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Global operation seizes 1,400 tonnes of drugs, unearths new Pacific trafficking route

Global operation seizes 1,400 tonnes of drugs, unearths new Pacific trafficking route
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Colombian National Navy sailors intercept and seize a semi-submersible carrying cocaine hydrochloride in the Pacific coast of Colombia on March 13, 2023. (Handout photo via AFP)
Global operation seizes 1,400 tonnes of drugs, unearths new Pacific trafficking route
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Updated 28 November 2024

Global operation seizes 1,400 tonnes of drugs, unearths new Pacific trafficking route

Global operation seizes 1,400 tonnes of drugs, unearths new Pacific trafficking route
  • More than 1,400 tons of drugs seized, over 400 criminals arrested in global operation in October and November
  • Operation “Orion” involved the US, Brazil, Spain, Netherlands and other nations, as well as multiple international organizations
  • The seizure deprived drug cartels of more than $8.4 billion dollars, according to the Colombian Navy

BOGOTA: Authorities from dozens of countries seized 225 metric tonnes of cocaine in a six-week mega-operation where they unearthed a new Pacific trafficking route from South America to Australia, the Colombian Navy said Wednesday.

The latest phase of global naval operation “Orion” resulted in the seizure of more than 1,400 tonnes of drugs, including 225 tonnes of cocaine and 128 tonnes of marijuana, navy official Orlando Enrique Grisales told reporters.

More than 400 people were arrested in the operation targeting oceans, coasts, rivers and ports around the globe in October and November.

The massive bust involved the security agencies of the United States, Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands and several other nations, as well as multiple international organizations.

The seizure deprived drug cartels of more than $8.4 billion dollars, according to a Navy statement.

Grisales said officials also seized a semisubmersible wood-and-fiber glass vessel on its way to Australia with five tonnes of Colombian cocaine.

This was the third such vessel discovered in this area, revealing a “new route” of trafficking with sophisticated boats that can cover the distance of some 10,000 miles without needing to refuel.

A kilogram of cocaine is sold for up to $240,000 in Australia, said Grisales — about six times more than the price in the United States.

“It is a route that is becoming increasingly profitable because prices are much higher in Australia,” a security source said.

“Initially, these boats were used mainly to take the drugs out of the country and move them off the coast of Colombia and then transfer them to ships,” added the source.

“It has been found that these semisubmersibles, sometimes even submersibles, are now increasingly sophisticated, with very fine engineering.”

The operation also uncovered previously-unknown alliances between cartels from Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with groups from Europe and Oceania.

“It is not just a pyramid structure as the cartels once were. Today they are organized crime networks joined together,” said Grisales.

Colombia is the world’s biggest cocaine producer and exporter, mainly to the United States and Europe.

Last year, the South American country set a new record for cocaine production and cultivation of the coca leaf it is made from.


Two people injured after United Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Japan, Kyodo says

Updated 11 sec ago

Two people injured after United Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Japan, Kyodo says

Two people injured after United Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Japan, Kyodo says
A total of 142 passengers and crew members onboard evacuated the aircraft using the emergency slides

TOKYO: Two people appeared to have sustained minor injuries after a United Airlines Flight 32 heading to Cebu in the Philippines made an emergency landing at an airport in Japan’s western city of Osaka Friday night, Kyodo news agency reported.
The Boeing 737 aircraft from Narita Airport near Tokyo made an emergency landing at Kansai International Airport after 7 p.m. local time (1000 GMT) after a cargo fire indicator activated while flying over the Pacific Ocean, public broadcaster NHK reported.
A total of 142 passengers and crew members onboard evacuated the aircraft using the emergency slides, Kyodo said.
Reuters could not reach the Kansai airport, local police and fire departments, United Airlines, the transport ministry via phone outside normal business hours.

