A Spanish tourist was trampled to death by an elephant after stepping out of his vehicle to take photos of a small herd at a renowned South African park, authorities said on Tuesday.

The 43-year-old man was attacked on Sunday morning at the Pilanesberg National Park, a tourist magnet about 200 kilometres (130 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, according to park officials.

The man, his fiancee and two women were driving their own vehicle within the reserve when they spotted three elephants and three calves, police said.

“Reports suggest that the man stopped the vehicle, alighted and went closer to the elephants to take pictures,” police spokesman Sabata Mokgwabone said.

“The elephants allegedly attacked and killed him.”

Pieter Nel, chief conservation officer at the North West province’s Parks and Tourism Board, said the matriarch of the herd attacked upon becoming “agitated” after seeing the tourist approach.

It is “normal behaviour” for elephants to try to “defend the young ones”, he added.

“Lots of tourists are oblivious to the dangers and do not realise how dangerous these animals can be,” he told AFP.

Nel and Mokgwabone said the man was from Spain.

His companions, all from Johannesburg, were unharmed, the police said, adding they had opened an investigation.

Elephant attacks are not uncommon in the region. In 2021 a suspected poacher was killed by elephants in South Africa’s world famous Kruger National Park.

And last year 50 people were killed and 85 injured by wild animals — mostly elephants — in neighbouring Zimbabwe, according to local authorities.

Pilanesberg and other South African parks tell visitors driving through the reserves to keep the windows closed and not to disembark from their vehicles.

No fewer than 121 suspects were arrested during police clampdown on suspected cultists planning to celebrate a cult programme tagged 7/7 Day Celebration in Benue and Plateau states.

The 7/7-Day Celebration is a cult-related activity where suspected members of the Aiye confraternity often initiate new members and which is often marred by violence and killings.

PUNCH Metro gathered from separate statements from the Benue and Plateau Police commands that the suspects were arrested at different locations in the states.

Parading some of the suspects at the Plateau State Police Headquarters in Jos on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, noted that 118 suspects were arrested on July 7 for cult activities, being their day of celebration and initiation of new members.

He added that credible intelligence and collaboration with other security agencies led to the arrests made at different locations in the state.

The CP said, “The arrested cultists wanted to hold their engagements yesterday (Sunday, 7/7/2024) but the police were very proactive with other security agencies raiding their hideouts. Yesterday alone, a total number of 118 suspects were apprehended.

“From yesterday till today, the command did not allow them to operate anywhere. That is why there is no story of the cultists operating anywhere in Plateau State. They were picked up from different locations.”

Adesina concluded that the suspects would be paraded upon the conclusion of an ongoing investigation.

In Benue State, some youths were reported to have lined up a programme to mark what they described as the ‘AYIE Cultism Day celebration on Sunday, July 7, 2024, in the ancient town of Gboko.

Part of the activities lined up to celebrate the occasion, according to an intelligence report leaked to security men, was the initiation of new members.

It was gathered that some youths in collaboration with security men who worked on intelligence reports went from street to street to round up the suspects

A source, simply identified as Jiji Jack based in Gboko, told our correspondent that some volunteer youths collaborated with policemen to fish out the suspects who had gathered for the celebration.

Jack said, “Some volunteer youths based in the traditional seat of the Tiv nation, Gboko, joined forces with the security Joint Task Force to stop the planned celebrations of the worldwide cultism day, being 7/7/2024.

“The youths moved from one street to another to disperse a suspicious gathering of youths suspected to be celebrating the cultism day.

A youth leader in Gboko who did not want to be mentioned told PUNCH Metro that the reason they mobilised their members to comb the streets of Gboko and fish out suspected cultists was to avert anything that could disrupt the peace in the ancient town.

“It came to our notice that a group of criminally-minded individuals, particularly cultists who are members of a particular confraternity had concluded plans to celebrate the Cultism Day on July 7, the day popularly known as 7/7.

“And new members would be inducted, covenants would be renewed, and supremacy battles would occur, usually characterised by violence and bloodshed, a reason we are out to assist the security to fight against it.

“So, we passed the information to security men and joined hands with them and moved from street to street. Anywhere we found a gathering of youths, we dispersed them.”

