Latest news with #authorities
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Indonesian police arrest 44 people suspected of starting forest fires
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities arrested 44 people suspected of starting some of the forest and peatland fires that are spreading health-damaging haze in the region, officials said Wednesday. Forest and peat fires are an annual problem in Indonesia that strain relations with neighboring countries. In recent years, smoke from the fires has blanketed parts of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and southern Thailand.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Hong Kong police arrest 18-year-old for writing ‘seditious words' in toilet
Hong Kong police have charged an 18-year-old man with sedition and criminal damage for allegedly writing 'seditious words' in a commercial building's toilet on three occasions. Authorities said the graffiti expressed hatred or contempt toward Hong Kong's government and incited others to break the law, violating Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance – also known as Article 23 – which was passed in March last year. The unidentified man was arrested in Kowloon on Monday on suspicion of 'doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention ', authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. If convicted, the man could face up to seven years in prison. Police said that 'the contents included provoking hatred, contempt or disaffection against the constitutional order and the executive, legislative or judicial authority of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), as well as inciting other person to do an act that does not comply with the law of the HKSAR, etc'. Police also warned the public against violating the law and said that 'offenders shall be liable to imprisonment for seven years on first conviction'. The statement added that 'members of the public are urged not to defy the law.' Earlier in May this year, Hong Kong authorities announced the new legislative changes to amend the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to provide better 'clarity' and support to Beijing 's national security office. Hong Kong authorities, last year, imposed the domestic security law despite growing international criticism that it could erode freedoms in the city. Since 2024, Hong Kong's homegrown national security law has been used to prosecute individuals for acts as minor as writing pro-independence messages on bus seats or wearing T-shirts bearing protest slogans that authorities claim suggest support for separating the city from China – a red line for Beijing. Last year in September, a 27-year-old Hong Kong man, Chu Kai-pong, became the first person convicted under Article 23, after pleading guilty to sedition for wearing a T-shirt bearing a banned protest slogan. Arrested in June 2023, Mr Chu admitted he wore the shirt to commemorate the 2019 protests. Authorities claimed that the slogan, 'Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times', promoted secession and incited hatred and discontent against the 'fundamental system of the state established by the constitution of the People's Republic of China'.
Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
Dubai to link visa renewal to traffic fine payments in pilot phase
Pay your fines first: Dubai links residency procedures with traffic violations in pilot phase. Dubai authorities are piloting a system that links traffic fine payments with the process of issuing or renewing residency visas. According to the GDRFA, this initiative has been rolled out as a way to encourage residents to settle any outstanding fines. The system does not prevent residency procedures altogether, but prompts individuals to settle dues either in full or through instalment plans before completing their residency transactions. 'The goal is not to restrict people,' said a GDRFA official. 'It's about reminding residents to pay their fines and for their safety in the road"
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Crash shuts down eastbound lanes of Dolphin Expressway; victim airlifted
A crash Tuesday night shut down all eastbound lanes of the Dolphin Expressway at Northwest 87th Avenue, causing major traffic delays. Traffic cameras showed traffic at a standstill and emergency vehicles blocking the roadway. A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue helicopter landed on the expressway to airlift at least one victim to the hospital. Authorities have not yet released details on what caused the crash or how many vehicles were involved. Drivers are urged to avoid the area as crews continue to investigate and clear the scene.
CNN
13 hours ago
- CNN
Incident under review after video shows officers punching driver who questioned why he was pulled over
Jacksonville authorities have begun an investigation after a recently released video shows a man being punched by multiple officers after he questioned why he was pulled over.
