Apple's Airtag technology has backfired. Instead of helping people track their belongings, it is helping criminals. Incidents of murder and stalking are being reported.

Apple's Airtag technology backfires with incidents of murder and stalking being reported

In a major development, an African-American teen, who was executed on the charge of murdering a white woman in 1931, has been declared innocent by a court in the US state of Pennsylvania this week, media reports said. The exoneration came after decades of struggle by his only surviving sister. At the time of the hearing, a white jury had convicted 16-year-old Alexander McClay Williams in just four hours. In the US state of Pennsylvania, Williams is still the youngest person ever to be put to death. &nbsp;

Now, after 91 years, the case has been dismissed by the county judge. “I’m just happy that it finally turned out the way it should have in the beginning. We just wanted it overturned, because we knew he was innocent, and now, we want everyone else to know it, too,” Susie Williams-Carter, 92-year-old sister of Williams, told Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday.&nbsp;

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Vida Robare, white matron, Glen Mills School was found murdered by her estranged ex-husband Fred Robare on October 3, 1930. Glen Mills School is the detention centre for young offenders. Vida was “brutally murdered” in her cottage at the premises of the centre, the district attorney’s statement said. Fred also worked at the same school. &nbsp;

Williams, who was already serving an indefinite term at the facility, was charged with the crime. Without the presence of a lawyer or a parent, he was interrogated five times. Three confessions were also signed by him “despite the lack of eyewitnesses or direct evidence implicating him”, the statement continued. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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In a major development, an African-American teen, who was executed on the charge of murdering a white woman in 1931, has been declared innocent by a court in the US state of Pennsylvania this week, media reports said.

In a major development, an African-American teen, who was executed on the charge of murdering a white woman in 1931, has been declared innocent by a court in the US state of Pennsylvania this week, media reports said. The exoneration came after decades of struggle by his only surviving sister. At the time of the hearing, a white jury had convicted 16-year-old Alexander McClay Williams in just four hours. In the US state of Pennsylvania, Williams is still the youngest person ever to be put to death. Now, after 91 years, the case has been dismissed by the county judge. “I’m just happy that it finally turned out the way it should have in the beginning. We just wanted it overturned, because we knew he was innocent, and now, we want everyone else to know it, too,” Susie Williams-Carter, 92-year-old sister of Williams, told Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE Vida Robare, white matron, Glen Mills School was found murdered by her estranged ex-husband Fred Robare on October 3, 1930. Glen Mills School is the detention centre for young offenders. Vida was “brutally murdered” in her cottage at the premises of the centre, the district attorney’s statement said. Fred also worked at the same school. Williams, who was already serving an indefinite term at the facility, was charged with the crime. Without the presence of a lawyer or a parent, he was interrogated five times. Three confessions were also signed by him “despite the lack of eyewitnesses or direct evidence implicating him”, the statement continued. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

After 91 years, Black teen executed for murder of white woman found innocent by court in US

Life imitates art but sometimes in a way that makes us say 'Nope!' and run away. Artistic freedom may afford space for an author for his/her musings but if it becomes a blue-print for a real-world crime, it's time to nab the criminal. An author in US who wrote 'How to murder your husband' and actually killed her real-life husband has been served poetic justice of sorts and has been sentenced to life in jail.

Nancy Crampton Brophy (71), the convict, will not even be eligible for first 25 years of her prison sentence. A judge in USA's northwestern state of Oregon handed the sentence to the author.

The trial went on for a month. It was heard during the trial how the author used a gun (bought on eBay) to kill her husband Daniel Brophy in order to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in life insurance.

The weapon was bought by Nancy Crampton Brophy as research for her new novel. The gun has not been found.

Chef Daniel Brophy, her husband, &nbsp;was found on the floor of a classroom in a now-defunct culinary institute where he worked, in June 2018. He had been shot twice. His wife was seen driving in the area in a CCTV footage at the time of the murder.

The author has written a series of novels titled &nbsp;"Wrong Never Felt So Right". Some of the novels in this series include "The Wrong Husband" and "The Wrong Lover".

Nancy Crampton Brophy claimed that she had no memory of being present at the crime seen. About CCTV footage, she said tha she would have been in the neighborhood trying to get inspiration for a new work of fiction.

Crampton Brophy, whose lawyers said last month they would appeal the verdict, denied the murder, insisting that years of financial struggle were behind the couple and that she had no reason to kill her husband.

"Where is the motivation? I would ask you," Crampton Brophy said as she sparred with the prosecutor during her trial.

"An editor would laugh and say, 'I think you need to work harder on this story, you have a big hole in it.'"

Her blog post "How to kill your husband," which is still readily available online, discusses methods and motivations for dispatching an unwanted spouse.

These include financial gain and the use of a firearm, although it notes guns are "loud, messy, require some skill."

"But the thing I know about murder is that every one of us have it in him/her when pushed far enough," the essay says.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Life imitates art but sometimes in a way that makes us say 'Nope!' and run away. Artistic freedom may afford space for an author for his/her musings but if it becomes a blue-print for a real-world crime, it's time to nab the criminal.

Life imitates art but sometimes in a way that makes us say 'Nope!' and run away. Artistic freedom may afford space for an author for his/her musings but if it becomes a blue-print for a real-world crime, it's time to nab the criminal. An author in US who wrote 'How to murder your husband' and actually killed her real-life husband has been served poetic justice of sorts and has been sentenced to life in jail. Nancy Crampton Brophy (71), the convict, will not even be eligible for first 25 years of her prison sentence. A judge in USA's northwestern state of Oregon handed the sentence to the author. The trial went on for a month. It was heard during the trial how the author used a gun (bought on eBay) to kill her husband Daniel Brophy in order to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in life insurance. The weapon was bought by Nancy Crampton Brophy as research for her new novel. The gun has not been found. Chef Daniel Brophy, her husband, was found on the floor of a classroom in a now-defunct culinary institute where he worked, in June 2018. He had been shot twice. His wife was seen driving in the area in a CCTV footage at the time of the murder. The author has written a series of novels titled "Wrong Never Felt So Right". Some of the novels in this series include "The Wrong Husband" and "The Wrong Lover". Nancy Crampton Brophy claimed that she had no memory of being present at the crime seen. About CCTV footage, she said tha she would have been in the neighborhood trying to get inspiration for a new work of fiction. Crampton Brophy, whose lawyers said last month they would appeal the verdict, denied the murder, insisting that years of financial struggle were behind the couple and that she had no reason to kill her husband. "Where is the motivation? I would ask you," Crampton Brophy said as she sparred with the prosecutor during her trial. "An editor would laugh and say, 'I think you need to work harder on this story, you have a big hole in it.'" Her blog post "How to kill your husband," which is still readily available online, discusses methods and motivations for dispatching an unwanted spouse. These include financial gain and the use of a firearm, although it notes guns are "loud, messy, require some skill." "But the thing I know about murder is that every one of us have it in him/her when pushed far enough," the essay says. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Hubby-killing author of 'how to murder your husband' gets life in jail

A 17-year-old girl from Bronx, New York City, has been charged for murder and manslaughter for throwing her newborn son out a fifth-floor window, police said.

The teenager, whose name was not released because she is younger than 18, showed up at Lincoln Hospital on October 24, 2021, admitting that she gave birth in her apartment on East 158th Street apartment.

Hospital staff called 911, and police raced to her home. She told the officers that she had given birth inside of her apartment.

Authorities searched the area and found the infant unconscious and unresponsive inside a flowerbed, cops said.&nbsp;

An investigation further revealed that the mother had tossed the baby boy out the fifth-floor window. The newborn landed in the flowerbed in front of the building, according to police.

In April, the police deemed the death a homicide and not stillbirth in April.

Following the completion of the probe, the young mother was arrested on Thursday and charged with murder and manslaughter. She has been taken into custody.

The crime rate in New York City has been witnessing an upward trend over the past decade.

As of April 2022, the city recorded a 42.7 per cent increase in major reported crimes compared to the same period in 2021, according to the NYPD statistics.

Among the reported crimes, there has been a 46.7 per cent rise in robberies, a 54 per cent spike in grand larceny incidents and a 14.9 per cent jump in rapes.

Murder rates have also increased by 9.2 per cent over the last two years.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A 17-year-old girl from Bronx, New York City, has been charged for murder and manslaughter for throwing her newborn son out a fifth-floor window, police said. The teenager, whose name was not released because she is younger than 18, showed up at Lincoln Hospital on October 24, 2021, admitting that she gave birth in her apartment on East 158th Street apartment.

A 17-year-old girl from Bronx, New York City, has been charged for murder and manslaughter for throwing her newborn son out a fifth-floor window, police said. The teenager, whose name was not released because she is younger than 18, showed up at Lincoln Hospital on October 24, 2021, admitting that she gave birth in her apartment on East 158th Street apartment. Hospital staff called 911, and police raced to her home. She told the officers that she had given birth inside of her apartment. Authorities searched the area and found the infant unconscious and unresponsive inside a flowerbed, cops said. An investigation further revealed that the mother had tossed the baby boy out the fifth-floor window. The newborn landed in the flowerbed in front of the building, according to police. In April, the police deemed the death a homicide and not stillbirth in April. Following the completion of the probe, the young mother was arrested on Thursday and charged with murder and manslaughter. She has been taken into custody. The crime rate in New York City has been witnessing an upward trend over the past decade. As of April 2022, the city recorded a 42.7 per cent increase in major reported crimes compared to the same period in 2021, according to the NYPD statistics. Among the reported crimes, there has been a 46.7 per cent rise in robberies, a 54 per cent spike in grand larceny incidents and a 14.9 per cent jump in rapes. Murder rates have also increased by 9.2 per cent over the last two years. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

17-year-old mother arrested for throwing one-day-old baby out of fifth floor window

A prosecutor in Michigan said that a white police officer was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting a Black man during a traffic stop two months ago. The incident took place in Grand Rapids.

Christopher Becker, Kent County prosecuting attorney, announced the decision to charge Chritopher Schurr (policeman) with murder during a news conference. Schurr is charged with murder of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee.

Lyoya's family has protested against his killing which was recorded in the body camera Schurr was wearing. Lyoya's killing also sparked protests by activists who condemned the shooting as an example of unjustified deadly force by police against young Black men.

"We have a duty to enforce the law, be it on the police or the public," Becker, the Kent County prosecuting attorney, told reporters.

Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump welcomed the decision to charge Schurr with second-degree murder.&nbsp;

"While the road to justice for Patrick and his family has just begun, this decision is a crucial step in the right direction," Crump said. He was quoted by AFP.

"Officer Schurr must be held accountable for his decision to pursue an unarmed Patrick, ultimately shooting him in the back of the head and killing him -- for nothing more than a traffic stop."

US civil rights leader Al Sharpton spoke at the funeral in April of Lyoya, whose family came to the United States in 2014 from the Democratic Republic of Congo.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A prosecutor in Michigan said that a white police officer was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting a Black man during a traffic stop two months ago.

A prosecutor in Michigan said that a white police officer was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting a Black man during a traffic stop two months ago. The incident took place in Grand Rapids. Christopher Becker, Kent County prosecuting attorney, announced the decision to charge Chritopher Schurr (policeman) with murder during a news conference. Schurr is charged with murder of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee. Lyoya's family has protested against his killing which was recorded in the body camera Schurr was wearing. Lyoya's killing also sparked protests by activists who condemned the shooting as an example of unjustified deadly force by police against young Black men. "We have a duty to enforce the law, be it on the police or the public," Becker, the Kent County prosecuting attorney, told reporters. Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump welcomed the decision to charge Schurr with second-degree murder. "While the road to justice for Patrick and his family has just begun, this decision is a crucial step in the right direction," Crump said. He was quoted by AFP. "Officer Schurr must be held accountable for his decision to pursue an unarmed Patrick, ultimately shooting him in the back of the head and killing him -- for nothing more than a traffic stop." US civil rights leader Al Sharpton spoke at the funeral in April of Lyoya, whose family came to the United States in 2014 from the Democratic Republic of Congo. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Michigan: White policeman charged with murder of a Black man

A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon, a cop nicknamed &nbsp;"Joe Ferrari" for his taste in fast cars, guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom, and was sentenced to be jailed for life on Wednesday

Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat's head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death.

The judge at Bangkok's Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced the 41-year-old to death but immediately commuted it to life imprisonment.

"I felt helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying," Jakkrit Klandi, the victim's father, said outside the court. "All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime," he said.

The court reduced Thitisan's sentence to life imprisonment because he had attempted to revive the suspect, and had paid for the funeral expenses for the family.&nbsp;

But Penh Thanapat, the Jirapong's mother, was not satisfied, telling reporters she never wanted to see&nbsp;Thitisan's face. "I want (the death sentence). I want things to happen to him as they happened to my son," she said.

Thitisan looked healthy and was seen chuckling with guards inside the courtroom before the verdict, but closed his eyes as the sentence was read.&nbsp;

Five of the other six officers involved in the case were found guilty of murder and also received life sentences. A seventh got five years and four months, following his testimony. Thitisan and the other officers have a month to appeal against the verdict, according to their lawyers.

