Militants kill 16 security personnel in northwest Pakistan

At least 16 security personnel were killed and eight injured in an early morning attack by suspected Islamist militants in Pakistan’s northwest region, police said.

The attack on a security post in the South Waziristan region began at around 2am and involved light and heavy weapons, according to police deputy superintendent Hidayat Ullah.

“A search operation is under way in the area,” he said.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, reporting a significantly higher death toll of 35 security personnel and 15 injured in a statement shared on a WhatsApp channel.

The group did not disclose whether any of its fighters were killed.

An umbrella group of Sunni Islamist militant factions, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government and establish strict Islamic rule. It has intensified attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent months.

Although separate from the Afghan Taliban, the group pledges allegiance to the Islamist rulers of Afghanistan, who took power after forcing Western forces led by the US to leave the country in 2021.

Seven Chinese nationals tried to illegally enter Guam, US says

Seven Chinese citizens have been arrested for allegedly attempting to illegally enter Guam, a US territory, while the military was conducting a key missile defence test, authorities said.

The incident, which occurred on 10-11 December, has raised concerns about potential espionage as four of those detained were found “in the vicinity of a military installation,” Guam’s Customs and Quarantine Agency said.

The arrests came as the US Missile Defense Agency conducted an interception test involving advanced radar systems at Andersen Air Force Base on 10 December.

“Conducting espionage against US military facilities, especially those with missile launch capabilities, could provide the PRC with potentially valuable intelligence,” US think tank Institute for the Study of War said in a report on Friday, using the formal name of the People’s Republic of China.

The arrested individuals reportedly arrived on the island by boat from Saipan.

Guamanian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, but there has been no immediate response from China’s foreign ministry to the arrests or the allegations.

The US is ramping up its missile defence presence in Guam, aiming to create a network spanning 16 sites on the island. The $10 billion plan is designed to deter missile attacks by complicating potential offensives against the strategically vital US territory in the Indo-Pacific region.

The integration of advanced radar and defence systems forms a crucial part of the effort to counter emerging threats, including those from China.

The missile interception test on 10 December was deemed successful, with the Missile Defene Agency confirming a plan to carry out two such tests annually.

A series of recent arrests have heightened concerns about Chinese espionage activities targeting US military installations. Earlier this month, a Chinese citizen was arrested for allegedly flying a drone and taking photographs of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The arrest was part of a series of similar incidents involving unauthorised drone activity near sensitive military sites.

Search to resume for missing MH370 flight

The Malaysian government has confirmed that the search for the missing MH370 passenger jet which vanished more than 10 years ago will resume.

The Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 after departing Kuala Lumpur with 239 people onboard.

Malaysia’s transport minister Anthony Loke said the cabinet approved in principle a $70m (£56m) deal with US-based marine exploration firm Ocean Infinity to find the aircraft.

The deal will operate on a “no find, no fee” agreement, meaning the company will only get paid if and when the wreckage is found.

Mr Loke said negotiations with the company were ongoing and would be finalised in early 2025.

A key negotiating point is the definition of the wreckage size, he added.

“It’s not just about finding one or two pieces [that will be] considered wreckage,” he said.

The new search will take place in a 15,000 sq km patch in the southern Indian Ocean and is based on new data that Kuala Lumpur found to be “credible”, the minister said.

“They have informed us that the best time for searching is between January and April,” he said.

“We are trying to finalise the contract as soon as possible. They have committed that the search will begin once the contract is signed.”

Read more: What happened to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370? Five theories evaluated

It is hoped that finding the wreckage would give closure to the hundreds of families of those onboard who remain haunted by the tragedy.

“We hope this time will be positive,” said Mr Loke.

Jacquita Gonzales, the wife of MH370 inflight supervisor, Patrick Gomes, told the New Straits Times: “I am so happy for the news… feels like the best Christmas present ever.”

Numerous efforts to locate the wreckage have ended in disappointment over the past decade, including a 2018 search by Ocean Infinity which ceased after three months.

A multinational attempt also ended in 2017 after two years of searching vast swathes of ocean.

Conspiracy theories abound about the fate of the aircraft, with unsubstantiated claims that the plane was shot down by a foreign military and speculation that the pilot deliberately brought down the aircraft.

