of a white Volkswagen station wagon firing at least one round at the vehicle carrying Aiden. The killing of the boy, who was struck in the torso while riding in a child car seat, has drawn widespread attention. A $500,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest, and the California Highway Patrol released images of the suspects’ vehicle. “While these arrests will not ease the pain of a mother’s loss, my hope is for the Leos family to have some peace of mind and to rest assured the CHP will work with the Orange County district attorney to bring justice for Aiden,” Amanda Ray, the California Highway Patrol commissioner, said in a statement. It was not immediately clear if the two suspects, who were taken into custody at their home in Costa Mesa, California, had lawyers. Authorities did not say which of the two had shot Aiden, who was in kindergarten. Joanna Cloonan, Aiden’s mother, was driving north on the 55 Freeway when she tried to get out of the carpool lane on the morning of May 21, The Los Angeles Times reported, citing information from another motorist who had stopped to help. Another vehicle cut her off, and she gestured at the people in the car, who opened fire, the newspaper reported. A memorial service for Aiden was held Saturday.

Two arrested in California road-rage shooting that killed a six-year-old

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'.&nbsp;

In a video posted online, the detained blogger&nbsp;Roman Protasevich, 26, said he was in good health, being held in a pretrial detention facility in Minsk, and acknowledged having played a role in organising mass disturbances in the capital last year.&nbsp;

In the video on the Telegram messaging app, he wore a dark sweatshirt and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. The comments were immediately dismissed by his allies, including his father, as having been made under duress.&nbsp;

A Polish deputy foreign minister, Pawel Jablonski, told private broadcaster TVN24 that his government had heard from Protasevich's mother about his being in poor health, but provided no details.&nbsp;

Belarus' interior ministry said Protasevich was being held in jail and had not complained of ill health.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Belarus for its actions and said he had asked his advisers to give him options to hold those responsible to account.&nbsp;

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a call on Monday with exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said the United States had "strong support for the demands of the Belarusian people for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," the White House said.&nbsp;

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels called for Belarusian airlines to be banned from the 27-nation bloc's airspace and urged EU-based carriers to avoid flying over the former Soviet republic, according to a joint statement.&nbsp;

They also agreed to widen the list of Belarusian individuals they already sanction and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate Belarus forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk on a Greece-Lithuania flight on Sunday.&nbsp;

"The reaction should be swift and be severe," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told journalists ahead of the EU summit.&nbsp;

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, using language that was echoed by a number of other EU countries, said: "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored."&nbsp;

The EU and other Western countries also called for the release of Protasevich, who was detained when the plane landed.&nbsp;

His social media feed from exile has been one of the last remaining independent outlets for news about Belarus since a mass crackdown on dissent last year. Sofia Sapega, a 23-year-old student travelling with him, was also detained.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'.

Western powers prepared to pile sanctions on Belarus and cut off its aviation links on Monday, furious after it scrambled a warplane to intercept a Ryanair aircraft and arrest a dissident journalist, an act one official denounced as 'state piracy'. In a video posted online, the detained blogger Roman Protasevich, 26, said he was in good health, being held in a pretrial detention facility in Minsk, and acknowledged having played a role in organising mass disturbances in the capital last year. In the video on the Telegram messaging app, he wore a dark sweatshirt and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. The comments were immediately dismissed by his allies, including his father, as having been made under duress. A Polish deputy foreign minister, Pawel Jablonski, told private broadcaster TVN24 that his government had heard from Protasevich's mother about his being in poor health, but provided no details. Belarus' interior ministry said Protasevich was being held in jail and had not complained of ill health. US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Belarus for its actions and said he had asked his advisers to give him options to hold those responsible to account. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a call on Monday with exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said the United States had "strong support for the demands of the Belarusian people for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms," the White House said. European Union leaders meeting in Brussels called for Belarusian airlines to be banned from the 27-nation bloc's airspace and urged EU-based carriers to avoid flying over the former Soviet republic, according to a joint statement. They also agreed to widen the list of Belarusian individuals they already sanction and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to urgently investigate Belarus forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk on a Greece-Lithuania flight on Sunday. "The reaction should be swift and be severe," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told journalists ahead of the EU summit. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, using language that was echoed by a number of other EU countries, said: "This was effectively aviation piracy, state sponsored." The EU and other Western countries also called for the release of Protasevich, who was detained when the plane landed. His social media feed from exile has been one of the last remaining independent outlets for news about Belarus since a mass crackdown on dissent last year. Sofia Sapega, a 23-year-old student travelling with him, was also detained. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus faces new sanctions from West over forced landing of plane, arrest of journalist 

