Forget the hangman’s noose, the firing squad or lethal injection: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un executed his uncle and a handful of the man’s aides by feeding them to a horde of 120 starving dogs, according to a shocking (but unconfirmed) account.
Jang Song Thaek, the former No. 2 official in the secretive regime, was stripped naked and tossed into a cage along with his five closest aides.
Warning: Even in their unconfirmed state, the details are a bit gruesome.
“Then 120 hounds, starved for three days, were allowed to prey on them until they were completely eaten up. This is called ‘quan jue’, or execution by dogs,” according to the Straits Times of Singapore. The daily relied on a description of the execution in a Hong Kong newspaper that serves as the official mouthpiece of China’s government there. More established outlets in mainland China have not repeated the account.
“The entire process lasted for an hour, with Mr. Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader in North Korea, supervising it along with 300 senior officials,” the Straits Times said in a piece published Dec. 24, 2013, but only now getting traction in the United States. Two American national security officials contacted for comment said they had not heard that account, which first appeared in the Wen Wei Po newspaper on Dec. 12, 2013, and declined to vouch for its credibility.
(Newser) – North Korea's leader was "very drunk" when he recently ordered two aides close to his uncle to be executed, reports the Independent via the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun. Kim Jong Un was apparently upset when the two men questioned his demand that a business be handed over to the military. Ri Ryong Ha, first deputy director of a department in the ruling Workers' Party, and Jang Su Gil, a deputy director in the same department, failed to approve Kim's order quickly, the Telegraph reports, and wanted to check with Kim's uncle, Jang Song Thaek.
South Korea heard about the executions by wiretapping phone calls made by friends of the two aides, and considered Jang's execution "inevitable" from then on. This all contradicts Pyongyang's official story that Jang was executed for plotting a coup, the New York Times notes. In a closed-door meeting today, South Korea's director of intelligence said Jang and his allies had started a struggle among North Korea's elite by taking over profitable business deals—like the sale of coal to China. Friction then built up between government agencies over Jang's perceived abuse of power. At least eight people connected to Jang were executed and hundreds of his relatives were taken to prison camps in the purge.
In advance of his meeting with Abbas and his attempt to advance the peace talks, crowds of Palestinians chant for Kerry to go home; Separately, McCain meets with Netanyahu, says PM has serious concerns about Kerry plan.
US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to reporters with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian protesters on Friday condemned the latest efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to advance peace talks with Israel, using chants evoking the Arab uprisings and telling him to go home.
Hours before Kerry was due to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, a raucous crowd of several hundred took to the streets of Ramallah, the West Bank's de facto capital, chanting "Kerry, you coward, there's no place for you in Palestine!"
Separately, an official close to Abbas dismissed Kerry's drive for a "framework agreement" as biased toward Israel.
Kerry has said such an accord would narrow gaps between the sides and pave the way for a final deal when the nine-month period allotted the US-backed talks expires on April 29.
Palestinian and Israeli officials have publicly differed on the future status of the West Bank's border with Jordan, where Israelis want a permanent security presence but Palestinians want a full withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers.
Israel said last week it planned to build another 1,400 homes in settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Kerry has told reporters that the agreement, besides borders and security, would aim to address all the conflict's key issues such as refugees and Jerusalem.
The US top diplomat held five hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and saw him again on Friday. He was due to see Abbas later in the day.
Around three hundred activists with the left-wing Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine party rallied in downtown Ramallah hours before Kerry's scheduled arrival.
"The people want the fall of the framework!" they chanted, evoking the chants heard in protests throughout the Middle East in 2011. "It's clear, Kerry, we don't want to see you! The Americans are the enemy of our people!" they added.
Dozens of riot policemen and plainclothes security forces prevented their march from reaching Ramallah's presidential compound, where Abbas was expected to receive Kerry
WASHINGTON – San Francisco authorities and the FBI are investigating an act of arson against the Chinese consulate there that caused a fire but no injuries, authorities reported.
The fire, which damaged the main door of the building, located in the Lower Pacific Height section of the city, was brought under control by firefighters shortly after it was reported at 9:33 p.m. Wednesday.
The consulate, in a communique posted on its Web page, said that an unidentified man parked a van in front of the building, poured gasoline from two containers onto the consulate’s gate and doorway and set it ablaze.
The incident was classified as “sabotage” on the consulate’s Web page, which urged U.S. authorities to investigate the attack and to guarantee the safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel.
“We strongly condemn this vicious, destructive act of arson towards the American consulate of China, which severely damaged the facilities and threatened the safety of consulate personnel and others,” the consulate said.
