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WORLD NEWS Saturday 28 december 2019
S Korean court rejects arrest of ex-justice minister

By KIM TONG-HYUNG "The nature of the crimi-
Associated Press nal acts in this case is not
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — good, but considering the
A South Korean court on suspect's testimony and at-
Friday rejected a request titude during the hearing,
to arrest a key ally of Presi- the fact that his spouse has
dent Moon Jae-in who is been arrested and is on tri-
being investigated over al- al on a different case, the
legations of corruption and fact that it's difficult to de-
power abuse, saying he termine that the gravity of
was unlikely to flee or de- the offense would warrant
stroy evidence. an arrest, and that the sus-
But in a rare comment on pect has a fixed residence,
a suspect who has yet to it cannot be said there's a
be convicted, the Seoul reason for an arrest based
Eastern District Court stat- on concerns of fleeing," the
ed that the case of former court said in a statement.
Justice Minister Cho Kuk in- Prosecutors didn't imme-
volved criminal acts of bad diately say whether they
nature. would make further re-
Prosecutors have claimed quests for Cho's arrest.
that Cho, while serving as Moon's office said it re-
Moon's senior secretary for Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, center, speaks upon his arrival at the Seoul Eastern District Court spects the court's decision
civil affairs in 2017, abused in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. to reject the warrant and
his power by blocking a Associated Press criticized prosecutors for
government inspection what it described as an
into corruption allegations vice mayor of the city of during his time at the finan- cial crimes and academic "unreasonable" attempt
surrounding former Finan- Busan, was arrested in No- cial regulator. fraud surrounding his fam- to arrest Cho. Blue House
cial Services Commission vember and indicted earli- Cho, once considered a fu- ily that led to the arrests of spokeswoman Ko Min-jung
Director-General Yoo Jae- er this month over suspicion ture presidential contender his wife and other relatives didn't specifically com-
soo, another official close that he received around for the ruling liberals, is be- and sparked huge protests ment on the court's as-
to Moon's ruling party. 49.5 million won ($42,600) in ing separately investigated that dented the popularity sessment of Cho's alleged
Yoo, who later became bribes from businesspeople over allegations of finan- of Moon's government. crimes. q

Sizzling temperatures hit Australia as wildfires persist

PERTH, Australia (AP) — A around, we know we're
code red was issued in going to see increased fire
South Australia on Friday activity," New South Wales
as temperatures hit 42 de- Rural Fire Service Commis-
grees Celsius (108 Fahren- sioner Shane Fitzsimmons
heit) in the state's capital, said.
while firefighters battling "So they're just giving their
wildfires in New South Wales all to shore up protection
established containment and trying to consolidate
lines in cooler conditions and contain them as much
ahead of an expected as they can."
heatwave this weekend. Authorities are bracing for
South Australia last week conditions to deteriorate
had 86 homes destroyed with Sydney forecast to hit
after wildfires flared in 31 Celsius (88 F) on Sunday
catastrophic conditions, before reaching 35 C (95 F)
as its capital Adelaide en- on Tuesday. The city's west-
dured a heatwave peak- ern suburbs could reach 41
ing at a sizzling 46 C (115 C (106 F) on Sunday.
F). There was respite during Fire danger ratings re-
the Christmas period, but mained very high in north-
oppressive conditions re- In this image made from video, smoke rises from wildfires Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, in the Blue Moun- western New South Wales,
turned Friday and are set to tains, New South Whales, Australia. and high in Sydney.
continue until Monday. Associated Press About 5 million hectares
The heatwave has prompt- (12.35 million acres) of land
ed the South Australian shelter options and addi- The fire danger rating was Around 70 fires, however, have burned nationwide
government to declare a tional food services. severe in Adelaide, while continued to burn across over the past few months,
code red, which aims to "Keeping vulnerable South the rest of the state was the state with almost half of with nine people killed and
ensure the homeless kept Australians safe and well in mostly between high and them not contained. more than 950 homes de-
cool and hydrated. A code the extreme heat forecast very high. "Because these fires are stroyed. New South Wales,
red is an extreme heat over the next few days is About 1,300 firefighters in large, they're complex the country's most popu-
watch issued to reduce our priority," South Austra- New South Wales on Friday and they're very prone to lous state, has received the
the harmful effects on the lian Human Services Minis- established containment the elements. Once these brunt of the damage, with
homeless. Services include ter Michelle Lensink said. lines in cooler conditions. weather conditions turn around 850 homes razed.q