A third man has been arrested following the attempted assassination of Maldives' former president Mohamed Nasheed, police said Sunday, as they renewed an appeal for more information about another suspect.

The arrested person is believed to be the prime suspect.&nbsp;

The democracy pioneer and climate activist was seriously hurt after a bomb attack in the capital Male on Thursday night that also injured a British national and two others, which police have blamed on "religious extremists".

"We can confirm that a third individual has been arrested in connection with the May 6 attack early today," police said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Nasheed attacked: India in touch with Maldives, support extended">Nasheed attacked: India in touch with Maldives, support extended</a>

No further details about the man were released.

Police also appealed for more information about another man seen in the area where a motorcycle that the bomb had been rigged to was parked.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed critical, say doctors after bomb attack">Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed critical, say doctors after bomb attack</a>

The owner of the motorcycle as well as another man were arrested on Saturday.

The bomb detonated as Nasheed walked to his car.

Family members tweeted that the 53-year-old ex-president, now the parliament's speaker, remained in the intensive care unit of a hospital.

But he was able to speak to close relatives on Saturday after no longer needing life support, they added. There was no immediate update on his condition from the hospital.

Nasheed underwent 16 hours of surgery to remove shrapnel from his body and doctors said one shard narrowly missed his heart.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, but officials from Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have alleged that religious extremists and political interests could be involved.

The Indian Ocean archipelago of 340,000 people is Muslim majority and in October 2019 police arrested a suspected Islamic State recruiter accused of sending dozens of Maldivians to Syria.

The same man was accused of setting off a homemade bomb that wounded 12 Chinese tourists in Male in September 2007.

Nasheed ended decades of one-party rule in the Maldives and became its first democratically-elected president in 2008, only to be toppled in a military-backed coup in 2012.

He is known internationally as a champion in the fight against climate change and rising sea levels that he says threaten to submerge the nation of 1,192 coral islands.

A third man has been arrested following the attempted assassination of Maldives' former president Mohamed Nasheed, police said Sunday, as they renewed an appeal for more information about another suspect.

A third man has been arrested following the attempted assassination of Maldives' former president Mohamed Nasheed, police said Sunday, as they renewed an appeal for more information about another suspect. The arrested person is believed to be the prime suspect. The democracy pioneer and climate activist was seriously hurt after a bomb attack in the capital Male on Thursday night that also injured a British national and two others, which police have blamed on "religious extremists". "We can confirm that a third individual has been arrested in connection with the May 6 attack early today," police said in a statement. Also read | Nasheed attacked: India in touch with Maldives, support extended No further details about the man were released. Police also appealed for more information about another man seen in the area where a motorcycle that the bomb had been rigged to was parked. Also read | Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed critical, say doctors after bomb attack The owner of the motorcycle as well as another man were arrested on Saturday. The bomb detonated as Nasheed walked to his car. Family members tweeted that the 53-year-old ex-president, now the parliament's speaker, remained in the intensive care unit of a hospital. But he was able to speak to close relatives on Saturday after no longer needing life support, they added. There was no immediate update on his condition from the hospital. Nasheed underwent 16 hours of surgery to remove shrapnel from his body and doctors said one shard narrowly missed his heart. There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, but officials from Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have alleged that religious extremists and political interests could be involved. The Indian Ocean archipelago of 340,000 people is Muslim majority and in October 2019 police arrested a suspected Islamic State recruiter accused of sending dozens of Maldivians to Syria. The same man was accused of setting off a homemade bomb that wounded 12 Chinese tourists in Male in September 2007. Nasheed ended decades of one-party rule in the Maldives and became its first democratically-elected president in 2008, only to be toppled in a military-backed coup in 2012. He is known internationally as a champion in the fight against climate change and rising sea levels that he says threaten to submerge the nation of 1,192 coral islands.

