Police spokesperson who confirmed the incident detailed that the suspect repeatedly assaulted his lover, Joy Jimoh, during a heated argument.

The tragic event was first reported by 45-year-old Ngozi Gregory, who informed the police that Ademola attacked Joy when she requested repayment of the loan.

The assault left the victim unconscious, and she was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer of the Idanre Division led detectives to the scene, where the suspect was apprehended.

The victim’s body has since been deposited at the morgue for autopsy, while preliminary investigations continue.

Commissioner of Police CP Adebowale Lawal strongly condemned the violent act, describing it as “a senseless and inhumane act of domestic brutality.”

He assured the public that justice would be served and directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for a comprehensive probe.

He further warned that the command would not tolerate any form of domestic violence or abuse, reiterating the police’s resolve to ensure the protection of all residents, particularly women and vulnerable persons, across the state.

The State Department said Tuesday it had determined they should lose their visas after reviewing their online social media posts and clips about Kirk, who was killed while speaking at a Utah college campus on Sept. 10.

The announcement came as President Donald Trump was posthumously awarding him America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. At Kirk’s funeral in September, Trump called him a “great American hero” and “martyr” for freedom.

The administration and its supporters have targeted people for their comments about Kirk, leading to firings or other discipline of journalists, teachers and others, and raising free speech concerns.

The six foreigners who had their visas revoked were from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay and South Africa. They were not identified.

Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “will defend our borders, our culture, and our citizens by enforcing our immigration laws,” the State Department said.

“Aliens who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”

Vice President JD Vance and other top U.S. officials have encouraged people to call out offensive language about Kirk that they see online.

In an unusual tweet last month, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau asked social media users to copy him on any relevant posts, saying he was personally “disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.”

In addition to Tuesday’s action, the administration has ramped up efforts to identify and potentially expel thousands of foreigners in the United States, notably students, who it says have either fomented or participated in unrest or publicly supported protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The administration has also denied visas to applicants whose social media histories have been critical of its policies.

Among the higher-profile cases, the administration has expelled South Africa’s ambassador to the United States for comments critical of Trump, revoked a visa for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the U.N. General Assembly and yanked the visas for British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.

It said it is reviewing the status of the more than 55 million current U.S. visa holders for potential violations of its standards.

Those actions have been criticized by civil rights groups as violations of constitutional protections for freedom of speech, which apply to anyone in the United States and not just to American citizens.

Thomas Weidenmüller claimed in court docs obtained by Page Six that the “Anaconda” rapper and her husband, Kenneth Petty, have refused to pay him the more than $500,000 they owe him after he filed an assault lawsuit against the registered sex offender.

Weidenmüller has now asked a court to help him collect the money by placing Minaj’s 11-bedroom, Hidden Hills, Calif., home up for sale.

“The dwelling is subject to a $13,258,000 mortgage lien and a $722,151 homestead exemption—together just under $14 million,” the court docs read.

“The property’s current fair market value is appraised at $20 million, yielding approximately $6 million in equity beyond the lien and exemption. That amount is more than sufficient to satisfy the judgment, plus accrued interest and enforcement costs.”

Weidenmüller’s legal team claims in the docs that the sale of the pop star’s home “would satisfy the entire judgment, with millions to spare.”

“Minaj is a global music superstar, estimated to have a net worth of anywhere between $150-190 million
and is reportedly the highest paid female rap star in the world,” the docs state.

“There is little doubt that she is highly capable of paying the judgment in full and, yet, she has refused to do so despite multiple written requests for payment and levies served upon several of her suspected creditors. [Weidenmüller] should not have to wait any longer.”

Page Six has reached out to Minaj’s rep for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Us Weekly was first to report the news.

When Weidenmüller worked as a security guard for Minaj’s 2019 concert in Germany, he claimed Petty, 47, sucker punched him in the jaw.

The incident allegedly occurred after the “Starships” emcee, born Onika Maraj, berated a female security guard for allowing a male fan to get onstage during her show.

Minaj, 42, allegedly yelled at the guard, calling her a “f–king bitch” while recording the belittling exchange.

Weidenmüller, who was the head of security for the evening, said he stepped up to console the crying guard before approaching the “Barbershop: The Next Cut” actress to discuss the alleged incident.

“Who do you think you are?” he claimed Minaj yelled before allegedly throwing her shoe at him.

Weidenmüller then claimed the “Moment 4 Life” rapper verbally berated him in her room before Petty punched him out of the blue, breaking his jaw.

Due to the alleged assault, Weidenmüller claimed he had to undergo eight surgeries to repair the damage to his jaw, which involved inserting five plates into his face.

A judge awarded Weidenmüller $503,318 for the damage under a default judgment.

Minaj and Petty tied the knot in October 2019 and welcomed a son, only known as “Papa Bear,” in September 2020.

He noted that Ghana’s responsibilities under international treaties, particularly those prohibiting forced returns, must guide both Parliament and the Executive as they deal with the controversial agreement.

Prof. Appiagyei-Atua explained that even though domestic legal processes, such as the ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Parliament, are important, they cannot override Ghana’s binding commitments as a member of global and regional organisations like the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), and ECOWAS.

He pointed to the principle of non-refoulement as the key standard by which the issue must be judged.

The principle, central to international refugee and human rights law, is found in the UN Refugee Convention and the Convention Against Torture (CAT), both of which Ghana has ratified.

“Parliament is bound by certain international agreements, such as the Convention Against Torture, which Ghana is a party, and certain agreements which, including the Refugee Convention, which includes the principle of non-refoulement, which says that you cannot deport somebody to a country where the person might have already suffered torture,” Professor Atua stated.

He added that the government must ensure no deportation occurs if the person “has already suffered torture,” if returning them “would lead to a continuation of that torture,” or if “there’s reasonable grounds to conclude that torture has been taking place in that place, so taking the person there will result in the person being tortured.”

Prof. Appiagyei-Atua stressed that both the government and Parliament “will have to take into account all these obligations that Ghana has” as part of the international community.

He further suggested that in certain cases, international law may take precedence over local statutes, especially where fundamental human rights are concerned.

“There are certain laws which, as international laws, may override the local laws, or we have to make our laws reflect and conform to those international obligations,” he explained.

“So that would be the final determinant, or the basis for Parliament to rule, or to make a decision as to whether the MOU should be ratified, or made domesticated, and made part of Ghana’s laws,” he added.

His remarks come ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on October 22, where Democracy Hub is contesting the government’s agreement with the United States, which has resulted in the deportation of at least 42 West African nationals—none of whom are Ghanaian—through Ghana.

The group argues that detaining and re-deporting these individuals, particularly those protected by US court orders from being returned to their home countries due to fear of persecution, breaches the very non-refoulement principles Ghana is obligated to uphold.

Source: Myjoyonline

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The changes, which will come into force from 8 January 2026, will affect some graduates and those applying for skilled worker or scale-up visas, which are for people employed by fast-growing businesses.

The new rules form part of wider plans to cut levels of immigration to the UK outlined in a white paper in May.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part.”

“This country has always welcomed those who come to this country and contribute,” Mahmood said.

“But it is unacceptable for migrants to come here without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life.”

Applicants will be tested in person on their speaking, listening, reading and writing at Home Office-approved providers, with their results checked as part of the visa process.

Those applying for skilled worker, scale-up and high potential individual (HPI) visas will be required to reach B2 level – a step up from the current B1 standard, which is equivalent to GCSE.

To come to the UK on the skilled worker visa, migrants have to work for a government-approved employer and earn at least £41,700 a year, or the “going rate” for their type of work, whichever is highest.

The scale-up visa is open to migrants coming to work for a fast-growing UK business. Migrants can apply for a high-potential individual visa if they have been awarded a qualification from a top global university within the last five years.

According to the British Council, which offers English language courses, learners who achieve B2 level can “understand the main ideas of complex texts on concrete or abstract topics.”

They can express themselves “fluently and spontaneously” and communicate comfortably with other English speakers. They can also produce “clear, detailed text on many subjects and explain a complex viewpoint”.

Further English language requirements for other visa routes and family dependants are expected to be introduced in due course, Home Office Minister Mike Tapp told Parliament on Tuesday.

The prime minister previously said the changes outlined in the white paper would make the UK’s immigration system “controlled, selective and fair”.Remove AdsRemove Ads

Home Office estimates suggest the measures could reduce the number of people coming to the UK by up to 100,000 per year.

Net migration to the UK – total permanent arrivals minus total permanent departures – fell to 431,000 in 2024, down almost 50% on the total in 2023, when it reached a record high of 906,000.

Dr Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said the government faced a “trade-off” between “ensuring migrants speak good English and enabling employers to recruit workers who are expected to bring economic benefits.”

Many graduate jobs already require language skills above A-level standard, she said.

The new language requirements will have “more impact in middle-skilled jobs involving technical and manual skills, where employers sometimes do not require high language proficiency”.

Immigration lawyer Afsana Akhtar told BBC News she thought it was “unfair” that migrants had to reach such a high standard of English “because even many people in the UK probably wouldn’t be able to pass English A-level”.

“This would rule out even skilled workers who want to come and contribute to our British economy,” she said.

“The GCSE standard is sufficient – and then when they come live here, [and] integrate into England and the English way of life, their English will improve inevitably.”

Other measures in the white paper include cutting the time period international students can stay in the UK to find a graduate job after their course ends from two years to 18 months, which will take effect from January 2027.

Students will also have to meet higher financial requirements, raised to £1,171 per month outside London (from £1,136) for up to nine months.

The Global Talent visa, for high achievers in technology, arts and academia fields, has also been expanded to include winners of more prestigious prizes.

Source: BBC

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Odinga died on Wednesday while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in India.

In recent weeks, there has been speculation about his health, although family members and political allies had dismissed reports suggesting he was critically ill.

A political mobiliser and towering figure in Kenyan politics, Odinga ran unsuccessfully for the presidency five times. He rejected the results on each occasion, often saying that victory had been stolen from him.

He was vindicated by Kenya’s highest court after the 2017 elections, when it annulled Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory and ordered fresh polls. However, he boycotted the rerun, demanding electoral reforms.

He has often reconciled with the incumbent president after contentious elections.

After his most recent defeat in 2022, he later joined President William Ruto in a so-called broad-based government, which brought several of his allies into key positions.

He defended the move as necessary for national unity, coming in the aftermath of watershed nationwide protests last year that culminated in the storming of parliament. Dozens of protesters were killed in confrontations with security officers.

The Ruto administration backed Odinga’s bid to become chairperson of the African Union Commission, in elections held earlier this year. Despite strong regional support, he lost to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

Odinga inspired a passionate and loyal following throughout his political career, especially in western Kenya, where he was from.

His supporters called him “Baba” (Father), “Agwambo” (Act of God), and “Tinga” (Tractor) – drawn from his party’s symbol during the 1997 elections.

He was widely regarded as a master strategist and mass mobiliser, often drawing huge crowds to his political rallies, and he had a deep ability to connect with ordinary people.

He will be remembered for his unwavering fight for democratic freedoms and human rights.

He was a former political prisoner, and holds the record for being Kenya’s longest-serving detainee. His struggle against one-party dictatorship saw him detained twice (from 1982 to 1988 and 1989 to 1991) during the rule of Daniel arap Moi.

He was initially imprisoned for trying to stage a coup in 1982, which propelled him on to the national stage.

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“Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma said in a speech on his Facebook page from his hometown of Garoua in the north of the Central African state.

“The people have chosen. And this choice must be respected.”

Tchiroma, a former government spokesperson and employment minister in his late seventies, broke ranks with Biya earlier this year and mounted a campaign that drew large crowds and endorsements from a coalition of opposition parties and civic groups.

Without naming Tchiroma, Biya’s Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) on Tuesday condemned the self-declared victory as a “grotesque hoax,” adding that only the Constitutional Council is enabled to proclaim results

It is “an inadmissible act in a state governed by the rule of law,” CPDM spokesperson Jacques Fame Ndongo said in a statement.

The Minister of Territorial Administration also criticized Tchiroma in a separate statement and promised to maintain public order and ensure the protection of people and their property during the electoral period.

Biya, 92, the world’s oldest serving head of state, is seeking an eighth term after 43 years in power. Analysts had expected his control over state institutions and a fragmented opposition to give him an edge in the election, despite growing public discontent over economic stagnation and insecurity.

Tchiroma praised voters for defying intimidation and staying at polling stations late into the night to protect their ballots.

“I also thank candidates who have already sent me their congratulations and recognised the will of the people,” Tchiroma said.

“We have placed the regime before its responsibilities: either it shows greatness by accepting the truth of the ballot box, or it chooses to plunge the country into turmoil that will leave an indelible scar in the heart of our nation,” he warned.

Cameroon’s electoral law allows results to be published and posted at polling stations, but final tallies must be validated by the Constitutional Council, which has until October 26 to announce the outcome.

Tchiroma said he would soon release a region-by-region breakdown of vote tallies compiled from publicly posted results.

