&w=3840&q=100)
Six US nationals held in South Korea attempting to send rice and Bibles to North Korea
South Korean police said the six US nationals were trying to send thousands of plastic bottles, filled with rice, one-dollar bills and Bibles to North Korea read more
The North Korean skyline seen across the Demilitarized Zone from the South Korean island of Gwanghwa in 2017. Source: AFP
South Korean police on Friday arrested six US nationals attempting to send plastic bottles packed with rice and Bibles to North Korea, the head of the investigation team said.
Local police said the six were trying to send thousands of plastic bottles, filled with rice, one-dollar bills and Bibles, into the sea off Ganghwa Island at 1:03 am on Friday when they were caught.
'We have arrested and are questioning six American nationals in their 20s to 50s on suspicion of violating the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety,' the head of the investigation team at Ganghwa Police Station in Incheon told AFP.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Americans could not speak Korean, so 'an interpreter was provided for them and we have since started the questioning,' he added.
Located northwest of Seoul, Ganghwa Island is one of the closest South Korean territories to North Korea, with some parts of the surrounding sea lying just 10 kilometres (six miles) from the maritime border between the two countries.
The island has long been a popular site for non-profit organisations and anti-North Korean groups to launch plastic bottles filled with rice, as well as USB sticks containing K-pop and South Korean dramas.
The area was designated a danger zone last November, along with other border regions where activists launch balloons carrying leaflets.
At the time, the government said such activities could be perceived by the North as provocative.
Last year, the two Koreas were in a tit-for-tat propaganda war, as the North sent thousands of trash-filled balloons southwards, saying they were retaliation for propaganda balloons launched by South Korean activists.
In response, Seoul turned on border loudspeaker broadcasts – including K-pop tunes and international news -– and North Korea started transmitting bizarre, unsettling noises along the frontier that had been a major nuisance for South Korean residents in the area.
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who took office this month, has vowed a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang and has halted the loudspeaker broadcasts, which North Korea, in return, stopped the following day.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Before the clock runs out: India, US race to seal trade deal before Donald Trump's tariffs kick in; top things to expect
India-US trade deal: Currently, India's main trade representative is conducting negotiations in Washington. (AI image) India-US trade deal: The United States and India appear to be in the final stages of discussions to finalise the first-cut of the US-Indian trade deal. With US President Donald Trump's July deadline looming, the trade deal could determine the trajectory of their economic relationship, according to the Global Trade and Research Initiative (GTRI). Currently, India's main trade representative is conducting negotiations in Washington, whilst both nations strive to achieve a limited arrangement -- commonly known as a "mini-deal" -- before the deadline expires. The timeframe corresponds to President Trump's 90-day suspension of nation-specific tariffs, declared on April 2. Should negotiations fail to conclude by July 8, India might encounter renewed tariff pressures, although analysts suggest substantial duties are improbable. India-US Trade Deal: What To Expect The final result could be a reduced-scope trade arrangement, structured similarly to the US-UK compact finalised in May, GTRI said according to an ANI report. This framework would require India to lower Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duties on various industrial products, including automobiles, which has been a persistent request from Washington, GTRI said. Regarding agricultural commerce, India might grant restricted entry for American products including ethanol, almonds, apples, avocados, wine, and spirits through modest duty reductions and tariff-rate quotas, the GTRI report said. India aims to safeguard crucial sectors including dairy, rice and wheat sectors, considering their vital role in rural sustenance and food security for its population. The agreement could include strategic arrangements involving substantial procurement of American oil, LNG, commercial aircraft and nuclear power equipment. The negotiations might require India to relax regulations concerning multi-brand retail and remanufactured goods importation, potentially creating opportunities for international retail corporations, the report said. As a concession, the United States would likely maintain a 10% baseline tariff on most Indian exports, rather than implementing the previously announced 26% increase, GTRI said. Nevertheless, the US position on maintaining its existing MFN tariffs on Indian goods raises questions about equitable treatment and mutual benefits. Also Read | 'Like H-1B without a lottery': What is O-1 visa? New route to US becomes popular among Indians; check details India-US Trade Deal Hurdles: The negotiations could potentially break down if the United States persists in demanding extensive access to India's fundamental agricultural sector or continues to advocate for GMO product allowances. India has explicitly declared that these requirements pose risks to food security and impact the sustenance of more than 700 million individuals within the nation's agricultural economy. Although agricultural products constitute a minor share of American exports to India, the US administration continues to press strongly for enhanced market accessibility. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Livguard Lithium-X: The Future of Power Backup Livguard Learn More Undo Experts in India are concerned that any concessions might pave the way for subsequent requests that could undermine the country's established public procurement framework and the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism, which are vital components of its agricultural policies. Also Read | China plays hardball! After choking rare earth magnets supply, China blocks important agriculture-related shipments to India; continues exports to others Should the discussions fail to progress, there remains uncertainty about whether President Trump would reinstate the previous 26% duties. Trade specialists consider this scenario unlikely, noting that India was not a primary target in the initial tariff directive. Nevertheless, considering Trump's unconventional policy decisions, all possibilities remain open. Irrespective of how negotiations conclude, trade authorities advise that India should maintain its position and advocate for an agreement based on mutual benefit, equilibrium and clarity. GTRI emphasises "Any trade deal with the US must not be politically driven or one-sided; it must protect our farmers, our digital ecosystem, and our sovereign regulatory space." Today, President Donald Trump indicated that a significant trade agreement with India is on the horizon. "We're not going to make deals with everybody. Some we are just going to send them a letter, say thank you very much. You are to pay 25, 35, 45 per cent. That's the easy way to do it, and my people don't want to do it that way. They want to do some of it, but they want to make more deals than I would do," he said." "But we're having some great deals. We have one coming up, maybe with India. Very big one. Where we're going to open up India, in the China deal, we're starting to open up China. Things that never really could have happened, and the relationship with every country has been very good" he added. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