Maldives police: Key suspect arrested in Nasheed attack

Philippine&nbsp;President&nbsp;Rodrigo&nbsp;Duterte&nbsp;has ordered police to arrest anyone not wearing a mask properly, including below the nose, as the country battles to contain surging <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> infections.

Duterte&nbsp;issued the directive after a meeting with his COVID-19 task force,&nbsp;where everyone except him can be seen wearing the mandatory face covering,&nbsp;an official video released late Wednesday showed.

Thousands of people have been punished for violating COVID-19 rules since the end of March when restrictions were tightened in the capital and surrounding provinces after a spike in cases.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/philippines-becomes-latest-nation-to-report-10-lakh-covid-19-cases-380580/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The justice secretary and police chief have urged officers to fine offenders or make them do community service instead of arresting them, following the death of a man forced to do a hundred squats as punishment for breaking curfew.

But&nbsp;Duterte&nbsp;said police should get tough on rule-breakers and arrest those not wearing a mask properly, including those who leave their nose exposed.

"My orders to the police are those who are not wearing their masks properly... arrest them and detain them, investigate why they are doing it,"&nbsp;Duterte&nbsp;said.

"It's not for me, it's not for us. It's for the interest of the country so you won't infect and you won't be infected."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-lifts-suspension-on-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-under-60s-378678">Philippines lifts suspension on AstraZeneca vaccine for under 60s</a>

Duterte&nbsp;last year told security forces to shoot dead anyone causing "trouble" in areas under lockdown, drawing condemnation from rights groups.

Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque confirmed the arrest order on Thursday, saying violators could be held for up to 12 hours without charge.

Rights group Karapatan slammed the latest directive as "brazenly unscientific and ineffective" as well as a "disproportionate use of force".

"Overcongestion and inhumane conditions in the country's detention facilities already pose risks to the health of prisoners,&nbsp;and detaining hundreds of alleged violators in these cramped facilities where physical distancing is impossible to observe would only facilitate the rapid spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19," it said in a statement.

Police and soldiers have played a key role in the country's pandemic response, setting up checkpoints and deploying thousands of personnel to enforce stay-at-home orders.

The Philippines' caseload of more a million infections is the second-highest in Southeast Asia.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police to arrest anyone not wearing a mask properly, including below the nose, as the country battles to contain surging coronavirus infections.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police to arrest anyone not wearing a mask properly, including below the nose, as the country battles to contain surging coronavirus infections. Duterte issued the directive after a meeting with his COVID-19 task force, where everyone except him can be seen wearing the mandatory face covering, an official video released late Wednesday showed. Thousands of people have been punished for violating COVID-19 rules since the end of March when restrictions were tightened in the capital and surrounding provinces after a spike in cases. The justice secretary and police chief have urged officers to fine offenders or make them do community service instead of arresting them, following the death of a man forced to do a hundred squats as punishment for breaking curfew. But Duterte said police should get tough on rule-breakers and arrest those not wearing a mask properly, including those who leave their nose exposed. "My orders to the police are those who are not wearing their masks properly... arrest them and detain them, investigate why they are doing it," Duterte said. "It's not for me, it's not for us. It's for the interest of the country so you won't infect and you won't be infected." Also read | Philippines lifts suspension on AstraZeneca vaccine for under 60s Duterte last year told security forces to shoot dead anyone causing "trouble" in areas under lockdown, drawing condemnation from rights groups. Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque confirmed the arrest order on Thursday, saying violators could be held for up to 12 hours without charge. Rights group Karapatan slammed the latest directive as "brazenly unscientific and ineffective" as well as a "disproportionate use of force". "Overcongestion and inhumane conditions in the country's detention facilities already pose risks to the health of prisoners, and detaining hundreds of alleged violators in these cramped facilities where physical distancing is impossible to observe would only facilitate the rapid spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19," it said in a statement. Police and soldiers have played a key role in the country's pandemic response, setting up checkpoints and deploying thousands of personnel to enforce stay-at-home orders. The Philippines' caseload of more a million infections is the second-highest in Southeast Asia.

