Three people have been killed and at least three others, including the driver, hospitalised in critical condition after an SUV crashed into pedestrians near a Metro station in Los Angeles, United States.

The crash occurred at about 5:55 pm local time on Tuesday at the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard in North Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Los Angeles Police Department said the vehicle struck five people, killing three, while the driver was among those taken to hospital in critical condition.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the SUV mounted the sidewalk near the North Hollywood Metro Station, hitting a group of street vendors and pedestrians.

In a statement shared on social media, Bass expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

I’m heartbroken for the families of everyone impacted,” she said.

Authorities had yet to disclose further details about the circumstances surrounding the crash.

In a similar crash style, though ghastly, PUNCH had reported a total of seven people have been taken to hospital after a car struck several pedestrians on Hyndland Road in the west end of Glasgow, Scotland.

Police Scotland said the incident happened at about 3.45pm on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, prompting an emergency response involving police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel 

Nigerian-born American lawyer, Shirley Emehelu, has been appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey in the United States, making her the first immigrant to occupy the position in the state’s history.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Emehelu’s appointment on Monday, November 9, 2026, saying the selection marked the first time the state’s two highest executive offices would be occupied by women.

Emehelu, who also retains her position as Secretary of State, assumed office on Monday following the appointment.

She succeeds Dale Caldwell, who resigned in September.

In a statement shared by the New Jersey Governor’s Office announcing the appointment, Sherrill said Emehelu had demonstrated commitment to public service through her work in prosecuting financial fraud, tackling government waste and abuse, defending civil rights and protecting consumers.

Shirley embodies those values,” the governor said, describing her as a leader committed to accountability and serving New Jersey residents.

Emehelu said she was honoured by the appointment and pledged to bring her experience in public service to the new role

I’ve spent my career upholding the law, protecting families, and rooting out fraud, abuse, and corruption,” she said.

She added that she would focus on lowering costs, expanding opportunities and ensuring that government delivered for residents.

Emehelu was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States at the age of three.

She initially lived in Chicago before relocating to Pittsburgh.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School.

According to her profile, Emehelu worked as an Assistant United States Attorney from 2010 to 2019, prosecuting cases involving financial fraud.

She also served as Chief of Asset Recovery and Anti-Money Laundering at the US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

She joined New Jersey’s state government in 2022 as Executive Assistant Attorney General, the third-highest-ranking official in the state’s Attorney General’s Office.

In January 2026, she joined the Sherrill administration as Acting State Comptroller, where she led efforts to tackle fraud, waste and abuse and protect public funds.

She subsequently became Acting Secretary of State in September 2026, taking responsibility for overseeing the state’s electoral administration before her appointment as lieutenant governor.

A UK coroner has ruled that punitive school rules and a relationship breakdown contributed to the death of a 15-year-old pupil who struggled with his school’s disciplinary policies.

The pupil, identified as Taylor Lee, from Plymouth, died in November 2023 after repeatedly complaining that attending school had become an exhausting daily struggle.

An inquest at Devon Coroner’s Court in Exeter heard that Taylor had criticised the strict behaviour policies introduced by Ivybridge Community College, where he was a Year 11 student.

According to a report by the Daily Mail on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the school had introduced an isolation policy under which pupils faced punishment for arriving late to lessons.

On one occasion, Taylor was reportedly sent for reflection after arriving 47 seconds late to class.

He also criticised the school’s disciplinary measures, describing its behaviour policies as “unlogical” and expressing concern about their emotional impact on other pupils.

Taylor was subsequently suspended after challenging the rules during a confrontation with his headteacher.

Following his return, he again raised concerns, prompting the school to allow pupils an additional minute to get to their lessons.

However, the teenager died three weeks later at his family’s home.

Area Coroner Alison Longhorn recorded a conclusion of suicide, identifying the school’s disciplinary approach and the breakdown of Taylor’s relationship with his girlfriend as contributing factors.

She said Taylor’s experience at school had “a most significant impact” which more than minimally contributed to his death.

The coroner also disclosed that the teenager had previously experienced mental health difficulties, including low mood and self-harm.

He had struggled with bullying, mock GCSE examinations and his relationships with some teachers.

Taylor’s family had raised concerns about the effect of the school’s stricter rules on him and other pupils.

During the inquest, the school’s principal, Rachel Hutchinson, described Taylor as a “charismatic, very creative” pupil who loved life and music.

However, she said he was “a complex character” who struggled with school routines and expectations.

She explained that the stricter disciplinary measures were introduced following increased school absences after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measures included a bell system to prompt pupils to attend lessons, a six-minute window to move between classes and sanctions for lateness, mobile phone use and other breaches of school rules.

Hutchinson said the policies remained in place.

The coroner expressed concern that the same situation could arise again, noting that there had been no changes to the college’s policies since Taylor’s death.

She also highlighted a missed opportunity after a police officer who had dealt with Taylor warned the school about his fragile mental state but received no response.

The coroner said she would issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report to address the concerns raised during the inquest.

Youth worker Richard Brooks told the inquest that Taylor had been disengaged from education and unhappy with the school’s rules.

He recalled the teenager telling him: “Every day is a battle and exhausting.”

The principal also said investigations by Ofsted and Devon County Council following complaints about the school’s policies had concluded that no further action was necessary.

Indonesian police detained more than 150 people after protesters clashed with security forces in Yogyakarta city southeast of the capital overnight, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The violence followed demonstrations across several Indonesian cities on Tuesday over the government’s management of the economy, its handling of devastating wildfires and stagnant wages.

Around 100 people gathered near Yogyakarta’s parliament around 8:00 pm (1300 GMT), aiming firecrackers and hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails toward the building, police said in a statement Wednesday.

Authorities responded by deploying tactical vehicles to disperse the crowd. Police said they seized evidence including six Molotov cocktails and 12 firecrackers.

An AFP reporter saw police fire tear gas and water cannon as officers moved to disperse the protesters late Tuesday.

Yogyakarta police spokeswoman Novita Eka Sari said 154 people had been detained in connection with the unrest.

National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto, who inspected the scene early Wednesday, pledged a thorough investigation into the incident.

We will investigate whether… there were efforts to deliberately cause damage, whether there were other objectives,” Suyudi said.

Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of people gathered near the governor’s office in Yogyakarta, calling for higher minimum wages. That crowd cleared out before the violence later in the day.

In Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, protesters also took to the streets, citing issues including wildfires and rising food prices.

AFP

The United Kingdom has backed plans by Nigeria’s pension industry to establish a $750m infrastructure investment fund aimed at mobilising retirement savings and development finance for energy, transport and digital infrastructure projects.

The initiative, which has attracted interest from 19 Nigerian pension funds, is expected to mobilise about $600m from domestic pension funds and at least $150m from development finance institutions.

The partnership was formalised through an agreement signed between the Pension Industry Leadership Council and UK-funded development agency FSD Africa, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

Speaking on the partnership, the UK Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, said, “The UK is proud to partner with the Nigeria’s Pension Industry and the pensions regulator Pencom to progress this investment. Both our countries are prioritising tacking the challenge of attracting more domestic capital, including from pension funds, into the real economy.”

He added, “It is great to see Nigeria making concrete progress on its efforts and be a part of those opportunities to turn this ambition into investment, jobs, and economic growth.”

Under the agreement, FSD Africa will provide technical assistance and expert advice to support the establishment of the fund, including the competitive selection of a fund manager, engagement with prospective investors and development finance institutions, capacity building and necessary regulatory reforms.

The proposed investment platform, developed by Nigerian Pension Fund Administrators with support from the National Pension Commission and FSD Africa, is targeting an initial capital mobilisation of $350m by its first close in 2027, before expanding to $750m.

At its final target size, Nigerian pension funds are expected to provide approximately 80 per cent of the capital, while development finance institutions will contribute at least 20 per cent.

The Director-General of PenCom and Chair of the Pension Industry Leadership Council, Omolola Oloworaran, said the initiative would provide an opportunity to deploy long-term pension capital into productive infrastructure investments without compromising contributors’ retirement savings.

The pension industry holds the largest pool of long-term savings capital in the country, and we are committed to mobilising it to deepen infrastructure development, while safeguarding the retirement savings of contributors. This MoU is the first step we are taking as an industry, and it is just the beginning,” she said.

According to the statement, an initial assessment of Nigeria’s infrastructure pipeline identified 39 projects with potential relevance to the proposed investment platform, representing approximately $20bn in financing needs.

The fund, identified as PIIP, will focus on equity and quasi-equity investments, with at least 60 per cent of its portfolio allocated to Nigerian infrastructure projects, while the balance may be invested in selected regional markets.

The proposed structure will comprise a naira-denominated core investment fund and a separate co-investment vehicle, allowing participating pension funds to invest alongside the main fund in selected projects.

A parallel foreign-currency investment vehicle may also be established to accommodate international investors.

The Chief Executive Officer of FSD Africa, Mark Napier, said the initiative was intended to address the gap between Africa’s substantial institutional savings and its infrastructure financing requirements.

“We have observed for several years now the paradox of Africa having significant institutional capital while at the same time facing big infrastructure funding deficits,” Napier said.

He added, “We are keen to work with PenCom and the pension industry in Nigeria to address this and unlock the capital they manage towards Nigeria’s priority infrastructure.”

The partnership forms part of broader UK-Nigeria efforts to deepen capital markets, mobilise domestic investment and direct long-term financing towards infrastructure development and economic growth.

The United States Department of State has warned its citizens against travelling to 23 countries classified under its highest travel advisory level, Level 4: Do Not Travel.

The department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs issued the warning in a post on its official Facebook page on Monday, explaining that the classification was based on local conditions and the US government’s limited ability to assist its citizens in the affected countries.

It said, “Level 4 means DO NOT TRAVEL. We assign Level 4 based on local conditions and/or our limited ability to help Americans there. These places are dangerous. Do not go for ANY reason.”

The 23 countries listed under the advisory are Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine and Yemen.

The department operates a four-level travel advisory system, with Level 1 indicating that travellers should exercise normal precautions, while Level 2 advises increased caution.

Level 3 advises travellers to reconsider their trips, while Level 4 is the highest category and advises against all travel to the affected destinations.

The department urged Americans to check its travel advisory website for destination-specific information before making travel plans.

Travellers can access the advisories through travel.state.gov/destination.

Canada has made its Rural Community Immigration Pilot a permanent programme, creating a continuing pathway to attract and retain skilled foreign workers in smaller communities facing persistent labour shortages.

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lena Metlege Diab, announced the decision on Monday, November 9, 2026, in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

According to a release on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, the programme will initially continue with the 14 communities currently participating in the pilot, with plans to expand to additional communities in the future.

The employer- and community-led initiative is designed to address the distinct workforce needs of rural Canada by connecting newcomers and their families with local employers and community support systems to encourage long-term settlement.

Announcing the decision, Diab said the government recognised the importance of rural communities to the country’s economy and the challenges they face in finding workers.

“Our government understands that rural communities play a critical role in powering Canada’s economy. At the same time, many face real challenges finding the workers they need.

“That’s why we’re transitioning our successful rural immigration pilot into a permanent program—helping smaller communities attract and retain essential workers who deliver services and drive economic growth.

We appreciate that a one-size-fits-all approach to immigration doesn’t work for rural Canada, and this permanent pathway is one part of our work to ensure that communities of all sizes can share in the benefits of responsible, sustainable immigration,” she said.

Under Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, 5,500 admission spaces have been allocated to the permanent Rural Community Immigration Program.

The government said the programme would complement its efforts to stabilise immigration admissions, reduce the temporary resident population and retain skilled workers already living and contributing to communities across the country.

What the programme has achieved

IRCC said the permanent programme builds on the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, which ran from 2019 to 2024, and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, introduced in 2025.

More than 2,800 employers participated in the earlier Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, resulting in over 12,500 candidates and their family members being admitted to smaller and rural communities across Canada.

The department said early results from the current programme showed that newcomers had helped address labour shortages in key sectors, including healthcare, education, sales and services, in 2025 and 2026.

Between January 2025 and August 2026, participating communities vetted and designated more than 1,950 trusted employers facing persistent labour shortages that could not be filled locally.

The employers subsequently issued more than 4,700 job offers and community recommendations.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Sean Fraser, said the programme had helped businesses in Pictou County retain workers and encouraged newcomers to establish permanent roots in the community.

“We’ve seen the difference this program makes here in Pictou County. It’s helping local businesses keep workers they need, people who’ve become our neighbours and friends, and want to build their lives here.

“We’re one of 14 communities that have helped make this pilot work.

“Now we’re making it permanent, so businesses can count on it when they can’t fill jobs locally, and these families can keep calling our community home,” Fraser said.

Similarly, the Secretary of State for Rural Development, Buckley Belanger, said the programme recognised the different labour needs of rural, northern and remote communities.

He said strategic immigration pathways could help address workforce shortages where locally available Canadian workers could not fill vacancies.

The Chief Executive Officer of Pictou County Partnership, Jason Guidry, also said the programme had strengthened the local workforce, supported business growth and helped welcome new residents.

Meanwhile, IRCC said eligibility criteria for additional communities that may join the programme in future would be communicated through a separate announcement.

The department also identified the Provincial Nominee Program and federal economic immigration programmes managed through Express Entry as other pathways available to skilled workers seeking permanent residence in Canada.

The United Kingdom government is moving to stop schools from routinely starting General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) teaching in Year 7.

This, according to the government, is part of plans to overhaul the national curriculum and make the first three years of secondary education more engaging for pupils.

Under the proposed changes, “schools will be expected to protect Key Stage 3 (KS3) as a distinct three-year phase, rather than using it primarily to prepare pupils for GCSE examinations.”

The Department for Education announced the plans in a press release published on November 8, 2026, saying the curriculum overhaul was aimed at addressing growing disengagement among pupils in their early teenage years, as well as improving attendance and educational outcomes

The government said “some schools were increasingly encroaching on Key Stage 3 by introducing GCSE content before Year 10, with some beginning as early as Year 7.”

It cited research by Public First Global for the International Baccalaureate, which found that more than half of teachers said GCSE courses were dominating the first three years of secondary school, despite the content not being intended to begin until Year 10.

Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, said the pressure to prepare pupils for examinations early was depriving them of a broader learning experience.

What’s more, the pressures of GCSEs and an overcrowded curriculum are resulting in too many children receiving a narrower offer during Key Stage 3 and being rushed towards exams without grasping the fundamentals or developing deeper understanding. I’m putting a stop to that,” she said.

Powell said the early years of secondary education should allow children to explore different subjects, develop their interests and build a lasting enthusiasm for learning.

The early years of secondary school should be a time when children are excited to go to school and engage in the specialist and much broader teaching on offer, and where they find their passion and develop a love of learning,” she said.

The proposed curriculum changes will also reduce overcrowded content and improve the sequencing of subjects to allow pupils more time to develop a deeper understanding of what they are taught.

The government said there would be greater emphasis on core knowledge and skills, including confident speaking, fluent reading, reading for pleasure and numeracy.

Pupils would also have a more engaging offer in subjects such as drama, physical education, music and modern foreign languages, alongside technical and digital skills.

According to the department, the changes are also intended to “address persistent school absence, which almost doubles between Years 7 and 9, reaching one in four children.”

It said persistent absence rates among white working-class children were 75 per cent higher in secondary school than in primary school.

The government said the new curriculum would discourage schools from starting GCSE specifications early for large groups of pupils or routinely requiring them to narrow their subject choices earlier or sit examinations ahead of schedule.

However, teachers would retain the flexibility to stretch high-achieving pupils or groups considered ready to progress further without restricting their options.

The full National Curriculum is expected to be published later in 2026, according to the release.

A British civil servant who secretly held multiple government jobs simultaneously and fraudulently earned more than £284,000 in taxpayers’ money has been found guilty of nine counts of fraud.

Kashim Chowdhury, 56, from east London, was convicted after a jury found him guilty of eight counts of fraud by false representation and one count of fraud by failing to disclose information.

According to a BBC report published on Monday, the jury reached its unanimous verdict after seven hours of deliberation.

Chowdhury held five government jobs at the same time in the spring of 2023, although he had secured eight overlapping full-time public sector roles between 2020 and 2023, earning a total of £350,000.

The prosecution accused him of “deliberate, intentional dishonesty” and “exploiting the system”.

The court heard that Chowdhury provided inaccurate information about his employment status on job application forms and failed to disclose to government departments that he was already employed elsewhere.

After securing the positions, he also failed to inform his employers that he was working for other organisations.

Among the organisations where he worked were the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Department for Business and Trade, the Food Standards Agency and the Home Office.

During the spring of 2023, he was contracted to work 183 hours weekly, exceeding the total number of hours in a seven-day week.

The report said Chowdhury was allowed to work entirely from home after telling his employers that he was caring for his mother, with whom he lived in east London.

His mother had dementia and was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2023.

However, rather than reduce his workload to care for her, he continued taking on additional jobs.

Chowdhury told the court that he accepted multiple roles because he feared losing his livelihood after experiencing insecure

He said he had been made redundant from a job at the Department for Education in 2013 and was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Explaining his actions, he said he had not been thinking clearly when applying for jobs “because of my stress, distress and trauma and due to my panic at the time”.

However, prosecuting barrister Lucy Organ accused him of lying during the trial.

“He’s lied to you in evidence, he’s lied to you under oath, which demonstrates the level of deceit he has descended to,” she told the jury.

The court also heard evidence from several of Chowdhury’s former managers about his performance at work.

One of them, Dan McCartney, who managed him at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said he had to “effectively tell him what to do the whole time”.

McCartney told the court that Chowdhury frequently switched off his camera during video calls, citing technical problems, and that the situation continued for four to five months.

However, because he was not subjected to formal performance measures at the department, Chowdhury was offered a permanent position and remained there for two years.

The prosecution also alleged that he used sick notes to manage his overlapping work commitments.

In March 2023, he was on sick leave from four organisations but continued working at the Home Office without informing the department that he was ill.

His line manager at the UK Health Security Agency, Aleesha Adams, also told the court about a video call she arranged with him in May 2023, after he had been off sick for three months.

Adams said she wanted to discuss a plan for his return to work.

She told the jury that Chowdhury was coughing repeatedly and waving tissues towards the camera at the beginning of the meeting.

She further alleged that he had applied white make-up to his face to make himself appear ill.

According to Adams, the make-up began coming off his forehead as the meeting progressed.

“He was sweating, it was like rubbing off so it was darker underneath and darker on the neck,” she told the court.

Chowdhury denied the allegation, describing it as a smear and insisting that he had not worn make-up.

After the meeting, Adams discovered that he had joined the video call using an email address belonging to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

When challenged, he blamed the incident on a technical error.

Adams said she became suspicious and escalated her concerns to senior officials at the agency.

“I believed he was lying,” she told the jury.

However, his activities continued for several more months until he left the civil service in September 2023.

Chowdhury was eventually identified in 2024 through the government’s National Fraud Initiative, which conducts checks of civil service databases, including payroll records, every two years to identify anomalies.

Canada has made its Rural Community Immigration Pilot a permanent programme, creating a continuing pathway to attract and retain skilled foreign workers in smaller communities facing persistent labour shortages.

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lena Metlege Diab, announced the decision on Monday, November 9, 2026, in Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

According to a release on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, the programme will initially continue with the 14 communities currently participating in the pilot, with plans to expand to additional communities in the future.

The employer- and community-led initiative is designed to address the distinct workforce needs of rural Canada by connecting newcomers and their families with local employers and community support systems to encourage long-term settlement.

Announcing the decision, Diab said the government recognised the importance of rural communities to the country’s economy and the challenges they face in finding workers.

“Our government understands that rural communities play a critical role in powering Canada’s economy. At the same time, many face real challenges finding the workers they need. That’s why we’re transitioning our successful rural immigration pilot into a permanent program—helping smaller communities attract and retain essential workers who deliver services and drive economic growth.

“We appreciate that a one-size-fits-all approach to immigration doesn’t work for rural Canada, and this permanent pathway is one part of our work to ensure that communities of all sizes can share in the benefits of responsible, sustainable immigration,” she said.

Under Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, 5,500 admission spaces have been allocated to the permanent Rural Community Immigration Program.

The government said the programme would complement its efforts to stabilise immigration admissions, reduce the temporary resident population and retain skilled workers already living and contributing to communities across the country.

What the programme has achieved

IRCC said the permanent programme builds on the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, which ran from 2019 to 2024, and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, introduced in 2025.

More than 2,800 employers participated in the earlier Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, resulting in over 12,500 candidates and their family members being admitted to smaller and rural communities across Canada.

The department said early results from the current programme showed that newcomers had helped address labour shortages in key sectors, including healthcare, education, sales and services, in 2025 and 2026.

Between January 2025 and August 2026, participating communities vetted and designated more than 1,950 trusted employers facing persistent labour shortages that could not be filled locally.

The employers subsequently issued more than 4,700 job offers and community recommendations.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Sean Fraser, said the programme had helped businesses in Pictou County retain workers and encouraged newcomers to establish permanent roots in the community.

“We’ve seen the difference this program makes here in Pictou County. It’s helping local businesses keep workers they need, people who’ve become our neighbours and friends, and want to build their lives here.

“We’re one of 14 communities that have helped make this pilot work. Now we’re making it permanent, so businesses can count on it when they can’t fill jobs locally, and these families can keep calling our community home,” Fraser said.

Similarly, the Secretary of State for Rural Development, Buckley Belanger, said the programme recognised the different labour needs of rural, northern and remote communities.

He said strategic immigration pathways could help address workforce shortages where locally available Canadian workers could not fill vacancies.

The Chief Executive Officer of Pictou County Partnership, Jason Guidry, also said the programme had strengthened the local workforce, supported business growth and helped welcome new residents.

Meanwhile, IRCC said eligibility criteria for additional communities that may join the programme in future would be communicated through a separate announcement.

The department also identified the Provincial Nominee Program and federal economic immigration programmes managed through Express Entry as other pathways available to skilled workers seeking permanent residence in Canada.a

Donald Trump vowed a political comeback Sunday as the major parties clashed over Democrat threats to prosecute top administration officials after the president’s Republicans lost control of Congress in midterm elections.

The devastating results in last Tuesday’s vote leave Trump politically hamstrung as he enters the remaining two-year ‘lame duck’ period of his White House tenure. It also opens the door to multiple investigations by the Democrat-controlled Congress of the president, his family and senior members of his administration.

On political talk shows Sunday, incoming congressional leaders from the Democratic Party promised to hold Trump and his aides to account, while the president’s top law officer resolved to defend them and Trump dug in his heels on social media.

America took a giant step back in History with the results of the last Election,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, adding that the stock market that had grown during his tenure took a loss after the vote.

“But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”

On Friday, a defiant Trump appointed hardline advisor Stephen Miller as his new chief of staff, signaling a bare-knuckle fightback — even though many Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, have reflected on why they had lost so badly at the ballot box.

Miller was architect of Trump’s tough immigration policy, which analysts have identified as a contributing factor to the unpopularity of Republicans and their election debacle.

Amid Democrat threats for administration officials to “lawyer up,” Trump said Saturday he was ordering the Justice Department to examine Democratic threats to impeach members of his administration, likening it to “extortion.”

– Impeaching Hegseth? –

With control of committees in both chambers of Congress, Democrats can summon officials, demand documents and hold public hearings, putting Trump and his senior aides under intense scrutiny.

Likely subjects include the Trump family’s business and cryptocurrency dealings, government contracts involving billionaire Elon Musk, cuts to federal agencies, immigration enforcement and the conduct of the Iran war.

Hakeem Jeffries, set to become speaker of the new Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, said he would support an effort to oust Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a key architect of the war on Iran that began in February.

I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution,” Jeffries told ABC, when asked about a Republican lawmaker’s reported plan to introduce an impeachment motion as early as Monday.

“The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe. Pete Hegseth has got to go.”

Trump on Sunday defended Hegseth when talking with reporters, saying: “I mean he’s guilty of two things, basically winning two wars,” referring to the US raid on Venezuela in January that removed president Nicholas Maduro and the ongoing war with Iran.

“We won in Venezuela. We’ve taken out hundreds of billions of dollars. We won in 48 minutes. And we won in Iran,” Trump told reporters. “It’s just a question of closing it out now or later.”

Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump and now head of the Justice Department, vowed to actively defend Trump and senior members of his administration.

“If they try to come after Stephen Miller…instead of actually just conducting oversight and leading, of course the Department of Justice will be there to defend him,” Blanche told CNN.

Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, took aim at Blanche, saying one role of Congress under the US constitution is to hold the executive branch to account.

“All he wants to do is protect Donald Trump, is protect Donald Trump’s cabinet and administration officials. That is not his job,” Garcia told CNN, vowing to stop corruption and investigate “those that are committing crimes against the American public.”

“They can come after us however they want. We’re not going to be intimidated,” added Garcia.

A 34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15 kilogrammes of cocaine from Nigeria to Uganda.

Nansubuga was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, November 3, while preparing to board a flight to Uganda.

The NDLEA said 87 wraps of cocaine were recovered from her pelvic region, where they had been strapped beneath two layers of underwear.

According to a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the suspect arrived in Nigeria on October 29 with members of her church for a prayer session at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in the Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State.

Babafemi said the other members of her delegation had returned to Uganda after the prayer session, but Nansubuga remained in Nigeria to allegedly collect the cocaine on behalf of a friend identified as Joy, who lives in Uganda.

He said the suspect was intercepted during a joint passenger screening exercise involving NDLEA operatives and aviation security personnel at Terminal 2 of the airport.

“She came to Nigeria with members of her church for spiritual renewal at a prayer session in Lagos. But when it was time to go home, 34-year-old Ugandan, Ms Farida Nansubuga, chose a different path. While the rest of her delegation flew back to Uganda, she stayed behind, not to pray some more, but to pick up a consignment of cocaine, which she hid in her private part in a bid to smuggle it into her country.

“Her plan, however, came crashing down at the MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026, when operatives of the NDLEA intercepted her at the screening point of Terminal 2 during a joint passenger screening exercise with aviation security personnel. She was due to board a Ugandan airline flight to her home country,” the statement partly read.

Babafemi said a preliminary investigation reportedly revealed that a contact in Nigeria arranged a vehicle to convey her to a hotel on the morning of her scheduled departure, where an unidentified man handed her the drugs.

The suspect allegedly told investigators that she was instructed to conceal the cocaine beneath her clothing to evade airport security screening.

He said, “During preliminary interview, the suspect said she arrived in Nigeria on 29th October 2026 with members of her church for a prayer session at The Synagogue Church of All Nations, Ikotun Egbe area of Lagos. She claimed that after the prayer session, the other members of her delegation returned to Uganda while she stayed back to collect the illicit consignment on behalf of a friend, simply identified as Joy, who resides in Uganda.”

She reportedly said that although no definite payment was agreed upon, she expected to receive at least $1,000 after successfully delivering the consignment in Uganda.

The NDLEA Chairman, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the incident as a reminder of how drug cartels exploit religious activities and travel to recruit couriers.

Marwa, while commending officers involved in the arrest, urged personnel across the agency’s commands to sustain efforts to tackle drug trafficking and abuse.

The case of the Ugandan woman is a sad reminder that drug cartels will stop at nothing, including exploiting faith and religious travel, to recruit couriers for their deadly trade. I urge officers across all commands to sustain the tempo of their supply and demand reduction efforts, ” he said.

The arrest was among several drug seizures and arrests recorded by the agency across the country.

In another operation at the Lagos airport, operatives intercepted 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilogrammes and valued at N900m.

The consignment, which arrived from India aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, was allegedly declared as Paracetamol tablets.

“In another interception at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives on Friday, 6th November uncovered 750,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, weighing 526 kilograms with a street value of N900 million, in a consignment from India declared as Paracetamol Tablets 500mg. The consignment, made up of eleven cartons packed in two wooden structures, arrived at the import shed of the airport on Tuesday 3rd November aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Ahmedabad, India,” he said.

He further said the agency also intercepted 32 parcels of Loud weighing 16.15 kilogrammes, concealed in two wooden sofas in a cargo shipment from Houston, United States.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives intercepted 600 tablets of Tramadol 225mg concealed in female headwear in a shipment destined for the United Kingdom.

The agency also recovered 46 blocks of cannabis weighing 22.2 kilogrammes from two cartons being shipped to the UK.

Earlier, the agency had intercepted a large consignment of illicit drugs cleverly concealed in imported furniture, specifically sofas, and women’s headgear.

Footage shows officers carefully unpacking large cardboard crates containing sofas. After cutting through the outer packaging and internal foam and padding, operatives recovered multiple sealed packages of suspected narcotics hidden within the furniture.

All travellers arriving in Ghana will be required to complete a mandatory health declaration form from Thursday, November 12, 2026, the country’s Health Service has announced.

The Ghana Health Service said all passengers travelling to the country must complete and submit the online form before embarking on their journeys.

The directive was contained in a press release dated November 7 and signed by the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea.

The service said the requirement followed a recent announcement by the country’s Minister of Health

“In line with this directive, all passengers travelling to Ghana will be required to complete the Health Declaration Form before embarking on their journey to Ghana,” the statement said.

Travellers are required to complete the form through the GHS electronic health declaration portal before departure.

The service said the measure was intended to strengthen Ghana’s public health surveillance and preparedness systems, enhance the monitoring of potential public health risks, and safeguard the health and well-being of residents and visitors

It urged all prospective travellers to complete and submit the form before departure, while asking airlines, travel agencies and other relevant stakeholders to inform passengers about the new requirement.

The announcement comes amid the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola across parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organisation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to record sustained transmission of the disease, while Kenya and Nigeria have also reported imported cases.

Nigeria reported one laboratory-confirmed imported case on October 20. The patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland for medical treatment, while health authorities identified 62 contacts for follow-up as of November 3.

Although the Ghana Health Service did not specifically link its November 7 announcement to the Ebola outbreak, Ghana had earlier introduced enhanced health screening and monitoring measures at its international airports amid the outbreak.

The United States is offering a $20 million reward “and possible relocation” for information about Iran’s nuclear program, the military said on Friday, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that it has been obliterated.

A State Department programme, Rewards for Justice, “is offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear program, including its facilities, equipment, and associated personnel, such as those in the scientific community,” US Central Command said in a statement posted on X.

It urged anybody with information to visit its website and submit a tip to claim the reward.

The announcement comes against a backdrop of long-standing international concerns over Iran’s nuclear activities.

In 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran was enriching uranium to 60 per cent purity, a level that is only a short technical step from the 90 per cent purity required for a nuclear weapon.

The US and Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, targeting key sites associated with the country’s nuclear activities.

After the operation, Trump described the sites as having been “completely and totally obliterated.” However, subsequent assessments indicated the programme had been degraded rather than fully eliminated.

On 28 February 2026, US and Israel launched a larger military campaign against Iran, saying they wanted to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The operation, which led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in its opening phase, escalated into a wider conflict after Iran retaliated. The war disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and plunged oil prices.

A self-proclaimed Kenyan preacher, Paul Mackenzie, has been sentenced to 200 years in prison by the country’s court for orchestrating the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, by ordering his followers to starve themselves to death in the belief that they would meet Jesus.

Mackenzie was convicted alongside 28 co-defendants over the deaths linked to his religious group in Shakahola Forest, near Kenya’s coastal region.

Delivering the sentence, Justice Diana Mochache held that Mackenzie bore the “primary criminal culpability” for directing his followers to undertake deadly fasting rituals.

The court sentenced him to 100 years’ imprisonment for homicide and another 100 years for offences relating to starvation.

Although the sentences under each category will run concurrently, the two categories will run consecutively, bringing his total prison term to 200 years.

According to the BBC, the judge described the killings as “cold and calculated,” stressing that the punishment was intended to send a strong message that such atrocities would attract the maximum penalties permitted by law.

Mackenzie’s 28 co-defendants, including guards who allegedly enforced the fasting orders and gravediggers who helped conceal the victims’ bodies, were also sentenced to various prison terms of up to 160 years.

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Mackenzie, but Justice Mochache rejected the request, arguing that capital punishment would remove the possibility of rehabilitation.

The shocking case came to light in 2023 when authorities arrested Mackenzie following the discovery of hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest.

More than 400 bodies have since been exhumed from the forest, with investigations revealing that several victims died from starvation, while others were killed through suffocation, strangulation, and head injuries.

Mackenzie founded Good News International Ministries in 2003 and became notorious for sermons in which he reportedly described education and healthcare as evil.

He later relocated to Shakahola Forest, where he encouraged his followers to join him and embrace extreme religious teachings.

However, Mackenzie and his co-defendants denied the allegations, insisting that nobody was forced to die.

The convicted preacher is also facing separate manslaughter and terrorism charges, which he has denied.

John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV, a former United States senator and governor of West Virginia who left a wealthy family background to work among poor communities, has died at the age of 89.

Rockefeller died on Thursday night at his home in Washington, according to Mary Stewart, vice president for external affairs at WETA, the public broadcasting station where his wife, Sharon Rockefeller, serves as president and chief executive officer.

The Associated Press reported his death on Friday.

“A great-grandson of John D. Rockefeller, founder of the Standard Oil Company, Rockefeller was born into one of America’s wealthiest families but built his political career in West Virginia, one of the country’s poorest states,” it noted.

According to the Associated Press, he moved to the mining community of Emmons, West Virginia, in 1964 at the age of 27 to participate in the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) programme, an anti-poverty initiative.

The experience shaped his political beliefs and commitment to public service.

Reflecting on his time in the state during his farewell speech on the Senate floor on December 4, 2014, Rockefeller said, “It explains every policy I pursued and every vote I have cast. It was where my beliefs were bolted down, and where my passions met my principles.”

He initially intended to stay in West Virginia briefly but remained in the state and entered politics as a Democrat in 1966, breaking with his family’s Republican political tradition.

He was elected to the “West Virginia House of Delegates in 1966 and subsequently served as the state’s secretary of state before becoming governor.”

Rockefeller was “elected governor in 1976 and re-elected in 1980, serving two terms before winning election to the United States Senate in 1984.

“He represented West Virginia in the Senate for 30 years, serving five terms from 1985 to 2015.”

During his time in Congress, he championed healthcare access for low-income families, consumer protection, broadband expansion, veterans’ welfare and oversight of US intelligence activities.

One of his major legislative achievements was the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which he authored in 1997 to provide health coverage for children in families whose incomes were too high to qualify for Medicaid but who could not afford private insurance.

The programme assists millions of children across the United States.

According to Reuters on Friday, “Rockefeller also supported President Barack Obama’s 2010 healthcare overhaul and advocated a public health insurance option, although the proposal was not adopted.”

He chaired the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, as well as the committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Intelligence.

As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he was involved in investigations into the administration of former President George W. Bush and its handling of intelligence on Iraq before the 2003 invasion.

Rockefeller later expressed regret over his 2002 vote authorising the Iraq War.

Despite his advocacy for workers and disadvantaged communities, his political career also involved controversies, particularly over his position on coal mining.

West Virginia was a major coal-producing state, and Rockefeller opposed some environmental regulations introduced during Obama’s administration concerning mountaintop removal mining.

He also played a role in attracting Japanese investment to West Virginia, helping Toyota establish an engine-parts manufacturing plant in Buffalo in 1996.

The facility, valued at $`2bn, employs approximately 2,200 workers, according to the Associated Press.

Rockefeller’s political career was supported by his personal fortune. The Associated Press reported that he spent at least `$21m of his own money on political campaigns, including $9m during his 1984 Senate election.

He retired from the Senate in January 2015.

Reflecting on his decades in public service, Rockefeller said in 2015, “I could not imagine a more rewarding career.”

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Percy Rockefeller, their four children and nine grandchildren.

So far in 2026, 5,182 confirmed cases have been reported across the country of the highly contagious but highly preventable disease, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation’s leading public health agency.

That compares with 2,289 cases during all of 2025, and is the highest level recorded by the CDC since 1991.

State health officials have reported at least eight measles-related deaths, including among very young children.

Measles was declared eradicated from the United States in 2000 thanks to vaccination, but in recent years it has made a strong comeback, fueled by declining vaccination rates and growing public distrust of health authorities.

President Donald Trump’s Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is accused of fanning that distrust. He is known for his vaccine scepticism and has repeatedly disseminated misinformation about the measles vaccine and downplayed the dangers of the disease.

Measles causes fever, respiratory symptoms and a rash, and in some cases more serious complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation, which can lead to severe long-term health problems or even death.

Before the vaccine was developed in the early 1960s, measles killed hundreds of children each year in the US. It continues to claim tens of thousands of lives worldwide.

AFP

“The Stock Market crashed today because the Dumocrats had a big Tuesday — So sad to see, you only have yourselves to blame!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after US markets closed for the day.

Analysts attributed Thursday’s stock selloff to fears of Democrats threatening the AI data center investment boom, with the tech-focused Nasdaq suffering its worst session percentage-wise since April 2025.

Data centers have faced broad opposition from US voters regardless of political affiliation, and many midterm winners have pledged to put the brakes on such projects

Democrats flipped seats that had long been held by Republicans, scoring breakthroughs in South Carolina, North Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Texas and Maine.

In Maine, former logger Troy Jackson defeated longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins, the party’s seventh Senate seat captured from Republicans.

In Kansas, Methodist minister Adam Hamilton became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from the reliably conservative state since 1932. Iowa had not elected a Democratic senator since 2008.

Talarico, the Texas Democrat, declared he had defeated “Goliath” in winning a Senate seat, while Gina Hinojosa unseated the state’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott, ending decades of Republican rule.

Democrats also protected key Senate seats of their own, including Jon Ossoff in Georgia and an open seat in New Hampshire.

The scale of the victory grew further when Abdul El-Sayed defeated former Republican lawmaker Mike Rogers in Michigan, making him the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber of Congress.

The party’s House victory saw gains across Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Arizona, North Carolina, Wisconsin and New Jersey, including districts Trump had carried comfortably in 2024.

In one closely watched bellwether, Democrat J.D. Ford ousted Republican congresswoman Victoria Spartz in Indiana, capturing a district Trump won by 17 points two years earlier.

Democrats also won Georgia’s governorship, electing former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as the first Black woman governor in US history.

Republicans had some consolation in Florida, where Trump-backed Byron Donalds became the state’s first Black governor and Ashley Moody retained a Senate seat — but only after seeing off surprisingly strong Democratic challenges.

AFP

United States President Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that his leadership and policies contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections, instead blaming the party’s candidates for failing to mobilise voters.

