Yoon Suk Yeol sits silently through 10 hours of questioning

South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol sat silently through several hours of interrogation after his dramatic arrest on Wednesday.

Mr Yoon, 64, the country’s first sitting president to be arrested, was detained to answer insurrection charges for briefly imposing martial law on 3 December.

He, however, refused to cooperate with investigators and cited health reasons for not attending further questioning, local media reported on Thursday.

Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office were expected to resume his questioning at 2pm local time but Mr Yoon’s lawyer said he could not attend.

“President Yoon is not well and fully explained his position yesterday so there is nothing more to be interrogated about,” Yoon Kab Keun told the state news agencyYonhap.

A large force of police and investigators breached Mr Yoon’s heavily guarded compound on Wednesday, bypassing bus barricades, cutting through barbed wire and scaling ladders to gain entry and arrest him.

A previous attempt to arrest him had been abandoned after police and investigators were prevented from entering the compound by the president’s security and supporters.

As the Constitutional Court considers the impeached president’s removal from office, potentially prompting a fresh election, the country is deeply divided with Mr Yoon’s opponents rejoicing and his supporters staging fervent protests.

According to The Chosun Daily, Mr Yoon’s interrogation centred on the circumstances of the martial law declaration, the drafting and announcement of a public address, and the deployment of military and police to the National Assembly and other locations in the country on 3 December.

Mr Yoon stayed silent and declined to answer any question. “The president did not invoke his right to remain silent,” a CIO official was quoted as saying, “he simply refused to speak.”

The CIO had prepared a 200-page questionnaire, the paper reported, but Mr Yoon’s refusal to speak cast doubts on whether the interrogators would get meaningful answers within the 48-hour detention period.

Mr Yoon also reportedly did not review or sign transcripts of the interrogation, and without his signature the records cannot be used in court.

The Korea Times reported on Wednesday that Mr Yoon faced around 10 hours of questioning by multiple prosecutors from the CIO but he consistently refused to make any statement.

The president is being held at the Seoul Detention Center in Gwacheon of Gyeonggi province. His cell has basic amenities like a bed, bedding, television, and underfloor electric heating.

Mr Yoon said on Wednesday he cooperated with the investigators to prevent “bloodshed”, but he did not acknowledge the legality of the investigation.

Meanwhile, it was reported that officials were working to obtain a new warrant to extend his detention beyond the initial 48 hours.

Pakistan investigates advert showing plane flying towards Eiffel Tower

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation following criticism over a Pakistan International Airline advert showing a plane flying towards the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The national carrier had advertised its resumption of flights to Europe in January, starting with Paris, after the EU aviation regulator lifted a ban on it.

The airline’s authorisation to operate in the EU was suspended in 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani civil aviation authorities to ensure compliance with global standards. The suspension came after Islamabad began investigating a scandal over the validity of pilot licences in the wake of a plane crash that killed 97 people.

The advert showed a civilian aircraft flying towards the Eiffel Tower with the caption declaring: “Paris, we’re coming today”. The unfortunate resemblance of the poster with the 11 September 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, US, drew criticism on social media.

Ishaq Dar, the finance minister, called the advert “stupidity” and said the prime minister had ordered an investigation. “The prime minister has directed to investigate who conceived this ad,” he told a parliamentary session.

He also expressed concern about the caption, Geo TV reported.

Omar Quraishi, a former political media adviser, said he was “truly speechless” that the advert was approved. “Did the airline management not vet this?” he asked on X.

“Is this advertisement or threat,” asked an X user. “I guess you are going for no publicity is bad publicity,” said another person.

The US suffered its worst terrorist attack when terrorists crashed passenger jets into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Washington DC, killing nearly 3,000 people.

The alleged mastermind of the attack, al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, was arrested in Pakistan in 2003. The leader of Al Qaeda at the time, Osama bin Laden, was killed in a 2011 American military operation in Pakistan.

Thai resort island Phuket strains under growing mountain of rubbish

Rapid development and burgeoning tourist numbers on the Thai island of Phuket are resulting in increasing problems with rubbish, threatening the pristine beaches.

