TAIPEI, Taiwan – Entrepreneur Hsu Ching-kuang was as soon as lauded in Taiwan for resuscitating the archaic digital pager, partially by pivoting into gross sales to international governments. At one level, he claimed his firm, Gold Apollo, dominated 99% of the Dutch pager market and even counted the FBI as a consumer.

However on Wednesday, he confronted an onslaught of cops and journalists exterior his workplace in northern Taiwan, after Gold Apollo was linked to lots of of pagers belonging to members of the militant group Hezbollah and which killed not less than 9 individuals after they concurrently exploded throughout Lebanon and Syria.

Hsu confirmed it was his firm’s model on the pagers. “That is very embarrassing,” he stated. Shortly after, greater than a dozen Taiwan cops and metropolis officers entered his firm workplace for investigation.

Hsu denied all involvement with the explosive pagers, telling NPR exterior his workplace in northern Taiwan that it was a Budapest-based firm known as BAC Consulting which manufactured the gadgets.

“There was nothing in these gadgets that we had manufactured or exported to them [BAC],” Hsu stated, noting the pagers “had been fully completely different” from his designs and contained a chip that Gold Apollo doesn’t use in its personal pagers.

Reuters and the New York Occasions report the pagers had been in the end planted by Israel, citing Lebanese and American officers. However how and when the gadgets had been modified to grow to be deadly continues to be unclear.

The pagers’ hyperlink to relatively-unknown corporations spanning Asia and Europe suggests a plot years within the making.

A European alternative

Three years in the past, Hsu says he was approached by a Taiwanese lady Hsu says he solely knew as “Teresa” who claimed to be a neighborhood consultant for a Hungarian firm named BAC Consulting.

After greater than two months of negotiation with Teresa, Hsu agreed to signal a contract to promote Gold Apollo’s pagers to BAC and moreover, to let BAC use Gold Apollo’s trademark on his personal merchandise.

“She had already flown a number of instances to Europe to contact [her colleagues],” says Hsu. He says he was additionally instructed BAC additionally had pursuits in East Africa: “From starting to finish, they by no means talked about Lebanon.”

Annual studies for the final two years, downloaded from the Hungarian Ministry of Justice’s on-line enterprise registration portal, confirmed that the agency was registered in Might 2022, and the only proprietor of BAC is known as as Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono. The corporate’s most up-to-date annual accounts, signed in Might of this 12 months, report a stability sheet of barely greater than $320.

Bársony-Arcidiacono’s LinkedIn profile describes her as a “CEO, strategic Advisor & Enterprise Developer,” and features a hyperlink for BAC Consulting. On one other skilled networking website, she is listed as a “freelance professional in Pure Assets and Sustainable Improvement.”

“When you’ve got a problem and also you prefer to suppose out of the field, convey it to me and we are going to remedy it collectively,” Bársony-Arcidiacono instructed a jobs web site this February. “An excellent understanding of native points and a community of collaborators in numerous areas are vital to succeed.”

A cellphone quantity belonging to an individual with the identical profile photograph as Bársony-Arcidiacono’s Linkedin web page was unavailable when dialed by an NPR reporter.

“Unusual” funds

A couple of 12 months after BAC signed a contract with Gold Apollo, Hsu says they got here again to him with an uncommon request: they wished to design their very own merchandise however put his firm’s trademark on them.

“They stated they wished to domesticate a cohort of engineers,” Hsu says he remembers BAC telling him. “I instructed them, the stuff you make is neither straightforward to make use of neither is it aesthetically-pleasing. Why not simply use my merchandise?”

Hsu additionally seen their cost transfers had been “unusual.”

Whereas BAC is positioned within the capital of Hungary, Hsu stated the corporate paid Gold Apollo from a Center Jap checking account that was blocked not less than as soon as by their financial institution in Taiwan.

“It was very inconvenient. It’s important to take care of these dangers when doing world commerce,” remembers Hsu. He says his accountant spent a whole week working to unfreeze the cost.

The final time Gold Apollo shipped parts to BAC was earlier this 12 months, Hsu stated. The “AR-924” mannequin pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria had been new and had been just lately acquired by Hezbollah in February, the Related Press reported.

Hsu is adamant not one of the exploding pagers had been made in Taiwan by his firm: “We didn’t make these gadgets, and we didn’t export a single one among them [to BAC],” he insists.

