23/08/2025

SATURDAY | AUG 23, 2025

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KARACHI: An explosion at a fireworks warehouse here killed four people and injured more than 30 on Thursday, police said. The warehouse and some nearby shops caught fire after the initial blast, which was followed by several smaller explosions, forcing residents to flee for safety. “I thought several bombs had exploded,” resident Aqib Khan told reporters. The impact of the blast was strong enough to shatter glass in neighbouring shops, peppering people in the street with shards of glass. At least 34 injured people were admitted to hospitals, said police official Summaiya Tariq, adding that four of those died overnight. Smoke billowed from a multi-storey building as firefighters worked to put out a blaze, local news channels showed. There was no indication as to what caused the initial explosion. Closed-circuit camera footage aired by local television channel Geo News showed people running for safety and motorists turning their vehicles around in haste. The explosion came a day after intense monsoon rains flooded the city. Karachi is Pakistan’s financial capital and is home to more than 20 million people. – Reuters NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court yesterday directed the release of stray dogs picked up in Delhi and its suburbs after sterilisation and immunisation, modifying an earlier order and widening the scope of the case to ensure a nationwide policy on such strays. Animal lovers had appealed against the court’s order this month to move all stray dogs to shelters, following media reports of a rise in the number of cases of rabies, especially among children. The relocation decision drew criticism regarding its implementation, citing lack of infrastructure and medical treatment. Many animal lovers took to the streets to protest against the order. The court said that dogs picked up in the past few weeks in Delhi and its suburbs would be released after sterilisation and immunisation, barring those showing aggressive behaviour or rabies infections. A three-judge panel said the scope of the case would be expanded and the court would formulate a uniform policy for all stray dogs soon. – Reuters SINGAPORE RECALLS AUSTRALIAN SALAD MIX Karachi warehouse blast kills four COURT REVISES STRAY DOG POLICY AFTER OUTCRY

Thaksin and his lawyer Winyat (left) leaving after the acquittal. – AFP

Thaksin acquitted of royal insult charges

BR I E F S

reports on tin mining, but we don’t know which report, because we report on tin mining almost every week,” he said. Police in Bangka Belitung Province did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Indonesian journalists investigating cases of local corruption frequently face intimidation by authorities, according to Reporters Without Borders. The press freedom watchdog ranked Indonesia 127th out of 180 countries in its 2025 press freedom index, a fall of 16 places from the year earlier. – AFP remain active in Thai politics, even if his daughter is removed,” said political analyst Yuttaporn Issarachai. “Whoever becomes prime minister, the real player behind the scenes is always going to be Thaksin.” Twice elected prime minister in the early 2000s, Thaksin fled Thailand and lived in self imposed exile for 15 years after he was ousted in a military coup, finally returning to the kingdom in August 2023. He landed in Bangkok on the same day his family’s Pheu Thai party took office at the head of a coalition government backed by their conservative former enemies, fuelling suspicions a backroom deal had been struck. On arrival, Thaksin was immediately sentenced to eight years in prison on graft and abuse of power charges dating back to his time in office. But instead of going to jail, he was whisked to a private room at a police hospital because of health problems. Days later, the king cut his sentence to one year, and in February last year, he was freed as part of an early release scheme. His handling has led to another legal case, set to conclude on Sept 9, arguing that because he never served time in a jail cell, he was not eligible for early release. – AFP

his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended as prime minister and facing her own reckoning next week with a court decision due that could see her thrown out of office. Thaksin left court ahead of his lawyer, smiling and telling the press his case had been “dismissed” without providing any further comment. “The court has done its job properly, but I don’t think we can relax yet,” said 66-year-old food vendor Kamol Orahanta, among around 150 Thaksin supporters gathered outside the court.

BANGKOK: Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was cleared yesterday of royal defamation charges, relieving one of the threats to his embattled dynasty, which has dominated Thai politics for two decades. Thaksin’s family has long jousted with the nation’s pro-military, pro-monarchy elite, who view their populist movement as a threat to Thailand’s traditional social order. o Tycoon awaits another verdict next month

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has recalled a salad mix imported from Australia after tests detected levels of Bacillus cereus exceeding permissible limits. In a statement on Thursday, the agency identified the product as Coolibah Herbs Gourmet Salad Mix and said the recall is ongoing. Consumers who have bought the product are advised not to consume it. Those who have already eaten the salad mix and are concerned about their health should seek medical advice, the SFA added. Bacillus cereus, a bacterium commonly found in the environment and in the intestinal tracts of insects and mammals, is a frequent cause of food poisoning. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. – Bernama Probe Indonesian journalist murder, urges media watchdog Their tenure as a defining force in Thai politics has unfolded in a saga of coups, street protests and court cases as they have grappled for the kingdom’s levers of power. The 76-year-old Thaksin had faced up to 15 years in prison under laws criminalising criticism of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his family, but was cleared after a trial that unfolded over two months. “The court dismissed the charges against Thaksin, ruling that the evidence presented was insufficient,” his lawyer Winyat Chatmontree told reporters at Thailand’s Criminal Court in Bangkok. But his dynasty remains on the ropes, with “I believe there are still some critics who will try to topple him by other means,” he said. The case stemmed from decade-old remarks Thaksin made in South Korean media relating to the 2014 military coup that overthrew his sister Yingluck. Even though he has been cleared, AFP is not able to report on the comments in detail because the lese-majeste law is so strict that doing so could in itself trigger criminal charges. Thaksin’s acquittal gives him room to manoeuvre as Shinawatra heiress Paetongtarn’s position hangs in the balance, with a result in her case due next Friday. “I still believe that Thaksin Shinawatra will

BANGKA: Indonesian police must reopen an investigation into the murder of a journalist this month, a media watchdog said yesterday, saying new evidence suggested his reporting on tin mining had led to his killing. Tin mining, both legal and illegal, has caused extensive environmental damage to the small island of Bangka in western Indonesia, where the metal has been widely extracted for use in global electronics. The body of Aditya Warman, the 47-year-old executive director of local media website Okeyboz, was found in a well on his farm bearing

his car to pay off online gambling debts. Both were arrested and could face the death penalty if found guilty. But Aditya’s colleagues said he told them his house was apparently under watch before his death, and that men claiming to be tin miners had turned up there unannounced. “A week before he was murdered, he told me that six men came to his house. They told him they were tin miners, but they didn’t look like miners, and didn’t sound like locals,” said Dodi Hendriyanto, editor-in-chief of Aditya’s site. “They told him they were unhappy with our

signs of violence on Aug 8 after his family reported him missing. “Emerging evidence suggests that Warman may have paid the ultimate price for investigating tin mining,” said Reporters Without Borders’ Asia-Pacific bureau advocacy manager Aleksandra Bielakowska. “It is crucial that the investigation thoroughly examines any links to his reporting on this critical issue and swiftly brings those responsible to justice.” Police last week said Aditya was killed by two men, both aged 34, who wanted to steal and sell