INTERNACIONAL
Alleged killing by Marine prompts US military to restrict off-base liberty in Okinawa

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The U.S. military in Okinawa, Japan, is beginning an operational pause for 48 hours, prohibiting off-base liberty and ordering training after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing and robbing a woman.
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, Okinawa Area Coordinator and commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, said in a letter on Tuesday that incidents like this «demand we pause for reflection» and that serving on the island «comes with responsibility.»
«We speak often about standards and discipline. Standards are what we expect, and my standards are clear: be accountable for your actions; do the right thing, especially when no one is looking; and always be guided by our core values that govern our conduct at every rank,» he wrote.
«We live, work, and socialize alongside the people of Okinawa; their home is our home. Every interaction with our neighbors either builds or undermines the trust that is essential to our team. When that trust is damaged, it affects the strength of our alliance and the security of this region. Accordingly, we will take time to think hard about discipline, standards and our alliance responsibilities,» Watson added.
THAI RESORT CITY CRACKS DOWN ON PROSTITUTION AHEAD OF USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN ARRIVAL
U.S. MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft are parked at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, on the main island of the Okinawa archipelago, southern Japan, on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
The arrest of the Marine has sparked protests against the heavy American military presence on the southern Japanese island and concerns over military-related crime.
Japanese officials have also lodged a formal protest with the U.S. government. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned U.S. Ambassador George Glass and called for cooperation with the investigation, stricter discipline among U.S. personnel and measures to prevent similar incidents.
The killing could complicate Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to both strengthen the Japanese military on Okinawa and work more closely with the U.S. military to deter China.
The pause in operations will last from Wednesday through Friday, during which no «off-base liberty» or alcohol will be allowed. Restricting troops from leaving military bases and interacting with the local community is a common response by military leaders to major crime incidents.
Service members will receive training on standards, discipline and «our responsibilities as members of the Okinawan community,» Watson said.
«This Period of Training will include discussions on liberty policy, enforcement mechanisms, alcohol awareness, Okinawan culture, and alliance responsibilities. Every member of this force must understand that individual conduct has consequences,» he said.
After the training, which will begin on Friday, troops will transition into a 30-day «Period of Reflection.»
NAVY SAILOR SENTENCED TO 44 YEARS FOR STRANGLING FELLOW SERVICEMEMBER IN VIRGINIA BARRACKS ROOM

Devin Jacob Ballard, a U.S. Marine who has been in custody in connection with the alleged robbery and murder of a woman on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, is sent to the Naha prosecutors’ office in Japan, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (Kotaro Ueda/Kyodo News via AP)
During this period, Watson said there will be «restrictions on liberty» to remind all military personnel that «liberty is a privilege and a collective responsibility.» These restrictions will include a curfew and enhanced supervision.
«Liberty is a mission, and like any other mission it requires discipline, trust and teamwork to complete it successfully,» he said. «Take care of your teammates. Hold one another accountable. Live up to the high standards that come with the uniform you wear.»
Okinawa prefectural police said they arrested Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the island’s capital city of Naha early Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack.
Ballard has denied the allegations.
Security camera footage showed a man entering the hotel with the woman and later leaving alone.

A person looking out at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Kakazutakadai Park in Ginowan, Okinawa prefecture. (PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)
Ballard was arrested after a patrolling officer spotted him walking later on Saturday in an entertainment district in Okinawa City, about 15 miles northeast of Naha. His shaved head and the tattoos on his arms matched those of the man seen in security footage, Kyodo News agency reported.
People in Okinawa have long opposed the heavy U.S. military presence on the island, although some have acknowledged its strategic benefit due to what is seen as a growing threat from China.
Okinawa was under U.S. occupation from World War II until 1972. Now, the U.S. population on the island is nearly 80,000, with nearly 30,000 being active duty troops from all four branches of the armed forces. The Marines make up most of the service members on the island.
A rise in crime linked to U.S. military-related personnel has led to renewed protests on the island. The number of criminal cases involving U.S. military-related personnel rose from about 40 in 2020 to 101 in 2025, according to Okinawa prefectural police.
After three U.S. service members raped a 12-year-old girl in 1995, huge crowds protested the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. There was also frustration over a U.S. service member’s rape of a teenage girl in 2024 and the delayed disclosure of the case.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
marines, military, japan, us marines, world, us, crime world
INTERNACIONAL
Costa Rica inició traslado de 123 reclusos a megacárcel CACCO: ingresaron rapados y con uniformes naranja

