Dark truths behind Japan’s foreign trainee scheme exposed by Cambodian woman’s legal fight
By Julian Ryall
A 23-year-old Cambodian woman, promised a path to professional skills and a better future in Japan, instead says she found herself trapped in a nightmare.
Employed under the country’s technical internship training programme, she alleges she was repeatedly raped by the manager of the strawberry farm where she worked, forced into an abortion, and threatened with deportation if she resisted.
On Monday, she filed a lawsuit in Tokyo demanding 80 million yen (US$521,700) in damages. Human rights activists say her case shines a harsh light on the systemic exploitation plaguing Japan’s foreign trainee programme.
The woman, whose name has been withheld, claims in court documents that the 58-year-old farm manager sexually assaulted her “almost every day” between December 2022 and April 2023. Even after she underwent an abortion, the assaults allegedly continued. The manager, for his part, has denied the allegations, telling local media that the acts were consensual.
But her case is not an isolated one. Two other Cambodian women employed at the same farm have joined the lawsuit, alleging they were also sexually assaulted by the same man. Human rights advocates say it’s just the latest example of a deeply flawed system that leaves foreign workers vulnerable to exploitation, calling the programme a form of “modern slavery”.
The technical internship training programme, introduced in 1993, was designed to help workers from developing countries acquire technical skills to bring back home. But in reality, activists argue, it serves as a pipeline for cheap, exploitable labour.
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By Julian Ryall
A 23-year-old Cambodian woman, promised a path to professional skills and a better future in Japan, instead says she found herself trapped in a nightmare.
Employed under the country’s technical internship training programme, she alleges she was repeatedly raped by the manager of the strawberry farm where she worked, forced into an abortion, and threatened with deportation if she resisted.
On Monday, she filed a lawsuit in Tokyo demanding 80 million yen (US$521,700) in damages. Human rights activists say her case shines a harsh light on the systemic exploitation plaguing Japan’s foreign trainee programme.
The woman, whose name has been withheld, claims in court documents that the 58-year-old farm manager sexually assaulted her “almost every day” between December 2022 and April 2023. Even after she underwent an abortion, the assaults allegedly continued. The manager, for his part, has denied the allegations, telling local media that the acts were consensual.
But her case is not an isolated one. Two other Cambodian women employed at the same farm have joined the lawsuit, alleging they were also sexually assaulted by the same man. Human rights advocates say it’s just the latest example of a deeply flawed system that leaves foreign workers vulnerable to exploitation, calling the programme a form of “modern slavery”.
The technical internship training programme, introduced in 1993, was designed to help workers from developing countries acquire technical skills to bring back home. But in reality, activists argue, it serves as a pipeline for cheap, exploitable labour.
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US CEO shooting suspect Luigi Mangione charged with killing as an act of terrorism
By Associated Press
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism, prosecutors said on Tuesday as they worked to bring him to a New York court from a Pennsylvania jail.
Luigi Mangione already was charged with murder in the December 4 killing of Brian Thompson, but the terror allegation is new.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thompson’s death on a midtown Manhattan street “was a killing that was intended to evoke terror. And we’ve seen that reaction”.
Mangione’s New York lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, declined to comment.
Thompson, 50, was shot while walking to a hotel where Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare – the United States’ biggest medical insurer – was holding an investor conference.
The killing kindled a fiery outpouring of resentment toward US health insurance companies, as Americans swapped stories online and elsewhere of being denied coverage, left in limbo as doctors and insurers disagreed, and stuck with sizeable bills.
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By Associated Press
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism, prosecutors said on Tuesday as they worked to bring him to a New York court from a Pennsylvania jail.
Luigi Mangione already was charged with murder in the December 4 killing of Brian Thompson, but the terror allegation is new.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thompson’s death on a midtown Manhattan street “was a killing that was intended to evoke terror. And we’ve seen that reaction”.
Mangione’s New York lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, declined to comment.
Thompson, 50, was shot while walking to a hotel where Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare – the United States’ biggest medical insurer – was holding an investor conference.
The killing kindled a fiery outpouring of resentment toward US health insurance companies, as Americans swapped stories online and elsewhere of being denied coverage, left in limbo as doctors and insurers disagreed, and stuck with sizeable bills.
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Motive for Wisconsin school shooting was a ‘combination of factors’, police chief says
By Associated Press
The motive for a shooting that killed a teacher and a student and wounded others at a Wisconsin school appears to be a “combination of factors”, a police chief said on Tuesday as he appealed to the public to share what they might know about the 15-year-old girl who attacked a study hall before shooting herself.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes offered no details about a possible motive, though he said bullying at Abundant Life Christian School would be investigated.
Barnes said police have not confirmed the authenticity of a “manifesto” that might have been written by Natalie Rupnow and could shed light on her actions.
