Georgia stops the sale of $3 million worth of uranium that could have been used in a bomb
Georgia's State Security Service said it had prevented a "transnational crime" involving "the illegal sale and purchase of nuclear material, in particular, the radioactive chemical element uranium."
One Georgian citizen and one foreigner were arrested in the western city of Batumi on the Black Sea, the statement said. The pair, whom the statement did not name, could face up to 10 years in prison.
The State Security Service did not say how enriched the uranium was but said that it was such a powerful emitter of alpha and beta radiation that it could have been used to make a deadly bomb with mass fatalities.
Georgia, a country of about 3.7 million in the South Caucasus, has foiled several attempts to fail uranium or other radioactive materials since the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union, of which Georgia was a republic. REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
11 minutes ago
- Straits Times
UK launches sanctions regime targeting people-smuggling gangs
FILE PHOTO: Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy walks on Downing Street, on the day of the budget announcement, in London, Britain October 30, 2024. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes/File Photo LONDON - Britain on Monday launched a new sanctions regime targeting people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in what the government said was the first move of its kind globally. The United Kingdom will be able to freeze assets, impose travel bans and block access to the country's financial system for individuals and entities involved in enabling irregular migration, without relying on criminal or counterterrorism laws. The regime was previously outlined by foreign minister David Lammy in January. The British government said it would complement new powers in the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill that has yet to be enacted. The Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to meet a pledge to stop the flow of tens of thousands of people into Britain from across the Channel in small boats. "For too long, criminal gangs have been lining their corrupt pockets and preying on the hopes of vulnerable people with impunity as they drive irregular migration to the UK," British foreign minister David Lammy said in a statement. " That's why the UK has created the world's first sanctions regime targeted at gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration, as well as their enablers." The government said the measures would target those who supply small boats, fake documents and financial services used by smuggling networks. Chris Philp, in charge of the security and immigration portfolio in parliament for the main opposition Conservatives, said in a statement that it would take more to stop the crossings. "The truth is you don't stop the Channel crossings by freezing a few bank accounts in Baghdad or slapping a travel ban on a dinghy dealer in Damascus," he said. "Swathes of young men are arriving daily, in boats bought online, guided by traffickers who laugh at our laws and cash in on our weakness." Starmer has recently agreed deals with France and Germany to help stop the arrival of small boats as he tries to stem the rise of the right-wing populist Reform UK party, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage. REUTERS
Straits Times
11 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Brazil's Supreme Court threatens Bolsonaro with arrest if interviews published on social media
SAO PAULO - Brazil's Supreme Court said on Monday former President Jair Bolsonaro may be arrested if his press interviews are published on social media, raising questions about whether the right-wing leader is allowed to talk to journalists, as he faces backlash over the 50% tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump imposed on Brazil. In a court order issued on Monday, Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees a criminal case in which Bolsonaro is accused of plotting a coup, said any attempt to circumvent the ruling could result in the former president's arrest. On Friday, Moraes had ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle bracelet and banned him from using social media, among other measures, over allegations he courted the interference of Trump, who tied the new levies on Brazil to what he called a "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro. In an interview with Reuters on Friday, Bolsonaro described Moraes' decision to prohibit his social media use as "cowardice," and said he intended to continue engaging with the press to ensure his voice was heard. But Monday's ruling clarified that the restrictive measures also applied to Bolsonaro's use of social media through third parties. Bolsonaro canceled an interview with a local news outlet that would have been broadcast on YouTube on Monday. "Obviously, the broadcasting, rebroadcasting, or dissemination of audio, video, or transcripts of interviews on any third-party social media platforms is prohibited," the judge wrote. It is unclear if the measure amounts to a prohibition of all interviews. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH Asia At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force plane crashes at college campus Singapore ST Explains: What does it mean for etomidate to be listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act? Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region Singapore NTU to have compulsory cadaver dissection classes for medical students from 2026 World US authorities probing passenger jet's close call with B-52 bomber over North Dakota Singapore Jail for man who conspired with another to bribe MOH agency employee with $18k Paris trip Singapore New research institute will grow S'pore's talent in nuclear energy, safety "The prohibition is that he communicates on social media; it is not a prohibition against third parties speaking about him, whether to praise or criticize," said Ivar Hartmann, a law professor at Sao Paulo business school Insper. He added that, in his view, interviews are permissible, provided they are not intended to circumvent the legal limitations, such as giving an interview to a supporter. But Vera Chemim, a São Paulo-based constitutional lawyer, said she believed the former leader is now on shaky ground, noting that interviews, while not explicitly mentioned in the court order, could still be used to justify Bolsonaro's arrest. "Bolsonaro is now completely silenced," she said. "Any misstep could lead to a preventive arrest." On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Moraes' court orders a "political witch hunt" that had prompted him to make immediate visa revocations for "Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members." The Supreme Court declined to comment or elaborate on the specifics of the decision. A spokesperson for Bolsonaro also declined to comment, but the former president has always denied any wrongdoing. The court's crackdown on Bolsonaro added to evidence that Trump's tactics are backfiring in Brazil, compounding trouble for his ideological ally and rallying public support behind a defiant leftist government. REUTERS
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dies by drowning at 54
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner played Bill Cosby's son Theo on the 1980s hit TV series The Cosby Show. LOS ANGELES/SAN JOSE - Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Bill Cosby's son Theo on the 1980s television hit The Cosby Show, died at age 54 on July 21 by drowning, a law enforcement source confirmed to Reuters. Warner was vacationing in Costa Rica with his family, media reported. The Central American nation's judicial investigation department (OIJ) confirmed that a US citizen with the last name Warner had drowned after being pulled out to sea by a rip current. He was declared lifeless at the scene by Red Cross lifeguards, the department said. Representatives for Warner did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992, was a groundbreaking show that portrayed a successful Black middle-class family. Cosby portrayed a doctor, and Warner played his only son. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH Asia At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force plane crashes at college campus Singapore ST Explains: What does it mean for etomidate to be listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act? Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region Singapore NTU to have compulsory cadaver dissection classes for medical students from 2026 World US authorities probing passenger jet's close call with B-52 bomber over North Dakota Singapore Jail for man who conspired with another to bribe MOH agency employee with $18k Paris trip Singapore New research institute will grow S'pore's talent in nuclear energy, safety