Trump to send National Guard to Memphis to address crime concerns

Trump to send National Guard to Memphis to address crime concerns
Updated 47 min 5 sec ago

Trump to send National Guard to Memphis to address crime concerns

Trump to send National Guard to Memphis to address crime concerns
  • Since sending the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington, Trump has openly mused about sending troops to some of the nation’s most Democratic cities

NEW YORK: President Donald Trump said Friday he’ll send the National Guard to Memphis to address crime concerns there with the support of the mayor and the governor.
Trump, a Republican, said on Fox News Channel “the mayor is happy” and “the governor is happy” about the pending deployment. The mayor is a Democrat, and the governor is a Republican.
He said the city is “deeply troubled” and “we’re going to fix that just like we did Washington,” where he’s sent National Guard and surged federal law enforcement.
Since sending the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington, Trump has openly mused about sending troops to some of the nation’s most Democratic cities – including Chicago and Baltimore – claiming they are needed to crack down on crime.
Trump said he “would have preferred going to Chicago,” where local politicians have fiercely resisted his plans, but he suggested it was a “hostile” place with “professional agitators.”
Trump first deployed troops to Los Angeles in early June over Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections by putting the California National Guard under federal jurisdiction, known as Title 10, to protect federal property from protests over immigration raids.
Besides 4,000 guard members, Trump later sent 700 active duty Marines, and California sued over the intervention. The guard went on to help protect officers during immigration arrests.
Meanwhile, the unique status of the District of Columbia National Guard – Trump is its commander in chief – means he has been able to use it for everything from armed patrols to trash cleanup without any legal issues. Because it is on state and not federal orders, legal restrictions on law enforcement don’t come into effect.


New labor agreement boosts protection of Filipino domestic workers in Qatar

New labor agreement boosts protection of Filipino domestic workers in Qatar
Updated 12 September 2025

New labor agreement boosts protection of Filipino domestic workers in Qatar

New labor agreement boosts protection of Filipino domestic workers in Qatar
  • Philippine, Qatari officials agree to establish a unified contract for Filipino workers
  • Labor deal prohibits salary deduction, guarantees rest days and leave, ensures fair wages

MANILA: The Philippines has signed a new labor agreement with Qatar to protect the rights and welfare of Filipino domestic workers, its Department of Migrant Workers said on Friday.

The majority of over 2 million overseas Filipinos live and work in Gulf countries, most of whom are based in ֱ and the UAE. Qatar employs around 250,000, who contribute about $900 million in annual remittance inflows to the Philippines.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac was in Doha earlier this week to discuss labor cooperation and the recruitment of Filipino workers with Qatari Minister of Labor Dr. Ali bin Samikh Al-Marri.

“An agreement for a unified contract for domestic workers has been reached. This is the first of its kind in Qatar,” Cacdac said on Friday.

Under the agreement, Filipino domestic workers in Qatar will be employed under a unified contract, in which employment terms are jointly recognized by both governments to ensure stronger protection and fair treatment.

“The Qatari and Philippines sides will honor only one contract, and this one lays down the terms and conditions of employment: humane treatment of our OFW household service workers, with annual leave, weekly rest day, daily rest period, fair wages and access to justice or a complaints mechanism if, unfortunately, problems arise for our domestic workers,” Cacdac said.

The new deal also reduces the probationary period for Filipino domestic workers, strictly prohibits any salary deduction and requires employers to shoulder the cost of workers’ return travel from Qatar to the Philippines after two years of service.

The Philippines is committed “to continue constructive dialogue and cooperation” in developing additional agreements, the DMW added.

“These efforts aim to further strengthen bilateral labor relations, safeguard the rights and welfare of workers, and promote a transparent, fair and mutually beneficial partnership,” it said.

The unified contract agreement is a “positive development” in Philippine-Qatar labor relations, especially in addressing long-standing issues of substituted contracts, said Arnold Mamaclay, president of the Philippine Employment Agencies and Associates for Corporate Employees in the Middle East.

“It’s a significant step forward in safeguarding the rights and welfare of our household service workers. This way, at least we can eliminate substitution of contract and exploitation. That’s usually where the problems come from — contract substitution,” he told Arab News.