COVID-19: Philippine President Duterte orders arrest of mask violators

Sri&nbsp;Lanka's police arrested a top&nbsp;Muslim&nbsp;legislator Saturday in connection with the 2019&nbsp;Easter&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;that killed 279 people, as pressure mounted to speed up the investigation.

Detectives took Rishad Bathiudeen,&nbsp;leader&nbsp;of the All Ceylon Makkal Party (ACMP) and a former minister, into custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), police spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

Bathiudeen and his brother Riyaaj were arrested in pre-dawn raids on their homes in Colombo. "They were arrested under the PTA based on circumstantial and scientific evidence that they had connections with the suicide bombers who carried out the&nbsp;attacks," Rohana said in a statement.

A lawyer representing the brothers said a presidential inquiry had found no evidence linking them to the bombers and the&nbsp;arrests&nbsp;were a political vendetta.&nbsp;"The&nbsp;arrests&nbsp;are politically motivated," lawyer Rushdhie Habeeb said in a statement, which highlighted how the ACMP had opposed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019 elections.

The&nbsp;arrests&nbsp;came three days after the head of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, accused the government of allowing investigations to stall.&nbsp;Nearly 200 people were arrested within days of the suicide&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;on hotels and churches by local Islamist extremists, but no one has been charged.

Ranjith, who led commemorations on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;Easter&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;on Wednesday, said he was "deeply saddened" by the lack of progress in the investigation.&nbsp;He renewed his call for swift action against the perpetrators and said "political posturing and the need to safeguard alliances" was hindering the probe.

Bathiudeen's party is a member of an opposition coalition, but three of his legislators defected to the government in October to amend the constitution and give Rajapaksa wider powers&nbsp;over&nbsp;the judiciary and legislature.

Sri Lanka's police arrested a top Muslim legislator Saturday in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks that killed 279 people, as pressure mounted to speed up the investigation.

Sri Lanka's police arrested a top Muslim legislator Saturday in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks that killed 279 people, as pressure mounted to speed up the investigation. Detectives took Rishad Bathiudeen, leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Party (ACMP) and a former minister, into custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), police spokesman Ajith Rohana said. Bathiudeen and his brother Riyaaj were arrested in pre-dawn raids on their homes in Colombo. "They were arrested under the PTA based on circumstantial and scientific evidence that they had connections with the suicide bombers who carried out the attacks," Rohana said in a statement. A lawyer representing the brothers said a presidential inquiry had found no evidence linking them to the bombers and the arrests were a political vendetta. "The arrests are politically motivated," lawyer Rushdhie Habeeb said in a statement, which highlighted how the ACMP had opposed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019 elections. The arrests came three days after the head of Sri Lanka's Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, accused the government of allowing investigations to stall. Nearly 200 people were arrested within days of the suicide attacks on hotels and churches by local Islamist extremists, but no one has been charged. Ranjith, who led commemorations on the second anniversary of the Easter attacks on Wednesday, said he was "deeply saddened" by the lack of progress in the investigation. He renewed his call for swift action against the perpetrators and said "political posturing and the need to safeguard alliances" was hindering the probe. Bathiudeen's party is a member of an opposition coalition, but three of his legislators defected to the government in October to amend the constitution and give Rajapaksa wider powers over the judiciary and legislature.

