分类： world

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities deported American national Tommy Schaefer on Tuesday evening following his 11-year incarceration for the premeditated 2014 murder of Sheila von Wiese-Mack, his girlfriend’s mother, in a case that gained international notoriety as the Bali “suitcase murder.”

Schaefer’s release and subsequent removal from Bali International Airport came after he completed his reduced prison term, having originally received an 18-year sentence. Felucia Sengky Ratna, Head of the Bali Regional Office of Immigration, confirmed that Schaefer qualified for early deportation due to accumulated sentence remissions awarded for consistent good behavior during imprisonment.

The case dates back to August 2014, when the severely beaten body of 62-year-old Chicago socialite von Wiese-Mack was discovered inside a suitcase in the trunk of a taxi parked at the exclusive St. Regis Bali Resort. The victim had been vacationing at the luxury property with her daughter, Heather Mack, who was then 18 years old and several weeks pregnant, and Mack’s boyfriend, Schaefer, then 21.

Both Mack and Schaefer were apprehended on the Indonesian island within 24 hours of the grim discovery. Mack ultimately served seven years of her 10-year Indonesian sentence for complicity in her mother’s murder before being deported to the United States in October 2021. Earlier this year, in January 2024, a Chicago court sentenced Mack to an additional 26 years imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to U.S. charges related to the murder conspiracy and concealment of her mother’s body in a suitcase.

A simple culinary purchase by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his Shanghai visit has unexpectedly catapulted a local pastry into global recognition. While touring the historic Yuyuan Garden, Starmer acquired a box of hudiesu—a butterfly-shaped confection—from renowned restaurant Lu Bo Lang, sparking immediate international interest in the traditional Shanghai treat.

The Prime Minister’s 48-yuan ($6.90) purchase of eight palm-sized pastries generated substantial social media buzz across multiple countries. This incidental endorsement produced dramatic commercial results: daily sales at Lu Bo Lang surged from approximately 100 boxes to 300 boxes almost overnight, according to restaurant staff.

Shanghai residents expressed bemusement at the sudden international attention, as hudiesu has long been regarded as one of the city’s premier culinary gifts. The pastry represents a unique fusion of Chinese and Western culinary traditions—a crispy, flaky delicacy that perfectly complements coffee or tea. Unlike its northern Chinese counterparts which tend to be smaller and harder, the Shanghai variation is notably buttery, light, and exceptionally flaky.

Veteran pastry chef Lin Jianming attributes the distinctive quality to precise flour-butter ratios. Though the palmier originated in 1930s Europe (where it’s sometimes called “the heart of France”), Shanghai’s interpretation has evolved into a distinctly local specialty.

Wu Jianglei, manager of the prestigious Park Hotel Bakery—whose recipe gained intangible cultural heritage status in Huangpu District in 2021—explained the adaptation process: “We reduced sugar content by 50 percent from traditional French recipes to emphasize butter’s aroma, transforming the texture from hard and crispy to soft and fluffy.”

The Park Hotel Bakery’s version has achieved legendary status among connoisseurs. First introduced when the hotel opened in 1934 as “Ear Cake” and originally served exclusively during afternoon tea, the pastry became publicly available in the 1980s and rapidly gained popularity.

Wu characterizes the treat as “a miniature embodiment of Chinese-Western cultural fusion that symbolizes Shanghai’s openness and inclusiveness.” Obtaining these freshly made delicacies requires significant dedication—lines typically form by 7:30 AM for the 8 AM opening, with waits extending to 2.5 hours during peak afternoon periods. The bakery enforces a six-pack daily purchase limit to manage demand.

Despite the challenges, the bakery sells approximately 7,500 packs daily to both local enthusiasts and international visitors. American tourist Mike Brown attested: “I waited three hours from 2 PM—definitely worth it!” Wu notes the growing international clientele recognizes these pastries as representing significant contemporary cultural and economic phenomena.

TOKYO — The Japanese government formally acknowledged on Wednesday that one of its citizens has been held in Iranian custody since late January, issuing a firm demand for their immediate release. The confirmation came during a press briefing where Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki addressed growing international media reports on the case.

While confirming the detention occurred on January 20th, Ozaki refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the individual’s identity or the circumstances leading to the arrest, emphasizing the government’s obligation to protect private citizen information. The official stated that Japanese diplomatic channels are actively engaged, maintaining communication with both the detainee and their family members to provide all necessary consular assistance and support.

The announcement highlights a delicate diplomatic situation for Japan, which has historically maintained a neutral and oil-dependent relationship with Iran. The incident occurs amidst a complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East, though Japanese officials have not linked the detention to broader international tensions. The government’s statement was carefully crafted, balancing a demand for release with a neutral tone to avoid further escalating the situation, reflecting Japan’s standard diplomatic approach of quiet negotiation.

