Alleged Sinaloa cartel co-founder ‘El Mayo’ to be arraigned in New York

Alleged Sinaloa cartel co-founder ‘El Mayo’ to be arraigned in New York
Above, newspaper reporting the arrest of Mexican drug lord Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada andJoaquin Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman in Mexico City, Mexico on July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 13 September 2024
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Alleged Sinaloa cartel co-founder ‘El Mayo’ to be arraigned in New York

Alleged Sinaloa cartel co-founder ‘El Mayo’ to be arraigned in New York
  • Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada will likely be asked to enter a plea to the drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons charges he faces
  • Zambada was taken into custody on July 25 at a New Mexico airfield, along with one of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman’s sons

NEW YORK: The accused Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada is expected to make an initial appearance on Friday in the same New York courthouse where fellow Sinaloa cartel co-founder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was convicted five years earlier.
At the 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) hearing before US Magistrate Judge James Cho in Brooklyn, Zambada will likely be asked to enter a plea to the drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons charges he faces.
Prosecutors will ask that Zambada, who is in his 70s, be jailed pending trial.
“The defendant has devoted his efforts over decades to growing, increasing, and enhancing the power of the Cartel — and his individual power and position in the Cartel after his partner El Chapo was captured,” the US Attorney’s office in Brooklyn wrote in a Thursday court filing.
Zambada was taken into custody on July 25 at a New Mexico airfield, along with one of Guzman’s sons, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, in a major coup for US law enforcement.
He was then taken to El Paso, Texas, where he pleaded not guilty in federal court to separate drug trafficking charges.
US District Judge Kathleen Cardone last week had him transferred to Brooklyn after the US Department of Justice asked that he face trial there first.
The Brooklyn case began in 2009, and includes allegations related to the trafficking of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid fueling an epidemic in the United States.
“El Chapo” Guzman is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado. His son has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in Chicago.
Shootouts this week in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa kindled fears that an intra-cartel war is about to break out in the wake of Zambada’s arrest.


Ukraine says hit oil facility on occupied Crimea

Ukraine says hit oil facility on occupied Crimea
Updated 32 sec ago
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Ukraine says hit oil facility on occupied Crimea

Ukraine says hit oil facility on occupied Crimea
KYIV: Ukraine said Monday its forces had struck an oil terminal overnight on the Crimean peninsula — controlled by Moscow since 2014 — in Kyiv’s latest attack on Russian-controlled energy facilities.
Kyiv has ramped up strikes targeting Russia’s energy sector in recent months aiming to dent revenues used by Moscow to fund its invasion, now grinding through its third year.
“At night, a successful strike was carried out on the enemy’s offshore oil terminal in temporarily occupied Feodosia, Crimea,” the Ukrainian military said in a post on social media.
Russian-installed authorities in Crimea said a fire had broken out at an oil depot in the Black Sea port town of some 70,000 people and that there were no casualties.
The Russian defense ministry meanwhile said that 12 Ukrainian attack drones had been downed over the peninsula overnight, of a total of 21 deployed by Kyiv against Russia.
“The Feodosia terminal is the largest in Crimea in terms of transshipment of oil products, which were used, among other things, to meet the needs of the Russian occupation army,” the Ukrainian military said, vowing to continue such attacks.
Ukraine says the strikes are fair retaliation for Russian attacks on its own energy infrastructure that have plunged millions into darkness.
Separately, Russian forces targeted Kyiv with three missiles, city authorities said, adding that debris from one sparked a fire that was extinguished by emergency services.

Blast kills two Chinese workers in Pakistan’s biggest city

Blast kills two Chinese workers in Pakistan’s biggest city
Updated 59 min 3 sec ago
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Blast kills two Chinese workers in Pakistan’s biggest city

