Saudi Arabia Says 5 Face Death Penalty in Khashoggi Killing

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4 January 2019, 10:19

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi speaks during a press conference in 2015 in Manama, Bahrain. Photo: Hasan Jamali / Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday it will seek the death penalty against five suspects in the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a killing that has seen members of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s entourage implicated in the writer’s assassination.

Prosecutors announced that 11 suspects in the slaying attended their first court hearing with lawyers, but the statement did not name those in court. It also did not explain why seven other suspects arrested over the Oct. 2 killing at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul did not immediately face formal charges. The kingdom previously announced 18 people had been arrested.

Saudi officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The killing of Khashoggi, who wrote columns critical of Prince Mohammed, has strained the decades-long ties the kingdom enjoys with the United States. It also has added to a renewed international push to end the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency and state television gave few details about the hearing.

“The Public Prosecutor demanded imposing proper punishments against the defendants and is seeking capital punishment for five of the defendants for their direct involvement in the murder,” a statement from prosecutors said, without elaborating.

The suspects requested copies of the indictments they faced, as well as asked for more time to prepare for their case, prosecutors said.

While vague on details about the case, prosecutors made a point to express concerns about Turkey. They alleged that Turkish officials did not answer two formal requests made for evidence in the case.

“To date, the Saudi Public Prosecutor has not received any response, and the Public Prosecution is still awaiting their response,” the statement said.

Officials in Ankara could not be immediately reached for comment. Turkish officials have previously said they shared evidence with Saudi Arabia and other nations over Khashoggi’s killing.

Turkey also has demanded Saudi Arabia extradite those 18 suspects to be tried there for Khashoggi’s killing. Turkish security officials have kept up a slow leak of videos, photographs and morbid details surrounding Khashoggi’s slaying to pressure the kingdom, as the two U.S.-allied countries vie for influence over the wider Mideast.

Turkish media have published photographs of members of the crown prince’s entourage at the consulate in Istanbul ahead of the slaying. Khashoggi’s body, believed to have been dismembered after his killing, has yet to be found.

Khashoggi, 59, entered the consulate Oct. 2 as his fiancée waited outside. But unbeknownst to him, a team of Saudi officials had flown in before his arrival and laid in wait for him.

Saudi Arabia denied for weeks that Khashoggi had been killed but later changed its story and ultimately acknowledged the brutal slaying. King Salman ordered the restructuring of the country’s intelligence service, but has so far shielded Prince Mohammed, his 33-year-old son who is next in line to the throne in the oil giant kingdom.

All that has not has not stopped widespread international criticism against the kingdom. Under Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia has seen the arrest of business leaders, royals and activists while also recently granting women the right to drive.

U.S. senators in December passed the measure that blamed the prince for Khashoggi’s killing and called on Riyadh to “ensure appropriate accountability.” Senators also passed a separate measure calling for the end of U.S. aid to the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Both measures drew angry responses from the kingdom, but a renewed international effort has begun to end the Yemen war.

It is no surprise that the kingdom would seek to execute those accused in Khashoggi’s slaying. Saudi Arabia was the world’s third top executioner in 2017, behind China and Iran, according to Amnesty International’s most recent figures available.

The kingdom executed at least 146 people, according to the group. It regularly beheads those condemned to death and last year said it “crucified” a Myanmar man, an execution in which the condemned is usually beheaded and then the body put on display, arms outstretched as if crucified.

Story: Jon Gambrell

Coronation Could Affect February Elections: Wissanu

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JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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3 January 2019, 17:35

Then-army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha casts a ballot in the 2011 general election.

BANGKOK — The coronation scheduled in May might affect the election date in February, a deputy prime minister said Thursday.

Wissanu Krea-ngam said after meeting with the Election Commission that he had submitted the details regarding the ceremony set for May 4 to May 6. He said the post-election process could coincide with some royal events and might force the election committee to consider postponing the date from Feb. 24.

He said the commission will make a decision later regarding Election Day, repeating that it had to be between Feb. 24 and May 9 as required by law.

Wissanu added that the elections will definitely come before the coronation ceremony.

SKorean Lawmaker: Spy Agency Says NKorean Diplomat in Hiding

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Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 15:29

Asia Year End News — North Korean soldiers march during a parade for the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s spy agency has told lawmakers that North Korea’s acting ambassador to Italy Jo Song Gil went into hiding with his wife in November.

