Iran Executes Three Men Convicted of Armed Unrest in January Protests
Iran Carries Out Executions Linked to January Protests
Iran executed three men on Sunday after they were convicted of carrying out operations for Israel and the US and taking part in armed unrest during anti-government protests in January, state media reported. [1] The executions are the latest in a series Iran has carried out. [1] Mizan said the men threw Molotov cocktails and grenades, used bladed weapons and firearms and set fire to public facilities in Karaj. [3] These actions formed the basis of the convictions tied directly to the January protests. [1] State media presented the cases as involving operations linked to foreign entities alongside the domestic unrest. [1] The report from Mizan detailed the specific tactics employed by the three men during the events in Karaj. [3]
Stabbing in Osaka Bookshop
Japanese police arrested a 33-year-old man who admitted to stabbing a bookshop worker in Osaka on Sunday, a spokesman said, adding that the suspect said he “held a grudge against society”. [2] The man, identified as Satoshi Okamoto, allegedly used a kitchen knife to stab the worker at a branch of national chain Maruzen & Junkudo in the heart of Japan’s second largest city. [2] The worker called police immediately afterwards. [2] Police did not elaborate on the victim’s condition, but there was no fear for his life. [2] The suspect, who had remained inside the store until his arrest, admitted the stabbing and told officers, “I held a grudge against society as a whole”, according to the police spokesman briefing AFP on a customary condition of anonymity. [2] The incident occurred at the central Osaka location without further elaboration from authorities on additional motives beyond the stated grudge. [2]
Ugandan Woman Arrested for Cocaine Smuggling in Lagos
A 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15 kilogrammes of cocaine from Nigeria to Uganda. [4] Nansubuga was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, November 3, while preparing to board a flight to Uganda. [4] The NDLEA said 87 wraps of cocaine were recovered from her pelvic region, where they had been strapped beneath two layers of underwear. [4] According to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the suspect arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State. [4] Babafemi said the other members of her delegation had returned to Uganda after the prayer session, but Nansubuga remained in Nigeria to allegedly collect the cocaine on behalf of a friend identified as Joy, who lives in Uganda. [4] The suspect was intercepted during a joint passenger screening exercise involving NDLEA operatives and aviation security personnel at Terminal 2 of the airport. [4] During preliminary interview, the suspect said she arrived in Nigeria on 29th October 2026 with members of her church for a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations, Ikotun Egbe area of Lagos. [4] She claimed that after the prayer session, the other members of her delegation returned to Uganda while she stayed back to collect the illicit consignment on behalf of a friend, simply identified as Joy, who resides in Uganda. [4] She reportedly said that although no definite payment was agreed upon, she expected to receive at least $1,000 after successfully delivering the consignment in Uganda. [4] The NDLEA Chairman, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the incident as a reminder of how drug cartels exploit religious activities and travel to recruit couriers. [4]
Moscow Police Detain Over 200 in Raid
Moscow police detained over 200 people on the evening of Nov. 7, many of whom were minors, during what is being described as a raid near the Kitay-Gorod metro station, according to multiple local Telegram channels. [5] Detainees told the Russian Telegram channel "Ostorozhno, Novosti" that those over the age of 18 were "persistently" urged to sign a contract with Russia's Defense Ministry. [5] Reports of police beating the detainees, smashing their phones, and prohibiting them from using the toilet later emerged. [5] Others claimed that they were served with draft notices at the Tagansky police station. [5] Female students reportedly also received draft notices despite having deferment from military service. [5] At least 17 teenagers received administrative citations for drinking alcohol in a public place and disobeying police orders. [5] The Moscow Main Directorate of the Internal Affairs Ministry described the raid as a "preventative measure" to supposedly control drug and alcohol consumption in the city center. [5] The Kremlin uses conscript and contract forces to enhance manpower for its war against Ukraine. [5] Although conscripts, aged 18-30, only serve 12 months of active duty within Russia, there have been reports of individuals being pressured to sign contracts with Russia's Defense Ministry to fight in Ukraine. [5]
Additional NDLEA Drug Interceptions
In another operation at the Lagos airport, operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilogrammes and valued at N900m. [4] The consignment, which arrived from India aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, was allegedly declared as Paracetamol tablets. [4] In another interception at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 6th November uncovered 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilograms with a street value of N900 million, in a consignment from India declared as Paracetamol Tablets 500mg. [4] The consignment, made up of eleven cartons packed in two wooden structures, arrived at the import shed of the airport on Tuesday 3rd November aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Ahmedabad, India. [4] He further said the agency also intercepted 32 parcels of Loud weighing 16.15 kilogrammes, concealed in two wooden sofas in a cargo shipment from Houston, United States. [4] Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives intercepted 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg concealed in female headwear in a shipment destined for the United Kingdom. [4] The agency also recovered 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2 kilogrammes from two cartons being shipped to the UK. [4] Earlier, the agency had intercepted a large consignment of illicit drugs cleverly concealed in imported furniture, specifically sofas, and women’s headgear. [4]
What to watch next: Further NDLEA operations across commands as the chairman urged personnel to sustain efforts to tackle drug trafficking, alongside any additional executions reported as part of the ongoing series in Iran.