Sri Lanka arrests Muslim leader over Easter attacks

A man in the US has sued the Detroit Police Department for arresting him after he was falsely accused of shoplifting based on a faulty facial recognition match.&nbsp;

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Williams, The Verge reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Williams' experience was the first case of wrongful arrest due to facial recognition technology to come to light in the US, according to the ACLU.&nbsp;

"I came home from work and was arrested in my driveway in front of my wife and daughters, who watched in tears, because a computer made an error," Williams said in a statement.&nbsp;

"This never should have happened, and I want to make sure that this painful experience never happens to anyone else."&nbsp;

After a shoplifter allegedly stole several watches at a Shinola store in Detroit in 2018, Detroit police officers tried to identify the thief by using a blurry image from the store's surveillance camera video and feeding it through facial recognition technology.&nbsp;

The lawsuit cites studies that show that facial recognition technology is poor at accurately identifying Black people, especially in cases like this one when the photo is grainy, the lighting is poor, and the suspect is not looking at the camera.&nbsp;

Williams was held for 30 hours in a Detroit detention centre where he was forced to sleep on a raised cement slab due to overcrowding.&nbsp;

"We know that facial recognition technology threatens everyone's privacy by turning everybody into a suspect," said Phil Mayor, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Michigan.&nbsp;

"We've repeatedly urged the Detroit Police Department to abandon its use of this dangerous technology, but it insists on using it anyhow."&nbsp;

The lawsuit seeks damages and policy changes to stop the abuse of facial recognition technology.&nbsp;

A man in the US has sued the Detroit Police Department for arresting him after he was falsely accused of shoplifting based on a faulty facial recognition match. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Williams, The Verge reported on Tuesday.

A man in the US has sued the Detroit Police Department for arresting him after he was falsely accused of shoplifting based on a faulty facial recognition match. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Williams, The Verge reported on Tuesday. Williams' experience was the first case of wrongful arrest due to facial recognition technology to come to light in the US, according to the ACLU. "I came home from work and was arrested in my driveway in front of my wife and daughters, who watched in tears, because a computer made an error," Williams said in a statement. "This never should have happened, and I want to make sure that this painful experience never happens to anyone else." After a shoplifter allegedly stole several watches at a Shinola store in Detroit in 2018, Detroit police officers tried to identify the thief by using a blurry image from the store's surveillance camera video and feeding it through facial recognition technology. The lawsuit cites studies that show that facial recognition technology is poor at accurately identifying Black people, especially in cases like this one when the photo is grainy, the lighting is poor, and the suspect is not looking at the camera. Williams was held for 30 hours in a Detroit detention centre where he was forced to sleep on a raised cement slab due to overcrowding. "We know that facial recognition technology threatens everyone's privacy by turning everybody into a suspect," said Phil Mayor, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Michigan. "We've repeatedly urged the Detroit Police Department to abandon its use of this dangerous technology, but it insists on using it anyhow." The lawsuit seeks damages and policy changes to stop the abuse of facial recognition technology.

US man sues police for wrongful facial recognition-based arrest 

A cashier who was one of the last people to speak with George Floyd before his deadly arrest last May testified at Derek Chauvin's murder trial in Minneapolis on Wednesday that Floyd appeared to be high on drugs but was able to make friendly conversation.&nbsp;

Chauvin, who is white, was fired by the city's police department the day after he was captured on video with his knee on the neck of Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs. He has pled not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges, and a central dispute in the case is his lawyers' contention that Floyd's death, which was ruled a homicide, was instead a drug overdose.&nbsp;

The jury watched video on Wednesday that showed a cheerful-looking Floyd in his final minutes inside a grocery store before he ended up below Chauvin on the road outside, a scene that the cashier, Christopher Martin, told the jury he watched in disbelief.&nbsp;