A 2018 investigation concluded that the truth behind the plane “can only be conclusive if the wreckage is found”.

Poet sentenced for criticising monarchy while dressed as Harry Potter

One of Thailand‘s most prominent pro-democracy activists was handed another two years and eight months in prison for criticising the monarchy during a Harry Potter-themed protest.

Arnon Nampa, the 40-year-old lawyer and poet, was found guilty on Thursday of defaming King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a speech during a Bangkok protest rally in August 2020 under the controversial lese-majeste law.

He was among the first people to publically demand reform of the Thai monarchy as part of the pro-democracy movement in 2020, which saw thousands of young citizens pouring onto the streets in protest.

This was Arnon Nampa’s sixth lese-majeste conviction, bringing his cumulative prison sentence to almost 18 years and 11 months. He faces a total of 14 cases under the lese-majeste law which protects the monarchy from criticism and carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

Critics have accused the government of enforcing the controversial law to throttle dissent since the Thai military took power in a 2014 coup.

Prosecutors on Thursday argued that Arnon Nampa, as the head of the Ratsadon group, had posted a Facebook message calling on anti-government protesters to gather at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument for a protest named: “Harry Potter VS You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named”, The Nation reported.

Shortly after the protest, where Arnon Nampa was seen donning a cloak to look like Harry Potter, a government official filed a police complaint accusing him of slandering the monarchy.

Arnon Nampa thanked his lawyers and members of the public who had come to the court to show their support before he was escorted away by corrections department officials.

PEN America on Thursday called for Arnon Nampa’s immediate release and an end to the lese-majeste law. “Nampa’s speeches, letters, and poems have inspired countless other Thai citizens to envision a more just and equitable society, making his imprisonment a broader assault on the right to free expression for all people in Thailand,” the group said in a statement.

“International partners of Thailand must pressure the Thai government to uphold its obligations under international human rights law, including the protection of free expression.”

Arnon Nampa was awarded the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights by a South Korean foundation for his pro-democracy work in 2021.

During his first sentencing in September last year, he said that the “loss of personal freedom is a sacrifice I’m willing to make” that will be worth it in years to come.

Sri Lanka rescues 102 ‘Rohingya refugees’ from fishing trawler

Sri Lanka’s navy says it has rescued 102 people who are believed to be Rohingya refugees from a fishing trawler which was adrift in the Indian Ocean for days.

Navy spokesman Gayan Wickramasuriya said fishermen spotted the boat off Sri Lanka’s northern coast on Thursday and raised alarm to authorities who then rescued the people on board.

Passengers included 25 children and 30 women, with those on board all escorted from the trawler to a naval base on Sri Lanka’s east coast where they were given medical care, food and water.

Videos shared on social media show a wooden fishing trawler packed with children, women and men being approached by a speedboat.

Those on board appeared frail after days spent at sea, lying on the deck of the vessel with some hiding under umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun.

The navy is yet to confirm the identities of refugees due to communication difficulties but believes they are Rohingya who might have been travelling from Myanmar.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas, a Muslim minority group, have fled Myanmar in recent years to escape a brutal crackdown by Myanmar’s military. The United Nations has described the conditions in Myanmar as a ”textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.

The boat ran out of food and water before it came near to the shore in Mullaitivu District, on the north-eastern coast of Sri Lanka’s northernmost province.

The police said they were investigating the circumstances of the arrival of the boat and assessing the condition of the people on the vessel.

Around one million Rohingya Muslims are living in overcrowded refugee camps in southern Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar. Most of them fled a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in 2017 by Myanmar’s security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings.

More have crossed the border on foot or through sea routes after the military junta overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in 2021.

Neighbouring Indonesia, which says it has witnessed a spike in refugee arrivals since November, has called on the international community for help.

In October, a wooden boat with 140 Rohingya Muslims, mostly women and children, anchored about 1 mile (0.60km) off the coast of Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh. Three of the Rohingya on board died during the nearly two-week-long trip from Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh to the waters off Labuhan Haji in South Aceh district, local police said.

Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks could be cancelled due to train strike

The fate of Sydney’s world-famous New Year’s Eve fireworks display hangs in the balance this year, police say, due to industrial action by rail unions.

