Zakir Hussain: Indian classical music legend dies at 73
Indian tabla maestro Zakir Hussain died at a hospital in San Francisco on Sunday, his family said. He was 73.
“Zakir Hussain, one of the world’s most transcendent musicians, passed away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in San Francisco at the age of 73,” the family said in a statement.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a severe condition that affects the tissue surrounding the alveoli or air sacs in the lungs. The disease occurs when this lung tissue thickens and stiffens for unknown reasons. Over time, these changes lead to permanent scarring, known as fibrosis, which makes breathing increasingly difficult.
Hussain, son of tabla legend Ustad Allarakha, was a globally celebrated tabla virtuoso.
“He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come,” the family said.
He is survived by wife Antonia Minnecola, daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi, brothers Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi, and sister Khurshid Aulia.
Ms Aulia told the Press Trust of India that the maestro died “very peacefully”.
“He passed away very peacefully after the ventilation machine was switched off. This was 4pm San Francisco time,” she said.
Hussain received several state awards for his contribution to Indian music. He was given the prestigious Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2022 and Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, in 2023.
He also earned the National Heritage Fellowship in the US in 1999, SFJazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, the Aga Khan Award in 2022 for his unparalleled musical mastery and social impact.
At the 66th Grammy Awards this year, Hussain made history as the first Indian to win three awards in a single night.
Hussain, who started performing at seven, collaborated with Indian legends like Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Shivkumar Sharma. His partnerships with Western artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and George Harrison brought Indian classical music to global prominence, solidifying his role as a cultural ambassador.
Tributes poured in for the late virtuoso as soon as the news of his death was made public. From classical musicians and politicians to movie stars, Hussain was remembered by many Indians who felt bereft after his death.
Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej remembered Hussain for his “immense humility, approachable nature”.
“One of the greatest musicians and personalities India has ever produced. Along with being the best himself, Zakir ji was known for…being responsible for the careers of numerous musicians, who are now forced to reckon with themselves,” Mr Kej wrote on X.
“He was a treasure trove of skill and knowledge and always shared and encouraged the entire music community through collaborations and his actions. His legacy will live on forever, and his influence will be felt for generations. He left us too soon.”
Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of the southern state of Kerala, called the percussionist “a beacon of India’s rich musical heritage and a true custodian of classical traditions”.
“Ustad Zakir Hussain was instrumental in popularising Indian music across the globe, serving as a beacon of India’s rich musical heritage. A true custodian of classical traditions, his contributions to the arts remain unparalleled. His passing is a monumental loss to culture and humanity. Heartfelt condolences to his loved ones,” Mr Vijayan said.
Film actor Kamal Haasan, 70, wrote on X: “Zakir Bhai! He left too soon. Yet we are grateful for the times he gave us and what he left behind in the form of his art. Goodbye and Thank you.”
The Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge called Hussain a “cultural ambassador who bridged borders and generations with his mesmerising rhythms”.
“The Padma Vibhushan tabla maestro and percussionist, gloriously took forward the legacy of his father with exceptional performances and collaborations. His numerous national and international honours are a testament to this,” he said.
“Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and admirers across the world.”
The US embassy in India wrote on X: “Forever in our hearts, Wah Ustaad Wah! We pay our tributes to Ustad Zakir Hussain, a true maestro who touched millions of hearts worldwide with this special video we created with him to celebrate 75 years of the US-India relationship.”
Actor and filmmaker Nandita Das wrote on Instagram: “Shocked and deeply saddened. An irreplaceable loss. The news feels unreal. It always will. Zakirbhai, you will be missed and how. You went too soon.”
Hussain composed the background score for Nandita Das’s film Manto.
The actor added: “I have been looking through photos from 2017-18, and memories of working with him on the background score of Manto came alive. One phone call and he said yes to the film. We worked in LA, on Zoom, in Mumbai. We argued, we laughed, we talked. I had the privilege of watching, observing and learning from him. I had some unfinished conversations that I was hoping to continue with him someday.”
