12-minute search shifts resume for 6 from sunken yacht off Sicily, including tech giant Mike Lynch

12-minute search shifts resume for 6 from sunken yacht off Sicily, including tech giant Mike Lynch
Divers operate in the sea to search for the missing, including British entrepreneur Mike Lynch, after a luxury yacht sank off Sicily, Italy August 19, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 20 August 2024
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12-minute search shifts resume for 6 from sunken yacht off Sicily, including tech giant Mike Lynch

12-minute search shifts resume for 6 from sunken yacht off Sicily, including tech giant Mike Lynch
  • Among those missing was Lynch, who was once hailed as Britain’s king of technology
  • Also missing was Jonathan Bloomer, a chairman at Morgan Stanley International

PORTICELLO: Police divers resumed searching Tuesday for six people, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, believed trapped some 50 meters (164 feet) underwater in the hull of a superyacht that sank in a storm off Sicily.
Divers in wetsuits and oxygen tanks returned to the site off Porticello, near Palermo, to tag-team in 12-minute underwater search shifts where the luxury sailboat went down. Fire rescue crews reported that divers only made it to the bridge during a first search, and were unable to access the below-deck cabins because they were blocked by furniture that had shifted during the violent storm that toppled the vessel early Monday.
Fifteen people survived, including a mother who reported holding her 1-year-old baby over the waves to save her. One body has been recovered, identified as the on-board chef, officials said.
The Bayesian, a 56-meter British-flagged luxury yacht, had been moored about a half-mile off Ponticello when a storm rolled in around 4 a.m. Monday. Civil protection officials said they believed the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout, which had passed through the area.
The search for the six missing passengers has been slow because the Bayesian is resting at a depth of 50 meters, where divers can stay for only 12-minute shifts, the fire rescue team said in a statement Tuesday.
The rotating search teams, each made up of two specialized cave divers, were working Tuesday to open up other access points to get inside of the wreckage. Rescue crews said they assume the six passengers will be found in the below-deck cabins, given the time of the shipwreck, but that they have not managed to verify their presence there through portholes.
The statement referred to the six as “missing.” Fire rescue officials have said the six will be considered missing until they are located in the wreckage.
Fifteen of the Bayesian’s 22 passengers and crew managed to escape on a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat that was also moored offshore to ride out the storm, Karsten Borner, the sailboat’s captain, told reporters at the scene.
Among those missing was Lynch, who was once hailed as Britain’s king of technology. He was cleared in June of fraud and conspiracy charges in a US federal trial related to Hewlett Packard’s $11 billion takeover of his company, Autonomy Corp. His wife, Angela Bacares, survived.
The sailing vacation appeared to be something of a celebration after Lynch’s acquittal, since fellow passengers included some of the people who had stood by Lynch throughout the ordeal. Among those unaccounted for, according to the civil protection agency, were one of Lynch’s US lawyers, Christopher Morvillo of Clifford Chance, and Morvillo’s wife.
Also missing was Jonathan Bloomer, a chairman at Morgan Stanley International and the former head of the Autonomy audit committee who testified at Lynch’s trial for the defense, and his wife. Lynch appointed Bloomer to Autonomy’s board of directors in 2010, where he served as chairman of the audit committee at the time of the HP deal.
International insurance company Hiscox Group, where Bloomer was chairman, was “deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event,” Hiscox Group CEO Aki Hussain said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular our Chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation.”
Among the survivors was Charlotte Golunski, who said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The father, identified by ANSA as James Emslie, also survived.
The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, was carrying 12 passengers and 10 crew. According to online charter companies, it has been available for charter for 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week and is notable for its massive 75-meter tall aluminum mast, one of the tallest in the world.


One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader

One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader
Updated 9 sec ago
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One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader

One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader
  • Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested from Dhaka airport on Monday on several charges, including sedition
  • India condemned the arrest, saying perpetrators who hurt minorities and desecrated deities remained at large

DHAKA At least one person was killed in Bangladesh in clashes between security forces and Hindus protesting against the arrest of a religious leader, police said, even as neighboring India urged that the safety of Hindus and minorities be ensured.

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu leader associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested from Dhaka airport on Monday on several charges, including sedition.

His arrest sparked protests by his supporters in both the capital Dhaka and Chittagong city.

“A Muslim lawyer defending Das was killed amid protests outside the court (in Chittagong),” said police officer Liaquat Ali.

A probe has been ordered into the alleged killing, the caretaker government said in a statement, adding that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had directed law enforcement agencies to step up security in the port city.