He added, “We want our youths to be law-abiding and shun negative tendencies as well as violence to make Gboko peaceful. Security is everywhere and we, as youth groups are helping the security to see that nothing of such activities take place in Gboko.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Benue State Command, Catherine Anene, said three suspects were nabbed.

“Three suspects were arrested in Gboko and investigation is ongoing,” Anene said in a terse statement.

There was a global outrage on Monday after Russian missiles killed at least 33 persons and injured 136 others in Ukraine.

Britain’s foreign minister David Lammy condemned the strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv blamed on Russia as “an appalling attack on Ukrainian civilians.”

Lammy, appointed Britain’s top diplomat last Friday after Labour’s general election victory, added that “The United Kingdom’s support to Ukraine is iron-clad. We must hold those responsible for Putin’s illegal war to account.”

Russia struck cities across Ukraine with a missile barrage that killed three dozen people and ripped open the children’s hospital in Kyiv.

Dozens of volunteers including hospital staff and rescue workers dug through debris from the Okhmatdyt paediatric hospital in a desperate search for survivors after the rare day-time bombardment, AFP journalists on the scene saw.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched dozens of missiles toward five towns and cities in southern and eastern Ukraine as well as the capital.

Ukrainian officials said 33 people were killed and another 136 wounded in the wave of 38 missiles. Three more were killed by Russian fire in Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.

The air force said air defence systems had downed 30 projectiles.

UN rights chief Volker Turk condemned the “abominable” Russian strikes, while the body’s chief Antonio Guterres said attacking medical facilities was “particularly shocking,” according to his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.

The United States denounced “another savage missile attack on civilians,” while the European Union slammed Moscow for its “ruthless” actions.

France’s foreign ministry called the bombardment of a children’s hospital “barbaric” and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the attack as “abhorrent.”

Kyiv said the children’s hospital had been struck by a Russian cruise missile with components produced in NATO member countries and announced a day of mourning in the capital.

AFP reports that Russia hit back claiming the extensive missile damage in Kyiv was caused by Ukrainian air defence systems.

Moscow said its forces had struck their “intended targets,” which it added were only defence industry and military installations.

Medical staff acted quickly to move patients and personnel to the facility’s basement after air raid sirens rang out over Kyiv on Monday.

“For some reason, we always thought that Okhmatdyt was protected,” said a 68-year-old hospital employee, identified simply as Nina.

“We were 100 percent sure that they would not hit here,” she told AFP, describing the frantic rush as staff moved children with IV drips to the bunker.

Officials said the attack had also damaged several residential buildings and an office block in Kyiv where AFP reporters saw cars on fire and shredded trees in charred courtyards.

Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said three of its electrical substations had been destroyed or damaged in Kyiv. Russian strikes on electricity infrastructure have already halved Ukrainian generation capacity in recent weeks compared to one year ago.

Russian forces have repeatedly targeted the capital with massive barrages since invading Ukraine in February 2022, and the last major attack on Kyiv with drones and missiles was last month.

Kwara State University, Malete, has expelled 175 students of the institution for various offenses.

A statement by the Acting Director, University Relations, Dr Saeedat Aliyu, said the approval of the expulsion followed the recommendations of the Students’ Disciplinary Committee, SDC, which held sittings between October 2021 and March 2024.

The expelled students were penalized for offences ranging from examination malpractice, theft, using fake results to gain admission, assault, fraud, belonging to unregistered associations and possession of firearms.

The management reiterated its zero-tolerance for all acts of indiscipline, stating that the institution stands firm on producing graduates who are excellent both in character and in learning.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has said the legislative arm is considering passing a law to curb the begging of alms on streets in the state.

Obasa said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the launch of the Ibile Muslim Community Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation in Lagos.

The foundation was launched at an event sponsored by Lotus Bank in Lagos.

It aims to empower underprivileged Muslims and alleviate poverty by promoting Zakat, Sadaqah, and Waqf.

Obasa explained that the proposed law would empower the state government and foundations like the Ibile Muslim Community Zakat and Sadaqah Foundation to regulate aid soliciting.

According to him, the law will also ensure that donations reach the needy without them having to beg on the streets.

He noted that the rising number of beggars in Lagos necessitated the regulation.

