International
US offers $15 million for Chinese nationals accused of aiding Iran
The United States government has placed a bounty on Liu Baoxia, also known as Emily Liu, and three other Chinese nationals accused of supporting Iran.
The 43-year-old woman, a “procurement agent and arms broker”, is on the most wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Liu, Li Yongxin (Emma Lee), Yung Yiu Wa (Stephen Yung) and Zhong Yanlai (Sydney Chung) allegedly aided IRGC armaments production and sales through delivery of U.S. dual-use technology.
The Department of State, through its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to their arrest.
The U.S. is working to disrupt the financial mechanisms of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its branches, all designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The government accused the IRGC of financing terrorist attacks globally, “including via its external proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq.”
A statement by the department said the IRGC partly funds its terrorist activities through sales of military equipment, including unmanned aerial vehicles or drones.
On Thursday, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it had sanctioned a “teapot” oil refinery and its chief executive officer.
The allegedly purchased and refined hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil from vessels linked to the Ansarallah, aka the Houthis, and the Iranian Ministry of Defense of Armed Forces Logistics.
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent stated that the teapot refinery’s purchases of Iranian oil “provide the primary economic lifeline for the Iranian regime.”
Bessent reiterated America’s commitment to “cutting off the revenue streams that enable Tehran’s continued financing of terrorism and development of its nuclear program.”
International
Japan beer giants raided over alleged price-fixing cartel
Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo all saw their share price fall after news of the investigation broke on Wednesday. Suntory’s beer business is not publicly-listed.
Image credit: BBC| GETTY Images
Japanese officials have raided the country’s biggest beer makers over allegations they worked together to raise the price of their beverages.
Asahi, Sapporo, Kirin and Suntory Spirits confirmed to the BBC that their premises had been searched by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), adding that they would fully cooperate with the regulator.
The four firms dominate Japan’s beer market, with their drinks a common sight in supermarkets and convenience stores across the country.
Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo all saw their share price fall after news of the investigation broke on Wednesday. Suntory’s beer business is not publicly-listed.
“I do not deny that an investigation is being conducted today, but I’d like to refrain from commenting on the details as a preliminary review is underway,” JFTC Secretary General Iwanari Hiroo said, according to local media.
International
Belgian Students Protest Over Rising Education Costs
Tuition fees for most students in Belgium’s French-speaking Community, was increased from €835 to €1,194.
Hundreds of students in the Belgian city of Liège took to the streets protesting rising education costs, according to Belga news agency.
Tuition fees for most students in Belgium’s French-speaking Community, was increased from €835 to €1,194.
Local media reported that 107 people had been arrested in recent days, for offences linked to property damage and arson.
The protesters are challenging conditions in Belgium’s French-language education system, citing rising costs, overcrowded classrooms and difficulties accessing study materials.
Students carried placards expressing their frustration, including messages calling for education to be treated as a right rather than a privilege.
International
Ethiopian woman says she hasn’t eaten or drunk water since age 10
Despite claiming not to eat, Ambaw said she enjoys preparing meals for her family and visitors.
•Muluwork Ambaw
An Ethiopian woman, Muluwork Ambaw, has claimed that she has not eaten food or drunk water since she was 10 years old, saying she suddenly lost her appetite as a child.
Ambaw, who is now 26 and lives in Jimma, Ethiopia, said her last meal was lentil stew before she stopped eating and drinking.
Her extraordinary claim gained international attention after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her story and daily life.
According to Ambaw, the change began when her family would ask her to have breakfast before going to school.
Her extraordinary claim gained international attention after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her story and daily life.
According to Ambaw, the change began when her family would ask her to have breakfast before going to school.
“I used to live with my family, and they asked me to eat breakfast and go to school. I said I had eaten, but I was pretending,” she said, according to an account shared by Binsky.
Ambaw said she simply stopped feeling hungry or thirsty and has continued living without consuming food or water.
Despite claiming not to eat, Ambaw said she enjoys preparing meals for her family and visitors.
She reportedly grows vegetables in her garden so she can cook fresh food when her sister or guests visit.
“I cook as much as I want, but I have no appetite,” she said.
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