El Gobierno de Costa Rica inició el traslado de los primeros 123 privados de libertad al Centro de Alta Contención y Crimen Organizado (CACCO), una nueva prisión de máxima seguridad construida para albergar a personas consideradas de alta peligrosidad y vinculadas con estructuras criminales.
Uno de los aspectos que más llamó la atención fue la apariencia de los reclusos. Las imágenes difundidas por las autoridades muestran a los internos con la cabeza rapada, vestidos con uniformes de color naranja y arrodillados, mientras mantenían la mirada hacia el suelo durante el procedimiento de ingreso.
Las escenas guardan similitudes con las difundidas desde el Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) de El Salvador, una instalación que sirvió de inspiración para el proyecto penitenciario costarricense.
Reclusos ingresaron con el cabello rapado
El corte de cabello fue uno de los elementos más visibles del primer operativo. Los privados de libertad aparecieron con el pelo cortado prácticamente al ras, una imagen que contrasta con la presentación habitual de los internos en otros centros penitenciarios del país.
Aunque las fotografías y grabaciones permiten confirmar que los primeros trasladados estaban rapados, la información difundida hasta ahora no establece si todos fueron sometidos al corte durante el procedimiento de traslado, si se trata de una disposición obligatoria para futuros ingresos o cuáles son las excepciones que podrían aplicarse.
Los nuevos internos también fueron presentados con la vestimenta naranja contemplada para el funcionamiento del CACCO. Este uniforme forma parte de las medidas de identificación y control establecidas para la población penitenciaria que permanecerá en las instalaciones.

Sospechosos del asesinato de un policía estuvieron entre los primeros trasladados
Entre los primeros internos que ingresaron al CACCO se encuentran tres sospechosos del asesinato del oficial de la Fuerza Pública Gerson Rosales Cascante, ocurrido el 13 de mayo en Batán, Limón.
Los hombres, identificados por los apellidos Menocal, Mora y Vílchez, permanecen bajo prisión preventiva por su presunta participación en el crimen.
Su traslado había sido solicitado expresamente por la presidenta de Costa Rica, Laura Fernández Delgado, durante la inauguración del establecimiento penitenciario, realizada el pasado 14 de octubre.
El ministro de Justicia y Paz, Gabriel Aguilar Vargas, anunció posteriormente que este grupo estaría entre los primeros en ingresar al complejo, como parte de la estrategia gubernamental para fortalecer el control sobre personas vinculadas con delitos de especial gravedad.
Una megacárcel con capacidad para 5,100 personas
El CACCO está ubicado dentro del complejo penitenciario de La Reforma, en San Rafael de Alajuela. Su construcción representó una inversión de aproximadamente 33.1 millones de dólares, equivalentes a ₡16,774 millones.
La infraestructura tiene capacidad para 5,100 privados de libertad, distribuidos en cinco módulos de 1.020 espacios cada uno. Las celdas están diseñadas para alojar hasta 60 personas e incluyen literas de tres niveles.
Entre las medidas de seguridad se encuentran cámaras de vigilancia, controles biométricos, equipos de escaneo y pasarelas de supervisión para los agentes penitenciarios.
Según el Ministerio de Justicia, el objetivo es impedir que cabecillas de organizaciones criminales continúen dirigiendo actividades ilícitas desde las prisiones y mejorar la capacidad de respuesta del sistema penitenciario.

Traslados continuarán durante las próximas semanas
La llegada de los primeros 123 internos representa el comienzo de un proceso que las autoridades pretenden desarrollar de manera progresiva, con la expectativa de alcanzar la capacidad total del establecimiento durante diciembre.
El Gobierno sostiene que la ocupación del CACCO contribuirá a reducir la sobrepoblación penitenciaria. Sin embargo, el proyecto también ha generado cuestionamientos.
La Asociación Ayudando a los Privados de Libertad y sus Familias presentó un recurso de amparo ante la Sala Constitucional, en el que cuestionó las condiciones de temperatura, privacidad, seguridad y atención médica del establecimiento.
La agrupación solicitó suspender los traslados mientras se analizan los riesgos denunciados. Por su parte, el Ministerio de Justicia sostiene que las nuevas instalaciones permitirán fortalecer la vigilancia y el control de la población penitenciaria considerada de mayor riesgo.
Con el inicio de las operaciones, Costa Rica puso en funcionamiento uno de sus proyectos penitenciarios más ambiciosos.
corresponsal:Desde San José, Costa Rica
INTERNACIONAL
Israel heads into deeply divided election as Oct. 7 reckoning looms: What to know