More than 1,000 tonnes of waste is collected on Phuket every day, with a sprawling landfill now taking over one corner of the island.

In a matter of months, the landfill has grown so large it has replaced the previously serene mountain view from Vassana Toyou’s home.

“There is no life outside the house, (we) just stay at home,” she said. “The smell is very strong, you have to wear a mask.”

To cope with the stench, Vassana said she keeps her air conditioner and air purifiers switched on all the time, doubling her electricity bill.

Phuket, Thailand‘s largest island, has undergone rapid development due to its tourism sector, a major driver of the Thai economy as a whole. Of the country’s 35.5 million foreign arrivals in 2024, about 13 million headed to the island.

“The growth of (Phuket) city has been much more rapid than it should be,” said Suppachoke Laongphet, deputy mayor of the island’s main municipality, explaining how a tourism and construction boom has pushed rubbish volumes above pre-Covid levels.

By the end of year, the island could be producing up to 1,400 tonnes of rubbish a day, overwhelming its sole landfill, he said.

Authorities are pushing ahead with plans to cut waste generation by 15 per cent in six months, expand the landfill and build a new incinerator, he said, as the island strives to become a more sustainable tourist destination.

But increasing capacity and incinerators is only part of the solution, experts say.

“If you just keep expanding more waste incinerators, I don’t think that would be just the solution,” said Panate Manomaivibool, an assistant professor in waste management at Burapha University.

“They need to focus on waste reduction and separation.”

India becomes only fourth country ever to achieve key space landmark

India has become only the fourth nation in the world to successfully conduct space “docking”, joining two small craft in orbit following a series of complex manouevres.

India’s national space agency Isro carried out the highly anticipated Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) at around 9am (local time) on Thursday, a statement said.

Two small satellites operated by Isro (the Indian Space Research Organisation) – Target and Chaser – successfully latched onto each other and remain docked, it said.

The development of docking technology, crucial for satellite servicing, space station operations and interplanetary missions, boosts India’s credential as one of only a handful of countries playing a significant role in the commercial and exploratory frontiers of space.

“Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Retraction completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Docking successfully completed,” the space agency said in a post on X.

It said that after docking the two satellites could be successfully controlled as a single object. Undocking and power transfer checks will be carried out in the coming days.

India is only the fourth country to achieve successful docking after Russia, the US and China. In 2023 India also became the fourth nation to land an unmanned craft on the Moon.

Prime minister Narendra Modi congratulated scientists at Isro on the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. “It is a significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions in the years to come,” Mr Modi said in a statement.

The SpaDeX mission was launched on 30 December 2024 from India’s main spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh state, after being postponed twice.

The launch was pushed back at first because the docking process needed further validation through ground simulations, and later because of an issue arising from excess drift between the satellites.

The launch in December suffered an unusual two-minute delay due to what Isro described as a “traffic jam” in space caused by “conjunctions with other satellites in the same orbit”.

Among various payloads and experiments were eight cowpea seeds Isro had sent to space onboard the rocket to study plant growth in microgravity conditions, which germinated within four days of the launch of the mission, according to reports.

The mission will also demonstrate the transfer of electrical power between docked spacecraft, a capability vital for applications like in-space robotics, composite spacecraft control and payload operations post-undocking. Such technologies are essential for missions requiring multiple rocket launches to achieve shared objectives.

Isro hopes the mission will be a forerunner for autonomous docking needed for India’s Chandrayaan-4 moon sample return mission planned for 2028 as the space agency hopes to expand its share in the rapidly growing $400bn space market.

“India has ambitious missions planned, and to achieve those this is an important technology we have to have,” Indian astrophysicist Jayant Murthy was quoted by Reuters as saying. “Various missions like building a space station need assembly in space, which is not possible without space docking.”

Travellers to Thailand shiver in unusual run of cool weather

British tourists visiting Thailand are experiencing an unusually cool stretch of weather that is likely to remind them more of January at home.

Forecasters say the cool temperatures could last until mid-February.