The victim's parents said they were unhappy with the officers' offer of 600,000 baht ($17,000) compensation, with Jakkrit telling reporters he would consult lawyers. They had initially asked the court for 1.6 million baht.

After the footage leaked in August last year, the officer -- a former district chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan -- surrendered himself to police, who raided his Bangkok mansion and found several luxury cars. In a press conference after his surrender, he said Jirapong's death was an accident.

[with inputs from agencies]

A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon, a cop nicknamed "Joe Ferrari" for his taste in fast cars, guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom, and was sentenced to be jailed for life on Wednesday Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat's head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death.

A Bangkok court found Thitisan Utthanaphon, a cop nicknamed "Joe Ferrari" for his taste in fast cars, guilty of murder by torture in a case that caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom, and was sentenced to be jailed for life on Wednesday Leaked viral footage showed Thitisan and six other officers wrapping seven plastic bags around 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat's head while questioning him and trying to extort $60,000, leading to his death. The judge at Bangkok's Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced the 41-year-old to death but immediately commuted it to life imprisonment. "I felt helpless during the ruling, and my wife was crying," Jakkrit Klandi, the victim's father, said outside the court. "All seven officers should learn their lesson and pay for their crime," he said. The court reduced Thitisan's sentence to life imprisonment because he had attempted to revive the suspect, and had paid for the funeral expenses for the family. But Penh Thanapat, the Jirapong's mother, was not satisfied, telling reporters she never wanted to see Thitisan's face. "I want (the death sentence). I want things to happen to him as they happened to my son," she said. Thitisan looked healthy and was seen chuckling with guards inside the courtroom before the verdict, but closed his eyes as the sentence was read. Five of the other six officers involved in the case were found guilty of murder and also received life sentences. A seventh got five years and four months, following his testimony. Thitisan and the other officers have a month to appeal against the verdict, according to their lawyers. The victim's parents said they were unhappy with the officers' offer of 600,000 baht ($17,000) compensation, with Jakkrit telling reporters he would consult lawyers. They had initially asked the court for 1.6 million baht. After the footage leaked in August last year, the officer -- a former district chief in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan -- surrendered himself to police, who raided his Bangkok mansion and found several luxury cars. In a press conference after his surrender, he said Jirapong's death was an accident. [with inputs from agencies]

Thai cop found guilty of murder by torture jailed for life

The 46-year-old Gonzalo Lopez, a Texas inmate suspected of murdering five people after he escaped from a prison bus was killed by authorities on Thursday.

He escaped the prison bus on May 12 after stabbing the bus driver and later he killed a family of five and stole their truck from a rural weekend cabin.

Lopez was killed about 10:30 pm Thursday in Jourdanton, Texas, about 35 miles (55km) south of San Antonio, said Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

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Law enforcement responded to a possible sighting of Texas escapee Gonzalo Lopez last night in Madison County, TX. They received two calls about a suspicious male near Hwy 21 and the Navasota River. The Mexican Mafia member was not located. Manhunt continues. <a href="https://t.co/zaEqIXtoD8">pic.twitter.com/zaEqIXtoD8</a>
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“Law enforcement in Atascosa county located the stolen vehicle disabled it with spike strips, and gunfire ensued,” Clark said in a statement. No officers were injured, he said.

Lopez crashed the vehicle and then engaged in a firefight with officers, he said.

"He fired several rounds at officers and was armed with an AR-15 and a pistol," Clark said, adding they believe the firearms were likely stolen from the home in Centerville where the family was killed.

The officers fired at Lopez and disabled the bus by shooting the rear tire, the department said. The bus then travelled a short distance before leaving the roadway, where Lopez got out and ran into the woods.

Lopez had been convicted of capital murder, attempted capital murder and aggravated kidnapping, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was serving two life sentences for those convictions.

Authorities had said Lopez was allegedly affiliated with the Mexican Mafia.

[ With inputs from agencies] 
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The 46-year-old Gonzalo Lopez, a Texas inmate suspected of murdering five people after he escaped from a prison bus was killed by authorities on Thursday. He escaped the prison bus on May 12 after stabbing the bus driver and later he killed a family of five and stole their truck from a rural weekend cabin.

The 46-year-old Gonzalo Lopez, a Texas inmate suspected of murdering five people after he escaped from a prison bus was killed by authorities on Thursday. He escaped the prison bus on May 12 after stabbing the bus driver and later he killed a family of five and stole their truck from a rural weekend cabin. Lopez was killed about 10:30 pm Thursday in Jourdanton, Texas, about 35 miles (55km) south of San Antonio, said Jason Clark, spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Law enforcement responded to a possible sighting of Texas escapee Gonzalo Lopez last night in Madison County, TX. They received two calls about a suspicious male near Hwy 21 and the Navasota River. The Mexican Mafia member was not located. Manhunt continues. pic.twitter.com/zaEqIXtoD8 — Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) June 1, 2022 × “Law enforcement in Atascosa county located the stolen vehicle disabled it with spike strips, and gunfire ensued,” Clark said in a statement. No officers were injured, he said. Lopez crashed the vehicle and then engaged in a firefight with officers, he said. "He fired several rounds at officers and was armed with an AR-15 and a pistol," Clark said, adding they believe the firearms were likely stolen from the home in Centerville where the family was killed. The officers fired at Lopez and disabled the bus by shooting the rear tire, the department said. The bus then travelled a short distance before leaving the roadway, where Lopez got out and ran into the woods. Lopez had been convicted of capital murder, attempted capital murder and aggravated kidnapping, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was serving two life sentences for those convictions. Authorities had said Lopez was allegedly affiliated with the Mexican Mafia. [ With inputs from agencies] WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Texas prison bus escape convict killed

If ever you wanted to understand what 'life imitates art' means then perhaps this can be your crash course. A novelist in US who wrote an essay&nbsp;titled "How To Murder Your Husband" has been found guilty of murdering her husband. She shot her husband twice through the chest. Do firearms appear in her essay? Absolutely!

Nancy Crampton Brophy (71) was found guilty of murdering her husband Daniel Brophy. The jury in Portland, Oregon took eight hours to deliberate on Wednesday to reach their conclusion.&nbsp;

Prosecutors said the writer, whose "Wrong Never Felt So Right" series of novels include "The Wrong Husband" and "The Wrong Lover," had been struggling financially before she shot her husband twice through the heart in June 2018 at a culinary institute where he worked.

Crampton Brophy had denied the charge against her. She insisted that security camera footage that put her at the scene of the crime merely showed her scouting for writerly inspiration.

She says a missing gun (suspected by police to be the murder weapon) was purchased for research for a novel. She also claimed that she was not after hundreds of thousands of dollars in life assurance she would get after her husband's death.

As per the local media, Crampton Brophy's lawyer plans to appeal the conviction

"Nancy Brophy loved her husband," attorney Kristen Winemiller told the jury at the trial. "You can see that in her eyes every time she talked about him. Her eyes lit up, they absolutely twinkled."

Prosecutor Shawn Overstreet laid out reams of evidence showing how Crampton Brophy had plotted to kill her husband, who was 63.

"It’s not just about the money. It’s about the lifestyle Nancy desired that Dan could not give her," he said during the trial.

Crampton Brophy had rejected claims of penury when she took to the stand last week, insisting her monetary woes had long been resolved.

"I do better with Dan alive financially than I do with Dan dead," she said.

Crampton Brophy faces life imprisonment.

(With inputs from agencies)

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If ever you wanted to understand what 'life imitates art' means then perhaps this can be your crash course. A novelist in US who wrote an essay titled "How To Murder Your Husband" has been found guilty of murdering her husband.

If ever you wanted to understand what 'life imitates art' means then perhaps this can be your crash course. A novelist in US who wrote an essay titled "How To Murder Your Husband" has been found guilty of murdering her husband. She shot her husband twice through the chest. Do firearms appear in her essay? Absolutely! Nancy Crampton Brophy (71) was found guilty of murdering her husband Daniel Brophy. The jury in Portland, Oregon took eight hours to deliberate on Wednesday to reach their conclusion. Prosecutors said the writer, whose "Wrong Never Felt So Right" series of novels include "The Wrong Husband" and "The Wrong Lover," had been struggling financially before she shot her husband twice through the heart in June 2018 at a culinary institute where he worked. Crampton Brophy had denied the charge against her. She insisted that security camera footage that put her at the scene of the crime merely showed her scouting for writerly inspiration. She says a missing gun (suspected by police to be the murder weapon) was purchased for research for a novel. She also claimed that she was not after hundreds of thousands of dollars in life assurance she would get after her husband's death. As per the local media, Crampton Brophy's lawyer plans to appeal the conviction "Nancy Brophy loved her husband," attorney Kristen Winemiller told the jury at the trial. "You can see that in her eyes every time she talked about him. Her eyes lit up, they absolutely twinkled." Prosecutor Shawn Overstreet laid out reams of evidence showing how Crampton Brophy had plotted to kill her husband, who was 63. "It’s not just about the money. It’s about the lifestyle Nancy desired that Dan could not give her," he said during the trial. Crampton Brophy had rejected claims of penury when she took to the stand last week, insisting her monetary woes had long been resolved. "I do better with Dan alive financially than I do with Dan dead," she said. Crampton Brophy faces life imprisonment. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Novelist writes 'How to murder your husband' and actually kills her spouse

In Canada, self-induced extreme intoxication or drinking too much alcohol to the point that you lose control is a valid defence for violent crimes like homicide and sexual assault.

The Supreme Court of Canada, on Friday, ruled that a 1995 law that prohibits this defence was unconstitutional and in violation of the country's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Because of this defendants can now claim that their heinous actions were involuntary and a result of consuming alcohol or drugs.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/making-comments-about-a-mans-baldness-is-now-sexual-harassment-478676" hreflang="en">Calling a man 'bald' is sexual harassment, equal to commenting on woman's breasts, says British tribunal</a>

This defence will make it so that they can't be held criminally liable for their actions.&nbsp;When a person uses an extreme intoxication or 'non-mental disorder automatism' defence, they claim they are not in their senses or had grossly impaired consciousness due to the drugs or alcohol in their systems.&nbsp;

The issue of this law's constitutionality came to light in connection with three separate cases.&nbsp;

As part of the Friday ruling, the court upheld the acquittal in two of the cases and said a trial can be ordered in the third one.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: UK's 'epidemic of violence' against women

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One of the cases involved a man named David Sullivan, who in December 2013 attempted suicide by consuming a prescription drug that has the side effect of psychosis. In the psychotic state, he then stabbed his mother, thinking she was an alien.&nbsp;

He was convicted of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. An appeal court found the sentence unfair and said that the 1995 law was unconstitutional, acquitting David.

This acquittal has now been upheld.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oblivious-to-the-heists-value-thieves-in-hong-kong-sell-a-292-million-scroll-for-25-478705" hreflang="en">Oblivious to the heist's value, thieves in Hong Kong sell a $292 million scroll for $25</a>

As per the court, intoxication that does not cause automatism' is not a defence for violent crimes like murder or sexual assault.

While the courts have for years been divided on the issue, women advocacy groups have long supported the 1995 law. According to them, this law is essential for preventing violence against women and children.

In Canada, as per government data, women account for four out of five victims of abuse, or violence at the hands of a partner. Additionally, women are five times more likely to experience sexual assault.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In Canada, self-induced extreme intoxication or drinking too much alcohol to the point that you lose control is a valid defence for violent crimes like homicide and sexual assault.

In Canada, self-induced extreme intoxication or drinking too much alcohol to the point that you lose control is a valid defence for violent crimes like homicide and sexual assault. The Supreme Court of Canada, on Friday, ruled that a 1995 law that prohibits this defence was unconstitutional and in violation of the country's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Because of this defendants can now claim that their heinous actions were involuntary and a result of consuming alcohol or drugs. Also read | Calling a man 'bald' is sexual harassment, equal to commenting on woman's breasts, says British tribunal This defence will make it so that they can't be held criminally liable for their actions. When a person uses an extreme intoxication or 'non-mental disorder automatism' defence, they claim they are not in their senses or had grossly impaired consciousness due to the drugs or alcohol in their systems. The issue of this law's constitutionality came to light in connection with three separate cases. As part of the Friday ruling, the court upheld the acquittal in two of the cases and said a trial can be ordered in the third one. Watch | Gravitas: UK's 'epidemic of violence' against women One of the cases involved a man named David Sullivan, who in December 2013 attempted suicide by consuming a prescription drug that has the side effect of psychosis. In the psychotic state, he then stabbed his mother, thinking she was an alien. He was convicted of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. An appeal court found the sentence unfair and said that the 1995 law was unconstitutional, acquitting David. This acquittal has now been upheld. Also read | Oblivious to the heist's value, thieves in Hong Kong sell a $292 million scroll for $25 As per the court, intoxication that does not cause automatism' is not a defence for violent crimes like murder or sexual assault. While the courts have for years been divided on the issue, women advocacy groups have long supported the 1995 law. According to them, this law is essential for preventing violence against women and children. In Canada, as per government data, women account for four out of five victims of abuse, or violence at the hands of a partner. Additionally, women are five times more likely to experience sexual assault. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE:

In Canada, extreme intoxication is now a defence for heinous crimes like murder, rape

In a bizarre case, a man in the US has been accussed of killing his grandfather to garner trust fund money and then killing his own mother at sea to rob inheritance money worth millions.