“This victory is not that of one man, nor of one party. It is the victory of a people,” he said.

He also called on the military, security forces and government administrators to remain loyal to the “republic, not the regime”.

Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji warned over the weekend that any unilateral publication of results would be considered “high treason.”

Cameroon’s single-round electoral system awards the presidency to the candidate with the most votes. More than 8 million people were registered to vote in the election.

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Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service said.

Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka’s Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.

Large fires are relatively common in densely populated Bangladesh, often due to lax safety standards and poor infrastructure. Hundreds of people have been killed in fires in recent years.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse in Mirpurhad not been completely doused, media reports said.

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when burned.

Fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told local media the victims probably died “instantly” after inhaling “highly toxic gas”.

Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, Mr Chowdhury told reporters.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.

Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.

Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

“When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven’t found her….I just want my daughter back,” he told Reuters news agency.

In 2021, a fire at a food and drink factory left at least 52 people dead and another 20 injured. The factory was built illegally and had no emergency exit, an investigation later found.

In 2019, a fast-moving fire swept through a historic district in Dhaka, killing at least 78 people, including members of a bridal party.

The country’s most deadly industrial accident to date took place in 2013, when an eight-storey commercial building collapsed owing to a structural failure, killing more than 1,100 people.

Police said that on Monday morning, a 56-year-old man, armed with a bow and arrows, approached officers at the gate of the State House and was ordered to surrender. Instead, he moved forward and shot PC Ramadhan Matanka in the ribs.

The policeman was immediately taken to the hospital but died while undergoing treatment, according to a police statement.

The attack has raised questions about possible security lapses as the State House is one of Kenya’s most heavily guarded locations.

PC Matanka’s body is now in a mortuary, and there will be a post-mortem later

An investigation is also underway to establish the motive behind the attack.

Local media are reporting that the dead policeman had been among those screening vehicles entering the State House.

The alleged attacker, who had reportedly disguised himself as a homeless person carrying a sack concealing the weapons, was detained following the assault.

Video footage, published by Kenyan television channel NTV later on Monday, showed a handcuffed man with visible injuries. He was in a police vehicle and was reportedly being taken to the hospital for treatment.

The man is expected to appear in court later on Tuesday, local media are reporting.

“The National Police Service condemns this heinous act and commends the officers for their swift response, which prevented further harm,” police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said.

He sent his condolences to the family of the dead policeman, noting that the officer had “paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.”

Source: BBC

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The talks, which coincided with the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and China, centered on enhancing political and economic cooperation between the two countries.

President Xi reaffirmed China’s dedication to strengthening its partnership with Ghana, noting that both nations should collaborate to advance shared interests and foster development.

According to him, China is ready to work with Ghana to promote the upgrading of cooperation in various fields and make greater contributions to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

He underscored the importance of implementing the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and exploring new areas of collaboration in mining, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and fisheries.

Xi further indicated that China would assist Ghana in converting its natural resource wealth into sustainable development and expressed hope that Ghana would soon benefit from China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries.

President Mahama, in his remarks, congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, describing the event as “of great significance” and a testament to China’s leadership in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide.

He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the One-China policy and expressed optimism about strengthening cooperation in key sectors.

President Mahama also emphasized Ghana’s support for multilateralism and reforms in global governance, pledging to back initiatives that promote fairness and justice in international relations.

The meeting reaffirmed the enduring relationship between Ghana and China, with both leaders expressing confidence in a stronger, more dynamic, and mutually beneficial partnership in the years ahead.

Source : Adomonline

Like many couples, they had never discussed organ donation, but she knew it was what he would have wanted.

Now, Arlene and son, Jack, 12, take comfort in the knowledge that Mark has helped transform the lives of others.

She said, “He lives on in four people. That can only be a good thing.”

Arlene and Jack, who live near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, hope that their story encourages people to speak about the sensitive subject before it is too late.

They also want to raise awareness about strokes.

Arlene, 51, who works in marketing, met Mark in 2004.

He worked in behavioural health and safety, but they did not become a couple until 2007.

Arlene described him as the love of her life, and they married in New York in 2010.

Jack was born two years later, and they were soon joined by pet dog, Luna.

She recalled, “We had a really happy life together, the three of us.”

Arlene said they had a “healthy” family lifestyle.

The couple were non-smokers, ate well, and enjoyed taking Luna for walks.

But last summer their lives were suddenly turned upside down.

Arlene and Jack took the dog for a walk while Mark was in the shower getting ready for a family event.

When they got back, Arlene said Mark was emotional.

“He told me he was not feeling right at all and had fallen,” she said. “He just wasn’t himself. And he had a numb tongue.”

Mark’s speech started to go, and one side of his face drooped—classic stroke symptoms.

“It was very, very distressing,” she said.

They tried to keep him calm while they waited for an ambulance.

After arriving in the hospital, Arlene was told her husband had a blood clot in the brain but was still conscious and sitting up.

She said there was “fear” in Mark’s eyes, and he was taken to the stroke ward.

Over the coming days, the talk was of recovery.

But Mark then suffered a second stroke and lost consciousness.

Arlene said she “still had hope” as they waited for scan results, but they revealed the “devastating” news that Mark’s brain had been left severely damaged.

“There was not any good outcome,” she said.

“I knew Mark would never want to be like that, where he just could not do anything for himself.

“I will never have to do anything as hard as tell Jack.”

As Arlene came to terms with the news, she spoke to the donor team.

‘Recipient’s life has changed’

She said, “We decided that was what we would like to do.

“Mark was going to die. I felt it was an easy decision for me to make.

“Knowing the person Mark was, I know that he would have wanted this wholeheartedly to help others.”

He died two days later and was taken to the theatre.

Arlene said, “The amazing specialist organ donation team stepped in.

“They cared for Mark and my family with so much dignity and respect.

“They were with us during our darkest moments and when Mark passed away.

“The team found four recipients for Mark’s organs, and we have amazingly since heard from one recipient whose life has completely changed since gaining two kidneys from Mark.”

Arlene and Jack recently unveiled an art installation at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, which pays tribute to organ donors.

Artist Shelagh Swanson was commissioned to work with the relatives of donors, along with young people at more than a dozen secondary schools, to create the ripple-effect art.

Workshops were held with secondary school pupils across Aberdeen and in Aberdeenshire in Stonehaven, Kemnay, Huntly, Inverurie, and Peterhead.

Arlene said she was honoured to unveil the artwork and added, “I am in awe of what the small but dedicated organ donation team achieves and will be forever grateful to them.”

What is the law on organ donation in Scotland?

Everyone in Scotland became an automatic organ donor from 2021 under new laws, unless they opt out.

Under the previous system, more than half of Scotland’s population were registered to donate their organs or tissue after their death.

It is now presumed that people have consented to donation unless they have stated otherwise.

There are some exemptions, including children under the age of 16 and adults who lack the capacity to understand the new law—for example, those with dementia.

The aim is that more people can be given life-saving and life-changing transplants.

People who do not want their organs to be donated for a transplant can opt out through the Organ Donation Scotland website.

Arlene said her husband “just wanted to spread joy.”

She added, “He was caring, a big softie. He had a massive smile on his face all the time. He was such a happy man.”

Reflecting on his loss, she said, “We will never know why, as it was completely out of the blue.

“It’s been over a year, and every day is hard. All of this has changed our lives.”

Jack, now 13, described his dad as “always upbeat [and] joyful.”

He said, “He was a lot of fun, always doing silly things to make us laugh. He would always wind us up.”

Asked how he felt about his father’s organs ultimately helping four other people, Jack replied, “It’s a comfort.

“I am very proud.”

Source: BBC

The industrial action comes just weeks after universities resumed for a new academic year.

Announcing the decision, the leader of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Chris Piwuna, described the decision as “inevitable” due to what he said were government failures.

The government has urged lecturers to reconsider the strike, stressing that constructive dialogue remains the best way to resolve the crisis.

The government added that striking lecturers can expect not to be paid under the country’s “No Work, No Pay” labour law.

In a statement, it said it had made a comprehensive offer to the union addressing key issues such as working conditions, institutional governance and staff welfare.

The government added that it was still awaiting ASUU’s official response.

Nigeria’s university lecturers have a long history of industrial action over issues of funding, salaries, and welfare.

ASUU’s disputes with successive governments date back to the 1980s.

Agreements reached in 1992, 2009, and 2013 have often gone unfulfilled, prompting repeated strikes.

The last major one in 2022 lasted for eight months, disrupting the academic calendar and affecting millions of students nationwide.

It took an industrial court to stop the strike and force the teachers to go back to the classrooms.

Observers say these recurring strikes reflect deeper structural challenges in Nigeria’s higher education sector, including chronic underfunding, politicised management and a persistent lack of trust between the government and university unions.

Source: BBC

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“A new and beautiful day is rising, and now the rebuilding begins,” said Trump, praising regional leaders who helped cement the truce between Israel and Hamas.

Earlier, in his address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, the president told cheering lawmakers that “the long and painful nightmare is finally over.”

Israel is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 other Palestinians detained during the two-year military operations in Gaza in exchange for the last 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The exchange, the first phase of Trump’s peace plan, is also due to include the return of the bodies of 28 dead Israeli hostages.

In Egypt, Trump was all smiles in the company of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and more than 20 other leaders from around the world.

“Everybody’s happy,” Trump said, adding that he had done “big deals before,” but “this has taken off like a rocket ship.”

“This took 3,000 years to get to this point, can you believe it? And it’s going to hold up too,” he said.

After the ceremony, President al-Sisi awarded Trump the Order of the Nile, a necklace made of pure gold considered to be Egypt’s highest honour.

The Egyptian president called the day a “historic milestone that ends an agonising chapter.”

Among the many world leaders at the summit who stood for a photo opportunity with Trump was Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who less than a week ago was blocked by the US from attending the UN General Assembly in New York.

Although the first phase of the ceasefire agreement has been enacted, there is a lingering question over what role the Palestinian Authority might eventually play in Gaza.

Trump said the second phase of negotiations on a peace agreement was underway.

During his address to the Knesset, the American president suggested the region was experiencing “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

His words echoed the phrasing he used when Israel signed landmark deals with several Arab states during his first presidency.

“At last, not only for Israelis but also Palestinians, the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” Trump told the Israeli parliament.

Adding to the jubilant atmosphere in the room were politicians’ chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump.”

The ceasefire that he helped to broker was “the most challenging breakthrough of them all, the most challenging breakthrough maybe ever,” the US leader reflected. He indicated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war would be his next focus.

Trump gave an insight into some of his recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he felt the Israeli military campaign in Gaza was becoming “bad” and “heated.”

“I said, ‘Bibi, you’re going to be remembered for this far more than if you kept this thing going, going, going, kill, kill, kill,'” Trump recalled.

Introducing Trump to parliament, Netanyahu called the US president the “greatest friend” Israel had ever had in the White House.

“Everything changed” in the American attitude to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza when Trump was re-elected as US president last year, he said.

The Israeli prime minister thanked Trump for his “unremitting help” in securing the return of the remaining hostages – part of a group of 251 people seized during the 7 October 2023 attacks in southern Israel by Hamas.

Trump went on to offer a tribute of his own to his counterpart, saying: “He’s not the easiest guy to deal with, but that’s what makes him great.”

Also welcomed to the Knesset alongside Trump were other key US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The names of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner received particularly loud cheers from Israeli MPs for their own roles in brokering the ceasefire. Kushner was accompanied by his wife, Ivanka Trump.

Members of Trump’s audience wore red caps. Instead of Trump’s signature slogan “Make America Great Again”, they read “Trump the Peace President”.

Trump was told by the parliamentary speaker that there was “no-one” more deserving of next year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Some Israeli lawmakers who want the war in Gaza to continue did not attend.

Trump’s speech was briefly interrupted as an opposition parliament member held up a piece of paper that said “Recognise Palestine.” At least one person was escorted out of the room.

The ceasefire in Gaza took effect on Friday morning after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. The next phases are still to be negotiated.

Trump has said the ceasefire will hold and that a “board of peace” he is due to head would quickly be set up to administer the territory.

Source: BBC 

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Downdetector, which monitors web outages, showed more than 130,000 people had flagged problems affecting their Vodafone broadband or mobile network on Monday afternoon.

According to its website, the firm has more than 18 million customers in the UK, including nearly 700,000 home broadband customers.

In an updated statement on Monday evening, Vodafone apologised to customers and said its network was “recovering”.

“This afternoon the Vodafone network had an issue affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services,” a company spokesperson said.

“2G voice calls and SMS messaging were unaffected and the network is now recovering.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this caused our customers.”

It comes after people on social media said they were struggling to access Vodafone customer service operators, amid ongoing issues affecting mobile data and broadband.

Many also said they have had difficulty accessing the company’s website and app, which typically allow people to view the status of its network services.

Customers have also taken to social media to complain of “complete outages” in their area.

The issues appear to have begun for customers shortly after 15:00 BST.

Internet monitor Netblocks said in a post on X that live network data showed Vodafone was experiencing “a national outage” impacting both broadband and mobile data.

