European soccer body UEFA is moving toward a vote to suspend its member federation Israel over the war in Gaza, people familiar with the proposal told The Associated Press on Thursday. A majority of UEFA’s 20-member executive committee is expected to support any vote in favor of suspending Israeli teams from international play, two sources told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. The move comes two weeks before the Israel men’s team is due to resume its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with away games against Norway and Italy. It is unclear...
Seychelles Holds Early Voting As Many In The Nation Worry About A Drug Crisis And Environment
Early voting started Thursday across Seychelles as concerns over a drug crisis and environmental challenges facing the nation weigh heavily on the minds of many as they choose a new president and parliament. President Wavel Ramkalawan hopes to hold on to the top post in this tourist haven and Africa’s smallest country, both in land area and population. Ballots papers were flown to the outer islands and special polling stations opened for the elderly and essential workers for early voting, said election commission’s chief, Manuella Amesbury. The presidential and parliamentary election will be held on Saturday. Primary contenders Ramkalawan, an Anglican priest turned politician,...
South Korean Parliament Votes To Allow Tattooists To Work Without A Medical License
Tattoo artists in South Korea will no longer need to worry about being punished for doing their jobs, as the country’s parliament on Thursday approved a landmark bill to end a requirement that anyone who gives a tattoo must have a medical license. South Korea is currently the only country with such a restriction in the industrialized world. The Tattooist Act, which was passed by the unicameral National Assembly in a 195-0 vote, would introduce an official licensing system for tattoo artists and place them under state supervision. About 20-30 tattoo artists gathered at the assembly shouted for joy, clapped and...
Indonesia Faces Calls To Halt Free Meals Program As Over 5,000 School Children Fall Ill
Indonesia’s government was facing calls on Thursday to suspend President Prabowo Subianto ’s multi-billion-dollar free meals program after thousands of school pupils fell ill in an food poisoning outbreak. Television reports showed hospital wards filled with children, with some crying in pain and clutching their stomachs, while police and health workers carried away other victims in ambulances, vans and trucks. The Free Nutritious Meal program was started in January with the aim of fighting malnutrition by feeding nearly 90 million children and pregnant women. The initiative, which is expected to cost $28 billion through 2029, delivers on a campaign promise by Subianto, who was elected...
China Sanctions Six U.S. Companies As Trade Frictions Continue
China announced sanctions on six U.S. companies on Thursday as frictions continue to escalate in the countries’ trade relations despite a highly anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Three U.S. companies have been added to China’s “unreliable entity list,” effectively banning them from trade with China, according to a statement by the Commerce Ministry. The ministry said the companies have “engaged in so-called military-technical cooperation with Taiwan, severely undermining China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests.” The companies are unmanned vehicle maker Saronic Technologies, satellite technology company Aerkomm and subsea engineering firm Oceaneering International. China sees...
Japanese Court Rejects An Appeal By Australian Who Says She Was Tricked Into Smuggling Drugs
A Japanese court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by an Australian woman who said she was tricked into smuggling drugs by a man she hoped to marry, allowing a six-year prison sentence issued by a lower court to stand. The Tokyo High Court said Donna Nelson, 59, from Perth, Australia, was guilty of violating the stimulants control and customs laws. The Chiba District Court in December sentenced her to six years in prison and a fine of 1 million yen ($6,725). Nelson was arrested at Japan’s Narita International Airport, near Tokyo, on Jan. 3, 2023, after customs officials found about 2 kilograms...
Judge Fails To Appear For Court Hearing In Eswatini Over 4 Men Deported By The US
A judge failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing in Eswatini on Thursday over the continued detention of four men deported by the United States to the southern African kingdom. The case was brought by several non-profit organizations that have challenged the legality of holding the men from Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and Yemen without charges. The four were deported to Eswatini in mid-July under the Trump administration’s third-country deportation program. The four men have been denied access to legal counsel while being held at the country’s top maximum-security prison for more than two months, their U.S.-based lawyers have said. No reason...
Katsina State Uncovers Massive Salary Fraud, Dismissed 3,488 Employees
The Katsina State Government has dismissed 3,488 employees from its payroll and recovered millions of naira in a major crackdown on a fraudulent salary scheme. Governor Dikko Umaru Radda received the committee’s report on Wednesday during the State Executive Council meeting, where he said the exercise exposed cases of ghost workers, falsified documents, absenteeism, and illegal promotions. Following a biometric screening that exposed out of 50,172 staff screened, 46,380 were verified, while the rest were found to have presented fake credentials, failed to appear, or engaged in fraudulent practices. The committee also recovered N4.6 million from individuals receiving double salaries...
