Mexico ease past Korea

Escalating fighting between factions of one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels has left at least 15 people dead this week in a gang stronghold shaken by gunfire, abductions and arson, authorities said Friday.

Security reinforcements have been sent to the northwestern state of Sinaloa -- the bastion of jailed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and his sons -- where bodies have been abandoned in the streets.

The fighting follows the dramatic arrest on US soil in July of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who claimed he had been kidnapped in Mexico and delivered into US custody against his will.

Zambada, 76, was detained along with Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of El Chapo, who is serving a life sentence in the United States.

The wave of violence in Sinaloa state capital Culiacan is believed to pit gang members loyal to El Chapo and his sons against others aligned with Zambada, who pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges in a New York court Friday.

"The rivalry stems from the events of July 25," Sinaloa state governor Ruben Rocha Moya said.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday urged the warring factions to "act with a minimum of responsibility," urging them not to "harm innocent people."

He called on residents "to act with caution, but without alarmism," adding: "Hopefully soon complete normality will return to Culiacan."

The state prosecutor's office said that in addition to the 15 deaths, it was investigating 20 cases of suspected forced disappearances.

Authorities this week announced the closure of schools in some districts and the cancellation of Independence Day festivities due to the violence.

"There will be no celebration, neither public nor private," the governor said.

Many shops have closed their doors and supermarkets have experienced food shortages due to panic buying.

"Workers do not feel safe to go to their jobs, and business owners also face difficulties to operate in these adverse conditions," a statement from the National Chamber of Commerce said.

The United States on Thursday issued a security alert because of "reports of car thefts, gunfire, security forces operations, roadblocks, burning vehicles and closed roadways" in the vicinity of Culiacan.

"US citizens throughout Sinaloa should remain alert for potential violence throughout the state," it said.

Culiacan was the scene of violent riots by the Sinaloa cartel in October 2019 during an aborted security operation to capture one of El Chapo's sons, Ovidio Guzman, and again in January 2023, when the son was finally arrested.

Spiraling criminal violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and gangs, has seen more than 450,000 people murdered in Mexico since 2006.

The World Cup final between France and Croatia on Sunday was briefly interrupted when three intruders affiliated to anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot ran onto the pitch before being hauled off by stewards.

The pitch invaders, who were dressed in police-style outfits, were later detained by police, one of them told Reuters by telephone from a police station near Moscow's Luzhniki stadium, venue for the match.

In a post on its Facebook page, the group said its action was intended to draw attention to what it said were human rights abuses in Russia.

Three of Pussy Riot's original members were jailed in 2012 for staging a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a church and the group have since become a symbol of anti-Kremlin direct action.

In the second half of Sunday's match, the three people wearing white shirts with police-style epaulettes, black trousers and police hats ran out onto the pitch from the area behind the French goal. A fourth person tried to run onto the pitch but was tackled on the sidelines.

The three ran about 50 metres, dispersing in different directions, before stewards wearing high-visibility jackets tackled them to the ground and dragged them off the pitch.

One photograph on social media showed one of the pitch invaders, a woman with blonde hair tucked under a police cap, performing a high-five with France player Kylian Mbappe before being caught.

The match, watched from the stands by Putin and the French and Croatian presidents, was halted, but resumed about 25 seconds later. A witness at the stadium said he had seen police escorting the pitch invaders out of the stadium grounds.

The pitch invasion was the first significant security lapse in the five-week tournament that has won hosts Russia widespread praise for their good organisation and efficiency.

Pussy Riot member Olga Kurachyova told Reuters she was one of the pitch invaders and was being held at Luzhniki police station. She said she could not speak further because police were trying to take her mobile phone away from her.

Moscow police said in a statement that three young women and a young man had been detained after running onto the pitch.

LIST OF DEMANDS

In its Facebook post, Pussy Riot complained of rights abuses in Russia. They alluded to Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker jailed for 20 years in 2015 for setting fire to two offices in Crimea, including one belonging to Russia's ruling party, after Moscow annexed the region from Ukraine.

Pussy Riot said their demands included freeing political prisoners in Russia, freedom of speech on the internet, freedom to protest, and allowing political competition.

The group shared a video on social media recorded before the incident featuring three female activists, at least two of whom were among those detained. They wore police uniforms and one of them wore a pink balaclava.

"The World Cup has shown wonderfully what the police can be like in Russia, but what will happen afterwards?" one of the activists asked in the video, an apparent allusion to lenient policing noted by Russians during the tournament.

A separate video posted on social media appeared to show the moments after the pitch invaders had been detained.

Two of them, a man and a woman, could be seen standing in a room, dressed in dishevelled police uniforms, while a voice off camera demanded handcuffs be brought.

"Do you know that Russia will pay for this to FIFA through sanctions?" the off-camera voice said, in an angry tone. "You wanted to shit on Russia, didn’t you?"

"We are for Russia," the male detainee replied.

"Sometimes I regret that it's not 1937," the person off- camera in the video said. That year was the height of political repressions carried out by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Photographs of the pitch invasion suggested the pitch invaders did not include the three Pussy Riot members who were jailed in 2012 for performing in the church.

Russian news website MediaZona, co-founded by one of the original three Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, reported that one of the pitch invaders was Pyotr Verzilov, Tolokonnikova's husband.

Belgium shot Brazil out of the World Cup with a 2-1 quarterfinal win yesterday to set up a semifinal clash with France on Tuesday.

The five-time champions did everything in their power to crawl out of the 2-0 hole they had found themselves in within the first 30 minutes -- which saw Fernandinho head the ball into his own net before Kevin de Bruyne fired in a clean right-footer into Allison Becker's far post -- but could only pull back one in the 83rd minute of the game. It was a Renato Augusto header that finally beat Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made at least half a dozen saves to take the men in red close to dreamland.

