QUETTA – State-owned media outlets Radio Pakistan and PTV News earlier reported citing “security sources” that terrorists attacked Jaffar Express in the Dhadar area of Bolan Pass and had taken passengers, including women and children, as hostages while remaining in communication with their “foreign facilitators”. The reports said that security forces had surrounded the area and launched a clearance operation to rescue all passengers. In a subsequent update, Radio Pakistan reported that security forces had rescued 80 hostages held by the terrorists. “According to security sources, those rescued include 43 men, 26 women and 11 children,” it said, adding that…
Author: Asia News Network
MANILA – The day of reckoning for former President Rodrigo Duterte over his brutal war on drugs appears to be on the horizon for thousands of families who lost loved ones in his anti-narcotics campaign after his arrest on Tuesday on orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. The ex-president was arrested shortly after his Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) at 9:20 a.m., touching off a virtual tug-of-war between his lawyers and the authorities well into the night before Duterte was put on a chartered flight to The…
MANILA – Former president Rodrigo Duterte is now under police custody. Senator Bong Go confirmed this to reporters here at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday morning. “Nasa PNP na po,” Go told reporters of Duterte. READ: Interpol official at Naia as Duterte arrives from Hong Kong Former labor chief Silvestre Bello III, who accompanied Go, said Duterte is now at Camp Crame in Quezon City. “Yun ang sabi sa akin ni (PNP chief) General Marbil,” Bello told reporters when asked if Duterte is now in Camp Crame. Bello also said a “document” was served to Duterte, but it could…
Yuthanan Panphrom, the restaurant owner, recounted the incident to the press, explaining that four Chinese men orchestrated the scheme on Saturday evening. The first three arrived at the restaurant around 7.30pm, followed by a fourth man who joined them 30 minutes later in a white car. The group enjoyed their meal until 8.27pm before making their escape. The restaurant staff presented the bill for 1,082 baht, but the group crumpled it up and dropped it under the table while the staff were occupied, he explained. Despite being reminded to settle their payment, the men reassured the staff that they would…
MANILA – “I did everything during my term as president not for myself and my family but for the Filipino people.” This is former President Rodrigo Duterte’s comment on his looming arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is facing a case for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the bloody war on drugs of his administration. Duterte reiterated that his actions during the war on drugs were for the benefit of the Filipinos. “Assuming na totoo, totoo talaga ‘yung naririnig ninyo, bakit ko ginawa ‘yan? Para sa sarili ko? Para sa pamilya ko? Para sa inyo at…
In the initial round of the auction, the ministry will sell 150,000 tons of 210,000 tons of reserved rice it plans to release. It is the first release of stockpiled rice to relieve distribution bottlenecks. Previously, the government had limited releases to cases of serious poor harvests and large-scale disasters. Released rice is expected to hit store shelves as early as late March. The ministry will sell stockpiled rice to major buyers on the condition that it will buy back the rice within a year. Rice prices have been soaring as major buyers such agricultural cooperatives are racing to secure…
BEIJING – Beijing urged Washington on Monday to immediately stop its wrongdoings following reports that the United States is proposing port fees on Chinese-built ships and operators. “We urge the US to respect facts and multilateral rules, and immediately cease its erroneous acts. China will take necessary measures to defend its legitimate rights and interests,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. ALSO READ: Wang: Mutual respect is important prerequisite for China-US ties Reuters cited a draft executive order saying that the US is planning to charge fees for docking at US ports on…
SEOUL – President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from jail Saturday after a court accepted his request to overturn his arrest over his short-lived imposition of martial law in early December. Yoon had been held in detention since Jan. 15 on insurrection charges related to his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law that plunged South Korea into political turmoil, national division and economic uncertainty. On Saturday, a special investigation team of the prosecution ordered Yoon’s release from custody at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. The move came one day after the Seoul Central District Court approved Yoon’s…
A temple in China has found itself a real-life Lucky Cat, one that raises its paw on demand to give visitors a friendly high five. The moggy, often spotted with a gold chain around its neck, has drawn big crowds to Suzhou’s Xiyuan Temple since it shot to internet fame recently. Videos of the cat have gone viral across social media platforms. One video, posted on TikTok on Feb 28, has amassed more than 1.6 million views and 166,000 likes. In the video, the grey-and-white tabby is seen calmly perched on a stone ledge as crowds of people surround it,…
Robber hacked a gold trader to death in front of his wife and looted about 25 bhori of gold in Savar last night. The deceased, Dilip Das, 47, owned the jewellery store Dilip Swarnalay. The incident happened around 9:00pm at Nayarhat Bazaar Swarnapotti, known for its numerous gold jewellery shops. According to witnesses, three armed men arrived in a white car and detonated crude bombs to create panic. They then approached Dilip, who was about to close his shop, and stabbed him indiscriminately before snatching the bag of gold he was carrying. His wife was with him at the time.…