US authorities have charged the 28-year-old Nathan Carman with murder and fraud. Carmen had reportedly taken his mother on a fishing trip and she was then reported missing as reports claimed it sank off Rhode Island in 2016.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop-inmate-romance-did-a-female-us-officer-help-escape-and-disappear-with-a-murder-suspect-475859">Also Read:&nbsp;</a><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/cop-inmate-romance-did-a-female-us-officer-help-escape-and-disappear-with-a-murder-suspect-475859" hreflang="en">Romance or kidnap? Did a female US cop help escape of, or disappear with, a murder suspect?</a>

US prosecutor alleged Carman lied to Coast Guard officials about his mother's disappearance. He is reported to have shot his grandfather John Chakalos, 87, in 2013 while he was asleep.

US authorities claimed Carman had acquired a rifle from his New Hampshire driver's licence.

Watch:&nbsp;Three white men sentenced to life in prison for murdering a black man Ahmaud Arbery

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The US attorney in Vermont said Carmen's motive was to "obtain money and property from the estate of John Chakalos and related family trusts". Carman had denied he was responsible for his mother's disappearance and for his grandfather's killing.

Carman's grandfather had reportedly put $550,000 into his account with reports indicating he wanted his mother to designate him as a beneficiary of her inheritance.

“As a central part of the scheme, Nathan Carman murdered John Chakalos and Linda Carman,” the US &nbsp;indictment said, adding that, "Nathan Carman planned to kill his mother on the trip.”

Carman faces life in prison if convicted.

(With inputs from Agencies)

 
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In a bizarre case, a man in the US has been accussed of killing his grandfather to garner trust fund money and then killing his own mother at sea to rob inheritance money worth millions.

In a bizarre case, a man in the US has been accussed of killing his grandfather to garner trust fund money and then killing his own mother at sea to rob inheritance money worth millions. US authorities have charged the 28-year-old Nathan Carman with murder and fraud. Carmen had reportedly taken his mother on a fishing trip and she was then reported missing as reports claimed it sank off Rhode Island in 2016. Also Read: Romance or kidnap? Did a female US cop help escape of, or disappear with, a murder suspect? US prosecutor alleged Carman lied to Coast Guard officials about his mother's disappearance. He is reported to have shot his grandfather John Chakalos, 87, in 2013 while he was asleep. US authorities claimed Carman had acquired a rifle from his New Hampshire driver's licence. Watch: Three white men sentenced to life in prison for murdering a black man Ahmaud Arbery The US attorney in Vermont said Carmen's motive was to "obtain money and property from the estate of John Chakalos and related family trusts". Carman had denied he was responsible for his mother's disappearance and for his grandfather's killing. Carman's grandfather had reportedly put $550,000 into his account with reports indicating he wanted his mother to designate him as a beneficiary of her inheritance. “As a central part of the scheme, Nathan Carman murdered John Chakalos and Linda Carman,” the US indictment said, adding that, "Nathan Carman planned to kill his mother on the trip.” Carman faces life in prison if convicted. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Man accused of killing mother at sea, shooting grandfather, prime motive?

Police in Toronto, Canada are investigating after body of a young Black girl was found in a dumpster. Police are even looking at the homicide angle. The body has been found in the upscale neighbouthood in the city&nbsp;

“Our first priority now is to establish the identity of this little girl. The investigators will leave no stone unturned,” Insp Hank Idsinga told reporters. The inspector was quoted by The Guardian.

“Kids don’t just die.”

As per media reports, the girl is between four and seven years of age. The body was found in Rosedale area of Toronto which is an affluent neighbourhood.

Police say that level of of decomposition suggests that the girl was dead last summer. According to police, the girl was African or mixed African descent. She was three and a half feet tall.

The Guardian reports that police think the body was dumped in the dumpster near a construction site between April 28 and May 2. The location is near a highway and close to an apartment building. Police have started looking for any video footage of the area although there were no cameras directly facing the dumpster.

The incident has been decried as "unspeakbale tragedy" by John Tory, Mayor of Toronto.

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Police in Toronto, Canada are investigating after body of a young Black girl was found in a dumpster. Police are even looking at the homicide angle. The body has been found in the upscale neighbouthood in the city “Our first priority now is to establish the identity of this little girl.

Police in Toronto, Canada are investigating after body of a young Black girl was found in a dumpster. Police are even looking at the homicide angle. The body has been found in the upscale neighbouthood in the city “Our first priority now is to establish the identity of this little girl. The investigators will leave no stone unturned,” Insp Hank Idsinga told reporters. The inspector was quoted by The Guardian. “Kids don’t just die.” As per media reports, the girl is between four and seven years of age. The body was found in Rosedale area of Toronto which is an affluent neighbourhood. Police say that level of of decomposition suggests that the girl was dead last summer. According to police, the girl was African or mixed African descent. She was three and a half feet tall. The Guardian reports that police think the body was dumped in the dumpster near a construction site between April 28 and May 2. The location is near a highway and close to an apartment building. Police have started looking for any video footage of the area although there were no cameras directly facing the dumpster. The incident has been decried as "unspeakbale tragedy" by John Tory, Mayor of Toronto. Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Body of a Black girl found in dumpster in upscale area of Toronto

The body of Indian student who was killed in Toronto last week would arrive in the national capital Delhi on Saturday, news agency ANI reported.

Kartik Vasudev, who hailed from northern Ghaziabad city,&nbsp;was shot dead on April 7 evening near Sherbourne TTC station in St James Town. He received medical attention from an off-duty paramedic and was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the Toronto Police Service said in a statement.

Kartik's father Hitesh told ANI, "(Accused) Edwin has been produced before the court and is being asked to hire a lawyer for the next hearing that is being scheduled on Wednesday (April 20)."&nbsp;

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Ghaziabad, UP | Toronto Police has said that the accused has been produced before court &amp; has been asked to hire a lawyer because of which next hearing is on April 20... Body (of Kartik Vasudev) will arrive in New Delhi tomorrow (Apr 16): Hitesh Vasudev, deceased's father <a href="https://t.co/NlPy9f5vOt">https://t.co/NlPy9f5vOt</a> <a href="https://t.co/I8aSK5FpRJ">pic.twitter.com/I8aSK5FpRJ</a>
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1514886896459325450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Kartik was in his first year and had moved to Canada in January to pursue higher education. He was staying in an apartment with his cousin and&nbsp;used to work at a restaurant in Downtown area

On Wednesday, Toronto police nabbed Richard Jonathan Edwin (39)&nbsp;in connection with two homicide cases, including Kartik's case. The police said that both the cases were an act of random attacks and ruled out any hate crime.

“The two victims were not known to the accused or each other. Investigators are working to establish the motive behind the attacks, and a probe is underway.”

However, Karti's father refused to believe it to be a case of random attack and sought the central government's intervention in the matter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/killer-of-indian-student-arrested-with-large-cache-of-guns-at-home-says-canadian-police-470735">Alleged killer of Indian student arrested with large ‘cache of guns at home’, says Canadian Police</a>

Seneca College said Kartik was enrolled in its marketing management programme.

"The Seneca community is saddened to hear of the tragic death of Kartik Vasudev, a first-semester Marketing Management student," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Our thoughts are with his family, friends and classmates. Counselling support is being made available to students and employees.

The body of Indian student who was killed in Toronto last week would arrive in the national capital Delhi on Saturday, news agency ANI reported. Kartik Vasudev, who hailed from northern Ghaziabad city, was shot dead on April 7 evening near Sherbourne TTC station in St James Town.

The body of Indian student who was killed in Toronto last week would arrive in the national capital Delhi on Saturday, news agency ANI reported. Kartik Vasudev, who hailed from northern Ghaziabad city, was shot dead on April 7 evening near Sherbourne TTC station in St James Town. He received medical attention from an off-duty paramedic and was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the Toronto Police Service said in a statement. Kartik's father Hitesh told ANI, "(Accused) Edwin has been produced before the court and is being asked to hire a lawyer for the next hearing that is being scheduled on Wednesday (April 20)." Ghaziabad, UP | Toronto Police has said that the accused has been produced before court & has been asked to hire a lawyer because of which next hearing is on April 20... Body (of Kartik Vasudev) will arrive in New Delhi tomorrow (Apr 16): Hitesh Vasudev, deceased's father https://t.co/NlPy9f5vOt pic.twitter.com/I8aSK5FpRJ — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) April 15, 2022 × Kartik was in his first year and had moved to Canada in January to pursue higher education. He was staying in an apartment with his cousin and used to work at a restaurant in Downtown area On Wednesday, Toronto police nabbed Richard Jonathan Edwin (39) in connection with two homicide cases, including Kartik's case. The police said that both the cases were an act of random attacks and ruled out any hate crime. “The two victims were not known to the accused or each other. Investigators are working to establish the motive behind the attacks, and a probe is underway.” However, Karti's father refused to believe it to be a case of random attack and sought the central government's intervention in the matter. Also read | Alleged killer of Indian student arrested with large ‘cache of guns at home’, says Canadian Police Seneca College said Kartik was enrolled in its marketing management programme. "The Seneca community is saddened to hear of the tragic death of Kartik Vasudev, a first-semester Marketing Management student," a spokesperson said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and classmates. Counselling support is being made available to students and employees.

Body of Indian student killed in Canada to be brought home on Saturday

A Chinese court sentenced a US citizen to death on Thursday over the intentional&nbsp;homicide&nbsp;of his girlfriend, an official notice said.

The court found that Shadeed Abdulmateen had stabbed the 21-year-old woman in her face and neck multiple times last year when they met to talk after disagreements over their relationship.

Shadeed and the woman surnamed Chen started dating after they met in 2019 but she subsequently wanted to break up, according to the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morning-news-brief-koreas-making-efforts-to-improve-relations-ex-honduran-prez-extradited-to-us-and-more-472836">Morning news brief: Koreas making efforts to improve relations, ex-Honduran prez extradited to US and more</a>

"From mid to late May 2021, Chen proposed breaking up many times, but Shadeed did not agree and made verbal threats to her," the court said on Thursday.

The two met in June 2021 near a bus stop in Ningbo, where Shadeed turned up with a folding knife and stabbed her, the notice said, adding that he was found guilty of intentional&nbsp;homicide.

"Shadeed premediated a revenge killing, stabbing and cutting Chen's face and neck multiple times, causing Chen's death," the court said.

Watch |&nbsp;US President Joe Biden announces $800 million military aid to Ukraine

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The US Embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Human rights advocates say China executes more prisoners every year than any other country, but executions of Westerners are rare.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-10-world-news-is-claims-mazar-e-sharif-blast-elon-musk-latest-more-news-472784">Top 10 world news: IS claims Mazar-e-Sharif blast, Elon Musk latest, more news</a>

The most recent case involving the holder of a passport from a Western country is believed to be that of Akmal Shaikh, a British citizen who was executed in 2009 for heroin trafficking, according to state news agency Xinhua.

A Chinese court sentenced a US citizen to death on Thursday over the intentional homicide of his girlfriend, an official notice said. The court found that Shadeed Abdulmateen had stabbed the 21-year-old woman in her face and neck multiple times last year when they met to talk after disagreements over their relationship.

A Chinese court sentenced a US citizen to death on Thursday over the intentional homicide of his girlfriend, an official notice said. The court found that Shadeed Abdulmateen had stabbed the 21-year-old woman in her face and neck multiple times last year when they met to talk after disagreements over their relationship. Shadeed and the woman surnamed Chen started dating after they met in 2019 but she subsequently wanted to break up, according to the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court. Also read | Morning news brief: Koreas making efforts to improve relations, ex-Honduran prez extradited to US and more "From mid to late May 2021, Chen proposed breaking up many times, but Shadeed did not agree and made verbal threats to her," the court said on Thursday. The two met in June 2021 near a bus stop in Ningbo, where Shadeed turned up with a folding knife and stabbed her, the notice said, adding that he was found guilty of intentional homicide. "Shadeed premediated a revenge killing, stabbing and cutting Chen's face and neck multiple times, causing Chen's death," the court said. Watch | US President Joe Biden announces $800 million military aid to Ukraine The US Embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Human rights advocates say China executes more prisoners every year than any other country, but executions of Westerners are rare. Also read | Top 10 world news: IS claims Mazar-e-Sharif blast, Elon Musk latest, more news The most recent case involving the holder of a passport from a Western country is believed to be that of Akmal Shaikh, a British citizen who was executed in 2009 for heroin trafficking, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Chinese court hands US citizen death sentence for murder

The police in Toronto claimed to have arrested a man suspected of killing 21-year-old Indian student Kartik Vasudev near the Sherbourne subway station last week.

The killer has been identified as 39-year-old Richard Jonathan Edwin, who is charged in another murder case that took place just two days after Vasudev was shot dead

According to police, Edwin’s second victim was Elijah Eleazar Mahepath (35), who was walking westbound on the north side of Dundas Street East near George Street.

Edwin was arrested Sunday evening with a cache of loaded guns at his disposal, police said.