Several other eyewitnesses, one a child of nine, have spent the last two days describing to the jury the shock of watching Floyd's struggle beneath Chauvin as bystanders screamed at police that Floyd was falling unconscious. Video footage of the arrest on May 25, 2020, sparked global protests decrying police brutality against Black people. Christopher Martin, eyewitness and Cup Foods cashier, was the one who accepted the $20 bill that triggered everything that followed.&nbsp;

"I thought that George didn't really know it was a fake bill," Martin, 19, told the jury. He considered letting Cup Foods just dock it from his wages, but ended up telling his manager and a few minutes later, police were arresting Floyd on suspicion of passing a counterfeit.&nbsp;

Silent security-camera video played for the jury shows Floyd dressed in a black tank top approaching Cup Food's counter with a banana in hand, smiling and making cheerful conversation and putting his arm around a woman. Floyd appears to be filled with energy and constantly in motion, at one point almost dancing on the spot, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.&nbsp;

Martin, 19, told the jury that he made conversation with Floyd, asking him if he played baseball. Floyd seemed to take time to find his words but replied that he played football, Martin said.&nbsp;

"He seemed very friendly, approachable, he was talkative, he seemed to be having just an average Memorial Day, just living his life," Martin recalled. "But he did seem high."&nbsp;

Although the county medical examiner ruled Floyd's death a homicide resulting from the police restraint, fentanyl and methamphetamine was found in Floyd's blood at autopsy and Chauvin's lawyers argue the death was really a drug overdose.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A cashier who was one of the last people to speak with George Floyd before his deadly arrest last May testified at Derek Chauvin's murder trial in Minneapolis on Wednesday that Floyd appeared to be high on drugs but was able to make friendly conversation.

A cashier who was one of the last people to speak with George Floyd before his deadly arrest last May testified at Derek Chauvin's murder trial in Minneapolis on Wednesday that Floyd appeared to be high on drugs but was able to make friendly conversation. Chauvin, who is white, was fired by the city's police department the day after he was captured on video with his knee on the neck of Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs. He has pled not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges, and a central dispute in the case is his lawyers' contention that Floyd's death, which was ruled a homicide, was instead a drug overdose. The jury watched video on Wednesday that showed a cheerful-looking Floyd in his final minutes inside a grocery store before he ended up below Chauvin on the road outside, a scene that the cashier, Christopher Martin, told the jury he watched in disbelief. Several other eyewitnesses, one a child of nine, have spent the last two days describing to the jury the shock of watching Floyd's struggle beneath Chauvin as bystanders screamed at police that Floyd was falling unconscious. Video footage of the arrest on May 25, 2020, sparked global protests decrying police brutality against Black people. Christopher Martin, eyewitness and Cup Foods cashier, was the one who accepted the $20 bill that triggered everything that followed. "I thought that George didn't really know it was a fake bill," Martin, 19, told the jury. He considered letting Cup Foods just dock it from his wages, but ended up telling his manager and a few minutes later, police were arresting Floyd on suspicion of passing a counterfeit. Silent security-camera video played for the jury shows Floyd dressed in a black tank top approaching Cup Food's counter with a banana in hand, smiling and making cheerful conversation and putting his arm around a woman. Floyd appears to be filled with energy and constantly in motion, at one point almost dancing on the spot, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Martin, 19, told the jury that he made conversation with Floyd, asking him if he played baseball. Floyd seemed to take time to find his words but replied that he played football, Martin said. "He seemed very friendly, approachable, he was talkative, he seemed to be having just an average Memorial Day, just living his life," Martin recalled. "But he did seem high." Although the county medical examiner ruled Floyd's death a homicide resulting from the police restraint, fentanyl and methamphetamine was found in Floyd's blood at autopsy and Chauvin's lawyers argue the death was really a drug overdose. (With inputs from agencies)