South Korean lawmaker Kim Min-ki said Thursday an official from Seoul’s National Intelligence Service shared the information in a closed-door briefing.

Kim did not say whether the spy agency revealed information about Jo’s current whereabouts or whether he had plans to defect to South Korea.

Tame Impala, Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino Among Coachella Headliners

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Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 13:43

In this Aug. 6, 2015 file photo, Tame Impala performs at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. Photo: Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — The organizers of the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival have announced the top acts scheduled to appear at the multiday event in April.

Goldenvoice, the promoter of the event, said Wednesday night that the big names scheduled to perform at the two-weekend festival in Southern California from April 12 to April 14 and from April 19 to April 21 include Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Janelle Monae. Other performers booked to play at the event include the 1975, DJ Snake, Diplo, Solange and Weezer.

In 2018, Grande capped off a successful year as a pop star that included another No. 1 album with “Sweetener” as well as multiple hits, from “No Tears Left to Cry” to “God Is a Woman” to “Breathin.”

Coachella is known as the festival for cool kids — and musicians. Tickets go on sale on Friday.

‘7 Dangerous Days’ Kill 463 on Thai Roads During Holidays

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Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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3 January 2019, 12:59

A car accident on New Year’s Day in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Phimai district kills five people.

BANGKOK — Nakhon Ratchasima remained the province with the most fatalities during this year’s holiday season, while overall road deaths increased in comparison to 2018.

The Road Safety Directing Center said Thursday that 463 people died on the roads Dec. 27 through Thursday – infamously called the “Seven Dangerous Days.”

The figure shows 40 more deaths in comparison to last year’s long holiday period, which saw 423 people killed.

Nakhon Ratchasima still registered the most traffic deaths at 25 people. The major Isaan province also saw the most fatalities during last year’s “dangerous days” at 17 road deaths.

A total of 3,892 people were injured in 3,791 accidents, the center reported. The greatest number of accidents and injuries – 118 and 137 injuries – occurred in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

Drunk driving and speeding remain the top causes for traffic accidents at 40.4 percent and 28.3 percent, respectively.

Altogether, 15,805 people were killed on Thai roads in 2018, an increase of 352 people over 2017. It made for daily average fatalities of 43.3 people, while 66.1 died on average during New Year’s.

Still, 2017’s year-end “dangerous days” – which recorded 478 deaths – remain the deadliest in a decade.

The “Seven Dangerous Days” mark the New Year’s holidays, when many people travel countrywide to their hometowns.

Road Deaths to Persist After Deadliest Holidays in Decade

Storm Pabuk to Hit Nakhon, Chumphon, Surat Hardest: Official

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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3 January 2019, 12:45

BANGKOK — Tropical storm Pabuk will approach Thailand’s southern coasts tonight as three provinces are warned to feel the worst of it, an official said Thursday.

Disaster agencies started setting up emergency centers and evacuation shelters as several provinces in the lower south experienced strong winds and heavy rain last night. The storm is set to enter the Gulf of Thailand this afternoon and its center will move past Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Chumphon starting tomorrow, according to the head of the Meteorological Department.

“The edge of it has already brought rain to the whole lower south,” director-general Phuwieng Prakhammintara said by phone today. “It will slowly approach the mainland. Now its speed is at about 9kph.”

He added that the current rainfall is at about 120 to 150 millimeters per day, and the storm is expected to move into the Andaman Sea on Saturday.

Update: 1 Dead, Thousands Evacuated as Storm Pabuk Batters South

Disaster officials said after an emergency meeting yesterday in Bangkok that Pabuk’s gusts could surge to up to 90kph before hitting the coasts, and accumulated landfall could be as high as 300 millimeters daily.

Samroeng Sangphuwong, a top official of the Office of the National Water Resources, said it’s unlikely that Pabuk will become as powerful as Typhoon Gay, which destroyed Chumphon and Prachuap Khiri Khan in 1989, but could still cause serious damage to buildings along the shores.

Meteorologist Seree Supratid said yesterday that the storm might be more devastating than when tropical storm Harriet hit the region in 1962 and ravaged 12 provinces.

The military said units across the region are ready to be deployed on relief and rescue missions. The navy said it would have one of its flagships stationed at Chonburi province ready to be dispatched for further humanitarian assistance in the south.