“We are looking at how we can manage such situations to stop beggars from parading the streets of Lagos begging for alms.

“Following such legislation, anyone caught begging on the streets or aiding such, particularly among children, would also be sanctioned according to the law,” Obasa said.

Speaking on the foundation’s launch, Obasa highlighted the benefits of Zakat, which helps both payers and beneficiaries by eradicating poverty.

“It is important for anyone blessed by God to reach out to the underprivileged. This should start from the immediate family and extend to every other member of society.

“The essence is to make everyone equal, or at least to move people from poverty and make them feel comfortable,” he added.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the foundation, Sheikh Sulayman Nolla, emphasised the foundation’s goal of unifying all Muslims in Lagos.

Nigerian football star, Kayode Olanrewaju, has slammed a ₦1 billion lawsuit on controversial UK-based Pastor, Tobi Adegboyega for emotional trauma, financial loss and loss of goodwill occasioned by his alleged adulterous affair with his wife Dora Ezinne Kayode, and asking the court for an official divorce.

The cross-petition marked Suit Number PET/304/2024, citing several allegations involving infidelity, financial misconduct, and a dramatic family fallout, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.

Olanrewaju further alleged that Ezinne diverted significant funds and rental proceeds from properties he purchased, stressing that she is using them to sustain her extravagant lifestyle and her alleged relationship with Pastor Adegboyega.

According to the lawsuit, the plot included collusion with Ezinne’s alleged ex-lover, Ugochukwu Igboanugo, who helped her misappropriate property documents.

The footballer further accused Ezinne of abusing alcohol and living a life filled with late-night parties, which contributed to the deterioration of their marriage.

Olanrewaju, in his cross-petition, claimed that since their marriage in 2013, Ezinne has repeatedly committed adultery, including his earlier claim of an ongoing affair with Pastor Adegboyega.

He alleged that his wife’s relationship with Adegboyega has not been secret, with the pair seen openly attending parties and sharing intimate moments in public.

The footballer also alleged that Ezinne has had similar relations with other men, which has made it intolerable for him to continue living with her as husband.

Olanrewaju accused his estranged wife of undermining their joint business ventures. He stated how he incorporated DE-J-S Concept Ltd., intending it to be a vehicle for their investments. However, he alleged that Ezinne exploited this opportunity to siphon funds and benefit from the company’s assets, facilitated by her alleged ties with Ugochukwu Igboanugo.

The footballer mentioned emotional and financial tolls, trauma and losses incurred due to the alleged infidelity, financial misappropriation and misconduct, including the abrupt termination of his international football contract, driven by his need to address the crisis for seeking N1 billion in damages.

While seeking an official divorce, Olanrewaju said he was shocked when he got a credit alert from his father-in-law sometime in May 2024, indicating a refund of the Bride Price paid during their wedding.

He said Dora Ezinne later took to social media to declare herself traditionally free as her bride price was refunded.

Olanrewaju asked the court to dissolve his marriage with Ezinne and grant him custody of their children because his estranged wife could not be a good role model for the children of the marriage.

The suit has been adjourned to 24th September 2024 for a hearing.

The Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Delta has discovered two illegal refining sites with 45,000 litres of products suspected to be stolen crude oil in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta.

Navy Commander Patrick Ali, the Base Operations Officer (BOO), representing Commodore Abba Muhsin, Commander, NNS Delta, on Monday led naval personnel to the sites in the coastal communities of Ajasolor and Ogbukoko.

Addressing newsmen, Ali said that five metallic storage tanks, four ovens and five dugout pits were uncovered, adding that a suspect was apprehended with a wooden boat.

“Based on credible intelligence, the NNS Delta Gunboat team discovered illegal refining sites in Warri South Local Government Area.

“This is in line with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)’s mandate of the Operation Delta Sanity to end crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and securing critical maritime assets.

“This is one of the series of actions in keeping Delta safe and secured,” he said.

Speaking on the uncovered illegal refining sites, he said that due process would be followed noting that the Nigerian Navy was environmentally friendly.

“You can see that the hoodlums set one of the dugout pits on fire and ran away thus causing environmental degradation. The Navy is environmentally friendly, we will follow due process,” he said.