Das added: “My heartfelt condolences to everyone who, like me, mourns his loss and will always celebrate him and his art. Ustad Zakir Hussain will live on forever through his unparalleled music and memory of that infectious laugh that lit up our world.”
Seven tourists fall ill with pina colada poisoning in Fiji
At least seven people have been taken to hospital in Fiji after drinking pina coladas at a popular resort bar over the weekend.
Four Australian women, two Americans and one Fijian, aged 18 to 56, were hospitalised for suspected alcohol poisoning on Saturday night.
One of the Australians, 56, was under constant hospital surveillance while another, 19, had experienced “serious medical episodes”. The other two, aged 49 and 18, were in critical but less severe condition.
Australia warned travellers to Fiji to look for the potential risks of “drink spiking and methanol poisoning” when consuming alcoholic beverages.
Fiji’s police and health ministry were conducting investigations and toxicology tests to determine the cause of the poisoning.
The victims reportedly drank cocktails at Warwick Fiji Resort on the Coral Coast and soon developed nausea, vomiting, and “neurological symptoms”.
The country’s government insisted that the episode was “extremely isolated”.
An incident of alcohol poisoning left six tourists dead in the Southeast Asian country of Laos last month.
“We don’t have the cause of the incident yet but our team is currently investigating,” Jemesa Tudravu from the health ministry was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He said police were conducting separate toxicology exams as part of their investigation.
Viliame Gavok, deputy prime minister, said all seven guests had been transferred to the Lautoka hospital for “medical care, investigation, and management”.
“We are glad to hear that they are stable and hope their conditions continue to improve,” the minister said in a statement. “This is an extremely isolated incident, affecting only these seven guests at a specific bar within the resort.”
“As we approach the festive season, we always advise everyone to exercise the usual caution about what they consume,” Mr Gavok said.
He said the resort claimed “they have not engaged in practices such as substituting ingredients or altering the quality of drinks served to guests”.
The Warwick Fiji Resort earlier said it was operational despite the hospitalisations. “We do not have anything to disclose because the resort is under investigation,” the resort’s reception said in a statement to the BBC.
The establishment said they were taking the matter “very seriously” and “conducting a thorough investigation”. They were waiting for the “test result report” from the health ministry to “gather all necessary information”.
Iran arrests YouTube singer for streaming concert without hijab
An Iranian underground singer and her band members have been arrested for streaming a live performance on YouTube without wearing a hijab.
Parastoo Ahmadi and her two band members were arrested from Mazandaran in northern Iran on Saturday, three days after she streamed the performance, her lawyer Milad Panahipour told the Emtedad news website.
She was released a day later after questioning and the judiciary said “appropriate action” would be taken against Ms Ahmadi and her production team.
Ms Ahmadi performed on Wednesday on her channel on YouTube, which is blocked in Iran but can be accessed through software to bypass a firewall.
Clad in a black sleeveless dress and sporting a necklace in the shape of a map of Iran, Ms Ahmadi wore her long hair loose over the shoulders while performing with four band members.
In the video, which got close to 2 million views, Ms Ahmadi sang folk tunes for 27 minutes.
She called it an “imaginary concert” and invited her YouTube audience to “imagine this beautiful homeland” in Iran.
“I’m Parastoo, a girl who wants to sing for the people I love. This is a right I could not ignore, singing for the land I love passionately,” she wrote in the caption.
“Here, in this part of our beloved Iran where history and our myths intertwine, hear my voice in this imaginary concert and imagine this beautiful homeland. I am grateful to all those who have supported me in these difficult and special circumstances.”
The performance was streamed from an undisclosed location in a caravanserai, a roadside inn historically built along the Silk Road trade route for travellers.
Ms Ahmadi’s lawyer said they were unaware of the charges, the arresting agency, or the location of her detention.
The judiciary said Ms Ahmadi was released on Sunday after being taken for a “briefing session”.