Briefing the reporters on Tuesday, Toronto police chief James Ramer said both the attacks were random killings and completely “unprovoked”.

"Kartik was just outside the Sherbourne subway station last Thursday when he was approached by a stranger...Unprovoked, this man shot Kartik multiple times, killing him," Ramer told reporters.

“Any death is tragic, but these men were completely innocent, and their murders were absolutely random acts of violence," he added.

Police said that Edwin has no prior murder cases against him and was in “lawful” possession of these guns.

Ramer believes that had the suspect not been caught sooner, there could have been a string of random attacks across the city.

"When, I don't know, but he had an arsenal at home. Frankly, I believe this might have just been a first step," Ramer said.

The police have now launched a probe to find out about his background and if he is associated with any organisation.

Vasudev hailed from Ghaziabad city in Uttar Pradesh. He had moved to Canada in January to pursue higher studies, according to his family.

He was shot on Thursday evening at the Glen Road entrance to Sherbourne TTC station in St James Town. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Watch |&nbsp;Canada: Suspected killer of Indian student Kartik Vasudev arrested

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(With inputs from agencies)

The police in Toronto claimed to have arrested a man suspected of killing 21-year-old Indian student Kartik Vasudev near the Sherbourne subway station last week.

The police in Toronto claimed to have arrested a man suspected of killing 21-year-old Indian student Kartik Vasudev near the Sherbourne subway station last week. The killer has been identified as 39-year-old Richard Jonathan Edwin, who is charged in another murder case that took place just two days after Vasudev was shot dead According to police, Edwin’s second victim was Elijah Eleazar Mahepath (35), who was walking westbound on the north side of Dundas Street East near George Street. Edwin was arrested Sunday evening with a cache of loaded guns at his disposal, police said. Briefing the reporters on Tuesday, Toronto police chief James Ramer said both the attacks were random killings and completely “unprovoked”. "Kartik was just outside the Sherbourne subway station last Thursday when he was approached by a stranger...Unprovoked, this man shot Kartik multiple times, killing him," Ramer told reporters. “Any death is tragic, but these men were completely innocent, and their murders were absolutely random acts of violence," he added. Police said that Edwin has no prior murder cases against him and was in “lawful” possession of these guns. Ramer believes that had the suspect not been caught sooner, there could have been a string of random attacks across the city. "When, I don't know, but he had an arsenal at home. Frankly, I believe this might have just been a first step," Ramer said. The police have now launched a probe to find out about his background and if he is associated with any organisation. Vasudev hailed from Ghaziabad city in Uttar Pradesh. He had moved to Canada in January to pursue higher studies, according to his family. He was shot on Thursday evening at the Glen Road entrance to Sherbourne TTC station in St James Town. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Watch | Canada: Suspected killer of Indian student Kartik Vasudev arrested (With inputs from agencies)

Alleged killer of Indian student arrested with large ‘cache of guns at home’, says Canadian Police

A 37-year-old man confessed to stabbing his teacher to death nearly three decades after he was allegedly humiliated by her in primary school, according to the Belgian prosecutors.<o:p></o:p>

Gunter Uwents, when questioned by the investigators, said that he never forgot his alleged interaction with Maria Verlinden, 59, in the 1990s when he was just seven years old.<o:p></o:p>

According to the statement, he claimed that he lost control while visiting her in November 2020 at her home in Noorderwijk near Antwerp. He ended up stabbing her 101 times in the kitchen.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/an-extraordinary-find-a-36-million-year-old-prehistoric-whale-fossil-found-in-peru-463329" hreflang="en">'An extraordinary find': A 36-million-year-old prehistoric whale fossil found in Peru</a>

Police have been investigating this case for a long time and after taking hundreds of DNA samples over a period of 16 months, the victim’s husband made a public appeal for witnesses. Police ruled out any chances of robbery as her purse containing cash was left untouched on the kitchen table.<o:p></o:p>

In March last year, Uwents had admitted the crime to a friend who alerted the police. The prosecutors said that his DNA sample matched the traces found on the crime scene.<o:p></o:p>

Lut Verlinden, 62, the victim’s sister, who also taught Uwents in the 1990s, told Het Nieuwsblad: “We are all confused. I have contacted all former colleagues with whom Gunter was in class, but no one can remember an incident between him and Maria.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-ukraine-conflict-intensifies-russian-president-vladimir-putin-issues-warning-to-traitors-463306">Russian President Vladimir Putin issues warning to 'traitors'</a>

“Gunter was always a quiet, introverted boy. There was nothing more to say about him. His parents are also very good Catholic people. I feel sorry for them, because they will never dare to show themselves in Noorderwijk again, I’m afraid,” she added.

A 37-year-old man confessed to stabbing his teacher to death nearly three decades after he was allegedly humiliated by her in primary school, according to the Belgian prosecutors.

A 37-year-old man confessed to stabbing his teacher to death nearly three decades after he was allegedly humiliated by her in primary school, according to the Belgian prosecutors. Gunter Uwents, when questioned by the investigators, said that he never forgot his alleged interaction with Maria Verlinden, 59, in the 1990s when he was just seven years old. According to the statement, he claimed that he lost control while visiting her in November 2020 at her home in Noorderwijk near Antwerp. He ended up stabbing her 101 times in the kitchen. Also read | 'An extraordinary find': A 36-million-year-old prehistoric whale fossil found in Peru Police have been investigating this case for a long time and after taking hundreds of DNA samples over a period of 16 months, the victim’s husband made a public appeal for witnesses. Police ruled out any chances of robbery as her purse containing cash was left untouched on the kitchen table. In March last year, Uwents had admitted the crime to a friend who alerted the police. The prosecutors said that his DNA sample matched the traces found on the crime scene. Lut Verlinden, 62, the victim’s sister, who also taught Uwents in the 1990s, told Het Nieuwsblad: “We are all confused. I have contacted all former colleagues with whom Gunter was in class, but no one can remember an incident between him and Maria. Also read | Russian President Vladimir Putin issues warning to 'traitors' “Gunter was always a quiet, introverted boy. There was nothing more to say about him. His parents are also very good Catholic people. I feel sorry for them, because they will never dare to show themselves in Noorderwijk again, I’m afraid,” she added.

Belgian man admits killing teacher by stabbing her 101 times, 3 decades after ‘humiliation’

After an ACCI senior adviser to the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mohammad Dawood Musa was killed by a gunman at his home in the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, the organisation has expressed concern over what it says is an increasing trend in the killings of businessmen.

According to media reports Dawood died after being taken to hospital.&nbsp;Dawood’s relatives said that the gunman first took him out of the car and then a man shot him in the heart about a meter away, following which the perpetrators fled.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/female-foreign-ministers-call-on-taliban-to-lift-restrictions-on-afghan-women-460886">Female Foreign Ministers of 17 countries call on Taliban to lift restrictions on Afghan women</a>

Expressing concern, the Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) in Afghanistan said that, “killings and kidnappings of businessmen have increased the country.”

While mentioning the raised concerns among the country’s businessmen, ACCI said that the Islamic emirate should pay serious attention to this matter.

As per the Chamber of Commerce and Investment&nbsp;that Musa played a key role in drafting the Afghanistan-Pakistan Investment Law, tax law and transit agreements.

ACCI also added that Mohammad Dawood Musa represented Mercedes-Benz in Afghanistan and played a key role in the growth of the country's private sector.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/new-face-of-afghanistan-women-march-in-support-of-taliban-412337">New face of Afghanistan? Women march in support of Taliban</a>

“I ask the Islamic Emirate to find the killer of Dawood Musa and bring him to justice,” said Khanjan Alokozai, a member of the board of the ACCI said in an interview with&nbsp;Tolo news.

“In the private sector, this is a huge loss. In the future, the Islamic Emirate must pay attention to protecting the lives and property of traders,” said Naqibullah Safi, chairman of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.

Another businessman in the construction sector was also injured by kidnappers on Sunday.

There were reports that the head of the federation Khwaja Mir Mujahid and his brother has been abducted by some unknown people in Kabul on Sunday.

Watch |&nbsp;Conference on Afghanistan: How can extremism be countered?

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/conference-on-afghanistan-how-can-extremism-be-countered-459703/embed" width="560"></iframe>

"Power lifting federation officials say that Khawja Mir Mujahid, head of the federation has been disappeared since Sunday this week. Reportedly unknown gunmen abducted Mujahid and his brother from the PD-15 area in northern #Kabul city," a media report said.

Apart from these, reports also indicate that the Taliban severely tortured a local journalist named Malouf Ashrafi.

(With inputs from agencies)

After an ACCI senior adviser to the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mohammad Dawood Musa was killed by a gunman at his home in the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, the organisation has expressed concern over what it says is an increasing trend in the killings of businessmen.

After an ACCI senior adviser to the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mohammad Dawood Musa was killed by a gunman at his home in the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, the organisation has expressed concern over what it says is an increasing trend in the killings of businessmen. According to media reports Dawood died after being taken to hospital. Dawood’s relatives said that the gunman first took him out of the car and then a man shot him in the heart about a meter away, following which the perpetrators fled. Also read | Female Foreign Ministers of 17 countries call on Taliban to lift restrictions on Afghan women Expressing concern, the Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) in Afghanistan said that, “killings and kidnappings of businessmen have increased the country.” While mentioning the raised concerns among the country’s businessmen, ACCI said that the Islamic emirate should pay serious attention to this matter. As per the Chamber of Commerce and Investment that Musa played a key role in drafting the Afghanistan-Pakistan Investment Law, tax law and transit agreements. ACCI also added that Mohammad Dawood Musa represented Mercedes-Benz in Afghanistan and played a key role in the growth of the country's private sector. Also read | New face of Afghanistan? Women march in support of Taliban “I ask the Islamic Emirate to find the killer of Dawood Musa and bring him to justice,” said Khanjan Alokozai, a member of the board of the ACCI said in an interview with Tolo news. “In the private sector, this is a huge loss. In the future, the Islamic Emirate must pay attention to protecting the lives and property of traders,” said Naqibullah Safi, chairman of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce. Another businessman in the construction sector was also injured by kidnappers on Sunday. There were reports that the head of the federation Khwaja Mir Mujahid and his brother has been abducted by some unknown people in Kabul on Sunday. Watch | Conference on Afghanistan: How can extremism be countered? "Power lifting federation officials say that Khawja Mir Mujahid, head of the federation has been disappeared since Sunday this week. Reportedly unknown gunmen abducted Mujahid and his brother from the PD-15 area in northern #Kabul city," a media report said. Apart from these, reports also indicate that the Taliban severely tortured a local journalist named Malouf Ashrafi. (With inputs from agencies)

Killings, kidnappings of businessmen have increased in the country: Afghanistan's Chamber of Commerce

A Christian priest was killed and his colleague wounded by gunmen in Pakistan's Peshawar on Sunday. Both of them were driving home from church, said police.

Pastor William Siraj died instantly in the ambush, church authorities said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the shooting. Peshawar has seen twin suicide bombing killing outside a church in 2013.

Azad Marshall, the most senior bishop in the protestant Church of Pakistan, condemned the attack and tweeted: "We demand justice and protection of Christians from the Government of Pakistan."

Pakistan's northwestern areas bordering Afghanistan have seen a rise in militant attacks on security forces in recent days, most of them claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group which associates itself with the Afghan Taliban.

The attackers opened fire on the car carrying Pastor Siraj and the Rev Patrick Naeem in the city's Chamkani area, church officials said.

Naeem was out of danger and being treated, a spokesman for the city's Lady Reading hospital said.

Bishop Azad said both were clergy of the Diocese of Peshawar in the Church of Pakistan, which is a union of protestant churches including the Methodists and the Anglicans.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Christian priest was killed and his colleague wounded by gunmen in Pakistan's Peshawar on Sunday. Both of them were driving home from church, said police. Pastor William Siraj died instantly in the ambush, church authorities said.

A Christian priest was killed and his colleague wounded by gunmen in Pakistan's Peshawar on Sunday. Both of them were driving home from church, said police. Pastor William Siraj died instantly in the ambush, church authorities said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the shooting. Peshawar has seen twin suicide bombing killing outside a church in 2013. Azad Marshall, the most senior bishop in the protestant Church of Pakistan, condemned the attack and tweeted: "We demand justice and protection of Christians from the Government of Pakistan." Pakistan's northwestern areas bordering Afghanistan have seen a rise in militant attacks on security forces in recent days, most of them claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group which associates itself with the Afghan Taliban. The attackers opened fire on the car carrying Pastor Siraj and the Rev Patrick Naeem in the city's Chamkani area, church officials said. Naeem was out of danger and being treated, a spokesman for the city's Lady Reading hospital said. Bishop Azad said both were clergy of the Diocese of Peshawar in the Church of Pakistan, which is a union of protestant churches including the Methodists and the Anglicans. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: Christian priest killed by unknown gunmen

A 44-year-old Chicago man, who was wrongly jailed for murder, was released after 20 years after his twin brother confessed to the crime.

Kevin Dugar was finally released from Cook County Jail, in Chicago on Wednesday.

His brother Karl Smith confessed to the crime in a letter to Dugar in 2013, saying that his brother was not responsible for the 2003 gang-related crime.