“This way, there won’t be any confusion if there’s a labor complaint, because it’s the unified contract that will be followed. Right now, there are conflicts in Qatar and Philippine laws, especially when it comes to certain termination clauses and things like that. So it’s really good that we now have a unified contract.”


Trump says ‘with a high degree of certainty’ that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught

Trump says ‘with a high degree of certainty’ that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught
Updated 12 September 2025

Trump says ‘with a high degree of certainty’ that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught

Trump says ‘with a high degree of certainty’ that suspect in Charlie Kirk killing has been caught
  • “With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced
  • Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible

UTAH, USA: President Donald Trump said Friday that the suspect in the Charlie Kirk killing has been captured.
“With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” Trump announced in a live interview on Fox News Chanel on Friday morning.
Trump said a minister who is also involved with law enforcement turned in the suspect to authorities.
“Somebody that was very close to him said, ‘Hmm, that’s him,’” Trump said.
Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.
More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.
Grisly video shared online
The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.
The videos show Kirk, a close ally of Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.
The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a college-age appearance, fired one shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed the person then walking through the grass and across the street before disappearing.
“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.
Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the US Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk’s family Thursday in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.
“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral. Details have not been announced.
Kirk was taking questions about gun violence
Kirk was a conservative provocateur who became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.
One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about gun violence.
The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour.”
The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”
Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”
Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms
Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.
On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.
Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.
“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.
Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw swift bipartisan condemnation as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.


Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine in support of wounded troops

Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine in support of wounded troops
Updated 12 September 2025

Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine in support of wounded troops

Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine in support of wounded troops
  • This is the second time Harry has visited Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion in 2022
  • Prince Harry’s last trip to Ukraine included a visit to the Superhumans Center, an orthopedic clinic in Lviv

LONDON: Britain’s Prince Harry has arrived in Ukraine for a surprise visit in support of wounded service members.
Harry’s representatives confirmed they were in the capital, Kyiv, on Friday, though they declined to discuss the prince’s schedule for security reasons.
This is the second time Harry has visited Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion in 2022. He made a trip to the western city of Lviv in April.
“We cannot stop the war but what we can do is do everything we can to help the recovery process,” Harry told the Guardian newspaper while on an overnight train to Kyiv.
Harry, a British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, is the founder of the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style event designed to inspire military veterans around the world as they work to overcome battlefield injuries. Ukraine is bidding to host the games in 2029.
The Archewell foundation set up by Harry and his wife Meghan announced this week that it had donated $500,000 to projects supporting injured children from Gaza and Ukraine. The money will be used to help the World Health Organization with medical evacuations and to fund work developing prosthetics for seriously injured young people.
The Guardian said that Harry will visit the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, spend time with 200 veterans and meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
His visit coincided with a trip to Ukraine by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who announced a new set of UK sanctions targeting Russia’s oil revenues and military supplies.
Cooper said the visit is a show of solidarity with Ukrainians facing intensified assault from Russia – including 6,500 drones and missiles in July, 10 times the level of a year ago.
Harry’s appearance in Ukraine follows a four-day trip to the UK, where he met his father, King Charles III, for the first time in 19 months. The meeting was seen as a first step in repairing frigid relations between Harry and other members of the royal family, which deteriorated after he and his wife, the former Meghan Markle, gave up royal duties and moved to California in 2020.
Harry and his father last met in February 2024, when the prince flew to London after receiving news that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. Harry spent about 45 minutes with Charles before the king flew to his Sandringham country estate to recuperate from his treatment.
Prince Harry’s last trip to Ukraine included a visit to the Superhumans Center, an orthopedic clinic in Lviv that treats wounded military personnel and civilians. The center provides prosthetic limbs, reconstructive surgery and psychological help free of charge.
Harry’s visit Friday come as Russia escalates its war against Ukraine.
It is less than a week after Russia’s largest aerial attack on Ukraine since its all-out invasion began more than three years ago – an attack in which the main Ukrainian government building was hit. It also comes just days after numerous Russian drones entered the airspace of NATO member Poland – the country Harry traveled through to reach Ukraine.