Nakhon Si Thammarat officials said the province has set up 190 evacuation shelters that can accommodate up to 86,000 people. The Bang Saphan Hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan said critical patients would be transferred to hospitals in the Prachuap city and other nearby provinces.

Marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat warned of a possible storm surge in low lying areas along the coasts and sea waves as high as 5 meters. He said winds won’t be strong enough to tear down a building, and recommended people to remain indoors.

Officials said Chumphon, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi are at high risk of flash floods. Other provinces to be affected are Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Krabi, Trang, Satun, Ranong, Phang Nga and Phuket.

South Warned of First Tropical Storm Since 1962 Disaster

US Soldier Charged With Murder After Wife’s Body Found in Trash

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Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 11:41

American and British soldiers train in April in Germany. Photo: US Army

INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities say a 21-year-old soldier who flew from Colorado to Indiana and allegedly killed his wife, then fled to Thailand, is now wanted for military desertion.

Prosecutors in Indiana filed murder charges Wednesday against Peter Van Bawi Lian for the death of Khuang Par, whose body was found in an Indianapolis trash bin on Dec. 23.

Indianapolis police say Lian is on active duty with the U.S. Army. Police say he flew on Dec. 22 from Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Indianapolis, where Par had moved to be with family after Lian was arrested in November on charges of assaulting her.

Flight records show Lian flew to Bangkok on Dec. 24.

The Indianapolis Star reports Lian was due back at Fort Carson on Dec. 26 but didn’t return.

Siam Winery Continues With the 9th Year of Clothing Donation Initiative (Sponsored)

By

Khaosod English

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3 January 2019, 11:04

As a Thai company, Siam Winery is determined to take care of local communities. For the 9th year, the Donation of Clothing initiative, led by Siam Winery, is moving forward with support from volunteers to tackle the cold in rural areas with donation of blankets, winter clothing and school supplies at Pang Khum School in Sameng District of Chiang Mai.

Siam Winery, Thai producer and distributor of wine and beverages, has continued on with the 9th year of Donation of Clothing initiative with volunteers from Siam Winery and nationwide to bring donation to those in cold-stricken area at Pang Khum School in Sameng District of Chiang Mai. The donation included winter clothing and school supplies for the students and underprivileged townspeople in the affected areas.

Mr. Chayapol Sornsilp, manager of Siam Winery’s social responsibility management, said that, “Throughout 30 years, Siam Winery has always been adamant in sustainably developing and improving lives in the communities in rural Thailand with various social responsibility initiatives. So far we have created great impact and manifested our statements with access to benefit local communities in rural parts of Thailand, where we also learned the need and lack in schools in the area. The Donation of Clothing initiative was hence developed eight years ago where Siam Winery donated more than 10,000 pieces of winter clothing each year. This year, for the 9th edition, we also take education into account and include school supplies and sports equipment to schools in need. This year the donation includes winter clothing, school bags, rain jackets, sportswear and other essential school supplies for 280 students and villagers. We also take this opportunity to learn about their way of life.”

Pang Khum School is one of the schools chosen to be part of Donation of Clothing initiative by Siam Winery. The company’s executives and volunteers travelled 1,300 meters above sea level to Pang Khum village to bring winter clothing, sport equipment, school supplies and other necessities. Because of the high altitude and mountainous surrounding, Pang Khum village is hit with heavy downpour in the rainy season and plunging drop of temperature in winter, making the year-round average temperature of 5-16 degree Celsius. The students in Pang Khum School are from two ethnic tribes, Pagayor and Lisu. The school, operating since 1971, was built by the community and it is now under the provision of Chiang Mai Primary Educational Service Area Office 2. The school offers classes from first year of kindergarten to junior high school (mattayom 3) and the total number of students in the academic year of 2018 is 94.

The high terrain makes traveling to school an ordeal for the students and the teachers. The steep, mountainous route comprises 15km natural dirt track and 45km rural road, making it 60km in total from Sameng District Office. In the rainy season the route becomes muddy and slippery, and travel to Pang Khum School can only be done with specific know-how on hilly tracks and four-wheel drive or big bikes. Pang Khum villagers are mostly farmers with plantations of rice, vegetables and flowers. The majority of the population lives in poverty with average income of 10,000 baht per family per year.

