JAKARTA: The death toll after a landslide at an illegal mine in western Indonesia was raised to 13 on Sunday, an official said, as search efforts for any further victims ended.
Heavy rains caused a landslide at a remote illegal mining site on Thursday evening in West Sumatra province on Sumatra island, where rescue workers had to walk for hours from the nearest village to reach the area.
Provincial disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Ilham Wahab said 13 people were found dead, while 12 others were injured, raising the death toll by two.
“Since all 25 reported victims have been found and evacuated, we decided to close the search and rescue operation,” Ilham told AFP.
But he said a public reporting post would remain open for the next seven days to allow families to report any missing relatives to authorities.
Unlicensed mines are common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago, where abandoned sites attract locals who hunt for leftover gold ore without proper safety equipment.
Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, typically between November and April, but some disasters caused by adverse weather have taken place outside that season in recent years.
Indonesia mine landslide toll up to 13 as search ends
https://arab.news/n43nu
Indonesia mine landslide toll up to 13 as search ends
US backs Israel’s ban on UNRWA Gaza aid operations at World Court
- The US said Israel had the right to determine which organizations could provide basic needs to the population of the occupied Palestinian territories
- The UN said in August that nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in the assault and had been fired
Israel last year passed a law that banned UNRWA from operating in the country, as it said the organization had employed members of Hamas who took part in the attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The UN said in August that nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in the assault and had been fired. Another Hamas commander, confirmed by UNRWA as one of its employees, was killed in Gaza in October, according to Israel.
The United Nations General Assembly in December asked the UN’s top court to give an advisory opinion on Israel’s obligations to facilitate aid to Palestinians that is delivered by states and international groups, including the United Nations.
At the third day of hearings on the matter, the US said Israel had the right to determine which organizations could provide basic needs to the population of the occupied Palestinian territories.
“An occupational power retains a margin of appreciation concerning which relief schemes to permit,” US State Department legal adviser Joshua Simmons said.
“Even if an organization offering relief is an impartial humanitarian organization, and even if it is a major actor, occupation law does not compel an occupational power to allow and facilitate that specific actor’s relief operations.”
Simmons also stressed the “serious concerns” Israel has about UNRWA’s impartiality.
UN and Palestinian representatives at the opening of hearings on Monday had accused Israel of breaking international law by refusing to let aid into Gaza.
Since March 2, Israel has completely cut off all supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip, and food stockpiled during a ceasefire at the start of the year has all but run out.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in Jerusalem on Monday that Israel had submitted its position in writing to the hearings, which he described as a “circus.”
Man charged with ‘terrorism offense’ for Israeli embassy incident: UK police
- Police said they had arrested a suspect attempting to gain unauthorized access to the grounds of the Embassy of Israel
LONDON: UK police charged a man with “a terrorism offense” Wednesday as Israel’s embassy in London said a knifeman had tried to carry out an attack at the site earlier this week.
Police said they had arrested a suspect “attempting to gain unauthorized access to the grounds of the Embassy of Israel” late on Monday.
Officers said they prevented him from entering the grounds of the embassy in southwest London.
Abdullah Sabah Albadri, 33, has been charged with the “preparation of terrorist acts” and two counts of possessing a blade.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Israeli embassy in London said there was “an attempted terror attack from an armed man with a knife who tried to penetrate the embassy.”
“No injuries occurred and all embassy staff and visitors are safe,” it said.
Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “We are not seeking anyone else in connection with this matter and we do not believe there is any wider threat to the public.”
Albadri was to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London later on Wednesday.
Cardinals thank Cardinal Becciu for stepping back from conclave
- The Vatican’s criminal court convicted Cardinal Angelo Becciu in 2023 of embezzlement and other finance-related charges
- Pope Francis in 2020 forced his resignation as head of the Vatican’s saint-making office and forced him to renounce the rights of the cardinalate
VATICAN CITY: Catholic cardinals acknowledged Wednesday the definitive word is still out about the Vatican trial that convicted Cardinal Angelo Becciu of financial crimes, in the latest twist to a drama that has dominated conversations leading up to the May 7 conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor.
Becciu, 76, is the once-powerful Italian cardinal who formally withdrew his participation in the conclave on Tuesday, after days of uncertainty about his status.
