Randall Conwel, Author at The cine Maeye

Slovakia threatens to cut aid to Ukraine amid dispute over halted Russian gas flows

06

Jan

Corruption

Slovakia threatens to cut aid to Ukraine amid dispute over halted Russian gas flows

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned that his country may retaliate against Ukraine following Kyiv’s decision to halt the transit of Russian gas through its territory. The move has escalated tensions between the two neighbors and added a new dimension to the already fraught relationship between Ukraine and some European Union member states. In a video message posted on Facebook on Thursday, Fico accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of “sabotage” after Ukraine followed through on its New Year’s Day promise to stop Russian gas flows to Europe. The decision marked the expiration of a key transit deal with Moscow,…

Palestinian Authority halts Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank, sparking backlash

05

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Crime

Palestinian Authority halts Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank, sparking backlash

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has suspended the operations of Al Jazeera in the occupied West Bank, accusing the Qatari-based news network of disseminating “inciting materials” and “misleading reports” that interfere in internal Palestinian affairs. The move, announced on Wednesday by Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, has drawn widespread criticism and raised concerns about press freedom in the region. According to Wafa, the decision involves a temporary suspension of all Al Jazeera staff and affiliated channels until the network’s “legal status is rectified.” The PA alleges that Al Jazeera violated Palestinian laws and regulations, although it did not specify how.…

Ecuador detains 16 air force members over disappearance and deaths of four children

05

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Crime

Ecuador detains 16 air force members over disappearance and deaths of four children

Ecuador has been shaken by a tragic case involving the disappearance and deaths of four children, leading to the detention of 16 air force members accused of involvement. The charred remains of the children, aged 11 to 15, were found weeks after they were reportedly forced into a military patrol car. The case has sparked national outrage and protests, tarnishing the image of the armed forces amidst an ongoing crackdown on violent criminal groups under President Daniel Noboa. The children—Saúl Arboleda, Steven Medina, and brothers Josué and Ismael Arroyo—were last seen on December 8 in Guayas province after playing soccer.…

China-backed hackers breach US Treasury workstations in ‘major incident’

04

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Crime

China-backed hackers breach US Treasury workstations in ‘major incident’

The US Treasury Department has revealed that hackers, allegedly backed by the Chinese government, infiltrated its workstations in what officials are calling a “major cybersecurity incident.” The breach, which the department disclosed to lawmakers on Monday, involved the use of a stolen security key to access certain Treasury systems and unclassified documents. According to a letter reviewed by CNN, the Treasury was notified of the intrusion on December 8 by BeyondTrust, a third-party software service provider. The hackers reportedly exploited the stolen key to override security measures and remotely access several departmental workstations. Aditi Hardikar, the Treasury’s assistant secretary for…

South Korean president faces arrest warrant amid deepening political crisis

04

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Politics

South Korean president faces arrest warrant amid deepening political crisis

South Korea’s embattled president, Yoon Suk Yeol, now faces an arrest warrant issued by a Seoul court on Tuesday, marking the first time in the country’s history that a sitting president has been subject to such legal action. Yoon, who plunged the nation into turmoil with his surprise declaration of martial law on December 3, has been stripped of his presidential powers following his impeachment earlier this month. The Seoul Western District Court approved the warrant on allegations of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion, charges that carry severe penalties, including life imprisonment or even the death penalty. The…

Montenegro mourns after gunman kills 12 in one of the nation’s worst mass shootings

04

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Crime

Montenegro mourns after gunman kills 12 in one of the nation’s worst mass shootings

A quiet New Year in the small town of Cetinje, Montenegro, was shattered when a gunman went on a deadly rampage, killing 12 people, including two children, before succumbing to self-inflicted injuries early Thursday. The tragedy, one of the worst mass killings in Montenegro’s history, has left the Balkan nation in shock and mourning. The attacker, identified by police as 45-year-old Aleksandar Aco Martinovic, began his spree on Wednesday afternoon following a brawl at a local restaurant. According to authorities, Martinovic killed four people at the restaurant before moving to three other locations, where he shot and killed eight more,…

South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president amid heated standoff

04

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Corruption

South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president amid heated standoff

Efforts to detain South Korea’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, were dramatically halted on Friday after a tense standoff between investigators and the president’s security forces at the presidential compound in Seoul. The attempted arrest deepens the political chaos that has gripped the country since Yoon declared martial law in December, a move that led to his impeachment. Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), accompanied by 80 police officers, entered the presidential compound early Friday morning to enforce an arrest warrant issued earlier this week. However, they were blocked by a “human wall” of approximately 200 soldiers and members…

Fire devastates Kantamanto market in Ghana, displacing thousands of traders

03

Jan

By Randall Conwel

Crime

Fire devastates Kantamanto market in Ghana, displacing thousands of traders

A massive fire swept through the Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, on January 2, 2025, destroying hundreds of stalls and upending the livelihoods of thousands of traders. The market, one of the largest secondhand clothing hubs in the world, was engulfed in flames during the early morning hours, leaving behind widespread devastation but no reported injuries or fatalities. The Ghana National Fire Service announced on Friday that the blaze had been fully extinguished and that investigations were underway to determine its cause. Videos shared by the fire service on social media showed large sections of the market consumed by roaring…

H-1B visa approvals hit record highs, but Trump’s return could bring stricter policies

29

Dec

By Randall Conwel

Politics

H-1B visa approvals hit record highs, but Trump’s return could bring stricter policies

Foreign workers seeking employment in the U.S. experienced unprecedented success in securing H-1B visas during the 2024 fiscal year, with over 97% of applications gaining approval, according to the National Foundation for American Policy. This near-perfect approval rate marks the second-highest level in over a decade. However, immigration advocates warn that this trend may face significant changes if President-elect Donald Trump reinstates restrictive visa policies from his previous administration. Such a shift could profoundly impact U.S. businesses and institutions that heavily depend on skilled foreign workers, particularly those from India. Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, senior director of government relations for the American…

Cybercriminal networks increasingly aligned with Russia, China, and Iran in global hacking campaigns

19

Dec

By Randall Conwel

Corruption

Cybercriminal networks increasingly aligned with Russia, China, and Iran in global hacking campaigns

Governments like Russia, China, and Iran are increasingly collaborating with criminal hacking groups to carry out cyber espionage and cyberattacks against adversaries, including the United States, according to a digital threat report released by Microsoft on Tuesday. This growing partnership between authoritarian regimes and cybercriminals is raising concerns among security experts and officials, who warn that it is becoming harder to distinguish between state-sponsored cyber operations and independent criminal activities aimed at financial gain. The Microsoft report highlights how these alliances are being leveraged to both disrupt rivals and generate profit for cybercriminals. By aligning with criminal hacking networks, these…