“Identifying a motive is our top priority, but at this time it appears that the motive is a combination of factors,” the chief told reporters.
Barnes gave the number to a tip line for anyone who might have known the shooter and her feelings.
“There are always signs of a school shooting before it occurred. We’re looking into her online activity,” he said.
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By Associated Press
The motive for a shooting that killed a teacher and a student and wounded others at a Wisconsin school appears to be a “combination of factors”, a police chief said on Tuesday as he appealed to the public to share what they might know about the 15-year-old girl who attacked a study hall before shooting herself.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes offered no details about a possible motive, though he said bullying at Abundant Life Christian School would be investigated.
Barnes said police have not confirmed the authenticity of a “manifesto” that might have been written by Natalie Rupnow and could shed light on her actions.
“Identifying a motive is our top priority, but at this time it appears that the motive is a combination of factors,” the chief told reporters.
Barnes gave the number to a tip line for anyone who might have known the shooter and her feelings.
“There are always signs of a school shooting before it occurred. We’re looking into her online activity,” he said.
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13,000 complaints about Hong Kong public transport logged over 3 months
By Johnny Wan
More than 13,000 complaints related to public transport services in Hong Kong were recorded in the third quarter this year, mostly involving bus and taxi operators.
The Transport Advisory Committee revealed on Tuesday that it had received 13,160 such complaints in the July to September period, marking a 16 per cent increase from the previous quarter, and a 26.1 per cent rise year on year.
Bus firms, franchised buses in particular, including operators such as KMB, Citybus, Long Win Bus and New Lantao Bus, accounted for 6,232 complaints, the most among all transport sectors.
However, the committee excluded 1,125 complaints filed by just four people, dropping the total to 5,107. The revised number still marked a 21.6 per cent increase from the previous quarter and a 28.4 per cent year-on-year rise.
Issues mostly concerned the regularity of services and the conduct and performance of staff, including drivers.
Taxis were the second-biggest source of complaints, with 3,438 cases filed in the third quarter. The number of complaints increased by 17 per cent compared with the previous quarter and by 6.1 per cent over the same period in 2023.
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By Johnny Wan
More than 13,000 complaints related to public transport services in Hong Kong were recorded in the third quarter this year, mostly involving bus and taxi operators.
The Transport Advisory Committee revealed on Tuesday that it had received 13,160 such complaints in the July to September period, marking a 16 per cent increase from the previous quarter, and a 26.1 per cent rise year on year.
Bus firms, franchised buses in particular, including operators such as KMB, Citybus, Long Win Bus and New Lantao Bus, accounted for 6,232 complaints, the most among all transport sectors.
However, the committee excluded 1,125 complaints filed by just four people, dropping the total to 5,107. The revised number still marked a 21.6 per cent increase from the previous quarter and a 28.4 per cent year-on-year rise.
Issues mostly concerned the regularity of services and the conduct and performance of staff, including drivers.
Taxis were the second-biggest source of complaints, with 3,438 cases filed in the third quarter. The number of complaints increased by 17 per cent compared with the previous quarter and by 6.1 per cent over the same period in 2023.
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Father, stepmother sentenced to life for murdering daughter Sara Sharif in UK
By Associated Press
The father and stepmother of a severely abused 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England were sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison for murder.
Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, were convicted of murder last week in her death in what prosecutors called a “campaign of abuse”.
The girl’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing the girl’s death. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
After the girl died, the three fled to Pakistan, where Urfan Sharif phoned UK police to say he “legally punished her, and she died”, prosecutors said. He said he “beat her up too much” but did not intend to kill her.
Police in London then went to the family’s home and discovered Sara’s body under a blanket in a bunk bed on August 10, 2023.
The three later returned to Britain more than a month after they fled and were arrested on suspicion of murder.
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By Associated Press
The father and stepmother of a severely abused 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England were sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison for murder.
Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, were convicted of murder last week in her death in what prosecutors called a “campaign of abuse”.
The girl’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing the girl’s death. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
After the girl died, the three fled to Pakistan, where Urfan Sharif phoned UK police to say he “legally punished her, and she died”, prosecutors said. He said he “beat her up too much” but did not intend to kill her.
Police in London then went to the family’s home and discovered Sara’s body under a blanket in a bunk bed on August 10, 2023.
The three later returned to Britain more than a month after they fled and were arrested on suspicion of murder.
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Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park holds counterterrorism drill with 400 officers
By Jess Ma
Hong Kong’s soon-to-open Kai Tak Sports Park has held its first counterterrorism drill, as authorities mobilised 400 officers to deal with four armed assailants simulating an attack on a football match.
The mock assault on the 5,000-seat Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Tuesday involved 10 government units, which sprang into action to protect members of the public in the packed stands.