The election results, which saw Democrats win control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday, have raised questions about Trump’s political standing and the direction of his administration for the remainder of his term.

While members of both parties viewed the outcome as a rejection of Trump’s record in office, the President dismissed the suggestion that the results represented a setback for him.

“But I don’t view it as a hit on me,” Trump told Fox News in a live phone interview

We’ve had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy, in terms of all the things that we’ve done.”

Trump argued that the losses were largely caused by the performance of individual Republican candidates rather than his administration’s policies, including the war in Iran and tariffs that have contributed to rising prices.

He also blamed what he described as favourable media coverage of Democratic candidates, particularly on Fox News, saying the election outcome came as only a “little surprise”.

“I thought they’d do better,” he said, referring to Republican candidates.

He later attributed the outcome to a “mood in the air”, while maintaining that his administration’s policy agenda would continue despite the Democrats’ gains in Congress.

The election followed weeks of campaigning by Trump, who travelled to Republican-leaning states to rally support for candidates, urging voters to “pretend I’m on the ballot”.

However, the strategy failed to deliver the expected results, with Trump insisting that the candidates did not do enough to attract voters.

“They just didn’t inspire the people to get out and vote,” he told Fox News.

“And I wasn’t on the ballot. If I was on the ballot, they would have got out.”

Several of the defeated candidates, including Darline Graham in South Carolina, Ken Paxton in Texas, Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Mike Collins in Georgia, had received Trump’s endorsement.

Some of the endorsements had also been made against the wishes of other Republican leaders.

Trump, however, did not acknowledge his role in selecting the candidates as he criticised their performances.

I had no choice,” he said, defending his decision to support Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in Texas.

“When it wasn’t fashionable, he kissed my ass.”

In a post on his Truth Social platform shortly before midnight, Trump indicated that he would publicly analyse the reasons behind the party’s losses.

“I’m going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these Candidates won and lost!” he wrote.

He subsequently criticised Texas Governor Greg Abbott, describing him as a “Republican in name only” and accusing him of returning to an unsuccessful political strategy.

He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!” Trump wrote.

However, in an interview with Politico around the same period, the President said he was not interested in blaming anyone for the outcome.

“I don’t want to blame anybody,” he said.

“I just want to say, you know, it was a very interesting period of time. I watched with great interest, learned from it.”

Trump also expressed willingness to work with Democrats, who will now have greater influence over legislative decisions in Washington.

He said he had already spoken with some Democratic politicians, although he did not identify them.

“You know, I have a lot of friends that are Democrats. Believe it or not, I’ve already spoken to some of them,” he said.

The President spoke about finding areas of agreement with the opposition party, although similar promises of bipartisan cooperation following Republican losses in the 2018 midterm elections did not produce significant results.

Meanwhile, Trump dismissed suggestions that he regretted his decision to launch the war in Iran, an issue some Republicans have identified as contributing to the party’s poor electoral performance.

“I don’t think about it. I did the right thing,” he told The Wall Street Journal when asked whether he regretted the military action.

“I would have done it again.”

Australia will return to pen-and-paper writing tests for Year 5 pupils from 2028 following growing concerns over the impact of excessive screen time and digital technology on children’s learning outcomes.

The decision, agreed by the country’s education ministers, will see pupils take the National Assessment Programme – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) writing test on paper rather than computers.

According to an updated ABC News report late Tuesday, South Wales Deputy Premier and Education Minister, Prue Car, said there was growing evidence that excessive screen exposure was affecting students and their academic performance.

“There is a lot of evidence to suggest that excessive screen time has been harmful for students and their outcomes.

“Ministers across the country have agreed that we work towards year 5 NAPLAN being writing with pen and paper, that will be in addition to year 3 already being pen and paper,” Car said.

Car is also pushing for the writing assessments for Years 7 and 9 to return to paper, with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, which administers NAPLAN, expected to provide advice to ministers on the proposal.

Explaining the decision, she said students performed better when writing by hand than typing on screens.

“It’s about the evidence of how children learn and they actually do better when they’re writing pen to paper as opposed to typing on screen.

“So making sure that the assessment is actually pen to paper will then necessitate more classroom time being pen and paper as opposed to a computer,” she said.

The decision comes amid concerns about declining academic performance among Australian pupils, with recent international assessments highlighting challenges in literacy, numeracy and students’ use of digital devices.

Australian students recorded their worst-ever results in the recent Programme for International Student Assessment, which compares educational performance across countries.

The assessment found that Australian students spent an average of 2.6 hours daily using digital devices, compared with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 1.7 hours.

NAPLAN results have also consistently shown that about one-third of Australian students are not meeting what education authorities describe as challenging but reasonable expectations in foundational literacy and numeracy.

The Heads Up Alliance, a grassroots movement of parents campaigning against screen time, welcomed the proposed changes but called for more comprehensive reforms.

Its founder, Dany Elachi, said the decision was a step in the right direction but argued that more needed to be done to reverse the decline in educational standards.

“New South Wales’ recently announced screen time parameters and proposed NAPLAN reforms are welcome steps in the right direction.

“However, more will be needed to reverse the decline in Australian educational standards. It turns out that Australia’s Digital Education Revolution of 2008 was, in effect, a vast experiment on our children. Today, the results of that experiment have become impossible to ignore,” Elachi said.

La Trobe University Distinguished Professor Pamela Snow also backed calls for a broader reassessment of technology use in schools, arguing that its adoption had moved faster than the available evidence supporting its benefits.

“I think as a general principle, the application of technology and education has got way ahead of the evidence.

“We can’t just keep going with these stopgap measures of tinkering around the edges downstream,” Snow said.

Snow said technology was introduced into classrooms too quickly.

“It’s now just become normalised, and, of course, it’s difficult now to wind it back and calibrate its use, but I’m not aware of any actual evidence that says technology has enhanced students learning,” she added.

Car said education ministers had also agreed to begin work on a broader digital detox initiative for Australian classrooms.

“State and territory ministers and the Commonwealth have agreed to start work on a digital detox for Australian classrooms.

“In New South Wales mandatorily from 2028, we’re going forward with screen time limits in classrooms, phased in from preschool to year 12 in the HSC year,” she said.

The education ministers are expected to release a communique later in the week outlining further reforms, including a proposed federal super commission partly aimed at addressing concerns over Year 12 dropout rates.

The ministers are also considering reforms to the primary school mathematics curriculum and additions to the national curriculum to address anti-Semitism.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Senator Ita Enang, has said Nigerians do not necessarily need university degrees to secure employment in Germany.

He noted that people with vocational and technical skills are also eligible for job opportunities in the European country.

Enang said skills in driving, hospitality, woodworking, welding and construction, among other fields, could qualify Nigerians for employment.

He urged prospective applicants not to limit their opportunities by assuming that only people with higher academic qualifications could work in Germany.

He stated this during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday.

The ambassador said many Nigerians seeking employment in Germany were unaware of the opportunities available to people without university degrees because of their perception that extensive academic qualifications were compulsory.

“It’s not only graduates that are entitled to employment in Germany or in Europe. If you are proficient in driving and you’ve been driving there for a long time, you are proceeding even in the hospitality industry, even in any field, in the woodworks, in welding, in the construction, the vocational, all the vocationals,” he said.

He added, “This is what many Nigerians or many persons who take job there did not know, because they think that you must have a long, big certificate.”

Enang, however, identified visa requirements, professional qualifications and proficiency in the German language as some of the challenges facing Nigerians seeking employment in the country.

He said one of the issues he had encountered since assuming office was the relatively low number of Nigerians working in the German system, although those who had secured positions were occupying senior positions.

“This is the one that has engaged me more because one of the things I found was that we don’t have many Nigerians working in that system. But those who are working, are working at the highest class. And part of the problem is having visa to go and work there,” he said.

He explained that securing employment also required prospective workers to understand the German language and possess the necessary professional qualifications.

“Having visa to go and work there, you also must learn and know the language. If you learn and know the language, you must have the profession, not be in part of their profession,” he added.

The ambassador disclosed that he was personally learning German, saying he believed the language was important in understanding and integrating into the country’s system.

“I am really learning German. I’m really learning German language, the Dutch language,” he said.

Enang also commended Germans for their attachment to their language and called on Nigerians to preserve their indigenous languages, warning that some could become extinct without deliberate efforts to protect them.

He said, “They are very jealous of their language, which is correct. And I want Nigerians to, I want the Igbo man are not very jealous of their language. The Yoruba man are very jealous of their language.

“The Hausa’s are very jealous of their language. I want people like the Ibibio people, the Igbira, the Thieves, to be jealous and envious and guard their language, otherwise they will extinct. So I love the Germans for the respect and honour they give to their language.”

On efforts to create more employment pathways for Nigerians, Enang said he had been engaging with the German Africa Skilled Mobility Foundation and other relevant institutions to explore opportunities for Nigerian workers.

He said the engagements were aimed at identifying different routes through which Nigerians could access employment in Germany’s economy.

“And there is an agency that is called the German Africa Skilled Mobility Foundation. You know, I work with them to enable me work through the different pathways that we can have Nigerians able to work in that, be able to come in and work in that economy,” he said.

Enang also spoke about Germany’s changing immigration climate, acknowledging concerns over the growing electoral influence of anti-immigration political parties.

He said Germany needed to balance its immigration policies with its demand for workers, particularly as Nigeria and other African countries had growing populations of young people who could contribute to Europe’s labour market.

The ambassador disclosed that he had engaged German officials on the possibility of establishing a labour migration agreement with Nigeria, similar to arrangements the country had reached with India and Kenya.

He said the agreements provided structured pathways for citizens of those countries to take up employment in Germany.

“I asked them, how did you get the Indians to sign circular migration agreement, which allows them to have a certain number of their citizens employed in the economy? How did Kenyans have them sign the immigration agreement, the labour migration agreement, which allows them to have a certain number of people employed from their country into your economy?” he said.

Enang said he had obtained information on the arrangements and was exploring how Nigeria could benefit from similar opportunities.

He added that his most recent engagement on the matter was with Germany’s Ambassador for Migration Cooperation, Dr Ludwig Jung.

The envoy also said he had obtained the English version of Germany’s immigration and labour laws to better understand the legal requirements for Nigerians seeking employment.

He explained that his research extended beyond German legislation to include relevant European Union laws governing immigration and labour migration.

“So what I’ve done is look at, in addition to what I have, I gather from the institutions, I also take the law and read myself. And the laws are not just laws of Germany. There are laws of the European community, because immigration law and the labour laws mostly are European,” he said.

Enang said he was also working with the German Academic Exchange Service, known as DAAD, and several universities to examine their curricula and identify areas where Nigerian students and graduates could acquire skills relevant to Germany’s labour market.

According to him, the initiative would help Nigeria identify institutions offering relevant courses and explore ways to align its educational system with Germany’s, making it easier for Nigerians to pursue further training.

“What I’m doing with the DAAD now is working and examining their school and universities curricula in the different areas in which they need skills, which schools are teaching different skills in which areas,” he said.

He added that Nigerian graduates and undergraduates could benefit from opportunities to further their education in German universities and improve their professional qualifications.

“Which, if we modify our educational system and if we want to take our graduates and undergraduates or postgraduates into the schools, into their system, they can go into these universities, improve themselves and then there will be an easy transition,” he said

The ambassador also advised Nigerians interested in working in Germany to consider learning the German language and applying for admission into institutions in the country as an alternative pathway.

He said qualifications obtained from German institutions would be assessed and compared with the country’s educational and professional standards.

“I’m coming to tell Nigerians that, look, you don’t need to come through all those routes. Just go learn the German language, seek admission, study in Germany, bring out whatever you learned. Don’t know the certificate, whatever certificate you bring out, it will be scaled and weighed and compared according to their education or qualification,” Enang said.

He stressed that his plans were not limited to facilitating the movement of Nigerian workers to Germany, but also included helping them acquire skills that could be transferred back home.

“I’m not only working on taking Nigerians to be able to go and work there, I want them to be able to acquire skills and also bring them down here,” he added.

Uber will pay 81m in payroll tax to the New South Wales tax office after Australia’s High Court dismissed the ridesharing company’s appeal against the tax assessment, ruling that payments to its drivers qualify as wages.

The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, according to ABC News, found that Uber’s drivers operated under contracts with the company and that fares paid to them were wages for the purposes of payroll tax legislation.

The decision followed a legal challenge by Uber against six payroll tax assessments covering the 2015 to 2020 financial years.

The ridesharing company had argued that it was merely a payment collection agent that transferred fares to drivers after deducting service fees, insisting that its arrangements were administrative and should not attract payroll tax.

However, the High Court, by majority, rejected the appeal, finding that there was a direct relationship between the services provided by drivers and the fares they received.

Chief Justice Stephen Gageler said the connection between drivers’ performance and the payments made to them meant the fares qualified as wages under the relevant tax laws.

In a joint judgment, Justices Michelle Gordon, James Edelman, Jacqueline Gleeson, Jayne Jagot and Robert Beech-Jones also agreed that the contractor provisions were intended by parliament as a measure to “catch schemes designed to avoid liability for payroll tax”.

They upheld the lower court’s position that Uber’s business model depended on collecting payments from riders for each trip and retaining a service fee, while drivers provided the services that enabled the company to earn those fees.

Drivers clearly ‘supply’ a service to Uber by doing something that is necessary for Uber to derive service fees and to continue its business,” the joint judgment said.

“The remitted amounts from Uber to a driver are paid or payable for or in relation to the performance of work (driving services) relating to a relevant contract … and are therefore deemed to be wages.”

Justice Simon Steward dissented from the majority decision.

The ruling also leaves open the possibility of other Australian states adopting broader interpretations of tax provisions aimed at preventing businesses from avoiding payroll tax obligations through contractor arrangements.

Reacting to the judgment, Uber said it respected the court’s decision but maintained that digital marketplaces should not be required to pay payroll tax.

“This decision could have significant unintended consequences beyond rideshare, affecting intermediary business models across the economy, including mortgage brokers, service-based marketplaces, medical practices and other healthcare services,” the company said in a statement.

“It sets an alarming precedent at a time when businesses across Australia already face significant red tape and increasing cost pressures.”

Uber called on state governments to modernise payroll tax laws to reflect how digital platforms operate and provide businesses with greater certainty.

The Transport Workers’ Union welcomed the judgment, describing it as a “critical reality check to companies seeking to skirt our laws”.

The union’s national secretary, Michael Kaine, said companies engaging workers who might not be classified as employees would still have to meet their tax obligations.

“Uber’s entire business model has been insidiously created by trying to distance itself from obligations under our laws, while reaping all the profits,” he said.

“But the time is up for gig behemoths and other tech companies who have used loopholes to squeeze from our communities and contribute nothing in return.”

NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos also welcomed the ruling, describing it as an important decision.

She said payroll tax was a key part of the state’s revenue base and helped fund essential public services.

“Local businesses pay their fair share. Uber should pay their fair share too,” she said.

Trump made the remarks on Tuesday night during a phone interview with The New York Times, as he watched election results at the White House.

“We’ll, you know, look forward to working with them,” he said. “We’ll probably work something out.”

He attributed the Republican Party’s losses to his absence from the ballot, saying his presence in the election could have made a difference.

Trump also defended his decision to launch a war against Iran, describing it as a “very wise decision”.

The US President said he had no regrets about endorsing Republican candidates, including Senator Darline Graham of South Carolina and Texas Attorney-General Ken Paxton, who both lost their Senate bids.

Speaking shortly before 10:30pm on Tuesday, Trump said he was following the results as the interview was taking place.

I’m just looking at these results as I’m talking,” he said.

“I see that Darline lost. Wow, that’s amazing. How do you think Lindsey would have done if he ran?” he added, referring to Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July.

Democrat were on course to take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate as results continued to emerge, PUNCH Online had reported on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington is ending a 10-year security assistance deal with Israel that allowed $3.8 billion in annual assistance to its ally until 2028.

Trump said Israel was “fine” with him ending the assistance, which began in 2019 and was signed under his predecessor, Barack Obama, three years earlier.

“We’ll help Israel if they need it,” he added in an interview on US current affairs show Fox and Friends, saying that he had agreed with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut the assistance.

“Israel’s our number one; we give them more than anybody else, and they no longer need it … If they did need it, I would say keep it going,” Trump added.

Under the deal, Israel receives financial assistance for the purchase of around $3.8 billion of weapons a year.

Since its founding in 1948, Israel has received more than $300 billion, adjusted for inflation, in US economic and military assistance, according to figures from the Council on Foreign Relations, far more than any other country has received since 1946.

The Israeli premier has previously said he wanted to end Israel’s reliance on US support.

In June, Netanyahu called for his country to increase its military autonomy and reduce its reliance on Washington.

In January he told The Economist that he hoped to do so within a decade, while in May he told US broadcaster CBS that he wanted support to reach “zero”.

On Tuesday, Trump cited attacks by leftist Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for the US Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections after harnessing popular discontent and anti-Israel sentiment, as part of the reasoning behind the decision.

“Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don’t need it?” he said on Fox, referring to Israel and the aid.

AFP

Most migrants seeking to settle permanently in the United Kingdom will now have to wait 10 years under new rules unveiled by the British government, which say applicants must earn the right to settlement through their contributions and conduct.

Under the new arrangements, migrants who breach immigration rules could face a wait of at least 20 years before qualifying for settlement, while those arriving in the UK through small boats or clandestine routes could wait as long as 30 years.

The government has also introduced a five-year settlement route for eligible care workers who complied with their visa conditions and earned at least £25,000 annually, in recognition of their contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The changes were announced in a statement published on the UK government’s website by the Home Office on Monday, November 2, 2026, under the title, “Home Secretary unveils new rules for migrants settling in the UK”.

new policy, known as the Earned Settlement model, was laid before Parliament and makes the length of time migrants must wait for settlement dependent on their economic contribution and character.

Under the arrangements, the highest earners will be eligible to settle after three years, while migrants earning more than £50,271 annually and some public service workers, including doctors, nurses and teachers, will qualify after five years.

The government said those who have breached immigration rules would only be eligible for settlement after at least 20 years.

It also listed four conditions that everyone seeking settlement must meet, regardless of when they arrived in the UK.

They include having a spotless criminal record, speaking English to a high standard, owing no debt to the taxpayer and having a record of sustained National Insurance contributions.

The Home Office said the criminal record requirement would be raised from the current threshold of a 12-month suspended sentence, while the English language standard would be equivalent to A-Level English as a foreign language.

Explaining the policy, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, “Settled status is one of the most valuable rights this country can offer. Until now it has been given almost automatically.

From today, it must be earned. Those who contribute most will settle fastest. Those who don’t play by the rules will be refused or wait much longer.

“This policy creates a migration system that is fair: fair to those who come here and play their part, and fair to British citizens already here, who must not be asked to bear a greater burden.”

On the revised arrangement for care workers, the government said the five-year route was introduced in recognition of their contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It stated, “In recognition of the contribution care workers made to Britain when the sector was reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, those who met their visa conditions and earned at least £25,000 a year will be able to settle after five years.”

However, the Home Office said the route had also been abused by employers who sponsored foreign workers for non-existent jobs.

It added, “Under this government, 1,800 exploitative employers have been stripped of their right to sponsor foreign workers.”

The government said care workers who did not qualify for the five-year settlement route, estimated to account for about a quarter of the total, would be offered a new five-year visa and could apply for settlement only after completing it.

A similar arrangement would apply to public service workers in healthcare and education who arrived during the same period.

The reforms are expected to leave more than 500,000 people waiting longer than five years to settle in the UK.

The Home Office said, “As a result, an estimated over 500,000 people will wait longer than five years to settle, taking billions off the welfare bill.

No one will be forced to leave, and everyone will have a fair chance to apply for new visas that would allow them to settle after 10 years.”

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the proposals were based on an immigration system that rewarded contribution and compliance with the rules.

He said, “People want to see an immigration system based on control, contribution, and which rewards those who play by the rules.

“These proposals are based on that principle and recognise the contribution made by overseas workers to our country.

“Following Brexit, the previous government lost control of immigration, with an unprecedented spike in numbers. This Home Secretary is gripping this problem, and she has my full support in doing so.”

Burnham added that migrants making valuable contributions to their communities should have the opportunity to settle earlier, while others should expect longer waiting periods.

“It is only fair that those who are making the most valuable contribution to our communities are given the opportunity to settle earlier.

Those in other roles should expect to wait longer while people who abuse the system or arrive illegally will be refused or will also have to wait longer,” he said.

The policy also sets out different settlement arrangements for refugees.

Those arriving through “Home Office-approved routes will be eligible to settle after five years, while others will have to wait 20 years.”

However, the waiting period for refugees who work or study will be reduced to 10 years.

The government said “people who arrived in the UK by small boat or through other clandestine means would face an additional 10-year waiting period, meaning they could wait up to 30 years before qualifying for settlement.”

It added that people who already held settled status would not lose it under the new policy.

Family members of British citizens, Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and members of the armed forces would also retain their existing settlement pathways.

The Home Office said the reforms were largely in line with proposals outlined in its November 2025 consultation, while maintaining that the UK would have “the most business friendly migration system in Europe for highly skilled workers.”

Maria Alvarado, a 39-year-old US media executive, becomes the new head of Vatican communications this week, the first laywoman to head a Vatican “ministry.”

The Mexican-American will also be the first non-Italian to lead a vast department overseeing all of the Vatican’s television, radio and print operations, as well as its press office.

Analysts say that the appointment of a professional woman to the key post signals that Pope Leo views women differently from his predecessors at the Vatican, where nuns have tended to be the women holding senior positions.

Her appointment, announced in June, came as a surprise even to Alvarado.

I didn’t apply; I wasn’t chosen” through a standard application process, she said in a television interview with US Catholic media outlet EWTN News, where she has served as president and chief operating officer since 2023.

It was “an appointment from the Holy Father,” US-born Pope Leo XIV, said Alvarado, who uses the name “Montse.”

EWTN News is the news division of the Eternal Word Television Network, the largest Catholic television network in the United States, which was founded by a nun and has established itself as a touchstone for conservative Catholics.

It has not always had a warm relationship with the Vatican.

Certain programmes on the network developed a reputation for their criticism of Leo’s Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis, a reform-minded pontiff who angered some within the Church’s conservative wing, particularly in the US.

In 2021, Francis appeared to call them out on it, bemoaning a “major Catholic television channel that is constantly criticising the pope.”

“I may personally deserve attacks and insults because I am a sinner, but the Church does not deserve this; it is the work of the devil,” he said.

Alvarado was a presenter for EWTN at that time.

– ‘More international’ –

Born in Mexico, Alvarado arrived in the US as a child and grew up in Miami before moving to Washington to pursue her studies.

For 14 years, Alvarado worked at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a non-profit law firm that defends religious freedom.

At the helm of EWTN News since 2023, she oversaw international media platforms that produced content in seven languages across television, print, radio, digital media and social networks.

Alvarado had not planned on a career in media and communications, telling EWTN that her “great ambition had always been to get married and have children.”

She was married, but is now divorced, and the union has since been annulled by the Church.

Alvarado succeeds 70-year-old Paolo Ruffini, who was appointed by Pope Francis in 2018 and was the first layperson to lead a dicastery, the Vatican term for a ministry.

“This is a woman who has been chosen for her skills and her qualities,” Lucetta Scaraffia, the founder of the Vatican’s women’s magazine “Women Church World” and a professor of history at Rome’s La Sapienza University, told AFP.

As the first non-Italian to occupy the post, Alvarado “will have another way of dealing with things” and a “much more international” outlook, Scaraffia said.

She is a highly accomplished communications manager” who “has built this career for herself,” and her appointment signals that “the pope has a different attitude towards women,” she said.

“Until now, the women chosen for important positions were highly obedient nuns — they weren’t really chosen for their merits,” Scaraffia said.

AFP

After 28 years, British adventurer, Karl Bushby, arrived back home on Monday after a 50,000-kilometre (31,000-mile) trek from Chile across four continents without using any transport to progress.

Bushby, who set off on his odyssey from South America in 1998, had two golden rules for his journey — avoid all forms of transport to advance and not return until he completed his challenge.

He was met Monday in the centre of Hull, northeast England, by a crowd of up to 1,000 cheering people, and thanked everyone for all the support he had met along the way.

“I didn’t do this alone,” he said, adding it was a “global effort” after winning praise from Hull Mayor Maria Coward.

You wouldn’t believe just how many people have been involved in this, to get us around the kinds of obstacles that we face. We’ve faced down governments, we’ve faced down some of the hardest challenges.”

The route back to his home city has seen him walk the length of the Americas, across the frozen Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia and then through parts of Central Asia and Europe covering jungles, mountains, and deserts.

He had already been applauded Sunday as he crossed the iconic Humber Bridge near Hull in thick mist, ahead of his final push into the city centre and then on to his mother’s home.

The 57-year-old former paratrooper, who pushed his belongings with him on a metal-framed cart, was met by a civic welcome on Monday.

So many people have followed Karl on his epic journey. We have all felt inspired by his spirit, tenacity and dogged determination,” Coward said earlier, adding the city took “pride in his incredible achievement”.

Bushby was to be reunited late Monday with his mother Angela, his 36-year-old son Adam and a 12-year-old granddaughter he has never met.

He began his adventure when he was 29 after his marriage broke down and his wife returned to Northern Ireland with their son.

He was forced to pause the journey several times, including when Moscow refused him a visa. The 2008 financial crisis and then the Covid-19 pandemic proved to be other hold-ups.

At those times, he stepped away from the journey, living notably at a base in Mexico; then once the situation had been resolved, he would resume from the exact spot where he had left off.

He swam across the Channel in early October to reach the UK again.

Feels good to have UK soil under my feet after all these years,” he said later in a statement, adding his journey “hadn’t been easy”.

“All of us can accomplish more than we will ever imagine,” he added.

Legendary German filmmaker Werner Herzog and a film crew are accompanying Bushby on his homecoming.

Herzog is making a feature-length documentary about the journey entitled “Walk of Life”.

The production company behind the film has been supporting Bushby’s progress for the past 16 years, providing financial and logistical assistance.

In an interview with AFP from northern France in September, Bushby voiced some apprehension about returning to a more normal life back in Britain.

“I’ve got to try and get established in the grown-up world again,” he said.

AFP

Several unverified clips posted to social media depicting the deadly crash showed an aircraft nearly vertical slamming at high speed into the ground, creating a large fireball and leaving a flaming crater near a busy roadside.

“Today’s plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, is a horrific tragedy,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement, confirming that all nine people on the aircraft were killed.

Duffy said the plane, a Learjet 60, had departed from Austin, Texas and was headed for the Bahamas.

The crash occurred near Cresthaven, a neighbourhood in Palm Beach County that is less than seven miles (11 kilometres) from Trump’s resort home Mar-a-Lago.

Obviously this is a cataclysmic plane crash,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters near the scene.

“It looked like a missile going down,” he said, adding there were no reports of anyone on the ground being injured.

Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday but departed from the nearby and newly renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport shortly after he boarded Air Force One at 11:55 am (1655 GMT), about an hour before the crash of the Learjet aircraft.

The plane came down near the entrance to a mobile home park, Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said, noting about 600 residents were evacuated and relocated to shelters.

“The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Storms had been reported in the area. Trump carried an umbrella as he boarded Air Force One.

In an audio recording posted to air traffic website liveatc.net, someone in the cockpit can be heard reporting “moderate turbulence” and saying the crew was “managing the ice.”

The person said the plane was “picking up precipitation” and needed “to climb” shortly before saying: “Mayday, mayday, we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute.”

Seconds later, the person said they were “declaring an emergency” as the plane descended 20,000 feet per minute.

“We’re going to crash into the ground,” the person said, shortly before communications stopped.

AFP

Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against launching new attacks on the country following their threats to resume their strikes after crucial elections, as fears mount over a return to fighting.

The declaration came as the Islamic republic’s top diplomat said there were no plans to hold talks with the United States, as indirect mediation via Qatar continues.

President Donald Trump has warned of fresh military action after the United States holds midterm elections early next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying on Saturday “we can achieve military objectives if we seek to”.

In Israel, which is coming off fresh elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of a “historic, one-time opportunity” to topple the Iranian government.

Polls in both countries could determine the direction of the conflict, with Israel having voted Tuesday but yet to form a new government.

“Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response,” Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei told top military commanders in a meeting, according to a statement.

The encounter was the first reported meeting between Khamenei and military top brass, and included armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, army chief Amir Hatami and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi.

The supreme leader has not been seen publicly since before he took the helm in March after the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes.

Khamenei also ordered commanders to update Iran’s target list to include “all types of tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist enemy”.

Iran has previously warned it would consider severing undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

– Petrol prices weigh on US vote –

Rubio, speaking at a G20 news conference in Atlanta, said Trump “hasn’t made a decision” on any fresh strikes.

Since the initial US-Israeli bombardment in February, ordinary Iranians “have been left in a state of limbo for the past year”, Fariba, a Tehran housewife, told AFP.

But other residents in the Iranian capital brushed off the possible return to full-scale conflict.

We do not fear another war. We have been at war for 48 years now,” said Ebrahim, a salesman in his forties.

Since the outbreak of the war, Tehran has restricted shipping through the strategic waterway, which normally carries around one-fifth of global oil consumption.

A ship traversing the strait struck a mine and caught fire, Iranian state television reported on Saturday, after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Friday said three oil tankers had been halted after encountering unspecified “incidents” or hitting mines.

The blockade has caused a spike in global energy prices, making the war unpopular among the US public ahead of midterm congressional elections Tuesday.

Gains for the opposition Democrats could restrict, to an extent, Trump’s ability to enact policy.

Voting in Israel has left Netanyahu’s political camp with the most seats in parliament but short of a majority, leaving the make-up of the next administration unclear.

– ‘Flames of war’ –

The war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The Islamic Republic swiftly responded with attacks on American assets in countries around the region.

Fresh diplomatic efforts are underway to avert any resumption of fighting, with Qatari mediators landing in Tehran on Friday, and US Vice President JD Vance sending a letter to Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei.

But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that “currently, there are no plans for meetings with American officials”.

“Iran’s conditions are clear, and consultations regarding them are ongoing among mediators,” he said in an interview with Al Jazeera, according to the state news agency IRNA.

Qatar and Pakistan have been mediating between the warring parties, but the talks have yet to produce a lasting agreement.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance had sent his letter to Iran’s security chief at Trump’s direction in a bid to revive negotiations and avert further US strikes.

Araghchi confirmed that Iran received the letter, saying, “The American side’s effort to open a dialogue and reach a broader understanding is viewed as a positive step.”

But the Iranian side kept firm in its warnings against further attacks.

Earlier on Saturday, army spokesman Mohammad Akaraminia said that any resumption of hostilities would only expand the scope of the war.

“The flames of war will undoubtedly engulf a much wider geographical area,” he said on social media.

Araghchi warned on X there would no longer be any “red lines”.

AFP

Convicted murderer Christa Pike said Friday that she is in constant pain, a month after surviving a botched execution attempt in the US state of Tennessee.

“There hasn’t been a moment since that night when I haven’t been in pain,” Pike said in a statement released by her lawyers.

“My body hurts. My arms hurt. My hands hurt. My throat hurts,” she said. “I still struggle to speak. And the pain isn’t just physical. There is pain in my mind and in my soul.”

Pike, 50, was given two doses of the drug pentobarbital at a state prison on September 30 — a usually fatal dose that nevertheless failed to kill her.

She was transported to hospital in critical condition and returned to prison after receiving medical treatment.

Pike is the only inmate to ever survive after being injected with lethal doses of execution drugs, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.

Pike was sentenced to death in Tennessee after she and her boyfriend beat and killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer at a job training camp. Pike was 18 at the time of the murder.

In her statement, Pike said she is recovering “but healing is not the same as being okay.”

I don’t know why I survived that night,” she said. “I don’t know what comes next. Some days, finding hope is harder than others. For now, I am trying to heal, one day at a time.”

Since the botched execution, Pike’s lawyers have repeatedly called on Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to commute her sentence to life in prison.

Lee, a Republican, has suspended executions in Tennessee pending an independent investigation.

Asked by reporters this week about Pike’s fate, Lee said: “I suspect her sentence will be the same as it was before unless determined otherwise by the courts.”

There have been 32 executions in the United States this year, all by lethal injection.

The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others — California, Oregon and Pennsylvania — have moratoriums in place.

AFP

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside a court in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban on Friday as the government sought judicial intervention to rein in anti-migrant demonstrations that have turned deadly, leaving one person dead last week.

Durban, the Zulu heartland, has emerged as a focal point of anti-migrant agitation led by the March and March movement, which has organised demonstrations against undocumented foreigners across the country for months.

Some demonstrations have turned violent, including last week when a mob of about 50 people beat a foreign national to death, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to deploy more than 500 soldiers to support the police.

Protesters sang and chanted outside the high court, waving placards reading “reclaim our country” and sticks as police officers kept a close watch.

Supporters of several political parties, including the centre-right ActionSA and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party led by former president Jacob Zuma, also turned out in solidarity.

Judge Peter Olsen allowed March and March movement to proceed with its planned demonstrations, but under tighter conditions following amendments to the government’s application.

Under the revised terms, the group may march between 9am and 3pm, with participants barred from carrying weapons or covering their faces. The group was also prohibited from destroying property or setting fire to buildings.

The matter is expected to return to court next year.

The court action was brought by acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, who was seeking to stop the demonstrations on the grounds that they threaten public order and the safety of foreign nationals.

He cited police intelligence about an alleged plot to set fire to the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Berea, an inner-city suburb of Durban where asylum seekers go to seek documentation.

The unrest has been fuelled by misinformation about a July Constitutional Court ruling that asylum seekers cannot be denied access to South Africa’s asylum system solely on procedural grounds, according to the police.

• ‘Widespread violence’ –

Counsel for the police told the court on Friday that the situation in Durban had “degenerated into lawlessness” that reactive policing could no longer contain.

More than 400 police officers had been deployed, but this had “proved structurally unable to stem the widespread violence”, they said.

March and March defended its right to demonstrate under the constitution, distancing itself from the violence and insisting it should not be held responsible for the actions of those involved.

“The agenda is to try and silence the people,” March and March legal representative Xolani Zuma told reporters ahead of the court decision.

“The real problem are illegal immigrants who are here in the country and terrorising people,” he said.

The court battle comes days before local elections on November 4, with lawyers warning that police are already stretched thin ahead of the vote.

Populist groups leading the demonstrations accuse migrants of taking jobs and public services from South Africans, an issue that has become a flashpoint ahead of the polls.

At least five foreign nationals have been killed in anti-migrant violence this year, according to police, although some African governments have put the toll higher.

Police said the nationality of last week’s victim was still under investigation

AFP

Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, has cast his ballot in the United States midterm elections, the Holy See Press Office confirmed on Friday.

In a statement released on Friday, the Press Office said the Chicago-born pope, an American citizen formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so.”

“In keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago,” the statement continued. It added that during his years of residence in Peru, the Holy Father also “exercised his right to vote whenever he was eligible to do so.”

Pope Leo XIV expressed his “belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”

The confirmation follows earlier reports that the pope, who remains registered to vote in Will County, Illinois, under his birth name, requested a mail-in ballot on October 3.

He is registered at an address in New Lenox, a suburb of Chicago where his brother resides. U.S. citizens living abroad are entitled to vote by absentee or mail ballot in federal elections under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

The 2026 midterm elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are contested, along with 35 Senate seats, 36 governorships, and numerous state and local races. In Illinois, the ballot includes the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and the reelection bid of Gov. JB Pritzker, among other contests.

If counted, Pope Leo XIV’s vote would mark the first known instance of a sitting pope participating in a U.S. election—or any secular election—while in office.

Public records show that before his election as pope in May 2025, Prevost voted in several U.S. elections and primaries, including both Democratic and Republican primaries in earlier years and the 2024 general election.

Pope Leo XIV, 71, underwent surgery for lung cancer earlier this month and has been gradually resuming his activities while preparing for an apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru scheduled for November 6–17.

The Vatican’s announcement underscores the pope’s continued engagement with civic life as both a spiritual leader and a U.S. citizen.

State officials who run US elections are bracing for further intervention by President Donald Trump’s administration in next week’s midterms — fearing federal authorities could disrupt voting, challenge ballot counts or try to block unfavorable results.

Trump, whose Republicans face an uphill battle to keep control of Congress, has repeatedly questioned the integrity of US elections and urged his party to “nationalize” voting in at least 15 places.

The White House says it is protecting election security, and many of the feared scenarios remain hypothetical. The US Constitution gives the president no direct role in running elections, and federal courts have so far rebuffed the administration’s main legal challenges.

Here are the key potential flashpoints

Before election day –

Voter eligibility: The Justice Department has sued 30 states and the District of Columbia to obtain their voter registration lists, saying it needs them to find non-citizens. It has lost more than two dozen of those cases.

It has also demanded that ballots be set aside from about 20,000 people in California and more than 400 in Washington state whom it suspects are non-citizens.

A federal judge rejected the California request on Wednesday, saying it would wreak havoc on an election already underway. Washington state has also refused the demand.

Studies have repeatedly found non-citizen voting to be exceptionally rare.

Pressure on officials: The Justice Department has warned election officials in every state that they could face prosecution if they knowingly allow non-citizens to vote.

And Trump on Monday offered $1 million for information leading to a voter fraud conviction, without giving details.

– At polling stations –

Federal monitors: The Justice Department plans to send around 1,000 election monitors to all 50 states — its largest deployment ever.

Monitoring is a decades-old practice, but Democrats and voting rights groups fear monitors could intimidate voters. The department says they will be unarmed, barred from interfering with voting and drawn from neither the FBI nor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Immigration agents and troops: Advocates fear ICE operations near polling stations could deter voters in immigrant communities.

The administration says it is not planning operations targeting polling places, although Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said ICE agents could serve warrants there.

Trump has declined to rule out declaring a national emergency or invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy troops at home.

A Civil War-era law bars troops and armed federal agents from polling places, and legal experts say an emergency declaration would not give the president power over elections.

– Counting the votes –

Seizing election materials: Federal agents could seek warrants or subpoenas for ballots, voting machines or records — potentially disrupting the count.

In January, the FBI seized ballots and other 2020 election records in Fulton County, Georgia, a focus of Trump’s false claims that he won that year.