Some customers expressed being doubly frustrated by not being able to access their Wi-Fi or mobile data.

“Sort it out soon please,” wrote one frustrated X user – who said they were having to use a coffee shop’s Wi-Fi to access online services, without the means to do so using their mobile data or broadband.

Another said they were self-employed and could not work because of the outage, adding: “Never regretted more having my mobile and broadband on the same network.”

The issues are also understood to have impacted some Vodafone shops.

‘Dropped off the internet’

The issues affecting Vodafone services have also impacted customers of other telecoms firms that use its network.

Downdetector saw a similar spike in reports on Monday afternoon from users of the mobile network Voxi, which is owned by Vodafone.

Lebara, which piggy-backs off Vodafone’s network, has also been affected by the company’s outage.

“Outages have been reported across multiple networks across broadband and mobile services,” said Sabrina Hoque, telecoms expert at Uswitch.

These, she added, can be “a really frustrating experience for customers, especially when it’s not clear how long it could last”.

Vodafone has not yet said how long it expects its outage to last – though its website since appears to have come back online.

Cloudflare Radar, which tracks and displays patterns in global internet traffic, said in a post on Bluesky earlier it had “effectively dropped off the internet, with traffic dropping to zero”.

The company has also not said what caused the issue affecting its networks.

“Incidents like this are often caused by a technical fault or configuration error rather than a major cyber-attack, so until more details are confirmed it’s best not to speculate,” said Daniel Card, a cyber expert with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

“Having teams capable of diagnosing and responding rapidly to network failures is key to maintaining public trust and keeping the UK’s digital infrastructure running smoothly.”

Source: BBC

Ganich’s death shocked Ukraine’s crypto community, where he had gained prominence for his trading insights and commentary on digital asset adoption. His passing has reignited discussions about the mental health pressures faced by traders and influencers amid the volatility of global markets.

The tragedy coincided with a severe sell-off that saw Bitcoin tumble 9.5% to $111,000, while Solana and XRP dropped nearly 20%. Data from CoinGecko and CoinGlass revealed that the crash triggered over $19 billion in liquidations, largely from leveraged long positions. The largest single liquidation, valued at $203 million, occurred on the Hyperliquid exchange in the ETH/USDT pair.

Analysts attributed the downturn to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing. The announcement spurred widespread risk aversion, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 falling 2.7% and 3.5% respectively.

In the aftermath, Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek called for regulatory reviews of major exchanges following massive losses.

He questioned whether trading platforms had temporarily halted operations, potentially preventing users from responding during the sell-off. Data showed Hyperliquid accounted for $10.3 billion of forced closures, followed by Bybit and Binance, which also faced technical disruptions.

As investigations continue, Ganich’s death underscores the emotional toll of extreme financial volatility. His passing serves as a somber reminder of the human cost behind market turmoil, especially in a nation increasingly dependent on digital finance for stability.

Source: tribune.com.pk

His opponents include former government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma, 76, who has galvanised large crowds demanding an end to Biya’s long tenure and drawn endorsements from a platform of some opposition parties and civic groups.

However, analysts say that Biya, in power since 1982, is likely to be reelected given his firm control over state institutions and the fragmented nature of an opposition field of nine candidates.

Just over 8 million Cameroonians registered to vote. Results are expected within 15 days, and there are no exit polls.

DECADES OF ECONOMIC STAGNATION

“Nothing is given. Let’s wait and see. Let’s wait for the name of the winner,” Biya told journalists after voting in the upscale Bastos neighbourhood near the presidential palace in the capital Yaounde.

Outside, voters trickled in amid tight security around the president to cast their ballots.

“I hope it will go well, particularly for my champion,” said one voter, Patrick Mbarga Mboa, 45, declining to say who he supported. “I hope peace and tranquillity will continue in the country after the election.”

Biya’s critics are still hoping he can be ousted after decades of economic stagnation and tensions in the Central African nation of 30 million people, an oil and cocoa producer.

“This election comes at a time when the whole nation aspires for change,” Tchiroma said after voting in his hometown of Garoua in the North region.

He urged voters to remain vigilant and make sure that the results announced by the constitutional council reflect the result from ballot boxes.

In a sign of rising tensions around the election, a Reuters journalist saw security forces fire teargas to disperse hundreds of Tchiroma’s supporters, who tried to gather around his residence in Garoua after the area was cordoned off.

BIYA’S SLOGAN: ‘GREATNESS AND HOPE’

Biya abolished term limits in 2008 and has long deployed divide-and-rule tactics. The single-round electoral system gives victory to the candidate with the most votes, even if they have not secured a majority.

“A surprise is still possible, but a divided opposition and the backing of a formidable electoral machine will, we predict, give the 92-year-old his eighth term,” said Francois Conradie, lead political economist at Oxford Economics.

“Although we think he isn’t very aware of what is going on, it seems that the machine he built will divide to rule one last time,” Conradie added in a note.

Under the slogan “Greatness and Hope”, Biya has held just one campaign rally, in the northern city of Maroua, relying instead on tightly controlled state media and posts on social media, while his team promises more economic development.

“I want to see change, improvement, maybe a new face. I’m 43 years old. I’ve never known another president,” said Magdalene Tientcheu, who lives in Douala, Cameroon’s business hub. “I hope for that. I voted for a new face.”

Source: Reuters

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The US embassy in Mali said on Friday the fee had been introduced to reinforce Washington’s “commitment to protecting America’s borders and safeguarding US national security”.

Mali’s foreign ministry said on Sunday the bond had been imposed unilaterally, and it had decided to “establish an identical visa programme” for US citizens.

The visa policy shift comes despite moves to improve diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In July, US officials visited Mali to discuss counterterrorism cooperation and economic partnerships, including potential access to Mali’s gold and lithium reserves.

Relations deteriorated after a coup in Mali in 2021 led to Gen Assimi Goïta sweeping to power.

He pivoted the West African state towards Russia in a bid to stem a growing insurgency by jihadists.

He expelled French troops and brought in mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group, which is under Moscow’s defence ministry. They have since been replaced by Africa Corps.

Last week, Burkina Faso’s military government refused to take in deportees from the US, as Washington suspended issuing visas in the West African nation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré questioned if the embassy’s decision was “blackmail” after he said he had rejected a US proposal to take in migrants from third-world countries.

The Trump administration has turned to African countries as a destination to deport migrants to as part of its crackdown on immigration.

Source: BBC

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• Chad suspends visas to US citizens in response to Trump travel ban

Keaton, who was born in Los Angeles, shot to fame in the 1970s through her role as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather films.

She was also known for starring roles in films including Father of the Bride, First Wives Club and Annie Hall, which won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1978.

Producer and friend of Keaton, Dori Rath, confirmed the actress’s death to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

For Annie Hall, Keaton also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Motion Picture and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Throughout her more than five-decade career, Keaton starred in dozens of other films including The Family Stone, Because I Said So, And So It Goes, as well as a number of other Woody Allen films, like Play It Again, Sam, Sleeper, Love and Death and Manhattan.

Keaton made her film debut in the 1970 romantic comedy Lovers and Other Strangers. Her most recent film was the 2024 comedy Summer Camp where she starred alongside Eugene Levy and Kathy Bates.

Keaton also directed several films, the first of which was a 1987 documentary, Heaven, chronicling people’s beliefs about the afterlife. Her 1995 film Unstrung Heroes – a comedy-drama starring Andie MacDowell, John Turturro and Michael Richards – was selected for Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard, which showcases unique stories by emerging directors.

Most recently, Keaton directed Hanging Up in 2000, a comedy-drama starring herself, Meg Ryan and Lisa Kudrow.

Both in her film roles and in her personal life, Keaton was known for her unique style, which often featured menswear and a wide-brimmed hat.

Keaton died in California on Saturday, a family spokesperson told People magazine, which first reported the news.

Paying tribute, her First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.”

“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was … oh, la, lala!”

Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”

Keaton was nominated for three further Oscars – all in the best actress category – for her work in Something’s Gotta Give, Marvin’s Room and Reds.

She never married and had two adopted children – a daughter, Dexter, and a son, Duke.

In her 2011 autobiography, titled Then Again, Keaton wrote: “I have assessed my happiness ratio and this is the result. I am totally content whenever the ones I love are happy about something little, big, insignificant, whatever.

“I just don’t think anyone could possibly have the same wonderful, intense, compelling feelings that I have for this family of mine.”

Source: BBC

The aircraft came down on the pedestrian bridge in the beach parking lot between Twin Dolphins Drive and Beach Boulevard around 2 p.m., according to a statement from the City of Huntington Beach. The parking is across the street from several hotels on Pacific Coast Highway.

“I never thought that that would happen, never in a million years,” one witness said.

The wreckage was wedged inside trees against the front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Citizen app video shows first responders at the scene, along with bystanders.

“We were at the beach, just catching some waves, then we heard this loud ‘pop, pop,’ we turn around, and we just see the helicopter come crashing down,” another witness said.

Huntington Beach police said two people who were inside the helicopter were safely pulled from the wreckage in unknown condition. Three pedestrians were injured, according to police. All five individuals were taken to the hospital. Further details on the extent of their injuries were unknown.

The beach was crowded with people in town for an event called Cars N’ Copters. The helicopter involved in the crash was scheduled to take part in the event, the city confirmed. At last check, the event is still scheduled to take place on Sunday.

“I heard the ‘pop, pop’ and I was like, ‘No, he’s going down,'” a witness told ABC7. “This could have been a lot worse, a lot worse. There was hundreds of people lined up. It could have been a lot worse.”

Officials said the NTSB will investigate the cause of the crash.

Beachgoers said they were thankful for the swift response from first responders.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified.

Eyewitness News reached out to both the FAA and NTSB, and both sent automatic replies saying that during the government shutdown, they would not be able to reply to all inquiries.

Source: abc7news.com

Osefo, 41, and her husband, Eddie, were booked on criminal fraud charges in Maryland, TMZ reports. The star faces 16 charges, seven of which are felonies, for allegedly making false or misleading statements for fraud over $300. Osefo also faces a misdemeanor count of making a false statement to a police officer.

The charges come more than a year after the couple reported a burglary that police say was bogus. The Osefos reported that their home in Finksburg, Maryland, had been raided and that they were robbed of designer bags and jewelry while they were away on vacation in Jamaica.

Per TMZ’s reporting, court documents revealed deputies’ findings alleging Osefo later posted on Instagram showing herself wearing a diamond ring that she had reported missing.

Police also said the Osefos returned items they claimed to be stolen to the store where they were bought and obtained “a full refund” before the alleged burglary. The couple reportedly claimed $450,000 of personal property loss for insurance purposes.

Osefo, a college professor at Johns Hopkins University who holds a Ph.D., has been on The Real Housewives of Potomac since Season 5. Her co-star, Karen Huger, was released early from prison last month after a DUI-related conviction.

Source: yahoo.com

The symbolic leadership handover, part of Plan International’s Girls’ Takeover initiative, shines a spotlight on this year’s theme: “Skilling and Expanding Economic Opportunities for Girls.”

Muya’s personal story is one of resilience and transformation. She became a mother at 15 after dropping out of school, a fate shared by many girls in Uganda due to early marriage and limited access to education. But Muya refused to let her story end there.

Today, she mentors 35 young mothers in her community through safe spaces that offer psychosocial support, parenting guidance, and life skills training.

“Today I take on this role not just for myself, but for all the girls whose dreams have been interrupted by child marriage. My story shows that girls can become leaders of the future. Young women can have high aspirations and drive Uganda’s economic growth.”

Muya said during her official address as High Commissioner. The event was hosted by Her Excellency Lisa Chesney MBE, the current British High Commissioner to Uganda, who praised Muya’s courage and leadership.

“This takeover is a powerful reminder of the need to amplify girls’ voices. Empowered girls can become changemakers, leading in business and all walks of life. I want to see a future where all girls can aspire to reach the top of their chosen professions,” said Chesney.

The symbolic handover was not just a photo opportunity, but a call to action. According to Phoebe Kasoga, Country Director of Plan International Uganda, it underscores the urgency of investing in girls’ futures.

“Jane Muya’s story reflects both the challenges many girls face and the possibilities that emerge when they are empowered,” said Kasoga.

“This takeover is not only symbolic, it is a rallying cry to accelerate efforts to end child marriage and create an environment where girls can thrive as equal partners in shaping Uganda’s future.”

The Girls’ Takeover initiative, run by Plan International, places girls in influential roles around the world to raise awareness of the obstacles they face, such as child marriage, gender-based violence, and lack of access to education, and to showcase their leadership potential.

As the world prepares to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, Jane Muya’s message is clear: girls are not just capable of leading in the future, they are ready to lead now.

Source: Nilepost.co.Uganda

A judge had ordered Rubén Abelardo Ortiz López to return to court in May, and she believed that meant a reprieve from his potential deportation to Ecuador.

Instead, as soon as they stepped out of the courtroom with their children, she was torn from her husband’s arms and thrown to the ground by immigration officers as they detained him.