In a significant development involving international academia and diplomacy, Professor Andrei Lankov—a distinguished Russian scholar specializing in North Korean studies—was apprehended by Latvian authorities while delivering a lecture in the country. The incident, initially reported by Russian media outlets RBK and Tass, occurred during his presentation on North Korea, though specific grounds for the detention remain undisclosed.

Lankov, who holds dual Russian and Australian citizenship and serves as a history professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University, confirmed to RBK that he was detained by Latvian police, blacklisted, and subsequently transferred to immigration services. As of 11 p.m. Moscow time, he remained in custody with legal representatives and associates addressing his case.

South Korea’s Kookmin University administration stated they are actively evaluating the circumstances surrounding his detention. Attempts to contact Lankov directly were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

With deep expertise in North Korean affairs, Lankov spent his formative academic years as an exchange student in North Korea during the 1980s and has maintained a decades-long career analyzing the regime. He has taught in Seoul since 2004 after previous academic engagements in South Korea and Australia.

Lankov is recognized for his realist perspective on North Korea, characterizing it as a Machiavellian state skillfully leveraging limited resources and manipulating global powers to ensure its survival. Notably, he has also voiced criticism against Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and Moscow’s recruitment of North Korean personnel to support its campaign.

This incident follows a previous legal challenge in Russia, where in April 2025, a Moscow court fined Lankov 10,000 rubles (approximately $130) for participating in activities of an organization deemed “undesirable” by Russian authorities. Lankov had learned about those charges through media inquiries at the time.

Iran is advancing toward a significant arms acquisition from China, with negotiations nearing completion for the purchase of advanced CM-302 supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles. This development occurs alongside substantial US military deployments to the region, creating a volatile geopolitical landscape.

According to intelligence reports, these bilateral defense talks initiated two years ago have gained considerable momentum since June 2025. This acceleration follows coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. The CM-302 missiles under discussion represent a substantial capability upgrade with their 290-kilometer operational range and advanced countermeasure evasion technology.

The United States has responded with pronounced military reinforcement, positioning the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea while the USS Gerald Ford maintains presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. This deployment coincides with ongoing nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

This potential transaction builds upon existing defense cooperation between Tehran and Beijing. Middle East Eye previously reported Iran’s acquisition of Chinese surface-to-air missile systems in June 2025, reportedly compensated through oil shipments. China remains Iran’s predominant oil customer, importing approximately 90% of Iranian crude exports according to US Energy Information Administration data.

The geopolitical implications are particularly significant given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of global seaborne oil transits. Iran has previously demonstrated capability to disrupt this critical waterway, temporarily closing the channel recently and conducting joint military exercises with China and Russia in adjacent waters.

Historical context reveals deep-rooted Sino-Iranian defense cooperation dating to the 1980s, when China supplied HY-2 Silkworm missiles during the Iran-Iraq conflict. More recently, Iran acquired HQ9 anti-aircraft systems in 2010. The current missile transfer would represent a substantial escalation as offensive weaponry capable of threatening US naval assets.

Despite growing cooperation, regional diplomats suggest China may exercise caution in over-committing to the partnership amid ongoing US-China rapprochement efforts. The upcoming April summit between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping adds further complexity to these strategic calculations.

In the shattered remains of Gaza’s Great Omari Mosque, a dedicated team of volunteers undertakes a critical cultural rescue mission amidst the debris of war. The historic library, once among Palestine’s most significant repositories of knowledge, now lies partially destroyed with its precious collections buried under rubble and dust.

The devastation follows more than two years of conflict that erupted in October 2023, leaving cultural and religious sites throughout Gaza severely damaged. Haneen Al-Amsi, director of the Eyes on Heritage Volunteer Foundation, described her shock upon discovering the extensive damage: “I was stunned when I saw the destruction in the library,” she told AFP, explaining how this prompted her restoration initiative.

The library, previously housing approximately 20,000 volumes, now retains fewer than 4,000 salvageable works according to initial assessments. Volunteers meticulously sift through charred manuscript fragments and yellowed paper shards, wearing protective masks and gloves as they attempt to preserve what remains of Gaza’s intellectual heritage.

“This library represents the third largest collection in Palestine after the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Ahmed Pasha al-Jazzar libraries,” Amsi emphasized. “It contains invaluable original manuscripts and diverse collections spanning jurisprudence, medicine, Islamic law, literature, and numerous other disciplines.”

The damage extends beyond this single institution. UNESCO has verified destruction at 150 cultural sites since the conflict began, including 14 religious locations and 115 buildings of historical significance. A June 2025 UN commission report concluded that Israeli attacks on educational and cultural sites constituted war crimes, though Israel dismissed these findings as politically motivated.

For the volunteers, each recovered volume represents a tangible connection to Gaza’s rich historical tapestry—a region that has hosted Canaanite, Egyptian, Persian, and Greek civilizations over millennia. Despite the overwhelming damage and what Amsi describes as “irreversible” losses to some materials, the preservation effort continues as an act of cultural defiance and historical stewardship.