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TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — Campaign banners bearing the faces of Israel’s political leaders cover buildings and roadsides, while in homes, coffee shops and family gatherings, the same question dominates conversations: Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain in power?
With Israelis heading to the polls Tuesday, the country is bracing for a closely contested election that could end in another political deadlock. But this vote is unlike any other in Israel’s recent history.
For many Israelis, the election has become a referendum on accountability for the failures that allowed Hamas terrorists to carry out the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre — the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.
TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO ‘FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE
Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot attends an event for his Yashar party, ahead of Israel’s national election in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 25, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
Netanyahu, who has dominated Israeli politics for decades, has resisted calls to accept personal responsibility for the security failures and establish an independent state commission of inquiry. His government instead sought a politically appointed investigation, a proposal fiercely opposed by many bereaved families.
Yet Israel’s divisions began long before Oct. 7.
In the months preceding the attacks, hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest Netanyahu’s proposed judicial overhaul, which critics argued would undermine the country’s democracy. The confrontation spilled into the military, where reservists threatened to suspend volunteer service, raising alarms about Israel’s preparedness. Some critics have argued that the turmoil projected weakness to the country’s enemies, although the extent to which it influenced Hamas’s decision to attack remains disputed.
Three years after the massacre, those divisions have only deepened, transforming Tuesday’s vote into something intensely personal. Political allegiances have strained friendships and divided families, with much of the national debate reduced to a single question: Are you for Netanyahu, widely known as «Bibi,» or against him?
DANNY DANON: FROM OCT 7 TO FLIGHT 1073: THE RESILIENCE THAT KEEPS ISRAEL STANDING

A boy sits on his bicycle next to a campaign banner of Netanyahu’s Likud party, ahead of the Israeli parliamentary election, in Bnei Brak, Israel, October 25, 2026. (Nir Elias/Reuters)
For some families who lost loved ones on Oct. 7, the answer is painfully clear.
Shir Shai, whose brother Yaron Shai, an Israeli soldier, was killed battling Hamas terrorists that day, delivered a stark message to those considering another vote for Netanyahu.
«If you nevertheless decide to vote again for the man who brought disaster upon us and his accomplices, I have one personal request: Don’t come here anymore,» Shai said over her brother’s grave in his memorial ceremony on October 7
«You still have 20 days to be part of the process of putting things right. But if you choose to perpetuate the failure rather than honor the fallen, it would be better if you stayed home next year,» she added.
NETANYAHU PRAISES TRUMP’S ‘WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR,’ DEFENDS IRONCLAD ALLIANCE AHEAD OF HISTORIC ISRAEL VOTE

A woman looks on as people attend a rally to demand the establishment of an independent state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and the events leading up to them, ahead of Israel’s parliamentary election on October 27, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 24, 2026. (Nir Elias/Reuters)
Yet other bereaved families have reached the opposite conclusion, crediting Netanyahu with standing firm through years of war on multiple fronts and arguing that Israel’s military and intelligence establishment bears the principal responsibility for failing to anticipate the Hamas assault.
The deeply polarized atmosphere has been intensified by an increasingly bitter campaign. Just two days before the election, Netanyahu shared an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv, warning of the existential threat posed by Iran if the country elects a leader unable to confront Tehran.
Concerns now extend beyond the election results themselves. Israeli police are preparing for possible unrest after the polls close, while experts have warned about the potential for disputes over the legitimacy of the results — including an extreme scenario resembling the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
With the opposition united in its ambition to replace Netanyahu but divided over how to govern afterward, neither political bloc is assured of a parliamentary majority and the final outcome could take weeks to determine.
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When do polls open and close?
Israelis will vote Tuesday, Oct. 27, with most polling stations opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 10 p.m. local time.
Election Day is a national holiday in Israel, giving voters the opportunity to cast their ballots. Some smaller communities and special polling locations operate on different schedules.
Eligible voters must be Israeli citizens at least 18 years old and generally vote at their assigned polling station. Most Israelis living abroad cannot vote remotely, although exceptions apply to certain official representatives overseas.
How does Israel’s election system work?
Israel has a parliamentary system in which voters select a political party rather than an individual candidate for prime minister.
The country’s parliament, known as the Knesset, has 120 seats, distributed through a system of nationwide proportional representation.
Each party submits a ranked list of candidates, and the number of seats it receives depends on its share of the national vote.
To enter parliament, a party must win at least 3.25% of the valid votes. Parties falling below that threshold receive no seats, potentially changing the balance between rival political blocs.
IRAN IS TRYING TO ‘CREATE A ROT FROM WITHIN’ THROUGH ‘INFORMATION WARFARE,’ ANALYST WARNS