Election officials warn that similar action during an active count could undermine safeguards tracking how ballots are handled.

Challenging the count: Trump could allege fraud involving mail-in ballots, voting machines or votes counted after election night, fueling demands for recounts or attempts to halt counting.

But the US Supreme Court ruled in June that states may count mail ballots postmarked by election day that arrive afterward, and courts can intervene against unlawful disruption.

– After election day –

Blocking certification: The Justice Department has sued Alaska to delay certification of its Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan narrowly loses to Democrat Mary Peltola, citing a second candidate named Dan Sullivan who it says is trying to confuse voters, which he denies.

Trump said he ordered the lawsuit.

Experts say federal law does not allow the department to block certification, which courts can compel officials to carry out.

Challenging Democratic victories: Trump could pressure state officials to dispute results, as he did after losing the 2020 election.

Experts warn unresolved disputes could also delay the seating of newly elected lawmakers in January.

But courts have repeatedly upheld states’ authority over elections, and Democrats and voting rights groups have assembled legal teams to fight any interference.

AFP

Two French fighter jets and a transport aircraft will make a stopover in Chad “very soon,” where they will carry out “training activities,” the French army said Thursday, as the two countries seek to rebuild ties.

Relations between France and its former colony nosedived in 2024, when Chad ended a six-decade security arrangement with Paris by ordering French troops out.

Relations have recently been on the mend, with President Emmanuel Macron hosting Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno for talks in mid-October.

“There has been a resumption of cooperation with Chad, in full respect of Chad’s sovereignty,” Xavier Rival, spokesman for the French chief of defence staff, told reporters

“France’s objective is to contribute to efforts against regional instability,” Rival said.

He said the French armed forces would help develop “the capabilities of the Chadian air force.”

Rival said that two French Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a French CASA transport aircraft will “make a technical stopover in Chad very soon, a short visit that will also provide an opportunity to conduct training activities.

The stopover will take place as part of a joint military exercise involving the armed forces of Ivory Coast, Gabon, and France in November, he said.

During Deby’s visit in October France and Chad signed a declaration of intent to structure their defence cooperation “on a renewed basis.”

According to the Elysee, security cooperation was restored at the beginning of the year, notably for military training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing.

AFP

US civil rights leader and farm workers’ rights activist, Dolores Huerta has died at the age of 96, her family has announced.

Huerta, who campaigned alongside fellow labour leader Cesar Chavez for farm workers’ rights during the 1960s and 1970s, co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW), a union that fought for better working conditions and improved rights for agricultural labourers.

She remained active in social justice campaigns through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, focusing on issues including immigration, voting rights and community empowerment.

As reported by the BBC, confirming her death on Wednesday, family spokesman, Erik Olvera, described the loss as a difficult moment for the family and appealed for privacy as they mourned.

“As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for us, and we ask for privacy as we grieve this incredible loss to our family,” Olvera said.

Huerta’s death comes months after she made public allegations of sexual abuse against Chavez, who died in 1993.

Earlier this year, Huerta said Chavez had “manipulated and pressured” her into having sex and had forced her on another occasion during the 1960s.

The allegations followed an investigation published by The New York Times, which detailed claims by Huerta and two other women that Chavez groomed and sexually abused girls involved in the farm workers’ movement.

Huerta said the two encounters resulted in pregnancies, which she kept secret, arranging for the children to be raised by other families.

Chavez’s family responded to the allegations in a statement, saying they were “devastated” by the reports and praising the women’s “courage to come forward”.

Huerta’s decades-long activism helped make her one of the most prominent figures in the American farm workers’ rights movement. Alongside Chavez, she advocated for improved wages, safer working conditions and greater protections for agricultural workers, many of whom faced exploitation and discrimination.

Beyond labour organising, Huerta continued to campaign for social and political change, using her foundation to address immigration concerns, voting rights and other issues affecting underserved communities.

Her work left a lasting mark on the labour movement and civil rights activism in the United States, where she became widely recognised for her efforts to improve the lives of farm workers and their families.

At least 64 people were killed in Spain yesterday and more than 100 others injured after two high-speed trains collided between Madrid and Seville in the Castilla-La Mancha region near Toledo.

Authorities said they expected casualty numbers to rise.

This is even as the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, has declared three days of mourning in honour of those who lost their lives in the crash.

Expressing his shock, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was in constant communication with the Minister of Transport and with the president of Castilla-La Mancha.

Sánchez said on X that he is traveling to the crash site.

“My affection, solidarity and support to all the victims and their families,” Sánchez said.

Meanwhile, rail operator, Iryo, said its train was “struck from behind” by a Renfe train, due to causes that are still unknown,” the BBC reported. It caused the two rearmost carriages to derail and roll over into an embankment.

The crash happened about 80 miles south of Madrid, near the small town of Urda with Renfe suspending all services linking Madrid with Ciudad Real and the southern Andalusia region.

Speaking to Spanish broadcaster Cadena Der, a teenage female passenger described scenes of chaos, people screaming for help and that many were trapped in the wreckage.

Health Minister Mónica García said information from the scene showed a “significant impact that points to a major tragedy.”

Spanish Transport minister Oscar Puente, who described the accident as “truly unbelievable” finger signal problem in the accident. He said that computer failure had paused six moving trains, including the two that collided.

In the event of a system failure, the control center takes over,” Puente said. He added that the control center decided to allow the trains to move again without speed restrictions.

Puente said the decision was made under inexplicable circumstances.

Government sources told the El Pais newspaper that “human error” was the likely cause of yesterday’s accident, which they said could be worse than the Adamuz crash in Cordoba in January in which 46 people were killed.

“A human error by a state-owned railway infrastructure company – Adif operator – in response to a malfunction in the main signaling system is the likely cause of the accident,” said the sources, who explained that the automatic system switched to manual and that it was while it was being hand-operated that the error occurred.

Reports suggested several trains in the network were brought to a halt by the safety system failure but when they were eventually given the all-clear to start moving again, the Iryo train remained stationary on the track.

Many Spanish politicians put their campaigns on hold because of the crash. Spain’s elections are scheduled for Nov. 29.

Yesterday’s crash was the third in the year after January 18 incident rhat claimed 18 lives.
The January crash which happened at Adamu had resulted in the death of 46 people when an Iryo train traveling from Malaga to Madrid with about 300 people on board jumped the tracks into the path of a Renfe train traveling in the opposite direction on an adjacent track, causing it to derail as well.

Two days later, a passenger train crashed north of Barcelona, killing one person and injuring dozens after a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks of the Rodalies Catalunya R4 line near Gelida after days of torrential rain in the area.

Culled from Vanguard

The United Kingdom has announced an increase in the financial requirements for international students applying for study visas, with applicants studying in London expected to demonstrate access to at least £14,130 in living expenses from November 30, 2026.

As reported by Nairametrics on Wednesday, the revised maintenance requirements, introduced by the UK Home Office, will affect prospective international students, including Nigerians, seeking admission to British universities.

Under the new rules, students must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to cover their living expenses during their studies, in addition to tuition fees and other visa-related costs.

The adjustment comes amid rising living expenses in the UK and increasing financial pressures on international students

Under the revised requirements, international students studying in London will need to demonstrate access to £1,570 per month, up from the existing £1,529.

For courses lasting nine months or longer, the maximum maintenance requirement will rise from £13,761 to £14,130, representing an increase of £369.

Students studying outside London will also face higher financial requirements, with the minimum monthly amount increasing to £1,203 from £1,171.

The maximum nine-month maintenance requirement for students outside London will consequently rise from £10,539 to £10,827, an increase of £288.

The amounts represent the minimum living expenses applicants must demonstrate when applying for a student visa and do not include tuition fees.

Applicants must also budget separately for the student visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, which provides access to the UK’s National Health Service under applicable rules.

The increase means Nigerian students planning to study in the UK will need to make additional financial provisions before submitting their visa applications.

Applicants will need to ensure they meet the applicable maintenance threshold for their university’s location and provide acceptable evidence that the required funds are available.

The financial requirement is separate from tuition fees, meaning prospective students must account for both the cost of their education and the money needed to support themselves while living in the UK.

Students preparing their applications will also need to consider the relevant visa charges and healthcare surcharge when calculating their overall study budgets.

The revised requirements come as international students continue to contribute significantly to the UK’s higher education sector and wider economy.

According to figures cited in the report, approximately 685,565 international students were enrolled in UK higher education institutions during the 2024/2025 academic year, representing about 24 per cent of the total student population.

Of this number, approximately 622,000 students came from countries outside the European Union, while around 63,600 were from EU countries.

The Dean of Global Impact and Research at the University of Chester, Professor Padam Simkhada noted that international students contributed approximately £41.9 billion to the UK economy during the 2021/2022 academic year.

Despite their economic contribution, international students continue to face financial challenges associated with accommodation costs, limited employment opportunities and restrictions on working hours.

The revised maintenance thresholds will require prospective students to review their budgets and ensure they meet the applicable financial requirements before applying for a UK student visa.

More than 40 people were killed in an attack on Orthodox Christian churches and homes in Ethiopia’s central state of Oromia on Saturday, residents and a conflict monitor told AFP on Monday.

Oromia, Ethiopia’s largest state with some 40 million people, has faced a long-running insurgency and ethnic tensions between its Muslim, Protestant and Orthodox communities, which have been increasingly exploited by armed groups.

Local residents and the ACLED conflict monitor told AFP that at least 43 people were killed and 18 wounded when an unidentified armed group attacked villages in the Shirka district of Oromia, around 270 kilometres (170 miles) south of the capital, Addis Ababa.

“The attack is said to be religiously motivated and to have targeted Orthodox Christians,” ACLED said, adding that the attack led to clashes with local militias and lasted through Saturday afternoon and evening

Verifying information in Ethiopia is highly challenging due to heavy restrictions on media access. The state-run Ethiopia Human Rights Commission said only that it was “following the situation”.

“My sister and uncle were killed, and several of my relatives were taken hostage in Chole ward of Shirka district,” one resident told AFP by phone, asking to remain anonymous.

They said 44 people were killed in the region, while another resident put the toll at 51.

ACLED has recorded increasing attacks against Orthodox Christians in the region, starting in February 2023 and escalating since last year.

Ethiopia is a deeply fragmented nation in the Horn of Africa, facing multiple internal conflicts, including heavy fighting that broke out last month in its northern Tigray state.

It was not clear if the attacks involved the primary insurgent group operating in the state, the Oromo Liberation Front. While concerns over political and ethnic representation have been the main drivers of the insurgency, religion has been used to mobilise fighters.

“We are deeply shocked by these tragic killings and are appealing to the government to intervene and restore security,” said a deacon of one of the attacked churches, who put the death toll at 46.

Some locals have taken refuge in nearby churches, he added.

AFP

The United Kingdom government has begun using new anti-fraud powers requiring banks to help identify benefit claimants who may have undeclared savings or have spent longer abroad than benefit rules allow, in a move expected to save taxpayers £1.2bn by 2030/31.

The Department for Work and Pensions disclosed this in a statement published on Monday, announcing that it had issued its first Eligibility Verification Notice to a financial institution.

According to information reported from the UK website, “benefit fraud occurs when a person deliberately misleads the government or fails to report a change in circumstances to receive financial assistance they are not entitled to.”

The department said the Eligibility Verification Measure would help identify claimants who might no longer meet the eligibility requirements for certain benefits.

The Eligibility Verification Measure (EVM) – expected to save taxpayers £1.2 billion by 2030/31 – will ask banks to help identify claimants who may have undeclared savings or remain abroad longer than benefit rules allow, two major drivers of fraud and error,” the statement read.

It said the measure was introduced under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 and formed part of the government’s plan to save £14.6bn over five years by tackling fraud, error and debt.

The department said the measure would also help identify incorrect payments earlier, adding that it would ensure people received the support they were entitled to while reducing the risk of overpayments accumulating and claimants falling into avoidable debt.

Minister for Innovation, Fraud and Debt, Lilian Greenwood, said, “Benefit fraudsters should be looking over their shoulder. These new powers will help us crack down on those who deliberately abuse the system, while ensuring people receive the right support at the right time.”

She added, “We are not interested in where people do their weekly shop or how much they’re spending on new clothes. Banks will simply be asked to identify if somebody may no longer meet the rules for the benefits they receive, allowing us to investigate further where necessary.”

Greenwood said, “With £1.2 billion in savings expected by 2030/31, this is a major step forward in tackling fraud and error, protecting public money and ensuring support goes to those who genuinely need it.”

The department clarified that the measure would not give it access to claimants’ bank accounts, transactions or spending habits.

“The powers do not give DWP access to people’s bank accounts, transactions or spending habits,” the statement said.

It added, “A flag does not indicate fraud or wrongdoing, and no decision about a person’s benefit entitlement can be made on EVM information alone.”

The department said the measure would begin with a test-and-learn phase and remain subject to independent oversight before any wider rollout.

It said banks would be asked to check relevant benefit-receiving accounts against specific eligibility rules and flag cases requiring further enquiries. The measure applies to Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.

The department also announced plans for further reforms, expected to be unveiled at the Budget, which it said would save taxpayers another £1.4bn between 2027 and 2032.

The proposed measures include deploying 2,000 additional anti-fraud specialists to Jobcentres nationwide and strengthening checks on Universal Credit claims involving people living abroad.

The statement said, “It’s estimated that fraud and error from undeclared savings and time spent abroad in relation to Universal Credit and Pension Credit cost the taxpayer £1.5 billion in 2025-26 alone.”

It added that the estimated overall rate of benefit fraud and error stood at 3.2 per cent in 2025/26.

The United Kingdom Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has announced an independent review into the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak to examine whether opportunities were missed to prevent the killing and how his family were treated afterwards.

The Home Office disclosed this in a statement published on Monday.

The review will be conducted in two phases, with the first examining what authorities knew about the perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa, in the five years before the attack.

According to the Home Office, the first phase will examine the roles of the police, health services, local authorities, educational institutions and faith organisations, including concerns relating to weapon possession and violent, threatening and erratic behaviour.

It will also consider how the Nowak family were treated by agencies across the criminal justice system following Henry’s death, including the police, Crown Prosecution Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and HM Prison and Probation Service.

The second phase will begin after the Independent Office for Police Conduct concludes its investigation into the actions of police officers who attended the scene. It will examine the actions of the IOPC and, if necessary, the police.

Mahmood appointed former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk KC to lead the review, with the first phase expected to be reported to the Home Secretary by March 2027.

Mahmood said, “Henry was just 18 years old, with his whole life ahead of him. His murder was a horrific and senseless crime, and my thoughts remain with his family and friends, who have endured unimaginable loss and heartbreak.”

She said the family had shown courage in seeking answers and that the case had raised questions about whether more could have been done to prevent the killing and the response of public authorities afterwards.

“This review will leave no stone unturned in seeking those answers. I am grateful to Alex Chalk for agreeing to lead this important work. He brings considerable experience and expertise, and I know he will conduct the review with the rigour, independence and seriousness that Henry’s case demands,” the Home Secretary said.

Reacting to the announcement, the Nowak family said, “At last, some positive news. Today’s announcement of the Henry Nowak Independent Review is a significant moment in our fight for justice.”

The family said they had fought for answers since Henry’s murder, adding that the process had taken an emotional toll on them alongside their grief.

They said they hoped the review, alongside ongoing investigations and the inquest, would uncover the full truth and deliver accountability and meaningful change.

“Our experience of the criminal justice system has been deeply disappointing, and we are determined that no other family should have to endure what we have,” the family said.

They thanked Mahmood for listening to their concerns and Chalk for agreeing to lead the review, while stressing that they would continue seeking answers and accountability.

Chalk said, “The murder of Henry Nowak, an innocent young man, at the hands of Vickrum Digwa shocked the nation.”

He added, “Serious questions have been raised about whether agencies and organisations failed to act on complaints about Digwa’s violent and erratic behaviour. My review will follow the evidence without fear or favour.”

He said the review would also examine how public authorities treated the family following the killing.

The Home Office said the government had renewed its commitment to tackling knife crime, citing the family’s call for action to prevent similar tragedies.

It added that, through its strategy to halve knife crime, the government was working across law enforcement, education and communities to prevent violence, support young people and bring offenders to justice.

 Online reports that Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old University of Southampton student, was fatally stabbed in Southampton, England, on December 3, 2025, by Vickrum Digwa.

During the incident, police officers initially handcuffed Nowak despite his pleas that he had been stabbed and could not breathe. The police response later attracted scrutiny following the emergence of body-worn camera footage.

Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 21 years, in June 2026.

Twenty contacts associated with Kenya’s first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease have been released from quarantine after completing the mandatory 21-day monitoring period without developing symptoms.

The World Health Organisation’s Regional Office for Africa said this in a statement on Monday.

The contacts were reunited with their families after undergoing a final health assessment and receiving counselling on post-discharge precautions and follow-up where required.

“We ask communities to welcome them home warmly,” Kenya’s Director General for Health, Dr Patrick Amoth, said. “Having completed 21 days without symptoms, they pose no risk of infection to anyone.”

The WHO said 98 contacts remained in quarantine as of Monday, while eight contacts had developed symptoms and tested positive for Ebola through laboratory testing.

According to the organisation, all eight confirmed cases were already in quarantine when they developed symptoms and were immediately transferred to the country’s Ebola treatment centre in Nairobi.

Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases and two deaths since confirming its first case on October 6, 2026.

“All nine cases are part of one connected group and there is no evidence that the virus has spread to the community,” the WHO said.

The organisation said health authorities had traced all 135 contacts, both in Kenya and internationally, by October 22, and placed them in quarantine.

The WHO said it continued to support Kenyan health authorities in response coordination, disease surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, case management, infection prevention and control, health screening at points of entry, and risk communication and community engagement.

“People who complete quarantine have helped protect their families, their communities and the whole country,” the WHO Representative to Kenya, Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, said.

“WHO commends the Ministry of Health, the Kenya National Public Health Institute, national and county health teams for their work in responding quickly to every new case,” she added.

The WHO said there was no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, but early detection and supportive care improved the chances of recovery.

The organisation advised against “travel restrictions and recommended evidence-based public health measures, including entry and exit screening at points of entry, surveillance and contact tracing.”

Janabi disclosed this in a post shared on X on Monday, saying the patient and her husband, who is also her contact, were evacuated earlier in the day.

PUNCH Online reported that Janabi stated quoting the tweet of the nation’s coordinating minister of health and social welfare, Ali Pate who had confirmed the departure of the Swiss patient and spouse via an air ambulance to Switzerland also on Monday.

He said both were Swiss citizens, adding that the patient was clinically stable following treatment by Nigerian medical personnel

The Nigerian medical team successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition,” he said.

Janabi congratulated the Federal Government, health workers, clinicians, emergency responders and other partners involved in the response.

On behalf of WHO and all partners, I warmly congratulate the Government of Nigeria, health workers, clinicians, emergency responders and all those involved in the response. This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to what Africa can accomplish when we work together,” he said

He, however, stressed the need for continued vigilance, noting that Nigeria would maintain close follow-up of 52 contacts, while Switzerland would take responsibility for the continued management of the patient and the monitoring of her husband, identified as contact number 53.

“With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” he stated.

“Congratulations once again to everyone involved. This is a proud moment demonstrating African expertise, resilience, and leadership in public health,” Janabi added.

Consultant doctors in England are to stage a two-day strike next month in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The walkout will begin on November 25 at 6:59 am GMT, with consultants staffing emergency care only. The arrangement, known as Christmas Day cover, is likely to have a major impact on most routine and elective or planned services.

The announcement comes after talks with the government over the past month, following a vote in favour of strike action by British Medical Association members in July.

Consultants, the most senior doctors in the NHS, were given a 3.5 per cent pay increase this year.

However, the BMA argues that pay has fallen by a quarter over the past 17 years, once inflation is taken into account.

The union is also seeking a reduction in the standard working week from 40 to 35 hours, higher pay for out-of-hours work and changes to pensions, including greater flexibility over when they can be taken.

In a joint statement, BMA consultants committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta said they had tried to negotiate with the government in “good faith”, but “time-and-time again ministers have kicked the can down the road”.

Unfortunately, that road has now run out, and we have been forced to announce strikes.

“Consultants take their responsibilities incredibly seriously, and striking does not come naturally, but we are hearing loud and clear from the profession that they have had enough.”

According to the BBC, consultants’ average earnings exceed £150,000 a year. Basic pay starts at £113,500, with the most experienced earning £150,500, while many receive additional payments and awards.

In the strike ballot, 76 per cent of consultants who took part voted in favour of industrial action, with just over half of eligible BMA members participating.

The government said this represented only around one in five consultants employed by the NHS in England, noting that nearly half were not BMA members.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government had been in “constructive discussions” with the BMA, adding that it was “disappointing” that strike dates had been announced.

She said taking strike action would be “irresponsible” and “place the health service under even greater pressure”.

The government estimates that meeting all the BMA’s demands would cost between £2bn and £3bn a year.

The announcement comes as consultants and other doctors are taking part in strike action in Northern Ireland during November.

Consultants last took strike action in England in 2023. The long-running dispute involving resident doctors in England ended earlier this year after more than three years of intermittent strike action.

Ballon d’Or organisers revealed on Saturday that star US rapper French Montana and English singer Jorja Smith would perform at this year’s ceremony, part of efforts to draw more viewers to the awards event.

Last year saw Canadian singer Charlotte Cardin do her best to lift the somewhat stiff atmosphere at the prize giving in Paris as she performed her hit “Feel Good” in front of a motionless crowd of suited footballers and VIPs at a theatre.

The most prestigious individual award in football will be handed out in London next Monday, with Kylian Mbappe, Spanish pair Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, PSG duo Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Harry Kane all seen as frontrunners.

It is the first time the Ballon d’Or ceremony, now in its 70th edition, will be hosted in Britain.

French Montana has over 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, mixing Moroccan influences, trap, afrobeat and New York hip hop culture.

He has collaborated on hits with Drake, Cardi B and Swae Lee, with whom he made the 2017 track “Unforgettable”, which has racked up 1.9 billion views on YouTube.

English singer-songwriter Jorja Smith mixes RnB, soul and jazz influences, drawing on her Jamaican heritage and her classical music training.

Her career took off 10 years ago with “Blue Lights”, followed by other tracks ranging from intimate to more danceable.

In addition to their “exclusive performances” during the evening, “other surprises are planned”, the Groupe L’Equipe, which organises the ceremony, said in a statement sent to AFP.

The group owns the magazine France Football, which has been awarding the Ballon d’Or since 1956.

It is based on voting by a jury of journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings.

In 2025, the top male player prize was awarded to France’s Ousmane Dembele and the women’s to Spain’s Aitana Bonmati.

The ceremony will be broadcast on sports streaming website DAZN, and the L’Equipe TV channel in France.

It will be hosted by former France and Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, and sports journalist Kate Scott.

In 2022, tenor Andrea Bocelli was chosen to open the ceremony.

After last year’s event, Quebec-born Cardin revealed that she had felt uneasy, explaining that she had been through a “moment of great solitude” when she performed alone with limited lighting and stage effects.

fan-adp/gil

The Ugandan Ministry of Health has said that the traveller who tested positive for Bundibugyo virus disease in Nigeria did not exhibit symptoms when she departed the country.

The ministry disclosed this in a statement dated October 23, 2026, signed by the Director General, Health Services, Prof. Charles Olaro.

The statement said that investigations were ongoing to establish when the woman developed symptoms and the circumstances surrounding her infection.

“Available information indicates that the traveller did not exhibit symptoms at the time of departure from Uganda,” the statement said.

The ministry said it was working with its Nigerian counterparts to establish the traveller’s full travel history, movements and possible exposure to the virus.

It added that additional information, including detailed travel records and genomic sequencing results, where available, had been requested from Nigerian authorities to support the investigation.

As part of precautionary measures, Uganda has reinstated traveller locator forms for all travellers, regardless of their country of origin, to facilitate follow-up and contact tracing where necessary.

The ministry also said, “Infection prevention and control measures had been strengthened at all points of entry and exit, as well as at health facilities, while surveillance continued across the country.”

It further announced that travellers with a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo would not be permitted to transit through Uganda.

The ministry warned that provisions of the Public Health Act would be enforced where public health requirements were breached, adding that people entering the country through unauthorised routes would be referred to the relevant authorities for appropriate action.

It urged communities to remain vigilant and report suspected unauthorised border crossings to facilitate screening and public health follow-up.

The ministry, however, reassured the public that Uganda remained Ebola-free.

It also urged travellers and the general public to remain calm and vigilant, practise proper hand hygiene and comply with screening and other public health measures at all points of entry.

The ministry acknowledged the support of government agencies, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organisation in the ongoing investigation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un urged his military to train to become the strongest in the world at a two-day meeting of company commanders in Pyongyang, state media said on Saturday.

Kim’s call for what he dubbed a “Korean-style military revolution” came the same week Seoul’s military proposed talks to clarify the border after an explosion inside the heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) further strained inter-Korean ties.

Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

The Pyongyang event, held Thursday and Friday, was aimed at developing a plan “to train the strongest armed forces in the world,” Kim said, according to the official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

He also called for “all the companies” of the North’s army to be “turned into a strong elite unit in military and technical aspects and consolidated into perfect combat forces”.

KCNA said it was the first gathering of “the entire army” since a February party congress where Kim had called for stronger conventional forces and reaffirmed plans to develop nuclear weapons and missiles.

North Korea has also tested a slew of weapons recently, including a “new-type” precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile, both of which were said to use AI technology

Despite long-running UN sanctions, North Korea has enshrined its status as a nuclear-armed state in law, with its regime repeatedly declaring its atomic arsenal permanent and irreversible.

The North has also become a key Russian ally since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sending troops to support Moscow’s war effort in return for economic benefits and military technology.

South Korea proposed on Friday military talks with North Korea to clarify their border and restore communication channels, after Seoul blamed the DMZ blast that injured South Korean soldiers on North Korean landmines, a claim Pyongyang strongly rejected.

Pyongyang, which also previously rejected Seoul’s demand for an apology over the explosion, has not responded to Friday’s proposal.

AFP

Canada granted refugee protection to no fewer than 7,643 Nigerians over 30 months spanning January 2024 to June 2026, fresh data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada showed.

The data, obtained by Saturday PUNCH from the IRB’s Refugee Protection Division, revealed that Nigeria was the single largest source of successful asylum seekers from Africa and ranked among the top claimant nationalities worldwide.

According to the figures, 2,230 Nigerian claims were granted in 2024. The figure surged by 55 per cent to 3,463 in 2025 before reaching 1,950 in the first six months of 2026 alone.

However, Canadian authorities rejected the asylum claims of 3,080 Nigerians during the same period, meaning nearly three in every 10 Nigerians whose cases were decided were denied asylum.

A further 1,530 Nigerian cases were either abandoned or withdrawn, bringing the total number of Nigerian cases finalised in Canada during the period to 12,253.

In 2025, 3,463 Nigerians were accepted; Uganda ranked second on the continent with 2,089 grants, followed by Kenya (1,532), Ethiopia (1,522) and Ghana (1,084). The Democratic Republic of Congo (732), Rwanda (710) and Cameroon (742) also ranked among the top eight.

For the first half of 2026, 1,950 Nigerians were granted asylum. The remaining leading countries included Kenya (703), Uganda (521), Ghana (603), Ethiopia (378), the DRC (412), Rwanda (389) and Cameroon (300).

Cumulatively across the 30 months covered by the data, 7,643 Nigerians received asylum grants, followed by Uganda (3,943), Kenya (3,888), Ethiopia (2,982), Ghana (2,000), the DRC (1,867), Rwanda (1,699) and Cameroon (1,643).

The data showed that authorities refused asylum to 3,080 Nigerians between January 2024 and June 2026. The DRC ranked second in rejections at 1,230, ahead of Ghana (885), Kenya (639), Senegal (595), Angola (442), Chad (343) and Cameroon (343).

In 2024, the IRB finalised 3,249 Nigerian cases, of which 2,230 were accepted and 811 rejected, with the remainder either abandoned or withdrawn.

As of December 31, 2024, the board recorded 19,889 Nigerian cases awaiting a decision—a backlog nearly six times the total cases finalised that year.

In 2025, the total number of Nigerian cases finalised rose to 5,039. Of these, 3,463 (68.7 per cent) resulted in grants, while 1,377 were rejected.

Globally, Canada finalised 79,462 refugee claims in 2025, accepting 50,067 and rejecting 14,619.

Nigeria’s 3,463 grants accounted for 6.9 per cent of all claims accepted worldwide that year.

In the first half of 2026, Nigerians recorded 1,950 grants and 892 rejections out of 3,965 total finalised cases.

In the same period, the IRB accepted 22,109 of 49,960 finalised claims globally, with the 1,950 successful grants to Nigerians representing 8.8 per cent of total refugee protection granted by Canada in those six months.

Across the 30-month window, Canada finalised 202,878 refugee claims from all nationalities, accepting 118,656 and rejecting 34,546.

Nigeria’s 7,643 grants represented 6.4 per cent of the global total.

African countries collectively accounted for an estimated 35,000 of those 118,656 grants, or roughly 29.5 per cent, with Nigeria contributing about one in every five African grants made in Canada during the period.

Canada’s refugee determination system is administered by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent federal administrative tribunal established under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The board’s Refugee Protection Division is the primary body that hears and decides all asylum claims made in Canada or at a port of entry.

The RPD assesses claims based on whether an applicant qualifies as a Convention refugee under the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, this criterion determines whether an individual faces persecution on grounds of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

Asylum cases are also assessed on whether the applicant qualifies as a “person in need of protection,” covering individuals at risk of torture, death, or cruel and unusual punishment if returned to their home country.

Claimants whose applications are refused by the RPD may appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division. Applicants who fail at that stage may seek judicial review before Canada’s Federal Court, and may file a pre-removal risk assessment as a last avenue before deportation.

Persons asking for protection in Canada must show evidence portending danger of torture, risk to life, or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment should they return to their country of nationality. Such protection claims are made when immigrants notify the Border Services Agency at any port of entry upon arriving in Canada or report to an immigration officer.

“If the claim is eligible, it is sent to the RPD to start the claim for refugee protection process,” an application guideline by the Refugee Board reads.

The IRB data showed that Canada received 107,802 new refugee referrals to the RPD in 2025 alone, with 299,614 claims pending as of December 31, 2025.

More than 10,000 screenings of the sci-fi thriller “Sanxingdui: Future Past” are scheduled for Friday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan.

Public reception, however, has been less than enthusiastic.

Presale revenue as of Friday morning stood at 80,000 yuan ($11,980), while total box-office takings were forecast to remain below 150,000 yuan, only a fraction of the reported production cost, according to Maoyan.

Ticket prices range from 20 to 90 yuan, bringing the number sold to a few thousand at most.

Jiang Defu, CEO of the production company Bona Film Group, acknowledged the lukewarm reception in a recent interview but said the film was pushing boundaries.

We are the first to try it, the first to get a theatrical release permit, and the first to be tested by the audience,” he told Chinese film industry outlet Yuli.

“I think that is not easy at all.”

Nearly 100 people took more than two years to make the film, which cost more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), Bona said, although all the actors, their voices and the backdrops are AI-generated.

The film touches on the theme of humanity in a future shaped by AI.

But that was not enough to convince Iris Yang, who attended a free preview screening of the film on Thursday for acquaintances of the production team and industry workers.

Yang said she would not have paid for a ticket, given the movie’s quality.

“If AI generation can match the theatrical experience of ‘Avatar’, I think I would be willing to pay for it,” she said, referring to the US franchise known for the quality of its animation.

AI-generated video has gained popularity in the world’s second-largest economy. On Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, AI-generated short dramas garnered more than 200 billion views in September alone.

But “the audience won’t automatically pay for the tickets just because it’s an AI-generated film”, independent AI director Zhang Jun told AFP.

Online, Chinese social media users also seemed unconvinced by the launch of AI movies in cinemas.

“If it’s free to watch on streaming platforms, it could become legendary. But paying to watch? People are not going to accept it at this stage,” one user on Weibo commented.

In Hollywood, the rise of AI has sparked concern among film workers about the prospect of job losses.

An AI-generated sci-fi feature called “Gods Don’t Give Gifts” is scheduled for US release on December 4.

And a virtual Hollywood actor called Tilly Norwood, whose interviews have gone viral while fuelling job fears, is also set to star in an upcoming movie called “Misaligned”.

AFP

US President Donald Trump lashed out at NBA superstar LeBron James on Thursday for what he called disrespectful behaviour during the playing of the national anthem.

Trump posted a video of the basketball legend doing apparent warm-up movements while lined up with his Philadelphia 76ers teammates before their season opener against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country! I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network.

“LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!” he wrote.

The video used by Trump had an internal caption that read: “LeBron working on his golf swing pregame.” It showed him doing lateral swing motions and basketball shooting movements.

Trump, speaking at a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday night, renewed the attack, calling James’s actions “a big scandal kind of a story.”

Trump and James have traded barbs before, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer shrugged off the president’s latest criticism.

It must be a slow news day at the office,” he said after the Sixers completed an epic comeback to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 in Philadelphia. “Slow news day at the office.”

James, 41, is entering a record-extending 24th NBA season with his fourth team.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Trump’s comments were the kind of distractions he was schooling his team to tune out.

“I think that goes right in with other outside noise we’ve already had,” Nurse said. “I keep saying the same thing. All I really care about is getting to the practice floor, getting them in the film room, getting them to the game floor.

“The focus that they’ve had and the intent and all the stuff like that has been outstanding.”

Trump has been critical of athletes before — particularly Black athletes — for their behavior during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner before games.

During his first term, Trump singled out NFL star Colin Kaepernick for his decision to kneel during the “Star-Spangled Banner” to protest at racial injustice and police brutality.

AFP

The US-sponsored talks on transitioning from the hardline socialist rule of ousted ex-president Nicolas Maduro began in August.

Washington is under pressure to organise democratic elections following its January ouster of Maduro.

It nudged interim President Delcy Rodriguez, a former Maduro loyalist who was his vice president, to negotiate with an opposition delegation led by Dinorah Figuera.

“I welcome and recognise the efforts of the parties sitting at this dialogue table to move forward in the area of political guarantees for everyone,” Rodriguez said at the end of Thursday’s meeting with the opposition, held at the presidential palace.

Figuera led a political bloc that won a majority in the 2015 National Assembly, the last legislature elected in a vote widely recognised by the international community.

The third round of talks “delivered tangible results including agreement to work to review and revise several repressive laws to increase political and social freedom, and guarantee the participation of all political actors,” the US State Department said in a statement

It also hailed progress on “rebuilding an independent Supreme Court.”

Since the talks started, the process has strengthened press freedoms, restored access to more than 70 previously blocked websites, “produced an agreement to recover gold holdings in the Bank of England for earthquake relief, and advanced efforts to reform the repressive Law Against Hatred,” it said.

The statement also said the Trump administration remains committed to supporting a Venezuelan-led process toward a peaceful democratic transition.

Exiled opposition leader Maria Machado has been sidelined from the negotiations, and thousands protested in Caracas and other cities on Thursday demanding her return to the country.

AFP

At least 3,385 Nigerians applied for asylum in Italy in 2025 as 2,220 applicants were rejected in first-instance decisions.

This is according to figures contained in the Asylum Information Database 2025 Country Report on Italy, a project of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles and compiled using data from Italy’s Asylum Service and the European Union Agency for Asylum.

The report was produced by the Association for Legal Studies on Immigration.

The volume of applications made Nigeria the only sub-Saharan African country among the country’s top 10 nationalities of asylum seekers, according to the data obtained by The PUNCH.

It showed that 660 of the Nigerians who went through the process were granted full refugee status, recording a 19.47 per cent refugee recognition rate, the highest of all top 10 nationalities and nearly three and a half times Italy’s national average of 5.7 per cent.

Of the 3,390 decisions rendered on Nigerian cases in 2025, 660 or 19.47 per cent resulted in full refugee status, Italy’s highest form of protection awarded to persons who face persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group under the 1951 Geneva Convention.

A further 55 Nigerians, or 1.62 per cent, received subsidiary protection, which covers those facing serious harm who do not qualify as Convention refugees, while 460 or 13.57 per cent were granted Italy’s national or special protection category, known as protezione speciale.

According to the data, 1,175 Nigerians received some form of protection in 2025, translating to an overall protection rate of 34.66 per cent, above Italy’s national rate of 30 per cent.

As of December 31, 2025, a further 4,120 Nigerian cases remained pending before Italian authorities, the report said.

Among asylum seekers of African descent, Egypt led with 11,790 applications.

The AIDA statistics table showed that of the 10,685 decisions on Egyptian cases, 8,900, or 83.30 per cent, were rejections, with only 105 Egyptians granted full refugee status, 20 subsidiary protection, and 1,660 national protection.

Morocco followed with 9,485 applications, registering the second-highest rejection rate among all top 10 nationalities.

The table showed that 5,695 of 6,315 decisions, or 90.18 per cent, were turned down, as only 95 Moroccans received refugee status and five received subsidiary protection.

Tunisians filed 6,290 applications, and of the 5,895 decisions, 5,035 or 85.41 per cent were rejected. Only 190 Tunisians were granted refugee status, 25 subsidiary protection, and 645 national protection.

The report also recorded other African nationalities among unaccompanied minors who sought asylum in Italy in 2025. These include Gambia (61 unaccompanied children), Mali (44), Guinea (42), Burkina Faso (34), Somalia (30), Ivory Coast (27), Senegal (9), and Nigeria (16).

According to the data, Italy is managing rising asylum demand amid declining approval rates.

It said, “In 2025, 126,635 first asylum requests were registered in Italy, representing a decrease compared to 2024 (when 151,120 applications were registered), but still almost double the number of applications registered in 2022 (77,200).”

Italy processed 104,560 first-instance decisions throughout 2025, even as “the overall protection rate (including special protection) at first instance stood at 30%, a slight decrease compared to 2024, when it was 35%, but even more significant if compared with 2022, when the protection rate was of 47%,” the document noted.

In total, 5,965 decisions or 5.7 per cent led to refugee status, 11,455 or 10.96 per cent to subsidiary protection, and 13,945 or 13.34 per cent to national protection.

As of December 2025, 234,165 applications remained pending.

The Italian government processes asylum claims through 20 Territorial Commissions and 23 sub-commissions under a three-tier protection framework.

Asylum seekers can appeal rejections before civil courts, with a final right of recourse to the Council of State.