Ali warned oil thieves and other criminals operating in the maritime space to desist or face the full wrath of the law.

He also said that the NNS Delta was determined to rid-off its areas of operations of crude oil theft and other forms of illegalities.

He, however, thanked all the agencies and individuals that had supported the efforts of the NNS Delta in achieving the feats.

Workers at South Korean tech giant Samsung began a three-day general strike over pay and benefits on Monday, the head of a union representing tens of thousands of employees told AFP, warning the action could impact memory chip production.

Samsung Electronics is the world’s largest memory chip maker and accounts for a significant chunk of the global output of high-end chips.

Wearing rain jackets and ribbons saying “fight with solidarity”, thousands of workers gathered outside the company’s foundry and semiconductor factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, an hour south of Seoul.

Samsung management has been locked in negotiations with the union since January, with the two sides failing to narrow differences on benefits and a rejected 5.1 per cent pay raise offer from the firm.

“The strike has started from today,” Son Woo-mok, head of the National Samsung Electronics Union, told AFP.

“Today’s general strike is just the beginning,” he added.

“Recalling why we are here, please do not come to work until July 10th and do not receive any business calls,” he told the crowd of workers.

The union said about 5,200 people from factory facilities, manufacturing and development had joined the protest.

“Do they still not think this will affect their production line?” said Lee Hyun-kuk, vice president of the union.

The union, which has more than 30,000 members, or more than a fifth of the company’s total workforce, announced the three-day general strike last week, saying it was a last resort after talks broke down.

The move follows a one-day walkout in June, the first such collective action at the company, which went decades without unionisation.

“We are now at a critical crossroads,” the union said in an appeal sent out to members last week, urging them to support the strike.

“This strike is the last card we can use,” it said, saying that workers at the company needed to “act as one”.

“I’m really excited,” one union member and protester told AFP. “We’re making history.”

Workers rejected the offer of a 5.1 per cent pay hike in March, with the union having previously outlined demands including improvements to annual leave and transparent performance-based bonuses.

Samsung declined a request for comment.

“While the ongoing strike is only scheduled for three days, the participating members include those working in chip assembly lines,” business professor Kim Dae-jong at Sejong University told AFP.

“Given that the union could carry out additional strikes in case the gridlock continues, it could pose a great risk to Samsung management amid its race for dominance in the competitive chips market.”

Five people, including two children, were killed when their vehicle hit a Russian mine in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, the governor said on Monday.

“A car hit an enemy mine, killing a 53-year-old man, a 64-year-old woman, a 25-year-old woman, a five-year-old boy, and a three-month-old baby,” Governor Oleg Synyegubov wrote on social media.

The city of Kharkiv has been regularly targeted by Russian troops, who launched a major ground offensive in the region on May 10.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the offensive in Ukraine’s northeast was intended to create a “buffer zone” to protect Russia’s border Belgorod region from shelling.

Russian forces made their most significant territorial gains in 18 months during the first days of the major ground assault in the area, capturing several Ukrainian border villages and forcing thousands from their homes.

However, officials have said the thrust has since stalled in recent weeks, after Washington partially lifted restrictions on using US-donated weapons to strike inside Russia.

The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the kidnapping of two journalists and their families in Kaduna, at the Danhonu community in Millennium City, Kaduna on Saturday night

ASP Mansir Hassan, the state command spokesman, assured journalists that police had deployed operatives to the bush where the kidnappers were suspected to be hiding with the hostages, stressing that the operatives were trying their best to secure their release.

He confirmed the names of the victims are Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel, Kaduna State, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Council, and three of his family members, who were kidnapped at Danhono 2, Millennium City, Kaduna. Alabelewe is also the Correspondent of the Nation Newspaper.

Also taken hostage was the Correspondent of Blueprint Newspaper, Abdulraheem Aodo and his wife. However, wife of Aodu was released, yesterday morning due to ill health.

The President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, while reacting to the unfortunate incident, described the kidnap of the two journalists in such a barbaric manner is sad, unfortunate, totally condemnable and unacceptable.

He added, ” I have called on the security agencies, DSS, police, military to do all in their power to ensure that those journalists are rescued unharmed. Whether that is possible, I don’t know. I mean the aspect of not hurting them.”