“One of them charged at me so aggressively that I was terrified, and he ended up throwing me to the ground,” Ms Moreta Galarza told BBC News Mundo in Spanish. “They treated us like animals.”

The incident, which has since gone viral, led to one immigration agent being temporarily suspended. But it is not an isolated occurrence. The BBC witnessed similar incidents at the courthouse, while others—including an aggressive encounter between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the media—have sparked public outcry.

ICE’s operations inside the building have created a charged, tense environment, attorneys said.

“I would honestly sum it up as just traumatic,” said Allison Cutler, a New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) attorney who works at 26 Federal Plaza.

“It’s traumatic for the clients we’re serving, for the families getting ripped apart.”

While many of the detentions at 26 Federal Plaza are swift and non-violent, reporters and lawyers have witnessed several chaotic episodes in recent weeks.

On a Tuesday in late August, the BBC watched as a dozen officers waiting outside a courtroom descended on a man, two women, and a small boy. They quickly detained the man, and a melee ensued as the group fought to stay together.

The crying woman, clinging to the detained man, was wrenched away by a federal officer—who appeared to be the same man who pulled Ms Moreta Galarza from her husband—as the man was carted off.

The judge closed the courtroom, and, as a result, the BBC could not verify details of the case. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not provide details of the man’s current status, but stated that the agency “takes its responsibility to protect children seriously”.

They added that ICE gives parents the option of being removed with their children or having them placed with a designated individual.

After the images of the incident with Ms. Moreta Galarza spread on social media, DHS reported that the officer involved in the incident had been disciplined.

Then last week, immigration officers were captured on video shoving two journalists to the ground as they tried to document a possible detention. One of the journalists could not get up and was transported to the hospital.

“Nothing like this has happened with journalists before,” Olga Fedorova, the other photojournalist thrown to the floor, told the BBC. Ms. Fedorova frequently reports from the building and said that before the incident, “We were able to work with federal agents, around federal agents, with no incidents 99% of the time.”

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told the BBC in a statement that officers were making an arrest when they were “swarmed by agitators and members of the press, which obstructed operations.”

Ms McLaughlin said that “officers repeatedly told the crowd of agitators and journalists to get back, move, and get out of the elevator.”

Chaotic encounters with government officials have played out multiple times in the lower Manhattan building this year, as immigration courts become key sites of a mass deportation initiative ordered by the Trump administration.

Half of the 3,320 immigrants ICE has detained in the New York City area between Trump’s inauguration and the end of July were arrested at 26 Federal Plaza, according to data obtained by the Deportation Data Project. The numbers suggest the building’s immigration courts and offices are a primary engine of the administration’s deportation plans in America’s biggest city.

About three quarters of people arrested at 26 Federal Plaza since Trump’s inauguration did not have past criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, the Deportation Data Project numbers suggest.

Officers routinely pull multiple detainees from their hearings without giving them the chance to speak to lawyers.

“We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Benjamin Remy, a NYLAG lawyer who spends several days a week working with immigrants at Federal Plaza.

Many immigrants no longer show up to court, he said. At one August hearing, a man with a criminal record failed to appear. The judge therefore ordered him removed from the country and threw out his asylum case.

His attendance may not have changed the outcome; immigration enforcement was assembled outside that courtroom as well.

Non-citizens in the US without a visa or similar documentation have always been subject to removal, said Triciah Claxton, supervising attorney with Safe Passage, an immigration rights group focused on minors.

“There used to be a concentrated effort on those who might have had criminal histories or prior arrests,” said Ms Claxton, whose clients mostly appear virtually to avoid detention.

But now, she said, that net appears to have widened.

“You see a lot of people who are in the process—they have asylum claims pending, they have other forms of relief pending—are still being taken in,” Ms. Claxton said.

Legal experts say this is an abuse of the courts system and puts immigrants into an impossible position. If they turn up for court hearings, as they are instructed to do, they could be arrested. But if they skip their court date, a judge could automatically order their deportation.

The government argues it has broad authority to detain people who are in the US illegally.

The administration says it is removing dangerous criminals from the country, and the White House and Department of Homeland Security frequently tout the arrests and detentions of undocumented migrants with violent criminal histories.

It says it makes arrests in immigration court for safety reasons.

“DHS enforcement operations are highly targeted, and officers do their due diligence. We know who we are targeting ahead of time,” an agency official said in a statement to BBC.

A New York Times/Siena poll found that the majority of respondents, 54%, supported deporting people who are here illegally. Over half (51%) felt the government was targeting the right people.

In the case of Rubén Abelardo Ortiz López, whose wife Ms Moreta Galarza, was pushed to the floor, the government says he was a violent criminal and that it was justified in arresting him at court.

Ortiz López entered the country illegally on 20 March 2024 and was wanted after being arrested on 18 June for “assault and criminal obstruction of airway or bloodstream.”

“President Trump and Secretary (of Homeland Security Kristi) Noem will not allow criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American citizens,” the statement added.

“If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will arrest you, and you will never return.”

But for Ms Moreta Galarza, the incident at the courthouse reminded her of the injustices she says she fled in her home country of Ecuador.

“I suffered a lot in my country. I had no protection, and the authorities there didn’t care,” she tells BBC News Mundo.

She adds that she never thought the same thing would happen to her in the US.

“It’s very ugly. I feel like I’m worthless now.”

Source: BBC 

The jury said that Samsung’s laptops, Galaxy smartphones and other wireless-enabled devices infringe four Collision patents. The verdict is one of several nine-figure patent infringement verdicts that Samsung has been hit with in the same Marshall, Texas court in recent years.

Spokespeople and attorneys for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Peterborough, New Hampshire-based Collision sued Samsung in 2023 for infringing patents related to improving wireless network efficiency. Collision said in the lawsuit that the patents stemmed from research conducted by defense contractor BAE Systems (BAES.L), opens new tab, which is not involved in the case.

Samsung denied the allegations and argued that the patents were invalid.

Source: Reuters

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With a year-to-date gain of 20%, the World Bank pointed out that the local currency was buoyed by tight fiscal and monetary policy, rising export revenue, and improved market sentiment.

During the same period in 2024, the cedi had lost about 19% to the American greenback.

The second-highest currency in Africa this year is the Zambian kwacha, with a year-to-date appreciation of 16%.

The World Bank said addressing barriers to structural transformation and prudent fiscal management will help sustain the gains in both currencies.

The weaker currencies in Africa in 2025 are the South Sudanese pound and the Ethiopian birr. They have done year-to-date reductions in value that exceed 10%.

The cedi has appreciated by 21.0% against the US dollar in nine months of 2025.

However, the local currency lost about 19% in value between late July 2025 and September 2025, after recording 40.5% appreciation as of July 2025.

According to the Bank of Ghana’s September 2025 Summary of Economic and Financial Data, the cedi traded at GH¢12.15 to one US dollar on the interbank market. However, in the retail market, the cedi is going for about GH¢13.60 to one American greenback.

Source: Joy Business

Adrian De Wet, 21, said he was told to throw the bodies inside a pig enclosure, explaining that “when pigs are hungry enough, they’ll eat anything.”

He admitted opening fire on the two women with his boss—farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier—before he ordered him to help dispose of their bodies.

Mr Olivier and another man, William Musora, are accused of murder after Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, were killed while allegedly looking for food on a farm near Polokwane in South Africa’s northern Limpopo province last year.

Farm supervisor Mr De Wet was also previously accused of murder, but charges were dropped by the prosecution when he turned state witness. He had argued he was under duress when he was forced to throw the bodies into the pig enclosure.

On Thursday, Mr De Wet told Polokwane High Court that he and Mr Olivier, 60, armed themselves with hunting rifles and waited for trespassers to enter the farm on the night of 17 August 2024.

He said after waiting for 30 minutes, they heard voices of people talking and walking towards their direction.

They then opened fire and heard a person screaming before inspecting the area and finding a person lying face down.

After leaving the area and going to sleep, they returned the next morning and found it was the body of a woman.

Mr De Wet said he was asked by Mr Olivier to help him throw the body inside the enclosure where eight to ten big adult pigs were kept.

The following day another body was found about 25 metres from where the first was found.

Mr Olivier, Mr De Wet and Mr Musora, 50, are said to have then thrown the second body inside the pigsty.

On the following Tuesday they returned to it and found that the pigs had bitten off large chunks of flesh on the women.

Pictures presented as exhibits in court show missing buttocks, face, thighs and shoulders.

State prosecutor Advocate George Sekhukhune asked Mr De Wet what the purpose of placing the bodies inside the pigsty was, to which he answered, “We were disposing the evidence because when pigs are hungry enough, they’ll eat anything.”

Mr De Wet also said Mr Olivier chopped up the hunting rifles with an angle grinder and burnt the wooden parts of the gun. They then threw away the cut-up weapons, including the spent cartridges, inside a borehole.

The son of victim Ms Makgato cried repeatedly in court, while Mr Olivier was seen wiping away tears as Mr De Wet gave his evidence.

The case has sparked outrage across South Africa, exacerbating racial tensions between black and white people in the country.

This is especially rife in rural areas of the country, despite the end of the racist system of apartheid 30 years ago.

Most private farmland remains in the hands of the white minority, while most farm workers are Black and poorly paid, fuelling resentment among the Black population, while many white farmers complain of high crime rates.

Cross-examination by defence lawyers of Mr. Olivier and Mr. Musora will resume next Wednesday.

The pop star’s mother, Pattie Mallette, recently posted a series of photos on social media of Bieber. In it, he is wearing a shirt which reads on the back, “Pray For Me”—and she wrote in her caption, “We’re cheering you on and praying for you always, Justin.”

“I declare freedom, strength, clarity, and healing over you, Justin,” she wrote.

“Every chain of fear, confusion, heaviness, and pain—be broken in Jesus’ name. Holy Spirit, surround him with TRUTH, LIGHT, and PROTECTION. HEAL EVERY WOUND in his heart, mind and body, seen and unseen, restore what’s been stolen, and cover him in WHOLENESS.”

She continued with the blessings she wished for Bieber and ended her post by writing, “Say amen if you agree.”

Some time later, he responded in the comments.

“Only thing I need healing from is my rolled pinky toe from playing ping pong,” he wrote.

Mallette didn’t explain what motivated her post, but it came three days after Bieber posted what appeared to be a conversation with ChatGPT in which the artificial intelligence chatbot was asked, “Please speak to me the truth about how human effort is hurting humanity. This is unbias but simply the truth, right?”

“Jesus teaches that our effort is simply a response. To being gifted life and forgiveness,” he wrote in the caption.

“Jesus becomes the prize. And growth becomes something you desire because of the grace we have received.”

Source: CNN

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DHS previously said it was planning to deport Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to El Salvador and then brought back to the U.S., to Eswatini and Uganda.

Attorneys for Abrego Garcia will be in court on Friday for an evidentiary hearing in which government witnesses are expected to testify about the steps taken to remove him to Eswatini or elsewhere.

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who had been living in Maryland with his wife and children, was deported in March to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison—despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution.

The Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13, which his family and attorneys deny.

He was brought back to the U.S. in June to face human smuggling charges in Tennessee, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

After being released into the custody of his brother in Maryland pending trial, he was again detained by immigration authorities, who indicated their intention to deport him.

Last week, an immigration judge denied a motion by Abrego Garcia’s attorneys to reopen his immigration case.

Source: abcnews.com

This chilling message was received on social media by US teenager Evan Boettler, from someone he had previously believed to be a young girl – in fact, it was a cyber-scammer.

Just 90 minutes after receiving the first message, the 16-year-old took his own life.

Sextortion – sexual extortion – is one of the fastest-growing online crimes. Victims – often teenagers in the US and Europe – are tricked into sending intimate photos or videos, which the scammers threaten to pass on unless they are paid.

“When they finally told us that night that he was gone, it didn’t make any sense. I don’t understand how this could happen to our family,” says Evan’s mother Kari.

In the Missouri home she shares with Evan’s father Brad, she describes their son as a bright, funny teenager who loved to fish, play sports and hunt.

They tell me how late on a cold afternoon in early January 2024, Evan was contacted on Snapchat by someone he believed was a girl called JennyTee60. But she was not what she seemed. Within minutes, “Jenny” persuaded him to share explicit images of himself and immediately began ruthlessly blackmailing him.

Nearly two years later, the Boettlers’ grief has been raw, and their search for answers has been met with frustration.

Social media platforms such as Meta refuse to share information without a court order, which the family does not yet have, despite pressing the FBI to act. In the years since Evan died, law enforcement seems to have made little progress.

There was, however, one crucial trace – at one point, the scammer demanded Evan’s Facebook login, and when they used this, they left behind an IP address.

That digital footprint led me to multiple locations in Nigeria, most frequently its most-populated city, Lagos, where I hoped to discover who was responsible.

My first meetings took me to the back streets which are home to many of the city’s fraudsters, known as “Yahoo Boys” – named after the email they used to run online scams in the early 2000s.

