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Taiwan Prosecutors Say Four Questioned So Far over Exploding Pagers in Lebanon

FILE PHOTO: Pagers on display at a meeting room at the Gold Apollo company building in New Taipei City, Taiwan, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pagers on display at a meeting room at the Gold Apollo company building in New Taipei City, Taiwan, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
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Taiwan Prosecutors Say Four Questioned So Far over Exploding Pagers in Lebanon

FILE PHOTO: Pagers on display at a meeting room at the Gold Apollo company building in New Taipei City, Taiwan, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pagers on display at a meeting room at the Gold Apollo company building in New Taipei City, Taiwan, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo

Taiwan prosecutors said on Thursday that they have so far questioned four people as witnesses in their investigation into a Taiwanese company linked to pagers that detonated last week in Lebanon in a deadly blow to Hezbollah.
Security sources said Israel was responsible for the pager explosions that raised the stakes in a growing conflict between the two sides. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.
How or when the pagers were weaponized and remotely detonated remains a public mystery and the hunt for answers has involved Taiwan, Bulgaria, Norway and Romania.
Taiwan-based Gold Apollo said last week it did not manufacture the devices used in the attack, and that Hungary-based company BAC to which the pagers were traced had a license to use its brand. Taiwan's government also said the pagers were not made in Taiwan.
A spokesperson for the Shilin District Prosecutors Office in Taipei, which has been leading the probe into Gold Apollo, said in addition to two people questioned last week it had also questioned one current and one former employee as witnesses.
"We are processing this case expeditiously and seeking resolution as soon as possible," the spokesperson added, declining to name the people questioned or say whether prosecutors planned to question further people.
Last week, prosecutors questioned Gold Apollo's president and founder, Hsu Ching-kuang, and Teresa Wu, the sole employee of a company called Apollo Systems.
Gold Apollo has not commented on that investigation and did not respond to a further request for comment on Thursday.
Reuters has not been able to reach Wu for comment. Neither answered reporter questions last week when they left the prosecutors' office.

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Experts Warn Floods to Continue to Impact Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
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Experts Warn Floods to Continue to Impact Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)

Although Yemen's rainy season nears its end, experts on Thursday warned of heavy showers in several areas across the country, nevertheless with a decrease in their frequency and intensity.

Heavy downpours in war-torn Yemen over the past weeks have triggered flash flooding and landslides, causing significant casualties and damages in properties and infrastructure.

On Tuesday, experts and meteorology centers forecast scattered rains on the easternmost province of Mahra, the western highlands in the provinces of Taiz, Ibb, Lahj, Rayma, Dhamar, Sanaa, Al Mahwit, Amran, Hajjah and Saada, as well as the western coast in the provinces of Hajjah, Hodeidah and Taiz, and the plains in the provinces of Abyan, Shabwa and Hadramaut.

In forecasts posted on social media, the experts warned of thunderclouds carrying huge amounts of rain, accompanied by hail, thunder and strong winds, urging residents to take the necessary precautions.

Since early this month, Yemen has witnessed a drop in rainfall. In July and August, Yemen experienced severe flooding due to prolonged heavy rainfall, fueled by unusual weather patterns. Numerous governorates across the nation were impacted, especially the governorates of Hodeidah and Al Mahwit.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) this week warned of a deepening humanitarian disaster in Yemen as ongoing floods, which began in March and intensified in July and August, continue to devastate multiple governorates.

The floods have displaced tens of thousands of families, destroyed vital infrastructure, and fueled the rapid spread of cholera.

Floods have severely impacted the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, Marib, Saada, and Taiz, with nearly 268,000 individuals affected as of last month.

IRC warned that while rainfall has stopped in September, the risk of additional flash floods remains high due to already saturated ground and poor drainage systems.

Severe Impact of Floods

IRC said that floods have severely impacted the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, Marib, Sadah, and Taiz, with nearly 268,000 individuals (38,285 families) affected as of last month, according to OCHA reports.

It said the heavy rains, expected to persist into September, have caused widespread destruction of homes, agricultural land, and infrastructure, further limiting access to food - an issue that more than 17 million Yemenis are already struggling with due to conflict, economic decline, and rising food prices, all exacerbated by the climate crisis.

In Taiz alone, an estimated 70 to 100% of agricultural land has been destroyed. While rainfall has stopped in September, the risk of additional flash floods remains high due to already saturated ground and poor drainage systems.

The IRC urgently called on the international community to scale up financial and logistical support to meet the immediate and long-term needs of those affected by this disaster. Without timely action, the situation in Yemen will continue to deteriorate, putting more lives at risk, it warned.

Rapid Spread of Cholera

“Yemen is facing a crisis on multiple fronts—ongoing conflict, severe flooding, and now a cholera outbreak that has been rapidly spreading across several governorates,” IRC’s Acting Country Director in Yemen, Isaiah Ogolla, said.

Ogolla said people’s lives are at immediate risk, and the destruction of water and sanitation facilities is likely to worsen the spread of the disease.

“In response, the IRC is launching emergency operations in the hardest-hit districts of Hajjah, Hodeidah, Al-Mahwit and Taiz, providing cash assistance to approximately 2,000 affected households,” he said.

The IRC acting country director noted that the initial phase will focus on addressing immediate needs, with further assessments planned to guide potential interventions in water and sanitation, such as establishing water points and emergency latrines.

Ogolla said the IRC and its partners have conducted assessments across the affected areas, revealing that nearly 9,600 people have been displaced due to the floods in Taiz, Hajjah, and Hodeidah.

The floodwaters have severely damaged water, sanitation, and health infrastructure, increasing the risk of further cholera outbreaks across these regions.

On Tuesday, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KsRelief) distributed emergency shelter aids to those affected by torrents and floods in the Mawza district of Taiz Governorate.

The emergency aid included 100 tents and 370 shelter bags, benefiting 2,220 individuals affected by floods.