US Marine arrested in Japan over suspected murder of woman in Okinawa

A 20-year-old US Marine has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of murdering and robbing a 39-year-old Japanese woman at a hotel in Okinawa, in a case that has prompted a strong protest from the Japanese government.

The suspect, identified as Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa. Japanese police allege that Ballard killed Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in Naha and took some of her belongings.

Police said Yagi entered the hotel with Ballard in the early hours of Saturday. She was later found unresponsive in the room after hotel staff became concerned. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Japanese investigators believe the woman was killed, with reports indicating that she appeared to have been strangled. The precise cause and circumstances of her death remain under investigation.

Police reportedly reviewed security-camera footage from the hotel, which showed a man believed to be Ballard entering the building with Yagi and later leaving alone with her belongings.

Investigators subsequently located Ballard in Naha and arrested him on suspicion of murder and robbery.

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Ballard has denied the allegations, according to Japanese authorities, and reportedly told investigators that he did not know anything about the incident.

The case has triggered a diplomatic response because of the longstanding sensitivity surrounding the large US military presence in Okinawa.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the alleged incident as extremely serious and said Tokyo had lodged a strong protest with Washington.

She called for full US cooperation with the Japanese investigation and urged measures to prevent similar incidents involving US military personnel from happening again.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also summoned US Ambassador to Japan George Glass and expressed Japan’s strong concern over the case. Japanese officials have demanded that the United States cooperate fully with the investigation.

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Okinawa Governor Genta Koja also expressed concern over the incident.

The US Marine Corps said it was cooperating with Japanese authorities. The US Embassy in Tokyo also expressed condolences to the victim’s family and said American officials were working with Japanese and local authorities as the investigation continues.

The arrest is likely to renew concerns among residents about the impact of the US military bases in Okinawa, where a large concentration of American military personnel and facilities is located.

Okinawa has for decades been at the centre of debate over the US military presence in Japan, with residents raising concerns about crime, noise, accidents and other incidents involving service members.

The latest case comes against the backdrop of the close security relationship between Japan and the United States, with Okinawa playing a major strategic role in the two countries’ defence arrangements.

Japanese authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Yagi’s death and the alleged robbery.

Ballard remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

US Marine arrested in Japan over suspected murder of woman in Okinawa

Flydubai Co-Pilot Attacked Captain With Axe in Attempted Terrorist Act, UAE Says

The United Arab Emirates has said the co-pilot of a Flydubai passenger aircraft attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and attempted to take control of the plane in what investigators have described as an attempted terrorist act.

The incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when the aircraft was forced to make an emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia.

According to the UAE Attorney General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, an investigation into the incident established that the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the flight deck with a crash axe before attempting to seize control of the aircraft.

The Boeing 737 reportedly plunged thousands of feet during the struggle, creating a potentially catastrophic situation for the 172 passengers and crew members on board.

The injured captain, identified as Smit Machchhar, managed to open the cockpit door and call for assistance despite sustaining injuries in the attack. Passengers and crew members then intervened, helping to overpower the co-pilot.

A reserve pilot who was travelling on the aircraft also assisted in stabilising the plane before it was diverted to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

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The captain was subsequently taken to hospital in the UAE for treatment. His condition has been described as stable and improving.

The UAE Attorney General said investigators were continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including the motive, possible links and whether there were other people involved. Authorities are also examining physical and digital evidence as part of the investigation.

The co-pilot has been identified by international media as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, although UAE authorities have not officially confirmed all details concerning his identity.

Earlier reports had raised questions about his aviation background and alleged previous concerns over extremist views. However, investigators have not publicly established the full circumstances behind those reports or confirmed any wider organisational link.

The incident has also prompted renewed scrutiny of pilot recruitment, aviation security and background checks, particularly after reports emerged about the co-pilot’s previous aviation history.

Flydubai has said a full official investigation is under way and that it is cooperating with the relevant authorities.

The airline’s chief executive, Ghaith Al Ghaith, praised the crew and passengers for their actions during the emergency and thanked Saudi authorities for their response after the aircraft diverted to Tabuk.

The UAE authorities have urged caution over unverified reports while the investigation continues, saying the final findings will be announced after the necessary procedures and examinations are completed.

The incident has been formally described by the UAE as an attempted terrorist act, but investigators are still working to establish the motive and whether the co-pilot acted alone or had any external connections. (The National)

Flydubai Co-Pilot Attacked Captain With Axe in Attempted Terrorist Act, UAE Says

Nigerian-Born Ex-Professor Jailed 78 Months Over $1.3m US Student Aid Fraud

A Nigerian-born former university professor, Emmanuel Olugbaike Finnih, has been sentenced to 78 months in a United States federal prison for orchestrating a five-year scheme involving student financial aid fraud and identity theft.

Finnih, 43, a naturalised U.S. citizen from Nigeria living in Richmond, Texas, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term.

The former adjunct professor at Texas Southern University pleaded guilty to charges including theft of government funds, fraud, unlawful use or transfer of identity documents and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen imposed the sentence.

Finnih operated the scheme for approximately five years and submitted more than 100 fraudulent financial aid applications using the identities of people presented as students at colleges and universities across Texas.

The fraudulent applications sought more than $1.3 million in federal grants and student loans, of which $921,189.08 was actually disbursed.

Finnih used the personal information of other people to prepare, submit and sign financial aid applications and master promissory notes in their names.

He also allegedly controlled mailing addresses, telephone numbers and email accounts used in the applications, enabling him to receive communications from the U.S. Department of Education and the schools involved.

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The financial aid refunds were subsequently obtained through electronic transfers, cheques and prepaid debit cards sent to addresses or bank accounts controlled by Finnih.

The scheme had consequences for people whose identities were used. Some victims were left with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt that had been fraudulently placed in their names, affecting their credit and making it more difficult for them to enrol in legitimate educational programmes.

As part of his guilty plea, Finnih admitted repeatedly using the personal identifying information of two victims over several years to fraudulently obtain federal financial aid.

Authorities also discovered that he possessed false identity documents, including temporary driving permits and identification cards, which prosecutors said were intended for unlawful use or transfer as part of the scheme.

The court further heard that Finnih sometimes altered the names of female “straw students” to make them appear male while retaining their correct Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Prosecutors said this enabled him to pose as the individuals whose identities were being used.

In one instance, Finnih contacted a community college and attempted to have financial aid payments unfrozen after the institution detected fraudulent transcripts connected to one of the supposed students.

The investigation involved the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, alongside the Lone Star College Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Finnih will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. He was allowed to remain on bond and is expected to voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to begin his sentence.

The case began with an investigation into fraudulent student aid and later revealed a broader scheme involving more than 100 fraudulent applications and more than $1.3 million in requested financial aid.

The sentencing concludes the federal criminal proceedings against Finnih over the student aid fraud scheme and highlights the financial and credit consequences that identity theft can have on victims.

Nigerian-Born Ex-Professor Jailed 78 Months Over $1.3m US Student Aid Fraud