Taiwan’s ministry of financial affairs says it has no report of any Taiwan corporations exporting pagers on to Lebanon between 2022 and 2024 and deemed Gold Apollo’s pagers “modified after being exported,” in keeping with a press release. NPR was unable to confirm the ministry’s evaluation.

Willen Marx contributed to this report.

ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was high scorer at its dwelling World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.

Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following remedy for colon most cancers.

The Palermo Civico hospital mentioned in an announcement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days in the past.

Schillaci scored six objectives for Italy throughout the 1990 World Cup. He got here on instead throughout Italy’s opener in opposition to Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the event’s high scorer. He solely scored one different objective for Italy in his profession.

Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina introduced {that a} minute of silence could be held in reminiscence of Schillaci earlier than all video games within the nation for the remainder of the week.

“The uncontrollable celebrations, during which his face was the image of shared pleasure, will stay without end a part of Italian soccer (historical past),” Gravina mentioned. “Totò was a terrific participant, an emblem of tenacious want and redemption. … His soccer was filled with ardour. And that fearless spirit made everybody admire him and can make him immortal.”

Schillaci additionally received the Golden Ball award on the 1990 World Cup because the event’s high participant forward of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.

“Thanks for the feelings you gave us, for making us dream, cheer, hug and wave our Tricolore,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni wrote on X.

Schillaci performed for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese staff Jubilo Iwata throughout his membership profession.

“Ciao Totò,” Juventus mentioned on Instagram.

“You made a complete nation dream throughout the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter mentioned on its social media channels.

West Germany received the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina within the remaining, whereas Italy beat England for third place with a successful penalty kick from Schillaci.

Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening objective within the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my expensive pal.”

With Schillaci having been born and raised in Palermo, town will maintain a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium forward of the funeral.

___

AP soccer:

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Juventus 19-year-old Kenan Yildiz scored the primary objective of the revamped Champions League on Tuesday. And what a objective it was.

Yildiz dribbled into the left aspect of the field and curled in a protracted shot off the far, high nook of the objective body to grow to be Juventus’ youngest scorer in his first match in Europe’s high membership competitors.

At 19 years and 136 days, Yildiz broke the membership document that Alessandro Del Piero established when he scored at 20 years and 308 days towards Borussia Dortmund in September 1995.

With a objective harking back to the way in which Del Piero used to attain, it appeared becoming that the Turkey winger was carrying the identical No. 10 that Del Piero wore for Juventus.

Yildiz’s objective got here 21 minutes into Juve’s sport towards PSV Eindhoven.

Aston Villa was visiting Younger Boys within the different early match of the brand new league section, which options all 36 groups ranked from high to backside in a single standings that finishes in January.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Juventus made an ideal return to the Champions League as they beat Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven 3-1 at dwelling on Tuesday, helped by two quick-fire objectives from Kenan Yildiz and Weston McKennie within the first half.

Yildiz and McKennie put Juve 2-0 up on the break in coach Thiago Motta’s debut main a facet in European competitors and Nicolas Gonzalez added a 3rd after the break earlier than Ismael Saibari pulled one again for PSV in stoppage time.

Champions League regulars Juventus have returned to Europe’s elite membership competitors following a one-year absence once they missed out for the primary time since 2011-12 after having factors docked in a case centred on the membership’s switch dealings.

They had been additionally banned from European competitors final time period for breaching UEFA Membership Licensing and Monetary Truthful Play guidelines, though Juve denied any wrongdoing.

PSV, who lead the Eredivisie standings with an ideal file of 15 factors after 5 video games, had been left with out first-choice goalkeeper Walter Benítez hours earlier than the conflict as he left Turin to be along with his household following the beginning of his son.

Two former European champions, assembly for the primary time in a aggressive match, ensured an lively begin to the sport.

Yildiz gave Juve the lead after 21 minutes with a surprising curling shot from simply contained in the field, leaving goalkeeper Joel Drommel helpless because the ball went in off the within of the put up.

With two early kick-offs on Tuesday, the Turkish teenager opened the scoring within the new Champions League format wherein golf equipment play eight video games within the 36-team league section that has changed the previous group stage.

Aged 19 years and 136 days, Yildiz additionally grew to become Juventus’ youngest goalscorer within the Champions League, breaking the file held by Alessandro Del Piero, who scored towards Borussia Dortmund in 1995 aged 20 years and 308 days.

McKennie doubled Juve’s lead within the twenty seventh, netting contained in the right-hand put up from shut vary, after he had an incredible probability blocked by Drommel minutes earlier from an analogous place.

