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The Mainichi
an hour ago
- The Mainichi
Japanese Embassy in Laos warns against child prostitution following social media posts
TOKYO -- The Japanese Embassy in Laos has issued a warning against child prostitution after a spate of social media posts suggested that Japanese men are traveling to Laos to engage in sexual activities with young girls. The embassy emphasized that such acts are punishable under both Laotian and Japanese law, urging Japanese nationals traveling to Laos to "strictly refrain from illegal activities." According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prostitution itself is punishable in Laos. Japanese police are also actively cracking down on overseas child prostitution in cooperation with foreign investigative agencies. The ministry warned that individuals can face punishment for violating Japan's Act on Punishment of Activities Relating to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, even if there is no complaint from the victim or if the perpetrator claims not to have known the child's age. On social media, there have been posts by Japanese men allegedly engaging in prostitution with girls appearing to be of elementary or middle school age. There are also media reports about the growing issue of child prostitution. According to the Foreign Ministry, a Japanese resident in Laos submitted a petition in June with more than 20,000 signatures calling for the eradication of child prostitution in the country. In response, the Japanese Embassy issued a warning on June 17 to Japanese nationals traveling to or residing in Laos.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
China's secret Taiwan plan exposed: Czech intel report says Beijing plotted car crash to scare Taipei's VP-elect
Czech intelligence officials revealed that Chinese agents operating out of the Beijing embassy in Prague planned a staged car crash targeting Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-Khim during her visit to Prague last year read more Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, left and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, right, wave after his inaugural speech after being sworn into office at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei , Taiwan, on May 20, 2024. AFP Amid the brewing tensions between China and Taiwan , Czech authorities revealed that Chinese agents operating out of the Beijing embassy in Prague planned a staged car crash targeting Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-Khim. The Czech Republic's military intelligence chief called it a plot to intimidate Taiwan's vice president during her visit to Prague last year. The intelligence chief went on to call the revelation 'unprecedented' by China in Europe . Citing Czech military intelligence, the country's public broadcaster, Czech Radio, reported that Chinese agents plotted a 'demonstrative kinetic action' targeting Hsiao during her March 2024 visit to Prague. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This was the Taiwanese Vice President's first visit abroad since her and President Lai Ching-te's election victory . Agency Director Petr Bartovský told Czech Radio that the Chinese plan involved staging a collision with the car carrying Hsiao. Bartovský made it clear that the attempt 'did not go beyond the planning stage.' A red light that led to the revelation The intelligence report noted that the Chinese diplomat ran a red light in central Prague while trying to maintain surveillance over the Taiwanese delegation. Military intelligence spokesperson Jan Pejšek emphasised that China's actions were almost endangering Hsiao and her team . She noted that the Chinese officials had been 'gathering information about her schedule and attempting to document her meetings with prominent figures from the Czech political and public spheres. The officials concluded that the vice president was not considered to be in real danger; however, Czech security forces were present and ready to intervene if necessary. Emphasising the sensitivity of the information, Czech Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mariana Wernerová declined to provide more details on the matter. However, she confirmed that the Czech authorities had communicated their concerns to Beijing about the events. Taiwan reacts Meanwhile, Taiwan's Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo condemned China's plot and thanked the Czech authorities. Kuo said that Taiwanese security was aware of the intelligence at the time, Focus Taiwan reported. Kuang-ting Chen, a lawmaker in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to condemn China's action. 'Hiding behind diplomatic immunity to interfere with another nation's sovereignty and endanger personal safety is a flagrant violation of international law. This incident once again exposes Beijing's export of authoritarianism and pattern of transnational repression,' China wrote on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As a Taiwanese parliamentarian, I condemn in the strongest possible terms the egregious conduct of the Chinese diplomat in Prague who tailed, surveilled, and even attempted to ram the vehicle carrying then Vice President–elect Hsiao Bi-khim. Hiding behind diplomatic immunity to… — 🇹🇼陳冠廷 Kuan-Ting Chen (@kuantingvision) June 26, 2025 It is pertinent to note that China claims Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, as its territory. However, the island has never been governed by the Chinese Communist Party. Taiwan functions as a de facto sovereign state, with its legal system, military and international relations. China has often pressured other nations not to engage with the Taiwanese delegation. In 2022, China temporarily blocked trade with Lithuania after the Baltic nation allowed Taiwan to open a representative office using the name 'Taiwan.' China argued that recognising Taiwan challenges its 'One China' policy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Bangladesh clarifies Durga temple built without permission on Railway land