The New South Wales police commissioner Karen Webb on Friday said she was considering a formal recommendation to cancel the fireworks, expressing “grave concerns” over the safety of 250,000 commuters due to the ongoing industrial action by rail unions.

Union officials accused the police commissioner of scaremongering for threatening to cancel the iconic event.

Train workers across the city are set to hold industrial action called by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, after a federal court rejected the state government’s plea to block the walkout.

“Each year, we police New Year’s Eve on the basis that 250,000 people can come into the city and then safely leave the city,” Ms Webb said.

“Leaving the city is based on access to transport, including trains. And if trains aren’t available, and people can’t leave the city, I have very large concerns of the risk that will create to the public because families won’t be able to get home and they’ll be trapped in the city with no way out.

“I haven’t ruled out that I will recommend to the government that we cancel the fireworks. It’s that serious.”

RTBU state secretary Toby Warnes called the threat to cancel the fireworks a “tactic” and said police had an “ulterior motive”.

“Instead of attempting to resolve the dispute the government is resorting to hysteria and scaring the public of NSW,” he said.

The union said 25 partial work bans are now in place, as well as a walkout on part of the signalling system, and a limit has been imposed on the number of kilometres the remaining workers will travel.

He claimed the strike would have “minimal impact” on services as staffing levels for train guards and drivers on 31 December had already been boosted by 40 per cent.

“At most it would have minimal impact … yes crew can work less kilometres but with 40 per cent extra staff on, the impact would be absolutely nowhere near … visible to the public,” Mr Warnes said.

“There will absolutely still be trains running on New Year’s Eve,” Mr Warnes told ABC Radio.

Commuters in Sydney faced significant disruption on Thursday after some services were cancelled or delayed.

Passengers have been asked to delay non-essential travel or consider alternate transport options.

In preparations for New Year’s Eve, an additional 1,000 train services have been scheduled for what is supposed to be the busiest night of the year for Sydney Trains, according to Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland.

Over the past several months, negotiations between RTBU and the state government have continued as RTBU has taken a firm and uncompromising stance regarding its demands, refusing to back down.

The RTBU, representing Sydney Trains employees, is seeking a 32 per cent pay increase over four years – equivalent to an 8 per cent annual raise – and a 35-hour work week without any reduction in pay.

Union members are advocating for an extra 1 per cent employer contribution to their superannuation, along with the inclusion of superannuation payments for all hours worked and during parental leave.

A spokesperson for Transport and Acting Night-time Economy and Tourism Minister Jo Haylen acknowledged that the government and the union remain “a long way apart” in their discussions.

The NSW government has promised to take “very possible measures” so that Sydney’s train network is not disrupted for commuters over Christmas and New Year’s. It has lodged a request for the Fair Work Commission to terminate industrial action “to protect New Year’s Eve and stop rail disruption”.

North Korean hackers account for 60% of cryptocurrency stolen in 2024

North Korean hackers have stolen $1.34bn (£1bn) in cryptocurrency in 2024, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of the total amount stolen across the world, according to a new study.

A total of $2.2bn (£1.76bn) has been stolen from crypto platforms this year, marking a rise of 21 per cent, with crypto hacks by North Korean affiliates “becoming more frequent”, a study by blockchain analysis company Chainalysis said.

The amount stolen by North Korea-affiliated saw a 102 per cent increase in value from 2023, when an estimated $660.50m was stolen.

Isolated in the global market and reeling under international sanctions, the government in North Korea is accused of turning to crypto theft to fund state-sponsored operations and support its booming nuclear arsenal.

The report said that the US and international experts have assessed that Pyongyang uses the stolen crypto money to “finance its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles programs”.

“Hackers linked to North Korea have become notorious for their sophisticated and relentless tradecraft, often employing advanced malware, social engineering, and cryptocurrency theft to fund state-sponsored operations and circumvent international sanctions,” the report said.

Some of these attacks appeared to be linked to North Korean IT workers who have been able to infiltrate crypto and other technology firms, the report added.

“These workers often use sophisticated Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), such as false identities, third-party hiring intermediaries, and manipulating remote work opportunities to gain access,” it said.