In what is being seen as a major boost for Saudi women seeking legal advice and help, Bayan Mahmoud Al-Zahran, the first Saudi woman lawyer who was issued license to practice law in the Kingdom, launched the first female law firm for the benefit of Saudi women on Wednesday. Bayan Al-Zahran became the first Saudi woman lawyer when she appeared at the General Court in Jeddah for the first time in November last year to defend a client. She had been working for years as a legal consultant and had represented dozens of people in criminal and civil cases besides family disputes. Al-Zahran told Arab News that the objective of her law firm is to fight for the rights of Saudi women and bring their problems before the court, since male lawyers in many cases couldn’t understand the problems and situations of a female plaintiff. She said that she was planning to take up labor cases and business disputes but would also dedicate her time to women’s cases. “I believe women lawyers can contribute a lot to the legal system. This law firm will make a difference in the history of court cases and female disputes in the Kingdom. I am very hopeful and thank everyone who supported me in taking this historical step,” she said. Al-Zahran said in the past, Saudi women faced problems finding a female lawyer who could represent them in the court. However, with the establishment of her law firm, this problem will be solved, she said, adding that she was ready to take up cases of both genders. She said she was looking forward to progress of women lawyers in Saudi Arabia in protecting the rights of women. “This is a very positive step toward the Saudi court and justices as right now, we are four female lawyers who got the license, but I am hopeful that in future, the number will increase,” she added. Al-Zahran’s father Sheikh Mahmoud Al-Zahran said this is the first step toward the protection of the women’s rights in the Kingdom. “We are very proud of our daughter who stands firm for protection of women’s rights. This will help all women who couldn’t go and speak to male lawyers about their problems,” he said. The launch was attended by Mazen Batterjee, vice president of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, Zuhair Nawab, president of the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), Dr. Hussain Al Shareef , supervisor general of National Human Rights Organization, Makkah, Dr. Suhail Sawan, executive director of national committee for prisoners, Dr. Inam Ribwai, director of children surgery at King Fahad hospital and former director of family protection organization, and a number of businessmen and society ladies, doctors, lawyers, academics and jurists. Mazen Batterjee, while congratulating Bayan ad all the female lawyers, however, emphasised on Shariah law in every aspect of life and in law practice in Saudi courts. He said female lawyers should follow the restrictions of the court for hijab since Islam while giving rights to women, also had ethics in place for women while presenting themselves before a judge. He hoped this first step toward a women’s law firm will be successful and follow all the rules and regulations of court and religion. Dr. Suhail Sawan said that Al-Zahran was working for years as legal consultant and studying cases of prisons which gave her excellent exposure. This law firm is a milestone in that there are situations which can only be understood and represented by a female lawyer, he said.
The Civil Defense has not succeeded to retrieve the body of six-year-old Lama Al-Rouqi who died after falling into an abandoned well in Tabuk two weeks ago.
Lama was out picnicking with her family when she fell into the well in Al-Asmar valley in Haql Governorate on Dec. 20. She fell more than 30 meters into the 100-meter-deep and half-a-meter-wide well.
Maj. Gen. Mastour Al-Harithy, director of Tabuk’s Civil Defense, said at a press conference here on Thursday that the team was still trying to retrieve her body. They came close to the body on Wednesday, but it slid 11 meters further into the well because of loose soil in the hole.
Al-Harithy also outlined the events that took place since the Tabuk Civil Defense arrived at the scene after receiving a call for help at 3:54 p.m. on Dec. 20.
Lama’s father told them that she fell into the well while playing with her sister, said Al-Harithy. He said the rescuers first made sure the girl was not anywhere else in the valley.
“On examining the well, Civil Defense experts assumed that the girl had fallen into the well through a hole on the side because it was covered at the top,” said the official.
As a preliminary step, they pumped oxygen into the well and sent down a camera at the end of a cable. “The camera collided with some rock and mud at a depth of 30 meters and there was no sign of the body,” he said.
The Civil Defense dug a hole parallel to the well to reach the level where the girl was trapped. It was three meters away from the well.
The rescuers sought the help of teams from Madinah, Qassim, Riyadh and the Taif Civil Defense directorates, including experts from Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Geological Survey, Al-Harithy said. Three academics from Tabuk University were present to provide advice on such rescues.
Experts from an Italian company and Saudi Binladin were also consulted on Saturday. However, they could not help because they did not have equipment to deal with such a situation.
A company was contracted to provide support for the wall of the well while digging took place.
The teams started taking special care to ensure the safety of the diggers when they reached a depth of 27 meters on Tuesday evening. However, they then hit hard rock at 30 meters.
About 72 hours after they started digging the parallel well, the Civil Defense rescuers managed to open a small hole of 30 cm in diameter and gain access to the well. At that spot, the teams could smell the decaying body of the girl.
They also came across a doll, which relatives said belonged to the child. Unfortunately, the body fell 11 meters further because of loose soil.
By: Sarah Weiss A woman was found dead inside her apartment along with three drunk guys, according to police reports in Israel.
Be’er Sheva Police said that the dead body of a local 40-year-old woman was found on Saturday morning, in her apartment.
Magen David Adom paramedics who were called to the scene, pronounced her dead. Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the case. Three men who were drunk at the apartment were detained for questioning.
Police came to the woman’s apartment after a call came into the police phone line (100) asking for a welfare check on the woman.
When police officers went into her bedroom they saw the unresponsive woman on her bed.
According to the initial police investigation, the woman along with the three men drank alcohol throughout the night, and in the morning, the woman did not wake up.
One of the three men went to a neighbor in order to get help.
The woman's body was transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute to determine the cause of death. The three men will be freed if the autopsy shows no criminal activity.
WASHINGTON – San Francisco authorities and the FBI are investigating an act of arson against the Chinese consulate there that caused a fire but no injuries, authorities reported.