Smith is already serving a 99-year sentence for a violent home invasion in which a child was shot in the head.

After being convicted for the home invasion, he claimed that he found God in prison and had to make things right.

In 2018, a judge refused to accept Smith's confession saying that it was not credible. The judge also denied Dugar a new trial, reported ABC news.

Smith even signed a sworn statement and contacted Dugar's lawyers, as per his brother's request. But Dugar was still denied a retrial or release.&nbsp;

But the Northwest Center of Wrongful Convictions appealed Dugar's case. After another judge reviewed it, an order was issued on Tuesday morning for Dugar’s release.

Up until eighth grade, the twins dressed alike and shared socks, shoes and even sandwiches, their mother said in 2016, and were often viewed as “one person”, the Daily Mail reported.

Smith even had trouble identifying himself in photos presented at the testimony in 2016.&nbsp;

According to reports, Dugar will be staying at a residential transitional facility for 90 days, as per the conditions of his release.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 44-year-old Chicago man, who was wrongly jailed for murder, was released after 20 years after his twin brother confessed to the crime. Kevin Dugar was finally released from Cook County Jail, in Chicago on Wednesday.

A 44-year-old Chicago man, who was wrongly jailed for murder, was released after 20 years after his twin brother confessed to the crime. Kevin Dugar was finally released from Cook County Jail, in Chicago on Wednesday. His brother Karl Smith confessed to the crime in a letter to Dugar in 2013, saying that his brother was not responsible for the 2003 gang-related crime. Smith is already serving a 99-year sentence for a violent home invasion in which a child was shot in the head. After being convicted for the home invasion, he claimed that he found God in prison and had to make things right. In 2018, a judge refused to accept Smith's confession saying that it was not credible. The judge also denied Dugar a new trial, reported ABC news. Smith even signed a sworn statement and contacted Dugar's lawyers, as per his brother's request. But Dugar was still denied a retrial or release. But the Northwest Center of Wrongful Convictions appealed Dugar's case. After another judge reviewed it, an order was issued on Tuesday morning for Dugar’s release. Up until eighth grade, the twins dressed alike and shared socks, shoes and even sandwiches, their mother said in 2016, and were often viewed as “one person”, the Daily Mail reported. Smith even had trouble identifying himself in photos presented at the testimony in 2016. According to reports, Dugar will be staying at a residential transitional facility for 90 days, as per the conditions of his release. (With inputs from agencies)

US man wrongly serves 20 years in prison, released after twin brother's confession

Mexico does not offer a safe atmosphere for journalists for a long time now, but the situation is only getting worse with each passing day. For the second time in less than 7 days, a journalist was killed in Tijuana on Sunday. Baja California state prosecutor's office, in a report by AFP, said that Lourdes Maldonado Lopez was "attacked with a firearm while she was in a vehicle."

Maldonado had worked with multiple news outlets, including Primer Sistema de Noticias (PSN).&nbsp;

It is owned by Jaime Bonilla, who was governor of Baja California from 2019 to late 2021.&nbsp;

As per reports by local media, a few days ago, the journalist won a lawsuit against PSN for unfair dismissal.&nbsp;

She had also asked Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for "support, help and justice" as she was scared for her life.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-vs-biden-gun-violence-in-joe-bidens-us-sees-a-sharp-escalation-447054">Also read |&nbsp;Trump vs Biden: Gun violence in Joe Biden's US sees a sharp escalation</a>

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Twitter said that it was "shocked by the murder of Lourdes Maldonado, the second reporter to be killed in the city of Tijuana in less than a week."

It also called on local authorities to "thoroughly and transparently investigate the attack."

Reporters Without Borders, a media rights watchdog, ranks Mexico with Afghanistan and Yemen among the world's most dangerous places media.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mexico does not offer a safe atmosphere for journalists for a long time now, but the situation is only getting worse with each passing day. For the second time in less than 7 days, a journalist was killed in Tijuana on Sunday.

Mexico does not offer a safe atmosphere for journalists for a long time now, but the situation is only getting worse with each passing day. For the second time in less than 7 days, a journalist was killed in Tijuana on Sunday. Baja California state prosecutor's office, in a report by AFP, said that Lourdes Maldonado Lopez was "attacked with a firearm while she was in a vehicle." Maldonado had worked with multiple news outlets, including Primer Sistema de Noticias (PSN). It is owned by Jaime Bonilla, who was governor of Baja California from 2019 to late 2021. As per reports by local media, a few days ago, the journalist won a lawsuit against PSN for unfair dismissal. She had also asked Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for "support, help and justice" as she was scared for her life. Also read | Trump vs Biden: Gun violence in Joe Biden's US sees a sharp escalation The Committee to Protect Journalists on Twitter said that it was "shocked by the murder of Lourdes Maldonado, the second reporter to be killed in the city of Tijuana in less than a week." It also called on local authorities to "thoroughly and transparently investigate the attack." Reporters Without Borders, a media rights watchdog, ranks Mexico with Afghanistan and Yemen among the world's most dangerous places media. (With inputs from agencies)

In Mexico, second journalist is murdered in less than a week

In a shocking incident, a son's confession at his father's prayer meet led to a shocking revelation that helped in solving his murder. Initially, it was believed that N Raghavendra died from a natural cause. He was found dead at his house in Karenahalli which is on the outskirts of Bengaluru in South India.&nbsp;

Raghavendra's wife, Shylaja called her husband’s brother, Shekar, around 2am saying that Raghavendra had collapsed from an epileptic attack.&nbsp;

He was declared 'brought dead' once he was taken to the hospital.&nbsp;

After a few days at the prayer meeting, Raghavendra's 10-year-old son, while speaking to his grandfather Nanjundappa revealed that there was another person in the house when his father died.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uae-passengers-exempted-from-7-day-quarantine-in-indias-maharashtra-state-445272">Also read |&nbsp;UAE passengers exempted from 7-day quarantine in India’s Maharashtra state</a>

Elaborating on the incident, the little boy told that he woke up in the middle of the night after there were some disturbing noises.&nbsp;

This is when he saw that his father was pinned down by his mother and her mother, Laxmidevamma. Another man was hitting him on his head with a rolling pin.&nbsp;

When the little boy asked them about why they are hitting their father, the other man hit him too and instructed him to keep his mouth shut or he will be killed. "I got scared and went back to bed," said the boy in a report by News18.&nbsp;

Shylaja and Laxmidevamma were arrested after Shekar filed a complaint with the police.&nbsp;

After the investigation, it was revealed that Hanumantha was Shylaja’s colleague and they were having an affair. Both of them planned Raghavendra's murder after he questioned Shylaja multiple times.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking incident, a son's confession at his father's prayer meet led to a shocking revelation that helped in solving his murder. Initially, it was believed that N Raghavendra died from a natural cause.

In a shocking incident, a son's confession at his father's prayer meet led to a shocking revelation that helped in solving his murder. Initially, it was believed that N Raghavendra died from a natural cause. He was found dead at his house in Karenahalli which is on the outskirts of Bengaluru in South India. Raghavendra's wife, Shylaja called her husband’s brother, Shekar, around 2am saying that Raghavendra had collapsed from an epileptic attack. He was declared 'brought dead' once he was taken to the hospital. After a few days at the prayer meeting, Raghavendra's 10-year-old son, while speaking to his grandfather Nanjundappa revealed that there was another person in the house when his father died. Also read | UAE passengers exempted from 7-day quarantine in India’s Maharashtra state Elaborating on the incident, the little boy told that he woke up in the middle of the night after there were some disturbing noises. This is when he saw that his father was pinned down by his mother and her mother, Laxmidevamma. Another man was hitting him on his head with a rolling pin. When the little boy asked them about why they are hitting their father, the other man hit him too and instructed him to keep his mouth shut or he will be killed. "I got scared and went back to bed," said the boy in a report by News18. Shylaja and Laxmidevamma were arrested after Shekar filed a complaint with the police. After the investigation, it was revealed that Hanumantha was Shylaja’s colleague and they were having an affair. Both of them planned Raghavendra's murder after he questioned Shylaja multiple times. (With inputs from agencies)

This is how son's confession helped uncover his father's murder in India

Three white men have now been convicted of murdering a black man Ahmaud Arbery in the United States. The three men have been sentenced to life in prison.

US: Three white men sentenced to life in prison for murdering a black man Ahmaud Arbery

A woman in Missouri in the United States was arrested for allegedly killing her boyfriend with a sword.

The incident reportedly took place on Christmas Eve. The woman Brittany Wilson,32, was found outside the man's house with blood on her clothes, police said.

The woman reportedly told the police that she had killed her boyfriend with a sword. The woman's boyfriend Harrison Stephen Foster, 34, had received several stab wounds.

The motive for the murder is still unknown. The woman was being held on a $2 million bond. Brittany Wilson has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Reports claimed the woman had herself called the police after 11pm on Friday as police entered the house they founder her boyfriend dead.

(With inputs from Agencies)

A woman in Missouri in the United States was arrested for allegedly killing her boyfriend with a sword. The incident reportedly took place on Christmas Eve. The woman Brittany Wilson,32, was found outside the man's house with blood on her clothes, police said.

A woman in Missouri in the United States was arrested for allegedly killing her boyfriend with a sword. The incident reportedly took place on Christmas Eve. The woman Brittany Wilson,32, was found outside the man's house with blood on her clothes, police said. The woman reportedly told the police that she had killed her boyfriend with a sword. The woman's boyfriend Harrison Stephen Foster, 34, had received several stab wounds. The motive for the murder is still unknown. The woman was being held on a $2 million bond. Brittany Wilson has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Reports claimed the woman had herself called the police after 11pm on Friday as police entered the house they founder her boyfriend dead. (With inputs from Agencies)

Woman allegedly kills boyfriend with sword on Christmas Eve

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a former Navy chief Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, previously accused of abduction and conspiracy to murder as Governor of North-Western province.

Sri Lanka's ex-Navy Chief appointed as governor

An 18-year-old boy and his mother have been arrested in Aurangabad District of western Indian state of Maharashtra for murdering his pregnant sister. The duo killed the 19-year old girl as they were unhappy with her decision of eloping and marrying her friend.

The incident took place in Ladgaon village in rural area of the district around 12:30 pm on Sunday. Police suspect that mother and son even took a selfie with the severed head.

The accused, Shobhabai Mote and her 18-year-old son were unhappy about Kirti's (19) decision of marrying her friend Avinash (21). Kirti stayed with Avinash in latter's house in Ladgaon. She was two-months pregnant.&nbsp;

On Sunday, Mote along with her son went to Kirti's house on a bike. Kirti, who was working in field, was delighted to see them and ushered them inside.

Once in the house, Kirti's brother attacked her from behind while their mother held her feet. Media reports quoting police officials have said that there is a suspicion that mother-son duo took selfie with Kirti's severed head. The phone has been sent for forensic analysis to retrieve the images.

At the time of Kirti's murder, her husband Avinash was resting in the house not anticipating such a situation.

An 18-year-old boy and his mother have been arrested in Aurangabad District of western Indian state of Maharashtra for murdering his pregnant sister. The duo killed the 19-year old girl as they were unhappy with her decision of eloping and marrying her friend.

An 18-year-old boy and his mother have been arrested in Aurangabad District of western Indian state of Maharashtra for murdering his pregnant sister. The duo killed the 19-year old girl as they were unhappy with her decision of eloping and marrying her friend. The incident took place in Ladgaon village in rural area of the district around 12:30 pm on Sunday. Police suspect that mother and son even took a selfie with the severed head. The accused, Shobhabai Mote and her 18-year-old son were unhappy about Kirti's (19) decision of marrying her friend Avinash (21). Kirti stayed with Avinash in latter's house in Ladgaon. She was two-months pregnant. On Sunday, Mote along with her son went to Kirti's house on a bike. Kirti, who was working in field, was delighted to see them and ushered them inside. Once in the house, Kirti's brother attacked her from behind while their mother held her feet. Media reports quoting police officials have said that there is a suspicion that mother-son duo took selfie with Kirti's severed head. The phone has been sent for forensic analysis to retrieve the images. At the time of Kirti's murder, her husband Avinash was resting in the house not anticipating such a situation.

India: Teenager kills pregnant sister with sickle, mother helps

She lay in the hospital unconscious and bandaged like a mummy, having barely survived a brutal assault. Her husband of two years had bashed her head, face and body with dozens of blows from a rolling pin before throttling her and then stabbing her 20 times with a kitchen knife, all as their screaming toddler looked on.

A neighbor interrupted the attack, and Shira Isakov was flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital in southern Israel in critical condition, with doctors giving her a 20 per cent chance of living through the night.

She made it through, surviving, as she put it, “against all the odds.”

Just 14 months later, Isakov, 33, a former account director at the Israeli branch of McCann, the international advertising firm, has emerged as a powerful force for legal and social change in the country, using her newfound voice and nationwide prominence to advance Israel’s struggle to combat violence against women.

Activists in Israel have long criticised laws they say favor abusers over victims and point to a history of lax law enforcement and lenient sentencing, with many nonfatal cases ending in plea deals with little or no prison time.