The Vatican’s criminal court convicted Becciu in 2023 of embezzlement and other finance-related charges at the end of the so-called “trial of the century.”
But the convictions are being appealed and there are lingering questions about the integrity of the trial, which the College of Cardinals appeared to refer to in a statement Wednesday. As in Italy, convictions in the Vatican criminal court are not considered definitive until all appeals are exhausted.
In their statement Wednesday, the college thanked Becciu for withdrawing and for “contributing to the communion and serenity of the conclave.”
“The Congregation of Cardinals expresses its appreciation for the gesture he has made and hopes that the competent organs of justice will be able to definitively ascertain the facts,” said a statement from the cardinals who are meeting in pre-conclave discussions.
Francis in 2020 forced Becciu’s resignation as head of the Vatican’s saint-making office and forced him to renounce the rights of the cardinalate after receiving allegations of financial misconduct against him.
Becciu denied wrongdoing but said at the time that he wouldn’t be able to vote in a future conclave. After Francis died April 21, Becciu had asserted his right to participate. But he backed down Tuesday after being presented with letters from Francis, penned before his death, saying he couldn’t take part.
Questions around the trial
During the trial, defense lawyers discovered that Francis had secretly issued four decrees during the investigation to benefit prosecutors, allowing them to conduct intercepts and detain suspects without a judge’s warrant. Defense lawyers argued such interference by an absolute monarch in a legal system where the pope exercises supreme legislative, executive and judicial power violated their clients’ fundamental rights and robbed them of a fair trial.
Also during the trial, it emerged that the prosecution’s prime witness against Becciu was coached, threatened and manipulated by outsiders to persuade him to turn on the cardinal.
The tribunal rejected the defense objections at the time and the trial went ahead. But in recent weeks even more evidence has emerged about the outside manipulation of the witness and apparent collusion with Vatican prosecutors and gendarmes to target Becciu. The Domani newspaper has published previously redacted WhatsApp chats and an audio suggesting that Vatican gendarmes and prosecutors were involved indirectly in coaching the witness, Monsignor Alberto Perlasca, to turn on Becciu.
Becciu has responded to the reports with outrage, saying they prove that his prosecution was manipulated from the start.
“From the very first moment I spoke of a machination against me: an investigation built on falsehoods, which five years ago unjustly devastated my life and exposed me to a pillory of worldwide proportions,” he said in a statement April 14, when the first chats were published.
The appeal is scheduled to begin in September.
Bangladeshi music stars prepare to light up the stage in Dammam
- Lineup features heartthrob Imran Mahmudul and rock legend James
- James debuted in Saudi Arabia during last year’s Riyadh Season
DHAKA: Some of Bangladesh’s most popular artists are showcasing their pop culture to an international audience as they headline a cultural festival in Saudi Arabia this week.
Organized by the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, the month-long event, “Your Passport to the World,” is held in the city of Alkhobar in the Dammam metropolitan area.
The festival, which began April 9, is focused on showcasing the rich cultural heritage of four countries: Sudan, India, the Philippines and Bangladesh.
The last leg of the event, which began Wednesday, features Bangladeshi artists, with the lineup of musicians saying they are ready to put on a spectacular show in the Kingdom.
“I am well-prepared now for the show. As a part of preparation, I have made some new compositions for some of my popular numbers as the audience will listen to my live performance for the first time,” singer and composer Imran Mahmudul told Arab News.
Mahmudul, who will perform in Dammam on Thursday and at another iteration of the festival in Jeddah on May 8, is performing for the second time in Saudi Arabia, after making his debut in 2023 at the Riyadh Season — an annual series of entertainment, cultural, and sporting events running in the Saudi capital throughout winter months.
“That was a hugely good experience for me. More than half a million people enjoyed that show. Half of the audience couldn’t enter into the show as it was fully packed. It’s the biggest concert I have ever performed,” he said. “It’s a nice initiative to showcase Bangladeshi culture for the international audience.”
The 33-year-old heartthrob was looking forward to playing for some of Bangladesh’s 3 million expats who are living and working in the Kingdom.
“Most of the Bangladeshi crowd are very emotional, especially when they find the Bangladeshi stars at their places … Whenever they get the opportunity to experience this kind of show with Bangladeshi stars, they don’t miss it.”