“Prevention is very important. Current terrorism trends are still complicated and ever-changing, while many large-scale events and crowded locations have become targets this year,” said Peter Leung Wai-ki, senior superintendent of the Interdepartmental Counterterrorism Unit.
He said public participation was essential in such drills and the unit had plans to involve more residents from all walks of life.
As part of the simulation, which was code-named “Wisdomlight”, four terrorists rose from their seats to shoot and stab members of the audience.
The crowd was made up of hundreds of volunteers recruited from various youth groups under the city’s disciplined forces and community organisations.
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By Jess Ma
Hong Kong’s soon-to-open Kai Tak Sports Park has held its first counterterrorism drill, as authorities mobilised 400 officers to deal with four armed assailants simulating an attack on a football match.
The mock assault on the 5,000-seat Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Tuesday involved 10 government units, which sprang into action to protect members of the public in the packed stands.
“Prevention is very important. Current terrorism trends are still complicated and ever-changing, while many large-scale events and crowded locations have become targets this year,” said Peter Leung Wai-ki, senior superintendent of the Interdepartmental Counterterrorism Unit.
He said public participation was essential in such drills and the unit had plans to involve more residents from all walks of life.
As part of the simulation, which was code-named “Wisdomlight”, four terrorists rose from their seats to shoot and stab members of the audience.
The crowd was made up of hundreds of volunteers recruited from various youth groups under the city’s disciplined forces and community organisations.
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China permits Philippine ship to deliver supplies to Second Thomas Shoal outpost
By Orange Wang
China has allowed a Philippine civilian ship to deliver supplies to a warship long grounded by Manila at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, the Chinese coastguard said on Tuesday.
The move appeared to be a rare act of de-escalation amid continued clashes between the two neighbours over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
“On December 12, with the permission of the Chinese side, the Philippines sent a civilian boat to deliver daily necessities to its illegally ‘beached’ warship on Renai Jiao,” China Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun said in a statement, using Beijing’s term for the Second Thomas Shoal, a contested reef in the strategically important waterway.
“The Chinese coastguard inquired and confirmed the Philippine vessel while supervising it throughout the whole process,” he added.
A day later, the Chinese defence ministry accused the Philippines of “stirring up troubles” in several spots in the South China Sea “with US support and solicitation”.
The Second Thomas Shoal, claimed by both China and the Philippines, and the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era tank landing ship that Manila deliberately stationed there in 1999, have taken centre stage in the growing frictions between the countries over the past two years.
Beijing has repeatedly used water cannons, blockades and other measures to prevent Philippine resupply missions from reaching the rusting warship on the shoal, which is known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.
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By Orange Wang
China has allowed a Philippine civilian ship to deliver supplies to a warship long grounded by Manila at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, the Chinese coastguard said on Tuesday.
The move appeared to be a rare act of de-escalation amid continued clashes between the two neighbours over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
“On December 12, with the permission of the Chinese side, the Philippines sent a civilian boat to deliver daily necessities to its illegally ‘beached’ warship on Renai Jiao,” China Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun said in a statement, using Beijing’s term for the Second Thomas Shoal, a contested reef in the strategically important waterway.
“The Chinese coastguard inquired and confirmed the Philippine vessel while supervising it throughout the whole process,” he added.
A day later, the Chinese defence ministry accused the Philippines of “stirring up troubles” in several spots in the South China Sea “with US support and solicitation”.
The Second Thomas Shoal, claimed by both China and the Philippines, and the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era tank landing ship that Manila deliberately stationed there in 1999, have taken centre stage in the growing frictions between the countries over the past two years.
Beijing has repeatedly used water cannons, blockades and other measures to prevent Philippine resupply missions from reaching the rusting warship on the shoal, which is known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.
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Why China may be less patient with Donald Trump the second time around
By Dewey Sim
After Washington announced fresh curbs on semiconductor exports to China this month, Beijing condemned the move as “malicious” suppression and said it would firmly defend the rights of Chinese businesses.
A day later, the Chinese government unveiled its own restrictions on mineral exports to the US including gallium, germanium, antimony and superhard materials, which are used in military and technological production.
Analysts say that swift retaliation – although aimed at measures implemented by the current Joe Biden administration – offers clues as to how China will approach the incoming government led by Donald Trump.
Speculation has been rife about how Beijing will take on Trump in his second presidency, given that the Republican’s first term was marked by a trade war with China and he has repeatedly vowed to slap additional tariffs on Chinese goods.
According to analysts, China is now more confident about dealing with Trump compared to the first time around, with Beijing expected to be less patient when faced with American tariffs and that it could instead respond with harsher restrictions of its own.