On Thursday morning, areas across Thailand were feeling the cool, especially in the north. The Meteorological Department said temperatures in the north and northeast dropped as low as 8C, while on the mountains they hit 2C.

The past few weeks have been particularly enjoyable for many people in Bangkok, where high temperatures in the summer can rise to 35-40C.

Thursday saw a slight rise in temperatures in the city, but the lows were still measured at 19-21C.

For some, the cooler temperatures are a welcome reprieve.

German expat Thomas Singenberger, who has been living in Thailand for 10 years, said the weather made his morning run much more pleasant.

“It’s really nice and cold. So it’s a good feeling to get up early,” he said. “Even sleeping without AC is really nice at the moment and to open the windows.”

Earlier this week the weather was even cooler. On Monday, Bangkok temperatures touched 15degC, which the weather department said was the lowest this year for the capital.

Food vendor Ekkarak Kamtan, wearing a thick denim shirt over a T-shirt, said he didn’t care for the chilly temperatures. “I’ve never felt so cold like this… The hot weather’s better,” he said with a laugh.

While temperatures could rise next week, the Meteorological Department said the cooler conditions will likely remain until mid-February, especially in the north and northeast, and summer temperatures are expected to be milder than usual.

This is due to the impact of La Nina, an occasional but natural cooling of the equatorial Pacific that also changes weather worldwide.

The cool spell coincides with seasonal air pollution in Bangkok, which usually starts in October and lasts until February. Along with warm clothing, many people also donned face masks outdoors.

Australian influencer charged with poisoning her baby girl

An Australian social media influencer accused of filming her baby while she was in “immense distress and pain” and then posting the pictures on social media to lure donations from her followers has been arrested and charged.

A 34-year-old Queensland woman was arrested in Logan, south of Brisbane, on Thursday and is facing charges of administering poison with intent to harm, making child exploitation material, fraud, and preparation to commit crimes involving dangerous things.

She is accused of defrauding donors of A$60,000 (£30,000) via GoFundMe.

The police said the baby could have become “gravely ill” and also possibly died had she stayed in the woman’s care. The baby is reportedly doing well.

In October last year, the baby reportedly suffered a serious medical episode and was admitted to a hospital. It was then that the doctors raised an alarm.

Police said the unidentified woman gave the child several prescription and pharmacy medicines without approval between 6 August and 15 October last year.

“We believe that the person we have charged has administered these drugs, this poison, to increase that person’s social media profile … and therefore obtaining a financial benefit,” detective inspector Paul Dalton said.

Police say that the woman “went to lengths to obtain unauthorised medicines” which also included old medications prescribed to another person in the home.

The authorities cracked down immediately after doctors reported their concern for the baby girl.

She allegedly took photos and videos of the baby “in immense distress and pain” in order to “entice monetary donations and online followers”.

Mr Dalton said: “We’ve been dealing with GoFundMe and I understand through my investigators that they are making attempts to repay that money to the people … who donated that money.”

The Queensland woman is due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.

“There is no excuse for harming a child, especially not a one-year-old infant who is reliant on others for care and survival,” Mr Dalton said.

Nearly 200 flights delayed as thick fog descends over Delhi

About 200 flights were delayed and train services disrupted as Delhi woke up to thick fog engulfing the capital on Wednesday.

The flight departures were delayed for an average of 60 minutes at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to FlightRader24. Visibility at the airport was between 0 to 100m, the weather office said.

India‘s weather department had issued an orange alert for Delhi, the second highest warning level, forecasting dense to very dense fog in many areas. Some aircraft departures from Delhi were delayed but there have been no reports of flights being cancelled in the capital.

The Delhi airport on X warned that flights lacking the CAT III navigation, which enables landing despite low visibility, would face difficulties. Delhi’s main airport handles about 1,400 flights every day.

“Due to inclement weather conditions in Delhi, multiple flights have been impacted. We are working closely with our stakeholders to assist passengers and minimize any inconvenience caused,” the airport authorities said in its latest update.