Blast kills two Chinese workers in Pakistan’s biggest city

KARACHI: A massive blast that targeted a convoy of Chinese workers in Pakistan’s largest city killed two nationals, Beijing’s embassy said Monday, in an attack claimed by a separatist group.
Beijing is a crucial ally for cash-strapped Pakistan but Chinese-funded infrastructure projects have sparked resentment and its nationals are routinely targeted by militant groups.
A “tanker” exploded on the airport motorway in the port city of Karachi around 11:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) Sunday, the regional government of southern Sindh province said on X.
Separatist militant group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said in a statement that it had “targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors” coming from Karachi’s international airport.
Karachi borders Balochistan province, the largest but poorest region of the country, where billions of dollars have been funnelled into transport, energy and infrastructure projects as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The BLA is waging a war of independence against the state, which it accuses of permitting unfair exploitation of resources by outsiders in the mineral-rich region.
In August, it carried out coordinated attacks across Balochistan that killed dozens of mostly Punjabis, the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, who were working in the region.
Beijing’s embassy to Pakistan said in a statement on Monday that two Chinese citizens had been killed in a “terror attack” on a convoy of personnel from the Chinese-funded Port Qasim power project.
The attack also left one Chinese and several Pakistani citizens wounded, the embassy said.
The embassy urged authorities to “conduct a thorough investigation of the attack and severely punish the killers, while at the same time taking practical measures to fully ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects.”
Beijing has repeatedly asked Islamabad to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals and its interests.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday that it “reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Chinese nationals.”
Sunday night’s attack comes a week before Pakistan hosts several heads of governments for a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, a bloc established by Russia and China to deepen ties with Central Asian states.
Beijing is Islamabad’s closest regional ally, readily providing financial assistance to bail out its often struggling neighbor.
The CPEC has seen tens of billions of dollars funnelled into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects — part of Beijing’s transnational “Belt and Road” scheme.
A suicide bomber killed five Chinese engineers working on the construction of a dam in northwestern Pakistan in March, temporarily pausing the project.
The attack was not claimed, but it came days after militants attempted to storm offices of the Gwadar deepwater port at the other end of the country, considered a cornerstone of Chinese investment in Pakistan.
In June 2020, Baloch insurgents targeted the Pakistan Stock Exchange, which is partly owned by Chinese companies, in the commercial capital of Karachi.
In 2019, gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in Balochistan province overlooking the flagship Chinese-backed deepwater seaport in Gwadar that gives strategic access to the Arabian Sea — killing at least eight people.


2 foreign climbers rescued after being stranded in India’s Himalayas for 3 days

2 foreign climbers rescued after being stranded in India’s Himalayas for 3 days
Updated 07 October 2024
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2 foreign climbers rescued after being stranded in India’s Himalayas for 3 days

2 foreign climbers rescued after being stranded in India’s Himalayas for 3 days
  • The climbers lost most of their communication equipment, but managed to send out an emergency message the same day
  • A rockfall severed their rope, sending their bags, along with crucial supplies like their food, tent, and climbing gear, into a gorge

LUCKNOW: Two foreign climbers have been rescued after being stranded for three days on a mountain in India’s Himalayan north.
Fay Jane Manners from the United Kingdom and Michelle Theresa Dvorak from the United States were ascending a rocky section of the Chaukhamba-3 peak in India’s Uttarakhand state when they got stranded there, said Sandeep Tiwari, a senior administrative officer of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. The climbers were rescued on Sunday, he said.
The climbers were first reported stranded on Thursday when a rockfall severed their rope, sending their bags — along with crucial supplies like food, tent and climbing gear — into a gorge. The climbers also lost most of their communication equipment, but managed to send out an emergency message the same day.
“We were pulling up my bag and she (Dvorak) had her bag on her. And the rockfall came, cut the rope with the other bag, and it just went down the entire mountain,” Manners told local reporters on Sunday.
The rescue operation took 80 hours to complete and involved the Indian air force and the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority.
Rajkumar Negi, a spokesperson for India’s disaster management agency, said that two Indian Air Force helicopters dispatched on Friday to help with the search were unable to locate the climbers. But on Saturday, a French mountaineering team, which was also attempting to climb the Chaukhamba-3 peak, located the stranded climbers and relayed their coordinates to the rescue authorities.
The Indian air force said in a statement on social platform X that it airlifted the climbers on Sunday “from 17,400 feet, showcasing remarkable coordination in extreme conditions.”
Chaukhamba-3 is a mountain peak in the Garhwal Himalaya in northern India.


Maldives President Muizzu to meet India’s Modi to repair strained diplomatic ties

Maldives President Muizzu to meet India’s Modi to repair strained diplomatic ties
Updated 07 October 2024
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Maldives President Muizzu to meet India’s Modi to repair strained diplomatic ties

Maldives President Muizzu to meet India’s Modi to repair strained diplomatic ties
  • Tensions between India and Maldives have grown since pro-China Muizzu came to power last year
  • Muizzu had promised to expel Indian soldiers deployed in Maldives to help in humanitarian assistance

NEW DELHI: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is expected to talk Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi as he aims to repair ties between the countries that have been strained since he came to power last year.

Muizzu and Modi are expected to discuss “bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest,” according to India’s foreign ministry. Muizzu will also hold meetings with senior Indian officials during his five-day India visit.