Yair Golan of the Democrats party speaks during a rally to demand the establishment of an independent state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and the events leading up to them, ahead of Israel’s parliamentary election on October 27, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 24, 2026. (Kevin Coombs/Reuters)
When will election results be announced?
Israel’s major television networks are expected to release exit polls immediately after voting ends at 10 p.m. Tuesday (4 p.m. EST).
Those projections will provide the first indication of how many seats each party may win and whether Netanyahu or his rivals appear better positioned to assemble a coalition.
But exit polls are not official results, and even small differences in the final vote could determine whether parties cross the electoral threshold.
Actual vote counts will emerge as ballots are counted, with preliminary results developing after polls close and over the following days.
Israel’s Central Elections Committee has scheduled the publication of official results for Wednesday, Nov. 4 , eight days after the election.
Who are the main candidates?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 77, leads the conservative right-wing Likud party and is seeking to extend his record tenure as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
His main challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, 66, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces who leads the centrist Yashar party and has positioned himself as an alternative to Netanyahu’s leadership.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, 54, is also seeking a political comeback, running on a joint ticket with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
Other significant political figures include former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Democrats leader Yair Golan, and Netanyahu’s right-wing populist allies Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Arab political parties, including Ra’am and the Joint List, could also play a crucial role in determining the final parliamentary balance.
How many seats does a party need to win?
The key number in Israeli politics is 61 — a majority of the 120-seat Knesset.
No single Israeli party has ever won enough seats to control parliament alone, meaning parties generally need to form coalitions with other political factions.
This means the party that wins the most seats does not automatically get to lead the government.
Instead, the decisive question is which political leader can secure enough parliamentary support to govern.
How is Israel’s next prime minister chosen?
Once the official results are published, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult representatives of the newly elected parliamentary factions.
Within seven days, the president must assign a member of the Knesset the task of forming a government.
The president generally selects the politician considered most likely to assemble a governing coalition, who is not necessarily the leader of the largest party.
That candidate initially has 28 days to reach agreements with other parties, with the possibility of an extension of up to 14 additional days.
The proposed government must then win a confidence vote in the Knesset before taking office.
What happens if nobody can form a government?
If the first candidate fails, the president can ask another lawmaker to attempt to form a government, giving that person 28 days without an extension.
If that effort also fails, a majority of 61 lawmakers can request that another candidate be given 14 days to try.
If no government emerges, Israel could face another national election.
Coalition negotiations can take weeks or months. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, the process of forming an Israeli government has historically taken between 20 and 100 days.
Until a new government is sworn in, the outgoing government remains in office.
Why is this election particularly consequential?
Tuesday’s vote is the first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, which triggered the war in Gaza and raised profound questions about Israel’s security leadership.
Beyond Netanyahu’s political future, the next government will face decisions over Israel’s national security, the future of Gaza, military conscription, relations with the United States and the country’s regional diplomatic relationships.

With pre-election polling showing no clear path to a parliamentary majority for either major political bloc, the contest could remain unresolved long after Tuesday’s votes are counted.
israel, elections, benjamin netanyahu, politics, world
INTERNACIONAL
Obama cozies up to Dem Party’s socialist wing as former president makes surprising midterm moves