The Bangladesh government on Friday clarified the circumstances surrounding the demolition of a Durga temple in Dhaka's Khilkhet area, stating that the temple was built without permission on land owned by Bangladesh Railways. According to the Foreign Ministry, the local Hindu community installed a makeshift Puja Mandap on railway land during Durga Puja last year without prior permission. Although the railway authority later extended permission, the organisers failed to remove the structure after the celebrations, violating their agreement. "The fact remains that last year, during Durga Puja, without having prior permission, the local Hindu community installed a makeshift Puja Mandap on a piece of land that is undisputedly owned by Bangladesh Railways. Later, the Railway authority extended permission with the condition that as soon as the Puja celebration is over, the organisers would remove the makeshift Mandap. Regrettably, after the Puja was over in October 2024, the organisers declined to remove the makeshift Mandap, violating the mutual agreement. Rather, they established a 'Maha Kali' (Kali Murti) there," the Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry further explained that despite "repeated reminders, they unfortunately took the initiative to make the Mandap permanent, disregarding their own arrangement with the railway authorities." "In December 2024, Railway authorities held consultations with local community representatives, organisers of the Mandap and issued a public notification asking all concerned to remove all unauthorised installations, including vendors, hundreds of shops and political party offices, illegally built on either side of the rail tracks owned by Bangladesh Railway in the area," the statement noted. According to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, the land is owned by Bangladesh Railways, with the ministry stating that 200 feet from the existing rail track is considered solely railway land. Two additional rail tracks are being constructed in the area, and the land occupied by the temple is needed to complete the project. "Basically, 200 feet from the cast of the existing rail track is solely the land of Bangladesh Railway. This is also to mention that 02 (two) more rail tracks are being constructed under a project titled, "Construction of 3rd & 4th DG line in Dhaka-Tongi section and Doubling of Dual Gauge line in Tongi-Joydebpur section of Bangladesh Railway" and this piece of land was a dire need to complete the new lines under this project," the statement added. The ministry highlighted that "over the past months, repeated reminders to the illegal land occupiers went unheeded." The Bangladesh government emphasised its commitment to safeguarding the rights of all communities and protecting places of worship. However, it stressed that building religious structures on public land without permission is not permissible. "On 24th and 25th June, Bangladesh Railways finally asked all to remove all the unauthorised installations, including the Puja organisers to remove the temporarily built Mandap. Finally, on 26th June, following due process, Bangladesh Railways proceeded to the peaceful eviction of all unauthorised structures along the rail track in Khilkhet area. In the course of the eviction process, the idol of the makeshift Mandap was immersed in the nearby Balu River, in due reverence, with the participation of the members of the local Hindu community," the ministry stated. The Bangladesh government has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the rights of all communities and protecting places of worship, while emphasising that building religious structures on public land without permission is not permissible. "The removal of unauthorised structures in order to recover government land is a regular and lawful administrative activity. While the laws of the land ensure full protection to all places of worship without discriminating against any built in conformity with law, it is not permissible for anyone to build any religious structure encroaching on public land under any circumstances. The organisers of the makeshift Mandap clearly exploited the trust and goodwill of the Railway authorities by violating their own agreement," it added. However, minority organisations in Bangladesh held protests, condemning the demolition and alleging that the authorities did not provide prior notice to the community. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs criticised the interim government of Bangladesh for the demolition on Thursday, stating that the government failed to protect the temple and instead projected the issue as illegal land use. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that it is the responsibility of the Bangladesh government to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutions MEA spokesperson Randhir said, "We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use, and they allowed the destruction of the temple today. This has resulted in damage to the Deity before it was shifted." "Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus ' properties and religious institutions," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Australia is offering a special ‘climate' visa - and people in Tuvalu are applying fast
Tuvalu is home to just about 10,000 or so people scattered across nine small coral islands. PHOTO: AFP Australia is offering a special 'climate' visa - and people in Tuvalu are applying fast As sea levels rise, Australia said it would offer a special, first-of-its-kind 'climate visa' to citizens of Tuvalu, a Polynesian island nation of atolls and sandbars where waters are eating away at the land. The visa lottery opened last week, and already nearly half of Tuvalu's population has applied. By any measure, Tuvalu is one of the smallest countries in the world. It's home to just 10,000 or so people scattered across nine small coral islands that add up to less than 10 square miles (26 sq km). It has been losing land to rising seas, and further losses could make it one of the first countries to become uninhabitable because of climate change. Seawater is increasingly seeping into the country's few drinking-water wells. Within a century, some scientists predict, the twice-daily high tide alone will inundate more than 90 per cent of the country's capital, the island of Funafuti, as well as Tuvalu's only airport. Most Tuvaluans live on Funafuti, which is just a few feet above sea level. Concerns like these underpinned an agreement two years ago between Tuvalu and Australia, with the latter pledging not just to help build sea walls but to grant a special visa to 280 Tuvaluans per year that would 'provide a pathway for mobility with dignity as climate impacts worsen'. The agreement, known as the Falepili Union treaty, allows grantees to obtain permanent residency and move freely between the countries. But both countries have taken pains to avoid using language that implies that Tuvalu may one day cease to exist. Should the most dire predictions come true, Tuvalu would be a test case for how the world treats a citizenry who haven't lost their land to annexation but to a changing climate. Australia's Foreign Ministry says the program is an opportunity for Tuvalu citizens to work or go to school in Australia. The pact 'recognises that Tuvalu's statehood and sovereignty will continue', the ministry said in a statement. At the rate of 280 people annually, it would take around 40 years for all of Tuvalu's citizens to relocate to Australia. Australia's immigration posture toward Tuvalu contrasts with that of the United States, which is considering adding Tuvalu to a list of countries subject to a travel ban, The New York Times reported recently. The State Department declined to comment on why Tuvalu was included in that list. In 2023, Tuvalu joined five other Pacific island nations in calling for a global fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty. It pledged to spearhead that movement by ending its own use of the planet-warming fuels as soon as possible. Tuvaluan officials have sought to use their country's plight to highlight how climate change is already having dramatic effects on communities and cultures, and how small islands and developing countries bear the brunt. In 2021, the foreign minister at the time, Mr Simon Kofe, released a widely shared video in which he stands at a lectern, dressed in a business suit, and appeals to the world to limit global warming. As he speaks, the camera pulls back, revealing that he's actually standing knee-deep in a lagoon. 