The Israeli government had long “shut its eyes to domestic violence,” said professor Shalva Weil, an expert on violence against women at the Seymour Fox School of Education at Hebrew University and the founder of the Israel Observatory on Femicide, adding that the sentencing of offenders was often “very arbitrary and light.”

But since the attack, Isakov has become a household name in Israel, and a hero to many, not because she was a victim of horrific abuse but because of how her case, and her speaking out, have helped shift Israel’s legal landscape — especially when it comes to the laws protecting abusers’ parental rights and their ability to control decisions about a child’s medical care and schooling from prison.

The assault on Isakov took place on the eve of the Jewish New Year in September 2020. She had been on the phone with her parents when it began, and they heard the blows and her cries in real time.

The viciousness of the attack made headlines across Israel, but what has made Isakov an agent of change was the decision she made to go public with her story as she regained consciousness after six days in intensive care.

Her brother Ofer had photographed her as she lay in her hospital bed, horribly disfigured. When she could speak again, he asked her permission — if she was not too embarrassed, he said — to publish the pictures and show the country what her husband, Aviad Moshe, had done.

“I told him ‘I’m not embarrassed, that’s what happened to me, that’s what I look like,’ ” she recounted last week in an interview at home, in the Tel Aviv apartment she had once shared with Moshe. “The shame is on him.”

She said she did not hesitate to make the decision and was willing to share the details to encourage other women not to ignore the warning signs of a dangerous relationship.

“For a woman who is usually well-groomed and presentable, it’s not pleasant to be seen with your face full of stitches, bruised, with all the left side smashed, head shaved, and teeth knocked out,” she said, “But I refused to hide.”

The news media at first blurred the pictures of her purple, swollen face and scalp crisscrossed with angry red cuts and stab wounds. But after a nurse told her that the courts had acquiesced to the request of her husband to bar publication of his name, to protect his and his family’s reputation, she insisted on being identified in the news media.

Her national prominence grew when Isakov and her neighbor, Adi Guzi, who banged on the door during the assault and then pushed her way into the house at great personal risk, were among 14 Israelis honored for their contribution to society at Israel’s annual Independence Day ceremony in April.

Until last year, Isakov had led a largely ordinary, middle-class Israeli life. Her parents immigrated from the Soviet Union in the 1970s, and she was born and raised in Karmiel, a quiet town in the Galilee hills in Israel’s north, moved to Tel Aviv at 19 and earned a degree in business administration from the Open University.

She married Moshe, an electrical engineer, soon after they met. Their son, Leon, was born in November 2018.

The first act of violence came during an argument the next summer. Isakov complained to police that Moshe had shoved and kicked her. Moshe said that Isakov had attacked him first, and the file was closed for lack of evidence.

“We made up and decided to give our relationship another chance,” she said. But she told Moshe that “A second time, if there was one, would mean divorce.”

Two months later, Moshe was offered a 12-month contract for work in Mitzpe Rimon, a remote town in the Negev desert. The couple decided to move, leaving their small but stylish apartment near the coast in Tel Aviv for the arid south.

There they conceived a second child, but Isakov later miscarried, just two hours after a particularly heated argument. From that point on, she said, the tension in the household escalated and the atmosphere turned ugly.

Ten days later, on the eve of the Jewish holiday, Isakov phoned her parents to say she was coming with Leon to spend the holiday in Karmiel. Moshe blocked her from leaving, and threw her to the floor. She told him the marriage was over and he began beating her.

Moshe, now her ex-husband, is in prison, convicted in August of attempted murder. He is awaiting a hearing on his sentencing and could spend 20 years or more in prison.

Isakov’s personal struggle is far from over, with more surgery ahead.

But since the attack, her accomplishments in the legal arena have been substantial, and her advocacy is credited with having raised awareness among both politicians and the general public of some of the shortcomings in the way Israeli society has dealt with domestic abuse, and its aftermath.

One early legal victory came when the court also convicted Moshe of child abuse, although Leon, while deeply traumatized, was not physically hurt — a judicial precedent for Israel, according to Ben Maoz, Isakov’s lawyer.

The next battle came when Isakov sought therapy for Leon and was told by the hospital that she needed to get the signature of the boy’s father. Registering Leon at a new kindergarten and getting him routine inoculations also required Moshe’s signature. Moshe refused to sign.

Isakov and her lawyer turned to a concerned member of parliament, Oded Forer, who had visited her in the hospital as a member of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality and is now the minister of agriculture. Within months, the government amended the law so as to automatically cancel the legal guardianship rights of a parent charged with the murder or attempted murder of the other parent or the sexual assault of a child.

Isakov now is seeking a similar amendment of the Names Law that would allow her to unilaterally change Leon’s surname from Moshe to Isakov without having to fight her ex-husband in court. And she is pushing for sanctions on convicted abusers who refuse to attend treatment programs in prison.

Isakov has also become a source of support for other victims of violence and their families. She recently raised $50,000 for gift cards for women in shelters. She is campaigning to raise the state grants paid to relatives who are bringing up the children of murdered women.

This month, she began lecturing around the country on an almost daily basis at the invitation of local councils and high-profile companies and is fully booked through the end of the year.

The determination of Isakov to increase attention on domestic violence and her ability “to speak beautifully and calmly about her trauma and to help others,” Weil said, is helping Israel make noticeable progress.

Isakov’s openness has been “very effective in decreasing the rate of severe domestic violence and in the end, preventing the next femicide,” Weil said, noting that in 2021, the number of women killed has dropped by a quarter compared with the same period last year.

With the scars on her forehead faintly showing under her makeup, Isakov makes it a point to emphasize in her public speeches that she refused to pity herself.

“I didn’t choose what happened to me,” she tells her audiences. “But I have chosen my path forward in life, what I do with myself and how I bring up my child.”

She lay in the hospital unconscious and bandaged like a mummy, having barely survived a brutal assault. Her husband of two years had bashed her head, face and body with dozens of blows from a rolling pin before throttling her and then stabbing her 20 times with a kitchen knife, all as their screaming toddler looked on.

She lay in the hospital unconscious and bandaged like a mummy, having barely survived a brutal assault. Her husband of two years had bashed her head, face and body with dozens of blows from a rolling pin before throttling her and then stabbing her 20 times with a kitchen knife, all as their screaming toddler looked on. A neighbor interrupted the attack, and Shira Isakov was flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital in southern Israel in critical condition, with doctors giving her a 20 per cent chance of living through the night. She made it through, surviving, as she put it, “against all the odds.” Just 14 months later, Isakov, 33, a former account director at the Israeli branch of McCann, the international advertising firm, has emerged as a powerful force for legal and social change in the country, using her newfound voice and nationwide prominence to advance Israel’s struggle to combat violence against women. Activists in Israel have long criticised laws they say favor abusers over victims and point to a history of lax law enforcement and lenient sentencing, with many nonfatal cases ending in plea deals with little or no prison time. The Israeli government had long “shut its eyes to domestic violence,” said professor Shalva Weil, an expert on violence against women at the Seymour Fox School of Education at Hebrew University and the founder of the Israel Observatory on Femicide, adding that the sentencing of offenders was often “very arbitrary and light.” But since the attack, Isakov has become a household name in Israel, and a hero to many, not because she was a victim of horrific abuse but because of how her case, and her speaking out, have helped shift Israel’s legal landscape — especially when it comes to the laws protecting abusers’ parental rights and their ability to control decisions about a child’s medical care and schooling from prison. The assault on Isakov took place on the eve of the Jewish New Year in September 2020. She had been on the phone with her parents when it began, and they heard the blows and her cries in real time. The viciousness of the attack made headlines across Israel, but what has made Isakov an agent of change was the decision she made to go public with her story as she regained consciousness after six days in intensive care. Her brother Ofer had photographed her as she lay in her hospital bed, horribly disfigured. When she could speak again, he asked her permission — if she was not too embarrassed, he said — to publish the pictures and show the country what her husband, Aviad Moshe, had done. “I told him ‘I’m not embarrassed, that’s what happened to me, that’s what I look like,’ ” she recounted last week in an interview at home, in the Tel Aviv apartment she had once shared with Moshe. “The shame is on him.” She said she did not hesitate to make the decision and was willing to share the details to encourage other women not to ignore the warning signs of a dangerous relationship. “For a woman who is usually well-groomed and presentable, it’s not pleasant to be seen with your face full of stitches, bruised, with all the left side smashed, head shaved, and teeth knocked out,” she said, “But I refused to hide.” The news media at first blurred the pictures of her purple, swollen face and scalp crisscrossed with angry red cuts and stab wounds. But after a nurse told her that the courts had acquiesced to the request of her husband to bar publication of his name, to protect his and his family’s reputation, she insisted on being identified in the news media. Her national prominence grew when Isakov and her neighbor, Adi Guzi, who banged on the door during the assault and then pushed her way into the house at great personal risk, were among 14 Israelis honored for their contribution to society at Israel’s annual Independence Day ceremony in April. Until last year, Isakov had led a largely ordinary, middle-class Israeli life. Her parents immigrated from the Soviet Union in the 1970s, and she was born and raised in Karmiel, a quiet town in the Galilee hills in Israel’s north, moved to Tel Aviv at 19 and earned a degree in business administration from the Open University. She married Moshe, an electrical engineer, soon after they met. Their son, Leon, was born in November 2018. The first act of violence came during an argument the next summer. Isakov complained to police that Moshe had shoved and kicked her. Moshe said that Isakov had attacked him first, and the file was closed for lack of evidence. “We made up and decided to give our relationship another chance,” she said. But she told Moshe that “A second time, if there was one, would mean divorce.” Two months later, Moshe was offered a 12-month contract for work in Mitzpe Rimon, a remote town in the Negev desert. The couple decided to move, leaving their small but stylish apartment near the coast in Tel Aviv for the arid south. There they conceived a second child, but Isakov later miscarried, just two hours after a particularly heated argument. From that point on, she said, the tension in the household escalated and the atmosphere turned ugly. Ten days later, on the eve of the Jewish holiday, Isakov phoned her parents to say she was coming with Leon to spend the holiday in Karmiel. Moshe blocked her from leaving, and threw her to the floor. She told him the marriage was over and he began beating her. Moshe, now her ex-husband, is in prison, convicted in August of attempted murder. He is awaiting a hearing on his sentencing and could spend 20 years or more in prison. Isakov’s personal struggle is far from over, with more surgery ahead. But since the attack, her accomplishments in the legal arena have been substantial, and her advocacy is credited with having raised awareness among both politicians and the general public of some of the shortcomings in the way Israeli society has dealt with domestic abuse, and its aftermath. One early legal victory came when the court also convicted Moshe of child abuse, although Leon, while deeply traumatized, was not physically hurt — a judicial precedent for Israel, according to Ben Maoz, Isakov’s lawyer. The next battle came when Isakov sought therapy for Leon and was told by the hospital that she needed to get the signature of the boy’s father. Registering Leon at a new kindergarten and getting him routine inoculations also required Moshe’s signature. Moshe refused to sign. Isakov and her lawyer turned to a concerned member of parliament, Oded Forer, who had visited her in the hospital as a member of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality and is now the minister of agriculture. Within months, the government amended the law so as to automatically cancel the legal guardianship rights of a parent charged with the murder or attempted murder of the other parent or the sexual assault of a child. Isakov now is seeking a similar amendment of the Names Law that would allow her to unilaterally change Leon’s surname from Moshe to Isakov without having to fight her ex-husband in court. And she is pushing for sanctions on convicted abusers who refuse to attend treatment programs in prison. Isakov has also become a source of support for other victims of violence and their families. She recently raised $50,000 for gift cards for women in shelters. She is campaigning to raise the state grants paid to relatives who are bringing up the children of murdered women. This month, she began lecturing around the country on an almost daily basis at the invitation of local councils and high-profile companies and is fully booked through the end of the year. The determination of Isakov to increase attention on domestic violence and her ability “to speak beautifully and calmly about her trauma and to help others,” Weil said, is helping Israel make noticeable progress. Isakov’s openness has been “very effective in decreasing the rate of severe domestic violence and in the end, preventing the next femicide,” Weil said, noting that in 2021, the number of women killed has dropped by a quarter compared with the same period last year. With the scars on her forehead faintly showing under her makeup, Isakov makes it a point to emphasize in her public speeches that she refused to pity herself. “I didn’t choose what happened to me,” she tells her audiences. “But I have chosen my path forward in life, what I do with myself and how I bring up my child.”

Stabbed 20 times by her husband, she now fights laws favoring abusers

The murder rate in Canada last year rose to its highest level since 2005, pushed up in part by the country's worst-ever mass shooting, in which 22 people died, Statistics Canada said on Thursday.

Statscan also noted societal stresses it said had been caused by lockdowns linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadian police reported 743 murders in 2020, up from 687 in 2019. The murder rate increased to 1.95 per 100,000 people, the highest in 15 years, from 1.83 per 100,000 people in 2019.

The Canadian rate has gradually declined since its last recent peak in 1991 of 2.69 homicides per 100,000 population.

"While homicide continues to be a relatively rare occurrence, representing less than 0.2% of all violent crimes in Canada in 2020, homicide rates are considered benchmarks for levels of violence," Statscan said in a commentary.