PSV intensified their efforts after the break however winger Gonzalez wrapped up the win for the hosts with a strike into the far prime nook within the 52nd minute.

Dusan Vlahovic gained the ball close to the center of the pitch and performed a neat low cross into the field for Gonzalez to attain his debut Champions League purpose.

Saibari obtained a comfort for PSV in added time as Juve, unbeaten to date of their Serie A marketing campaign after 4 video games, conceded their first purpose of the season.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Govt Officer Jamie Dimon stated whether or not the Federal Reserve cuts rates of interest by 25 or 50 foundation factors, the transfer is “not going to be earth-shattering.”

Sept. 17 is Nationwide Voter Registration Day, a nonpartisan civic vacation devoted to celebrating democracy and inspiring People to register to vote earlier than the Nov. 5 normal election.

The vacation additionally serves as a public reminder to U.S. residents to examine their current voter registration standing, keep up to date with key election info, and organize for absentee voting (which begins Sept. 20). Details about all of that is obtainable on the Hennepin County Elections web site.

On Nationwide Voter Registration Day, members of the League of Ladies Voters of Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins (LWV MEPH) have been at Hennepin Technical School in Eden Prairie to share info and assist college students and employees register to vote.

LWV is a nonpartisan nationwide political group that encourages knowledgeable and energetic participation in authorities, works to extend understanding of main public coverage points, and influences public coverage via training and advocacy.  

A number of Hennepin Technical School college students stopped by LWV’s info desk at lunchtime on Sept. 17, together with Idman Noor, who mentioned she can be voting in her first normal election this 12 months.

Sharon Borine, LWV MEPH’s president, mentioned it was vital to her to empower voters like Noor to train their proper to vote. “We’re right here immediately for democracy,” she mentioned. “We’re about rights for all People, and the ability that you may exert as a person by voting.”

She added, “Regardless of who you’re, the one factor you are able to do to make a distinction is vote.”

LWV to host extra native voter registration occasions

Borine mentioned LWV MEPH will host extra upcoming voter registration and informational occasions at native libraries, faculties, and companies. Its subsequent voter registration occasion might be held on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Lush Cosmetics in Ridgedale Middle, Minnetonka.

LWV MEPH additionally hosted 4 latest candidate boards together with for Eden Prairie’s metropolis council, faculty board, Hennepin County Commissioner District 6, and Minnesota Home Districts 49A and 49B.

Borine mentioned that regardless of its title, the 104-year-old League of Ladies Voters welcomes everybody as members, not simply girls. Borine mentioned that males make up about 20% of the group’s membership.

LWV additionally takes its standing as a nonpartisan group severely, she mentioned: “Many people have belonged to a few totally different political events, and we welcome everybody. We’re respectful of everybody and don’t even ask” their political social gathering affiliation.

For extra details about LWV MEPH and tips on how to be part of or attend their occasions, go to its web site.

What to learn about voting

On Nationwide Voter Registration Day, Hennepin County shared vital ideas, dates and deadlines. All of this info and extra can also be obtainable on the Hennepin County Elections web site.

Earlier than you vote:

Vote absentee:

Vote early in-person: 

Essential election dates

Sept. 20: Absentee voting begins for the final election.
Oct. 15: Normal election deadline to pre-register to vote.
Nov. 4: In-person absentee voting closes at 5 p.m. 
Nov. 5: Normal Election Day (polls open 7 a.m. to eight p.m.)

Though pre-registration for the Nov. 2024 normal election ends Oct. 15, anybody who misses this deadline however plans to vote can register at their polling place on Election Day. Search for designated polling locations right here.

Votebeat is a nonprofit information group reporting on voting entry and election administration throughout the U.S. Join Votebeat’s free nationwide e-newsletter right here.

As we speak, with lower than 50 days left till Election Day, marks Nationwide Voter Registration Day. And whereas every state’s deadline to register is developing quick, there may be nonetheless time left to get on the rolls, and lots of methods to do it.

Some articles and social media posts, together with Taylor Swift’s, direct readers to locations like Vote.gov — a federal authorities web site that hyperlinks to government-run voter registration websites in each state. Others direct folks to nonprofits like Vote.org.

As in all issues, which web site it’s best to select to make use of or advocate varies by state. In some circumstances, exterior choices like Vote.org are preferable as a result of your state could not, for instance, have a web site that works properly on cellular gadgets, and that’s what you could have at your disposal. There are remoted incidences of third-party nonprofit web sites having incorrect info or incorrectly processing requests, however the overwhelming majority of people that use them accomplish that efficiently.