For her first-ever live performance in Saudi Arabia, singer Dilshad Nahar Kona said she is looking forward to putting on a show for fellow Bangladeshis in the Kingdom.
“I am feeling very proud to be a part of this grand event initiated by the Saudi government,” Kona told Arab News.
“With this initiative, I would be able to reach our people (Bangladeshis) in the Kingdom. It’s a big initiative where Bangladesh will be showcased for 3 to 4 days. Definitely, it’s a nice initiative by authorities in the Kingdom.”
Kona said she has been preparing to put on a great show. “We are fully prepared to offer the audience a marvelous show. With my performance, even if I can entertain them for a few moments, that will bring satisfaction in my mind as our efforts are nothing compared to the hard labor of our migrants’ work.”
The concerts will also feature other popular musicians from Bangladesh, including rock legend James, one of the most popular artists performing in Bengali, who has been widely celebrated since the 1990s and who debuted at Riyadh Season last year.
Ahead of the concerts, the Bangladesh expat community has been brimming with enthusiasm.
“I am a great fan of James and Imran. I am very excited to watch the live performances of these Bangladeshi music stars,” Abdul Hannan, a construction worker who lives in Dammam, told Arab News.
“We will join the Bangladesh events all four days as we get this sort of entertainment opportunities here very rarely. It’s kind of a get-together also for all the Bangladeshi migrants who have been living in this part of the Kingdom.”
Salma Hossain, who has been living in Saudi Arabia for the last three years, is planning to make the most of the festival.
“I have been counting the days for this Bangladesh event,” Hossain told Arab News.
“As a Bangladeshi citizen, I feel proud of this event. With the shows, now the people in my neighborhood will come to know that we also have a rich culture and heritage. We also have world-class music stars.”
Pakistani nationals leave India as tensions between the two nations escalate over Kashmir attack
- Deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave the country – with exceptions for those who are on medical visas in India – passed on Sunday
- But many families still scrambling to the Indian side of the border in Attari town in northern Punjab state to cross into Pakistan
ATTARI, India: Dozens of Pakistani nationals living in India headed to the main land crossing between India and Pakistan on Wednesday, following New Delhi’s decision to order almost all Pakistani citizens to leave the country after last week’s deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave the country – with exceptions for those who are on medical visas in India – passed on Sunday, but many families were still scrambling to the Indian side of the border in Attari town in northern Punjab state to cross into Pakistan.
Some were arriving on their own and others were being deported by police.
“We have settled our families here. We request the government not to uproot our families,” said Sara Khan, a Pakistani national who was ordered back to Pakistan without her husband, Aurangzeb Khan, who holds an Indian passport.
Waiting on the Indian side of the border crossing, Khan carried her 14-day-old child in her arms. She said Indian authorities did not give her any time to recuperate from a caesarean section and that her long-term visa was valid until July 2026.
“They (authorities) told me you are illegal and you should go,” said Khan, who has been living in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 2017. “They gave us no time. I could not even change my shoes.”
Tensions between rivals India and Pakistan have escalated after gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, near the resort town of Pahalgam in disputed Kashmir.
At least three tourists who survived the massacre said that the gunmen singled out Hindu men and shot them from close range. The dead included a Nepalese citizen and a local Muslim pony ride operator.
India has described the massacre as a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan has denied any connection to the attack, which was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.
The massacre set off tit-for-tat diplomatic measures between India and Pakistan that included cancelation of visas and a recall of diplomats. New Delhi also suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border shut with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
As tensions escalate, cross-border firings between Indian and Pakistani soldiers have also increased along the Line of Control, the de facto frontier that separates Kashmiri territory between the two rivals.
Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.
Meanwhile, India’s cabinet committee on security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on Wednesday. It was their second such meeting since the attack.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate phone calls with India and Pakistan, stressed the need to “avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences.” The US State Department also called for de-escalation and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be speaking soon to the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers.
The two nations have frequently come to blows over Kashmir in the past, but last week’s massacre has escalated tensions and Modi has repeatedly vowed to pursue and punish the attackers.
Early Wednesday, Pakistan said it had “credible intelligence” that India intends to carry out military action against it in the “next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.”
There was no immediate comment from Indian officials.