By comparison, the overall U.S. murder rate in 2020 was around 6.5 homicides per 100,000 people, according to FBI data.

The Canadian increase was driven by more murders in the provinces of Alberta and Nova Scotia.

Gabriel Wortman killed 13 people in Nova Scotia on the night of April 18, 2020, and another nine the next day before police shot him dead.

This contributed to an "uncharacteristically high homicide count and rate for the province," Statscan said.

The two most populated cities in Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton, recorded large increases, and each contributed 15 more murders to the national tally than in 2019.

Toronto, Canada's largest city, saw a 22% decrease in the rate of firearm-related homicides from 1.03 per 100,000

population to 0.80.

There were 15 more firearm-related killings in Canada last year, compared with 2019, and gang-related murders decreased 10% in the same period.

The murder rate in Canada last year rose to its highest level since 2005, pushed up in part by the country's worst-ever mass shooting, in which 22 people died, Statistics Canada said on Thursday.

The murder rate in Canada last year rose to its highest level since 2005, pushed up in part by the country's worst-ever mass shooting, in which 22 people died, Statistics Canada said on Thursday. Statscan also noted societal stresses it said had been caused by lockdowns linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian police reported 743 murders in 2020, up from 687 in 2019. The murder rate increased to 1.95 per 100,000 people, the highest in 15 years, from 1.83 per 100,000 people in 2019. The Canadian rate has gradually declined since its last recent peak in 1991 of 2.69 homicides per 100,000 population. "While homicide continues to be a relatively rare occurrence, representing less than 0.2% of all violent crimes in Canada in 2020, homicide rates are considered benchmarks for levels of violence," Statscan said in a commentary. By comparison, the overall U.S. murder rate in 2020 was around 6.5 homicides per 100,000 people, according to FBI data. The Canadian increase was driven by more murders in the provinces of Alberta and Nova Scotia. Gabriel Wortman killed 13 people in Nova Scotia on the night of April 18, 2020, and another nine the next day before police shot him dead. This contributed to an "uncharacteristically high homicide count and rate for the province," Statscan said. The two most populated cities in Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton, recorded large increases, and each contributed 15 more murders to the national tally than in 2019. Toronto, Canada's largest city, saw a 22% decrease in the rate of firearm-related homicides from 1.03 per 100,000 population to 0.80. There were 15 more firearm-related killings in Canada last year, compared with 2019, and gang-related murders decreased 10% in the same period.

Pushed up by mass shooting, Canada murder rate in 2020 hit 15-year high

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina on Friday granted a pardon to a man who spent more than 24 years in prison for murder before a judge vacated his conviction in 2019, finding that a key witness had “entirely made up” her testimony.

The pardon for the man, Montoyae Dontae Sharpe, clears the way for him to seek compensation from the state and comes after prominent pastors and others had demonstrated outside the governor’s mansion in support of Sharpe.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Sharpe, 46, of Charlotte, said in an interview Friday. “My name has been cleared, and me and my family can move on. And I can go on with the next stage of my life, which is to still help other guys behind me.”

In 1995, Sharpe was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of George Radcliffe, who was found fatally shot in his pickup truck in Greenville, North Carolina, on Feb. 11, 1994.

During the trial, Charlene Johnson, who was 15, testified that she saw Sharpe, who is Black, shoot Radcliffe, who was white, in a face-to-face altercation over a drug deal, according to one of Sharpe’s lawyers, Theresa A. Newman, who was a co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke University School of Law.

Johnson testified that Sharpe and another man then put Radcliffe into the truck, crashed it into a vacant lot and threw away the key, Newman said.

Johnson recanted her testimony weeks later, and Sharpe’s efforts to overturn his conviction worked their way through the courts until 2019, when a Superior Court judge in Pitt County, North Carolina, held two evidentiary hearings that destroyed the case.

After the second hearing, on Aug. 22, 2019, the judge, G. Bryan Collins Jr., found that if the case were tried again, Johnson would testify that “she was not present at the time of the shooting and that her trial testimony was entirely made up based on what she saw on television and what investigators told her.”

Collins also found that the medical examiner who had testified at the trial, Dr. Mary Gilliland, learned of Johnson’s testimony only “well after the trial was over.” If Gilliland were called to testify at a retrial, the judge found, she would testify that Johnson’s initial description of the shooting was “medically and scientifically impossible.”

Radcliffe had been shot in the arm, and Johnson’s description of a face-to-face confrontation “didn’t line up with the trajectory of the bullet through the body,” Newman said.

Collins vacated Sharpe’s conviction, released him from prison and granted his motion for a new trial.

That same day, the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the murder charge against Sharpe and refused to retry the case on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sharpe then spent the next two years fighting for a pardon, Newman said, before Cooper granted it Friday.

“I have carefully reviewed Montoyae Dontae Sharpe’s case and am granting him a Pardon of Innocence,” Cooper, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Mr. Sharpe and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged.”

Newman said the pardon would allow Sharpe to petition the state for compensation of $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment up to $750,000 — the most Sharpe could receive for the 24 years he spent in prison.

Sharpe said he had been sustained throughout the decades by his faith in God, his lawyers, the pastors who supported him and his mother, who gave him the strength to resist pressure from prosecutors to accept plea deals that could have resulted in his release from prison.

“If it weren’t for them, it would have been bad,” Sharpe said. “I would have still been in there, most likely.”

At a rally outside the governor’s mansion on Friday, the Rev. William J. Barber II, a North Carolina pastor, celebrated the “tremendous, tremendous news” of Sharpe’s pardon and asked those in attendance to think of all those who fought for Sharpe throughout the years.

“This was a family victory,” Barber said, adding that Sharpe deserved special praise.

“He has more courage than any man that has ever sat in that governor’s office — or woman — and more courage than anybody that’s ever sat in the state Legislature,” Barber said.

Sharpe said he hoped to use his pardon to fight for others who have been wrongfully convicted and are seeking to clear their names.

“I know there are more cases out there like mine because the system isn’t perfect,” he said. “We can change the system and my case is just a steppingstone for me to step out and help change the system.”

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina on Friday granted a pardon to a man who spent more than 24 years in prison for murder before a judge vacated his conviction in 2019, finding that a key witness had “entirely made up” her testimony.

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina on Friday granted a pardon to a man who spent more than 24 years in prison for murder before a judge vacated his conviction in 2019, finding that a key witness had “entirely made up” her testimony. The pardon for the man, Montoyae Dontae Sharpe, clears the way for him to seek compensation from the state and comes after prominent pastors and others had demonstrated outside the governor’s mansion in support of Sharpe. “It’s been a long time coming,” Sharpe, 46, of Charlotte, said in an interview Friday. “My name has been cleared, and me and my family can move on. And I can go on with the next stage of my life, which is to still help other guys behind me.” In 1995, Sharpe was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of George Radcliffe, who was found fatally shot in his pickup truck in Greenville, North Carolina, on Feb. 11, 1994. During the trial, Charlene Johnson, who was 15, testified that she saw Sharpe, who is Black, shoot Radcliffe, who was white, in a face-to-face altercation over a drug deal, according to one of Sharpe’s lawyers, Theresa A. Newman, who was a co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke University School of Law. Johnson testified that Sharpe and another man then put Radcliffe into the truck, crashed it into a vacant lot and threw away the key, Newman said. Johnson recanted her testimony weeks later, and Sharpe’s efforts to overturn his conviction worked their way through the courts until 2019, when a Superior Court judge in Pitt County, North Carolina, held two evidentiary hearings that destroyed the case. After the second hearing, on Aug. 22, 2019, the judge, G. Bryan Collins Jr., found that if the case were tried again, Johnson would testify that “she was not present at the time of the shooting and that her trial testimony was entirely made up based on what she saw on television and what investigators told her.” Collins also found that the medical examiner who had testified at the trial, Dr. Mary Gilliland, learned of Johnson’s testimony only “well after the trial was over.” If Gilliland were called to testify at a retrial, the judge found, she would testify that Johnson’s initial description of the shooting was “medically and scientifically impossible.” Radcliffe had been shot in the arm, and Johnson’s description of a face-to-face confrontation “didn’t line up with the trajectory of the bullet through the body,” Newman said. Collins vacated Sharpe’s conviction, released him from prison and granted his motion for a new trial. That same day, the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the murder charge against Sharpe and refused to retry the case on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Sharpe then spent the next two years fighting for a pardon, Newman said, before Cooper granted it Friday. “I have carefully reviewed Montoyae Dontae Sharpe’s case and am granting him a Pardon of Innocence,” Cooper, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Mr. Sharpe and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged.” Newman said the pardon would allow Sharpe to petition the state for compensation of $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment up to $750,000 — the most Sharpe could receive for the 24 years he spent in prison. Sharpe said he had been sustained throughout the decades by his faith in God, his lawyers, the pastors who supported him and his mother, who gave him the strength to resist pressure from prosecutors to accept plea deals that could have resulted in his release from prison. “If it weren’t for them, it would have been bad,” Sharpe said. “I would have still been in there, most likely.” At a rally outside the governor’s mansion on Friday, the Rev. William J. Barber II, a North Carolina pastor, celebrated the “tremendous, tremendous news” of Sharpe’s pardon and asked those in attendance to think of all those who fought for Sharpe throughout the years. “This was a family victory,” Barber said, adding that Sharpe deserved special praise. “He has more courage than any man that has ever sat in that governor’s office — or woman — and more courage than anybody that’s ever sat in the state Legislature,” Barber said. Sharpe said he hoped to use his pardon to fight for others who have been wrongfully convicted and are seeking to clear their names. “I know there are more cases out there like mine because the system isn’t perfect,” he said. “We can change the system and my case is just a steppingstone for me to step out and help change the system.”

Man pardoned after spending 24 years in prison for murder

Irish police said on Saturday that they arrested a man suspected of making threats. The national media said that the arrested man was suspected of threatening to kill a British MP.

The Garda, Ireland's police service, said in a statement that they arrested a 41-year-old man in Cork in southwestern Ireland on Saturday morning "on suspicion of making threats against a person from outside this jurisdiction".

The police said that officials seized number of electronic devices when they searched the man's residential property.

RTE national broadcaster reported that "it is understood that the person targeted by the alleged threat is a Westminster MP".

The Irish Times reported that the investigation concerned "threats to kill a female Labour MP".

It said it understood that the MP had alerted police after she received a phone call on October 18 in which a person threatened to kill her. This was three days after the murder of Amess.

Safety of UK MPs came into focus last month as MP Davis Amess was stabbed to death.

(With inputs from agencies)

Irish police said on Saturday that they arrested a man suspected of making threats. The national media said that the arrested man was suspected of threatening to kill a British MP.

Irish police said on Saturday that they arrested a man suspected of making threats. The national media said that the arrested man was suspected of threatening to kill a British MP. The Garda, Ireland's police service, said in a statement that they arrested a 41-year-old man in Cork in southwestern Ireland on Saturday morning "on suspicion of making threats against a person from outside this jurisdiction". The police said that officials seized number of electronic devices when they searched the man's residential property. RTE national broadcaster reported that "it is understood that the person targeted by the alleged threat is a Westminster MP". The Irish Times reported that the investigation concerned "threats to kill a female Labour MP". It said it understood that the MP had alerted police after she received a phone call on October 18 in which a person threatened to kill her. This was three days after the murder of Amess. Safety of UK MPs came into focus last month as MP Davis Amess was stabbed to death. (With inputs from agencies)

Ireland: Man arrested over 'death threats to MP'

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;

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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.

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"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

A former Colombian military officer wanted by Haitian authorities over the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has been captured in Jamaica, Colombian authorities said on Friday.

Mario Palacios is accused of being one of 26 Colombian mercenaries who allegedly took part in the July 7 murder of Moise at his home in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, in which his wife Martine was also shot and wounded.

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"We have already been notified about the capture of Mr Palacios. What is happening now&nbsp;is the extradition process to Haiti," said Colombia's police chief Jorge Vargas in a video.

He said he was informed of the arrest by the Interpol office in Kingston, Jamaica.

No details were given about the arrest, nor how Palacios would have managed to reach the neighboring island of Jamaica from Haiti.

Palacios had been the subject of an Interpol red notice.

Three Colombians were killed by Haitian armed forces responding to the attack and 18 more were detained, alongside two US citizens of Haitian descent.

Vargas previously said the captured Colombians claimed that the initial plan was to arrest Moise and hand him over to the US Drug Enforcement Agency.

The mercenaries were contracted by Miami-based Venezuelan security firm CTU.

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Colombia's government has complained about the poor treatment of its citizens by Haitian authorities.

The assassination deepened an already dramatic crisis in Haiti, which is suffering from a lack of security, soaring gang violence and a spate of kidnappings.

The capital has also been paralyzed by fuel shortages caused by gangs controlling oil access, and demonstrations by those angry that gasoline is only available on the black market.

A former Colombian military officer wanted by Haitian authorities over the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has been captured in Jamaica, Colombian authorities said on Friday.