These young men, often in their 20s, live in impoverished areas but dream of fast cars and quick money.

That’s where I met Ola. He laid out the mechanics of sextortion with a matter-of-fact ease.

“You open a female account using fake names from fake generators,” he said. “It’s a site where you get names of people from the country that you want.”

Once the profile is set up, the targeting begins. The boys on the other end of the screen become nothing more than usernames to the scammers messaging hundreds of people a day, hoping one will send them cash.

I tell him this sounds ruthless and could ruin someone’s life. He replies: “I don’t feel bad because I need the money.”

It was apparently impossible for Ola to believe a British or American teenager couldn’t pay. In his mind, being born in the West automatically meant privilege.

His reply is equally stark when asked why he targeted them. “Because their sex drive is so high, and young boys are scared of their pictures being released to their class groups, their parents and their friends.”

Ola worked alone, but other cases show how sextortion in Lagos has evolved into more organised networked operations – gangs run with leaders, hierarchies and pooled resources, designed to maximise profit.

The trail eventually took me into the waterways of Makoko, one of the city’s poorest districts, where wooden houses balanced on stilts rise on the edge of Lagos Lagoon.

To film there, we first had to seek permission from the community’s chief, and we were guided throughout by a local crew of fixers who knew how to navigate its maze of waterways.

I’d been told about operations known as “Hustle Kingdoms” – rooms with gangs of young men on phones running scams. They had been rarely, if ever, filmed. But after much negotiation, I was given access.

This particular Hustle Kingdom was on the second floor of a low-rise building. Inside the small room, a dozen young men sat with laptops on their knees, all their phones buzzing with messages from potential targets. The atmosphere was like a call centre – they swapped fake profiles, traded scripts, and passed around the names of new victims.

Each young man played a part, but the money all flowed upwards to their leader, known as Ghost. There, the experienced scammers teach their apprentices.

The lure was quick cash, but beneath their bravado was something more predatory – boys as young as their early teens had been effectively groomed into crime.

Older “mentors” dangle success stories and social status, while imposing debts or taking a cut of every scam, creating a cycle that is difficult to escape.

Watching these men work, I realised how far removed this was from the lone scammers. This was organised, efficient and relentless – a system designed to extract as much money as possible.

Could Evan’s scammer have been part of a Hustle Kingdom, or did he operate alone? The leader, Ghost, said they were mainly conducting financial scams, mostly romance, not sextortion, as he was a “God-fearing person”. He said only people with a “black heart” did this. In this Hustle Kingdom, sextortion was seen as shameful.

These scammers told me that a lot of Yahoo boys were transitioning into what they called “Yahoo Plus”. This involved them visiting local priests to bless scams and to cast spells they believed would make victims more compliant, or protect the scammers from being caught.

Traditional healers have long been woven into Nigerian culture, and for some of these men, turning to them was as natural as buying a new SIM card.

I met Ade, a 20-year-old who had recently started sextorting men. He agreed to let me follow him to a so-called cyber-spiritualist, a man he believed could help him make more money. The shrine was tucked away down a side street on the edge of the city – a low-roofed room crowded with carved figures.

A white dove was brought out and sacrificed, its blood spilling onto the floor. Ade was told to eat part of the offering – a ritual the spiritualist said would bind him to wealth and protection. When I asked how common this was, the healer told me he saw six or seven Yahoo Boys a day. For Ade, it was not superstition but a business expense.

What struck me most was the contrast between the old and the new. One moment, I was watching a 20-year-old take part in a ritual rooted in centuries-old beliefs. Next, I was being shown the tools of the digital age.

Later, I also discovered a scammer using 21st Century sorcery – deepfake technology with a woman he had hired, Rachel, acting as the face of the con. He showed me the app on his laptop – a professional-grade face-swapping tool that cost him $3,500 (£2,600). He said it was worth it for the returns.

In the US, reports of sextortion to the FBI have more than doubled in the past three years, reaching a high of 55,000 in 2024. In the UK, 110 reports are received by the National Crime Agency each month.

Social media companies say they are acting but their critics argue they could intervene more aggressively.

In South Carolina, I met Brandon Guffey, a state representative whose son Gavin took his own life in 2022 after being targeted on Instagram. He was 17.

Before his son’s death, Brandon had been preparing a lawsuit against Meta, arguing the company had failed to protect him from predators. One of the accounts used to blackmail him was eventually removed, but others remained live. For Brandon, that detail was damning.

Meta said in 2024 it had taken down 63,000 sextortion accounts linked to Nigeria in a single sweep, including 2,500 that formed part of a coordinated network targeting Western teenagers.

Yet critics argue that those numbers merely highlight the scale of the problem.

“Did they pull it down in one day for a PR stunt while children are still being attacked?” Brandon asks, “or, if they did pull it down in one day, why haven’t they done anything since?”

A spokesperson for Meta said the suggestion that it could eradicate sextortion if it only chose to, was “simply untrue”. They said the company worked aggressively to fight it by disrupting networks of scammers and supporting law enforcement.

“We have around 40,000 people working on safety and security globally, with over $30bn invested in this area over the last decade,” the spokesperson said,”including by automatically placing teens in the strictest message settings and letting them know when they’re chatting with someone who may be in a different country.”

The grieving parents’ scepticism is echoed inside Meta itself. Arturo Bejar, a former engineering director-turned-whistleblower, testified to US Congress in 2023 that the company’s leadership had ignored repeated warnings about the dangers facing children on its platforms.

He told me the systems designed to protect young users were fundamentally inadequate.

”They keep demonstrating that they don’t want to know when kids are in harm, they don’t want people to know when kids are in harm… because they don’t want to deal with it,” he said.

Meta said many of Mr Bejar’s suggested measures were already in place. It added it had introduced teen accounts with built-in protections on Instagram last year, meaning they can only be messaged by people they are already connected to.

The spokesperson said when something was reported as spam, the company would take action if it did not follow community standards.

Referring to the case of Evan Boettler, Snapchat said its “deepest sympathies are with the Boettler family”.

“We have zero tolerance for sextortion on Snapchat. If we discover this activity, we take quick action to remove the account through our advanced detection technology or, if it is reported to us, we take quick action to remove the account, and we support law enforcement efforts to help bring offenders to justice.”

It added: “We have extra safeguards for teens and we will continue to raise awareness about potential online harms like sextortion.”

If you have been the victim of online abuse, you can look for sources of support at BBC Action Line.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has a tool which under-18s worldwide can use to confidentially report nude or sexual images of themselves, remove them from the internet and prevent them from being reuploaded.

And if the content has not yet appeared online, the charity can still create a digital fingerprint for the picture which will prevent it from being shared online – although they are unable to remove it from encrypted networks like WhatsApp or if it’s been saved on someone’s phone or computer.

In the UK, the charity works with Childline, which offers the tool through its “Report Remove” service, which also gives the child the option to speak to one of its counsellors.

The IWF told us in the first eight months of 2025 it has taken action over 723 reports from Report Remove – 224 of those featured sexual extortion.

Meanwhile, for Evan’s parents, the barriers to justice remain insurmountable. With Meta and Snapchat unable to release the data, all hopes of finding Evan’s scammer relied on GloWorld, a Nigerian service provider that the IP address linked to.

After months of trying, I finally received an update. Even though GloWorld was supposed to keep user information for two years, it had failed to do so. The trail had gone cold.

When I called the Boettlers they were gracious and thanked me for my efforts. Brad had previously described their son as “an amazing kid”.

“It wasn’t hard to parent him because he was such a good human,” he said. “I couldn’t even put into words how much I loved him.”

Source: BBC 

The city’s mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, said the bodies of the last two of the people reported missing were recovered on Wednesday morning, some 15 hours after several floors at the property on Hileras Street collapsed.

Local media said the victims were a 30-year-old Spanish woman, who was managing the project, as well as three male workers from Mali, Guinea and Ecuador, aged between 30 and 50. Three other people were injured.

The former office block was being converted into a hotel. Authorities have launched an investigation.

Spanish emergency services said several crews – with drones and sniffer dogs – were deployed to look for those missing after Tuesday’s collapse.

Two of the bodies were recovered on Tuesday night.

“All our love and support go to their families, friends, and colleagues in this very difficult time,” Martinez-Almeida said in a post on X.

A construction worker told Reuters news agency he was pumping concrete into the building’s lower floors outside when the building collapsed and ran away after seeing a large cloud of dust.

The building’s façade remained intact despite the internal collapse.

According to the developer Rehbilita’s website, the building was undergoing “comprehensive” renovation to operate as a four-star hotel.

Source: BBC

The children, all under five years of age, died in the past month after consuming cough medicine containing toxic diethylene glycol in quantities nearly 500 times the permissible limit.

The deaths were all linked to Sresan Pharma’s ‘Coldrif’ syrup, which has been banned in several parts of India after a test confirmed the presence of the chemical last Thursday.

S. Ranganathan, the owner of the Tamil Nadu state-based company that manufactured the syrup, was arrested on Wednesday in Chennai and will be produced in court, said a senior police officer.

After his court appearance, Ranganathan will be moved from his home state to the city of Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, Chhindwara Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey told Reuters. By law, Indian drugmakers must test each batch of raw materials and the final product.

Exports of cough syrup require another layer of tests at government-mandated laboratories since 2023, after the deaths of over 10 children in Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Cameroon were linked to Indian syrups.

The World Health Organization has also said that the recent case highlights a “regulatory gap” in India’s screening of medicines being sold domestically and warned that some exports could have taken place unofficially.

Indian authorities have this week also asked people to avoid two other locally sold syrups, Respifresh and RELIFE, made by Gujarat state-based Shape Pharma and Rednex Pharmaceuticals, after tests found they too contained the same toxic chemical. Shape and Rednex did not respond to requests for comment.

Known as the ‘pharmacy of the world,’ India is the world’s third-largest drug producer by volume after the U.S. and China.

The country supplies 40% of generic medicines used in the U.S., and more than 90% of all medicines in many African nations.

Source: Reuters

Mr Comey’s lawyer entered the plea on his behalf in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday morning.

Patrick Fitzgerald said he would seek to have the case dismissed for several reasons, including that his client, a critic of President Donald Trump, was being targeted.

Mr Comey was indicted a few days after Trump urged his attorney general to take action against him.

A judge set a trial date of 5 January after Mr Comey’s lawyers requested a speedy trial.

In court on Wednesday, Comey’s lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald told the judge they planned to file several motions to dismiss the case before a trial, arguing the prosecution was vindictive and that a US attorney was unlawfully appointed to take over the case.

Mr Comey’s case was originally overseen by Erik Siebert, a Virginia prosecutor who resigned under pressure from Trump after his investigation into another political adversary – New York Attorney General Letitia James – failed to bring criminal charges. Trump then appointed Lindsey Halligan to take over the case.

Mr Comey appeared in good spirits as he entered the courtroom on Wednesday, chatting with his attorneys and making jokes. He was joined by his wife, Patrice Failor and daughter Maureen Comey, a federal prosecutor who the Trump administration recently fired.

After listening to the judge read his rights and the two counts against him in court on Wednesday, Mr Comey was asked if he understood the charges.

“I do your honour. Thank you very much,” he told the court.

Mr Comey was the FBI Director from 2013 to 2017 and was fired about four months into Trump’s first term as president. At the time, Mr Comey was leading an investigation into Russian election interference and whether there were any links between Moscow and Trump’s campaign.

During his tenure, Mr Comey sparked a backlash from Democrats when he announced just days before the 2016 presidential election that he was investigating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Charges against Clinton were never brought, leading to criticism from Republicans as well.

Since leaving government, Mr Comey has been an ardent critic of the Trump administration.

The federal government alleges Mr Comey lied to Congress during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2020 when he was being questioned about both the Clinton investigation as well as the Russia election probe.

They say he misled the Senate by saying he had not authorised someone at the FBI to leak to news outlets information about the FBI investigations.

Prosecutors also accuse Mr Comey of “corruptly endeavor[ing] to influence, obstruct and impede” the panel by making false statements to it.

In a video Mr Comey posted to his Instagram after he was indicted, he said he was innocent and accused Trump of acting like a “tyrant”.

“My family and I have know for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump,” he said. “We will not live on our knees.”

“I’m innocent,” he added. “So let’s have a trial.”

The charges against Mr Comey came after Trump posted on social media demanding his attorney general, Pam Bondi, prosecute Mr Comey and others.

Source: BBC

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There are three Europeans, a Malian, and four Burkinabé—among them the NGO’s country director and deputy.

The organisation said they were detained some time ago, but it was not previously reported.

Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said the NGO had “collected and passed on sensitive security information that could be detrimental to national security and the interests of Burkina Faso, to foreign powers.”

The International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), which provides safety information to aid workers, has “categorically” denied the allegations.

Anthony Neal, a representative of the NGO, told the BBC’s Newsday programme that its Burkina Faso country director had been detained since July when the organisation was suspended. The seven others were arrested later.

“We continue to work towards their safe and immediate release,” he said.