'We will not stand idly by as the water rises around us,' Mr Kofe said. In addition to offering the special climate visas, Australia is also contributing millions of dollars to Tuvalu's Coastal Adaptation Project, which aims to reclaim land around Funafuti. Those funds and the modest number of visas are a relatively small price for Australia to pay Tuvalu for something Oceania's giant is far more concerned about: China. Beijing has been offering to invest in Pacific island nations if they drop their recognition of Taiwan's independence. Tuvalu is one of only 12 nations in the world to still have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Its agreement with Australia says that Tuvalu will not enter any other international security arrangement without Australia's explicit approval. The country's representative to the United Nations in New York City, as well as its director for climate change and disaster coordination, did not respond to requests for comment. NYTIMES Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bangladesh clarifies media reports on Durga temple destruction, says temple built without permission, land owned by Railways
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Bangladesh government on Friday clarified the circumstances surrounding the demolition of a Durga temple in Dhaka's Khilkhet area, stating that the temple was built without permission on land owned by Bangladesh to the Foreign Ministry, the local Hindu community installed a makeshift Puja Mandap on railway land during Durga Puja last year without prior permission. Although the railway authority later extended permission, the organisers failed to remove the structure after the celebrations, violating their agreement."The fact remains that last year, during Durga Puja, without having prior permission, the local Hindu community installed a makeshift Puja Mandap on a piece of land that is undisputedly owned by Bangladesh Railways. Later, the Railway authority extended permission with the condition that as soon as the Puja celebration is over, the organisers would remove the makeshift Mandap. Regrettably, after the Puja was over in October 2024, the organisers declined to remove the makeshift Mandap, violating the mutual agreement. Rather, they established a 'Maha Kali' (Kali Murti) there," the Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a ministry further explained that despite "repeated reminders, they unfortunately took the initiative to make the Mandap permanent, disregarding their own arrangement with the railway authorities.""In December 2024, Railway authorities held consultations with local community representatives, organisers of the Mandap and issued a public notification asking all concerned to remove all unauthorised installations, including vendors, hundreds of shops and political party offices, illegally built on either side of the rail tracks owned by Bangladesh Railway in the area," the statement to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, the land is owned by Bangladesh Railways, with the ministry stating that 200 feet from the existing rail track is considered solely railway land. Two additional rail tracks are being constructed in the area, and the land occupied by the temple is needed to complete the project."Basically, 200 feet from the cast of the existing rail track is solely the land of Bangladesh Railway. This is also to mention that 02 (two) more rail tracks are being constructed under a project titled, "Construction of 3rd & 4th DG line in Dhaka-Tongi section and Doubling of Dual Gauge line in Tongi-Joydebpur section of Bangladesh Railway" and this piece of land was a dire need to complete the new lines under this project," the statement ministry highlighted that "over the past months, repeated reminders to the illegal land occupiers went unheeded."The Bangladesh government emphasised its commitment to safeguarding the rights of all communities and protecting places of worship. However, it stressed that building religious structures on public land without permission is not permissible."On 24th and 25th June, Bangladesh Railways finally asked all to remove all the unauthorised installations, including the Puja organisers to remove the temporarily built Mandap. Finally, on 26th June, following due process, Bangladesh Railways proceeded to the peaceful eviction of all unauthorised structures along the rail track in Khilkhet area. In the course of the eviction process, the idol of the makeshift Mandap was immersed in the nearby Balu River, in due reverence, with the participation of the members of the local Hindu community," the ministry Bangladesh government has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the rights of all communities and protecting places of worship, while emphasising that building religious structures on public land without permission is not permissible."The removal of unauthorised structures in order to recover government land is a regular and lawful administrative activity. While the laws of the land ensure full protection to all places of worship without discriminating against any built in conformity with law, it is not permissible for anyone to build any religious structure encroaching on public land under any circumstances. The organisers of the makeshift Mandap clearly exploited the trust and goodwill of the Railway authorities by violating their own agreement," it minority organisations in Bangladesh held protests, condemning the demolition and alleging that the authorities did not provide prior notice to the the Ministry of External Affairs criticised the interim government of Bangladesh for the demolition on Thursday, stating that the government failed to protect the temple and instead projected the issue as illegal land use. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that it is the responsibility of the Bangladesh government to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutionsMEA spokesperson Randhir said, "We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use, and they allowed the destruction of the temple today. This has resulted in damage to the Deity before it was shifted.""Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus ' properties and religious institutions," he added.