In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union struck down Italy’s mechanism for designating “safe countries of origin,” forcing Nigeria’s removal from the list.

The designation had previously subjected applications from Nigerians to accelerated procedures that put asylum claims at a disadvantage.

Italy’s asylum system faced further shakeup in 2025 from the Italy-Albania Agreement, under which migrants intercepted at sea were transferred to Albanian territory for processing under Italian jurisdiction.

The AIDA report said this arrangement faced repeated legal challenges throughout the year 2025.

On accommodation, the report noted that as of December 31, 2025, 101,106 asylum seekers were housed in emergency reception centres, 3,342 in government centres, and 3,652 in hotspots.

Arrivals by sea in 2025 amounted to 66,296, slightly down from the 66,617 in 2024 but less than half of the 157,651 arrivals recorded in 20233. The highest volume of migrants who arrived in Italy by sea originated from Bangladesh (20,164), Egypt (9,091), Eritrea (7,579), Pakistan (4,383), and Sudan (4,183).

Pope Leo XIV will not require further treatment for lung cancer after surgery successfully removed the cancerous tissue, the Vatican has said.

The Vatican press office disclosed this in a medical bulletin on Wednesday.

This followed the completion of tests on tissue removed during the pontiff’s surgery last week.

According to the bulletin, final histological reports and molecular biology analyses confirmed that the disease was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma and was localised.

The results have confirmed that the condition was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized.

“A subsequent oncological evaluation has confirmed that no further therapy is required,” the bulletin stated.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 40 per cent of cases.

It often affects non-smokers and can develop relatively slowly.

Leo announced on October 11 that he needed surgery for a lung nodule, prompting concern within and outside the Vatican.

Doctors subsequently removed the affected lobe of his left lung during a hospital stay in Rome.

He returned home on October 17.

The following day, the pontiff made his first public appearance since the diagnosis, leading the Sunday Angelus prayer from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace.

Reflecting on his experience, Leo told worshippers, “This experience has given me a profound sense of closeness to all those who are going through illness or a state of infirmity.”

CNN reported that the pope’s recovery had been faster than is typical following such surgery, citing Dr Juanita Mora, a national medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association who was not involved in his treatment.

Mora said doctors would likely continue monitoring the pontiff through follow-up CT scans every three to six months during the first few years, followed by annual checks to detect any possible recurrence.

She added that patients recovering from such surgery often undergo respiratory physiotherapy to restore their breathing capacity.

Pope S’American tripa

The Vatican’s announcement comes ahead of the pope’s planned South American trip next month, which is expected to include stops in Peru, Uruguay and Argentina and require at least 14 flights.

Although the Vatican has not officially confirmed whether the trip will proceed, the surgeon who led the operation, Prof. Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News that he saw “no clinical reasons” for cancelling it.

Mora said the pope might be advised to walk during the journey to help prevent blood clots associated with long flights.

She also recommended that he receive COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines for additional protection against respiratory infections.

The Vatican’s latest update indicates that no further cancer treatment is currently required, although medical follow-up is expected to remain part of the pontiff’s recovery.

The United Kingdom has paid £5.7bn in student finance for the first term of the 2026/27 academic year, including £3bn in maintenance loans to students and £2.7bn in tuition fee payments to education providers.

The Student Loans Company disclosed this in a report published on the UK Home Office website on Wednesday.

According to the statement, “the £3bn in maintenance loans was paid directly to students in September, while the £2.7bn in tuition fee payments was released to education providers in October.”

The company said most first-term payments had been made, adding that it was continuing to support students who applied after the deadline and might have initially received only the minimum level of student finance.

Where a student applied late for funding, we awarded the minimum maintenance loan and their tuition fee loan to ensure they had funding to start their term,” the statement said.

It added that the remaining funding would be paid as a top-up once all the necessary application details had been confirmed.

The company said applications could take up to four weeks to process and encouraged students to apply as early as possible

It also announced that students starting courses on or after January 1, 2027, would apply for student finance through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement funding scheme.

Applications for the scheme are expected to open by the end of October 2026.

The company noted that the figures were provisional, adding that full-year figures would be published in its Student Support for Higher Education statistical release on November 26, 2026.

Iran’s ambassador to Iraq said on Tuesday that Baghdad had agreed to “expel” or hand over members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups who have taken refuge on the Iraqi side of the border.

The announcement came after senior Iraqi security officials repeatedly told AFP that Baghdad was refusing to do so, fearing for the lives of the Kurdish exiles.

Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, an oil-rich area in the north of the country, has long hosted camps and bases for Iranian Kurdish rebel groups, which Tehran labels terrorists who serve US or Israeli interests.

“During a meeting of the joint security commission — attended by the Iranian delegation and the Iraqi National Security Adviser — the two parties agreed to expel the members of the Iranian separatist terrorist groups from the Iraqi Kurdistan region or hand them over to Iran,” ambassador Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadegh wrote on X

On Monday, Iraq’s National Security Council hosted a meeting of the two delegations in Baghdad. A governmental delegation from the Kurdistan region also took part, according to a statement from the media office of Iraqi National Security Adviser Qassim Al-Abboudi.

The statement said the talks focused on “ways to address current challenges and to harmonise the visions of the parties concerned”.

In 2023, Baghdad and Tehran signed an agreement aimed at strengthening security along their shared border — particularly in the Kurdistan region — and “neutralising the Kurdish opposition”.

The deal put an end to recurring Iranian bombardments targeting the groups and helped ease tensions between the two countries.

But since the outbreak of war in the Middle East in late February, triggered by US-Israeli strikes, Iran has resumed deadly attacks on the Kurdish groups.

Under the 2023 agreement, Iraqi authorities disarmed the Iranian Kurdish groups, moving them away from the border and transferring them to camps.

On February 22 this year, a few days before the outbreak of the war, five of the groups announced the formation of a political alliance aimed at overthrowing the Iranian government and guaranteeing the right to self-determination for the Kurds.

AFP

The African Growth and Opportunity Act, which grants eligible sub-Saharan African countries preferential access to the US market, has been renewed until the end of 2028.

South Africa is the scheme’s largest beneficiary, but its eligibility has come under scrutiny as Washington steps up criticism of Pretoria, including false allegations of discrimination against white Afrikaners that South Africa rejects.

“Congress has decided that we should be kept in AGOA. What now remains is the executive,” Ramaphosa said, referring to the pact now needing President Donald Trump’s signature after approval by Congress.

“And by the way, so that I prepare our people for this, if we ever have a choice, we are not the first and only country to be taken out of AGOA. And I believe we will not be the last,” he said in response to a question from an AFP journalist during a briefing.

Bilateral ties have deteriorated since Trump took office, with Washington cutting aid, expelling South Africa’s ambassador and berating Ramaphosa in the Oval Office over discredited claims of a “white genocide.”

Washington in mid-September announced restrictions on visas for South Africans who promote “race-based discrimination, incite violence, or enable land confiscation without compensation in South Africa” — all issues that are disputed between the two countries.

Last year, the United States launched a programme to resettle white Afrikaners who say they face persecution and violent crime in South Africa.

By September 30, the United States had admitted 16,287 South Africans under the programme over the preceding year. They were the only people granted refugee status by Washington during that period, apart from five Afghans.

Devastating’ impact –

The US president reviews countries’ eligibility for AGOA annually.

Any removal requires 60 days’ notice to Congress and the country concerned. To take effect on January 1, an exclusion must be announced by November 2.

Former president Joe Biden declared the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger and Uganda ineligible on October 30, 2023, with the exclusions taking effect on January 1, 2024.

South Africa is going to look for alternative markets to minimise the impacts of such an exclusion, Ramaphosa said.

“I need, as president, to prepare us if it ever happens. So we should not go out and jump off tall buildings and think that this is the end of the world,” he said, conceding that the impacts would nonetheless be “devastating.

Within AGOA, Washington exempts South African cars from customs duties.

After precious metals, cars are the country’s second-biggest export earner to the United States, according to the South African tax authorities.

In 2025, the automobile employers’ organisation Naamsa said 86,000 jobs were directly tied to the accord at car manufacturers, a number that increases to 125,000 when including their sub-contractors.

AFP

Shooters opened fire at the 36-year-old actor as he was leaving a private event in the city’s upscale Juhu area on Sunday evening, according to Police official Mohit Garg.

Aside from being India’s financial capital, Mumbai is also the heart of Bollywood, the country’s Hindi-language film industry.

Tiger Shroff is safe and Mumbai police has deployed different teams to investigate further,” Garg told reporters.

Two people were injured in the incident, including the actor’s driver, though Shroff did not sustain gunshot wounds, police said.

Three suspects have been rounded up in Rajasthan, another Indian state.

“Preliminary questioning revealed that two of them have one case each against them, one related to theft and the other under the Arms Act,” police official Tejaswani Gautam told reporters.

Police have yet to establish a motive for the shooting.

Shroff is known for action films including the “Baaghi” franchise and “War”.

AFP

A Chinese state-owned firm has withdrawn from a $392 million joint venture to develop a major logistics hub at Sri Lanka’s main seaport, the key local partner said Monday.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said China Merchants Port Holdings had decided not to proceed with the collaboration announced in 2023, but the project would continue.

“Following an assessment of the prevailing external circumstances, commercial considerations and the interests of the respective shareholders, a decision was reached not to proceed with the proposed joint venture,” the SLPA said in a statement.

China Merchants was to hold 70 per cent of the proposed joint venture, while the SLPA and a Sri Lankan private construction company were each to hold 15 per cent.

The SLPA said it was now seeking a new investor for the 150,000-square-metre logistics hub at Colombo Port, where China already has other investments.

The Chinese company said in a statement to Hong Kong’s stock exchange on Friday that “terminating the project would be in the best interests of the parties”.

China Merchants’ stake, agreed in April 2023, was the first major foreign investment announced after Sri Lanka’s economy collapsed in April 2022

Within Colombo Port, China Merchants already operate a $500 million deep-water container terminal.

They also manage the deep-water port complex at Hambantota, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

That port in Hambantota was widely regarded as one of the white-elephant projects launched by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who ruled the country for a decade until 2015.

Rajapaksa borrowed heavily from China for projects that many critics said created a debt trap and contributed to Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis.

Unable to repay a large Chinese loan taken in 2017 to build Hambantota port, Sri Lanka handed it over to China Merchants for $1.12 billion under a 99-year lease.

The $1.4 billion Port City Colombo real-estate development next to Colombo Port is also a Chinese investment.

India and the United States have expressed concern that China could gain a naval advantage in the Indian Ocean through its access to Sri Lankan ports

Sri Lanka has insisted that its ports will not be used for military purposes.

AFP

Twelve migrants died Monday attempting to cross the Aegean Sea, including six people whose bodies were found after their boat collided with a police vessel, authorities said.

A baby and four women were among six people who died off the island of Lesbos on Monday following the collision, a coast guard official told AFP.

The other six dead — five men and a woman — were on a small boat that capsized off the island of Samos, the coast guard added. Another 14 people from the boat, one of them a presumed Iranian organiser, were rescued.

The coast guard official said that in the incident off Lesbos, “a speedboat carrying migrants collided with the port side of a police patrol vessel”. The official said eight people were rescued.

The Aegean is a much-used route for migrants crossing from Turkey and hoping to reach Europe. There have been many deaths.

One person died and 25 remained missing after a boat filled with migrants sank off the island of Gavdos, near Crete in September.

AFP

A Catholic priest, Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, has died after a large wooden cross fell on him while he was celebrating Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The incident occurred on Saturday, during a service that was being livestreamed on social media, according to the Associated Press and Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo on Sunday.

The priest was at the altar when the cross hanging behind him became detached and struck him on the head.

The Associated Press reported that footage of the service showed “a heavy crucifix detaching from the wall above the altar and striking Sánchez on the head as he celebrated Mass.”

According to the AP report, the priest did not appear to notice the cross falling, while worshippers cried for help as the broadcast continued.

In its report published on Sunday, El Universo said, “Un sacerdote murió tras la caída de una enorme cruz de madera sobre su cabeza” — meaning a priest died after a huge wooden cross fell on his head.

The newspaper reported that Sánchez Molinari was celebrating Mass when the cross suspended above the altar became detached during a prayer.

It added that worshippers tried to assist him and desperately called for an ambulance. The incident was recorded because the religious service was being transmitted on social media.

The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the priest’s death and identified him as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order.

The AP said the congregation was founded in 1732 and has a presence in 80 countries.

El Universo also reported that the Archdiocese expressed solidarity and condolences to the Redemptorist community, as well as the priest’s family and friends.

The priest had previously served for several years at San Lorenzo de Vinces parish, according to El Universo, which reported that the parish also mourned his death.

The circumstances that caused the cross to detach from the wall had not been officially established in the reports available at the time of publication.

The Associated Press reported that local authorities had not commented on the incident.

The death has drawn attention to the incident captured during the livestreamed Mass, with worshippers seen rushing to assist the priest after the cross fell.

France is reeling under the most violent protests in decades after the historic town hall of Limoges, a 19th-century landmark that survived two World Wars, was largely destroyed Saturday night, after masked protesters set it ablaze during nationwide demonstrations against the high cost of living.

Footage showed the moment the bell tower and roof collapsed as flames engulfed the 143-year-old building, inaugurated in 1883 and modelled after Paris City Hall.

What began last month as a peaceful student protest spiralled into a national crisis that caught the French government by surprise.

High school students had clashed with police over long hours, missing teachers, dilapidated classrooms and an opaque university admissions system. 

Pupils routinely miss months of teaching due to unfilled staff absences. For four weeks, they marched and barricaded schools.

On Saturday, the movement broadened with parents, teachers, grandparents, workers and members of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) joining them. They carried banners saying the government was not listening and called for more money for public services, lower prices, higher pensions and boosted wages. 

Other demonstrators joined to voice anger over fuel prices after the Israeli-US war on Iran  caused the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz.

Tens of thousands marched peacefully in Paris, supporting the schoolchildren’s demands. But separately, masked groups staging moving gatherings, burning barricades and clashing with police overwhelmed the state.

According to the Haute-Vienne prefecture, about 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Limoges, with a group breaking into the town hall around 6pm, setting a police car on fire outside before smashing windows and starting the blaze inside.

AFP quoted the Haute-Vienne prefecture Prefect, Maurice Barate, as saying: “The roof has collapsed onto lower floors, except the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already disappeared.” 

He described it as a “catastrophe for heritage” and a “deliberate act by hooligans.”

Other national symbols torched, destroyed 

Besides Limoges, other symbols of the French Republic were also torched, depicting the scale of destruction.

In Lyon, France’s third-largest city, protesters torched the historic tourist office on Place Bellecour. In Marseille, black-clad rioters stormed the city hall, overturned furniture and toppled a bust of Marianne, the female personification of the French Republic, and surrounded a municipal police station.

In Bordeaux, rioters broke into and ransacked the official residence of the prefect of Gironde, setting fire in the courtyard, forcing authorities to deploy the elite RAID unit. In Lille, municipal buildings were targeted and a group forced its way into the town hall, while attempts were also reported in Calais and Brest. 

Nothing justifies unbridled violence—Macron 

Reacting to the riot yesterday, French President, Emmanuel Macron, declared that nothing justified the violence seen in nationwide protests over the rising cost of living and other grievances, even as he called on political bodies to condemn violence.

Speaking in an address to the nation, Macron reiterated his earlier stance that people who destroyed government buildings would be held accountable and pay for their crime.

He noted that there must be a distinction between protesters with legitimate demands and those who destroyed, smashed, and looted.

He vowed to hold accountable those who ‘sought to bring down the Republic’

“Tonight, we all feel anger and shame.  Those who looted will have to pay back for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable.”

He pointed to unrestrained violence”by “insurrectionist elements from radical far-left groups, joined by numerous criminals.”

In Grenoble, the city hall was also damaged, prompting the Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, and Prime Minister Lecornu to say there was “a clear aim to hit public buildings in many cities.”

Govt in crisis talks following violent protest 

Meanwhile, the French government was in crisis talks yesterday after a day of unrest left public buildings burned, hundreds of shops destroyed and more than 2,000 people arrested.

Interior Minister, Laurent Nunez, said several hundred shops had been damaged, more than 600 police, firefighters and paramedics hurt, and over 2,000 people arrested. 

In Paris alone, police said a record 855 people were arrested. One 17-year-old boy had his right hand blown off by a crowd-control grenade in Saint-Étienne. One protester died after suffering cardiac arrest in Paris.

Ministers as well as police faced pressure for being caught unprepared, while politicians on the left and right called for Nunez’s resignation.

In Limoges, Mayor Guillaume Guérin said the attackers “were not demonstrators that defend causes but people organised for war, who told a caretaker he would be killed and told officials they would burn.”

Guerin said:  “Around 3:30pm our municipal police, although present in number, found themselves no longer able to fight against the violence of rioters because they had run out of munition.’’

He called this a colossal failure of the state and threatened to resign if funds for repair were not provided.

In Marseille, where masked groups stormed city hall and a police station, Socialist Mayor, Benoît Payan, said: “Hordes of rioters and looters attacked our common buildings… with no real demands, but with the sole aim to wreck the demands of those who had demonstrated legitimately.” He said questions must be asked about policing tactics.

In Lyon, where the historic tourist office was torched, Green Mayor, Grégory Doucet, told Le Monde: “I’m stunned by the violence against public and state property. Shop-owners felt abandoned.”

President Emmanuel Macron, who is nearing the end of his second term and will leave office in 2027, wrote on social media there was “no place for violence” and will address the nation.

He vowed: “Those who carried out vandalism, attacked administrative offices or businesses, or carried out looting, even in our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished.”

His government and far-right frontrunner, Marie Le Pen, blamed ultra-left groups and criminals. 

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government would not be intimidated by violence. Radical-left leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, accused the government of organisational failings that “opened the door to chaos”.

Yesterday, burnt-out cars, smashed shop windows and the remains of barricades littered Paris, Lille, Bordeaux, Nice, Marseille and Strasbourg. 

Traders’ unions said over 1,500 shops were ransacked, with losses running into tens of millions of euros. Carrefour CEO said 50 of its shops were damaged, 20 looted

“It’s like we had a war,” a 78-year-old resident in central Paris, Mehmet Ozeden, told AFP amid burnt street barricades from the protests.

The convulsion raised the stakes for President Emmanuel Macron, who is in his final months in power before elections to replace him in six months’ time. It followed weeks of student protests that had also turned violent at times.

Macron will address the nation Sunday evening, his office said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 1,800 people were arrested, with investigations under way “to identify the perpetrators of these acts so they can be brought to justice.”

In Paris, where police said a record 855 people were arrested, torched cars, smashed shopfronts and burnt debris scarred numerous streets.

The capital experienced “a level of violence that we have never, I believe, seen before,” said Paris deputy mayor Lamia El Aaraje.

Hundreds of shops were looted in Paris and other cities, including Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Strasbourg, during the protests over the cost of living.

Around 1,500 businesses were damaged, causing losses estimated in the hundreds of millions of euros, according to the Retail and Trade Federation.

One Paris resident, Anita Gras, out for a jog between the debris, said she saw young men loot a sports shoe retailer.

“They stayed until 1:00 am, we were afraid they were going to throw things at us,” she said.

“It’s appalling, terrifying — groups of young people came here yesterday (Saturday), looting, smashing everything, with total impunity,” said another resident, 57-year-old Cecile Rogue, surveying a pile of charred bicycles.

– ‘Wild horde’ –

The city of Limoges lost its 19th-century town hall to a fire. The local prefect, Maurice Barate, told news channel LCI it had been deliberately set by “a wild horde” and was only brought under control early Sunday.

The mayor of Lyon, Gregory Doucet, said that “the chaos that reigned in the city for several hours was abominable.”

A tourist office in the centre of Lyon was set ablaze during the protests, which saw multiple clashes and looting.

Political recriminations quickly followed, with the government and far-right leader Marine Le Pen blaming ultra-left groups, while far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused authorities of inflaming tensions.

Paris’s Socialist deputy mayor El Aaraje accused Le Pen’s party of “acting like a pyromaniac firefighter” over the protests to further her presidential ambitions.

US Vice President JD Vance also waded in, implying on X that the unrest was because France had “imported the third world.”

– Half a million demonstrators –

In Paris, startled tourists were seen Saturday running with suitcases along streets filled with tear gas and protesters.

“It was awful, I was so afraid,” a tourist who declined to give her name said Sunday.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said more than 500 people were in custody, most facing charges of receiving stolen goods, association with intent to commit violence, and vandalism.

Around 500 police, firefighters and paramedics were hurt in the protests, the interior minister said, adding that the figure was provisional. He was to visit Marseille on Sunday to survey the extensive damage caused there.

The violence took place on the sidelines of nationwide protests that the interior ministry said were attended by 550,000 people. The CGT union said 800,000 people participated.

A 17-year-old boy had his right hand blown off by a crowd-control grenade in the southern city of Saint-Étienne.

Analyst Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group think tank said on X that Saturday’s “terrible scenes” were “not political protest in any true sense. Most of the real demonstrations against high oil prices and failing schools were peaceful.”

France’s Yellow Vest movement, which staged street protests eight years ago against Macron’s government over planned fuel-tax hikes, had called Saturday’s “yellow and youth” demonstrations.

The principal grievance was the cost of living, pushed up in part by the war in the Middle East, which has helped send inflation soaring in Europe as elsewhere.

AFP

A “serious incident” at a military base in western Canada killed and injured multiple people and sparked a huge blaze on Saturday, the government said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on X that “a serious incident creating a major fire” had occurred at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in western Alberta.

There were “both fatalities and injuries” as a result of the incident, the country’s defence minister, David McGuinty, said at a news conference.

Neither offered details on the number of casualties or the nature of the incident.

We will have more to say in the coming hours and days,” McGuinty added

A doctor at a hospital in the city of Edmonton, about 200 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of the base, told public broadcaster CBC that Wainwright’s health-care facilities were “completely overwhelmed” by the number of patients requiring care.

“It is more patients than any of us want to count right now,” Warren Thirsk said. “It’s a disaster. It’s a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster.”

The Municipal District of Wainwright posted on social media that the fire had “spread rapidly due to high winds.”

It said later on Saturday that the blaze was “being held at this time,” though firefighting crews would continue to monitor the area.

Carney said the government was working closely with Alberta officials and local authorities.

“Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected,” he said on X.

The fire also disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday’s referendum on a future poll on whether Alberta wants independence from Canada.

Alberta’s office responsible for overseeing provincial elections said the advance voting station in Wainwright had closed.

AFP

Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez completed successful surgery on a fractured jaw late on Saturday night after a heavy collision during Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton.

The incident occurred in the second half at Hill Dickinson Stadium when Martínez raced off his line to punch clear a free-kick.

He collided forcefully with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and collapsed.

Medical staff treated the Argentine for nearly ten minutes on the pitch, administering oxygen and fitting a neck brace before stretchering him off to warm applause from both sets of supporters.

Young goalkeeper Mike Penders replaced him and helped preserve the clean sheet as Chelsea secured three valuable points.

In a post by football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano on X on Sunday, Martinez was quoted as saying,”The most important things are 3 points and clean sheet. I’ll be back in few weeks!”

For now, the focus remains on recovery. Martínez’s immediate priority, as ever, was the result and the clean sheet. True to form, the World Cup-winning goalkeeper has already turned his attention to the return.

On Thursday, October 15, 2026, Tesla unveiled a redesigned Roadster equipped with rocket-style thrusters developed with SpaceX.

The demonstration showed the sports car lifting into the air, turning mid-flight and landing, while the company said production would begin in 2028.

However, the demonstration did not establish that the vehicle could fly over long distances like an aircraft.

The unveiling reflects a pattern in Musk’s career: backing ambitious technologies that aim to change how people communicate, travel, access information and interact with machines.

Although Musk is often associated with these products, he did not personally invent every technology. His role has varied across the companies he founded, co-founded, financed or leads.

Here are some of the major ventures and innovations associated with him, from his early internet businesses to his latest automotive ambitions.

1. Zip2: Bringing maps and business directories online

Before electric cars and rockets, Musk’s first major business venture was Zip2, an online city guide and mapping service he co-founded with his brother, Kimbal Musk, in 1995.

The company helped newspapers establish online directories and provide maps and directions to users at a time when the internet was still developing as a mainstream commercial service.

Compaq acquired Zip2 in 1999 in a deal valued at more than $300m, giving Musk capital to pursue other ventures.

Zip2 was not the invention of online maps, but it was an early attempt to make digital directories and location information commercially useful.

2. X.com and PayPal: Making online payments easier

After the sale of Zip2, Musk co-founded X.com in 1999, an online financial services and payments company

X.com later merged with Confinity, whose products included a digital payment service.

The combined business became PayPal, which was acquired by eBay in 2002 for $1.5bn in stock. Musk was among PayPal’s largest shareholders.

Musk did not invent PayPal single-handedly. His contribution came through X.com and his involvement in the business that evolved into the online payment company.

The sale also provided him with funds to invest in more ambitious projects, including space exploration and electric vehicles.

3. SpaceX: Reusable rockets and commercial spaceflight

Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the goal of reducing the cost of space travel and eventually enabling human settlement beyond Earth.

The company helped advance the use of reusable rockets, including Falcon 9 boosters that return to Earth and land after launch. Reusing major rocket components can reduce the need to build an entirely new rocket for every mission.

SpaceX has also developed the Dragon spacecraft, which transports cargo and astronauts, and is developing Starship, a fully reusable transportation system intended for missions to Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars.

Musk’s role has included leading the company and overseeing its engineering and product development, while the technologies themselves are the work of large teams of engineers and scientists.

4. Tesla: Electric cars for the mass market

Tesla is perhaps the company most closely associated with Musk. He joined the electric vehicle company as an early investor in 2004 and became its chief executive in 2008.

Tesla’s first vehicle, the Roadster, debuted in 2008. The company subsequently introduced models including the Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y, helping bring electric cars into the luxury and mass-market segments.

Tesla did not invent the electric car, which existed long before the company was founded. Its contribution has been developing and commercialising electric vehicles, battery systems, charging infrastructure and driver-assistance technology at scale.

The company has also expanded into energy storage, with products designed for homes, businesses and electricity networks.

5. Starlink: Internet delivered by satellites

Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite internet service, designed to provide broadband connectivity in places where conventional internet infrastructure is limited, unreliable or expensive.

Instead of relying solely on cables and ground-based networks, the service uses satellites in low Earth orbit to connect users through ground terminals.

SpaceX says its satellite constellation is intended to deliver high-speed internet access to users around the world.

6. Neuralink: Connecting computers to the human brain

Neuralink is developing brain-computer interface technology intended to allow people to control computers and other devices through signals from their brains.

Its system uses an implant to record neural activity, alongside electronics and software that interpret those signals.

The company says one of its aims is to help people with paralysis interact with digital devices.

The technology is part of a wider field of research into brain-computer interfaces, which involves scientists and companies beyond Neuralink.

It also raises questions about the safety of implanted devices, clinical evidence, privacy and the long-term effects of connecting neural signals to computer systems.

7. The Boring Company: Tackling traffic underground

Musk founded The Boring Company to develop tunnels and underground transport systems as an alternative way to move people through congested cities.

The company develops tunnel-boring technology and operates transport projects such as the Vegas Loop, which uses tunnels and vehicles to move passengers between destinations.

The idea is to create additional transport routes underground rather than relying entirely on surface roads.

8. xAI and Grok: Artificial intelligence

Musk founded xAI in 2023 to develop artificial intelligence systems. One of its products is Grok, an AI assistant associated with his social media platform, X.

The venture places Musk in competition with other companies developing AI models and chatbots for answering questions, generating content, analysing information and assisting with tasks.

Unlike Zip2, Tesla or SpaceX, xAI is not primarily about transport or physical infrastructure. It is focused on developing software and AI systems.

9. The new Tesla Roadster: Musk’s flying-car ambition

The redesigned Tesla Roadster, unveiled on October 15, 2026, is the latest example of Musk’s interest in pushing vehicle technology beyond conventional limits.

According to Reuters, the demonstration featured a car equipped with rocket-style thrusters developed with SpaceX.

The vehicle lifted into the air, turned during the demonstration and landed. Tesla said it intended to begin production in 2028.

Musk described the unveiling as evidence that the future includes flying cars. But the demonstration showed short airborne manoeuvres, not sustained flight over long distances.

Musk’s ventures span online maps, digital payments, electric vehicles, rockets, satellite communications, brain-computer interfaces, underground transport and artificial intelligence.

Some of the technologies associated with him were developed by companies and research communities that existed before his involvement. Others have been advanced by engineering teams at companies he founded, co-founded or leads.

Four men have died fighting wildfires in a national park on Indonesia’s Java island, the forestry ministry said Friday, as the southeast Asian country battles a months-long crisis of blazes and toxic smoke.

The four were overwhelmed while battling flames Thursday in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, a ministry statement said, without providing details on who the individuals were.

Two others suffered serious burns.

Two of the fallen men were national park officers and two were security guards helping them, according to national park spokesman Endrip Wahyutama.

They had been trapped by flames and thick smoke. Three died at the scene and a fourth fourth later in hospital

A volunteer firefighter and a security guard from a nearby hotel who also jumped in to help were receiving medical treatment, said Endrip.

A volunteer firefighter and a security guard from a nearby hotel who also jumped in to help were receiving medical treatment.

This incident serves as a reminder that forest and land fire extinguishing is a high-risk operation,” said the ministry.

It said there had been a jump in hotspots detected by satellites as areas of unusually high temperatures but do not necessarily translate into individual fires.

By Thursday evening, the number of hotspots stood at 799 nationally, up from 372 a day earlier.

Most were in Central Kalimantan, a province on Borneo island that Indonesia shares with Malaysia and Brunei, followed by the south of Sumatra island.

“Central Kalimantan recorded the largest increase (in hotspots), so field operations are being strengthened,” said the statement.

The ministry expressed particular concern about an area around the Tanjung Puting National Park, an important habitat for endangered orangutans.

Water-bombing and cloud-seeding operations to make rain have been hampered by low visibility due to smoke from the fires, it added.

The ministry said several locations in Sumatra and Kalimantan were experiencing “unhealthy to very unhealthy conditions, even locally hazardous” due to the haze emitted by the blazes, turning the sky in some areas orange.

“If air conditions worsen, people are advised to reduce outdoor activities and wear masks when outside,” it said.

AFP

Indonesian President, Prabowo Subianto, has expressed optimism that the country’s 41st Trade Expo Indonesia will surpass its $17.5bn transaction target, following the signing of 168 memoranda of understanding worth $13.2bn with buyers from 22 countries.

Prabowo, who was represented by the Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Affairs and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, at the opening ceremony of TEI 2026 on Wednesday, attributed his confidence to the competitiveness of Indonesian products and efforts to expand access to international markets.

The exhibition, held at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition, BSD City, Tangerang, Banten, is expected to attract more international buyers and investors, boost export earnings and strengthen Indonesia’s position in global trade.

In his speech read by Lahadalia, the President recalled that the 2025 edition surpassed its target of more than $16bn, recording transactions worth $22.8bn.

I received a report from the Minister of Trade and his team that we are targeting total transactions at Trade Expo Indonesia 2026 to reach US$17.5 billion. In 2025, the target was more than US$16 billion, but the actual figure reached US$22.8 billion. I hope this target can be exceeded in 2026,” Prabowo said.

The President disclosed that 16,885 prospective buyers had registered for the exhibition, including 8,092 international buyers from 134 countries.

“I have also received a report that around 16,885 prospective buyers have registered, including 8,092 buyers from abroad representing 134 countries. I welcome our friends. Buyers and investors, welcome to Indonesia,” Prabowo said.

The 168 memoranda of understanding which will be signed is valued at 17.5bn target.

However, the agreements are commitments that require further negotiations and implementation and should not be treated as completed transactions.

The President also highlighted Indonesia’s economic performance, citing growth of 5.45 per cent in the first half of 2026, inflation below three per cent and a trade surplus of 193.6bn.

He stressed the need to ensure that international trade agreements translate into tangible economic benefits for businesses and the wider population.

Prabowo identified streamlined export procedures, access to financing, affordable insurance and stronger promotion in promising international markets as measures that could help Indonesian exporters expand their businesses.

The president said the government was prioritising higher-value exports through the processing and industrialisation of Indonesia’s natural resources.

“Currently, the government is promoting high-value-added exports through the downstreaming and industrialisation of Indonesia’s natural resources. Downstreaming is the key to increasing the added value of Indonesia’s natural resources while strengthening national economic independence,” he said.

He also called for the removal of unnecessary administrative barriers to exports, arguing that complicated procedures could impede trade expansion.

Export procedures should not be complicated. The technical considerations (Pertek) that hinder exports must be simplified immediately to promote export growth. I added that part myself,” he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Trade Minister, Budi Santoso, said the memoranda to be signed with buyers from 22 countries underscored the exhibition’s potential to expand the country’s export markets.

PUNCH Online reported that the Ministry of Trade disclosed during a media chat on Tuesday that TEI 2026 will feature 1,873 exhibitors, with organisers targeting 30,000 visitors.

The exhibition showcases food and beverages, agricultural produce, manufactured goods, fashion, handicrafts, furniture and home decoration, alongside industrial zones designed to attract investment.

The Indonesian government expects the event to generate fresh business opportunities, increase export earnings and deepen the country’s participation in global supply chains.

Nigeria and other West African countries are among the markets Indonesia hopes to engage through the exhibition.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Bambang Suharto, said Nigeria had consistently ranked among the top five countries in buyer attendance at previous editions of TEI.

He recalled that 109 West African participants attended the 2025 exhibition through the embassy’s facilitation, with business potential generated by participants from the region exceeding $`24m.

Suharto also disclosed that memoranda of understanding worth `$10m had been signed ahead of this year’s exhibition, while 101 participants from West Africa had arrived for TEI 2026.

“These are promising early signs of the opportunities ahead,” the ambassador said.

He added that TEI 2025 attracted 8,045 international buyers and 34,550 visitors from 131 countries, generating transactions worth $22.8bn.

The envoy urged Nigerian and other West African businesses to take advantage of the exhibition to explore Indonesian products, establish commercial contacts and develop partnerships that could strengthen trade between the two regions.

“My hope is that this year’s TEI will bring even greater success for all of you. Please make the most of your time here: meet exhibitors, explore new products, exchange ideas, and pursue opportunities that can grow into lasting business partnerships,” he said.

Suharto pledged the embassy’s support for participants seeking business connections and assistance during the exhibition, expressing hope that their participation would result in new deals and stronger economic cooperation between Indonesia and West African countries.

Pope Leo XIV has successfully undergone surgery to remove a “small, localised nodule” from his lung.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Holy See Press Office, published on the Vatican website, on Tuesday evening.

The 71-year-old pontiff entered the hospital smiling and waving on Tuesday morning, hours before the operation to remove the growth, which was described as resembling a coin on the lung.

“The procedure was successfully completed, within the expected time and in the planned manner,” the Vatican said in a brief statement.

The Holy Father has returned to his room,” it added, saying further details would be provided later.

The surgery was done at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome.

“Further information will follow,” the statement read.

Recall that Catholics around the world offered prayers and sent goodwill messages on Sunday following the announcement by Pope Leo XIV that he would undergo surgery during the week to remove a lung nodule.

Addressing Catholics gathered for the Angelus at the Vatican on Sunday, the Pope disclosed that his doctors had discovered a “localised nodule” in his lung and recommended surgery.

He said the nodule was detected at a very early stage and was well localised.

Following the discovery, he said his doctors had advised him to undergo surgery and that he had decided to follow their recommendation.

The Pope called for prayers ahead of the surgery.

He said, “Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localised nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localised.

“The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.

The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers.”

Catholic faithful, Christians and people of other faiths across different countries responded to the Pope’s call, with prayers and goodwill messages circulating on social media from Sunday till Tuesday that the surgery held.

The surgery marks Pope Leo’s first hospitalisation since he became head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

A 28-year-old man, Adebayo Maoli, has been arrested and charged with sexual assault and two counts of indecent act following allegations that he exposed himself to passengers on Toronto’s subway system in Canada.

The Toronto Police Service disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, alleging that the incidents occurred on September 1 and October 3, 2026, at King and College subway stations, respectively.

The statement said, “The Toronto Police Service is making the public aware of an arrest made in relation to an Indecent Act and Sexual Assault investigation.

According to the police, the first incident occurred at about 3pm on September 1, when the suspect allegedly exposed himself to two victims aboard a southbound Toronto Transit Commission subway train at King Station.

The victims reportedly activated the security alarm, prompting Maoli to leave the train.

It is alleged that on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at approximately 3:00 p.m, the accused exposed himself to two victims onboard a TTC subway car southbound at King Station, the accused exited the train after the security alarm was activated by the victims.

In the second incident, which allegedly occurred at about 12:10am on October 3, police said the suspect followed a victim who was alighting from a subway train at College Station.

It is further alleged that on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at approximately 12:10 a.m, the accused followed the victim who was getting off a TTC subway car at College Station,the victim got onto an escalator and the accused followed, the accused exposed himself to the victim, the victim verbally confronted the accused, who fled the area.

Maoli, who resides in Toronto, was charged with two counts of indecent act and one count of sexual assault.

“Adebayo Maoli, 28, of Toronto, has been arrested and charged with: two counts of Indecent Act, one count of Sexual Assault. He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., in room 301.

Police said investigators believe there may be additional victims and released an image of the suspect as they appealed for information.

“Investigators believe there may be more victims. An image has been released, the statement added.

A Saudi employee of OpenAI was arrested after allegedly planting a recording device in one of the company’s San Francisco offices, the AI firm and federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

“We discovered a sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices” and “referred the matter to the FBI,” OpenAI told AFP in a statement.

OpenAI’s security team found the device late last month and the employee, Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan, was arrested on October 9, the US Justice Department said.

Alfozan, a 35-year-old engineer who had worked for OpenAI since July 2025, allegedly wrapped a USB device in toilet paper and inserted it into a television located in an “executive conference room,” according to a Justice Department statement.

He was allegedly caught on camera “near” the conference room multiple times but was not authorised to participate in meetings located there.

He used a “productivity tool” to search for more information about OpenAI’s office buildings, meeting rooms, calendars, schedules and people’s locations, according to the statement.

A chatbot account connected to Alfozan’s spouse also allegedly contained queries related to remote audio recording and encrypting memory cards.