Minneapolis cashier tells jury, Floyd appeared chatty, 'high' before arrest 

Myanmar security forces fired tear gas and surrounded hundreds of anti-junta protesters at two places in Yangon on Wednesday, witnesses said, prompting the US Embassy to call for their withdrawal.&nbsp;

In New York, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called for restraint by the military and threatened to consider 'further measures'.&nbsp;

Talks on the statement would likely continue, diplomats said, after China, Russia, India and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday to a British draft, including removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action.&nbsp;

More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested in the turmoil in Myanmar since the February 1 coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group, has said.&nbsp;

The military has brushed off condemnation of its actions, as it has in past periods of army rule when outbreaks of protest were forcibly repressed.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, police stormed a compound in Yangon housing railway staff and surrounded hundreds of protesters in North Okkalapa district, in another part of the city. More than 100 people were arrested at the two sites, witnesses said.&nbsp;

Many of the railway staff are part of a civil disobedience movement that has crippled government business and included strikes at banks, factories and shops since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government.&nbsp;

"We are seeing reports of innocent students and civilians surrounded by security forces in North Okkalapa, as well as arrests," the US Embassy said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We call on those security forces to withdraw from the area, release those detained, and allow people to depart safely."&nbsp;

Police and army officials did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Zaw Myat Linn, an official from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), died in custody after he was arrested, the second party figure to die in detention in two days.&nbsp;

"He's been participating continuously in the protests," said Ba Myo Thein, a member of the dissolved upper house of parliament. The cause of death was not clear.&nbsp;

In a Facebook live broadcast before he was detained, Zaw Myat Linn urged people to continue fighting the army, 'even if it costs our lives'.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Myanmar security forces fired tear gas and surrounded hundreds of anti-junta protesters at two places in Yangon on Wednesday, witnesses said, prompting the US Embassy to call for their withdrawal.

Myanmar security forces fired tear gas and surrounded hundreds of anti-junta protesters at two places in Yangon on Wednesday, witnesses said, prompting the US Embassy to call for their withdrawal. In New York, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called for restraint by the military and threatened to consider 'further measures'. Talks on the statement would likely continue, diplomats said, after China, Russia, India and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday to a British draft, including removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action. More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested in the turmoil in Myanmar since the February 1 coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group, has said. The military has brushed off condemnation of its actions, as it has in past periods of army rule when outbreaks of protest were forcibly repressed. On Wednesday, police stormed a compound in Yangon housing railway staff and surrounded hundreds of protesters in North Okkalapa district, in another part of the city. More than 100 people were arrested at the two sites, witnesses said. Many of the railway staff are part of a civil disobedience movement that has crippled government business and included strikes at banks, factories and shops since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government. "We are seeing reports of innocent students and civilians surrounded by security forces in North Okkalapa, as well as arrests," the US Embassy said in a statement. "We call on those security forces to withdraw from the area, release those detained, and allow people to depart safely." Police and army officials did not respond to requests for comment. On Tuesday, Zaw Myat Linn, an official from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), died in custody after he was arrested, the second party figure to die in detention in two days. "He's been participating continuously in the protests," said Ba Myo Thein, a member of the dissolved upper house of parliament. The cause of death was not clear. In a Facebook live broadcast before he was detained, Zaw Myat Linn urged people to continue fighting the army, 'even if it costs our lives'. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar security forces surround, arrest protesters as US calls for withdrawal 

Belarusian President crackdown on Alexander Lukashenko on the opposition continues. Maxim Znak has now been detained by masked men wearing plain clothes

Belarus unrest: 'Masked men' seize opposition figure, Maxim Znak detained

Charlie Peng a Chinese national, who was arrested earlier this week by the Income Tax Department in connection with a Hawala racket operating in Delhi and NCR, had also bribed some Buddhist monks to collect information on the Dalai Lama. Watch report.