“The Mazandaran Police Information Center announced that Ms Parastoo Ahmadi attended a briefing session after posting a video deemed contrary to cultural norms and values,” it said. “She has been asked to appear before judicial authorities.”
The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, which is based in Norway, said they received reports that two people who performed with her, Sohail Faghih-Nassiri and Ehsan Beyraghdar, were also arrested.
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has enforced strict laws banning solo singing by women and mandating the public wearing of veils.
But a number of women in recent years have defied the bans and appeared without veils in public places to protest the laws.
The laws drew international attention in 2022 after Mahsa Amini, 22, died following her detention for not wearing her hijab correctly.
Her death caused unprecedented protests that were defined by the slogan “Women, life, freedom” and lasted three months.
Iranian authorities said Ms Amini died due to pre-existing medical conditions.
In November this year, a college student was arrested after she stripped down to her undergarments reportedly in protest against an alleged assault by security forces for not following strict hijab laws. The videos of her protest and her arrest went viral, sparking outrage from human rights organisations who demanded her release.
Woman saved from execution in Indonesia to return home after 15 years
A Filipino woman who was on death row in Indonesia and was nearly executed by firing squad in 2015 has been sent to a female prison in the capital, from where she will be flown back to her home country.
Mary Jane Veloso, who spent almost 15 years in an Indonesian prison for drug trafficking, was allowed to return home after Indonesia and the Philippines signed a “practical arrangement” deal on December 6, after a decade of pleading from Manila.
In 2015 she was scheduled to be executed along with eight other drug convicts. Indonesia executed the eight others but Veloso was spared.
In a tearful interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Veloso described the decision as being “like a miracle when I have lost all hope.”
“For almost 15 years I was separated from my children and parents, and I could not see my children grow up,” she said. “I wish to be given an opportunity to take care of my children and to be close to my parents.”
Veloso, who will turn 40 next month, was arrested in 2010 at an airport in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, where officials discovered about 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds) of heroin hidden in her luggage. The single mother of two sons was convicted and sentenced to death.
Veloso has maintained her innocence throughout her 14 years of incarceration. She has spent her time in prison designing Indonesian batik clothing, painting, tailoring and learning other skills.
Just before midnight on Sunday, she was escorted through a crush of reporters outside a female prison in Yogyakarta into a waiting van that took her to Jakarta, about 460 kilometers (285 miles) away.
Wearing a black T-shirt and dark pants, she made only a brief comment to reporters, saying, “I’m so happy… Thank you so much and Merry Christmas!” from behind the vehicle’s window.
Veloso’s case caused a public outcry in the Philippines. She traveled to Indonesia in 2010 where her recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio, reportedly told her a job as a domestic worker awaited her. Sergio also allegedly provided the suitcase where the drugs were found.
In 2015, Indonesia moved Veloso to an island prison where she and eight other drug convicts were scheduled to be executed by firing squad despite objections from Australia, Brazil, France, Ghana and Nigeria.
Indonesia executed the eight other convicts, and Veloso was granted a stay of execution because Sergio was arrested in the Philippines just two days ahead of her scheduled execution.
The reprieve provided an opportunity for Veloso’s testimony to expose how a criminal syndicate duped her into being an unwitting accomplice and courier in drug trafficking.
Yogyakarta female prison’s chief warden, Evi Loliancy, said Veloso was involved in various prison activities arranged by correctional officers, including organizing fashion shows featuring designs by inmates and learning how to dance.
“Mary Jane loves helping her fellow inmates, and she is able to motivate them to be creative,” Loliancy said. “She will miss us so much and so do we here.”
She said Veloso was very happy when she learned that she would be reunited with her family, but also a bit nervous and sad when she was about to leave. “But we all cheered her on and wish all the best for her,” Loliancy said.
Veloso will need to stay for a few days at the Pondok Bambu female prison in Jakarta while waiting for her flight tickets and travel documents, said Sohibur Rachman, an official at the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections.