This serious situation underscores why winning the global superintelligence race is a national security prerogative,” Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said in the statement.

The intelligence community remains committed to safeguarding America’s cutting-edge intellectual property from foreign threats,” Clayton added.

The arrest and allegations come amid a fierce global race to dominate in artificial intelligence, which the Trump administration has pushed to be rebranded as “superintelligence.”

Saudi Arabia’s state-backed AI firm Humain invested $3 billion in Elon Musk’s xAI shortly before the American billionaire’s space company, SpaceX, acquired the AI division in February.

Now known as SpaceXAI, the division announced last year that it was teaming up with Humain to build a 500-megawatt data centre in Saudi Arabia.

– Multiple devices –

It was not immediately clear what, if any information the recording device was able to collect.

“At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data,” OpenAI told AFP in a statement.

A second device was found by OpenAI’s security team when they searched an unattended bag that belonged to Alfozan, according to the Justice Department.

Alfozan was caught on security footage from inside the restricted conference room where he appeared to look behind the television where the recording device had been placed, the Department said.

A LinkedIn account matching Alfozan’s name and resume show that he previously worked at Facebook-owner Meta, as well as an AI startup and a venture capital firm.

He was also a student at University of California at Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Justice Department said Alfozen had been charged with “using or endeavouring to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept oral communications,” for which he could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

It did not accuse Alfozan nor Saudi Arabia, which is a close US ally, of spying activity in its statement on Tuesday.

Alfozan is expected to appear at a federal court hearing on October 19.

In 2022, a former Twitter worker, Ahmad Abouammo, was found guilty of spying for Saudi officials keen to unmask critics on the platform.

AFP

“We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign,” Trump’s new press secretary Katie Zacharia told reporters at her first White House briefing.

The announcement came a day after Trump acknowledged that he was considering dismissing Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and ex-fiancée of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.

“She was doing a good job, but we didn’t like what we were reading,” Trump told reporters after the announcement, adding that he had not spoken to her, but that “she will not be there.”

In a statement on X, Guilfoyle rejected the allegations against her and defended her record as ambassador, highlighting efforts to boost US energy exports and strengthen security ties with Greece.

“These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation and my integrity,” she wrote.

Guilfoyle thanked Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pledging her continued loyalty to the president while acknowledging that her time as ambassador “may be coming to an end.”

Guilfoyle has faced mounting scrutiny following a series of reports by The Wall Street Journal about her financial dealings and relationships with wealthy businessmen.

The newspaper reported that she asked Eric Deters, an influential Trump supporter, to pay off $100,000 in personal credit card debt shortly before her Senate confirmation hearing in July 2025.

“Honey, please I need you to get this done for me today,” she wrote to Deters in a message accompanied by instructions for paying her credit card company, according to the Journal, which published screenshots of the exchanges.

– Luxury trips –

Deters refused to make the payment, telling the newspaper that doing so would have cost him his marriage.

Guilfoyle’s lawyer has disputed the authenticity of the messages and denied wrongdoing.

The Journal also reported that Guilfoyle boasted of luxury trips and hotel stays funded by wealthy Greek businessmen, citing hundreds of messages, emails and other records, including recorded conversations.

She travelled to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, aboard a private jet with Alexandros Exarchou, chief executive of Greek construction company Aktor Group, according to the newspaper.

Guilfoyle also spent Christmas at the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Gstaad with Greek shipping magnate Nikolas Tsakos, and stayed at a luxury Paris hotel on a trip with him, with Tsakos footing the bill, the Journal reported.

The State Department’s inspector general is investigating whether Guilfoyle received improper gifts, according to US media reports.

The revelations emerged as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Europe last week, including a stop in Athens, where he declined to comment on the allegations.

Guilfoyle, a prominent figure in Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, was appointed ambassador after her engagement to Donald Trump Jr. ended.

A former prosecutor and television commentator, she was previously married to California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

AFP

The Acting Consul-General of South Africa in Lagos, Ms Kgothatso Xulu, has rejected the portrayal of her country as xenophobic, disclosing that 364 people have been arrested in connection with attacks on African migrants.

Xulu spoke on Tuesday at the 47th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society of International Law, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The conference had as its theme, “From Obligation to Implementation: Reassessing the Efficacy of International Law in Contemporary International Relations.”

Defending South Africa against generalisations arising from the attacks, Xulu said the incidents should not be used to characterise the entire country, insisting that the government and its people rejected xenophobia.

“I wouldn’t be doing my country any justice if I don’t actually address and defend that South Africa is not xenophobic and we reject, we completely reject what is happening,” she said.

“But we cannot be generalised with small pockets that are using the opportunity, which is a global problem that is affecting the continent.”

The diplomat said 364 arrests had been made in connection with the attacks, arguing that individual incidents should not define the entire country.

She acknowledged that irregular migration and challenges with service delivery were realities in South Africa but urged African countries to address the underlying causes of migration and promote economic cooperation.

Xulu questioned why many Africans were leaving their home countries rather than exploring opportunities to trade and expand their businesses across the continent.

“If we want to really have an Africa that we see viable, it has to be that our people are not leaving our homes because of economic emancipation, but rather we are leaving our homes to say that I would like to trade, I would like to extend our market,” she said.

She linked the issue to the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which seeks to promote trade among African countries and establish a single continental market.

According to her, trade should be driven by opportunities for economic growth rather than the need to escape hardship.

“Trade shouldn’t be about survival, but trade should be about we are creating a market,” she said.

Xulu also defended South Africa’s constitutional protection of peaceful protests, explaining that demonstrations played a significant role in the country’s struggle against apartheid.

She said protests should not automatically be regarded as violent simply because they involved large gatherings or attracted public attention.

The Constitution says peaceful protests for South Africans are allowed. This is how we were partly able to win and be able to push the apartheid government, because our people protested,” she said.

The consul-general explained that procedures existed for organising protests and that police officers were responsible for ensuring the safety of demonstrators and members of the public.

She acknowledged that South Africa had spent about 30 years under democratic rule and urged other Africans to understand the country’s historical experience.

Xulu also criticised the generalisation of incidents through media reports, warning that misinformation and fake news could distort perceptions of South Africans.

She cited South Africa’s national anthem, which begins with an appeal for God to bless Africa, as a reflection of the country’s recognition of the support it received from other African nations during the struggle against apartheid.

The diplomat called on African countries to establish platforms for honest and structured discussions on migration, xenophobia and economic cooperation.

She urged Nigeria to take a leading role in facilitating such conversations at the next meeting of the NSIL, saying African countries needed to work together to address the root causes of the challenges confronting the continent.

Xulu also called on African countries to participate more actively in discussions on international law and global governance rather than remain onlookers while decisions affecting the continent were made.

She said greater African participation in international decision-making would enable the continent to protect its interests and contribute to shaping global policies.

“Entering into the space of international rules means that Africans are able to make decisions for themselves,” she said.

Xulu expressed appreciation for the conference’s engagement with international law and South Africa’s role at the International Court of Justice.

She concluded by urging younger Africans to embrace the responsibility of shaping the continent’s future.

The East African nation has been chasing a Grand Prix race for years, having already used football, basketball and other sports to enhance its image and attract investment.

President Paul Kagame formally announced the bid when Rwanda hosted a gathering of the FIA in December 2024.

The last time an F1 race was held in Africa was the 33rd South African Grand Prix, won by Alain Prost 33 years ago.

The first African Grand Prix in Rwanda will take place “once a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, Rwanda, has been completed,” F1 said in a statement.

“Today is a landmark moment for Formula One,” F1 president Stefano Domenicali added.

“With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer than ever to fans around the globe.

Africa has always been part of Formula One’s future, and from the beginning, we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact.”

A landlocked country still widely associated with a horrific genocide in 1994, Rwanda has used sports to revamp its image, attract tourists and impress investors with its organisational efficiency.

It has spent lavishly on football sponsorship deals with clubs including Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, partnered with the NBA to be the main hub of its African basketball league, and hosted last year’s cycling world championships.

– ‘Today belongs to Africa’ –

Critics have called this “sports-washing” — using glitzy events to distract from accusations of serious human rights abuses, including a brutal crackdown on any opposition or dissent.

Others see that as Western hypocrisy, arguing no one described this year’s World Cup in the United States as “sports-washing,” despite the country’s rights abuses.

“Today belongs to Africa,” said Kagame.

“For more than three decades, the world’s premier motorsport championship has raced without this continent, and that changes with this agreement.”

This partnership is long overdue, but it is a success and a milestone for the entire continent, especially for African fans.

“Ultimately, what we want is for the African Grand Prix to pave the way for other races to be hosted on the continent. This is not impossible to achieve, and what we are doing proves this.”

The announcement will delight one of F1’s biggest stars, Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time world champion has long called for an African stop on the F1 circuit, backing Rwanda’s plans in 2024 and calling the country “one of my favourite places.”

South Africa had also been bidding to host an F1 race, and its sports minister emphasised last week it should not be ruled out.

“(Rwanda) have worked on it longer than (South Africa) and deserve it,” South Africa’s sports minister Gayton McKenzie posted on X last Thursday after the expected Rwanda deal was reported.

“Remember though that one country, Italy, has had two F1s a year, and some react like a continent of 55 countries can only get one.” He predicted that “SA will get F1, even before 2030.”

AFP

The 56-year-old was taken to a hospital on Saturday, October 10, and received treatment for what was described as a non-life-threatening injury, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reported the development on Monday.

The report, citing TMZ, said Combs was conscious and speaking before his hospitalisation.

Circumstances surrounding the injury have not been officially established publicly, PUNCH Online reports on Tuesday.

A representative for Combs told the Los Angeles Times in a statement, “We are aware of the reports concerning Sean Combs and are working to confirm the circumstances.

Sean’s health and well-being are our immediate concern, and we appreciate everyone who has reached out.”

A spokesperson for the Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix, where Combs is serving his sentence, did not comment on the reported hospitalisation, the newspaper said

The development comes days after Combs’ reported prison privileges attracted renewed media attention, including allegations that he received special meals and massages and had access to prohibited devices.

In a report published on October 2, the Los Angeles Times said NBC News had cited four anonymous inmates who alleged that Combs paid fellow prisoners to cook and clean for him and obtained access to a contraband mobile phone and an illegal stash of alcohol.

Combs’ representative disputed the media attention surrounding his prison conditions, telling NBC News, “The continued scrutiny of every mundane detail of Sean Combs’s life in prison has reached the point where the media characterizes ordinary prison life as news.”

The representative added, “The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence while awaiting the court’s decision on his appeal.”

The reports about his prison conditions were followed by a change to his projected release date.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the date was moved from January 21, 2028, to March 2, 2028, based on the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate database.

Combs is serving a 50-month federal prison sentence after a jury convicted him in July 2025 on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

He was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges.

The verdict followed a high-profile trial in New York that featured testimony concerning sexual encounters involving Combs, his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, and male sex workers.

Combs’ legal team has appealed his conviction and sentence. The appeal remained unresolved in the latest reports.

The reported hospitalisation adds another development to the legal and prison-related troubles facing the Bad Boy Records founder, whose career in music and business once made him one of the most prominent figures in American hip-hop.

US federal agents on Monday searched the Washington, DC-area home of Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, according to reports by the New York Post and Associated Press.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations unit carried out the search under a warrant authorised by a court, the Department of Justice said.

“Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice,” a DOJ spokesperson told Fox News Digital, according to the New York Post report published on Monday, October 12, 2026.

“This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal investigation,” the spokesperson added.

The New York Post reported that the investigation concerned alleged fraud involving the Democratic congresswoman’s immigration paperwork.

However, the Justice Department did not publicly provide further details about the investigation in its statement.

The Associated Press also reported that federal agents searched Omar’s home on Monday morning as part of a criminal investigation, citing people familiar with the matter.

It said the Justice Department confirmed the execution of the warrant but did not disclose additional information about the case.

Omar, 44, represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis.

She was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 2018 and is known for her progressive political views and criticism of President Donald Trump.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the available reports do not establish that Omar has been charged with a crime in connection with the case.

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday announced an immediate “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, saying both sides had agreed to halt attacks targeting energy infrastructure.

Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, although there was no immediate confirmation from either Kyiv or Moscow that an agreement had been reached or had taken effect.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine.

“Both parties have agreed. Do not break it! Thank you for your attention to this matter.

President DONALD J. TRUMP”, he wrote.

The announcement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier on Sunday that Kyiv was prepared to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries if Moscow halted attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

However, Zelensky subsequently said Trump’s announcement was news to him, while indicating that Ukraine would accept an energy ceasefire if Russia agreed to it.

The ceasefire announcement was news for me. But if Russians agree to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will agree. If President Trump negotiated it with Putin – please tell us when the ceasefire begins – we are ready, and we will accept it,” Zelensky told Axios, according to the news outlet

The proposed truce follows an escalation in attacks on energy facilities by both sides, with Ukraine targeting Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure while Russia has continued strikes on Ukraine’s power and energy facilities.

The development also comes amid tensions between Trump and Zelensky over US policy towards the conflict.

Trump had earlier criticised Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and suggested that Ukraine should consider new leadership capable of reaching a peace agreement with Moscow.

Trump’s announcement also followed a diesel supply agreement reached between Washington and Moscow, under which Russia agreed to supply diesel to the United States and global markets. The arrangement has drawn criticism from Kyiv, with Zelensky warning that increased Russian energy revenues could help finance Moscow’s war effort.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has repeatedly seen energy infrastructure become a major target, particularly as both sides have sought to weaken the other’s ability to sustain military and civilian operations.

For now, the scope and mechanism of the newly announced “energy ceasefire” remain unclear, particularly given the absence of an immediate public confirmation from the two countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday pushed back against US counterpart Donald Trump’s call for him to be replaced, but said his country could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.

Tensions have flared once again between the two leaders after Trump on Friday announced he would waive sanctions on a large quantity of Russian diesel to help lower fuel prices ahead of the November US midterm elections.

On Saturday, Trump lashed out at Zelenskyover Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries, arguing they have contributed to soaring diesel prices, and called for him to be replaced by a leader who will settle the war.

“First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader,” Zelensky told ABC News in a televised interview on Sunday.

Zelensky said he told Trump’s team that if they really wanted Ukraine to hold elections — their first since Russia’s invasion began in 2022 — “please tell Putin give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elections.

Trump’s move to temporarily waive Russian oil sanctions has sparked backlash not only from Ukraine, but also from many US allies in Europe, and even from some in his own Republican Party.

Zelensky noted the necessity of continued US support and said he hoped the latest dispute would not hurt the “unity” among Ukraine’s allies.

“To stop Putin — and I think this is the main goal, to stop him, this is the main deal, to stop this war … we count on American support,” he told ABC News.

Then, and of course, we count on our European partners, and I hope that we will save this unity, Europe and the United States,” he added, noting it was “really not simple.”

He also reiterated that Ukraine was ready for a ceasefire, including just on energy infrastructure, if Russia agreed.

Russia’s heavy attacks this week showed it does not “feel real pressure” to end the war, he said.

“This week was very difficult for us, not only geopolitically. First of all, because of massive attacks, Russian attacks on our civilian infrastructure,” he said.

AFP

A Nigerian national who worked as a canvasser for a Democratic congressional campaign in Pennsylvania has been arrested by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge linked to a public exposure incident.

The US Department of Homeland Security disclosed this in a statement issued on October 7, 2026, identifying the man as Chimaobim Adedayo Igbojekwe.

According to the department, “Igbojekwe was arrested in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania, on September 27 for alleged indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. He pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charge.

ICE subsequently arrested him on October 1, following his conviction,” the statement said

The DHS said Igbojekwe was working as a canvasser for Janelle Stelson, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district, at the time of the incident.

Citing local media reports, the department said he was “found with his trousers off and exposing himself in a residential neighbourhood near a park where residents, including children, were present.”

Reacting to the incident, ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall criticised Stelson for employing the Nigerian national on her campaign.

It’s unbelievable that Janelle Stelson would employ an illegal alien to work on a Congressional campaign, let alone a pervert who exposed himself in public.

Every single day, the men and women of DHS are working hard to target and remove dangerous illegal aliens like this sicko from our communities.

“The Trump Administration will always put the safety of the American people first,” Wall said.

The DHS statement said Igbojekwe was lawfully admitted to the United States in June 2017, but remained in the country after his authorised period of stay expired in November 2019.

It added that he was granted deferred action by the Biden administration in September 2021.

The department did not provide further details about the status of his immigration proceedings in the statement.

Sky News reported on Saturday, October 10, 2026, that emergency services were called to the park near Doncaster following the incident.

South Yorkshire Police said they had “received reports of a man entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park” on Saturday afternoon.

“The tiger has subsequently attacked the man and this has resulted in serious injury,” the police said, adding that officers were trying to contact the man’s family.

The force said the tiger remained inside the enclosure and there was “no wider risk to the public”.

The park was evacuated following the incident, while police remained at the scene to investigate.

In a statement, Yorkshire Wildlife Park said, “Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and emergency services are currently attending the scene.”

The park added, “We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened.”

It also said the “safety and wellbeing of visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority”.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said it was called to the scene at 1.30pm on Saturday.

“We sent a number of resources, including two land ambulances, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a doctor,” a spokesperson said.

The park was closed for the rest of the weekend following the incident.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park describes itself as a walk-through wildlife attraction housing animals including lions, giraffes, tigers, leopards and black rhinos.

According to its website, a 300-metre raised walkway runs through its Land of the Tigers section, allowing visitors to view the animals in their habitat.

Police said investigations into the incident were ongoing.

A South African great-grandmother, Susana “Sarie” De Villiers, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murders of her three great-grandchildren.

According to South African news outlet Nova News on Friday, De Villiers pleaded guilty to the three murders in March 2025.

Nova News reports that De Villiers was sentenced on Thursday by the Worcester Regional Court in South Africa’s Western Cape province over the deaths of Caleb Booysen, eight; Gradwell Booysen, five; and Joshua Booysen, 18 months.

The children died after De Villiers drove a vehicle off Bainskloof Pass on November 20, 2021. She survived the incident but sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs and a neck injury.

The court imposed a 20-year prison sentence for each murder, but ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning she will serve 20 years in total. It also declared her unfit to possess a firearm.

The children were visiting De Villiers and other relatives at her home in Wellington and were supposed to be driven home by her that day. However, they never arrived at their destination.

Eyewitnesses told authorities that roadworks were taking place on Bainskloof Pass, where traffic was being controlled at stop-and-go points. They reportedly saw De Villiers drive through the control points without stopping and pass a closed boom gate.

Traffic control officers halted other vehicles to prevent a possible head-on collision. When De Villiers’ vehicle failed to arrive at a fourth control point, a patrol vehicle was dispatched to investigate.

The vehicle was later found to have left the road and plunged down the pass.

Nova News reported that Caleb and Gradwell died at the scene, while Joshua survived briefly before succumbing to his injuries. Poor weather prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the scene, forcing rescuers to bring the toddler up to the road.

During the sentencing, magistrate Clifton Maseti revoked De Villiers’ release on warning and issued a warrant committing her to prison.

South African judge and human rights champion Navi Pillay won the prestigious prize on Friday in recognition of her work against war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But Trump labelled the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s choice as “a disgraceful and embarrassing decision”, telling a rally of his supporters in Syracuse, New York he had “never heard of” Pillay.

“I never heard of this particular person, but congratulations anyway,” he said.

The United States of America, represented by me as your president, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn’t.”

He said the choice of Pillay as laureate left “an indelible stain on the country of Norway”.

Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has made no secret of his desire to win the Nobel Peace prize.

But his war against Iran, his territorial expansion ambitions as in Greenland, his hard line on migrants, and his attacks on multilateralism and the media disqualified him, according to experts in Oslo speaking before Pillay was announced as laureate.

The prize comes with a gold medal, a diploma and a prize sum of $1.2 million.

“The Nobel Peace Prize has been forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are anti-democracy and really enemies of civilisation,” Trump said.

Pillay had joked about sharing her prize with Trump, telling a crowd who applauded her after the announcement of the award: “If you clap a little bit more, I may share this prize with Trump.”

The jibe appeared to be in reference to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who gave her Nobel gold medal to Trump after winning the prize last year.

AFP

A coroner in the United Kingdom, Penelope Schofield, has ruled that three British-Nigerian sisters who drowned off Brighton beach on May 13 took their own lives.

Schofield, a senior coroner for West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, said Jane Adetoro, 36; Christina Walters, 32; and Rebecca Walters, 31, committed suicide at the beach.

In a report by BBC on Thursday, Schofield said at an inquest that the women encountered adverse sea conditions when they entered the water and could not swim.

Before they travelled to Brighton, the sisters had lived together in Greenford, London, and visited an area in Birmingham close to where their mother had drowned in 2010 on May 11.

They left their residence in London and arrived in Brighton together by taxi at 10:21pm BST on 12 May. They were last seen alive at 02:42am on 13 May.

Their father, Joseph Jacobsen, followed the proceedings of the inquest through a video link on Thursday, at Woodvale Coroner’s Court in Brighton.

In an emotional statement read out on his behalf, Jacobsen said he watched his daughters grow from little girls to beautiful, intelligent women.

There are no words that can adequately express the pain of losing a child. To lose all three of my precious daughters is heartbreaking,” he said.

At the hearing, the coroner told the court, “These three sisters lived very secluded lives; they were incredibly private. We don’t know why they took this course of action or indeed why they chose to do it in Brighton. It is not for the court to speculate and sadly these reasons may never be known.”

In a GoFundMe raised for the sisters in June, Jacobsen’s brother, Adesoji Adetoro, said, “The girls had so much life ahead of them, and their loss has left a pain and emptiness in our hearts that words cannot describe.”

United States President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court, vowing to cut off its resources and cripple its operations.

As reported by Reuters, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions on Friday, accusing the court of targeting Americans and describing it as a “rogue court.”

“President Trump will never allow the International Criminal Court to prosecute Americans,” Rubio said in a statement.

“That is why, today, the United States is sanctioning the International Criminal Court. We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate,” he added.

The sanctions came amid Washington’s longstanding opposition to the ICC, particularly over its arrest warrants against Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and its past investigation into alleged crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan.

The ICC’s Deputy Prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, condemned the move, saying it would not deter the court from carrying out its responsibilities.

“The sanctions are intended to undermine the rule of law internationally and the work that an independent judicial institution is doing,” Khan told Reuters.

Our work will continue across all our situations, our investigations and our prosecutions,” she added.

The ICC, established in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, has 125 member states, including all European Union countries.

The United States is not a member of the court, which is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.

The latest sanctions could have wider implications than previous US measures targeting individual ICC officials, as they could affect companies providing services to the institution.

US sanctions typically restrict American-based companies from conducting business with designated entities, potentially affecting banking, insurance and software services.

However, shortly after announcing the measures, the US Treasury issued four general licences allowing certain transactions involving the court’s telecommunications, software, pension payments and detainees.

The ICC had reportedly been preparing for possible sanctions against the institution by moving some office computers away from Microsoft software to open-source alternatives and making alternative arrangements for banking and health insurance.

Rubio said Washington had delayed the sanctions in the hope that the court and countries that are parties to its founding Rome Statute would address American concerns.

“Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC,” he said.

“We expect our allies, many of whom are part of the ICC and that rely on American servicemembers for their defence, to rein in the court,” Rubio added.

The US secretary of state said the measures were structured to give ICC member states an opportunity to negotiate a resolution to Washington’s concerns.

Meanwhile, the sanctions announcement coincided with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navi Pillay, a former judge of the ICC Appeals Chamber who served from 2003 to 2008.

The Nobel committee said the award was intended to highlight the importance of international law at a time when judges and legal institutions were facing political pressure.

The development is expected to heighten diplomatic tensions between Washington and its European allies, many of which are members of the ICC.

President Donald Trump ruled out Thursday attacking Iran before the US midterms on November 3, saying Washington was holding “productive discussions” with Tehran.

Trump’s announcement on his Truth Social platform followed a surge in oil prices driven by media reports suggesting potential new US strikes prior to the elections.

“I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both economically and militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect…we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections,” he wrote.

“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added.

The Atlantic magazine reported on Wednesday that the White House had asked the Pentagon to develop options to strike Iranian targets that could be used before the midterms.

The New York Times said Thursday the plans were being developed despite Trump’s “ambivalence.”

The surge in crude oil prices has also been fueled by persistent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic chokepoint for the global oil trade — as well as hostilities between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia.

Polls suggest American voters are strongly dissatisfied with fuel prices, which have soared since US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28 triggered the conflict.

Brent North Sea crude, the international benchmark, rallied to as high as $105.88 a barrel on Thursday before retreating to $104.28.

– Putin vows to help –

Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Thursday to “do everything” to help end the Middle East war when he met Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian for talks ahead of a regional summit, Russian media reported.

“We are ready to do everything that is in our power to contribute to the settlement of this situation,” Putin said after arriving in Turkmenistan for a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) that starts Friday in the Caspian Sea resort of Avaza.

He added that Iran had made “real efforts to end the war,” according to Russian news agencies.

Russia and Iran have reinforced diplomatic and military links since Russia launched its offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, becoming increasingly reliant on each other.

Trump has repeatedly insisted in recent weeks that the United States has effectively won the Iran war, despite ongoing unrest and a recent security threat that forced the withdrawal of American bombers from a base in England.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted Tehran was “engaged in dialogue, but every time we negotiate with the United States, they attack again”, Iranian state media quoted him as saying at the talks with Putin.

Pezeshkian said the Islamic republic wanted to see a “final framework” to end the war.

But he accused the United States of “trying to impose its policies and views on all countries”.

“If the United States insists on pursuing a unilateral approach, a resolution will not be possible,” he said, according to state media.

– Approaching election –

The midterm elections will shape the final two years of Trump’s presidential term as his Republican Party risks losing its current grip on Congress.

Although Trump is not on the ballot, he is holding numerous rallies in an attempt to limit the damage or even turn the political tide.

Trump has warned he faces a possible third impeachment if Democrats retake the House of Representatives, and the White House is preparing for a slew of investigations into corruption and abuse of power.

The US president also sought to calm a furor on Thursday over his comments at a rally earlier this week that Iran could “take out” the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego.

The 80-year-old blamed the “fake and artificial news” for misinterpreting the remarks, which Democrats pounced on.

“In actuality, what I was talking about was that a temporary increase in the price of Gasoline is a small price to pay for Iran not having a Nuclear Weapon and, if you want to see a big price, can you imagine what it would be like if they bombed San Diego and/or Los Angeles?” Trump said on Truth Social.

AFP

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the firing squad execution of convicted military base shooter Nidal Hasan will be “public,” according to a video shared Thursday by the Pentagon.

“He’s going to get a firing squad of soldiers, as it should be, and we’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public,” Hegseth told right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec in a clip posted on X by various official Pentagon accounts.

“People need to understand that… there’s serious consequence for these types of things,” Hegseth said, speaking aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

Asked to clarify what Hegseth meant by the execution being “public,” a Pentagon spokesperson referred AFP to the US Army, which in turn said to contact the Pentagon.

According to rights group Amnesty International, at least 17 public executions are known to have been carried out last year — six in Afghanistan and 11 in Iran.

The Pentagon announced earlier this week that US President Donald Trump had approved Hasan’s execution for the 2009 fatal shooting of 13 people at Fort Hood.

Twelve of the dead and 30 of the wounded were soldiers. Hasan was shot and partially paralysed by a civilian police officer who responded to the attack.

He was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013 for carrying out the Al-Qaeda inspired attack.

The court that convicted Hasan was told that he was opposed to the US military’s occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and that he had spoken online with an alleged Al-Qaeda figure, radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen subsequently killed in a US drone strike in Yemen.

Hasan’s execution will be the first carried out by the US military since 1961.

AFP

The United States on Thursday filed new torture charges against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, bolstering a mounting criminal case against the pair held in US custody.

Maduro and Flores already face drug trafficking and firearms charges in the United States after they were snatched from their Caracas compound in an extraordinary US military raid in January.

A court filing made public Thursday shows both are now additionally charged with conspiracy to commit torture, stating that they “inflicted severe physical and mental pain and suffering.”

The alleged goal was to “repress and punish political opposition, silence dissent and perceived dissent, preserve and protect the power and authority of the members of the conspiracy, and intimidate, harass, and neutralise their opponents, including through kidnappings.”

Prosecutors detail apparent instances of unidentified victims, including US citizens, being shocked with electric wires, waterboarded and beaten while in Venezuelan detention.

Maduro and Flores are slated for a trial in New York next June and are currently being held in a Brooklyn jail.

AFP

France has suspended the use of stun grenades during student protests after a 15-year-old boy lost his hand in an incident involving police during demonstrations in the northern city of Lens.

As reported by the BBC on Wednesday, the Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez ordered the suspension pending clarification of what happened, amid conflicting accounts from authorities and protesters.

The incident occurred on Monday near Auguste Béhal High School in Lens, as demonstrations over school conditions continued across the country.

Authorities said the teenager picked up an anti-encirclement grenade that had been deployed by police before it exploded. Students, however, alleged that the boy was directly hit by a grenade fired by an officer

According to the local prefecture, police had been confronted by between 200 and 250 students who were throwing stones and fireworks.

Nuñez said the police watchdog, IGPN, had opened 18 investigations into whether officers used proportionate force during the demonstrations.

There is a police action that raises questions for all of us within the Ministry of the Interior; it’s what happened in Lens,” Nuñez told French radio RTL.

He said the use of stun grenades would remain suspended until the circumstances surrounding the incident had been established.

The grenades are classified as non-lethal weapons but release rubber projectiles when they detonate.

The Lens incident has intensified concerns over police tactics during the student demonstrations, which have spread from high school pupils to university students, parents and trade unions.

More than 500 schools were fully or partially closed on Wednesday following Tuesday’s nationwide protests. The Interior Ministry said 488 people were arrested and 43 security officers injured during the demonstrations.

Concerns over police conduct had already grown following another incident last week in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, north-west of Paris, where a 14-year-old boy was hit in the face by a tear-gas grenade.

His lawyer said the teenager lost several teeth and suffered a fractured jaw. A police officer has been charged in connection with the incident.

Prosecutors also opened an attempted-murder investigation on Wednesday after a 17-year-old protester alleged that a police officer held his head underwater while trying to arrest him near a river in Belfort.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has condemned violence during the protests, saying 215 students, 85 school staff and 715 police officers had been injured since the demonstrations began in mid-September.

More than 6,500 people have been stopped or arrested during the unrest, according to the Interior Ministry.

President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency meeting with Lecornu and other senior ministers on Tuesday as the government sought to find a way out of the escalating crisis.

Government figures estimated that more than 250,000 people participated in Tuesday’s demonstrations, while student unions put the turnout at around 450,000.

Further protests are planned for Thursday in Paris and other French cities.

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has said the US is closely monitoring the case of a Russian laboratory worker, Darya Shipilova, who died last week after a reported accident at a plague research institute in Siberia.

The 28-year-old lab worker died of a suspected pneumonic plague infection, after which Russian authorities placed a hospital in quarantine and began monitoring nearly 200 people.

Speaking on Monday before leaving for a trip to Europe, Rubio said the US was actively monitoring the potential risk of a containment failure.

Rubio said, “We’re watching and monitoring it closely. I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause just to keep an eye on it.”

Rubio, citing what the Russians have released about the death, said it appeared that a worker in the lab had become infected and there was concern that the disease may have spread internally.

“There’s very limited travel between the US and Russia, obviously. But, like anything else, something like that gets out, it just quickly spreads,” he said.

Shipilova became ill at work and died two days later, on October 2, at a regional hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov.

It remains unclear how she became unwell, although reports in Russian media suggested that Shipilova may have been infected after a mishap at the laboratory

Senior Russian officials have added to public disquiet by sending conflicting messages. Alexey Tsydenov, the head of the Buryatia region, which neighbours Irkutsk, initially wrote that Shipilova had died of plague before editing his post to say she had “possibly” died of the disease.

Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s health watchdog, said Shipilova died from “pneumonia of unknown aetiology.”

It insisted that tests found no micro-organisms linked to her professional work and described the “sanitary and epidemiological” situation in the area as stable.

Also, the mayor of Shelekhov, Maksim Modin, said the inpatient department of a local hospital where the researcher was treated had been closed for quarantine, while people who had been in contact with her were placed under medical observation, The New York Times reported.

Earlier, Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said he had held an emergency meeting with Russia’s chief sanitary physician over a suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection.

Officials in neighbouring Buryatia initially referred to the woman as having died from plague before changing the wording to say she had “possibly” died from the disease

Russian authorities have since sought to reassure the public, saying the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region remained stable.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also urged the public and media to rely on official information rather than rumours and speculation.

Pneumonic plague is the most severe form of plague and can spread from person to person through respiratory particles.

The World Health Organisation says it can become fatal within 18 to 24 hours if untreated, but early treatment with antibiotics is highly effective.

Experts have nevertheless said the reported case does not currently indicate a wider outbreak.

Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading, described the incident as appearing to be a rare laboratory accident and said it was unlikely to spread further.

The United States and European Union have said they are monitoring reports from the region.

Russia’s anti-plague institute conducts research into several infectious diseases, including plague, which is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Human plague cases continue to occur in parts of the world but are generally treatable when diagnosed early.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the decision in a post on X on Monday, saying Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had recommended the execution and Trump had approved it.

“Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan.

“The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution,” Parnell said.

Hasan was convicted by a military jury in 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder over the November 5, 2009, attack at Fort Hood, Texas.

He opened fire at a military facility where soldiers were undergoing processing for deployment, killing 13 people and injuring 32 others.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist at the time, was sentenced to death following the trial.

The approval sets in motion the process for his execution, although no date has been announced. The Army Secretary will determine when and where it will take place.

If carried out, Hasan’s execution would be the first by the US military since 1961

Turkey’s Football Federation chief on Monday denied any involvement in a scandal that has seen the country’s top refereeing official and several others arrested on graft charges.

Ferhat Gundogdu, head of the Central Referees Committee (MHK), and four others were on Saturday jailed pending trial on charges of manipulating the referee administration process.

They appeared before a judge at Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse on several charges, including “official document forgery”, “breach of trust” and “illegal acquisition of personal data”.

The case appears to be linked to a vast illegal betting network that came to light a year ago.

“Don’t try and pin 30 years of corruption in football on me,” TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu told Hurriyet newspaper in an interview.

Let no-one try to blame me and my colleagues on the board… for the corruption, decay and lack of ethics that have existed in Turkish football for 15, 20 or perhaps 30 years,” said Haciosmanoglu, who has held the role for just over two years.

“For the future of Turkish football, we will be prepared, if necessary, not only to do our part but to assume the full weight of responsibility.”

Two other referees officiating in Turkey’s top-flight Super Lig, who were detained on Thursday night, were placed in pre-trial detention on Monday by an Istanbul court, media reports said.

Last week, Turkish media leaked an exchange of WhatsApp and other messages between the TFF chief and Gundogdu, suggesting a possible manipulation of referee ranking and promotion processes, as well as alleged preferential treatment.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek has said prosecutors are examining claims about “interference in the processes of referee classification, assignments, scoring and appointments, as well as the exams on rules”.

The scandal came exactly a year after the TFF suspended 149 referees on charges of illegal betting.

In an investigation involving 571 referees from the professional leagues, the TFF found 371 had sports betting accounts and 152 were actively placing bets.

Sports journalist Ayhan Sensoy, who wrote a 2024 book on the subject called “The Gambling Pit”, told AFP on Friday the arrests appeared to be a continuation of last year’s betting scandal, saying he doubted the current federation bosses had “any chance of staying in office.”

The Turkish Super Lig has attracted big-name signings, including Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah, who joined Trabzonspor from Liverpool in August.

AFP

Russian officials on Monday downplayed reports that a laboratory technician in Siberia had died of plague, insisting the situation was under control and that post-mortem tests had not found traces of the disease.

Reports on Friday that a 28-year-old woman named Darya Shipilova, who had been working for the anti-plague institute in Siberia’s Irkutsk region, had died of plague sparked alarm.

The news outlet People of Baikal, citing unnamed sources close to the regional security services, said she may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube.

Other media reported a possible link between her death and a lab accident at the facility.

But Irkutsk regional governor Igor Kobzev said Monday that a special expert commission inspection in the region had found that “the cause of death was pneumonia of undetermined aetiology.”

He said on Telegram that Russia’s consumer and health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor had determined, following tests, that “no microorganisms linked to the young woman’s professional work were found in her biological samples.”

He added that there had been “no new cases of staff from the anti-plague institute seeking medical attention” since the woman’s death.

Kobzev said the sanitary-epidemiological situation in Irkutsk was “stable.”

“The situation remains under our control and that of the experts.”

Asked about the situation on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters to “rely on Rospotrebnadzor’s official statements rather than … rumours and speculations.”

Plague is a bacterial disease that can occur in several forms, including pneumonic plague, the most contagious type. Pneumonic plague can be fatal if not treated early, according to the World Health Organisation.

AFP

A 15-year-old student lost a hand on Monday picking up a police grenade as part of nationwide protests over classroom conditions that have disrupted lessons at hundreds of schools since last week.

Some students returned to classrooms, but others maintained actions outside their schools, ahead of a day of larger demonstrations expected on Tuesday.

Authorities said the teenager was injured in the northern town of Lens. A police union source said he appeared to have picked up a sting-ball grenade fired by riot police and that it exploded in his hand.

Since late September, students have blocked the entrances to hundreds of schools, complaining of teacher absences, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings ill-adapted to rising temperatures, among other grievances.

The unrest erupted just months before the 2027 elections that will determine the successor to centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

The government has sought to address the grievances, while accusing hard-left activists of having hijacked the protest movement.

The French Human Rights League (LDH) on Monday accused security forces of using disproportionate methods against protesters, many of whom are legally minors.

We can see that in the instructions given to the police, there is no directive to show restraint, even though they are dealing with children,” LDH president Nathalie Tehio said.

– Dustbins ablaze –

More than 400 out of France’s 3,700 high schools, known as lycees, were partially or totally closed on Monday morning, the education ministry said.

A third of the 468 lycees for teenagers aged 15 to 17 were expected to be closed in the Paris region, authorities said.

In central Paris, dozens of teenage students demonstrated outside a school while passing cars honked their horns. Some classmates made their way inside to attend lessons.