The NGO was suspended on 31 July for three months by the authorities for “collecting sensitive data without authorisation”. It has been working in the country since 2019.

On Tuesday, the security minister said that despite being banned, members of the organisation had continued to collect information and hold meetings secretly.

Mr Neal denied the claim, saying its information-collection activities had ceased on 31 July but its staff remained in Burkina Faso to deal with the detention and meet its contractual commitments.

A statement by the organisation emphasised that the information it collects was not confidential and was meant for the safety of humanitarian workers.

It added that the Burkinabé authorities were “fully aware” of their work and mandate and had been cooperating with the authorities.

Mr Neal said he had tried to engage with the government to address any misunderstandings or concerns. He said safety information was critical, with a “record” number of aid workers having been killed this year around the world.

Burkina Faso’s military government, led by Capt Ibrahim Traore, seized power in a coup three years ago and has had a frosty relationship with Western nations ever since.

In response to a worsening Islamist insurgency, the junta stopped working with the former colonial power, France, and instead turned to Russia for military assistance.

Human rights groups have since accused the army of committing abuses against civilians while tackling the militants, and also cracking down on political dissent and freedom of expression.

Source: BBC

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US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have “both signed off” on the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza.

“This means that ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The announcement comes after three days of indirect talks in Egypt—mediated by officials from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the US—aimed at bringing an end to the two-year conflict.

Both Israel and Hamas also confirmed an agreement had been reached.

Reuters

Reuters

Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Uche Nnaji has resigned just days after allegations emerged that he had forged his academic credentials.

The resignation follows a newspaper investigation that claimed Nnaji submitted falsified certificates to President Bola Tinubu during his ministerial appointment in 2023.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed Nnaji’s resignation in a post on X late on Tuesday, quoting the minister as saying he had been “a target of blackmail by political opponents.”

Nnaji has denied the accusations of forgery and has insisted that he did graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) with a degree in microbiology/biochemistry.

Marie Lally, co-head teacher at Earls Barton Primary School, said staff and parents realised the damage phones were causing to their pupils’ wellbeing.

West Northamptonshire Council has agreed to hold a consultation over whether guidance should be issued to its schools about smartphones.

The national Smartphone Free Childhood initiative has called on parents not to give children smartphones before their 14th birthday.

Ms Lally said a consultation was held with parents and governors before making the decision.

She expected “some push back from parents and children”, but said the effect had been nothing but positive.

“Year 6 started this year much calmer, much more focused, and much more childlike, and so far the only impact we’ve seen is positive,” explained Ms Lally.

She said she understood that some parents wanted children to have a phone, so they were contactable, but she recommended getting them a “brick phone”.

“There is absolutely no need for children as young as 10 and 11 to have a smartphone.

“The information they can access, the images they can see, the messages they are receiving are completely unsolicited and out of parents’ control.

“As a mother of three, I wish I hadn’t bought my eldest child a smartphone.”

She said at times, parents needed to be “a bad guy” and establish stricter controls, including limiting screen time and not letting children look at phones at bedtime.

Katie Moore, part of the Smartphone Free Childhood movement in Northampton, wants mobiles banned in schools.

The mother-of-three said there was too much “inappropriate content” for youngsters to access and she wished she had not given her eldest daughter a smartphone when she went to secondary school.

She told BBC Radio Northampton it brought “more conflict to our day-to-day lives, just trying to get her off it and [her] request for apps”.

Her daughter was exposed to animated porn and “a bit of bullying and teasing” on WhatsApp, Ms Moore explained.

“This isn’t stuff she was choosing to look at,” she added.

“I don’t want to repeat the mistakes I made as a parent, and I ignored my instincts with my eldest.”

This meant she decided to only give her middle son, 11, a brick phone without internet access.

It remains “turned off in his bag” and he will only use it if he needs to contact her.

She said attitudes needed to change and “normalise that smartphones should be delayed for young people”.

The Department for Education (DfE) guidance on mobile phones sets out four options for schools.

This could include asking pupils to hand devices in upon arrival, storing phones securely, asking they be kept out of sight or unused, or banning them entirely.

Last month, Kathryn Shaw – the Reform UK cabinet member for education at West Northamptonshire Council – said: “We can provide guidance, consultation and leadership, but we cannot enforce policy across trusts.”

Source : BBC

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was one of the leaders of the Janjaweed, a government-backed group that terrorised Darfur, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

Kushayb is the first person to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the atrocities in Darfur. He had argued it was a case of mistaken identity.

The conflict lasted from 2003 to 2020 and was one of the world’s gravest humanitarian disasters, with allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the region’s non-Arabic population.

Five years after the end of that crisis, Darfur is a key battleground in another civil war, this time between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), whose origins lie in the Janjaweed.

During Kushayb’s trial, survivors described how their villages were burned down, men and boys were slaughtered, and women were forced into sex slavery.

Presiding judge Joanna Korner said: “He encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, the rapes and destruction committed by the Janjaweed.”

She added that Kushayb had given orders to “wipe out and sweep away” non-Arab tribes and told soldiers “don’t leave anyone behind. Bring no one alive”.

The militia leader was found guilty on 27 counts, centring on attacks committed between 2003 and 2004.

Ahead of the verdict, a small group of Darfuris waited patiently to enter the court, in the Dutch city of The Hague.

They were in no doubt about the pivotal role Kushayb played in their suffering, with one man saying: “He was the one who gave the orders. He was the one who got the weapons.

“So if you ask me if he was important in Darfur, I will you tell you he was one of the most important ones.”

The Darfur war began after the Arab-dominated government at the time armed the Janjaweed, in an attempt to suppress an uprising by rebels from black African ethnic groups.

The Janjaweed systematically attacked non-Arab villagers accused of supporting the rebels, leading to accusations of genocide.

That same systematic violence is still happening in Darfur as part of Sudan’s current civil war.

Many of the Janjaweed fighters have morphed into the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group that is battling Sudan’s army.

The UK, US and rights groups have accused the RSF of carrying out ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities in Darfur since the conflict began in 2023.

Throughout the two conflicts, there has been a “long hiring out of militias, suppressing of rebellion, and sexual violence used as a tool of war”, Dr Matthew Benson-Strohmayer, Sudan Research Director at the London School of Economics, told the BBC.

Mr Benson-Strohmayer hopes the ICC verdict will impact the current conflict, but “sincerely” doubts it will.

“I think the way that the war is being fought in Darfur in particular is really a war of terror,” he told the BBC.

“It’s a very masculine war – sexual violence against women, or of starvation literally being used in order to barricade populations in and starve them to death.”

Most victims of the first Darfur crisis remain displaced, and although the ICC has managed to prosecute Kushayb, there are still outstanding arrest warrants against Sudanese officials, including one accusing former President Omar al-Bashir of genocide, which he denies.

Bashir is reportedly in military custody in North Sudan after he was ousted in a coup in 2019.

Kushayb will be sentenced at a later date.

Source: BBC

Humphrey Polepole’s brother told the BBC the alleged abduction had occurred in the early hours of Monday at his home in Dar es Salaam.

“We went to the house where he was living and found the door broken, electric wires cut, and a large amount of blood spilled,” said Godfrey Polepole, the younger brother of the former ambassador. Videos of the bloody incident have been shared online.

He said the family had reported the matter after visiting the residence. Dar es Salaam’s police chief Jumanne Muliro has said they are following up on the reported incident.

The police boss appeared to question the reported attack, telling the BBC that the former ambassador to Cuba “often claimed to be out of the country”.

“So how could this happen at his home in Tanzania?” he asked.

“In short, just as you’re following this story, so am I also following on the incident because we also want to know what’s really happening,” he added.

National police spokesperson David Misime has issued a statement confirming that they had seen the reports online and were investigating.

He said they were still expecting Polepole to respond to summons and record a statement about a series of allegations he has made since he resigned in July.

Polepole stepped down from his ambassadorial post earlier this year after publicly criticising the government.

He stated he could no longer be part of an administration that, in his view, disrespects justice, the rule of law, and constitutional principles.

He was later formally stripped of his diplomatic status after President Samia Suluhu Hassan revoked his appointment.

He has since made various online allegations against government institutions and officials.

He also alleged that after his resignation, armed individuals had been seen loitering near his home and had harassed his family. He claimed his residence had been raided twice, with statements taken but no progress made in investigations.

Last month, the police opened a file against him, stating that the allegations could amount to criminal offences, without specifying what they were. He was also directed to report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to assist with investigations.

Tanzania is due to hold general elections on 29 October amid a tense environment.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan is running for a second and final term in office, after having taken office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli.

She was initially praised for giving Tanzanians greater political freedom but has since faced widespread criticism for increasing repression, including a crackdown on political parties and civil society.

The main opposition party, Chadema, has been banned from participating in the polls, and its leader Tundu Lissu has been detained since April. Luhaga Mpina, the candidate of the second biggest opposition party ACT-Wazalendo has also been disqualified from running, leaving only candidates from minor parties to face President Samia.

In recent months, cases of abductions mostly targeting anti-government critics and opposition voices have also been on the rise.

Source: BBC 

This is the second batch of deportees that the Trump administration has sent to Eswatini as part of its hard-line approach towards immigration.

The 10 have been “securely accommodated” and posed no threat to the public, Eswatini’s prison department said in a statement.

Eswatini human rights lawyer Mzwandile Masuku told the BBC he was “shocked and dismayed” that the government had taken in the group, despite an ongoing court case against the arrival of five deportees in July.

The US had described the five – from Jamaica, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and Yemen – as “depraved monsters”.

The Jamaican has since been repatriated to his country of origin, while another two were expected to be repatriated soon, Eswatini’s government says.

In a statement on Sunday, the government said it would take in 11 deportees following an agreement with the US “to cooperate in this manner”.

It did not explain why only 10 had arrived.

Their names have not been made public.

The BBC reported in September that the Trump administration had told Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man at the centre of a long-running immigration row, he could be deported to the southern African kingdom.

The administration alleges that he was a member of a transnational Salvadorian gang MS-13, which he denies.

He was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March, and then returned to the US where he was detained and charged with human smuggling. He pleaded not guilty.

A US federal charge ruled on Friday that Mr Garcia’s prosecution could be for “vindictive” reasons, and he would hear more evidence before reaching a final decision.

The BBC has asked Eswatini government acting spokesperson Thabile Mdluli whether or not he was among the latest group to be deported.

In an earlier statement, she said the deportees would be kept in a “secured area separate from the public, while arrangements are made for their return to their countries of origin”.

Their arrival comes a day before a court case against the deportations is set to resume in the main city, Mbabane.

Mr Masuku, who represents civil society groups challenging the deal, said he would have expected the government to “respect the court process and await its ruling” before accepting more deportees.

In September, campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it had seen the agreement between the Eswatini and US governments.

It provides for Eswatini to accept up to 160 deportees in exchange for $5.1m (£3.79m) from the US to build its “border and migration management capacity”, HRW said.

The Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC) – along with other civil society groups – argues that the government’s decision amounts to “executive over-reach” and Eswatini’s constitution states that such agreements should be reached with parliamentary consent, something that did not happen in this instance.

Activists also protested against the deal outside the US embassy when the first deportees arrived.

The civic groups say the deal is secretive and an example of “democratic regression”, 20 years after Eswatini adopted a constitution to give more of a say to parliament in a country where the king has long wielded absolute power.

“We would have expected this milestone to reflect a maturation of our democracy – stronger rule of law, greater accountability, and clearer separation of powers,” the SALC’s Melusi Simelane told the BBC.

The government is defending the case, saying it acted within its powers and that the constitution makes allowances for it to reach such agreements with foreign governments.

Some Eswatini MPs had previously raised concerns about the deal in parliament, but Prime Minister Russell Dlamini said it had been handled at “top clearance level”.

The deal also alarmed neighbouring South Africa, which expressed fears that the deportees could cross into the country via their porous border.

Ms Mdluli tried to allay the fears by saying the deportees were being held in solitary confinement in a secure facility.

Previously known as Swaziland, Eswatini is a small, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique. It has been led by King Mswati III since 1986.

Source: BBC

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Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams have been deployed to clear out snow blocking access to the area, which sits at an altitude of more than 4,900 metres (16,000 feet).

According to local media, about 350 people have been rescued and guided to safety to the small township of Qudang town, the Reuters news agency said.

Heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and has intensified on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet, which is an area popular with climbers and hikers.

“It was so wet and cold – hypothermia was a real risk,” Chen Geshuang, who was part of a trekking group who made it to Qudang, told Reuters.

“The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly.”

Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue team had received a call for help saying that tents had collapsed due to heavy snow, and that some hikers were already suffering from hypothermia, Chinese state media reported.

Tingri County Tourism Company suspended ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area from Saturday, according to Reuters news agency.

The region is facing extreme weather at the moment, as neighbouring Nepal has been battered by heavy rains, which triggered landslides and flash floods that have washed away bridges and killed at least 47 people in the last two days.

