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Central District Court. “The declaration of martial law resulted in enormous social costs, and it is difficult to find any indication that the defendant has expressed remorse for that.“ The declaration triggered flash protests, sent the stock market into panic and caught key military allies such as the United States off guard. Yoon was an unpopular president at the time of the crisis. – AFP GENEVA: The UN human rights agency yesterday called on governments to clamp down on scam centres, which have mushroomed in Southeast Asia and in which hundreds of thousands of individuals have been trafficked into forced labour. The agency released a report documenting torture, sexual abuse, forced abortions, food deprivation, solitary confinement and other abuses. “The litany of abuse is staggering and at the same time heart-breaking,“ UN Human Rights high commissioner Volker Turk said, calling on governments to act against corruption that was “deeply entrenched in such lucrative scamming operations and to prosecute the criminal syndicates behind them”. The UNHCR had said in a 2023 report that hundreds of thousands were forced to work in the centres, that other investigations have found are responsible for billions of dollars of online fraud. The report also said satellite imagery and on-ground reports show that nearly three-quarters of the scam operations are in the Mekong region and have spread to some Pacific Island countries, South Asia, Gulf States, West Africa and the Americas. Based on accounts from trafficked individuals, police and civil society groups, the report said forced labourers had described being held in immense compounds resembling self-contained towns, made up of heavily fortified multi-storey buildings with barbed wire-topped walls and armed guards. Detainees said police and border guards were sometimes complicit in the scam centres. – AFP Call for scam centre crackdown “He denies that there was a conspiracy to do so with other alleged co-perpetrators in his administration.” When Duterte became president in June 2016, he launched an aggressive nationwide anti-drug campaign aimed at eradicating drug use and trafficking. Previously, during his tenure as mayor of Davao City, Duterte was already known for extremely harsh anti-crime and anti-drug policies. When Duterte was arrested, he said he took full responsibility for the “war on drugs”. – AFP

Cruise ship catches fire off Singapore

SINGAPORE: A fire on a Singapore bound cruise ship killed one crew member and prompted the evacuation of hundreds of passengers, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said yesterday. Authorities added that the blaze on the World Legacy had been extinguished and there were no other reports of injuries among the crew or 271 passengers. However, four passengers have been taken to hospital for “further medical assessment”. “The deceased crew member, an Indonesian national, has been transferred ashore.” A preliminary investigation showed the blaze broke out in a lounge area on the ship’s ninth deck yesterday. “Investigations into the cause of Takaichi pledges defence overhaul TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned of growing Chinese “coercion” in her first post-election speech to parliament yesterday and pledged to overhaul defence strategy, ease curbs on military exports and strengthen critical supply chains. Her tenure has been marked by a diplomatic dispute with China after she said Japan could deploy military force to counter any attack on Taiwan that also threatened Japanese territory. After turning a fragile majority into a landslide victory in this month’s lower house election, Takaichi outlined an agenda aimed at countering what she sees as a growing economic and security threat from China and its regional partners. “Japan faces its most severe and complex security environment since World War Two,“ Takaichi said, pointing to China’s expanding military activity, its closer security ties with Russia and North Korea’s rising nuclear missile capability. She added that the government would revise Japan’s three core security documents this year to produce a new defence strategy and would accelerate a review of military export rules to expand overseas sales and strengthen defence companies. “China has intensified its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion in the East China Sea and South China Sea,“ she told lawmakers. – Reuters THE HAGUE: Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte faces a pre-trial hearing at the International Criminal Court from Monday over crimes against humanity allegedly committed as part of a brutal crackdown on drugs. The “confirmation of charges” hearing, taking place over four days, would determine whether there is enough evidence against Duterte to proceed to a trial. The 80-year-old is unlikely to be present at the hearing in The Hague, after his defence filed a request to waive his right to appear, despite a

from both countries to board it and enjoy amenities inside. Passengers could stay a few hours or take packages of up to three days. The ship typically docks in Singapore every Friday before returning to its anchorage. “The vessel is in stable condition, and is currently anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage.” the port authority said. – AFP

o One crew member killed, four passengers taken to hospital for medical assessment

the fire are ongoing.” Singapore-based World Cruises, which operates World Legacy , could not immediately be reached for comment.

Anchored off Singapore and Malaysia, the Liberia-registered vessel bills itself as a “floating lifestyle destination”. Passengers take short ferry rides

MASSIVE MASCOTS ... Two giant Ultraman inflatables are displayed at Kaohsiung Wonderland during the Lunar New Year holidays in Taiwan. – AFPPIC

Former South Korean president apologises for crisis

SEOUL: South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol yesterday apologised for the “hardship” caused by his 2024 martial law decree, one day after he was sentenced to life in prison for insurrection. The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found Yoon guilty of leading a December 2024 insurrection designed to “paralyse” the National Assembly. Although Yoon acknowledged his ruling that he was fit to take part. Following the hearing, judges would have 60 days to issue a written decision. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders between 2013 and 2018. The true number of killings is thought to be in the thousands, and lawyers for the victims have argued that if the case goes to trial, it could encourage many more families to come forward. Duterte, who was president from

It was not clear when he would be eligible for parole, although most inmates serving life terms could typically apply after 20 years. Presiding judge Ji Gwi-yeon said Yoon sent troops to the National Assembly building in an effort to silence political opponents who had frustrated his attempts to govern. “The court finds that the intention was to paralyse the assembly for a considerable period,“ Ji told the Seoul alleged murders committed during “clearance” operations of low-level alleged drug users or pushers across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018. Duterte denies the charges, his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman told journalists ahead of the hearing. “Mr Duterte grieves and regrets the death of individuals as a result of drug-related crime, but he denies any connection to this. “He denies that there was a policy to murder alleged suspects or criminal suspects or alleged drug users, as the prosecution states.

bid to impose military rule had caused “frustration”, he maintained it was a measure taken “solely for the sake of the nation”. “I deeply apologise to the public for the frustration and hardships I have caused them, due to my own shortcomings, despite my resolve to save the nation.“ Yoon said the verdict was “difficult to accept” but did not give any hint as to whether he would appeal. 2016 to 2022, was arrested in Manila in March last year, flown directly to the Netherlands and has since been held at the ICC detention unit at Scheveningen Prison. The first of three counts against him concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while he was mayor of Davao City. The second relates to 14 alleged murders of so-called “high value targets” in 2016 and 2017 when he was president. The third charge covers 43

Duterte faces ICC pre-trial hearing for crimes against humanity