“We’re missing our lessons to give you one,” read one cardboard sign outside the Turgot high school, located in Paris’s 3rd arrondissement.

In Bordeaux, in the southwest, some students returned to the classroom while others continued to demonstrate in the presence of riot police.

Some protesters outside the Gustave Eiffel high school set off fireworks in the direction of the police, who responded sporadically with tear gas, but overall the situation remained calm, AFP reporters said.

In the northern city of Lille, masked protesters destroyed bus shelters and set fire to dustbins, as police fired tear gas towards demonstrators.

The movement started on September 17 at a high school in the Paris suburb of Creteil, in support of teachers striking over a lack of staff and resources.

It gained momentum and spread across France, at times spiralling into vandalism, including the destruction of bus shelters, the burning of school entrances and clashes between protesters and security forces.

Since the start of the movement, 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, according to the education minister.

More than 5,000 people, 85 per cent of them minors, have been arrested.

Protesters have also accused the police of using excessive force, and internal investigations have been opened into at least three instances of alleged police brutality.

– ‘Parental responsibility’ –

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu set out a timetable on Sunday urging local authorities to prioritise filling gaps left by long-term teacher absences and unfilled posts.

He called a meeting for Tuesday with regional presidents to discuss overhauling the country’s often-dilapidated school buildings.

The government is also pushing legislation to make those responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves, instead of drawing on public funds.

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon defended the bill.

“When you have 14-, 15-, 16-year-olds who, at 9 am, are burning bus shelters or — perhaps even more seriously — the high school where they study, that raises the question of parental responsibility,” she told the Europe1/CNews broadcaster.

Lecornu has said the draft law could allow compensation payments to be recovered from family allowances and housing benefits while preserving a minimum income threshold.

The head of the main CGT labour union, Sophie Binet, slammed what she called a “populist announcement”, which she said would “end up targeting the most vulnerable families”.

AFP

United States President Donald Trump has threatened lengthy prison sentences for fraudsters targeting Americans through Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security programmes, warning that state and local politicians who knowingly fail to stop fraud could be held personally liable for the losses.

Trump made the announcement in a video released on Saturday, calling on Congress to pass legislation introducing mandatory minimum sentences for people who steal from the benefit programmes.

He said the proposed legislation would eliminate probation as an option for offenders convicted of the fraud.

“Under our proposal, probation is no longer an option for the fraudsters. If you steal from the American people, you will go to prison and for a long period of time,” Trump said.

The President added that the length of prison sentences would depend on the amount stolen, while repeat offenders would face doubled sentences.

And the more you steal, the longer you’ll stay in that prison. Not only that, but if you’re a convicted fraudster who gets caught stealing from the American people a second time, your sentence will be doubled,” he said.

Trump said the proposed legislation would also target public officials who knowingly ignored fraud despite having the authority to stop it.

He argued that state and local politicians who failed to act should bear financial responsibility for the losses suffered by American taxpayers.

Under our proposal, if a state or local politician knows about fraud and has the ability to stop it, but does nothing about it, they can be personally liable for the full loss of the American taxpayers’ money that they should have stopped and they should have saved,” he said.

Trump said the measures were intended to deter people from defrauding the government and discourage politicians from ignoring fraudulent activities they could prevent.

“This legislative proposal will make fraudsters think long and hard before they keep stealing from the American people and will make crooked and corrupt politicians think also long and hard before they ignore fraud that they can stop and that they should stop,” he said.

Medicare and Medicaid are government programmes that provide health coverage to eligible Americans, while Social Security provides benefits including retirement income.

Trump ended his message with a warning to people involved in fraud, saying, “So from now on, fraudsters, we’re watching you.”

Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will invite US President Donald Trump to lead his ring walk before his clash with British rival Anthony Joshua.

Fury and Joshua are set to fight in Cardiff on December 11 and the self-styled ‘Gypsy King’ is keen for Trump to join the procession to the ring at the 80,000-capacity Principality Stadium.

Fury met Trump at the UFC Freedom 250 at the White House in June and wore a cap emblazoned with the words “Donald Trump for Prime Minister” after having his United States travel ban lifted by the 80-year-old.

“I’ll definitely make that offer to my old buddy, old pal, and we’ll see if he’s available,” Fury said.

Probably unlikely because of the situation he’s in at the moment, being the President of the United States.”

Meanwhile, Fury insists his clash with Joshua is merely preparation for his true priority — a trilogy fight against Oleksandr Usyk, to whom he has lost twice already.

“I don’t have any intention of retiring after Joshua. I’m using this bum as a warm-up for Usyk,” he said.

“This is a bum to me and I can guarantee that on the night when I knock him spark out he won’t know what time it is. And then I want the rabbit (Usyk) in New York City.

“This year will be the most active year for me since 2018. I’ve done 12 rounds with a 6ft 8in Arslanbek Makhmudov and I’ve done seven rounds with another 6ft 7in behemoth in Mariusz Wach.

“Let’s not pull any punches here. I’m firing on all cylinders at the moment. I feel fantastic. I’m 38 years young.”

AFP

The prison commissioner in the southern US state of Tennessee has resigned over the botched execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike, Governor Bill Lee said Saturday.

Lee said in a statement that commissioner Frank Strada would leave his post this month.

Pike’s lawyers say she is in critical condition, unconscious and on a ventilator in a hospital, after her execution by lethal injection went wrong on Wednesday.

Pike, 50, survived two injections of the normally lethal substance pentobarbital as punishment for the murder of Colleen Slemmer in 1995.

It was the second failed execution in Tennessee this year. The state halted an execution in May after medical staff failed to tap a vein in the prisoner’s arm.

Lee said he thanked Strada for “his willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first during this difficult moment.”

In the same statement, Strada said, “I continue to believe the Department (of Correction) carried out its responsibilities in accordance with the established protocol.”

Lee, who previously denied Pike clemency, has halted further executions through the rest of the year while a review is conducted.

Had the drugs killed Pike, she would have been the first woman executed by the state in more than two centuries.

In the United States, only 18 women have been executed since 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.

AFP

Iran said Saturday it had executed a man convicted of a raft of charges including firing a military-grade weapon at police officers during anti-government protests earlier this year.

Siavash Jamshidi was accused of targeting security personnel during mass demonstrations that peaked in January in which thousands of people were killed.

Since that time, Iranian authorities have stepped up executions of convicts linked to the unrest.

Jamshidi was sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh through brandishing and firing a firearm, as well as conspiracy and collusion against national security,” Iran’s judiciary said, using the legal term moharebeh to mean “waging war against God”.

The judiciary’s Mizan Online website said he was also found guilty of offences not related to the protests, including “fraud, making threats, theft, possession and carrying of an illegal military-grade weapon”.

Other charges included “complicity in kidnapping, brandishing a weapon to intimidate, and intentional infliction of bodily harm”.

Mizan said Jamshidi was “active” during the demonstrations, which were sparked in December last year by grievances over living costs in Iran, but peaked on January 8 and 9 with huge rallies.

Iranian authorities reported more than 3,000 deaths in the unrest, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel.

Foreign-based NGOs however maintain that Iranian security forces fired on protesters.

US President Donald Trump threatened at the time to intervene militarily in Iran. Weeks later in late February, the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on the Islamic republic, triggering the Middle East war.

Since then, arrests and executions have multiplied in Iran, linked both to the war and the protests.

In 2025, Iran executed at least 1,639 people, the largest number in any year since 1989, according to the NGOs Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty.

Amnesty International says Iran carries out more executions than any country except China.

AFP

A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has welcomed the reported arrest of Mahmoud Adam, whom he described as a radical Islamic Fulani terrorist leader allegedly responsible for the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

Moore, a Republican member of the US House of Representatives, made the comment in a post on X on Saturday, crediting the Nigerian government for the arrest and linking it to security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

“This is great news for Christians in Nigeria!

“The arrest of Mahmoud Adam, a radical Islamic Fulani terrorist leader responsible for the killings of countless Christians, is proof that the US-Nigeria Security Cooperation agreement is bearing fruit,” Moore said.

The lawmaker added that the Nigerian government deserved credit for the operation, while praising efforts by the US Congress and the administration of President Donald Trump to address attacks against Christians.

The Nigerian government deserves credit for making this arrest, and it’s clear that Congress and the Trump admin’s efforts to defend Christians are making a positive difference.

We must keep pushing to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ!” he said.

Adam was reportedly arrested in the early hours of September 12 at his compound in Plateau State, where he was described as a prominent Fulani community leader.

The report of his arrest was published in October following the emergence of information and photographs concerning his detention.

The circumstances surrounding the arrest and the allegations against Adam remain subject to official clarification. Reports have described him as a community leader while also alleging links to violent groups.

The reported arrest comes amid increased attention in Washington to insecurity and attacks involving Christian communities in Nigeria.

The United States and Nigeria have continued security cooperation on counterterrorism and other security matters.

The General Manager of the National Theatre, Tola Akerele, has said Nigeria has abundant but largely untapped talent capable of helping the country establish a presence in the global contemporary circus industry.

Akerele spoke during the unveiling of the Lagos Contemporary Circus Festival, slated for Saturday and Sunday, at a press conference held on Friday at the National Theatre, Surulere, Lagos.

PUNCH Online reports that circus is an art, craft and sport that combines different disciplines, including theatre, dance, juggling and acrobatics.

Akerele said Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, traditional dances, acrobatics and other forms of physical performance provided a strong foundation for the development of a homegrown circus industry.

Speaking on the development of contemporary circus in Nigeria, she said the country had long practised elements of the art form without formally recognising them as circus.

“Circus is really a type of art that gathers many, many fields or many, many different types of craft, like theatre, dancing, juggling, acrobatics and sport. It is art, craft and sport,” Akerele said.

She noted that several traditional performances in Nigeria, particularly in the North, involved acrobatics, movement and dance, which could be developed further through contemporary circus.

In the North, what we have are animals, animals, people masquerading. There’s something there already. So, they’re not animals; it’s more about acrobatics, movement and dance. And I think we have that natural talent anyway,” she said.

According to the National Theatre boss, the challenge was to identify existing talent, expose performers to international techniques and create opportunities for them to develop their skills professionally.

“So, I think for me, it was something that I felt we could really develop in Nigeria. And, of course, someone like Sam has been doing this here for a while. But there are opportunities that are actually really big for Nigerians who are in that performance space to gain more skills, to work with other countries and to really elevate what’s on the ground,” she said.

Akerele said the initiative was aimed at laying the foundation for a more structured circus sector in Nigeria.

“I just felt like a lot’s been done, but there’s so much more that we can do. And this is what this is about, really kind of laying, just putting the foundations down for what could be, which is really exciting,” she said.

She explained that contemporary circus was still relatively new to many Nigerians, despite incorporating familiar forms of performance such as dance and acrobatics.

Akerele said Nigeria could learn from countries across Africa where circus had developed into an established form of performance, while also developing its own identity.

She added that the development of the circus industry could create employment and provide young Nigerians with alternative career opportunities.

“We want to create jobs, have new skills, so that’s why we’re kind of doing this,” she said.

She added that becoming a circus performer could be a viable career for Nigerians willing to dedicate themselves to the craft.

“So, I think, economically, it’s a career path, actually. You can actually become a circus performer, and you can earn and survive. So, we’re having some talks after that about having a career in the circus,” Akerele said.

According to her, some Nigerians were already practising circus disciplines such as juggling and contortion but lacked the structures and community needed to develop their skills further.

“There are people in college, people are doing it here, as a contortionist, as a juggler, on his own at home, doing it. But let’s create a community,” she said.

The founder of La Fabrique Culturelle, Chantal Djedje, supported the argument that Africa already had a strong foundation for circus, saying traditional dances and movements across the continent contained elements of the art form.

Our traditional dances, our traditional movements, all over the continent, are circus. But as long as it’s not on stage, we call it traditional art. But once the Europeans put it on stage, we call it circus,” Djedje said.

She said the perception that Africa had no circus stemmed partly from how traditional African performances were classified.

Djedje also pointed to street performers in Lagos as evidence of the talent available locally.

“But even here in Lagos, if you go out, all the people we’re seeing are doing circus, because it’s not easy just to walk with these things on your head. This is circus, you know? So, even in Lagos, you have a pool of artists,” she said.

Djedje cited Guinea as an example of how circus could provide young people with a pathway into professional careers.

“In Guinea, when the social crisis started, it took a lot of kids from the streets. Today, it’s these kids who are in the biggest circus companies in the world: Circus Baobab, Cirque du Soleil,” she said.

“It’s a very good opportunity for those kids who usually don’t go to school anymore. And suddenly, they can pick up a career. And there’s a real career path for them.”

The co-founder and Artistic Director of Fekat Circus, Dereje Dange, said the development of a successful circus industry required discipline and persistence.

Dange said Ethiopia’s circus sector had grown considerably after starting from a small base, with performers eventually finding opportunities to work around the world.

“It’s become really a lot of, like, thousands of artists now you see all over the world performing and getting also a living,” he said.

He said the experience showed that circus could develop from a small initiative into a professional industry capable of supporting performers.

Meanwhile, Swiss circus artist Jessica Arpin said circus had room for people with different body types, physical abilities and interests.

“What’s beautiful about the circus is that there’s space for everybody,” Arpin said.

“If you’re stronger, you can carry somebody. If you’re more flexible, you can do more contortion. If you like heights, you can go aerial.

If you’re better with the hands, you can juggle. Like, there’s space for all kinds of bodies and sizes.”

Arpin, who said she was 47, also stressed the importance of discipline and taking care of the body for performers seeking long-term careers.

“Maybe you’re naturally talented, but your body is your tool. So, you have to take care of your body so it lasts a long time. So, you can work a long time,” she said.

The press conference came amid efforts to promote contemporary circus in Nigeria through collaboration among Nigerian and international artists, with support from the European Union.

US President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that Iran will be “hit very hard” if it is found to be linked to a pilot’s attack on a flydubai flight to Israel.

The dramatic events a day earlier saw passengers help stop the plane from crashing, making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia before the flight’s mostly Israeli passengers were flown home to a hero’s welcome.

Trump’s warning came as the United Arab Emirates opened an investigation into whether the incident was linked to terrorism, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”.

“I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now,” Trump told reporters Thursday when asked at the White House whether Iran was involved in what happened on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

On whether the United States would retaliate against Iran if it was found responsible, Trump replied: “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry.”

Trump’s threat coincided with a wider US military buildup in the region.

Axios reported that Washington had recently deployed additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to help protect key energy facilities from possible Iranian retaliation.

The US news outlet also reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its strike group were heading to the Middle East, where they could join two other US carrier strike groups already in the region.

As speculation swirled about a possible motive, the UAE and Saudi Arabia began to piece together the events in the cabin.

Saudi Arabia said the co-pilot was transferred to the UAE on Thursday accompanied by an “Emirati security team”, adding that its initial investigation showed he had attacked the aircraft’s captain.

The alleged assault triggered a struggle for control of the aircraft before an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers were later flown to Israel on a replacement flight.

“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu told the “Fox & Friends” TV show, without elaborating.

“The attacker, he calls out to the aircrew, ‘Kill me, kill me’,” Netanyahu said, adding it was “clear he was suicidal”.

His comments came after the UAE chief prosecutor said investigators would explore whether there had been “terrorist activity or intent”

Netanyahu said the UAE would lead the investigation while Israel would participate.

He identified the co-pilot as an Omani national and said Israel would check how he had been cleared to work on flights to the country.

“We have constraints that say that you can’t have pilots from countries that don’t have diplomatic relations with Israel. Obviously he was able to go through that,” Netanyahu told Fox News.

Netanyahu had earlier credited captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, and passengers with averting catastrophe after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed him and tried to crash the plane.

Passengers described rushing the cockpit and a fight for control after the plane suddenly plummeted, losing around 17,000 feet of altitude in the span of a minute, according to the Flightradar24 website.

Israeli officials have called the incident “an attempted terrorist attack”, although Netanyahu in an earlier interview with CBS News had not ruled out the possibility that mental health was to blame.

“During the flight, as they approached the country, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board,” Netanyahu had said in a video message.

Netanyahu later praised Machchhar “for his extraordinary bravery”.

The Indian ambassador to the UAE visited the wounded captain, with the embassy saying he was in “good health and recovering well”.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a “HERO”, saying his actions had helped save lives.

Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon said the aircraft was “pretty much out of control” as the incident unfolded over Jordan.

“The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane,” she told reporters.

“It was really on the way to crashing, and it was simply the resourcefulness of many people who took control of the co-pilot and neutralised him.”

Flydubai said another “on-duty Flydubai crew travelling on the flight… landed the aircraft safely” and announced it was suspending flights to Israel while the investigation continued.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he would honour five Israelis who helped overpower the co-pilot and prevent the plane from crashing.

AFP

Canada is expected to unveil its next Immigration Levels Plan for 2027–2029 in early November, setting new targets for permanent resident admissions and temporary resident arrivals, including international students and temporary foreign workers.

In a post on Immigration news Canada on X Thursday, said the plan will establish Canada’s first official target for permanent resident admissions in 2029 and will also confirm or revise the indicative targets for 2027 and 2028 contained in the current 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

The new targets are expected to be closely watched by prospective immigrants, international students and temporary workers as the federal government determines the future scale and composition of immigration.

“Under Section 94(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is required to table the annual immigration report containing the levels plan in each House of Parliament on or before November 1.

Where Parliament is not sitting on November 1, the legislation provides for the report to be tabled within the next 30 days on which the House is sitting.

November 1, 2026 falls on a Sunday, meaning Parliament will not be sitting that day. The plan is therefore expected to be tabled when Parliament next sits, likely in the first few days of November,” the post read.

The current 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan was released on November 5, 2025

The forthcoming plan comes as the federal government continues to adjust immigration levels following measures introduced to reduce the number of temporary residents and moderate population growth.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, in an interview with _The New York Times_ reported on September 29, said that with Canada’s immigration system back under control, the question was when the country would resume a “controlled increase” in population.

The remarks have prompted renewed attention to the possibility of future increases in immigration levels, although the government has not announced specific targets for 2027–2029.

The permanent resident target will be one of the major figures to watch, but the allocation of admissions across different immigration categories could prove equally significant.

The new plan is expected to provide details on areas including economic immigration, Express Entry, provincial nominee programmes, family reunification and Francophone immigration.

The government’s approach to temporary residents will also be closely watched, particularly the targets for international students and temporary foreign workers.

For prospective immigrants, the distribution of available spaces among the various programmes could determine the opportunities available through specific immigration pathways.

The 2027–2029 plan will therefore provide an important indication of the federal government’s approach to immigration, temporary migration and population growth over the next three years.

A critically ill patient died after the ambulance conveying him was stopped by police to allow the convoy of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to pass through Silchar, India.

The patient, identified as 42-year-old Rasaraj Chakraborty from Sribhumi district, died at the Silchar Medical College and Hospital on Thursday morning after being taken there for treatment.

India Today NE reported on Thursday that the ambulance carrying Chakraborty was stopped at the Ramnagar ISBT point in Silchar on Wednesday as police cleared the road for Sarma’s convoy.

According to the report, Chakraborty had been brought from Sribhumi to Silchar for advanced treatment after his condition became critical due to a liver-related ailment.

Footage showing the ambulance waiting while the Chief Minister’s convoy passed through the area later circulated on social media, drawing public criticism.

NDTV reported that four police personnel on duty during the incident were subsequently suspended after they stopped the ambulance to make way for Sarma’s convoy.

The Chief Minister later apologised to the patient and his family, describing the incident as unacceptable and saying that no Chief Minister’s passage should take precedence over a person requiring urgent medical care.

However, the circumstances surrounding the patient’s death remained separate from the controversy over the ambulance stoppage

Hindustan Times reported that Abhijit Swami, the principal of Silchar Medical College and Hospital, said Chakraborty was suffering from liver cirrhosis and died while undergoing treatment at about 6am on Thursday.

The newspaper also quoted a member of the patient’s family as saying that Chakraborty was already in a critical condition before the ambulance was stopped.

The family member said the ambulance was held up for nearly 30 minutes but that the delay was not responsible for Chakraborty’s death.

Sarma also said the patient’s death was not connected to the ambulance stoppage, according to ThePrint.

The Chief Minister said Chakraborty was suffering from a serious liver ailment and that the ambulance had been stopped for only a short period.

Despite that, Sarma said he was opposed to the practice of stopping ambulances to allow VIP convoys to pass.

The patient was suffering from liver issues and I do not believe that the ambulance halt was connected to the death, but I am strongly against this culture of halting emergency services to pass VIP convoys,” Hindustan Times quoted Sarma as saying.

Following the incident, the Assam government directed district commissioners and senior police officers across the state to ensure that ambulances and other emergency vehicles were not obstructed during VIP movements.

Hindustan Times reported that the Chief Minister’s Office directed that Sarma’s convoy could be stopped, if necessary, to allow emergency vehicles to pass immediately.

The directive also ordered that the Chief Minister’s convoy be restricted to the minimum number of vehicles required for security and essential operations.

Ministers, lawmakers, officials and other dignitaries attending the same programmes were also directed not to travel alongside the Chief Minister’s convoy.

India Today NE reported that the four police personnel suspended over the Silchar incident were facing a departmental inquiry for alleged negligence of duty.

In his post on X after the incident, Sarma said he had directed officials to investigate what happened and warned that anyone found violating the rules governing his convoy would face strict consequences.

He said his directives that VIP movements must not disrupt ordinary citizens had been clear, adding that they should be enforced in full.

Christa Pike, a 50-year-old woman on death row in the United States, remained alive after Tennessee officials administered two doses of a lethal drug during an attempted execution on Wednesday.

Pike was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer.

Media witnesses reported that Pike was still awake and snoring more than 40 minutes after the second dose of pentobarbital, according to the Associated Press.

The Tennessee Department of Correction did not immediately provide an explanation for what happened, while Pike’s lawyers filed an emergency motion seeking to halt the execution.

The development came after a dramatic legal battle earlier on Wednesday.

The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit had temporarily halted Pike’s execution shortly before it was due to begin, saying more time was needed to consider her arguments that evidence of childhood sexual abuse and neglect had not been properly considered when she was sentenced to death.

The US Supreme Court later overturned the stay, clearing the way for Tennessee to proceed with the execution.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the decision.

The murder in 1995

Pike was 18 when she and her then-boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, 17, killed Slemmer, whom they knew from the Knoxville Job Corps training centre in 1995.

According to prosecutors, Pike and Shipp attacked Slemmer after Pike accused her of trying to take her boyfriend. Slemmer was beaten and stabbed, and a pentagram was carved into her body. The case attracted widespread attention in Knoxville and became associated with the so-called “satanic panic” of the 1980s and 1990s.

Pike was convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to death. Shipp was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole because he was 17 when the crime occurred.

Pike’s lawyers have argued that her age, severe childhood abuse and neglect, and mental health history should have been taken into account when determining her sentence.

Her lawyers previously said she suffered sexual abuse as a child and argued that crucial evidence about her background was not adequately presented to the jury.

Pike’s clemency request was rejected by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who said he had reviewed the case but would not intervene.

If completed, the execution would have made Pike the first woman put to death by Tennessee in more than 200 years.

Female executions are rare in the United States. According to figures cited by the Associated Press, 18 women have been executed in the country since capital punishment resumed in 1976, compared with more than 1,600 men.

As of Thursday morning, Tennessee authorities had not provided a detailed public explanation for why the attempted execution failed, while Pike’s lawyers were seeking emergency court intervention.

A UK-backed Mars rover is set to drill up to two metres beneath the surface of the Red Planet in a search for evidence of past or present life.

A Mars rover is a robotic vehicle designed to travel across the surface of Mars, taking images, studying rocks and soil, and using scientific instruments to investigate the planet.

The Rosalind Franklin rover is scheduled to launch in late 2028 and land on Mars in 2030 as part of the European Space Agency’s ExoMars programme, according to an updated UK Space Agency case study published on Wednesday.

The ExoMars mission asks “one of humanity’s most compelling questions: has life ever existed beyond Earth?”

According to the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency created the ExoMars programme as “two missions working together to study Mars from orbit and, in the near future, from the planet’s surface.”

The agency said the Trace Gas Orbiter was already circling Mars and studying gases in its atmosphere, while the Rosalind Franklin rover would investigate the planet’s surface.

“These missions will help answer important questions about Mars: what the planet is made of, how its environment has changed over time, and whether it may once have supported life, or perhaps still does,” the agency said.

It added that data from the mission would also support wider studies of Martian chemistry and environmental science “to help us understand whether humans could once day go to Mars.”

Rover to drill beneath Martian surface

The Rosalind Franklin rover will search Mars’ surface for evidence of environments that may once have supported life and “may even still do so today.”

The UK Space Agency said the rover would have the “unique feature” of being able to drill down to two metres into the Martian surface to obtain samples.

“Samples taken from below the surface are better protected from the harsh radiation that affects the surface soil,” it said.

The samples will be analysed by an onboard laboratory to determine their mineral and chemical content and composition and search for evidence of past or present life.

The mission will land in the Oxia Planum region of Mars, which the agency described as an area containing ancient, clay-rich rocks dating back around 3.9 billion years.

Clay minerals usually form in the presence of water, so this landing site gives scientists a promising place to look for evidence that Mars may once have had conditions suitable for life,” the agency said.

The rover is named after Rosalind Franklin, the UK scientist whose work was central to understanding the structure of DNA.

“The name connects the mission’s search for life on Mars with a scientist whose discoveries transformed our understanding of life on Earth,” the agency said.

UK invests £490m in mission

The UK Space Agency said the UK had invested around £490m over the past 20 years in the programme, supporting more than 200 high-skilled jobs.

It added that 31 UK scientists were named mission instrument team members, while more than 100 UK scientists were involved in the programme more broadly.

“This support helps fund the science, engineering and technology that make the mission possible, from building the missions and their instruments to investigating the data and delivering world-class scientific excellence,” the agency said.

The Rosalind Franklin rover is being built by Airbus Defence and Space at the company’s UK facility in Stevenage.

The UK is also involved in the development of several scientific instruments on the rover.

The PanCam panoramic camera system is UK-led, with scientists from University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory working with the University of Aberystwyth, Birkbeck College and the University of Leicester.

The agency said PanCam would take detailed images of the Martian surface, helping scientists build 3D maps to determine where the rover should drill and how to get there.

The University of Leicester, Bradford University and the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are key partners in developing the Raman Laser Spectrometer.

The instrument can identify minerals and chemical compounds in Martian samples, “including some biomarkers – chemicals that may indicate past or present life,” according to the agency.

Aberystwyth University, together with the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Qioptiq Ltd, is developing the rover’s infrared spectrometer, Enfys.

The agency said Enfys would further analyse the materials in rocks and help determine where the rover should go to drill for samples.

Mars orbiter finds water-ice

The Trace Gas Orbiter, which started orbiting Mars in 2016 and began science operations in 2018, continues to study the planet’s atmosphere.

According to the UK Space Agency, it “has relayed more data than all other Mars orbiters combined, including 13 million square kilometres of multispectral imagery.”

The orbiter uses four scientific instruments to detect and analyse trace gases.

It was particularly looking for methane, which was detected by ESA’s Mars Express mission in 2003.

“Methane is interesting because, on Earth, it can be linked to both biological and geological processes,” the agency said.

“On Mars, finding and understanding methane could help scientists work out whether the planet is still geologically active, or whether it has ever had conditions associated with life.”

However, the agency said the Trace Gas Orbiter “hasn’t recorded any methane yet”, although it had made other discoveries.

It helped detect hydrogen chloride in Mars’ atmosphere, providing scientists with new information about the planet’s chemistry and water cycle.

The orbiter also discovered water-ice at low latitudes.

“That matters because water is one of the most useful resources for future explorers: it could be turned into oxygen to breathe, fuel for journeys, and drinking water for thirsty astronauts,” the agency said.

“Finding accessible water-ice could therefore make future missions to Mars more practical.”

The orbiter’s CASSIS camera also produces high-resolution imagery of the planet to help prepare for future landings, including the Rosalind Franklin mission.

NASA, SpaceX involved

The UK Space Agency said that in early 2026, NASA approved the Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation project, known as ROSA, which will provide hardware and services for the mission.

NASA also selected SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket to launch the rover from Kennedy Space Center.

“The launch is currently due for late 2028, subsequently landing on Mars in 2030,” the agency said.

The mission is aimed at investigating Mars from both orbit and its surface as scientists continue to examine whether the planet may once have supported life, or whether evidence of life could still exist beneath its surface.

Nigerians seeking visas to Germany have been advised to follow the official application process and avoid sending their documents to German diplomatic missions by email as a way of securing appointments or submitting applications.

The German Mission in Nigeria, on its X handle on Wednesday, issued the clarification amid reported confusion over how applicants should begin the visa process.

“Applicants are advised to first identify the appropriate visa category based on the purpose and duration of their intended stay.

“A Schengen visa is generally required for short stays of up to 90 days within 180 days, including tourism and family visits, while a national visa is required for stays exceeding 90 days for purposes such as employment, study, vocational training and certain family-reunification cases.

Applicants are also required to establish which German mission is responsible for their application before proceeding.

The missions advise applicants to use the official online appointment system for the relevant visa category and follow the instructions provided.

For certain long-stay visa categories, applicants can begin the process through Germany’s Consular Services Portal. However, an online application does not eliminate the requirement for an in-person appointment where biometrics, original documents and other checks are required

Applicants are expected to prepare all required documents and submit them through the prescribed process.

The German Missions also warned applicants against paying agents or third parties simply to obtain visa appointments.

“ You do not need to pay an agent just to book a visa appointment. The official appointment booking is free,” the missions said.

They further advised applicants to ensure that appointments are booked under the correct visa category to avoid delays or the need to make a fresh appointment.

During the appointment, applicants may be required to submit their documents, provide biometric information and answer questions relating to their applications.

The mission stressed that applicants should rely on official German government information when preparing their applications and should be cautious of individuals or organisations offering visa appointments for payment.

For eligible national visa categories, applicants can use the official Consular Services Portal to submit an initial application and receive further instructions on the next steps.

It said that following the official procedure would help applicants avoid unnecessary payments, incorrect applications, and delays in processing their visa requests.

Douglas Stewart Carter was convicted of killing Eva Olesen in Provo, Utah, in February 1985 and sentenced to death, despite maintaining that he was innocent and that a confession he signed during police interrogation was coerced.

According to the BBC on Tuesday, the Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Carter last year, citing misconduct by investigators.

A judge on Monday granted Carter bail despite objections from Olesen’s family. He is required to wear a GPS monitor while awaiting the new tria

Olesen, the aunt of a local police chief, was stabbed multiple times and shot in the back of the head at her home.

Carter, who is originally from Chicago, was living with his mother in Utah at the time. Court documents showed that police suspected him of killing Olesen during a robbery.

Carter fled Utah after believing he was a suspect in an unrelated case and was later arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, where he signed a confession during interrogation

However, there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime scene.

He was convicted by a jury based on the confession and testimony from two witnesses who claimed he had bragged about the killing.

The two witnesses later said in 2011 that they had been instructed to lie in court, given cash and gifts by police and threatened with deportation if they did not testify against Carter.

Carter’s lawyers also said witnesses had seen a white man fleeing the scene and alleged that an investigator suppressed evidence pointing to Olesen’s husband, Orla Olesen, as a possible suspect.

Orla Olesen, who died in 2009, had told police that he found his wife dead in their home.

The victim’s stab wounds were believed to have been inflicted with a knife from the couple’s kitchen, which was found near her body. The gun used in the killing was not recovered.

Prosecutors this month said DNA analysis had excluded Carter as a possible match to blood found on a doorknob and genetic material recovered from the knife handle.

Carter’s release was opposed by Olesen’s family.

Theresa Olesen, Eva Olesen’s daughter-in-law, told Monday’s bond hearing that her family had “serious concerns” about Carter’s release and said he should remain in custody pending a new trial.

“By golly we were hoping for a concrete match,” Olesen said of the DNA analysis. “It doesn’t mean he wasn’t there.”

Carter’s defence lawyer, Neal Hamilton, called for the case to be dismissed.

“If the state of Utah had their way, he would have been executed 15, 20 years ago before we discovered the misconduct,” he told Associated Press.

A former American Idol contestant and Ohio pastor, Caleb Flynn, has been found guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn, after a trial that featured evidence from his former lover, thousands of text messages and a song prosecutors said he wrote about their affair.

Flynn, 40, was convicted on Tuesday of murder and eight other charges, including aggravated murder and tampering with evidence, after a jury deliberated for less than three hours.

He faces life imprisonment without parole and is due to be sentenced on October 5.

Flynn wept in court as the verdicts were delivered, BBC News reported Tuesday evening.

Prosecutors said Flynn shot his 37-year-old wife twice in the back of the head while she was sleeping at their home in Tipp City, a suburb of Dayton, on 16 February.

He then allegedly tried to make the killing appear to have been carried out by intruders.

The prosecution presented police body-camera footage and data from Flynn’s iPhone and Apple Watch from around the time of the killing.

Prosecutors also called dozens of witnesses, including Alleigha Botner, a former intern at Flynn’s church who had an affair with him.

Botner testified about her nearly 18-month relationship with Flynn and some of the roughly 100,000 text messages they exchanged were read in court.

In one message to Botner in August 2025, Flynn wrote: “I was up until 4am last night crying, literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail.”

In another message, he wrote: “I just want her dead and gone.”

Botner told the court that she now hates Flynn “because I believe that he murdered his wife”.

Prosecutors said Flynn was afraid of losing custody of his daughters in a divorce, as well as his jobs at his wife’s family business and at the church.

They also pointed to what they described as inconsistencies in Flynn’s account of the night of the killing.

Prosecuting attorney Paul Watkins said Flynn told police that he had been in his daughters’ bedroom when he heard gunfire and later found his wife dead in their bedroom after noticing that the garage side door was open.

Watkins said Flynn later told investigators he had not been to the garage, contradicting his earlier statement.

Flynn’s defence argued that prosecutors had not presented concrete evidence proving he committed the murder.

His lawyer, Patrick Mulligan, said: “Connecting a couple of meaningless dots doesn’t solve the case.”

Mulligan also argued that evidence of Flynn’s infidelity did not establish that he had murdered his wife.

“They can’t find the gun, therefore they blame it on him?” he said, referring to the tampering-with-evidence charge.

The gun Flynn kept in the console of his truck has not been found. Investigators discovered the truck’s centre console open after arriving at the scene.

Prosecutors also presented evidence concerning music Flynn allegedly created about his relationship with Botner.

During the trial, a song that prosecutors said Flynn wrote and dedicated to Botner was played in court. Botner explained its lyrics line by line while testifying.

The prosecution also called Joseph Wilhelm, a special agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, who said several applications had been uninstalled from Flynn’s phone before his wife’s death.

Among them was an AI music-generating application which Wilhelm said “related to his relationship with Alleigha Botner”.

The jury’s reaction to the song, including what appeared to be laughter, later circulated widely online.

Flynn’s case also attracted attention because of his earlier appearance on American Idol.

He appeared on the 12th series of the programme in 2013, performing before judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson.

He received a “golden ticket” to Hollywood during the televised auditions but did not reach the main competition.

In footage shown on the programme, Flynn said: “Music is all I know, it’s what I live to do and I love to sing, so that’s why I auditioned.”

“Maybe my wife kinda nudged me a little, too,” he added.

Ashley Flynn was a schoolteacher and volleyball coach.

Caleb Flynn is due to be sentenced on 5 October.

The United Kingdom Government has confirmed that national museums in England will remain free for all visitors, ruling out plans to introduce charges for overseas tourists.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the decision followed an earlier commitment to work with the museum and tourism sectors and local leaders to explore whether charging international visitors could help address museums’ financial pressures.

The Government said it had concluded that charging overseas visitors could deter domestic visitors and that the effects and benefits of such a policy would not be felt equally across the museum sector.

“Everyone will continue to enjoy universal free admission to our world class national museums in England,” the Government said in a statement published on the Home Office website on Tuesday.

Free admission to national museums was introduced in 2001.

The Government said national museums attract millions of visitors and contribute more than £1bn annually to the economy, with seven of the 10 most visited museums in the UK being national museums.

In 2025, 7.1 million people visited the Natural History Museum, while 6.4 million visited the British Museum.

The Government said the museums also attract visitors from around the world, while their free-entry policy would continue to apply regardless of visitors’ nationality.

The decision follows the review of Arts Council England conducted by Baroness Margaret Hodge and published in December 2025.

Earlier this year, the Government had committed to examining whether overseas visitors could be charged as part of its response to the review.

However, it said the assessment showed that such charges could have wider effects on domestic tourism and the museum sector.

The Government is also providing funding for museums and cultural organisations through several programmes.

It said the £1.5bn Arts Everywhere Fund includes £760m for museums, while £600m in infrastructure funding is supporting national museums and DCMS-sponsored cultural organisations with critical maintenance and work on their estates.

The funding is also intended to help national museums meet commitments to share their collections and expertise across the country.

A further £160m is being invested in local and regional museums.

The Government said the Museum Estates and Development Fund would help museums tackle maintenance backlogs, while the £13.6m Museum Transformation programme would support organisations in developing more sustainable business models.

It added that it would work with Arts Council England and the museum sector to develop a long-term strategic plan for the future of museums.

“Further details will be released in due course,” the Government said.

While attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had revealed that an artificial intelligence agent operated by OpenAI gained unauthorised access to an Australian Medicare data portal earlier this year.

Albanese said the AI agent accessed both public and non-public files on the Medicare statistics reporting service portal administered by Services Australia.

Meanwhile, the company in a statement published on its website on September 28, 2026, titled “How we will do better for Australia,” has apologised for the incident.

OpenAI said the incident occurred in June during internal training and evaluation of an experimental model that was not intended for public release and did not have the full set of safeguards used in its publicly available products.

According to the company, the model was assigned a task to research government spending per person on medicines for skin conditions in Victorian communities.

However, after struggling to obtain the information, the model took actions that OpenAI said it had not authorised.

At Services Australia’s Medicare Statistics Reporting Service, OpenAI said the model “discovered a way to gain non-public access to the service.”

The company said the model then “ran commands, retrieved internal files, credentials and aggregate statistics, and wrote files.”

However, OpenAI said its review had found no evidence that individual patient or client records were accessed.

We are sorry and working to do better in the future,” the company said.