The research comes at a time when the value of bitcoin, the world’s biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, has rallied to record levels ahead of US president-elect Donald Trump‘s second administration. This week Mr Trump reiterated that he plans to create a US strategic reserve of bitcoin similar to its strategic oil reserve, stoking the enthusiasm of crypto bulls.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has launched a crackdown on North Korean hackers engaged in crypto theft in recent years. It indicted 14 North Korean nationals who obtained employment as remote IT workers at US companies and were accused of generating more than $88m by stealing proprietary information and extorting their employers.

In one of the most significant incidents of crypto theft, a North Korea-affiliated hack targeted the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange DMM Bitcoin. The attack led to the theft of around 4,502.9 Bitcoin, worth $305m at the time.

Japanese city to publicly shame people who break bin separation rules

Residents of a Japanese city may have to endure being publicly named and shamed if they do not follow the rules around bin separation.

Japan’s strict waste disposal regulations can sometimes seem confusing, but those in Fukushima have been told they must work harder to ensure they do not make mistakes.

Under the current system, rubbish collectors place yellow “violation stickers” on bin bags that don’t have properly segregated waste. Residents whose bags contain the warning sticker have to bring them back inside their homes and sort them again before the next collection date.

However, under the new rules set to commence in March, the Fukushima Municipal Government will place a red sticker to mark improperly sorted rubbish. If it remains unaddressed for a week, city officials will be authorised to inspect the bags to identify the culprits using their mail and other items. Offenders will be given verbal instructions to correct their mistake, followed by a written notice – and if both fail, the violators will have their names published on the official municipal government website.

While some cities in Japan, including Kyoto and Sasebo in the Nagasaki Prefecture, conduct inspections of rubbish bags and disclose the names of offending businesses, Fukushima is the first to do the same to individual residents.

To address concerns about the government invading citizens’ privacy, city officials have said the inspections will take place in a private space with no third party presence, and that “there is nothing illegal about publicising malicious waste generators who do not abide by the rules and do not follow the city’s guidance and advisory,” reported The Mainichi.

Fukushima mayor Hiroshi Kohata said: “Through this initiative, we hope to somehow correct the current situation of improper garbage disposal. We will work to promote thorough separation of garbage and reduction of waste.”

Japan is known for its meticulous garbage disposal system, which mandates different days of the week for different types of waste to be taken to a designated collection site, with the rubbish all separated into categories like burnable, non-burnable, recyclable, and organic waste. Items like electronic appliances and/or furniture have separate rules, which require citizens to make appointments so they can be collected separately.

Japan’s rigorous waste disposal system can be traced back to 1900, when the first laws came into place to improve public sanitation. After World War II, rapid urbanisation saw industrial pollution in addition to regular household trash, leading to the government being forced to enact stricter legislation to focus on waste reduction and recycling.

The notable scarcity of rubbish bins in public can add to the difficulty of trash disposal for residents. After the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack, most trash cans were removed from public spaces due to security concerns. Residents are now used to carrying their waste until they can dispose of it in an appropriate location, reinforcing the country’s emphasis on being responsible for their own waste.

The rules, while stringent, are aimed at facilitating easier recycling and minimising waste in landfills.

“The rules for separating garbage are set by each municipality and there are about 1,700 municipalities across Japan so there are about the same number of sets or regulations for the separation of waste,” Seiichiro Fujii, an associate professor at Daito Bunka University told The South China Morning Post earlier this year.

Fukushima’s new ordinance, passed on 17 December, is hoping to reduce the volume of garbage its residents produce, which in 2022 was 1.08 kg per person daily, higher than the national average of 880 gms. The city also saw approximately 9,000 cases of garbage that did not comply with the existing regulations.

The Fukushima Waste Reduction Promotion Division said that improper waste disposal previously not only led to garbage scattered all over, but also an increase in scavenging crows.

“The improper disposal of waste is a major concern as it deteriorates the living environment of local residents,” the department said in a statement to the BBC.

Improperly sorted waste adds to the existing landfill, which “imposes a burden on future generations”.

“Therefore, we consider waste sorting to be very important.”

Japan has also turned waste collection into a sport, with the annual Spogomi World Cup, which takes its name from the words “sport” and “gomi” – Japanese for rubbish. In 2023, the UK earned the top spot for collecting a total of 57.27kg of rubbish.