A former Colombian military officer wanted by Haitian authorities over the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has been captured in Jamaica, Colombian authorities said on Friday. Mario Palacios is accused of being one of 26 Colombian mercenaries who allegedly took part in the July 7 murder of Moise at his home in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, in which his wife Martine was also shot and wounded. Also Read | Haiti gang leader threatens to kill kidnapped American missionaries "We have already been notified about the capture of Mr Palacios. What is happening now is the extradition process to Haiti," said Colombia's police chief Jorge Vargas in a video. He said he was informed of the arrest by the Interpol office in Kingston, Jamaica. No details were given about the arrest, nor how Palacios would have managed to reach the neighboring island of Jamaica from Haiti. Palacios had been the subject of an Interpol red notice. Three Colombians were killed by Haitian armed forces responding to the attack and 18 more were detained, alongside two US citizens of Haitian descent. Vargas previously said the captured Colombians claimed that the initial plan was to arrest Moise and hand him over to the US Drug Enforcement Agency. The mercenaries were contracted by Miami-based Venezuelan security firm CTU. Also Read | Haiti gang demands $17 million ransom for kidnapped missionaries and children Colombia's government has complained about the poor treatment of its citizens by Haitian authorities. The assassination deepened an already dramatic crisis in Haiti, which is suffering from a lack of security, soaring gang violence and a spate of kidnappings. The capital has also been paralyzed by fuel shortages caused by gangs controlling oil access, and demonstrations by those angry that gasoline is only available on the black market.

Colombian linked to Haiti president's murder captured in Jamaica

The murders are scripted. The money is real.

In cities throughout China, young people are flocking to clubs to play a game that can be translated as “scripted homicide,” in which they become different characters and spend hours solving fake murders.

This macabre entertainment is expected to generate more than $2 billion in revenue this year, by one count. The growing popularity has sparked some concerns from Chinese government officials about the sometimes gothic or gory content. It has also led to a proliferation of clubs and competition for new and compelling scripts that players and owners alike say has become, well, cutthroat.

“There’s a huge demand for good scripts that’s just not met,” said Zhang Yi, 28, a Shanghai resident who played more than 90 games in just over a year. “The script is the foundation to everything in this game.”

Scripted homicides, known as jubensha in Chinese, require players to gather in a group to discuss a fake murder or other crime. Each player is assigned a character from a script, including one who plays the murderer. Then they engage in an elaborate role-playing game, asking questions of the host and each other, until they determine which one of them did the deed.

In one club in Beijing, for example, players descend into a fantastical martial arts school where they don robes and assume roles like a peach fairy or a dragon. The script offers character backgrounds, relationships and potential storylines. The plot develops as the players go around the table, talking in character, taking hooks from the script and the host. In the end, they vote on who they think the murderer might be. (In that particular game, it was the kung fu student who practiced on a mountaintop.)

A successful, dramatic scripted homicide offers laughs, tension and maybe even tears. “They will cry,” said Poker Zhang, who owns a script-writing business in the city of Chengdu. “Players cry a lot.”

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The whodunits may be imaginary, but they provide a real-world alternative for young Chinese people who spend increasing amounts of time on their screens.

The country’s 1 billion internet users spend much of their time on their phones, spurring worries from the public and the government alike about excessive screen time. The government’s concerns over children in particular has led it to restrict video game time for minors.

The games also provide free-flowing opportunities for young people to mingle, something that can be rare in China, according to Kecheng Fang, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The games provide “a participatory experience and a way of socialising, which is missing from the life of many Chinese young people,” Fang said. “They lack participation in civic affairs, community engagement and meaningful socialisation.”

For Zhang, the player from Shanghai, scripted homicides have become one of her primary ways to meet people.

“I met people who I now spend the entire weekend with,” she said. “We meet every week. It’s replaced a lot of the other activities in my life.”

The pandemic briefly threatened the industry, say its adherents. But scripted homicides came back stronger than ever when travel restrictions stranded young people in their hometowns and left them looking for distractions.

“I couldn’t leave Beijing for two months,” said Gong Jin, 20, a veterinary medicine student. “I felt bored, so I often played script murder.”

Now, Gong works at a club part time. “I shed tears every time I play,” she said. Much of the pleasure, she said, comes from matching players with a part in the script that “will touch you and resonate with you.”

Jubensha has become so popular that the Chinese authorities have become concerned about their subject matter. The state-run Xinhua News Agency blamed such games for potentially distorting reality, labeling them as “confusing” to young players.

In a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, Xinhua said the scripts need to show “corrective value guidance” and spread “positive energy.”

Plainclothes officers recently played more than eight hours at four clubs in Shaanxi province. They confiscated 16 “illegally published” scripts that contained “bloody and gruesome” elements.

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The scripts are similar to video games, TV and films, “and are therefore subject to content censorship,” said Fang. “Especially since the government seems eager to set a high moral standard, it’s paying attention to the so-called ‘bloody and gruesome’ content of the game.”

This kind of crackdown is nothing new for authoritarian governments, said Joseph Laycock, associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University and author of “Dangerous Game” about the history of role-playing games.

“These games of imagination carry with them a kind of radical autonomy,” Laycock said. “Because if you can imagine the world being another way, that gives you the ability to question things that had previously gone unquestioned.”

Role-playing games have been popular in China for years. But scripted homicides took off around 2015, when reality shows with names like “Lying Man,” “Dinner Party Seduction,” and later “Who’s The Murderer,” showed celebrities playing whodunits. Naturally, members of the audience wanted to play, too. Clubs started opening, fans poured in, and a new pastime took off.

Last year, the number of scripted murder enterprises registered in China totaled about 6,500, a more than 60% increase from the prior year, according to state-run media, amping up competition.

The decoration of the rooms and quality of the hosts can distinguish one club from another. But each club really lives and dies by the quality of their scripts. Bai Lu, a club owner in Beijing, said, “Investment into props and offline features is not as high as our investment in scripts.”

Club owners buy scripts from a variety of places, from industry exhibitions to websites like Xiaoheitan, an online mall that connects script distributors and club owners. Some scripts can be as long as 40 pages.

A “retail” script that can be sold to any number of clubs can cost about $80, said Wang Yihan, 28, who owns four script homicide clubs in Shanghai and also writes and distributes the mysteries. A “city-limited script,” which can only be sold to a handful of clubs in the same city, can sell for about $300, she said.

An exclusive script, she said, for only one club, can cost as much as about $900.

“Great scripts are extremely rare,” Wang said.

Many people are eager to put together a script of their own.

When Wang worked as a host, she received a popular script that she thought could be better. “I made five full pages of changes to it,” she said. “I was constantly thinking about how to better conjure up the emotions of the players.”

It worked. She made about $3,100 she said, and it became one of her club’s bestselling scripts.

The pursuit of scripts can result in real crimes, said Wang and others. “Scripts are constantly copied, pirated and sold for cents on the internet,” she said. “That’s the single biggest problem club owners face.”

On the online Chinese retail site Taobao, a bundle of 3,000 scripts can be bought for about $2.

The piracy has some club owners welcoming the attention that government officials are increasingly paying to the business. Wang and others are openly asking for government regulators to step in and clean up the industry, to prevent bribery among script distributors and protect material from being stolen.

“Creation is inherently difficult,” said Zhang, in Shanghai, “and piracy has dealt a huge blow to the industry.”

The murders are scripted. The money is real. In cities throughout China, young people are flocking to clubs to play a game that can be translated as “scripted homicide,” in which they become different characters and spend hours solving fake murders.

The murders are scripted. The money is real. In cities throughout China, young people are flocking to clubs to play a game that can be translated as “scripted homicide,” in which they become different characters and spend hours solving fake murders. This macabre entertainment is expected to generate more than $2 billion in revenue this year, by one count. The growing popularity has sparked some concerns from Chinese government officials about the sometimes gothic or gory content. It has also led to a proliferation of clubs and competition for new and compelling scripts that players and owners alike say has become, well, cutthroat. “There’s a huge demand for good scripts that’s just not met,” said Zhang Yi, 28, a Shanghai resident who played more than 90 games in just over a year. “The script is the foundation to everything in this game.” Scripted homicides, known as jubensha in Chinese, require players to gather in a group to discuss a fake murder or other crime. Each player is assigned a character from a script, including one who plays the murderer. Then they engage in an elaborate role-playing game, asking questions of the host and each other, until they determine which one of them did the deed. In one club in Beijing, for example, players descend into a fantastical martial arts school where they don robes and assume roles like a peach fairy or a dragon. The script offers character backgrounds, relationships and potential storylines. The plot develops as the players go around the table, talking in character, taking hooks from the script and the host. In the end, they vote on who they think the murderer might be. (In that particular game, it was the kung fu student who practiced on a mountaintop.) A successful, dramatic scripted homicide offers laughs, tension and maybe even tears. “They will cry,” said Poker Zhang, who owns a script-writing business in the city of Chengdu. “Players cry a lot.” Also read | World Food Day 2021: Here are few ways to end global hunger and reduce food wastage The whodunits may be imaginary, but they provide a real-world alternative for young Chinese people who spend increasing amounts of time on their screens. The country’s 1 billion internet users spend much of their time on their phones, spurring worries from the public and the government alike about excessive screen time. The government’s concerns over children in particular has led it to restrict video game time for minors. The games also provide free-flowing opportunities for young people to mingle, something that can be rare in China, according to Kecheng Fang, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The games provide “a participatory experience and a way of socialising, which is missing from the life of many Chinese young people,” Fang said. “They lack participation in civic affairs, community engagement and meaningful socialisation.” For Zhang, the player from Shanghai, scripted homicides have become one of her primary ways to meet people. “I met people who I now spend the entire weekend with,” she said. “We meet every week. It’s replaced a lot of the other activities in my life.” The pandemic briefly threatened the industry, say its adherents. But scripted homicides came back stronger than ever when travel restrictions stranded young people in their hometowns and left them looking for distractions. “I couldn’t leave Beijing for two months,” said Gong Jin, 20, a veterinary medicine student. “I felt bored, so I often played script murder.” Now, Gong works at a club part time. “I shed tears every time I play,” she said. Much of the pleasure, she said, comes from matching players with a part in the script that “will touch you and resonate with you.” Jubensha has become so popular that the Chinese authorities have become concerned about their subject matter. The state-run Xinhua News Agency blamed such games for potentially distorting reality, labeling them as “confusing” to young players. In a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, Xinhua said the scripts need to show “corrective value guidance” and spread “positive energy.” Plainclothes officers recently played more than eight hours at four clubs in Shaanxi province. They confiscated 16 “illegally published” scripts that contained “bloody and gruesome” elements. Also read | International Space Station mistakenly rotates by 57 degrees as film shooting continues The scripts are similar to video games, TV and films, “and are therefore subject to content censorship,” said Fang. “Especially since the government seems eager to set a high moral standard, it’s paying attention to the so-called ‘bloody and gruesome’ content of the game.” This kind of crackdown is nothing new for authoritarian governments, said Joseph Laycock, associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University and author of “Dangerous Game” about the history of role-playing games. “These games of imagination carry with them a kind of radical autonomy,” Laycock said. “Because if you can imagine the world being another way, that gives you the ability to question things that had previously gone unquestioned.” Role-playing games have been popular in China for years. But scripted homicides took off around 2015, when reality shows with names like “Lying Man,” “Dinner Party Seduction,” and later “Who’s The Murderer,” showed celebrities playing whodunits. Naturally, members of the audience wanted to play, too. Clubs started opening, fans poured in, and a new pastime took off. Last year, the number of scripted murder enterprises registered in China totaled about 6,500, a more than 60% increase from the prior year, according to state-run media, amping up competition. The decoration of the rooms and quality of the hosts can distinguish one club from another. But each club really lives and dies by the quality of their scripts. Bai Lu, a club owner in Beijing, said, “Investment into props and offline features is not as high as our investment in scripts.” Club owners buy scripts from a variety of places, from industry exhibitions to websites like Xiaoheitan, an online mall that connects script distributors and club owners. Some scripts can be as long as 40 pages. A “retail” script that can be sold to any number of clubs can cost about $80, said Wang Yihan, 28, who owns four script homicide clubs in Shanghai and also writes and distributes the mysteries. A “city-limited script,” which can only be sold to a handful of clubs in the same city, can sell for about $300, she said. An exclusive script, she said, for only one club, can cost as much as about $900. “Great scripts are extremely rare,” Wang said. Many people are eager to put together a script of their own. When Wang worked as a host, she received a popular script that she thought could be better. “I made five full pages of changes to it,” she said. “I was constantly thinking about how to better conjure up the emotions of the players.” It worked. She made about $3,100 she said, and it became one of her club’s bestselling scripts. The pursuit of scripts can result in real crimes, said Wang and others. “Scripts are constantly copied, pirated and sold for cents on the internet,” she said. “That’s the single biggest problem club owners face.” On the online Chinese retail site Taobao, a bundle of 3,000 scripts can be bought for about $2. The piracy has some club owners welcoming the attention that government officials are increasingly paying to the business. Wang and others are openly asking for government regulators to step in and clean up the industry, to prevent bribery among script distributors and protect material from being stolen. “Creation is inherently difficult,” said Zhang, in Shanghai, “and piracy has dealt a huge blow to the industry.”

China’s latest craze: Scripted murders, with real tears and piracy

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