Tensions between India and Maldives have grown since pro-China Muizzu came to power last year after defeating India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Leading up to the 2023 elections, Muizzu had promised to expel Indian soldiers deployed in Maldives to help in humanitarian assistance. In May, New Delhi replaced dozens of these soldiers with civilian experts.

Ties were also strained in January when some Maldivian leaders lashed out at Modi for promoting India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for Indian travelers. Lakshadweep is off the southwestern coast of the Indian mainland.

Maldivian leaders saw the move as a way to lure Indian tourists away from their country and encourage them to visit Lakshadweep instead. It sparked angry protests from Indian celebrities who called for a tourism boycott to Maldives. Tourism is the mainstay of the Maldives’ economy.

The dispute deepened when Muizzu visited China ahead of India in January, a move which was seen as a snub to New Delhi. On his return, Muizzu spelled out plans to rid his tiny nation of dependence on India for health facilities, medicines, and import of staples.

A thaw ensued after Muizzu attended Modi’s June swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi for a third five-year term. Since then, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric, and official-level contacts have intensified with New Delhi.

India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Sunday said he was confident Muizzu’s talks with Modi would give “a new impetus” to the “friendly ties” between the countries.

Regional powers India and China compete for influence in the archipelago nation, which is strategically located in the Indian Ocean.

For decades, India has been a critical provider of development assistance to the Maldives, including infrastructure projects, medical care, and health facilities. Meanwhile, Maldives is part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative to build ports and highways and expand trade, as well as China’s influence across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Muizzu’s visit to New Delhi is essential for Modi, who is facing a challenging time in neighborhood diplomacy with Marxist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake taking over as Sri Lanka’s president and India-friendly Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India in August after being forced to resign by students-led protests. Nepal also now has pro-China K.P. Sharma Oli as its prime minister.

Experts say India needs to maintain close ties with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and the Maldives, which are its traditional spheres of influence.


Close ally of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi dies of leukaemia: source

Close ally of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi dies of leukaemia: source
Updated 07 October 2024
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Close ally of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi dies of leukaemia: source

Close ally of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi dies of leukaemia: source

YANGON: A close ally of detained Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi died of leukaemia on Monday, a party source told AFP, days after being released from junta custody on health grounds.
Zaw Myint Maung, 72, who spent around two decades in prison for defying Myanmar’s military, was a close confidante of Suu Kyi and a lynchpin of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
He was arrested following the military’s latest coup in 2021 and jailed for corruption. He was recently released on health grounds.
“We got confirmation of his death. It’s a big loss for us as he was one of our NLD vice-chairmen,” a senior party source told AFP, requesting anonymity to speak to the media.
The source said Zaw Myint Maung had died of leukaemia.
“Although we were prepared we might lose him one day, we are sorry for losing him in this difficult situation. We have to move forward for democracy with the leaders we have.”
Zaw Myint Maung was detained along with other senior NLD figures following the 2021 coup that upended a 10-year experiment with democracy and returned the Southeast Asian nation to military rule.
In 1988 he led a doctors’ strike as part of huge pro-democracy uprisings that thrust Suu Kyi into the spotlight in Myanmar — then called Burma.
In 1989 he left his job in a university biochemistry department and joined the NLD.
The military later imprisoned him for around two decades for his activism.
After the generals enacted democratic reforms and the NLD won a landslide in the 2015 elections, he became the chief minister of the Mandalay region.
The year before the putsch Suu Kyi described him as a “real hardcore and a comrade who has been together with us since the very beginning [of our party].”
The 2021 coup sparked widespread armed opposition to military rule that the junta has failed to crush more than three years later.
Almost three million people have been forced from their homes by the conflict, according to the United Nations.
The junta’s crackdown on dissent has decimated the senior ranks of the NLD.
Months after the coup Nyan Win, a former NLD spokesman and Suu Kyi confidante died of Covid-19 while being held in military custody for sedition.
In 2022 another former lawmaker was executed by the junta in Myanmar’s first use of capital punishment in decades.
In March last year, the junta dissolved the NLD for failing to re-register under a tough new military-drafted electoral law, removing it from polls it has indicated it may hold in 2025.
Suu Kyi, 79, is serving a 27-year prison sentence on charges ranging from corruption to not respecting Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
Rights groups say her closed-door trial was a sham designed to remove her from the political scene.
Last month Italian media reported that Pope Francis has offered refuge on Vatican territory to Suu Kyi, who led the government ousted by the military in 2021.