News
As winter nears, people are starving in North Korea
North Korea is heading into another cold winter but there are big concerns for vulnerable citizens who may fall victim to starvation
According to reports by the BBC, the warnings are coming from both inside and out of North Korea – with defectors in the South stating that families in the North are already going hungry.
Concern has been building for some months for the ‘lower class’ living in North Korea, who already live in poverty, as well as a growing shortage of food within the nation.
“Problems such as more orphan children on the streets and death by starvation are continuously being reported,”
said Lee Sang Yong, editor in chief of the Daily NK, which has sources in North Korea.
“The lower classes in North Korea are suffering more and more,”
as food shortages are worse than expected.
It’s become increasingly difficult to get information out of North Korea over the course of the COVID pandemic.
The country’s border has been closed since January 2020 to prevent the spread of coronavirus from China – where the virus was believed to have originated from.
Reports claim that getting messages out of the country to family and friends who live in South Korea comes at a very big risk.
North Korea has imposed tough rules on communication. Anyone that is caught with a mobile phone faces the extreme risk of being thrown into a labour camp as punishment.
But – even though those risks are high – some continue to send letter and even voice mails and text messages to their relatives and to news publications in Seoul, South Korea.
Publications in the South then “build a picture” of what is going on in the North- meaning, trying to understand how big the starvation crisis really is
North Korea has always struggled with food shortages, but the pandemic has made a bad situation worse.
The country’s leader, Kim Jong-un has compared the current situation to the country’s worst disaster in the 1990’s, known as the “Arduous March” – a time where hundreds of thousands of people died of starvation.
Last week, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated to a closed-door parliamentary hearing that Mr Kim said he felt he was “walking on thin ice due to the economic situation”, according to lawmakers at the briefing.
This growing concern has been amplified by state media, which has highlighted measures being taken to prevent crop damage and released propaganda posters emphasising efforts to work on food production.
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Suspect fights extradition in UnitedHealth executive murder case
Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealth CEO, contests extradition to NY. Denied bail; linked to shooting with ghost gun.
A 26-year-old man, Luigi Mangione, is fighting extradition to New York to face murder charges for the shooting of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania after a five-day manhunt and denied bail for the second time.
During a court appearance, he made a statement directed at reporters, though its meaning was unclear.
Legal experts believe Mangione’s fight against extradition could prolong the process, but success is unlikely.
Authorities are investigating whether he acted alone or had assistance leading up to the shooting.
Mangione was recognized at a McDonald’s by an employee and was found with a firearm, clothing, and fake IDs matching the shooter’s description.
Weapon possession
He has been charged with gun and forgery offenses in Pennsylvania, in addition to murder and weapon possession charges in New York.
Investigators are still determining the motive behind Thompson’s targeted killing. It was revealed that Mangione had chronic back pain and previously worked as a data engineer.
His family expressed shock and devastation over his arrest and offered condolences to Thompson’s family.
Thompson, a father of two, had been the CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance unit since 2021 and was in New York for a company event. The incident has heightened frustrations concerning healthcare access and insurance issues in the U.S.
News
Murdoch loses trust control bid for son Lachlan
Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to alter family trust for Lachlan’s control denied by Nevada commissioner, citing bad faith.
Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to change the family trust to consolidate control under his son Lachlan has been rejected by a Nevada commissioner.
The ruling, made by Commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr., stated that Murdoch and Lachlan acted in “bad faith” while trying to amend the irrevocable trust, which divides control equally among Murdoch’s four oldest children.
The 96-page opinion characterised the plan as a “carefully crafted charade” intended to secure Lachlan’s executive roles unconditionally.
Murdoch’s lawyer expressed disappointment and plans to appeal the ruling.
FILE PHOTO: Media mogul Rupert Murdoch poses for a photograph with his sons Lachlan and James in London.
Media empire
This dispute is critical as it affects the future control of Murdoch’s media empire, which includes Fox News and other major outlets.
While the intention was not to diminish financial stakes, the ruling reflects deep family tensions, especially given differing political views among the siblings.
The commissioner noted Lachlan initiated the proposed changes, created a plan dubbed “Project Family Harmony,” and labeled James as a “troublesome beneficiary.”
Despite Lachlan and Rupert’s efforts, the attempt to marginalise James was deemed insufficiently justified by the court.
Murdoch’s family trust, established in 2006, retains his control until his death, and includes provisions allowing amendments.
However, the commissioner found that Murdoch and Lachlan’s actions were not supporting their siblings’ best interests.
The ruling is not final and may be contested further in court.
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