Air India, Indigo, SpiceJet and other airlines have issued advisories over the fog affecting departures and arrivals. “Poor visibility due to dense fog and airport congestion may affect flight operations in Delhi and some other cities today,” Air India said in a statement.

The country’s largest airline Indigo added: “The morning fog continues to linger over Delhi and has brought a bit of a slowdown to flight movements.

“We may complete boarding and other formalities so that your flight is in queue for departure. You may spend a short while onboard, as the flight awaits clearance.”

Local media showed images of vehicles crawling along highways through the fog, and people huddled indoors as the temperature dipped to 7C, about 1.4 notches below normal, due to an ongoing cold wave.

The weather department has asked people to exercise caution while driving due to foggy conditions, which was expected to prevail till the end of the day. It said cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle were likely in some areas throughout the day.

At least 40 trains were running late due to the weather conditions.

Schools in the capital were shut until Wednesday due to severe cold wave conditions.

The average air quality in the capital plunged to “very poor” category recording between 301 to 400. In the northern parts of the city, an AQI of 474 was recorded at 12.45pm (local time).

The Indian capital battles smog, a toxic mix of pollutants and fog, every winter as cold air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from farm fires in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.

The National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed the worst fog this winter between 2 and 3 January, when visibility was reduced to zero for an unprecedented duration of nine hours. Last year was marked by particularly severe air pollution in Delhi, with 17 days classified as having a “severe” AQI of over 400, the most since 2022.

South Korea investigators climb wall of buses to arrest president Yoon

Yoon Suk Yeol has become the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested by law enforcement agents, after his compound was finally breached on Wednesday by officials investigating his failed attempt to impose martial law.

Anti-corruption investigators launched a pre-dawn operation – their second attempt to arrest Mr Yoon – triggering almost a three-hour-long standoff with the president’s supporters and more than 3,000 police officers.

Later on Wednesday hundreds of law enforcement officers entered the presidential residence in Seoul, and the agency declared he had been successfully detained.

Mr Yoon has been holed up in his Hannam-dong residence for weeks as he avoided a summons by the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) and vowed to “fight to the end”.

In a defiant video message filmed before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Mr Yoon claimed he had decided to comply with the arrest warrant but that the “rule of law has completely collapsed in this country”.

Mr Yoon said he agreed to appear before the CIO to avoid any “unsavoury bloodshed” and that doing so does not mean the investigations against him are legitimate.

“When I saw them break into the security area using firefighting equipment today, I decided to respond to the CIO’s investigation – despite it being an illegal investigation – to prevent unsavoury bloodshed,” Mr Yoon said in a statement.

His lawyer Seok Dong-hyun echoed these sentiments in a post on Facebook, saying that the president had agreed to leave his residence and meet investigators to prevent a “serious incident”.

The South Korean president threw the country into political turmoil after he declared martial law on 3 December, claiming that he was acting against an “anti-state” opposition that was using its legislative majority to thwart his agenda.

The anti-corruption agency is leading a joint investigation with the police and military to determine whether Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law constitutes an attempted insurrection.

Authorities now have 48 hours to question Mr Yoon, after which they can seek a warrant to detain him for up to 20 days or release him.

Some supporters were visibly upset outside his residence following the president’s arrest, expressing anger at the investigations against him. Others who had gathered to protest against Mr Yoon broke into celebration and clapped as he was taken away in a motorcade.

Wednesday’s dramatic scenes unfolded with anti-corruption investigators and police officers approaching Mr Yoon’s hilly compound early in the morning. Initially, police used ladders to climb over rows of buses positioned by the presidential security service to block entry.

The officers eventually gathered near a metal gate adorned with a gold presidential emblem. Joined by Mr Yoon’s lawyer and chief of staff, they accessed the compound through a side security door.

Later, the presidential security service removed the barricading vehicles inside the gate as thousands protested nearby, braving sub-zero temperatures.

Mr Yoon, 64, has already been suspended and stripped of his presidential powers after he was impeached through a vote in parliament, with an acting president now in place.

The Constitutional Court began a separate impeachment trial on Tuesday to decide if Mr Yoon should be permanently removed from office, but he did not attend that hearing.