Search underway in Bali waters for missing Saudi tourist
The Saudi man was swept away by a strong current while swimming with his partner at the popular surfing spot.
DENPASAR - Search and rescue personnel are looking for a Saudi Arabian tourist who went missing on July 8 while swimming off Batu Belig Beach in Badung regency, Bali, the latest in a string of water-related incidents in the popular resort province.
Authorities say Mr Alhawsawi Asad Mohamed, 29, was swimming with his 30-year-old Russian partner at the popular surfing spot at around 2.40pm on July 8 when he was suddenly swept away by a strong current.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
‘Epstein files' explained: Why Trump is under pressure
Find out what's new on ST website and app. US President Donald Trump is struggling to quell his supporters' obsessions with the Epstein case. WASHINGTON - A perceived lack of transparency over the US investigations into notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has carved a rare chasm between President Donald Trump and his typically loyal Republican base. As Mr Trump struggles to quell his supporters' obsessions with the case – one long surrounded by conspiracy theories – AFP outlines its history and why it has caused so much outrage. Origins of the Epstein case Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy American financier, was first charged with sex offenses in 2006 after the parents of a 14-year-old girl told police that he had molested their daughter at his Florida home. He avoided federal charges – which could have seen him face life in prison – due to a controversial plea deal with prosecutors that saw him jailed for just under 13 months. In July 2019, he was arrested again in New York and charged with trafficking dozens of teenage girls and engaging in sex acts with them in exchange for money. Prosecutors said he worked with employees and associates to ensure a 'steady supply of minor victims to abuse'. Epstein pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. On Aug 10, 2019, while in custody awaiting trial, authorities said he was found dead in his prison cell after hanging himself. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore July BTO launch to have over 4,600 balance flats, 2 BTO projects with under than 3-year wait Business US tariffs may last well after Trump; crucial for countries to deepen trade ties: SM Lee Asia Indonesia police detain 12 suspects over baby trafficking ring linked to Singapore Singapore 'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our children': Woman on husband's vape addiction Singapore Las Vegas Sands' new development part of S'pore's broader, more ambitious transformation: PM Wong Multimedia Telling the Singapore story for 180 years Life Walking for exercise? Here are tips on how to do it properly Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years A separate case against Epstein's girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was jailed in 2022 for helping him abuse girls, detailed Epstein's connections with high-profile figures like Britain's Prince Andrew and former US president Bill Clinton. Both have denied any wrongdoing. Why are there conspiracy theories? Some people believe that authorities are concealing details about the Epstein case to protect rich and powerful elites who associated with him, including Mr Trump. Those ideas have gripped Mr Trump's 'Make America Great Again' (Maga) movement – but demands for more transparency have crossed the political aisle. One key theory centers on a rumoured client list of individuals who committed sex offenses alongside Epstein. The Trump administration has insisted that no such list exists. Skeptics also allege suspicious circumstances in Epstein's death such as the security cameras around his cell apparently malfunctioning on the night he died, alongside other irregularities. Mr Trump and the Epstein case Mr Trump, who as a New York property magnate rubbed shoulders with Epstein, said when re-running for president that he would 'probably' release files related to the case. But since taking office, many of Mr Trump's supporters have been disappointed by what they see as a failure to deliver. The 79-year-old himself was dragged into the conspiracy theories after his former advisor Elon Musk claimed in June – in a now-deleted X post – that Mr Trump was 'in the Epstein files'. The Trump administration's efforts to appease demands for a full disclosure of the so-called Epstein files have largely fallen short. A bundle released in February that promised to shed light on the Epstein case contained little new information. Meanwhile, an almost 11-hour video published this month to dispel theories Epstein was murdered fell flat. The camera angle showed a section of the New York prison on the night Epstein died, but appeared to be missing a minute of footage, fueling more speculation online. And a memo from the Justice Department and FBI last week saying the Epstein files did not contain evidence that would justify further investigation was met by calls for the heads of each agency to resign. What comes next? Mr Trump has been towing a delicate line – saying he supports the release of any 'credible' files related to Epstein while dismissing the case as 'pretty boring stuff'. But even the normally authoritative president seems unable to arrest the disruption, as critics and even key allies call for more transparency. Mr Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House, has not followed Mr Trump's line on the issue and has instead urged the Justice Department to make public any documents linked to Epstein. Meanwhile, Democrats have seized on the rift between Mr Trump and his party by demanding his administration publish the full evidence held by prosecutors in their case against Epstein. AFP
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Prosecutor asks Brazil Supreme Court to find Bolsonaro guilty of coup