OpenAI said the incident represented “a new kind of cyber incident which represents an emerging global challenge.”

The company also disclosed that its models had accessed three other Australian government systems.

At the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, an OpenAI model accessed the public Crime Mapping Tool while researching public crime statistics.

The model made API and website metadata requests through the public tool, with the system returning application configuration, operational jobs and logs, as well as website metadata.

OpenAI said individual crime records were not accessed.

In Victoria, OpenAI agents discovered an exposed access key that allowed them to query the Victorian Agency for Health Information’s reporting system and retrieve reporting configuration and aggregate survey statistics.

The extent to which this information should have been accessible is unclear, and depends on VAHI’s access policies,” OpenAI said, adding that individual medical records or identifiable survey responses were not accessed.

The company also said its agents retrieved aggregate statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare through third-party browsing and download services.

While separate attempts to bypass access controls were unsuccessful, OpenAI said the downloaded material appeared to have been publicly available and there was no system compromise.

OpenAI said it began investigating the activities after a review triggered by an earlier incident involving AI activity on the Hugging Face platform.

The review, which began after the July Hugging Face incident, identified the Australian government activity in mid-August.

OpenAI said it notified Services Australia and the Victorian Department of Health on September 10, followed by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research on September 18.

The company said the AIHW activity did not initially meet its disclosure threshold because the access appeared consistent with public access, but it notified the agency on September 24 to share its findings.

However, OpenAI acknowledged that it should have disclosed preliminary findings sooner.

“Our aim was to give affected agencies a detailed account once our investigation was complete. However, we should have shared preliminary findings sooner and kept Australian agencies updated as more facts emerged,” it said.

The company said it had since strengthened safeguards around its research environments, including additional network restrictions, expanded monitoring and controls designed to block live internet access.

It also said its current monitoring systems would have detected the activity and alerted human reviewers for urgent intervention.

n Australia, OpenAI said it would provide resources and technical expertise to affected agencies, support efforts to strengthen cyber defences and establish an Australian taskforce made up of independent experts.

The taskforce is expected to develop policy recommendations for managing risks from increasingly capable AI agents, including improved notification processes and stronger coordination between AI developers and governments.

OpenAI said its Chief Strategy Officer, Jason Kwon, would appear before the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence in Sydney on October 6 to answer questions about the incident and the company’s response.

The disclosure comes after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed last week that an OpenAI agent had gained unauthorised access to the Medicare statistics reporting service administered by Services Australia.

Albanese said the incident was “extremely” concerning and that he had spoken with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman about the breach. ABC News reported that the company took about three months to notify the Australian government.

OpenAI’s latest disclosure provides further details of what the model accessed and the company’s planned response.

The head of Turkey’s football refereeing body, Ferhat Gundogdu, and six other people have been arrested as part of a graft investigation, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Tuesday.

“Claims regarding interference in the processes of referee classification, assignments, scoring and appointments, as well as in the examinations on rules, have been investigated,” he wrote on X.

Among those arrested were Gundogdu and his vice-president, with searches carried out at all of the suspects’ “homes, workplaces and offices.”

“We will steadfastly continue the fight for clean football so that claims undermining trust in Turkish football are clarified (and) those responsible are held accountable,” Gurlek said.

The move comes a year after Turkey’s Football Federation suspended 149 referees over allegations of involvement in an illegal betting scandal.

In a statement on its website, which did not mention the arrests, the TFF said it was “working resolutely” to restore public faith in “clean football.”

Without making a direct link to the earlier scandal, the TFF said it had “resolutely tackled the issue of betting and illegal betting,” fully supporting the work of the interior, justice, and youth and sport ministries, and that “the investigation and cooperation process with (them) is still ongoing.”

All documents requested by investigators “have been sent… in sealed envelopes, with a request for delivery to the Forensic Medicine Institute for fingerprint and DNA analysis and other necessary examinations,” it said.

Newspaper Hurriyet said prosecutors believe the suspects improperly influenced referee classifications, promotional exams and match appointments through document fraud and systemic intimidation.

It said the probe was opened following a formal complaint, with investigators looking into financial audits and phone records alongside witness testimony and expert reports.

During last year’s referee scandal, a TFF investigation found 371 of Turkey’s 571 referees officiating in the professional leagues had betting accounts, and 152 of them actively placed bets.

Police arrested 29 people in the sprawling scandal, among them 14 footballers — one of whom was Fenerbahce’s international midfielder Mert Hakan Yandaş.

Authorities suspended more than 1,000 players, including 25 from the first division.

AFP

The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, on Tuesday named Marrakesh mayor Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri the country’s first woman prime minister, the royal cabinet announced, after her party won last week’s parliamentary elections.

Her centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party had dominated the vote, winning 97 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives — 31 more than the next closest competitor, although the poll was marked by the lowest turnout in two decades.

The royal cabinet said the monarch has now tasked the 50-year-old, who also served as housing minister, with “forming the new government.”

Without an outright majority, the PAM will have to form a coalition with other parties for its five-year tenure, though the monarch retains broad powers over major policies

The PAM was founded in 2008 by current royal adviser Fouad Ali El Himma as a counterweight to the country’s Islamist movement.

El Mansouri was also the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh, winning the office in 2009 before losing it six years later, then retaking it in 2021.

– ‘Restore hope’ –

El Mansouri’s cabinet will have to tackle several pressing issues, including unemployment and living costs, as well as persistent social disparities, particularly weighing on young people.

Young people are going through a crisis, and we must provide them with answers,” she said during the campaign. “We want to restore their hope, not only through speeches, but through concrete solutions.”

The parliamentary vote came just weeks after tens of thousands of mainly young Moroccan migrants rushed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a crisis that highlighted socioeconomic frustrations among the youth.

It also came a year after a Gen-Z protest movement took to the streets to demand better health and education.

Her party has pledged average annual economic growth of five per cent, inflation of two per cent and the creation of at least one million new jobs over its five-year term.

The PAM was followed in the polls by the National Rally of Independents, which heads the outgoing coalition and won 66 seats.

The right-wing Istiqlal party came third with 65 seats, while the Islamist opposition’s Justice and Development Party took 54 seats.

The PJD made significant gains after winning just 13 seats in 2021, having focused its campaign in part on fighting corruption.

Its chief, former PM Abdelilah Benkirane, hailed a “victory” but ruled out joining a coalition led by the PAM, which he said was “tainted by fraud,” without providing details.

AFP

UK interior minister Shabana Mahmood announced Monday the reopening of a scheme for refugees to settle in Britain as part of a renewed focus on “safe and legal routes” for vulnerable people to reach the country.

The scheme will be relaunched immediately, and along with three new “community” refugee sponsorship routes previously announced. It’s initially expected to welcome hundreds of applicants, according to the interior ministry.

Mahmood formally unveiled the plan in a speech at the ruling Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool, when she said “fairness” would be integral to the government’s immigration agenda.

It comes amid pushback from some within centre-left Labour over a series of hardline policies aimed at both tightening the rules for migrants arriving via legal routes while curbing asylum-seeker numbers coming by irregular means.

To be run in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency and the International Refugee Assistance Project, it follows the closure of an Afghan resettlement route last year.

The planned changes include contentious proposals to make some legal migrants wait years longer than under current rules before they can apply to settle permanently in the UK.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, an influential figure within Labour, said in a newspaper interview last week that she was concerned about some of the plans because they “change the goalposts.”

Around a quarter of applicants to the reopened resettlement scheme are expected to be Afghan women and girls, and Palestinians, Mahmood told the Labour conference.

We will take vulnerable refugees from across the world and give them the chance of a new and better life here in Britain with the first arrivals this year,” she said.

Within days, charities and nonprofits will be able to apply to become sponsors of refugees, with the first arrivals under this route expected in around a year’s time.

The numbers arriving under the legal programmes “will grow into the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall,” according to the ministry, which noted an annual cap will be set.

“I know that the British people have not given up on their belief that we should be compassionate, live up to our international obligations, and save the lives of those fleeing war and persecution,” Mahmood said.

“But I also know this process must be capped and controlled, with communities ready and able to welcome those who come here.”

AFP

A US judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from conditioning counterterrorism funds for local governments on changes to election administration.

The ruling was issued in a case brought by local governments challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s attempt to make election-related requirements a condition for receiving funds under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Homeland Security Grant Program.

The case, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et al., is before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is being heard by Judge Amir H. Ali. Law360 reported that governments in Tennessee, Texas and Ohio had asked the court to rule in their favour, arguing that Congress had not conditioned the receipt of counterterrorism grants on how localities administer elections.

The Homeland Security Grant Program provides federal funding to state and local governments for preventing, protecting against and responding to terrorism and other security threats.

According to the complaint filed by the local governments, Congress created the programme “to help state and local governments prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorism.”

The complaint said the programme was funded according to a statutory formula based on each jurisdiction’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks.

“Congress did not create the HSGP to empower the federal government to control state and local election procedures,” the complaint said.

The dispute arose after FEMA attached five election-related conditions to fiscal year 2026 funding under the programme.

According to the complaint, the conditions covered voting equipment and the means by which voters cast their ballots, post-election audits, ballot reconciliation, voter-roll citizenship checks and election-worker citizenship checks.

Under the funding requirements, jurisdictions were required to submit plans to move away from electronic voting systems that use bar codes or QR codes to count votes and toward equipment that accepts hand-marked paper ballots.

They were also required to demonstrate compliance with a five per cent post-election manual audit, reconcile the number of voters who participated in federal elections with the number of ballots cast, and use the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, known as SAVE, to verify the citizenship of people in state voter-registration databases.

The requirements also called for citizenship verification of people working at polling places or operating election systems. The federal funding notice says election officials must use SAVE or another authorised government system for those checks.

The local governments said FEMA would withhold 20 per cent of each state’s Homeland Security Grant Program award until the election-related conditions were met.

“FEMA will now hold 20 percent of every state’s HSGP award hostage—more than $200 million nationwide—unless states agree to these and other election conditions,” the complaint said.

The plaintiffs argued that the federal government lacked authority to impose the conditions through the counterterrorism grant programme.

The complaint said, “FEMA has no authority to impose those conditions—not under its governing statute and not under the Constitution.”

It added: “Congress authorized FEMA to help jurisdictions protect critical infrastructure from terrorist and cyberattacks. It did not authorize FEMA to decide who may vote, how ballots must be counted, or how states maintain their voter rolls.”

The lawsuit was initially filed on Aug. 17 by Nashville, Tennessee; Harris County, Texas; El Paso County, Texas; and Columbus, Ohio. Dallas County and Travis County, Texas, later joined the case, according to Public Rights Project, which is involved in the litigation.

Law360 reported on Sept. 2 that the governments had asked the D.C. federal court for a ruling in their favour, arguing that Congress did not make the administration of local elections a condition for receiving counterterrorism grants.

The local governments’ challenge followed FEMA’s announcement that it would withhold 20 per cent of Homeland Security Grant Program funding unless recipients complied with the five election-related requirements.

The Texas Tribune reported in August that the requirements included a transition from voting machines that accept QR and bar codes to equipment that uses paper ballots, manual ballot audits and the use of the SAVE system for voter-registration checks.

The case is one of several legal disputes over the Trump administration’s efforts to impose election-related requirements through federal programmes. The Brennan Center for Justice said the lawsuit alleges that the conditions violate the separation of powers, federalism and the Constitution’s Spending Clause, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act.

The judge’s Monday ruling prevents the administration from conditioning the counterterrorism funding on the challenged election-administration changes while the litigation proceeds.

The United States has completed the withdrawal of its military forces from Iraq, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fawad Hussein said on Monday.

Hussein said the American forces had completely withdrawn from Iraqi territory under an agreement between Baghdad and Washington.

The announcement came two days before the previously scheduled Sept. 30 deadline for the withdrawal of the remaining US forces and the end of the US-led international coalition’s military mission in Iraq.

According to the report by Safir, a Middle Eastern media outlet, the withdrawal followed the conclusion of the US-led international coalition’s military mission in Iraq.

The withdrawal of American forces has taken place while the Iraqi government is trying to transfer full security responsibility to Iraqi forces after the end of the coalition’s military presence and continue security and defense cooperation within the framework of bilateral relations,” the report said.

The US and Iraq had agreed in 2024 to wind down the US-led military mission against the Islamic State group.

The Associated Press had reported in August that the US military was on track to withdraw all its forces from Iraq by the end of September, marking the end of a presence that began with the 2003 invasion.

AP quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi as saying he had affirmed Sept. 30 as the “fixed and final date for ending the military mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Iraq and completing the departure of its forces.

A US official also confirmed to AP at the time that Washington expected to complete its pullout by Sept. 30, but declined to say how many troops remained in Iraq or where they would be redeployed.

“The United States, Iraq and coalition partners have achieved tremendous success in defeating ISIS and now the Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga and other Iraqi Kurdistan Region security forces, will lead the fight against terrorists in Iraq,” the US official said.

Earlier on Monday, The National reported that US forces were still scheduled to depart Iraq on Wednesday, with the “withdrawal expected to transition into a bilateral advisory, training and intelligence-sharing relationship between Washington and Baghdad.”

The withdrawal ends the US military presence in Iraq that began with the 2003 invasion.

US forces left Iraq in 2011 but returned in 2014 after the Islamic State group’s territorial expansion, with the subsequent mission focused on countering the group and supporting Iraqi security forces.

The latest announcement by Hussein indicates that the remaining US forces have now left Iraqi territory ahead of the previously announced September 30 deadline.

The White House on Sunday released lists of products that could benefit from lower tariffs under an arrangement with China affecting $30 billion in goods in each direction, without specifying the rates or timetable.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping concluded a summit on Friday, with their talks covering matters including trade.

The United States and China will review the lists “with a view toward providing reduced tariff treatment to those goods in a reciprocal manner,” according to the terms released by the White House.

The US could reduce tariffs on 77 categories of Chinese goods including fireworks, Christmas ornaments, household goods and sports equipment.

China’s import list includes more than 1,600 categories of American goods, including meats — beef, pork, poultry and seafood — grains, dairy, whiskey, coal and timber.

The White House announced on Friday an agreement on “recommendations” for more favourable tariff treatment for these “non-sensitive goods,” following Xi’s visit to Washington.

Beijing confirmed the agreement on Saturday.

China also agreed to import at least 10 million metric tons of coal from the US in 2027 and 2028, the White House said.

Xi and Trump agreed to a trade truce last year during a meeting in South Korea, after a tit-for-tat fight that saw tariffs soar over 100 per cent at one point.

The pact was originally due to expire in November, but both sides have agreed to extend it until January 10, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

AFP

A top US official on Sunday dismissed a proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz presented by Iran as “cynical” and indicated it was a non-starter for Washington.

Iran’s truce plan, announced by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations earlier this week, calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade in order for the key waterway central to the world’s energy supplies to be opened.

“This was, I think, a pretty cynical attempt to put something on the table that they knew was unacceptable,” US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said on Sunday in an interview with NBC. “To ask for the release of the blockade, the sanctions, international sanctions, and access to billions in assets just to talk.”

US President Donald Trump rejected the deal on Saturday, stating that Iranian leaders wanted the deal because “they are losing so badly.”

“I think it’s kind of common sense that the president doesn’t have a lot of confidence this time after we just tried a few months ago, but at the end of the day, of course, the president this has to end in some type of arrangement,” Waltz said. “But he’s going to leave all options on the table to get there.”

Speaking on NBC shortly after, Araghchi denounced what he described as “old, unproved accusations” made by Waltz.

“We are ready to open the strait if certain things are done by the US and these certain things are not new, have not come from the space,” he said. “These are our rights that we want to be respected.”

Araghchi struck a pessimistic tone regarding the prospect of a deal.

“There is also always hope for diplomacy, but we have no reason, to be honest with you, we have no reason to come back to diplomacy and engage with this administration once again because of their behavior in the past two years,” he told NBC.

The United Arab Emirates Government has updated the eligibility criteria and required documents for foreigners seeking to enter the country on a visit visa to search for jobs without a host or sponsor.

The UAE Government disclosed this in a notice released on Thursday and sighted by PUNCH Online on Sunday.

Jobseeker visiting visa, or job exploration visa, is one of the ten visa types in the Arab country. Unlike a work visa, the jobseeker visa allows eligible foreigners to enter the UAE to look for employment without first securing a job or a sponsor.

It does not authorise the holder to work in the UAE, as a separate work visa or permit is required once employment is secured.

According to the notice, eligible applicants can now obtain a jobseeker visit visa valid for 60, 90 or 120 days for a single trip.

Foreigners are granted a visit visa to search for a job without requiring a host/sponsor in the country, for one trip. You can apply for a job-seeker visa with a validity of either 60, 90 or 120 days,” the UAE Government said.

It said applicants seeking the visa must meet specific eligibility requirements, including professional qualifications or recent graduation from a top-ranked university.

To get a visit visa for the purpose of exploring job opportunities, the applicant must fulfil the following conditions,” the notice stated.

According to the UAE Government, applicants must either be in the first, second or third skill level as classified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation or be graduates of one of the world’s top 500 universities under the classification approved by the Ministry of Education.

It added that applicants who qualify through the university route must have graduated within the previous two years.

The notice also requires applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and fulfil the prescribed financial guarantee.

The UAE Government said applicants must submit a coloured photograph, a copy of their passport and an attested qualification certificate.

It stated that applications for the visa could be made through the relevant online services provided by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.

Germany defender Jonathan Tah praised Jurgen Klopp’s instant impact, telling reporters on Saturday that the squad was “ready to walk through fire” for the coach after his first team talk.

Klopp took over in July after Germany’s last-32 World Cup exit, the four-time champion’s third-straight early elimination from the tournament.

The 59-year-old took his first training session with the squad on Monday and guided Germany to a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Nations League match with Greece in Augsburg, Bayern Munich defender Tah said that he could see what had made the former Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz coach successful during his club career.

“It’s the experience he brings from every club, that mix of fun and passion, that absolute will to win, and also the way he brings the team along. He can really fire us up.

“I think after our initial meeting, everyone walked out thinking, ‘Okay, we’re ready to walk through fire together now’.

“He just has this ability to galvanise a team. We’ve seen that in the past too. That’s something he does exceptionally well and I think that’s why he’s been so successful.”

Germany looked energetic in Klopp’s opener on Thursday but were also outclassed for long periods against the Netherlands, who started aggressively under new coach Xavi Hernandez.

“In the moments when we worked together against the ball, we had some great defensive spells,” Klopp said on Saturday.

“Problems arose when old habits crept back in.”

Sunday’s match will be the first time in 25 years that the German national team has appeared on home soil in front of a crowd including standing terraces after a change in UEFA regulations.

Germany has a strong culture of standing terraces in the club game and is one of 10 national associations to be included as a part of a UEFA project to reintroduce the practice.

“The atmosphere in the stadium has a dramatic impact on performance,” Klopp said.

“When the right people are standing, the atmosphere is outstanding and the influence is huge.”

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala forced Klopp to bring under-fire Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz into the squad for Sunday’s match, having planned to include him only in Germany’s third and fourth games.

We need to make sure Flo feels comfortable here and can fit into the role we envision for him. Hopefully, he’ll simply be able to be himself here.”

Tah also backed Wirtz to find his form.

“I find it pretty extreme the way he’s been attacked,” Tah said.

“I know the kind of player he is and that he’s going to shine even more.

“I know what he’s capable of and eventually, everyone will understand.”

Thousands of people marched through Madrid on Saturday to protest the eviction earlier this week of an 87-year-old woman from her lifelong home, calling for greater protection for tenants.

Images of Maricarmen Abascal being carried from her Madrid flat on a stretcher on Wednesday after police broke down her door have thrust Spain’s housing crisis back into the spotlight ahead of a general election due in 2027.

Protesters chanted slogans and held banners calling for measures to curb rising housing costs and make evictions more difficult as they marched through central Madrid.

“You could be the next Maricarmen,” read one banner.

Abascal, who has become a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis, urged Spaniards to join the fight in a video message posted online just hours before the protest.

“I want what has happened to me to serve so that it does not happen to other people,” she said from hospital, where she has been treated for exhaustion since her eviction.

“I want it to encourage people to fight and to help change the laws that have allowed me to be evicted,” she added in the video, posted by Spain’s main tenants’ union.

Abascal was forced to leave the apartment where she had lived for 70 years after a real estate firm acquired the property and raised the rent by 275 per cent to 2,650 euros ($3,000), according to the union.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who last year pledged to make housing a government priority, is under growing pressure to act. There have been regular protests across Spain since Abascal’s eviction.

His government is expected to approve a package of measures dubbed the “Maricarmen decree” at its next cabinet meeting, including the automatic renewal of rental contracts and further restrictions on evictions.

But it is unclear whether the package will be approved by parliament, where Sanchez’s government lacks a majority.

While a similar bill was defeated earlier this year, Abascal’s case has increased pressure on political parties to act.

AFP

The move comes after Friday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Northern Ireland in Georgia’s opening match in the Nations League.

“The Georgian national football team will be coached by Georgian specialist Ramaz Svanadze until the end of 2028,” the country’s federation said.

“Svanadze will replace Frenchman Willy Sagnol as head coach.”

Former Bayern Munich right-back and France international Sagnol took over Georgia in February 2021 and guided them to a first European Championship appearance three years later.

“Thank you, Willy Sagnol, for every minute spent with the Georgian national team and for the emotions we shared together along this historic path,” the federation added.

Svanadze, 45, was previously in charge of the Georgian under-21 side, with whom he reached the European Championship finals on two occasions.

AFP

The explosion, which occurred at dawn on Friday in the popular Plaka district filled with tourist lodgings, was likely caused by a gas leak, according to the capital’s mayor, Haris Doukas.

The other two people killed were an elderly British man and his Greek wife who lived on the second storey of the three-storey building, Greece’s state broadcaster ERT reported.

The American family of four had been renting an apartment on the first storey and were preparing to go to the airport hours later on Friday for their return to the United States when the blast occurred, according to the Kathimerini newspaper.

The explosion brought down the residential building and damaged properties and vehicles along the street.

The New York Times reported that the US family was composed of a couple, their son and his girlfriend.

Greek authorities did not immediately give their identities, ages or where in the United States they came from.

Incredible disaster’ –

On Saturday, AFP reporters saw mechanical diggers moving debris at the site and thermal-imaging cameras deployed.

We are talking about an incredible disaster,” Mayor Doukas said.

Two nearby buildings were left in a dangerous state, he added, with inspections under way “to determine if they can remain standing or if they also have to be demolished”.

The owner of the ground-floor apartment, Mathaios Artavanis, told the Kathimerini daily he was absent at the time of the blast. He said he had tried afterwards to contact the UK-Greek couple who lived there, without success.

A year ago, locals in the Plaka neighbourhood had warned the city and utility companies about the risk of gas leaks or short circuits, according to a letter by the residents’ association published by Kathimerini.

The residents had urged a fire drill to identify possible weaknesses in the emergency response plans for the district.

A citizens’ group said on social media that one resident in the street where the explosion happened had alerted authorities after smelling a possible gas leak.

The neighbourhood is one of Athens’s most popular tourist areas. The nearby Acropolis, one of Greece’s best-known landmarks, welcomed 4.6 million visitors last year.

AFP

The United States and China will set up a “communication channel” for artificial intelligence incidents, the White House said on Friday.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping concluded a summit on Friday, with their talks focused on issues including the rising challenges posed by AI.

The two countries established a “U.S.-China Super Intelligence (SI) Dialogue to exchange views on risks and benefits” of AI, the White House said in a fact sheet, noting that their leaders had agreed to use the term SI rather than AI.

The next exchange is set to occur by November, it added.

The US and China also agreed to establish a “bilateral communication channel” for incidents, the White House said.

Before the summit, Trump said “Super Intelligence (SI) will be a big topic of discussion, but I want to leave it exactly where it is.”

That is China’s position also,” he added on social media.

Xi took a more measured tone, calling for the US and China to manage their superpower rivalry and keep AI under human control.

“We have both the capability and responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that the development of AI is always under human control,” he said at the White House on Thursday.

AFP

TikTok on Friday agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million and enact time limits and other restrictions for teen users, avoiding trial with a settlement modelled on Instagram-owner Meta’s recent agreement with US states.

A trial had been set to begin Monday in the southern US state over claims by Alabama that TikTok misled parents about tools meant to shield children from harmful content.

Attorney General Steve Marshall hailed the settlement as “a great day for Alabama parents.”

“Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction,” he said

Under the settlement, TikTok will send $100 million to Alabama and could possibly pay up to $300 million in total if other states accept similar agreements.

Alabama’s suit was the latest in a wave of litigation targeting social media companies across the United States over the harm their apps allegedly cause young users.

In August, Meta agreed to pay $18 billion to settle a sweeping lawsuit brought by US states accusing it of designing Instagram and Facebook to get children addicted.

TikTok’s settlement with Alabama mirrors safety provisions agreed by Meta, including a two-hour daily time limit for teens, restricted access from midnight to 6:00 am, and suspending notifications during school hours

It will also strengthen age verification, ban beauty filters for teenagers, and offer young users a non-personalised content feed.

In addition, it includes a conditional restriction that Meta also agreed to: expanding the nighttime shutdown period to 10:00 pm to 7:00 am, if other platforms also commit to do the same.

– More suits pending –

“TikTok’s priority has always been fostering a safe and positive space where people can be creative, discover what they love, and connect with their community,” a company spokesperson told AFP.

This builds on our commitment and core objective to continually enhance our robust safety tools to protect teens,” the spokesperson added.

More than a dozen other states, including California and New York, still have active suits against TikTok.

The company has previously settled cases against it that were headed for trial, including a Los Angeles lawsuit brought by a young woman and a suit from a Kentucky school district.

Meta, by contrast, has taken its chances in court — with bruising results.

In March, a jury in New Mexico ordered the Facebook and Instagram owner to pay $375 million after finding it had misled the public about the safety of its platforms for children.

That same month, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent in the case of a 20-year-old woman who said she became hooked on social media as a child, awarding her $6 million.

Going to trial would have exposed TikTok to unprecedented public scrutiny of how it handles safety internally, with company documents and executive testimony potentially aired in open court.

Alabama originally sued TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance in April 2025, alleging the app was engineered to hook young users “just like a sophisticated gambling machine.”

The state later narrowed its case to claims under Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act, focusing on whether TikTok misrepresented the effectiveness of features such as “Restricted Mode” and “Kids Mode.”

Despite TikTok’s assurances that users in that mode should not see mature themes, the accounts were quickly served videos about suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, alcohol and sex, according to the filing.

AFP

CNN reporters have been barred from travelling with US President Donald Trump as planned on Saturday, in a new move by the White House to limit the news network’s access.

The president last week sought to ban three US outlets — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — from the White House, accusing them of providing only negative coverage of him.

After journalists with the three outlets were blocked from entering the White House complex, a judge ordered their access to be temporarily restored, saying Trump’s move was likely unconstitutional.

For Trump’s trip on Saturday to Tennessee, CNN had been scheduled to be the TV network in the press “pool” travelling with him.

However, a schedule released by the White House on Friday evening did not list CNN or any of the TV networks in the TV pool rotation.

The pool is a rotating group of journalists that travel with the president and provide coverage to other outlets, due to limited space.

The White House schedule only listed a “Secondary TV” correspondent and crew: Lindell TV — a staunchly pro-Trump outlet run by his close ally, businessman Mike Lindell.

Earlier this week, when CNN’s White House access was still revoked, the top five US broadcasters made a rare joint move to halt pool coverage of the White House in solidarity.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said.

CNN declined to comment when reached Friday by AFP. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

AFP

Netanyahu was seen approaching the podium as several delegations left the hall. The walkout came after the Palestinian Mission to the UN urged representatives to leave during Netanyahu’s address.

Reacting to the departure, Netanyahu said, “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left the hall, please do so now.”

Defending Israel’s military action against Iran, he said targeting the country’s nuclear facilities was difficult but described the decision as one of the easiest he had made as Prime Minister.

“Devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard. It was very hard to do,” Netanyahu said.

“But for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as Prime Minister,” he added.

Netanyahu said Israel’s action was necessary because, in his view, failing to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities would have threatened Israel and other countries.

Because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead,” he said.

He also claimed that Israel’s military action was benefiting countries whose representatives had walked out of the General Assembly.

In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,” Netanyahu said.

He added that some foreign leaders had privately thanked Israel for attacking Iran’s nuclear programme.

“In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes,” he said.

Netanyahu described the reaction as “mind-blowing hypocrisy”, saying, “It’s hard to imagine more mind-blowing hypocrisy, but that’s exactly what it is.”

The Israeli Prime Minister also used his address to recount Israel’s experience during the 1967 Six-Day War and what he described as the country’s longstanding struggle for survival.

He recalled his brother, Yoni Netanyahu, an Israeli paratroop officer who later led the 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue operation in Uganda.

Recalling a conversation with his brother before the Six-Day War, Netanyahu said he had asked him what he thought would happen.

“He paused, and then he said something I’ll never forget. We’re going to win,” Netanyahu said.

He added that his brother told him, “We have no other choice.”

Netanyahu also recalled the 1976 hijacking of an Air France passenger plane to Entebbe, saying Israeli forces later rescued 103 hostages.

“And then, on July 4th, 1976, the Bicentennial of the United States, in one of the most dramatic rescue missions in modern times, Yoni led his brave soldiers to the heart of Africa,” he said.

He added, “Miraculously, they rescued 103 Jewish hostages and brought them all home, every single one of them.”

The walkout was the latest disruption at this year’s UN General Assembly. On Tuesday, the Iranian delegation left the hall during US President Donald Trump’s address after he threatened to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran failed to reach a deal with Washington. The Cuban delegation also later walked out during Trump’s speech.

Netanyahu’s address came amid the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran and international criticism of Israel’s military actions

The Central Bank of The Gambia has ordered commercial banks to replace non-Gambian employees who are not covered by approved expatriate quotas, a move that has sparked criticism over what some observers see as a retreat from West Africa’s free-movement ideals.

The regulator has given banks until 31 December, 2026 to replace the affected workers with qualified Gambian nationals.

The order covers all commercial banks operating in the country, including Nigerian-owned lenders such as Access Bank, FirstBank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Zenith Bank, alongside other regional institutions including Ecobank.

The Central Bank of The Gambia said the decision followed an industry-wide review which found a “relatively high number” of non-Gambian employees working in banks in addition to workers formally recognised as expatriates.

According to the regulator, the practice is inconsistent with The Gambia’s Labour Act 2023 and Guideline 9 governing expatriate employment in the banking industry.

The banks have been directed to identify qualified Gambians who can take over the affected positions, establish succession plans and transfer the necessary skills and institutional knowledge.

The CBG also instructed banks to ensure that the transition does not disrupt banking operations.

However, the directive has drawn criticism from various corners. Gambian commentator, Alpha Bah, questioned the logic of African countries demanding greater freedom of movement for Africans abroad while restricting African workers within the continent.

Bah argued that the treatment of African migrants should be judged by the same principle whether the restriction comes from a Western country or an African government.

Similarly, a Nigeria-based financial analyst and economist, Chukwunonso Ihuoma, asked, “Does The Gambia have enough qualified local talent to replace the affected workers without reducing banks’ efficiency?”

He argued that if qualified local replacements are insufficient, a rushed localisation process can raise costs, disrupt banking operations and weaken regional financial integration.

“This kind of order can raise banks’ transition costs. Clearly, replacing experienced employees within a short period of time requires recruitment, training, compensation changes and knowledge transfer programmes. Those costs may outweigh any savings from reducing expatriate employment,” he said.

An emerging markets analyst, Ike Ibeabuchi, also lampooned the order, saying that loss of specialised expertise may affect efficiency,

He stressed that banking functions such as treasury, cybersecurity, risk management, technology and compliance require specialised experience.

“If qualified local replacements are unavailable, forcing rapid replacement may weaken operational capacity,” he said.

He noted that such an order could disrupt regional banking models, stating that Nigerian banks and other pan-African lenders commonly move experienced employees between subsidiaries.

“Restricting that flexibility could make regional operations more expensive and less efficient,” he said.

“It could increase recruitment costs. If several banks compete for the same pool of qualified Gambian professionals, salaries for scarce skills could rise. That could offset some of the expected savings from localisation,” he argued.

“Again, if multinational and regional banks perceive employment rules as unpredictable or excessively restrictive, they may factor that regulatory risk into future investment and expansion decisions.”

The US Department of State has launched an online portal allowing members of the public to report suspected visa fraud and misuse.

The department said the new tool is designed to provide a convenient and reliable channel for submitting information that could help authorities identify and investigate suspected violations of U.S. visa laws.

According to the State Department, tips from members of the public have helped authorities identify and hold accountable tens of thousands of people suspected of visa fraud during President Donald Trump’s second term.

The department said visa fraud can involve falsified documents or travel plans, sham marriages arranged by brokers, shell companies, fabricated job offers, birth tourism and other schemes intended to obtain entry into the United States through fraudulent means.

It warned that such activities can affect U.S. communities, the economy, American workers, national security and public safety.

The Department of State said its Bureau of Consular Affairs is stepping up fraud detection and prevention efforts under the leadership of Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

It added that those found violating U.S. laws could face consequences including visa revocation and referral to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.

Members of the public with information about suspected visa fraud or misuse are encouraged to submit reports through the department’s official portal.

Iran’s mid-level officials and delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly after United States President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran fails to reach a deal with Washington, while declaring at the United Nations General Assembly that Cuba’s communist government was failing and “will fall”.

Trump made the remarks in a combative address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where he defended the United States’ failing months-long military campaign against Iran and warned that he could escalate the conflict rather than accept a settlement that allows Tehran to recover.

“I have a big decision to make,” Trump told world leaders gathered at the UN headquarters.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?

Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”

Trump nevertheless said he believed a deal with Iran would eventually be reached, but tied his expectation to the US midterm elections.

“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election,” he said.

Trump also sought to distance himself from the electoral consequences of the November midterms, saying he was not personally on the ballot.

“I’m not running. I did that already and won in a landslide. The Republican Party is running, and I’ll be helping them, but I am not running,” he said.

The Iranian delegation walked out of the General Assembly Hall as Trump addressed the conflict, with most of the delegation leaving about 10 minutes into his speech.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York for the UN gathering but were not in the hall during Trump’s address.

Trump devoted much of his roughly 40-minute address to defending his administration’s foreign policy and military actions, portraying the campaign against Iran as necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons and claiming that American military power had altered the balance of power in the region.

He also turned his attention to Cuba, saying his administration was seeking “a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba”.

“It’s an absolutely failed state — it’s failing like never before, and it will fall,” Trump said.

The Cuban delegation subsequently walked out of the General Assembly Hall.

Reuters reported that Trump said the Cuban government was under the greatest pressure it had ever faced and that his administration expected its political system to fall.

Trump’s remarks contrasted sharply with the emphasis on diplomacy from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who addressed the assembly shortly before him.

Lula said the wars and escalating tensions confronting the international community could not be resolved through military force alone.

“We all know there will be no winners on the battlefield,” Lula said in Portuguese. “Diplomacy is the only option.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also urged world leaders to strengthen international cooperation rather than retreat into confrontation.

“Military power alone cannot secure peace,” Guterres said in his opening address to the gathering.

culled from The Punch 

US President Donald Trump has announced that artificial intelligence will henceforth be referred to as “Super Intelligence”, saying the new term is a more accurate description of the technology.

Trump made the announcement on Tuesday while delivering his opening remarks at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said the United States rejected efforts to establish a global framework to control artificial intelligence, adding that the technology would now officially be called “Super Intelligence”.

“The United States also totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control for the artificial intelligence being spoken of so much now, hereinafter officially called Super Intelligence, changing the name,” Trump said.

He explained that the word “artificial” made the technology sound fake despite its capabilities.

In that the use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake. It makes it sound fake, and it is not fake. It’s actually amazing, but we have to be careful,” he said.

Trump said US government documents would be changed to use “Super Intelligence” instead of “Artificial Intelligence”, expressing hope that other countries would adopt the term.

In fact, it is exactly the opposite of what it purports. From this point forward, all of United States documents, and hopefully the world’s, will be changed to use the much more accurate term: Super, as opposed to artificial. So, it’s Super Intelligence,” he said.

He added, “In other words, welcome to the new world of Super Intelligence, SI. SI. Let’s see if that goes. It sounds much better, it is much better, and it’s much more accurate. Let’s see if I have any power. Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t. We’re going to find out pretty soon.”

Trump’s announcement came days after he asked his social media followers to vote on a new name for artificial intelligence,proposing “Superior Intelligence”, “Extreme Intelligence” and “Supreme Intelligence” as alternatives.

In his post, Trump had argued that the term “Artificial Intelligence” was inaccurate and “very ineloquent”, asking followers to choose what he described as a more elegant and accurate description of the technology.

US television networks staged an extraordinary revolt Monday when they effectively boycotted coverage of President Donald Trump in protest at his decision to ban three leading outlets from the White House.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico also went to court after Trump on Friday ordered them to be barred, as the 80-year-old Republican stepped up his years-long assault on the US media.

In a rare move, the top five US broadcasters said on Monday that they were halting “pool” coverage of the White House — where a broadcaster films on behalf of all television outlets for the day — in solidarity with CNN.

CNN had been scheduled to serve Monday as the White House TV pool.

The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting,” ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said in a statement.

The move means there will be no television coverage of Trump’s trip on Monday to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he was due to meet a series of foreign leaders.

– Media ‘like cancer’ –

The lawsuit filed by CNN, MS NOW seeks the immediate overturning of the ban and a ruling that it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which upholds the right to free speech.

This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” the organizations said in a court filing.

Trump was unrepentant, branding the media a “cancer” and a threat to national security.

“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.

“It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.”

Vice President JD Vance — a former CNN commentator before his move into politics — accused the outlets of disseminating “left-wing propaganda.”

They can still report. They still have the access to free speech. They’re just not going to get an office in the White House anymore,” he told reporters.

– Press passes confiscated –

Trump’s sudden announcement of the ban on Friday stunned the media — and reportedly many in his own administration.

Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday and had their passes confiscated.

The outlets said the White House revoked their journalists’ credentials “without notice or process” because it “objected to our reporting.”

“Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” they said in their joint statement.

Trump has not detailed what prompted the ban, but said in response to a question from an AFP reporter in the Oval Office on Friday that it was “really just cumulative stories over the last two years.”

