Sleepless in Kyiv: Families take shelter underground amid Russian strikes
Several nights a week, Daria Slavytska packs a stroller with blankets, food, and a yoga mat. Then she heads into the Kyiv subway with her two-year-ol...
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his decision to impose martial law in December, as a top military commander testified in court on Tuesday. The Constitutional Court is reviewing Yoon’s impeachment, which could permanently remove him from office.
🔹 Court Proceedings Begin
President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared before the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, where he denied allegations of abuse of power over his December 3 martial law declaration. The court is reviewing his impeachment, with a final decision determining whether he will be permanently removed from office or reinstated.
🔹 Military Testimony Raises Concerns
Army Lieutenant General Lee Jin-woo, who commanded the Army Capital Defence Command, testified that he believed the martial law order was legitimate but declined to confirm whether Yoon had ordered the removal of lawmakers from parliament.
"I considered it an order," Lee told the court, adding that he trusted Yoon’s legal expertise as a former top prosecutor.
Yeo In-hyung, former head of the defence counterintelligence command, said he opposed martial law but complied with Yoon’s decision. He refused to confirm whether a list of politicians to arrest existed.
🔹 Allegations of Political Crackdown
Prosecutors accuse Yoon of attempting to arrest lawmakers and suppress media critical of his administration.
Hong Jang-won, former deputy chief of the National Intelligence Service, testified that Yoon ordered him to “catch them all and clean up everything.”
Hong claimed he received a list of politicians to arrest from military officials.
A copy of the indictment reviewed by Reuters alleges Yoon also instructed the safety minister to cut off power and water to media outlets critical of his leadership.
🔹 Yoon’s Defense
Yoon dismissed allegations of wrongdoing, telling the court that debating specific orders was irrelevant since “nothing actually happened.” He also denied Hong’s testimony outright.
🔹 What Happens Next?
The Constitutional Court will decide whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment. If removed, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days. Meanwhile, Yoon remains in detention facing separate criminal charges of insurrection.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Germany's export slump since 2021 is largely driven by deep-rooted competitiveness issues, the Bundesbank warned in its latest report, calling for urgent structural reforms.
Israeli researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence tool that can determine a person’s true biological age from tiny DNA samples with remarkable precision.
Two Harry Potter actresses, Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker, have each received a six-month driving ban after separate speeding offences, both sentenced on the same day at a Buckinghamshire court.
Several nights a week, Daria Slavytska packs a stroller with blankets, food, and a yoga mat. Then she heads into the Kyiv subway with her two-year-old son Emil, to sleep.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels have agreed on a declaration of principles in Qatar on Saturday. The ceasefire aims to halt fighting and pave the way for broader peace talks, though major challenges remain.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 300 Russian attack drones and more than 30 missiles of various types were launched against peaceful Ukrainian cities overnight, in one of the largest air assaults in recent weeks.
A mass Russian drone strike hit the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Saturday, killing at least one resident and igniting a multi-storey apartment building, the city’s mayor said.
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