Robert Ross, a political science professor at Boston College, said Beijing’s response to the latest US technology restrictions was an effort to convey to the incoming administration that it will retaliate against such moves.
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By Dewey Sim
After Washington announced fresh curbs on semiconductor exports to China this month, Beijing condemned the move as “malicious” suppression and said it would firmly defend the rights of Chinese businesses.
A day later, the Chinese government unveiled its own restrictions on mineral exports to the US including gallium, germanium, antimony and superhard materials, which are used in military and technological production.
Analysts say that swift retaliation – although aimed at measures implemented by the current Joe Biden administration – offers clues as to how China will approach the incoming government led by Donald Trump.
Speculation has been rife about how Beijing will take on Trump in his second presidency, given that the Republican’s first term was marked by a trade war with China and he has repeatedly vowed to slap additional tariffs on Chinese goods.
According to analysts, China is now more confident about dealing with Trump compared to the first time around, with Beijing expected to be less patient when faced with American tariffs and that it could instead respond with harsher restrictions of its own.
Robert Ross, a political science professor at Boston College, said Beijing’s response to the latest US technology restrictions was an effort to convey to the incoming administration that it will retaliate against such moves.
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Hong Kong police to install 6,385 surveillance cameras over next 3 years
By Winnie Wong
Hong Kong police aim to install up to nearly 6,400 sets of surveillance cameras over the next three years, with the force revealing that the more than 600 devices already set up under the initiative’s first phase have helped to crack 97 cases so far.
Superintendent Leung Ming-leung laid out the plan at a meeting of the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) on Tuesday, explaining that the force was in the process of installing 2,000 sets of cameras under the scheme’s ongoing first phase.
Police said 612 sets had already been installed in various districts, with three more to be added by the end of the year and the remaining 1,385 to be set up over 2025.
The force would then install up to 2,500 sets annually, reaching about 7,000 in 2027, Leung said, adding that the figure could be even higher depending on how technology developed.
The first stage of the scheme has largely focused on installing cameras at government facilities, transport hubs and on standard and smart lamp posts.
“We hope to enhance the local security level, especially to deter street crimes,” the superintendent said.
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By Winnie Wong
Hong Kong police aim to install up to nearly 6,400 sets of surveillance cameras over the next three years, with the force revealing that the more than 600 devices already set up under the initiative’s first phase have helped to crack 97 cases so far.
Superintendent Leung Ming-leung laid out the plan at a meeting of the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) on Tuesday, explaining that the force was in the process of installing 2,000 sets of cameras under the scheme’s ongoing first phase.
Police said 612 sets had already been installed in various districts, with three more to be added by the end of the year and the remaining 1,385 to be set up over 2025.
The force would then install up to 2,500 sets annually, reaching about 7,000 in 2027, Leung said, adding that the figure could be even higher depending on how technology developed.
The first stage of the scheme has largely focused on installing cameras at government facilities, transport hubs and on standard and smart lamp posts.
“We hope to enhance the local security level, especially to deter street crimes,” the superintendent said.
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China will now offer 10 days of visa-free transit for international travellers, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced on Tuesday.
China’s tax revenue rose for the second straight month in November on the back of supportive domestic policies, while local governments continued to struggle with shrinking land sales income amid a prolonged property market slump.
After three decades of distinguished work in the United States, world-leading cancer researcher Sun Shao-Cong has returned to China to establish a new lab in Beijing, following what a source said were investigations of him by the US government.Flats under construction in Tianjin in June. Land sales revenue plunged 19.7 per cent last month. Photo: AFP
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Tom Cruise honoured with US Navy’s top civilian award
By Associated Press
The world’s most famous fictional Top Gun is now a decorated naval hero.
Tom Cruise was awarded the US Navy’s top civilian honour on Tuesday for “outstanding contributions to the navy and the Marine Corps” with Top Gun and other films.
Cruise, who has been working in the UK, was given the Distinguished Public Service Award by US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London.
The 62-year-old actor said he was proud to receive the “extraordinary acknowledgement,” which came with a medal and a certificate.
“I admire all of the servicemen and women,” Cruise said. “I know in life, something that is very true to me, is that is to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women.”
The navy said Cruise had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform”.
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By Associated Press
The world’s most famous fictional Top Gun is now a decorated naval hero.
Tom Cruise was awarded the US Navy’s top civilian honour on Tuesday for “outstanding contributions to the navy and the Marine Corps” with Top Gun and other films.
Cruise, who has been working in the UK, was given the Distinguished Public Service Award by US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London.
The 62-year-old actor said he was proud to receive the “extraordinary acknowledgement,” which came with a medal and a certificate.
“I admire all of the servicemen and women,” Cruise said. “I know in life, something that is very true to me, is that is to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women.”
The navy said Cruise had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform”.
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