US Supreme Court set to rule on FCC fund for phone, broadband access
By John Kruzel WASHINGTON: The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on Friday on the legality of how the Federal Communications Commission funds a multi-billion dollar effort to expand phone and broadband internet access to low-income and rural Americans and other beneficiaries. The FCC and a coalition of telecommunications firms and interest groups have appealed a lower court's ruling that found that the agency's funding operation effectively levied a "misbegotten tax" on American consumers in violation of the U.S. Constitution's vesting of legislative authority in Congress. It is the latest in a series of cases to come to the Supreme Court challenging the power of federal agencies. The fund has been used to expand service to low-income Americans and people living in rural areas and Native American tribal lands, as well as other beneficiaries such as schools and libraries. A law called the Telecommunications Act passed by Congress in 1996 authorized the FCC to operate a " Universal Service Fund ," to be drawn from regular contributions by telecommunications companies. The fund draws around $9 billion annually, with the vast majority of telecommunications companies passing on the cost to customers. The law lays out six principles to guide the fund's operation, including that "quality services should be available at just, reasonable and affordable rates," that "access to advanced telecommunications and information services should be provided in all regions of the nation," and requiring that "sufficient" mechanisms be in place to "preserve and advance universal service." At issue in the case was a legal principle called the non-delegation doctrine that involves limits on the ability of Congress to confer powers derived from the Constitution to government agencies like the FCC. The FCC's handoff of authority to the Universal Service Administrative Company, the private company that administers the fund, involves a related concept called the private non-delegation doctrine. The FCC appointed the company to help determine contribution amounts, collect payments from telecommunications businesses and deliver funding to beneficiaries. A set of challengers comprising the conservative group Consumers' Research, a telecommunications carrier and consumers asked the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022 to review the legality of the funding mechanism. They argued that Congress effectively handed off legislative power to the FCC by giving the agency open-ended latitude to operate the fund. They also argued that the FCC had unlawfully transferred authority to the Universal Service Administrative Company and given it an outsized role in determining contribution amounts to be paid by telecommunications companies. The 5th Circuit in 2024 concluded that "the combination of Congress's sweeping delegation to FCC and FCC's unauthorized subdelegation" to the private company violated the Constitution's provision giving the legislative power to Congress. The FCC was established as an independent federal agency in 1934 and is overseen by Congress. The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on March 26. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has reined in the actions of federal regulatory agencies in a series of rulings in recent years, though those cases did not involve the non-delegation doctrine.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Who was Takahiro Shiraishi? Japan hangs ‘Twitter Killer' who murdered and dismembered nine
Japan has executed a man named Takahiro Shiraishi after he was convicted of murdering nine people, including eight women. This is the first capital punishment in the country since 2022, Reuters reported. The 34-year-old was hanged at the Tokyo Detention House on Friday, June 27, Japan's Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said. This file photo taken on November 1, 20217 shows suspect Takahiro Shiraishi covering his face with his hands as he is transported to the prosecutor's office from a police station in Tokyo.(AFP) Shiraishi was arrested by police in 2017 for strangling and dismembering nine people at his apartment in Zama city, which is located near Tokyo. Post his arrest, he came to be known as the 'Twitter killer,' since he contacted all the victims through the social media platform. According to The New York Times, after searching his residence, officials discovered heads and other body parts of the victims in coolers. These were allegedly filled with cat litter to mask the odor. The discovery horrified Japan, which has low crime rates. Several of the nine victims were young women and girls contemplating suicide. They were lured to his apartment through social media. After bringing them to his house, Shiraishi strangled them and sexually assaulted some of the victims. He even robbed them and cut the corpses to hide them at different locations, The Washington Post reported. Among the female victims, there were also girls aged 15 and 17. Shiraishi murdered the male acquaintance of one victim after the person confronted him about her disappearance. All these incidents took place in a two-month killing spree in 2017. On one of his accounts on X, previously known as Twitter, Shiraishi identified himself as '@hangingpro'. He offered to help out people who were in pain. 'If you cannot help yourself, I can help you,' public prosecutors read one of his posts during the trial. Justice minister Keisuke Suzuki said the execution order was signed on Monday, but he did not witness the hanging on Friday morning. He added that the capital punishment was carried out after 'careful and deliberate consideration.' A major piece of evidence against Shiraishi was found when the brother of one of his victims saw his messages on her Twitter account. As per local media reports, Shiraishi told police during the trial that he was not interested in suicide and targeted people who wrote about it on social media. He stated that it was 'easier' for him to 'manipulate' them to his 'way of thinking.' FAQs: 1. When was the last capital punishment carried out in Japan? In July 2022, a man was executed after he went on a stabbing rampage in Akihabara in 2008. 2. How many death row inmates are there in Japan? Japan's justice minister Keisuke Suzuki said 105 people remain on death row in the country. 3. When was Takahiro Shiraishi sentenced to death? A Tokyo court had in December 2020 sentenced Shiraishi to death after finding him guilty of murdering nine people, who were between 15 and 26 years of age.
