SOUTH KOREA
Freed shark returns
A shark that became a viral sensation after getting stuck in a Busan canal returned hours after being coaxed out, authorities said yesterday, prompting another attempt to guide it back to the sea. Workers had herded the 3m-long female dusky shark, nicknamed “Bukhangi,” out of the canal the day before, after weeks of trial and error, but after lingering in nearby waters for hours, the shark swam beneath an outer barrier net installed on the platform that night and re-entered the waterway. “The shark is now between the outer net and an inner net installed 30m to 40m ... further inside the canal,” a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official said. A fresh attempt began yesterday morning, with authorities raising the outer net to allow Bukhangi to move from the canal, she said. There were no signs that the shark had been feeding regularly during its month-long stay in the canal, and falling water temperatures could pose additional health risks, officials said.
People watch a shark swimming in a canal in Busan, South Korea, yesterday.
Photo: AP
AUSTRALIA
Man threatens lawmaker
Police yesterday said they had charged a man over threatening behavior at a lawmaker’s office, days after an attack on a parliamentarian that has put a spotlight on the security of elected officials. The 56-year-old was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly made threats and brandished a pair of nunchucks, Western Australian Police said. The incident took place at the electoral office of state lawmaker Hannah Beazley, a member of the ruling Labor Party, local media said. The man has been charged with making threats as well as possession of cannabis and was to face court yesterday, police said. It comes days after lawmaker Helen Haines was struck by a car outside her office in the rural town of Wangaratta.
EUROPEAN UNION
ICC wins rights prize
Facing US sanctions, the International Criminal Court (ICC) was yesterday awarded the EU’s prestigious Sakharov Prize, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said. “The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognizes the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice,” Metsola told lawmakers in Strasbourg. An awards ceremony for the rights prize is to be held in December. The ICC was named among three finalists, alongside Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu and twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, representing those prosecuted by the Iranian government. The US announced sanctions against the ICC aimed at crippling the day-to-day operations of the court, which tries individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
UNITED STATES
Cruise to receive AFI award
Actor Tom Cruise, known for movies from Risky Business to Top Gun, is to receive the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Life Achievement Award at a Hollywood ceremony in April, organizers said on Wednesday. The nonprofit dedicated to preserving and promoting movies has bestowed the honor annually since 1973. Previous recipients include Bette Davis, Gene Kelley, Elizabeth Taylor and Tom Hanks. Cruise is known throughout the film business as one of the biggest champions of cinemas. “As an actor and producer, he brings an extraordinary commitment to everything he does,” said producer Kathleen Kennedy, chair of the institute’s board of trustees. “What I especially admire is his deep belief in movies and their ability to bring people together.”