“They want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration,” Trump added.

Trump warned Friday that other outlets could face a similar fate, without saying which.

CNN reported that Trump’s close aide Natalie Harp had showed him clips of media coverage last week — including a graphic from Politico — before he announced the ban.

The billionaire former reality TV star has long attacked media outlets that have aired critical coverage of his campaigns and administrations, repeatedly blasting the press as the “enemy of the people.”

AFP

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, younger brother of Dubai’s Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has passed away.

He died on Monday, according to a tweet via the official X handle of the Government of Dubai Media Office.

Ahmed died at the age of 76, according to The Independent on Monday.

The Vice President’s office also declared an official mourning period and the lowering of flags in Dubai for ten days.

With hearts steadfast in faith in the decree and destiny of God, the Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai—may God protect him—mourns the forgiven one, by the permission of God Almighty, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who has passed to the mercy of his Lord this morning, Monday.

The Office has declared an official mourning period and the lowering of flags in Dubai for ten days, commencing from this Monday.

“Indeed, to God we belong, and to Him we shall return,” the tweet read.

Mohammed, who is also the UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, paid tribute to his brother in a statement.

“May Allah have mercy on Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. May Allah have mercy on you, my brother. You are now with our Lord, the Most Generous, the Almighty,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote.

“You are gone from our sight, Ahmed, but never from our prayers or our hearts,” read the statement.

The Independent reported that Ahmed served as deputy chair of Dubai Police and Public Security.

It said he was a prominent figure in international horse racing, owning high-profile British racehorses including Mtoto and Addeybb, as well as the Jebel Ali racecourse in Dubai.

The Dubai Racing Club paid tribute to his decades of dedicated service and lasting legacy in UAE sports and equestrianism, the report stated.

Italy will ban burqas and niqabs in schools and limit the number of foreign students per class, far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Sunday.

Italy is a frontline country for migration, and integration is a major campaign issue ahead of a general election next year.

“A measure will soon be presented to a cabinet meeting to legally establish a maximum number of foreign students per class,” Meloni told a gathering of the youth wing of her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.

“It also requires parents of foreign students facing serious difficulties integrating into the school system to learn Italian, and bans burqas and niqabs in schools,” she said.

A crackdown on the use of burqas in schools was called for in July by the National Future (FN) party.

The FN, which is not part of the governing coalition, is further to the right than Meloni’s and has emerged as a major challenger, rising sharply in the polls since launching in February.

While there is no law in Italy that expressly bans burqas, either in schools or in public places, a 1975 law prohibits the use of helmets or garments that make identification difficult without a justified reason.

In 2008, Italy’s highest administrative court clarified that full-face veils may be worn for religious or cultural reasons provided that the face is revealed when identity verification is required.

The anti-immigrant League party, which is part of Meloni’s coalition, submitted a bill to the Senate earlier this year that would ban helmets or garments except for in certain circumstances, such as sporting events or places of worship.

The limit on the number of foreign students per class already exists under Italian law, and Meloni did not spell out how that would change.

Foreign students account for just under 12% of those enrolled in Italian schools, according to the National Statistics Institute (ISTAT).

Since 2010 the number of foreign students has been limited to 30 percent of a class and of a school’s enrolment.

The limit can be raised in cases involving foreign students with adequate language skills, such as foreign students born in Italy, or lowered when foreign students have a poor command of Italian.

AFP

Indonesia’s state-owned oil company, Pertamina, is considering investment opportunities in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector, including producing assets and projects nearing final investment decisions, as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission moves to attract more international capital into the industry.

The development followed discussions between the NUPRC Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arif Oegroseno, and Pertamina’s Vice-President, Upstream Business Development, Toriq Abdat.

The talks focused on investment opportunities in Nigeria and broader cooperation between the two countries as they seek to strengthen energy security and increase domestic oil production.

According to a statement by the NUPRC Head of Corporate Communications and Media, Eniola Akinkuotu, on Sunday, Eyesan said Nigeria and Indonesia had similar priorities, particularly in energy security, resource utilisation and attracting investment.

The discussions also came against the backdrop of efforts by both countries to increase oil production. Nigeria is targeting three million barrels per day by 2030, compared with current output of about 1.6 million to 1.7 million barrels per day.

Indonesia, which produces about 600,000 barrels per day, is also seeking to increase output and has acknowledged the need to look beyond its domestic fields to meet its energy requirements.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has opened discussions with Indonesia on petroleum investments even as the Indonesian national oil company Pertamina signalled an interest in the upcoming 2026 licensing round.”

Explaining Pertamina’s international expansion strategy, Abdat said the company was already seeking opportunities in several countries as declining domestic production and the changing nature of discoveries pushed it to expand abroad.

“We have been given a mandate to expand our business internationally; we are now in other countries outside Indonesia. In Indonesia, we are producing only around 600,000 barrels. We are working on exploration towards deepwater, but we found more gas than oil. That is why we go outside Indonesia, Malaysia, then the Middle East, Iraq and Nigeria,” he said.

Abdat said Pertamina was particularly interested in assets that could deliver production relatively quickly, including existing producing fields and projects close to production.

We would like to be in projects with governments. Producing assets, or near production, or before FID. Now we are looking at how we can help you reach the 3 million, and also help us provide more energy for our own consumption,” he said.

Responding, Eyesan said Nigeria also had an ambitious production target and was using regular licensing rounds as one of the measures to expand investment and increase output.

“We have very aggressive targets, 3 million barrels per day by 2030, and today we are at 1.6, 1.7. We are committed to the objective and the licensing round is one of the strategies we are utilising,” she said.

The NUPRC has increasingly positioned licensing rounds as a regular source of new acreage for investors rather than an occasional exercise. The Commission said the latest round attracted about 300 companies to 50 available assets, with 196 applicants qualifying for the bidding stage. At the close of bidding, 143 companies submitted 200 bids covering 37 assets.

NUPRC subsequently announced 31 successful companies for 37 oil and gas blocks, while 13 of the 50 blocks on offer received no bids. The blocks cut across onshore, shallow-water, deep offshore and frontier basins, including the Benue Trough, Chad Basin, Anambra Basin and Benin Basin.

The Commission has also said that Nigeria’s acreage administration will continue to provide predictable and periodic access to opportunities.

The Indonesian delegation noted that it is exploring other opportunities outside crude oil and gas. The national oil company is building a fertiliser plant to reduce its dependence on Middle Eastern supply, and disruptions during the current global conflict.

Food security relates to oil and gas because phosphate and the elements that make fertilizer, the Indonesian delegation said. Nigeria, for its part, is diversifying its own phosphate sourcing, including a long-term transatlantic pipeline project with Morocco to serve West Africa. Nigeria has also simplified fertiliser distribution rules that once ran to about 160 layers of regulation.

Both sides thus agreed to keep the commercial and diplomatic tracks running in parallel.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is warning people not to fall for scams that promise guaranteed immigration results or special selection programs.

In a public advisory on its X handle on Saturday, the department stressed that no lottery, shortcut, or secret program exists that can guarantee anyone will be selected to immigrate to Canada.

IRCC added that no individual or organisation can promise faster processing, priority treatment, or approval of an immigration application.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” the advisory states.

IRCC urged applicants to protect themselves by taking three key steps:

Obtain information about immigration programs only from official Government of Canada sources, be wary of anyone asking for money in exchange for a guaranteed result, and never make payments or provide personal information unless using an official IRCC platform.

The department noted that scammers frequently target people through social media, emails, and phone calls with false claims of special programs or expedited services in return for fees.

Only authorized IRCC officers can decide immigration applications, and decisions are based solely on eligibility criteria.

“Applicants are advised to verify all information on the official Canada.ca website and to report any suspicious offers,” IRCC added.

US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David to return unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday, as tensions rose in the Middle East.

There was no explanation from the administration why Trump was no longer returning on Sunday from Camp David, a secluded presidential complex in rural Maryland, as had been previously announced.

However, it is not uncommon for White House travel to change on weekends, including for weather reasons. Forecasts showed rain and thunderstorms in the hilly Camp David area on Sunday.

The change in plan came as the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday that the Iran-backed group fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh at dawn, after a fire broke out near the Saudi capital’s international airport.

The State Department and a string of US embassies issued security alerts to Americans.

The alerts cited “the potential for unforeseen escalation” and noted that “Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports.”

“This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the State Department warning said. “Americans outside the Middle East should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region.

AFP

A Pakistani care worker on a student visa has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping a bedbound woman in Bristol, United Kingdom.

Fazli Qadeer, 25, from Peshawar, followed his brother to Bristol to study at university and worked as a carer.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Qadeer learned that the family of an elderly service user would be away and attended the bedbound woman’s home during a shift, GB News reported Saturday.

He climbed onto her bed, told her he “loved her” and “wanted to marry her”, before kissing her on the lips, touching her breasts and subjecting her to a sustained sexual attack, including oral rape.

Qadeer denied raping the woman and, during the trial, claimed that she had sexually assaulted him.

He was convicted of rape at Bristol Crown Court and sentenced to 12 years in prison

At the sentencing, his barrister, Jemima Lovatt, said Qadeer had written a letter of apology following his conviction

She said he had described growing up in “difficult circumstances around a lot of violence and a culture of fear”.

Lovatt also told the court that Qadeer had disclosed to his family since his conviction that he had been a victim of rape as a child.

The defence lawyer said the victim had treated Qadeer with “friendliness” and argued that his “cultural background meant he didn’t understand those manners and behaviours”.

She also asked the court to consider his “background and cultural upbringing” in understanding how the offending occurred.

However, Recorder Sarah Regan told Qadeer that he had been of “previous good character” but said it was “difficult to fathom your motive for this attack other than to consider that you did it just because you could”.

The court heard that several character references described Qadeer’s charitable work and efforts to “make life better for many”.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said the attack had left her suffering from “severe nightmares” and unable to sleep.

She said she was frightened by noises and feared that Qadeer would return and kill her.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she had begun questioning male friends she had known for a lifetime and had been prescribed diazepam for stress.

She said Qadeer had “taken away my freedom”.

“We still don’t know if he did it to anyone else before but I know I have stopped it from happening again,” she said.

Qadeer is also subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting the woman.

The Home Office is expected to review his immigration status after he completes his prison sentence.

Badenoch made the comment in an interview with the BBC, according to GB News on Saturday.

Spencer’s Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which is being serialised by the Daily Mail ahead of its publication, contains several claims about Charles and his relationship with Diana.

Among the claims, Spencer alleges that Charles told him days after Diana’s death in 1997: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”

He also claimed the King was “giddily elated” after hearing of Diana’s death.

Badenoch, when asked about the row, said: “I have a side and it’s always on the side of His Majesty.”

The Conservative leader also referred to a statement issued by Buckingham Palace in response to the allegations.

“I would reiterate exactly what it was that the King himself had said or certainly Buckingham Palace said on his behalf,” she said.

“Buckingham Palace said it did not comment on books “as a matter of principle”, but added that the King was mindful that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”

Spencer has defended the claims, insisting that he was “telling the truth” about what he said Charles told him.

Asked about the Palace’s response, Spencer said: “They’ve sort of smudged that one, haven’t they? They’ve said that recollections may vary.”

He also rejected suggestions that the King’s alleged comments had been misrepresented.

“I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said,” Spencer said.

Former royal correspondent Charles Rae, speaking to GB News, said he was “shocked and astonished” by Spencer’s allegations.

The then-Prince of Wales was grief-stricken and devastated [following Diana’s death], and I would be utterly, utterly shocked and surprised if he said anything at all like the allegations that he has made, about the mother of his two sons,” Rae said.

US President Donald Trump said Friday he was banning news outlets CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing them without specifics of reporting “fiction and lies.”

Trump added that “other Fake News Media Outlets” would face a similar fate, but did not say which ones.

The move drew immediate accusations that it was unconstitutional and would be thrown out by the courts.

I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW… and Politico… from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Trump did not say what had prompted the move but added that “media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America.”

Later in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters: “I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they’re going to write false stories all the time.”

“It’s really just cumulative stories over the last two years.

“You get sick of it,” he said. “They’re smart people, but they purposely write negative news, and they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration.”

It is extremely rare for US presidents to outright bar news outlets from the White House, although Trump banned a CNN reporter in his first term and Richard Nixon put restrictions on The Washington Post over its reporting on the Watergate scandal.

But in his second term, Trump’s administration has put stricter controls on reporters, including taking control of which journalists can cover events as part of the “pool” admitted to tight spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.

Last year, Trump barred The Associated Press from some events because of the news agency’s decision to continue referring to the “Gulf of Mexico” — and not the “Gulf of America” as decreed by Trump.

For the time being, reporters for Politico and CNN were still in the White House press room following Trump’s announcement.

– ‘Flatly unconstitutional’ –

Both of the 80-year-old president’s White House terms have seen him lash out repeatedly at media whose coverage displeases him.

Trump has filed multiple defamation suits against news outlets, attacked the press on Truth Social and verbally assaulted several reporters, notably women.

Trump’s surprise announcement on Friday comes at a time when his approval ratings are at record lows and his Republican Party risks losing control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

The war in Iran and rising prices, particularly at the gas pump, are among the factors that have contributed to his sinking political fortunes.

Bruce Brown, president of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said a ban on the media outlets would be “flatly unconstitutional.”

“The First Amendment is clear that once the White House invites in some journalists, it can’t ban others because it doesn’t like their reporting,” Brown said. “This is textbook viewpoint discrimination and will be quickly struck down by the courts if challenged.”

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused the United States of escalating regional tensions through frequent military drills and warned of a “more offensive” response from Pyongyang, according to a statement published by state media Friday.

“The present situation, in which new records are set in terms of practical action hostile toward the DPRK, stresses the need to break records in our responsive action, proportional or more offensive in its nature,” the KCNA news agency quoted Kim Yo Jong as saying, using North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Referring to joint military drills held in recent months by US forces and allies in the Asia-Pacific region as a “US-led war rehearsal,” Kim vowed that “our will to defend our sovereignty will be expressed in clearer action and there will be never ever change in the course of intensifying the nuclear war deterrence.”

I remind the enemy once again that if it is judged that the supreme interests of our nation and its military sovereignty and security environment in the region have been seriously violated by their military maneuvers,” Kim went on, North Korea’s military will “mobilize all means available to cope with it.”

AFP

Nigerians applying to study or visit Canada are facing longer estimated processing times, following the latest update by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

The processing time for study permits submitted from Nigeria increased from nine weeks to 10 weeks as of September 16, according to the latest figures released by IRCC.

The estimated processing time for visitor visas also increased from 84 days to 87 days.

The figures, compiled by CIC News, were contained in IRCC’s latest temporary residence processing-time update, published on September 16.

However, the estimated processing time for work permits submitted from Nigeria remained unchanged at 10 weeks.

For super visa applicants in Nigeria, the estimated processing time increased from 44 days to 46 days.

IRCC updates its temporary residence processing estimates weekly. The figures are estimates of how long it may take to process an application and are not fixed deadlines or guarantees.

The department said processing times could vary depending on factors including the type of application, the volume of applications being processed and the complexity of individual cases.

For visitor visa applications, IRCC said processing may also take longer where applicants are asked to provide additional documents, attend an interview, undergo a medical examination or submit a police certificate.

The latest figures show that applicants from some other countries also experienced changes in processing times.

For study permits, the estimate for applicants in Canada increased from seven to eight weeks, while those applying from India, Pakistan, the United States and the Philippines remained unchanged.

For visitor visas, applicants from Pakistan saw an increase from 73 to 75 days, while the estimate for India fell from 31 to 29 days.

The processing time for super visas in Nigeria rose slightly, while the estimate for applicants in the United States increased from 66 to 116 days. Applicants from Pakistan, however, saw their estimate fall from 132 to 95 days.

IRCC said processing times are different from its service standards, which are targets for how quickly it aims to process applications under normal circumstances.

The department also cautioned that individual applications could take either longer or shorter than the published estimates.

IRCC’s processing-time tool is updated regularly and applicants can use it to check the latest estimates for their application type and country.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued the invitations in its latest targeted Express Entry draw on Wednesday, allowing eligible candidates to move forward with their permanent residence applications.

Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 389 to receive an invitation.

IRCC’s latest selection focused specifically on candidates with Canadian work experience in senior management occupations.

Foreign nationals already in Canada who have applied for permanent residence through Express Entry may be eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).

A BOWP can allow eligible applicants to continue working in Canada while they wait for a decision on their permanent residence application.

According to the information provided by IRCC, applicants whose current work permits expire while their BOWP applications are being processed may benefit from maintained status.

Under maintained status, eligible applicants who remain in Canada can continue working under the conditions of their previous work permit while awaiting a decision.

Eligible family members may also be able to apply for work permits, depending on their individual circumstances and the applicable requirements.

The latest draw provides another pathway for eligible senior managers with Canadian work experience to pursue permanent residence through Canada’s Express Entry system.

Kardashian had been staying at the Hôtel de Pourtalès when two members of the robbery gang, dressed as police officers, forced their way into her suite, bound her with zip ties and tape, and stole more than $6m worth of jewellery.

As reported by The Associated Press on Wednesday, the court’s decision came after eight people were found guilty last year for their roles in the robbery, which Kardashian described as “the most terrifying experience of my life.”

Kardashian and her stylist, Simone Harouche, expressed gratitude to the French justice system in a joint statement

The experience was deeply traumatic, and its impact has stayed with us. Today’s decision is not about the compensation, but about accountability and recognition.

“We are thankful to the Court and everyone who supported us throughout this process, and we hope to now move forward and continue to heal,” the statement to AP read.

According to AP, the court also awarded 109,516 euros ($126,472) to a former receptionist at the hotel, according to his lawyer.

He had sought 550,000 euros ($634,868) in damages and interest over the trauma he suffered during the October 2, 2016, robbery.

The receptionist’s lawyer, Mohand Ouidja, welcomed the decision as a victory.

The court awarded one euro to Harouche, who was present during the robbery.

The robbers made away with more than $6m in jewellery, including a diamond ring Kardashian had worn that night to a Givenchy show.

The robbers became known in France as “les papys braqueurs,” or the grandpa robbers, because of their ages. Six of those tried were in their 60s and 70s and faced charges including armed robbery, kidnapping and gang association.

With time already served in pretrial detention, none of those found guilty returned to prison. None appealed the verdict.

Following their conviction, Kardashian said she was “deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case.”

The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family.

“While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice and promoting a fair legal system,” the celebrity said.

The US federal government is on track to approve a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel, US media reported Tuesday, with the sale of 40,000 one-ton bombs among the largest munitions packages sold in recent years.

The Washington Post said the package — funded with US taxpayer dollars — featured some of the most destructive munitions in Western arsenals, including 20,000 MK-84s, 20,000 BLU-117s, and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads.

The New York Times said the administration of US President Donald Trump had approved the sale, citing a US official.

A senior administration official told AFP that “all foreign arms sales are moving through the appropriate process,” but wouldn’t comment on pending transactions.

Meanwhile, a State Department spokesperson told AFP that “as a matter of policy, the Department does not confirm or comment on proposed arms sales until they have been formally notified to Congress.”

The deal was reported amid an ongoing munitions shortage within the US military, with stocks rapidly depleting from the war with Iran and with the US spending $22.3 billion on munitions between February 28 and June 30.

In February 2025, the Trump administration had approved the sale of more than $7.4 billion in bombs, missiles and related equipment to Israel, including MK-84 munitions.

In response to concerns over civilian deaths in Gaza, former US President Joe Biden’s administration had blocked a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, but the Trump Administration approved them after taking office in early 2025.

AFP

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a Mexican methamphetamine kingpin, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, while attempting to flee Nigeria through the Lagos airport.

The agency also dismantled another industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State.

A statement on Tuesday by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the NDLEA Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), disclosed this in Lagos while briefing journalists on the agency’s latest operation.

Marwa said the operation followed months of investigation into a transnational drug network linked to clandestine laboratories uncovered in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.

He recalled that the agency had on May 16, 2026, arrested three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerian collaborators at a forest hideout in Ogun State.

He added that on June 17, another Mexican national, 56-year-old Jose Villa Ochoa, and four Nigerian collaborators were arrested at a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in a forested part of Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

According to Marwa, investigations into the Oyo operation established that Ochoa had been recruited into Nigeria by Loaiza.

He said international collaboration enabled NDLEA investigators to obtain a photograph of Loaiza, which Ochoa positively identified as the person who recruited and brought him into Nigeria.

Marwa stated that intelligence also showed that Loaiza entered Nigeria on June 10, 2026, alongside another Mexican national, Jose Ceballos Perez.

He said Loaiza was subsequently tracked and arrested on August 19, 2026, while attempting to leave the country through the Lagos airport.

” On August 19, 2026, our operatives tracked down and arrested Arturo Carrera Loaiza attempting to flee the country through the Lagos airport. During interrogation, he claimed he had been invited to Nigeria by a Nigerian contact, identified only as “Henry,” under the guise of a restaurant business venture, and denied any knowledge of methamphetamine manufacturing or involvement with the Tapa village laboratory.

“During interrogation, he claimed he had been invited to Nigeria by a Nigerian contact, identified only as ‘Henry,’ under the guise of a restaurant business venture, and denied any knowledge of methamphetamine manufacturing or involvement with the Tapa village laboratory,” Marwa said.

However, he said investigators recovered images of Loaiza wearing a blue laboratory coat and standing among equipment consistent with methamphetamine production.

He added that analysis of the location metadata in the images led investigators to a property under construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi, Ebonyi State.

On 30th August 2026, our operatives moved on the Ebonyi State property, linked to one John Samuel Ivo Okike,” he said.

Marwa said interviews with the site engineer and caretaker revealed the construction of a suspicious temporary structure over the septic tank area at the rear of the building, as well as persistent strong chemical odours from the premises.

He said a CCTV memory card recovered from the property provided further evidence, as footage showed a foreign national wearing a blue laboratory coat, matching Loaiza’s image, as well as repeated appearances by Okike.

“Critically, the footage captured, at about 9:00 p.m. on 21st August 2026, the movement of chemicals and laboratory equipment out of the property, with John Samuel Ivo Okike seen directing the operation alongside others assisting in the relocation,” Marwa stated.

He said further intelligence led operatives to an isolated house in a neighbouring community where the relocated materials were kept under the custody of one Nwanja Obasi. A subsequent raid, according to him, led to the recovery of substantial quantities of methamphetamine-related chemicals, laboratory equipment and paraphernalia.

The recovered items included 442.8kg of acetone, 37.1kg of toluene, 20kg of an acetone/bromobenzene mixture, 1.7kg of ethanol, 5.1kg of chloride salt, 31.5kg of hydrochloric acid, 200kg of P2B and 1kg of tartaric acid.

Other items recovered included a dehydrator containing a white cloth sieve embedded with loose methamphetamine, three additional empty dehydrators, condensing units, a condenser head, a condenser, a fabricated reaction pot, an access pump, weighing scales, mixers, drums, gas burners, gloves and a blue laboratory coat.

Marwa said the recovery, together with the CCTV footage, forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts, had strengthened the case against those linked to the network.

He warned that the country would not become a safe haven for international drug cartels seeking to relocate their operations to Nigeria.

“Let me be unequivocal, Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels seeking to relocate their laboratories from other jurisdictions into our forests and rural communities. The arrest of Arturo Carrera Loaiza and the dismantling of the Ebonyi State facility, coming so soon after the Ogun and Oyo State operations, demonstrate that this Agency’s intelligence and forensic capabilities are more than a match for these syndicates, however sophisticated they may believe themselves to be.”

The NDLEA boss commended operatives of the Special Operations Unit, Strike Force, Forensics, and the Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi State Commands for their roles in the operations.

He vowed that the agency would continue to pursue every lead until the full network, its financiers and local enablers were brought to justice.

A Malian journalist was sentenced on Monday to two years in prison following remarks during a TV programme about his west African nation’s security situation.

Abderhamane Keita, an editor at the daily Le Temoin paper, was taken into custody in early June for “undermining national unity and the credibility of the state” and “publishing and disseminating false or misleading information”.

He was prosecuted after asserting on a TV programme focused on the security situation in Mali that the northern city of Kidal was being run by the leader of the jihadist group JNIM.

Since late April, the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and its Tuareg separatist allies have waged a series of attacks aimed at weakening the country’s junta rulers.

This has included taking Kidal and assassinating the minister of defence in April.

Keita appeared before the country’s national cybercrime unit last week, with his verdict announced Monday.

His lawyer told AFP that they would appeal the decision.

The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called Keita’s conviction “unjust” and a “new way of criminalising journalism”.

The head of the group’s sub-Saharan Africa bureau, Sadibou Marong, said it “sends out a particularly troubling signal to media professionals in Mali and the region”.

Mali’s authorities, RSF added, should “put an end to the use of the justice system against journalists”.

Mali has been wracked since 2012 by a serious security crisis, notably fuelled by violence from jihadists allied to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, along with criminal gangs and armed separatists.

In recent years Mali’s junta, which came to power in two successive coups in 2020 and 2021, has taken numerous measures against the press and critical voices.

Authorities have also dissolved political parties and banned associations’ political activities.

AFP

A Russian businessman with ties to the Kremlin paid for celebrations after the wedding of President Donald Trump’s eldest son and his new bride, the couple confirmed on Monday.

Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Trump said in a jointly signed post on Bettina’s Instagram account that their “dear friend” Umar Kremlev “very generously hosted two incredible nights” of festivities in the Bahamas in May.

The confirmation came after the ProPublica investigative website reported that Kremlev footed the bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars for the parties.

It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful,” said the post by Bettina and Don Jr.

President Trump did not attend the wedding or the festivities, saying he had to stay in Washington during talks on the Iran war.

Kremlev is head of the International Boxing Association (IBA), with which the International Olympic Committee severed links after repeated warnings over financial governance and ethical concerns.

– Putin ties –

Russian President Vladimir Putin presented Kremlev with the “Order of Friendship” award in April 2026, according to an IBA press release, which featured a photo of Putin and Kremlev shaking hands.

“During the ceremony, the Russian President praised the IBA’s resilience in supporting athletes despite political pressures,” the IBA statement said.

The IBA website also featured photos of Donald Trump Jr. on stage with Kremlev at an event in Istanbul in September 2025.

Bettina Trump’s Instagram post was accompanied by 20 photos including one of the newlywed couple on a beach, and others of President Trump’s other children Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump.

It’s unfortunate that something so personal and happy can be recast as something political or sinister simply because of who someone is or where they come from,” the post added

ProPublica posted a group photo from the wedding that it said showed the top of Kremlev’s head.

According to Russian investigative media outlet Proekt, Kremlev is a Tajik native who worked as a mid-level boxing promoter and cultivated links with the Federal Protective Service (FSO), whose role is to protect high level officials in Russia.

Kremlev is also a member of the pro-Kremlin Night Wolves biker club, it reported.

Members of the Night Wolves rode down en masse to Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula just after it was annexed by Russia in March 2014 and members have also fought side by side with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

AFP

Canada government has warned newcomers and immigrants about common scams involving people pretending to be immigration officials and demanding money or personal information.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said newcomers should learn how to identify fraudulent calls, emails and messages, particularly those involving threats of deportation or demands for immediate payment.

According to the government, there are seven things IRCC employees will never demand from immigrants.

1. Deposit money into a personal bank account

IRCC employees will never ask an immigrant to deposit immigration fees or other payments into a personal bank account.

Newcomers should be suspicious of anyone claiming to represent the Canadian government who provides a personal bank account for payment.

2. Make an urgent payment

Immigration officials will never rush people into paying fees immediately.

Scammers may create a sense of urgency by claiming that an application will be rejected or an immigration status will be affected unless payment is made immediately.

IRCC advises newcomers to verify such claims through official government channels before making any payment.

3. Pay through gift cards or money transfer services

IRCC employees will never ask people to pay immigration fees using prepaid credit cards, gift cards, Western Union, MoneyGram or similar services.

Government processing fees can be paid through the official payment channels provided by IRCC.

4. Threaten arrest or deportation over unpaid fees

Scammers may pose as immigration officials and threaten victims with arrest, deportation or police action if they do not immediately pay money

IRCC says its employees will not threaten to arrest or deport people, or send police to arrest them or harm their families, over unpaid fees.

The government specifically warns that threats of deportation over outstanding fees are a scam.

5. Offer special immigration deals

Immigration officials will never offer special deals to people seeking to immigrate to Canada.

Newcomers should be cautious of anyone claiming they can provide a special immigration arrangement or guarantee a favourable outcome.

The Canadian government also warns that no one can guarantee a job, visa or permanent residence in Canada.

6. Promise special treatment for extra payment

IRCC employees will not promise that an immigration application will be approved or receive special attention because an applicant sends additional money or information.

Anyone demanding extra payment in exchange for faster processing or guaranteed approval should therefore be treated with caution.

7. Contact applicants through free email or social media

IRCC employees will not use free email services such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, or social media platforms, to contact people about immigration matters.

The government also warns that scammers can manipulate caller ID, meaning a phone number that appears to belong to a government agency may not actually be genuine.

Newcomers should therefore verify unexpected calls and messages through official government channels.

Canada warns newcomers about other scams

The government also highlighted other fraud schemes targeting newcomers, including phishing emails and text messages, fake computer virus alerts, fraudulent prizes and contests, and tax scams.

In phishing scams, victims may receive messages containing links to websites designed to steal banking information, passwords or other personal details.

Canada advises people not to click suspicious links or provide personal information if they are unsure who sent the message.

Newcomers should also be wary of messages claiming they have won a prize in a contest they never entered.

Iran’s nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN’s nuclear agency in Vienna after US pressure, both Washington and Tehran said.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed to reporters that Washington had applied pressure to stop Mohammad Eslami from entering Austria, saying “he’s a sanctioned individual and we don’t want sanctioned individuals evading their sanctions”.

“He asked for a waiver of the sanctions and it was denied.”

Iranian state TV said Eslami and a delegation “took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States”.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, a senior official from Iran’s nuclear agency, accused the US of “bullying political pressure” and said the block set a precedent that would affect everybody.

The Austrian foreign ministry told AFP it had requested an exemption for Mohammad Eslami, who is covered by a UN travel ban, but that the Security Council rejected it “due to a lack of consensus”.

A diplomatic source in Vienna had told AFP earlier that US pressure was behind the entry refusal.

Eslami was due to attend the annual general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog, which runs until Friday.

Eslami attended last year’s event and delivered a speech there on behalf of Iran, a member state of the IAEA, despite the sanctions against him already being in place.

Tehran summoned Austria’s charge d’affaires in response to the decision to bar Eslami.

“The Austrian government’s refusal to issue visas to the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a completely unjustified decision,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at a press conference in Tehran attended by AFP.

“It is clear to us that this incident occurred under American pressure, but that does not absolve the Austrian government of responsibility.”

The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28.

For decades, Western powers have accused the Islamic republic of seeking nuclear weapons, a claim that Tehran categorically denies.

AFP

Vowles succeeds Richard Montgomery, who served as the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe on Monday.

“I am hugely excited to be in Nigeria. My first priority is to listen and learn – to travel, meet people and immerse myself in this extraordinary country, its culture and its energy,” Vowles said.

He added that the UK-Nigeria relationship was built largely on strong people-to-people ties, saying he looked forward to working with partners across the country to strengthen bilateral relations.

The UK and Nigeria have a deep and enduring partnership, built above all on the connections between our people. I’m looking forward to discovering Nigeria for myself and working with partners across the country to build on that relationship and see what more we can achieve together,” he said.

Vowles, who was announced as the UK’s next High Commissioner to Nigeria on June 16, 2026, brings extensive diplomatic and development experience to the position.

He most recently served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe and had previously held senior leadership positions within the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

He also served as Britain’s Ambassador to Myanmar and held diplomatic and development postings in Bangladesh, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.

His arrival comes as Nigeria and the UK continue to maintain extensive diplomatic, economic, security and development ties, with both countries also linked by a large Nigerian diaspora community in Britain.

Leaders of the main Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh nationalist parties on Monday declared their right to choose whether to remain in the UK or not at a rare meeting in the Welsh capital Cardiff.

All three parties — the Scottish National Party (SNP), Plaid Cymru in Wales and the pro-Irish unity Sinn Fein — want to break away from the UK.

The meeting came just days after US President Donald Trump waded in, saying he would back a united Ireland, which Northern Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill said showed “the unity debate is very much alive”.

“Our nations have the right to self-determination. No Westminster government (the UK government) has the right to block democracy or undermine the principle that our people will decide their own future,” a memorandum of understanding stated.

SNP leader John Swinney, Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru in Wales and Mary Lou McDonald and O’Neill, leader and deputy leader of pro-Irish unity Sinn Fein met in their capacity as party leaders, rather than as officials in their respective governments.

O’Neill is also Northern Ireland’s first minister while Iorwerth and Swinney are first ministers of their respective nations.

Announcing the agreement, Swinney said the three parties were “absolutely united by that principle of self-determination”, adding that this “lies at the heart of the agreement that we have signed today”.

For the first time ever, people across these islands have first ministers in Scotland, in Wales and in the North of Ireland who are all committed to independence from the United Kingdom,” the memorandum of understanding said.

“The future of our nations belongs in the European Union.”

The independence parties are the biggest in both the Scottish and Welsh parliaments for the first time since devolution measures began in 1999. Sinn Fein has been the biggest party in Northern Ireland’s assembly since 2022.

The regional parliaments have key powers on health, education, housing, transport and environment matters, along with some tax gathering.

Momentum’ –

“For people watching across these islands — for people watching around the world — there could be no clearer sign that Westminster’s time is coming to an end,” the agreement said.

While the three parties are united in their desire to break away from the UK they have varying positions on how and when this might take place.

The SNP wants a second independence referendum after an earlier ballot in 2014 saw Scotland narrowly vote to remain part of Britain. Successive UK governments have ruled out an immediate rerun.

Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the paramilitary Irish Republican Army (IRA), wants to see a vote on Ireland being reunified with the UK territory Northern Ireland.

Plaid Cymru seeks Welsh independence in the longer term but Iorwerth has ruled out pressing for any referendum immediately.

Good Friday Agreement –

In Northern Ireland, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham sparked a sharp response from Sinn Fein in August, shortly after taking power the previous month, when he said a referendum on Irish unity was “off the table”.

The 1998 Good Friday peace agreement which largely ended three decades of conflict over British rule provides for a referendum if the British government’s Northern Ireland minister believes a majority is likely to favour joining the Republic of Ireland.

Sinn Fein leader McDonald said the prime minister had no authority to “remove any provision of the Good Friday Agreement”, and Burnham backtracked in parliament last week.

On Scotland, Burnham — a former mayor of Manchester and a strong advocate of giving greater power to English local authorities — told lawmakers there could be another vote if there was a “clear consensus” north of the border for it.

He reportedly sent a letter to Swinney later clarifying that a referendum remained “off limits”.

AFP

Beijing rejected on Monday “groundless” reports that Chinese entities supplied Tehran with satellite images of a military base housing US troops in Jordan, before and after an Iranian strike killed three American soldiers.

The reports by the Wall Street Journal over the weekend related to July 17 missile strikes launched by Iran on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

Unnamed American officials cited in the Journal’s reporting did not name the Chinese entities involved, and did not suggest that Beijing was directly to blame.

“We firmly oppose groundless suspicion and accusations without evidence,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference on Monday

US President Donald Trump sought to downplay the reports, which could deepen tensions ahead of a planned visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the White House on September 24.

“You know, when they say that China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.

“That’s what we do. They basically do what we do,” he said.

Chinese officials asked for proof of the transfer of satellite imagery when prodded by the US officials, and refused to acknowledge that Chinese companies were involved in providing Tehran with satellite images, the Journal reported late Friday.

Trump has warned Beijing not to sell weapons to Iran, and in May, Washington sanctioned three China-based satellite companies for enabling Iran’s military operations.

China is a top economic partner of Iran, buying much of its oil output, and also an important diplomatic backer.

Still, Trump said of Xi on Sunday that “he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well.”

Asked if he would ever allow Chinese cars to be sold in the United States, Trump said “I haven’t. I’m the one that kept them out. The tariffs kept them out.”

AFP

The Nigeria High Commission in London, United Kingdom, has clarified that the £70 administrative fee paid by some Nigerians during the ongoing passport intervention exercise was not approved by the Federal Government, insisting that the standard administrative charge remains £20.

The clarification came barely a day after the mission announced that applicants who had paid £70 would receive a £50 refund, leaving the £20 standard administrative fee.

“This is to inform all passport intervention applicants who have paid a £70 admin fee that £50 will be refunded to you, £20 being the standard admin fee,” the commission had stated in a notice published on its website.

In a fresh public notice on its website dated Friday, September 11th, and signed by the Nigeria High Commission, London, the mission said it was compelled to clarify reports and commentaries circulating over the charges for the intervention exercise.

The mission said some of the information in circulation was inaccurate and did not represent its official position.

“For the avoidance of doubt, any claim suggesting that an administrative fee of £70.00 received presidential approval is incorrect. The approved standard administrative charge remains £20.00,” the High Commission stated.

The commission did not, in the statement, explain how the £70 charge came to be applied in the first place.

The issue had also prompted clarification from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

On September 8, the Federal Government denied introducing additional charges for the passport intervention exercise, saying applicants were required to pay only the official passport fees, apart from applicable bank charges.

The Interior Ministry said neither it nor the NIS had introduced charges outside the approved passport fees.

The NIS subsequently reiterated on September 11 that no additional charges were required to participate in the intervention exercise.

The intervention exercise, which was initially scheduled to end on September 19, has now been extended to October 3 in London and Manchester because of the high turnout of applicants.

The NIS said 1,477 Nigerians had been successfully processed and enrolled within the first four days of the exercise, with more than half of the passports already produced and dispatched to applicants.

The exercise has, however, been accompanied by complaints from Nigerians in the UK over passport processing, charges and operational difficulties.

The PUNCH had earlier reported complaints about delays and difficulties in passport processing at the Nigerian High Commission in London, with some Nigerians also raising concerns over poor communication channels and difficulties reaching the mission.

The High Commission, in its latest statement, however, dissociated itself from any publication or commentary containing what it described as inaccurate or misleading information.

It said such publications “did not emanate from the Mission” and advised members of the public to disregard information that was not communicated through its authorised channels.

The mission added that it remained committed to the delivery of efficient services to members of the public.