Rachman said his ministry was coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta on repatriating Veloso. He has not said when her return will take place but unconfirmed reports said her flight to Manila is scheduled for early Wednesday.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population.
Indonesia’s last executions were carried out in July 2016, when an Indonesian and three foreigners were shot by firing squad.
About 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections’ data showed as of last month.
Five Australians who spent almost 20 years in Indonesian prisons for heroin trafficking returned to Australia on Sunday under a deal struck between the Indonesian and Australian governments.
Indonesia recently agreed in principle to return a French national to his home country.
Pakistan begins last anti-polio vaccination campaign of the year after a surge in cases
Pakistan began on Monday its last nationwide vaccination campaign for the year to protect 45 million children from polio after a surge in new cases hampered efforts to stop the disease, officials said.
According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the potentially fatal, paralyzing virus hasn’t been stopped,
Pakistan has reported 63 confirmed cases since January.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s adviser for the polio eradication program, said the anti-polio drive will continue until December 22.
“As a mother, I am appealing to you to open your doors for health workers,” she said.
Pakistan regularly launches such campaigns despite violence affecting medical personnel who oversee the vaccinations and security forces escorting them. Militants falsely claim that vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.
Authorities deployed thousands of police officers to protect the health workers following intelligence reports that insurgents could target them. However, gunmen opened fire Monday on police escorting polio workers in Karak, a city in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing a police officer and wounding a health worker, local police official Ayaz Khan said.
More than 200 polio workers and police assigned for their protection have been killed since the 1990s, according to health officials and authorities.
The latest anti-polio drive campaign began a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with medical staff and vowed that Pakistan would win the war against polio.
Afghanistan reported at least 23 confirmed cases in 2024, according to data from the World Health Organization.
In September, the Afghan Taliban suddenly stopped a door-to-door vaccination campaign in Afghanistan, a devastating setback for polio eradication as the virus is one of the world’s most infectious and any unvaccinated groups of children where the virus is spreading could undo years of progress.
South Korea opposition will not seek to impeach acting president
South Korea’s main opposition party has decided not to impeach acting president Han Duck Soo, providing a critical lifeline to the country’s leadership amid continuing political upheaval over Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law.
The news comes amid reports that Mr Yoon did not comply with a summons from prosecutors on Sunday. The authorities plan to issue another order as they investigate the martial law decree, the Yonhap news agency reported.
The Democratic Party, which holds a parliamentary majority, stated that further impeachment efforts could destabilise governance and deepen national “confusion”.
“Given that the prime minister has already been confirmed as acting president and considering that excessive impeachments could lead to confusion in national governance, we have decided not to proceed with impeachment procedures,” said Democratic Party leader Lee Jae Myung in a statement on Sunday.
This decision came a day after President Yoon’s impeachment, following his 3 December martial law decree, which lasted only six hours before being overturned by parliament.
The crisis has raised alarm domestically and internationally, with allies and markets seeking assurances of stability. Mr Han, a seasoned bureaucrat elevated to the role under constitutional provisions, moved swiftly to reassure South Korea’s partners and maintain the country’s diplomatic and economic footing.
Mr Han held a phone call with US president Joe Biden on Sunday to discuss the unfolding situation and regional security concerns, including North Korea’s nuclear threat.
According to statements from both governments, Mr Biden reaffirmed the “iron-clad commitment” of the US to South Korea, expressing confidence in the resilience of its democratic institutions.
“South Korea will carry out its foreign and security policies without disruption and strive to ensure the South Korea-US alliance is maintained and developed steadfastly,” Mr Han said in a statement issued by his office.
He also convened cabinet and National Security Council meetings, directing military readiness to prevent provocations from North Korea and tasking ministers with mitigating the economic fallout from the political turmoil.