And for many voters, both choice might be simply advantageous.

However I’ll provide some recommendation that I attempt to provide yearly: The nearer we get to Election Day, the extra vital will probably be so that you can depend on your native election administrator’s web site straight as you attempt to register and make a plan to vote. Why?

For a number of causes. First, as Votebeat has written about not too long ago, there’s an outlined push to restrict voter registration choices proper now. In Texas, for instance, the legal professional basic has sued counties making ready to ship unsolicited voter registration playing cards, and is investigating third social gathering registration teams. Different states, like Florida and Kansas, have additionally tightened restrictions on these teams.

Second, info adjustments, proper as much as the deadlines. Counting on the people who find themselves accountable for managing these adjustments and processing the flood of voter registration coming in proper now will make sure that — because the clock ticks down — you get probably the most up to date info.

Third, you need your vote to depend. In states like Texas — certainly one of eight states that don’t have on-line voter registration — going via a county elections workplace to register signifies that you may be creating data of your try to register. In case you present up on Election Day, and employees inform you that you just aren’t on the rolls, the provisional poll they provide you is extra prone to be counted, due to these data.

For instance, again in 2018, Travis County, Texas, was flooded with registrations within the days earlier than the deadline. Which means plenty of paper, and clerks accountable for hand-entering your info onto the voter roll. Time is restricted, and people make errors. “We’re form of within the 18th century relating to registration right here,” Bruce Elfant, Travis County’s tax assessor and voter registrar, informed me then. “It’s an costly, inefficient course of.”

Texas has not modernized since, and the identical drawback persists. Going on to a county election workplace means that you’re skipping the middlemen, and that the county is extra prone to create data of your try to register by the deadline. You may nonetheless need to solid a provisional poll if you present up on the polls, however your effort to register straight with election officers will enhance the probability {that a} provisional poll will likely be efficiently counted.

The identical recommendation applies when voters are looking for out the place to solid their poll.

For many voters, the polling location that’s listed for you if you first verify on-line goes to be the placement it’s best to go to on the day you vote. However that’s not at all times the case. If a location needed to change on the final minute, your native election official has probably the most up-to-date info.

Particularly in massive cities, it’s robust to maintain each polling location precisely the place it’s speculated to be. It means making certain that over dozens or perhaps even tons of of places, not a single water most important breaks, not a single emergency takes place, and the climate is cooperative. When emergencies do occur, the folks accountable for figuring out how and the place voting ought to proceed are going to be native officers shifting rapidly.

It’s finest to not wait till the final minute to register or to make a plan to vote. But when you need to, a minimum of just remember to get the knowledge you want via a major supply.

Jessica Huseman is Votebeat’s editorial director and relies in Dallas. Contact Jessica at jhuseman@votebeat.org.

Billie Eilish and Finneas have endorsed Kamala Harris in her 2024 presidential bid.

The sibling musicians took to Instagram on Tuesday, Nationwide Voter Registration Day, to share their election desire.

“We’re voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as a result of they’re combating to guard our reproductive freedom, our planet and our democracy,” Eilish says in a video reel. “Vote like your life depends upon it, as a result of it does.”

Finneas provides, “We are able to’t let extremists management our lives, our freedoms and our future. The one method to cease them and the damaging Challenge 2025 agenda is to vote and elect Kamala Harris.”

The duo urged individuals to go to iwillvote.com to examine their voter registration standing and make a plan to solid their poll.

In 2020 Eilish supported Joe Biden, talking and performing on the Democratic Nationwide Conference, the place she criticized then-President Donald Trump.

“You don’t want me to inform you issues are a large number — Donald Trump is destroying our nation and the whole lot we care about. We’d like leaders who will resolve issues like local weather change and COVID — not deny them,” Eilish mentioned on the time, through the pandemic-affected digital conference. “Leaders who will battle in opposition to systemic racism and inequality. And that begins by voting for somebody who understands how a lot is at stake; somebody who’s constructing a workforce that shares our values. It begins with voting in opposition to Donald Trump and for Joe Biden.”

The endorsement from the a number of Grammy- and Oscar-winning duo comes every week after Taylor Swift endorsed Harris. Her extremely anticipated announcement, coming after the presidential debate between Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump, led to almost 400,000 visits to the vote.gov web site, the federal government web site she highlighted the place U.S. residents can register to vote and examine their registration standing.