“The interim government is committed to ensuring and upholding communal harmony in Bangladesh at any cost,” the government said.

Das faces sedition charges filed in October after leading a large rally in Chittagong, in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag and was denied bail by a court in Chittagong on Tuesday.

'RAMPAGE'

When Das was being escorted back to prison from court, more than 2,000 supporters surrounded the van, blocking it for over two hours, Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Hasib Aziz, said.

“They went on a rampage, throwing bricks at us. To disperse the crowd, we had to fire tear gas. No one was seriously injured, but one of our constables was hurt,” Aziz said.

India condemned the arrest of Das, saying in a sternly worded statement that the perpetrators of documented vandalism and arson against minorities as well as those who desecrated deities remained at large.

Hindu-majority India has strong cultural and business ties with its neighbor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has expressed concern over a spate of attacks on Hindus.

“It is unfortunate that, while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings,” the Indian foreign ministry statement said.

Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, responding to India, said the government does not interfere in the judiciary’s work, and the matter was being dealt with by the court of law.

“The Government of Bangladesh is also committed to upholding communal harmony in the country,” the ministry said. One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader 


Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says

Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says
Updated 37 sec ago
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Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says

Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says
  • Zelensky said in a video on the Telegram messaging app that a rescue operation was underway at the site and more people could be under debris
  • “It is realistic to protect against it only by destroying Russian weapons”

KYIV: Russian shelling killed two civilians in the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Zelensky said in a video on the Telegram messaging app that a rescue operation was underway at the site and more people could be under debris.
City officials earlier said that Sumy, located about 30 km (19 miles) from the Russian border, had been hit by a Russian airstrike at about 12.10 p.m. (1010 GMT). They said a car servicing station, several houses, and an educational building were damaged in the attack.
But Zelensky, citing preliminary findings, later said Sumy had been struck by a multiple-launch rocket system.
“It is realistic to protect against it only by destroying Russian weapons, the Russian launch systems on Russian territory. That is why the ability to strike at Russian territory is so important for us,” Zelensky said.
Russia’s defense ministry said that Ukraine hit Russia with US-produced ATACMS missiles twice over the last three days, adding that Moscow was preparing retaliatory measures.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is at a critical stage, with Moscow reported to be using North Korean troops and Kyiv using Western-supplied missiles to strike back inside Russia.


Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants

Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants
Updated 26 November 2024
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Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants

Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants
  • The case has sparked horror, protests and a debate about male violence in France
  • Until Wednesday, or latest Thursday morning, prosecutors are outlining their sentencing demands for all the defendants

AVIGNON, France: French prosecutors on Tuesday demanded sentences of up to 14 years for some of the remaining co-defendants of a man charged with enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his wife while she was drugged and unconscious.
On Monday, prosecutors requested a maximum 20-year jail term for Dominique Pelicot, who has been on trial in the southern city of Avignon since September with 49 other men for organizing the rapes and sexual abuse of Gisele Pelicot, now his former wife.
One man is being tried in absentia.
The case has sparked horror, protests and a debate about male violence in France, with tens of thousands of protesters staging demonstrations across the country on Saturday against violence targeting women.
The decade-long abuse of Gisele Pelicot by Dominque Pelicot was only uncovered when he was arrested for a separate upskirting offense, leading investigators to discover his meticulously-kept records of the visitors to the family home in the town Mazan.
Until Wednesday, or latest Thursday morning, prosecutors are outlining their sentencing demands for all the defendants, most of whom come from ordinary professions ranging from the fire brigade to the media.
On Tuesday, public prosecutor Laure Chabaud asked for a 14-year sentence for Karim S., 38, who was one of the few defendants whose messaging with Dominique Pelicot was discovered by investigators.
For Florian R., 32, who did not admit “intent” and Gregory S., 31, who was “aware of Gisele Pelicot’s altered state,” Chabaud demanded thirteen years in prison.
Some defense lawyers have described the sentencing demands as “staggering” and “out of proportion,” alleging the public prosecutor’s office was under pressure from “public opinion.”
“I fear what will happen next,” said Louis-Alain Lemaire, a lawyer for four defendants.
But public prosecutors say the trial should herald a fundamental change in society.
“In 2024, we can no longer say ‘she didn’t say anything, she agreed,’ that’s from another era,” Chabaud said on Monday.
Prosecutors asked for a 12-year sentence for nine of the remaining defendants, including Boris M., 37, who claimed during the hearings that he, too, was a victim.
“He says he was a victim of Dominique Pelicot, like Gisele Pelicot,” prosecutor Jean-Francois Mayet said.
But “at no time did he seek or obtain Gisele Pelicot’s consent,” he said, adding, “in reality, he was pleased with the situation presented to him” by the main defendant.
Prosecutors sought a 12-year sentence for Mahdi D., 36, who also claimed to be a victim of Dominique Pelicot’s actions.
Chabaud also asked for 12-years for Lionel R., 44, who said he was taking “part in a couple’s fantasy.”
Many of the accused argued in court that they believed Pelicot’s claim that they were participating in a libertine fantasy, in which his wife had consented to sexual contact and was only pretending to be asleep.
Among them, 33 have also claimed they were not in their right minds when they abused or raped Gisele Pelicot, a defense not backed by any of the psychological reports compiled by court-appointed experts.
Prosecutors also sought a 12-year jail term for Cyril B., 47, who “was well aware Gisele Pelicot should not be woken up,” and for Thierry P., 54, who said Dominique Pelicot was “solely responsible,” the public prosecutor said.
Mayet demanded the same prison sentence for Omar D., 36, who argued “the husband’s consent and presence seemed to be sufficient,” and Ahmed T., 54, who “denies any responsibility.”
Two other defendants, Redouane A., 40, who said he came to Mazan to “please the couple” and Jean T., 52, who claimed without evidence he was also drugged by the main defendant, are also facing a 12-year jail-term.
On Monday, prosecutors requested a 17-year prison sentence for one defendant, Jean-Pierre M., 63, who applied Pelicot’s practices against his own wife to rape her a dozen times, sometimes in Pelicot’s presence.
The trial has made Gisele Pelicot, who insisted the hearings be held in public, a feminist icon in the fight of women against sexual abuse.
Prosecutor Mayet praised her “courage” and “dignity,” thanking her for allowing the hearings to be held in public.
The verdicts and sentencing are expected by December 20.


Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes

Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes
Updated 26 November 2024
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Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes

Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes
  • Ukraine firing the long-range missiles into Russia for the first time last week prompted a furious reaction from Moscow
  • Russia’s defense ministry on Tuesday said Ukraine had carried out fresh strikes — on November 23 and 25 — using ATACMS

MOSCOW: Moscow’s military on Tuesday pledged a response to fresh Ukrainian air attacks inside Russia using US-supplied ATACMS missiles.
Ukraine firing the long-range missiles into Russia for the first time last week prompted a furious reaction from Moscow.
Russia’s defense ministry on Tuesday said Ukraine had carried out fresh strikes — on November 23 and 25 — using ATACMS.
“Retaliatory actions are being prepared,” it said in a post on Telegram, without elaborating.
The United States gave Ukraine permission to use the weapons to hit Russian territory earlier this month after months of requests from Kyiv.
In a rare admission, Russia said the fresh strikes had caused damage to military hardware and wounded some of its personnel on the ground.
A strike on the Kursk Vostochny air base wounded two servicemen, the defense ministry said, while a strike on an air defense battery damaged a radar system and also caused “casualties.”
It said three of the five missiles fired in the first strike were shot down, while seven of the eight used in the second were destroyed.
Moscow rarely provides such specific details on Ukrainian aerial attacks and almost never admits missiles have reached their intended target.
The defense ministry also posted photos of what it said were the missile fragments, showing large casings with English-language inscriptions on the side.
AFP was unable to immediately verify the images.
The strikes come with tensions having ratched up dramatically in the near three-year conflict over the last few weeks.
Putin last week signed a decree lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, days before launching the nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile at Ukraine.


US Air Force in UK says a small number of drones spotted flying over bases in eastern England

US Air Force in UK says a small number of drones spotted flying over bases in eastern England
Updated 26 November 2024
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US Air Force in UK says a small number of drones spotted flying over bases in eastern England

US Air Force in UK says a small number of drones spotted flying over bases in eastern England
  • The Air Force hasn’t identified who is believed to be behind the incursions
  • Unspecified mitigation measures are underway

LONDON: The US Air Force says a number of small drones have been detected near three bases in eastern England that are used by American forces.
Tuesday’s ongoing incident comes just days after drones were spotted near RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell. They were actively monitored after they were seen in the vicinity of and over the three bases, US Air Forces Europe said in a statement on Sunday.
The Air Force hasn’t identified who is believed to be behind the incursions. Unspecified mitigation measures are underway.
Lakenheath is home to the 48th Fighter Wing, which the US Air Force describes as the foundation of its combat capability in Europe. Mildenhall hosts the 100th Air Refueling Wing, and Feltwell is a hub for housing, schools and other services.
Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Feltwell, located close to one another in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk, are Royal Air Force bases used primarily by the US Air Force