The Democratic Party, which has been a fierce critic of Mr Yoon’s administration, emphasised the need for the swift resolution of the impeachment case, urging the Constitutional Court to expedite its review. The court has up to 180 days to decide whether to remove Mr Yoon from office or reinstate him.
“A prompt ruling is the only way to minimise national confusion and the suffering of people,” Mr Lee said during a televised address, further proposing a cooperative council between the government and parliament to stabilise state affairs during the interim period.
The special prosecution team handling the investigation into Mr Yoon’s failed attempt to impose martial law sent him a summons asking him to appear for questioning at 10am on Sunday but he did not show up, reported Yonhap.
Mr Yoon and a number of senior officials face criminal investigation on potential charges of insurrection, abuse of authority and obstructing people from exercising their rights.
The prosecution plans to issue another summons on Monday, the report added.
Prosecutors also sought arrest warrants on Sunday of senior military officials, including the head of the Army Special Warfare Command and chief of the Capital Defence Command, Yonhap reported.
The impeachment vote against Mr Yoon followed his unprecedented deployment of troops and police to block a parliamentary session aimed at overturning his martial law decree. The measure, which marked the first imposition of martial law in the country for over four decades, was widely condemned as unconstitutional.
South Korean law permits martial law only during wartime or similarly grave emergencies, and opposition lawmakers accused Mr Yoon of attempting to suppress parliamentary functions unlawfully.
Mr Yoon, who has denied wrongdoing, described the martial law declaration as a warning to what he called “anti-state forces” within the Democratic Party. “I will fight to the end,” he said in a defiant statement.
However, his actions led to significant political backlash, with key allies arrested, including his defence minister and police chief. Investigations into possible charges of rebellion are continuing, and Mr Yoon, while still immune from most prosecutions as president, faces potential treason charges. He has been banned from leaving the country.
Economic concerns have compounded the crisis. South Korea’s central bank pledged on Sunday to intervene decisively to stabilise financial markets, acknowledging heightened vulnerabilities in the current global economic climate. The Bank of Korea warned that this impeachment period presents greater risks than previous ones, given external uncertainties such as increased global competition and challenges in key industries.
The announcement followed a week of volatility in the markets, triggered by Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment.
Mr Han’s appointment as acting president has been met with cautious optimism internationally. Philip Turner, a former New Zealand ambassador to South Korea, said Mr Han’s experience and reputation will provide some reassurance to the country’s allies.
“He is capable, experienced, and well respected in foreign capitals,” Mr Turner said, adding that while South Korea’s professional bureaucracy is expected to maintain foreign policy continuity, the lack of a permanent leader could create difficulties in providing clear direction.
Mr Lee, the Democratic Party leader who has emerged as a frontrunner to replace Mr Yoon should the court rule against the president, called for investigations into all individuals and institutions involved in the martial law decision.
“An independent investigation by a special prosecutor must begin without delay,” Mr Lee asserted, referring to a recent parliamentary motion authorising such a probe.
As the Constitutional Court prepares to deliberate, South Korea faces months of uncertainty. If Mr Yoon is dismissed, a presidential election must be held within 60 days.
Meanwhile, the acting president is tasked with steering the nation through this volatile period, maintaining critical alliances, and navigating economic challenges. International partners are closely monitoring the situation, with Mr Biden and other leaders reaffirming their commitment to the US-South Korea alliance as the cornerstone of regional stability.
While the Democratic Party has tempered its impeachment drive, citing the need for national stability, its leaders remain focused on resolving the crisis and restoring trust in the government.
“The National Assembly and government will work together to quickly resolve the crisis that has swept across the Republic of Korea,” Mr Lee said. However, some within Mr Yoon’s People Power Party have accused Mr Lee of overstepping his authority in state matters, setting the stage for further political tensions in the weeks ahead.
Additional reporting by agencies
Russia has begun using North Korean troops ‘in significant numbers’
Russia has deployed North Korean soldiers in significant numbers for the first time to support its offensive in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president said North Korean troops are reportedly being used in assaults on Ukrainian forces defending an enclave in Russia’s Kursk region.