With the mission to give back to society, Siam Winery is grateful to be able to do our small part in giving back to local communities with hopes to help foster a more sustainable and prosperous future. Get updates on Donation of Clothing initiative and other projects by Siam Winery at www.siamwinery.com

Apple Drops iPhone Bombshell on Already Reeling Stock Market

By

Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 10:48

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks about the Apple iPhone XS and Apple iPhone XS Max at the Steve Jobs Theater during an event to announce new Apple products Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, in Cupertino, California. Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple acknowledged that demand for iPhones is waning, confirming investor fears that the company’s most profitable product has lost some of its luster.

The reckoning came in a letter from Apple CEO Tim Cook to the company’s shareholders released after the stock market closed Wednesday.

Cook said Apple’s revenue for the October-December quarter — including the crucial holiday shopping season — will fall well below the company’s earlier projections and those of analysts, whose estimates sway the stock market.

Apple now expects revenue of USD$84 billion for the period. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected Apple’s revenue to be about 9 percent higher — $91.3 billion. The official results are scheduled to be released Jan. 29.

Cook traced most of the revenue drop to China, where the economy has been slowing and Apple has faced tougher competition from home-team smartphone makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi. President Donald Trump has also raised new tensions between the U.S. and China by imposing tariffs on more than $200 billion in goods, although so far the iPhone hasn’t been affected directly.

China’s “economy began to slow there for the second half,” Cook said during an interview with CNBC on Wednesday afternoon. “The trade tensions between the United States and China put additional pressure on their economy.”

Cook also acknowledged that consumers in other markets aren’t buying as many of the latest iPhones, released last fall, as Apple had anticipated — a factor that could stem from a starting price of $1,000 for Apple’s top-of-the-line iPhones.

Apple’s stock plunged 7 percent to $146.40 in Wednesday’s extended trading. The shares had already fallen 32 percent from their peak in early October when investors still had high hopes for the new iPhone models. Apple’s troubles may have ripple effects on other technology companies, given investors have been bailing on the industry in recent months. The tech-driven Nasdaq composite index now stands 18 percent down from its record closing high reached in August.

Now, Apple must try to find a way to win back Wall Street’s confidence and reverse a steep decline that has erased $350 billion in shareholder wealth in just three months.

“This is Apple’s darkest day during the Cook era,” Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said. “No one expected China to just fall off a cliff like this.”

While President Donald Trump’s trade war with China isn’t helping Apple and other U.S. technology companies, Ives believes Apple miscalculated by continuing to roll out high-priced phones in China, creating an opening for rivals with less costly alternatives that still worked well.

The price gap is one reason Huawei surpassed Apple in smartphone sales from April through September last year to seize the No. 2 spot behind industry leader Samsung, according to the research firm International Data Corp.

“The question now is will Apple change its strategy or stick to its hubris,” Ives said.

To help boost iPhone sales, Cook said Apple will expand its financing plans and build upon its recent efforts to make it easier to trade in older models at its stores.

But outsiders will find it harder to see how that’s working out. In November, Apple unexpectedly announced that it would no longer disclose how many iPhones it ships each quarter, ending a long-running practice. Wall Street immediately interpreted the move as an attempt to mask a slow but steady downturn in sales.

Apple said at the time that it wanted to reduce investor focus on its iPhone division and instead highlight other promising areas of its business, including its services division that sells subscriptions for music streaming, collects app-related commissions and repairs malfunctioning devices.

But the company now expects its annual revenue to fall 5 percent from the previous year’s level. That reversal of fortune could reinforce fears of a global economic slowdown .

Story: Michael Liedtke

UN Security Council Gets New Members, and 1 Gets Presidency

By

Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 10:04

The results of a vote are posted in the General Assembly, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. Photo: Manuel Elias / Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations Security Council has five new members, and one of them – the Dominican Republic – is starting out as the group’s president.

Belgium, Germany, Indonesia and South Africa also are starting their two-year terms. All five new members are being recognized with a ceremony Wednesday marking the installation of their flags outside the council chamber.

Bolivia, Ethiopia, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Sweden finished their terms as 2018 closed.

The 15-member council is the U.N.’s most powerful body. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are permanent members, with veto power.

Other members are elected by the 193-member General Assembly for staggered, two-year terms that are allocated by global regions. Seats are sought-after, and countries often campaign for years.

The presidency rotates each month.

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