Beyoncé beforehand gave Harris permission to make use of her 2016 track “Freedom” because the candidate’s marketing campaign anthem. And Megan Thee Stallion, Bon Iver, Barbra Streisand and John Legend have all expressed their assist for the Harris-Walz ticket. Moreover, Pink, The Chicks, Lil Jon and DJ Cassidy all confirmed up on the 2024 DNC.

Disney/Frank Micelotta

One other feminine pop celebrity has come out in assist of Kamala Harris.

In honor of Nationwide Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, Billie Eilish and her brother and collaborator, FINNEAS, posted a video asking followers to go to iwillvote.com to verify their voting standing. Billie goes on to say, “We are voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as a result of they’re preventing to guard our reproductive freedom, our planet and our democracy.”

“We will’t let extremists management our lives, our freedoms and our future,” FINNEAS continues. “The one approach to cease them and the harmful Venture 2025 agenda is to vote, and elect Kamala Harris.” 

“Vote like your life relies upon upon it,” Billie provides. “As a result of it does.”

They as soon as once more urged followers to hitch them in visiting iwillvote.com and voting early. The caption on the video reads, “It’s Nationwide Voter Registration Day. We’re voting for Harris-Walz. The selection is obvious.”

It’s doubtless that the siblings must vote early as a result of Billie’s tour in assist of her album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT kicks off Sept. 29 in Quebec and so they’ll be on the street on Election Day.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Worldwide

Gisele Pelicot has turn out to be an emblem in opposition to sexual violence and assault

1000’s of individuals throughout France are rising up in opposition to sexual violence as a horrifying rape case goes by way of the courts. Dominique Pelicot drugged his spouse Gisele to the purpose of unconsciousness, invited dozens of males into the household residence and filmed the rapes.

Police discovered footage of his crimes, whereas they had been trying to find proof associated to Pelicot videoing up girls’s skirts in a grocery store. They discovered some 20,000 images and movies of the assaults, taken over a decade.

He’s in courtroom with 50 different males, who’re all charged with “aggravated rape” in a trial as a result of final till December. Police didn’t establish greater than 30 different males who had been recorded.

“I used to be sacrificed on the alter of vice,” Gisele informed the courtroom earlier this month. “They regarded me like a rag doll, like a rubbish bag… I now not have an identification. I don’t know if I’ll ever rebuild myself.”

Gisele has chosen to waive her proper to carry the trial behind closed doorways and her proper to anonymity. She stated she was testifying “for all girls” who had been assaulted whereas drugged and to make sure “no girls suffers this”.

In doing so, she has turn out to be an emblem in opposition to the violence, abuse and harassment that could be a each day actuality for a lot of girls. Protesters took to the streets in 30 French cities final Saturday, to point out assist for Gisele and to lift wider calls for about how girls are handled in a sexist society.

In Paris, some 3,500 folks chanted, “We’re all Gisele,” and, “Rapist we see you, sufferer we consider you.” In a strong opening speech to the courtroom, her lawyer Stephane Babboneau stated Gisele was selecting to go public as a method of claiming “disgrace should change sides”.

The broader girls’s liberation motion in France has taken up slogans of disposing of the disgrace and secrecy that victims of sexual violence are pressured to endure. Protesters held up placards and banners saying, “Disgrace should change sides.”

In Paris, protester Cerise stated, “It’s the trial of a society. All socio-professional classes are represented.

“I realised that once I transfer round, once I go to work, once I go to my household… statistically, there’s all the time a rapist. This trial is about that.”

One of the stunning parts of the case is how many individuals knew concerning the abuse, however did nothing to assist Gisele. Because the horrifying particulars of the abuse proceed to pour out of the courtroom, it highlights how violence in opposition to girls permeates each part of society.

On Monday, Gisele stated she wished to thank everybody who protested. “I used to be deeply touched by this motion,” she stated. “Because of you all I’ve the energy to battle this to the top.

“I dedicate this battle to all folks, ladies and men, who’re victims of sexual violence the world over. To all these victims I say at present go searching you, you aren’t alone.”

Backstory

In 2020, police discovered 20,000 pictures and movies of Dominique Pelicot and different males sexually assaulting Gisele over a interval of practically ten years.

Gisele has no reminiscence of the assaults however will see a lot of them performed in courtroom as dozens of defendants go on trial. Subsequent testing revealed that she had a number of sexually transmitted infections

Gisele and Dominique met after they had been 19 and married at 21. They’re now of their 70s.