Briefly

S. KOREA

Police books Yoon for obstructing execution

South Korea's police booked President Yoon Suk-yeol for obstructing the execution of a warrant for his arrest, multiple media outlets said on Friday. The police were quoted as saying that its special investigative unit had booked and investigated Yoon over the suspicion of obstructing the execution of his arrest warrant. The police seized text messages between Yoon and Kim Seong-hoon, the presidential security service's deputy chief, in which Yoon reportedly instructed Kim to block investigators' arrest attempts in the presidential residence. The messages were exchanged on Jan 3 when investigators failed to apprehend him, and on Jan 7 when Yoon allegedly gave Kim instructions to block the second arrest attempt.

UNITED STATES

Death penalty restored at Department of Justice

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said "death penalty is back" when recapping President Donald Trump's first month back in office during a White House press briefing on Thursday. "He (Trump) has also restored the death penalty at the Department of Justice, including for illegal aliens who commit murder, including for those who murder cops, and including for all of those who threaten Americans with heinous acts of violence," Miller said. "The death penalty is back. Law and order is back. The streets are being made safe once again," Miller said. Trump signed the executive order titled "Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety" on Jan 20.

AFRICA

Sudan recalls Kenya envoy over 'hostile move'

Sudan recalled its ambassador from Kenya on Thursday in protest against Nairobi's hosting of meetings that involved the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and allied political forces, Sudan's official SUNA news agency reported. "The Foreign Ministry summoned Sudan's Ambassador to Kenya Kamal Jubara for consultations in response to Kenya's hosting of meetings involving the RSF militia and its allies, in yet another hostile move against Sudan," the report said. Sudan's opposition groups, including the RSF, held talks in Nairobi on Tuesday to sign a political pact aimed at establishing a parallel civilian government in Sudan.

Agencies - Xinhua