Earlier, in the first quarterfinal match, France had made light work of Uruguay in a 2-0 win, who looked lost in attack without star striker Edinson Cavani to complement Luis Suarez. Raphael Varane soared high and headed home the opening goal from a brilliant Antoine Griezmann free-kick in the 40th minute before Griezmann doubled the lead in the 61st minute courtesy of goalkeeper Fernando Muslera's incredible blunder.

For Brazil it was a chastening blow after playing so well in the last three games. Interestingly, it was the very ground where young French forward Kylian Mbappe destroyed Argentina with his pace and guile a week ago. Last night it was the turn of Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku, who rattled a Brazil defence that conceded just one goal in the last four games.

Brazilian superstar Neymar (L) lies on the floor in anguish after just his second ever competitive defeat with Brazil in a World Cup quarterfinal against Belgium yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Belgium's opening goal came off a quick counter attack. Lukaku made a darting run down the middle before releasing the ball to Marouane Fellaini, whose shot was blocked for a corner. Belgian defender Vincent Kompany's backwards header from the near post was deflected into Brazil's net by Fernandinho, who actually had a miserable game after coming into the team as a replacement for the suspended Casemiro.

Belgium silenced the five-time world champions again in the 31st minute. Although De Bruyne scored with neat right-footer past Alisson, the instigator was once again a giant Lukaku. The 25-year-old powered through the middle and drew almost all of Brazil's defensive pack towards himself before releasing a perfect through pass wide on the right-hand side from where Manchester City forward De Bruyne made no mistake in drilling a low shot.

By time Brazil captain Miranda was entrusted with the duty to defuse Lukaku, the Belgian had already done the damage. After that it was the Courtois' turn, the Chelsea goalkeeper who kept Brazil at bay time and again.

It is not that Brazil were at the receiving end in a game that was played at a frantic pace. They were not only unlucky to have one of their many attempts come off the post, but they had at least four shots saved by Courtois in the first half.

On the opposite end of the scale were the Red Devils, who revelled in their victory with a healthy mixture of disbelief and euphoria. Photo: Reuters

Brazil made two changes in the second half with Roberto Firmino coming on in place of Willian at the interval before Gabriel Jesus made way for Douglas Costa in 55th minute to bolster the attack.

They created a lot of opportunities but were only to be blamed as they wasted at least four chances with only Courtois to beat. Augusto replaced Paulinho in the 70th minute and headed a Coutinho floater into the net in the 73rd minute.

Brazil still had plenty of time to score but somehow managed to shoot the ball wide from advantageous positions.

With the game heading into the last ten minutes and a tiring Belgium resorting to time wasting, Neymar dashed down the flank before providing a neat cutback to Firmino, whose left footed shot on the turn flew over the bar.

Augusta had only Courtois to beat in the 80th minute but shot the ball miles over the bar. Brazil had a final chance to take the game into extra-time when Neymar nicely fed Coutinho with a superb cutback in the 85th minute. But the Barcelona forward, who had earlier in the tournament scored a couple of magnificent goals, somehow managed to shoot the ball over the bar from top of the box.  And when Courtios tipped Neymar's curler over the bar, a defeat was a foregone conclusion.

Brazil's departure from the tournament means that six out of the eight teams who have already won the World Cup have left the biggest stage. France, who dispatched former champions Uruguay 2-0 in the first match of the day, are one of two remaining heavyweights alongside England. 

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min's father and brother have been fined in a child abuse case, South Korean prosecutors told AFP on Friday.

Son Woong-jung is a public figure in South Korea and authored a best-selling memoir detailing how he helped his son become one of the best strikers in the English Premier League.

He runs a football academy where his elder son Son Heung-yun coached.

The pair and another coach at the academy were accused in April of physically and verbally abusing a 12-year-old student.

Prosecutors said on Friday that they have fined Son Woong-jung, Son Heung-yun and a coach based on the Child Welfare Act and Child Abuse Punishment Act, without specifying how much the fine was.

All three were also ordered to undertake child abuse treatment programmes.

The student's family claimed a coach hit him with a corner flag during training, causing injuries that required weeks of treatment.

The student, identified only as Kim, told police he was the target of foul language just weeks after his enrollment at Son senior's academy in November.

"I was called out by coach Son for making a mistake during a passing practice," Kim alleged in the interview.

Son senior, 62, acknowledged the incident had occurred, but denied it amounted to physical abuse.

"This incident was not corporal punishment but a mutually agreed event as part of fitness training," he said in a statement.

Son Heung-yun previously said that he and Son Heung-min were "hit by our father a lot when training, which is unimaginable these days".

"Some of our neighbours even doubted he was our real father," he told AFP in a 2019 interview.

South Korea, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and picturesque locations, has long captivated the hearts of travelers and filmmakers alike. The country's natural beauty serves as a stunning backdrop, drawing directors from around the world to capture its essence on film.

Amid this captivating scenery, director Hasan Rezaul has embarked on a creative endeavour, to film three dramas in the heart of South Korea.

Accompanied by Yash Rohan and Tania Brishty, the team arrived there on August 13. The filming is now well underway, with the team fully immersed in the captivating surroundings that South Korea so beautifully offers.

The dramas being filmed in South Korea include "Love Lock" and "Mone Pore Tomake", both penned and scripted by Ahmed Tawkir, as well as "Reflection of Love," written by Tanim Rahman.

The shooting locations span across Seoul, Jeongseon, and the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Ahmed Tawkir shared that "Love Lock" and "Mone Pore Tomake" are romantic stories. Having previously received positive feedback for his female-centric stories, Tawkir expressed hope that audiences will find these new romantic dramas both refreshing and enjoyable.

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Reportedly, these dramas will first be aired on various private TV channels before being released on YouTube.