Former President Barack Obama is increasingly throwing his political weight behind socialist and socialist-aligned Democrats as the party’s left wing gains ground ahead of the midterm elections.
Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates have scored several notable primary victories this year, adding to signs of the left wing’s growing influence in Democratic politics ahead of November’s midterms. While Obama is not backing every socialist candidate, his recent endorsements and campaign appearances show he is willing to bring some of the party’s most progressive figures into the Democratic coalition.
«President Obama remains the most popular figure in Democratic politics and a kingmaker whose support candidates actively seek,» Democratic strategist Kevin Walling told Digital of the president who left office nearly a decade ago. «He understands that a Democrat who can win in New York City and a Democrat who can win in Michigan and Ohio have different politics, and the ability to bring those people into the same coalition is exactly what makes him so valuable.»
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Obama’s embrace of the party’s progressive wing was on display Saturday in Michigan, where he campaigned alongside Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, while also lending his support to Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon in a campaign video.
While El-Sayed does not identify as a democratic socialist or a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he has embraced progressive policies, including Medicare for All, that have become central to the party’s left wing.
During the Michigan rally, Obama invoked healthcare to defend Democrats against accusations that the party has moved too far to the left.
«What is so radical about wanting everybody to have health care?» Obama asked, as he promoted El-Sayed’s pledge to expand access to affordable coverage.
Obama’s comments prompted critics to revisit his own Obamacare-era promises and question the affordability of health care under his signature law. One X commenter sarcastically asked, «I thought someone fixed health care. What happened?» Another responded, «Who’s going to tell him?»
Obama praised Nixon for championing a $15 minimum wage and opposing Republican-backed congressional redistricting maps, calling her a leader «willing to stand up again and again for what’s right» who would make «an outstanding U.S. Senator.»
Nixon, a DSA member, is campaigning on Medicare for All, universal child care, rent protections and higher taxes on billionaires.
The former president has also campaigned with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, whom Republicans have branded a democratic socialist. Talarico has emphasized economic populism, universal health care, stronger unions and campaign-finance restrictions, but does not identify as a socialist.
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Obama’s outreach comes amid a series of primary victories by democratic socialists and other left-wing challengers this year. In Colorado, Melat Kiros defeated longtime Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette, while Donavan McKinney ousted Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan. Socialist-backed candidates also won congressional primaries in New York, building on Zohran Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral victory.
Obama’s support for the party’s socialist left is not new. The former president endorsed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in her 2018 congressional race and former Rep. Jamaal Bowman in 2020, both of whom received backing from the Democratic Socialists of America.
Obama’s public praise of figures tied to communist movements also extends beyond his current campaign allies.
He has repeatedly celebrated Nelson Mandela, who had documented ties to South Africa’s Communist Party, and wrote warmly in «Dreams from My Father» about Frank Marshall Davis, a former Communist Party USA figure who served as a mentor during Obama’s youth.
Obama also reached out to Mamdani during his 2025 campaign for New York City mayor, praising the democratic socialist’s campaign and offering to serve as a sounding board without formally endorsing his candidacy.
DSA’S GROWING GRIP ON DEM PARTY HITS NEW TERRITORY AS ESTABLISHMENT FALLS IN LINE
Democratic strategist Mally Smith defended Obama’s campaign activity, arguing that his support reflects an effort to build a broad coalition rather than a wholesale endorsement of every progressive policy.
«President Obama is, by far, the most popular politician in America. He is traveling around the country supporting Democrats from across the party,» Smith told Digital. «He understands we need a big-tent coalition, and that is why he is helping Democrats as diverse as Josh Turek in Iowa to El-Sayed in Michigan.»
«The Republicans have no equivalent when it comes to Obama’s broad appeal across the electorate,» Smith said. «They are stuck with Trump, who is on a red-state desperation tour because he can’t step foot in any swing state since at-risk Republicans don’t want to be anywhere near him.»
At a campaign rally in Kansas, President Trump called Obama «a rotten president,» while dismissing his planned appearance with El-Sayed.
«I love Michigan. I don’t believe that Michigan values are gonna allow this guy to get in. He’s an arrogant guy. But Barack Hussein Obama is going up there to help him campaign,» said Trump.
WHO IS ANGIE NIXON? BULLHORN-WIELDING SOCIALIST UPSETS ESTABLISHMENT FAVORITE IN SUNSHINE STATE STUNNER
Walling said Obama’s strength comes from his ability to support candidates with different political profiles while keeping them under the same Democratic umbrella.
«The former president doesn’t ask which wing of the party a nominee comes from. He asks whether they can win, and he’s helping Democrats build a party broad enough to compete to do just that,» Walling said.
Obama’s return to the campaign trail comes as Democrats debate whether the party can turn the energy of its socialist and progressive movements into a national coalition — and whether candidates backed by the party’s left can win beyond deep-blue cities and districts.
Digital reached out to Obama’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a reply.
barack obama, politics, democratic party, rise of socialism, democrats elections, democrats senate, abdul el sayed, zohran mamdani
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