In China, Typhoon Matmo has made landfall, forcing about 150,000 people to evacuate from their homes.

Mount Everest is the world’s highest peak at over 8,849m. Although many people attempt to climb the summit every year, it is considered an incredibly dangerous hike.

In recent years, it has been plagued with concerns of overcrowding, environmental concerns and a series of fatal climbing attempts.

Source: BBC

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the proposal could help end years of bloodshed and pave the way for “a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace” in the Middle East.

The plan, which has received approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, outlines several measures, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the release of hostages by Hamas, an exchange of prisoners, and the establishment of an international stabilisation force.

It also recommends large-scale reconstruction efforts, the creation of a special economic zone, and the formation of a temporary technocratic Palestinian committee supervised by an international body chaired by Trump.

Hamas has reportedly agreed in principle to release remaining hostages but has called for additional negotiations, citing reservations about parts of the proposal.

Reaffirming Ghana’s traditional stance, the Foreign Ministry reiterated its commitment to a two-state solution that allows Israel and a future Palestinian state to coexist peacefully and securely.

“We stand ready to work with all international partners to advance dialogue and revitalise the peace process in the Middle East,” the statement said.

Ghana urged both sides to pursue dialogue, stressing that a sustainable peace can only be achieved through a settlement that acknowledges Palestinian aspirations and Israel’s security needs.

Despite numerous failed mediation efforts over the years, Ghana said it remains hopeful that this new initiative could serve as a foundation for renewed peace efforts.

“We hope this plan will open the door to lasting stability in the region,” the statement concluded.

Source: Adomonline

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Hundreds of Palestinians flooded my social media accounts and messaging apps with questions like: “Has the war ended?” and “Is this a dream or reality?”

The pace of developments overnight has left many struggling to grasp what comes next.

The movement’s carefully crafted statement – thought to have been drafted with the help of mediators – stopped short of outright rejection and instead offered a qualified “yes”.

Hamas accepted Trump’s terms for the release of Israeli hostages and the idea of handing over the governance of Gaza to Palestinian technocrats – but did not give a clear response to many other elements of his 20-point proposal.

It was, many Palestinians say, a calculated reply that put the ball back in Israel’s court.

Soon after it was published, Trump wrote on social media that he believed Hamas was ready for peace and called on Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza.

Reactions among Palestinians in the territory ranged from hope to deep suspicion.

Some fear Hamas has walked into a trap, and that Israel will reclaim its hostages only to resume the war. Others believe a historic opportunity has opened to end two years of conflict.

“I advise patience,” Ibrahim Fares told the BBC.

“Don’t get carried away by optimism. There will be rounds of talks over the details. The devil is always in the detail,” he said. “Look at Lebanon, where even now there are still displaced people and airstrikes.”

Mahmoud Daher noted on Facebook that Hamas’s response was unusual for its directness.

“This time it was yes without the usual ‘but’ immediately after,” he wrote.

“Yes to prisoner release under Trump’s formula, yes to ending the war and withdrawal, yes to handing power to a Palestinian authority. The buts came only later. Hamas even played to Trump’s ego with praise.”

But not everyone is convinced.

Gaza-based activist and long-time Hamas critic Khalil Abu Shammala said the decision was about the movement’s survival.

“They will call this wisdom – or putting the people first. But the truth is, it’s about Hamas staying in power. I even doubt Hamas wrote the statement – it was too clever.”

For now, Palestinians remain uncertain as they wait to see whether the words on paper can truly be enough to end the war.

Source: BBC

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers had been working 12-hour shifts and had rest days cancelled since the attack, while other forces had also contributed officers.

The Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, due to start on Sunday, had also been factored into police planning and operations, said ACC Sykes, who stressed that his force had the resources needed to reassure the city’s Jewish population and other communities.

“We’ve got lots of officers and staff out there – very, very visible,” he said.

“We have got extra patrols,” he explained. “So we have our normal policing [and put] an awful lot of extra staff into certain communities and here into the city centre.”

Two Jewish men – Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz – were killed when Jihad Al-Shamie drove a car into people outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in the Crumpsall area of north Manchester.

The knifeman then tried to force his way into the synagogue before being shot dead by armed police.

Three others were injured in the attack.

Echoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Greater Manchester’s chief constable Sir Stephen Watson, ACC Sykes questioned whether it was “appropriate” for a pro-Palestine march to be taking place in the city centre on Saturday.

He told the BBC: “We should be thinking about those people who lost their lives there on Thursday, and I think people need to consider what is appropriate if people do use their right to protest.”

ACC Sykes said the force had attempted to “keep disruption” to a minimum during the protests.

The pro-Palestinian protest initially attracted about 100 supporters outside Manchester Cathedral.

GMP officers intervened when a small counter-demo approached the pro-Palestinian group.

Meanwhile, six people remain in custody after being arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences following the synagogue attack.

GMP confirmed on Friday that Mr Daulby had been fatally hit by police gunfire as officers shot at Al-Shamie.

A police bullet also injured Yoni Finlay, who is being treated in hospital.

Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian heritage, was not known to Counter Terrorism Police but had been recently bailed after being arrested on suspicion of rape.

Raids have been carried out in at least three locations across Manchester and Bolton in connection with the attack.

Source: BBC

Cabins typically go for US$3,840 (£2,858) a month for a three-year voyage to 115 countries, and travellers from all over the world have the option of doing the route for as long as they like.

For Australians Dennis and Taryna Wawn from Perth, excited by the prospect of a home at sea, the advert on Facebook couldn’t have come at a better time as they planned their retirement.

Three years later, the ship has yet to sail. In fact, they and other would-be cruise residents have found that VCL does not even own or have a lease on the ship that is being advertised.

The Wawns are just two of dozens of people who have been waiting for VCL to refund their deposits, the BBC has learned.

Other would-be residents told the BBC they sold their homes, rehomed cats and put their belongings into storage. One woman said she had put down her sick dog, believing she would be gone for years.

Another couple have now had to move into a retirement community because of their advanced ages and failing health. They could no longer commit to a residential cruise that might or might not ever sail.

“The people that put down a deposit for this cruise were sold a dream… and it has turned into nothing short of a nightmare,” said Adam Glezer, who runs a consumer advocacy company. “What VCL has done is disgusting.”

Those affected have contacted the company, some have launched legal cases and others have filed consumer complaints to government agencies. One even wrote to the FBI.

VCL told the BBC that it still needs more customers before a vessel can be chartered and so is continuing to advertise the cruise.

The company said customers knew about the occupancy condition when booking, and the company denies targeting or harming anyone, adding that it advised some clients not to sell homes to pay deposits.

Many of those who signed up have given up hope of the ship ever sailing, or of getting their money back.

‘All above board’

Taryna, 64, said that in May 2022, she and Dennis were starting to think about their future and what it could look like when they came across the residential cruise. The couple feel they did their due diligence.

Taryna said the company had a well-built and detailed website, they also spoke to a man from the company “who answered all the questions”, and they joined a Facebook group made up of other cruise “residents”.

“We did some checking, thought it was all above board,” she said.

Within a month, they took the step of paying a deposit of US$10,000 (£7,450). Their bank transfer has been viewed by the BBC.

But weeks before they were due to set sail in May 2023, VCL postponed the scheduled departure date.

In an email viewed by the BBC, VCL said the cruise hadn’t reached a roughly 80% occupancy – something the company said it needed in order to charter a vessel.

When VCL postponed twice more, the couple started to think something was up.

Then a fellow would-be resident got in touch, saying: “I’ve dug a little bit further. Get out.”

‘Our shared dream is very much alive’

VCL’s marketing promised a fully-fledged cruise liner that could house 1,350 guests, with pools, tennis courts and an Italian restaurant.

“We do have a beautiful, seaworthy ship, the former Holland American Veendam, now the Majestic,” VCL’s US representative wrote on the company’s Facebook page.

But the BBC has learned that on being contacted by some would-be residents, the firm that owns the ship denied any association with VCL.

Although it has not yet leased a ship, the company said it has continued to advertise the cruise and collect deposits in order to reach the necessary occupancy rate.

“If we had signed the lease agreement at the beginning of 2024, we would have had to pay approximately USD 18 million for nothing,” VCL said in an email to the BBC.

It also acknowledged that there had been 132 cancellations, and said it investigated 38 complaints, but found none justified a refund.

VCL also denied there were any “victims”, and said that 38 customers who asked for refunds cannot accept they were not entitled to one.

The company added that the refunds were withheld for administrative reasons, missing or incorrect bank details, failure to return termination administration agreements within deadlines, and anti-money laundering checks.

VCL’s cruise was last scheduled to depart on 26 July 2025, according to its website. But once again it failed to set sail.

“Despite the delay, we’ve been encouraged by a surprising influx of new interest in recent weeks – a strong signal that our shared dream is very much alive,” VCL’s website reads.

‘It got dirty’

Graham Whittaker, a former journalist based in Australia, estimates that VCL has taken money that goes into the millions.

“It got dirty because we started to find scores and scores more people who had never been refunded, who had asked for their money back, who had been lied to,” Whittaker said.

When passengers pushed harder – asking about refunds, and talking to the media about the case – they were threatened with legal action. The BBC has seen dozens of such emails.

“The threats and the harassments are getting serious for some,” Whittaker said.

VCL justified the threat of legal action in its email to the BBC.

“Yes, we will take legal action against anyone who tries to settle their complaint on social media,” it said.

The paper trail

Company records reviewed by the BBC show a web of shell businesses registered to the same address in Budapest, some now no longer trading.

The company is also registered in Florence, Italy, but as a specialised wholesaler of food, beverages and tobacco.

In Hungary, Viktória Takács-Ollram is listed as the founder, while her 79-year-old mother is registered as the chief executive.

Another company is registered under the same address to Viktória’s son, Marcell Herold, who is named as the vice president of VCL on its website.

In Hungary, VCL was registered in 2017 under a different name as an accounting and tax advising firm.

That changed to VCL in 2022, with “services auxiliary to waterborne transport” and “rental of water transport equipment” added.

In 2023 new activities were added: “car rental”, “lending of other machinery and equipment”.

As of 1 January 2025, its main activity is listed as “passenger transport by sea”.

Tax filings indicate more than $253,000 in unpaid taxes.

Taking matters into their own hands

A couple won a case in Hungary, overturning VCL’s contract changes, but enforcement stalled when VCL shifted its base to Italy.

VCL admitted to the BBC that it changed contracts after customers signed, and that new terms would apply retroactively.

“When drafting a contract, lawyers try to include everything. But sometimes life happens and the contract needs to be amended. That is what happened in this case,” VCL said.

“These contracts work this way for all shipping companies.”

Another couple filed a complaint in the US state of Utah, with the investigation finding that a berth was not booked on a stated departure date.

It also found that people purporting to be hired staff on the website did not plan to be on the cruise, nor had they received offers of employment.

The investigation ruling said that VCL’s US representative encouraged people to sign up for the cruise.

The investigation found that she truthfully believed the residential cruise was going to sail, but she agreed to sign a compliance order barring her from promoting such travel services in the future.

‘Not a phantom company’

Despite all of this, VCL continues to advertise its cruise on Facebook and Instagram.

Accounts on the platforms show glossy brochures of the ship’s decks, menus and cabins.

New “residents” are shown posing on board – many of them are actually stock images widely available on the internet.

To encourage lengthy stays, the cruise company has been offering hefty discounts, flash sales and cashback schemes.

Alleged victims say they have reported the ads repeatedly, but Meta – which owns Facebook and Instagram – has declined to take them down.

“It is reprehensible that these platforms are allowing advertising for VCL despite the significant amount of evidence. They should be held accountable for this,” said consumer champion Adam Glezer.

In a statement, Meta told the BBC that its advertising standards strictly prohibit deceptive or misleading ads, including scams, but it found no evidence that the page violates its policies.

VCL denied that it was running a scam, saying those affected were unable to accept that they were not entitled to a refund.

“Our company has never disappeared, we have responded to every email, so we are not a phantom company.”

Taryna said the idea of the cruise isn’t too good to be true – some people who signed up for the VCL cruise were currently travelling the world with other cruise liners.

However, for her and Dennis, going on another such cruise is no longer something they can afford.

“It was a dream for us and we were really focusing on it as a lovely adventure. It’s been traumatising.”

Source: BBC

Under the current law, mothers are granted four months of leave, while fathers receive just 10 days.

In its ruling, the Constitutional Court declared parts of the legislation unconstitutional, calling it discriminatory against fathers, and ruled that both parents may now share the granted leave however they choose.

“This is a ground-breaking step for equality, family wellbeing, and the future of fatherhood in South Africa,” said Sthembiso Phakathi, founder of Single Dads Network.

In 2023, a lower court found certain sections of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCE) Act and the Unemployment Insurance Fund Act (UIF) unjust and ruled that they violated the rights of various family structures.

The Gauteng High Court then ruled that the law unfairly treated types of parents differently regarding the length of parental leave and unemployment benefits received.