“Today, we already have preliminary data that the Russians have begun to use North Korean soldiers in their assaults. A significant number of them,” Mr Zelensky said during his nightly wartime address.
Mr Zelensky warned the deployment of North’s forces could extend to other battle zones. Kyiv estimates around 11,000 North Korean troops are now in the region, bolstering Russia’s forces.
Andrii Kovalenko, an official with Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, stated the North Koreans have already suffered casualties.
“The Russians are counting on numbers and are trying to carry out assault operations with the help of the Koreans, when the task of the Koreans is to run under the blows of our forces and occupy certain areas,” Mr Kovalenko wrote on Telegram.
The Kremlin has not confirmed or denied the involvement of North Korean troops.
Ukraine first reported the presence of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region in October. This comes as Ukraine faces increasing pressure to hold the enclave it captured in August during a surprise incursion into Russian territory. The operation, aimed at diverting Moscow’s forces, has since drawn criticism for stretching Ukraine’s manpower across an already extended front line.
While Kyiv maintains the move was strategic, Moscow’s counteroffensive has led to some of its fastest territorial gains in eastern Ukraine since 2022, although Russian forces have reportedly sustained heavy casualties.
Ukrainian military reports indicate an escalation in fighting on the Kursk front, including intensified airstrikes, artillery barrages, and glide bomb attacks.
In a broader context, the deployment of North Korean troops underscores deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. The two nations signed a defence treaty in June, committing mutual military aid in the event of an attack. Since then, North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with over 100 ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells. In return, Moscow has allegedly offered economic aid and support for Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme.
Mr Zelensky criticised the Kremlin’s actions, accusing Russian president Vladimir Putin of dragging another state into the conflict. “In essence, Moscow has dragged another state into this war, and to the fullest extent possible. And if this is not escalation, then what is the escalation that so many have been talking about?” he said.
The Ukrainian leader used his address to urge Western allies to strengthen their support for Kyiv. He is scheduled to meet leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Nato, and the EU in Brussels next week to discuss bolstering military aid.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry reported the destruction of 15 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 13 over the Black Sea and two in the Kursk and Belgorod regions.
Additional reporting by agencies
Five Bali Nine prisoners return to Australia after nearly two decades
Five Australians convicted as part of the infamous Bali Nine drug smuggling ring have returned home after serving nearly two decades in Indonesian prisons.
The transfer follows diplomatic negotiations between Jakarta and Canberra that culminated in a repatriation agreement earlier this month.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the return of Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj in a statement on Sunday. “These Australians served more than 19 years in prison in Indonesia. It was time for them to come home,” Mr Albanese said.
The Bali Nine, a group of Australians arrested in 2005 while attempting to smuggle over 8kg of heroin from Bali, captured international attention. The two ringleaders, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed in 2015, sparking diplomatic tensions and leading Australia to recall its ambassador in protest. Of the remaining members, the group’s sole woman, was released in 2018, while another member died of cancer the same year.
Mr Albanese expressed gratitude to Indonesia for its cooperation.
“We would like to convey our deep appreciation to the government of Indonesia for its cooperation to facilitate the men’s return to Australia on humanitarian grounds,” he said, highlighting the deal as a testament to the strong bilateral relationship and mutual respect between the two nations.
The men, who landed in Darwin on Sunday morning after being transferred from Bali, will now have the chance to rebuild their lives.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia,” Mr Albanese noted.
The Indonesian government provided details on the transfer, with senior minister for legal affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra explaining the terms of the arrangement. The agreement bars the five from returning to Indonesia and ensures Australia upholds the original court rulings.
“Indonesia would respect any decision taken by Australia when the prisoners returned home, including if the group was granted a pardon,” Mr Yusril said earlier. He clarified that the transfer did not involve an exchange of prisoners.
Additional reporting by agencies