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro is accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 election. BRASILIA - A prosecutor asked Brazil's Supreme Court on July 15 to find ex-president Jair Bolsonaro guilty of plotting a coup, in closing arguments after a trial that saw US President Donald Trump try to intervene on behalf of his right-wing ally. Bolsonaro is accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 election won by his left-wing opponent, current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The prosecution told the court that former army officer Bolsonaro and seven others were guilty of participating in 'armed criminal association' and had sought to 'violently overthrow the democratic order'. After the defence presents its closing arguments, a five-justice panel will decide the fate of the ex-president. If found guilty, Bolsonaro and his co-defendants could face up to 40 years in prison. Bolsonaro says he is the victim of a political persecution, echoing Mr Trump's defence when the US president faced criminal charges before his White House return. 'It's not about imprisoning me; they want to eliminate me,' he told news site Poder360 on July 15. Prosecutors say Bolsonaro tried to overturn his 2022 loss in a plot that only failed because the military did not side with him. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business US tariffs may last well after Trump; crucial for countries to deepen trade ties: SM Lee World Trump says Indonesia to face 19% tariff under trade deal Singapore 'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our children': Woman on husband's vape addiction Singapore Las Vegas Sands' new development part of S'pore's broader, more ambitious transformation: PM Wong Multimedia Telling the Singapore story for 180 years Life Walking for exercise? Here are tips on how to do it properly Singapore CDL's long-time director Philip Yeo to depart after boardroom feud Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years Violent supporters then rioted, rampaging through government buildings in the capital Brasilia in scenes that echoed the assault on the US Capitol by Mr Trump's supporters after the Republican lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. The trial has attracted attention from Mr Trump, who returned to power in the 2024 election and continues to claim – despite this being rejected repeatedly by the courts – that he won in 2020. Mr Trump has repeatedly called on social media for Bolsonaro's trial to be stopped , accusing the authorities in Brazil of mounting a 'witch hunt' and a 'disgrace'. On July 9, he took his campaign to extraordinary new levels by announcing plans to tariff Brazilian imports to the United States at 50 per cent . Unlike the tariffs Mr Trump is slapping on countries around much of the world, including top US allies, the measures against Brazil – which are set to take effect on Aug 1 – were announced in openly political terms. Mr Trump cited 'Brazil's insidious attacks on Free Elections' among other issues, warning of further escalation if the country retaliated – something Mr Lula indicated would happen. On July 12, Mr Trump reiterated his claim that Bolsonaro was being unfairly treated. 'They're treating President Bolsonaro very unfairly,' Mr Trump told reporters, calling him 'a good man'. 'I know the honest ones, and I know the crooked ones,' he added. Mr Lula has hit back at Mr Trump's 'interference,' insisting that 'no one is above the law'. AFP
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Thai trans woman arrested over walking topless in Sri Lanka
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The 26-year-old pleaded guilty on July 15 to two charges of indecent exposure and causing distress to others at Arugam Bay. Colombo - Sri Lankan police arrested a Thai trans woman for walking topless at a surfing resort and causing a 'public nuisance', an officer said July 15. In largely conservative Sri Lanka, women going topless is an offence, while men are allowed to leave their torsos uncovered. The 26-year-old, whose Thai passport says she is male but who identifies as a woman, pleaded guilty on July 15 to two charges of indecent exposure and causing distress to others at Arugam Bay. A court handed her a suspended six-week sentence after social media posts showed her walking along a touristic beach strip on July 14. 'She was detained at the police station overnight and taken before the magistrate today following a lot of complaints from residents as well as on social media,' a local police officer told AFP. The magistrate had suspended the sentence for five years, meaning there will be no immediate imprisonment. Any repeat offence, however, would result in her having to serve the six-week term. Arugam Bay, nearly 400km from the capital Colombo, is a popular surfing destination. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Las Vegas Sands' new development part of S'pore's broader, more ambitious transformation: PM Wong Singapore 'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our children': Woman on husband's vape addiction Business US tariffs may last well after Trump; crucial for countries to deepen trade ties: SM Lee Asia India foreign minister's China visit marks restart in relations amid capricious US trade policy Multimedia Telling the Singapore story for 180 years Life Walking for exercise? Here are tips on how to do it properly Singapore CDL's long-time director Philip Yeo to depart after boardroom feud Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years The local community, largely made up of minority Muslims, had complained to authorities in recent weeks about scantily clad foreigners. While Sri Lanka, a Buddhist-majority country of 22 million people, welcomes tourists, nudity is prohibited and the general population remains conservative in outlook. Tourism has long been a key source of foreign exchange for the country, which is still recovering from its worst-ever economic crisis in 2022. The economy has since stabilised, thanks to an International Monetary Fund bailout in 2023 and the return of tourists following the Covid pandemic. AFP