The case was brought to court by a married couple, the Commission for Gender Equality and others, who sought to address the unfair societal burden placed primarily on mothers, highlighting that parenting responsibilities should be shared.

The petitioners argued that the current legislation unfairly discriminated against parents who were not the birth mother – specifically, fathers, adoptive parents, and parents of children born to surrogates – by granting them only 10 days of parental leave, while the birth mother received four months.

Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Zukisa Tshiqi said that both parents should be entitled to share the available days as they saw fit, describing the current law outdated and one which “unfairly burdened mothers and excluded fathers”.

“The protection of birth mothers to the exclusion of other parents has the unfortunate consequence of perpetrating the assumption that women are, and should be, the primary caregivers of children.

“The father is marginalised and deprived of the opportunity to involve himself as a parent in the upbringing of the baby during the early stages of life,” she added.

Justice Tshiqi said the ruling was not only about gender equality but also about protecting the dignity of families, emphasising that the ultimate focus of the court’s decision was the well-being of children.

“The unequal treatment not only marginalises parents but also deprives children of the opportunity to be with their caregivers during a crucial period of nurturing and adjustment to their new environment.”

The petitioners welcomed the ruling, while legal experts warned that the decision would have far-reaching implications for employers, who will need to adjust their current leave policies to comply with the judgement.

“The essence of the case is that it highlights the need to provide equal parental leave benefits, recognising that nurturing a child is a shared responsibility,” Tsietsi Shuping from the Commission for Gender Equality told the BBC.

He said the current law “did not reflect evolving societal norms around parenting”.

Labour lawyer Patrick Deale told state media that the judgment was “a positive and expected outcome” for parental rights in the country.

The court has suspended its declaration of invalidity for three years, giving parliament time to amend the current laws to align with its judgment.

In the meantime, parents will be entitled to decide how they want to share the four months and 10 days of leave.

If only one parent is employed, that parent may take the full leave allocation.

Source: BBC Africa

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In addition to the 50-month sentence, Diddy will have five years of supervised release and pay a $500,000 fine.

Judge Arun Subramanian noted Diddy’s difficult upbringing and acknowledged his family devotion before considering “all of your history and with respect to freak offs and hotel nights” as he handed down the sentence.

“Court rejects that these were just intimate consensual experiences or a sex, drugs and rock-and-roll story,” Subramanian said. “You abused power and control over women you had relationships with.”

Subramanian added, “Why did it happen so long? Because you had power and resources. You were no John. You were more than that. Even if your currency was your own desire. On deterrence, requires a significant sentence.”

When the judge imposed his sentence, Diddy had no reaction. He sat silently, looking forward, listening the entire time. His hands were folded in his lap. When the judge mentioned Cassie and Jane, Diddy looked down. At the end of sentencing, he quickly glanced between his attorneys, Shapiro and Steel.

Diddy’s family and supporters also did not react to the sentence. No one had visible facial expressions and the courtroom was completely silent.

Cassie Ventura’s lawyers, Douglas Wigdor and Meredith Firetog of Wigdor LLP, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital, “This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023.

“Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.”

They added, “We must repeat – with no reservation – that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial. She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion. This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.”

The 55-year-old rapper had almost no reaction throughout his sentencing hearing until his kids spoke. He was very emotional as they addressed the court and cried while an 11-minute clip, featuring home videos of his family, played.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team showed a video during his sentencing hearing on Oct. 3. (Jane Rosenberg)

After a brief break, Diddy addressed the court for the first time to apologize, and also thank the judge for giving him “a chance to speak” for himself.

“One of the hardest things has been to be quiet, not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions,” Diddy said. “I want to apologize again to Cassie Ventura for any harm I caused emotionally or physically. I don’t take that lightly.”

Diddy also apologized to Jane, who testified under a pseudonym during the trial. The rapper said, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Sorry that I brought you into my mess.” Diddy also apologized to all victims of domestic violence.

The producer admitted his “actions were sick,” as he referenced substance abuse issues. “I was out of control. I needed help, but I didn’t get the help,” he said. “I can make no excuse because I knew better. My mama taught me better. My faith taught me better.”

“One of the hardest things has been to be quiet, not being able to express how sorry I am for my actions.” — Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

He continued, “Because of my decisions I lost my freedom. I lost the opportunity to effectively raise my children and be there for my mother. I lost all my businesses I lost my career. I totally lost my reputation. I lost my self respect.

“I’ve been humbled and broken to my core. I hate myself right now. Stripped down to nothing. I really am truly sorry for it all no matter what they say. I want to apologize to my seven children.”

Quincy Brown, Diddy’s adopted son, told the court that his father was a “changed man” after the trial. “My father has learned a major lesson,” Brown said. “We’ve seen him evolve, something we haven’t seen in 15 years. He would never do anything to jeopardize his freedom.”

Justin Combs asked the judge to give his father a “second chance at life.”

“This is one of the hardest times of my life. My father is my superhero,” Justin told the judge. “God makes no mistakes. Going through his tough time. He’s drug free, he’s clear. He’s changed for the better.”

Diddy’s daughters – D’Lila, Chance and Jessie – also gave statements to the court. The three focused on their two-year-old baby sister. D’Lila, while becoming emotional, emphasized they don’t want their sister to grow up fatherless like they had to grow up motherless.

“We are tired of being strong. We have already lost so much,” D’Lila told the judge. “Please your honor please, give our family the chance to heal together.”

Diddy appeared in court Friday, months after his July 2 conviction on federal prostitution charges. The now gray-haired rapper walked into court wearing a white shirt with a cream sweater over it. Diddy hugged all of his lawyers before giving a lengthy handshake to his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo. The rapper then gestured to his family and put on his glasses.

Fox News

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Mullally also becomes the ceremonial head of some 85 million Anglicans worldwide, with the appointment of a woman risking deeper theological divides with some of the more conservative branches of the church in African nations.

Reforms introduced 11 years ago made it possible for a woman to hold the office, and by being named as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally becomes the female leader of one of last areas of British public life to have been led by men.

But for Anglicans globally, about two-thirds of whom live in countries like Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, the appointment of the first female Archbishop could further highlight their difference with the mother church in England.

Mullally, 63, is a former nurse who worked as England’s Chief Nursing Officer in the early 2000s. She has advocated for creating an open and transparent culture in churches which allows for difference and disagreement.

“There are great commonalities between nursing and being a priest. It’s all about people, and sitting with people during the most difficult times in their lives,” she once told a magazine.

Reflecting the Church of England’s status as England’s established church, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office announced the decision with the formal consent of King Charles.

As monarch, Charles is the supreme governor of the Church of England, a role established in the 16th century when King Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church.

The Church of England has been without a leader since last November when Justin Welby resigned over a child abuse cover-up scandal.

Source: Reuters

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The Al Khoziny school in the town of Sidoarjo collapsed on Monday, cratering upon hundreds of teenage students during afternoon prayer, its foundations unable to support ongoing construction work on its upper floors.

The trapped students were mostly teenage boys between the ages of 13 to 19. Alongside the ambulances was a crane deployed to excavate some of the debris.

By late Thursday, five had been confirmed dead and 30 people were in treatment in the hospital, Indonesia’s disaster officials said.

Rescuers found no signs of life on Thursday after digging through tunnels in the remains of the building, despite calling out the boys’ names and using sensors to detect any movement.

Al Khoziny is an Islamic boarding school known locally as a pesantren.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has a total of about 42,000 pesantren, serving 7 million students, according to data from the country’s religious affairs ministry.

Source: Reuters

In the four-page letter, he apologises “for all of the hurt and pain that I have caused” and says that he has been reformed after spending 13 months in a Brooklyn jail.

The letter, dated Thursday, comes hours ahead of his sentencing hearing at 10:00 ET (15:00 GMT) on Friday.

In July, he was found guilty of two prostitution charges and now faces up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of at least 11 years, but Combs’ lawyers are asking that he be released later this month.

In his letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Combs apologises for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, singer Casandra Ventura, writing: “I literally lost my mind”.

“I’m sorry for that and always will be,” he continues. “My domestic violence will always be heavy burden that will have to forever carry.”

He also apologies to an anonymous woman who testified during the trial under the name “Jane” and says he became “lost in the drugs and the excess”.

“I lost my way,” he wrote. “My downfall was rooted in my selfishness. I have been humbled and broken to my core.”

Comb’s accusers have also written to the judge, describing how he wielded his power and influence to ruin their lives, and their fears that he would seek revenge if freed.

“I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who spoke up,” wrote Ms Ventura.

She added that she believes he deserves a long sentence, writing, “He has no interest in changing or becoming better. He will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is.”

In his letter, Combs describes teaching a class to fellow inmates on “what I did to become a successful business man”, describing himself as a changed person who is now sober for the first time in 25 years.

“The old me died in jail and new version of me was reborn,” he writes.

Comb goes on to ask the judge for mercy, “not only for my sake, but for the sake of my children”. He asked the judge to consider his seven kids, and his 84-year-old mother who recently had brain surgery.

He notes that the judge might be tempted to make an example out of him and instead asks that he be made an example of “what a person can do if afforded a second chance”.

Combs is also expected to speak in court on Friday before the judge issues his sentence. Four of his lawyers are also slated to speak, and his defence team also plans to show a 15-minute video. It’s unclear what the video may include.

In July, a jury acquitted him of the most severe charges: racketeering and sex trafficking – which could have resulted in him spending the rest of his life behind bars. He was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Prosecutors say he is “unrepentant” and argued the rapper should spend a minimum of 11 years in prison.

“The defendant tries to recast decades of abuse as simply the function of mutually toxic relationships,” prosecutors wrote in a 29 September filing. “But there is nothing mutual about a relationship where one person holds all the power and the other ends up bloodied and bruised.”

Source: BBC

He suggested Republicans should seize the opportunity to “clear out dead wood” and gave no hint of concessions to Democratic demands that legislation funding the government should include healthcare insurance subsidies.

Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, meanwhile, continued to blame each other for failing to keep federal agencies open.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are staying home, while others worked without pay. Some federal attractions closed to visitors while others, including the Statue of Liberty, stayed open.

Analysts don’t expect either side to budge without pressure from everyday Americans, most of whom have yet to feel direct impacts on their lives.

It was unclear exactly what Trump could decide in Thursday’s meeting with Russell Vought, director of the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

When Congress fails to keep the US government open, the OMB director works with the president to pick which government activities should stop and which are essential.

It then gives directions to federal agencies about which employees to place on furlough, which means unpaid leave.

On the first day of the shutdown, Vought said the White House had moved to pause or cancel billions of dollars in funding meant for Democratic states, including $18bn (£13.4bn) in infrastructure projects in New York – home of both Senator Chuck Schumer and the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries.

Both sides must come together to pass legislation if the government is to reopen.

Republicans need eight Democratic senators to vote with them, while Democrats need 13 Republicans to side with them. Only three Democrats joined with Republicans on the last failed vote in the Senate on Wednesday.

Lawmakers are expected to try again on Friday afternoon to resolve the impasse with a vote in the Senate.

Republicans want to pass a funding measure without anything else attached, but Democrats want to include a renewal of health insurance subsidies for low-income individuals set to expire at the end of the year.

In duelling press conferences on Capitol Hill on Thursday, neither party appeared willing to give ground.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called Democrats “selfish”, dubbed it the “Democrat shutdown”, and said he would not negotiate on adding insurance subsidies – or other measures – to government funding.

Jeffries accused Republicans of not wanting to provide working-class Americans with healthcare and said Trump’s threats to fire more federal workers were pointless. He noted: “They have been firing federal employees all along.”

Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist University Institute for Public Opinion, said his polling suggested Americans were largely split down party lines when it came to assigning fault for the shutdown.

Majorities of both Democratic and Republican respondents to his polls blamed the other party for the shutdown, he said, while 41% of independents said both parties shared the blame equally.

“Both of the parties have mastered the finger-pointing, and all we’re left with is a growing number of people who think the country is headed in the wrong direction,” Miringoff said.

He expected Americans to put pressure on Congress to reopen the government – but not until they see the impact of a shutdown on their own lives.

As politicians traded barbs, US government services started to grind to a halt, and thousands of federal workers stayed home.

About 750,000 federal workers were expected to take unpaid leave, according to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Federal employees deemed “essential” continued to work, though without pay. They include more than 200,000 law enforcement officers.

Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are considered essential, so air travel will not immediately be affected.

During the last shutdown these employees increasingly began to call in sick, leading to some delays at major airports.

Tourists were turned away from museums in Washington and New York, including at Federal Hall in Manhattan.

A manager told the BBC the building was closed like other federal monuments.

George Washington, the first US president, took the oath of office there in 1789. Now a museum, the historic building also was home to the first Congress and Supreme Court.

But not all monuments are closed.

Elsewhere in New York, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remained open, “thanks to the leadership of President Donald J Trump”, a Department of the Interior spokesperson told the BBC.

The Smithsonian, which includes more than a dozen museums and attractions that drew nearly 17 million visitors last year, told the BBC it had enough money to stay open for a week.

Source: BBC