Chinese Hawala Scam: Charlie Peng used to bribe Tibetian monks for information on Dalai Lama

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis was arrested Sunday after being allegedly involved in a fatal crash with a cyclist, who died instantly, just outside the country's capital Colombo, police said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2011-match-fixing-investigation-dropped-by-sri-lankan-police-due-to-lack-of-evidence-310410" hreflang="en">WC 2011 match-fixing investigation dropped by police due to lack of evidence</a>

The 25-year-old batsman was driving an SUV at Panadura before dawn when the incident happened, police said.

Mendis has been named in the 16-player squad for a two-match home Test series against England in March, but the tour was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 3,000 people are killed annually in traffic accidents in Sri Lanka.

A former spin bowler, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, was given a four-year suspended jail sentence for crashing into a woman pedestrian and killing her in 2003.

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis was arrested Sunday after being allegedly involved in a fatal crash with a cyclist, who died instantly, just outside the country's capital Colombo, police said.

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis was arrested Sunday after being allegedly involved in a fatal crash with a cyclist, who died instantly, just outside the country's capital Colombo, police said. Also read: WC 2011 match-fixing investigation dropped by police due to lack of evidence The 25-year-old batsman was driving an SUV at Panadura before dawn when the incident happened, police said. Mendis has been named in the 16-player squad for a two-match home Test series against England in March, but the tour was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 3,000 people are killed annually in traffic accidents in Sri Lanka. A former spin bowler, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, was given a four-year suspended jail sentence for crashing into a woman pedestrian and killing her in 2003.

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis arrested over fatal crash

Former Lesotho first lady Maesaiah Thabane has been re-arrested on charges of murder of her husband's ex-wife.

Maesaiah Thabane was charged with ordering the killing of Lipolelo Thabane, who was shot dead near her home in Lesotho's capital, Maseru, in June 2017.

Thabane will remain in custody until June 16. Her bail was revoked on allegations that due process was not followed during her first court appearance in February when she was charged with murder.

To be precise, the prosecution was not allowed to make arguments opposing her bail during the hearing.

The bail amount of 1,000 maloti ($58) was also paid long after she was released and not upon her release in February.

Following her re-arrest, the former first lady is slated to appear again in court where due process would be followed.

The former first lady fled the country in January despite a police warrant for her arrest, but she turned herself in to police in February after spending weeks in South Africa.

Thomas Thabane has not been charged in the case. The murder case, however, had led to Thabane's sudden retirement in May after months of pressure from his political party to resign over his alleged involvement.

Former Lesotho first lady Maesaiah Thabane has been re-arrested on charges of murder of her husband's ex-wife. Maesaiah Thabane was charged with ordering the killing of Lipolelo Thabane, who was shot dead near her home in Lesotho's capital, Maseru, in June 2017.

Former Lesotho first lady Maesaiah Thabane has been re-arrested on charges of murder of her husband's ex-wife. Maesaiah Thabane was charged with ordering the killing of Lipolelo Thabane, who was shot dead near her home in Lesotho's capital, Maseru, in June 2017. Thabane will remain in custody until June 16. Her bail was revoked on allegations that due process was not followed during her first court appearance in February when she was charged with murder. To be precise, the prosecution was not allowed to make arguments opposing her bail during the hearing. The bail amount of 1,000 maloti ($58) was also paid long after she was released and not upon her release in February. Following her re-arrest, the former first lady is slated to appear again in court where due process would be followed. The former first lady fled the country in January despite a police warrant for her arrest, but she turned herself in to police in February after spending weeks in South Africa. Thomas Thabane has not been charged in the case. The murder case, however, had led to Thabane's sudden retirement in May after months of pressure from his political party to resign over his alleged involvement.

Former Lesotho first lady re-arrested for killing of her husband's ex-wife

arrest

Arrest, News on Arrest, stories on Arrest, articles on Arrest, Arrest stories at Wion, Arrest news, Arrest latest news