He stated that from the story of the briefing he received, one of the journalists was beaten to stupor, saying that all they are praying is that they would be released to rejoin their families.

“You can imagine the trauma, the psychological effect on those little children, 10-year-old and eight-year-old,” he added.

He called on the government to do all that is necessary to get them out from the bandits, pointing out that one cannot leave sane people in the hands of such a level of insane characters.

The leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult, Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, has been sent to trial on charges of terrorism and deaths of more than 400 of his followers.

The self-proclaimed pastor appeared in court in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa along with 94 co-defendants on Monday.

Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 for allegedly inciting his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus”.

He and his co-accused also face charges of murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, and child torture and cruelty in separate cases.

It was reported that the remains of more than 440 people have been unearthed in a remote wilderness from the Indian Ocean coastal town of Malindi.

According to autopsies carried out on some of the bodies, it was revealed that while starvation appeared to be the main cause of death, some of the victims including children were strangled, beaten, or suffocated.

Previous court documents also said that some of the bodies had had their organs removed.

Reverend Father Mikah Suleiman, who was abducted from his rectory at Damba area of Gusau in Zamfara State on Saturday, has been released by his abductors.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Kukah, disclosed this in a video when he said: “surprise, surprise, I have with me a friend of mine, which I wish to introduce to you”.

Suleiman, in the video, thanked the people for their prayers and support towards his rescue and said by the grace of God, he is out of the hands of bandits and now in the Office of the National Special Adviser, NSA, with his brother Father Chike.

Mikah was abducted in the early hours of Saturday, June 22, in the Father’s Rectory in the Damba area of Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

The cleric works under the Sokoto Catholic Diocese and is the Parish Priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church Damba, Gusau, Zamfara State, North-West Nigeria.

Embattled US President Joe Biden sought out safe ground Sunday, courting Black voters at a church as he hit the campaign trail to salvage his reelection bid and silence growing calls to quit.

“We’re all imperfect beings,” the 81-year-old told a welcoming congregation in Philadelphia, where he received a jolt of rejuvenation from worshippers who chanted “four more years.”

Biden has dug in despite an uprising among some Democratic lawmakers, analysts and voters concerned he lacks the mental acuity and physical fitness to serve a second term — worries brought to the fore by a disastrous debate performance last month against Republican challenger Donald Trump.

But the president has unequivocally declared he is fit to serve, the only one who can defeat Trump, is staying in the race.

On Sunday, he embarked on a two-stop swing in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, before he hosts the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington later this week.

So far, five Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to drop out, with the drumbeat of dissent slowly rising.

Two high-profile congressional Democrats on Sunday stopped short of calling for Biden to step aside, but warned he still needed to win over worried voters.

“There’s only one reason” the race between Trump and Biden “is close, and that’s the president’s age,” Representative Adam Schiff told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

As some speculate about Biden handing off the campaign to Vice President Kamala Harris, Schiff said he thought she “could win overwhelmingly.”

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy meanwhile said “the president needs to do more,” including unscripted events, to reassure voters.

“This week is going to be absolutely critical,” Murphy told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Biden himself largely avoided discussing the crisis at hand when he gave a seven-minute address at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ, speaking to a constituency he has embraced throughout his half-century political career.

“It’s good to be home,” he said to cheers, before joking briefly about his age.

“I know I look like I’m only 40 years old but I’ve been around a little bit,” he said.

Biden’s campaign stops come as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries scheduled a virtual meeting of senior Democratic representatives Sunday to discuss the best way forward, and Democratic Senator Mark Warner is reportedly working to convene a similar forum in the Senate.

With Washington ruminating, First Lady Jill Biden is scheduled to campaign for her husband Monday in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, while the president preps for the NATO summit beginning Tuesday.

Here, too, he will find himself having to reassure allies at a time when many European countries fear a Trump victory in November.

The 78-year-old Republican has long criticized the defense alliance, voiced admiration for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, and insisted he could bring about a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine.

For now, Democratic heavyweights are largely keeping a lid on any simmering discontent with their leader — at least in public.

But with election day just four months away, any move to replace Biden as the nominee would need to be made sooner rather than later, and the party will be scrutinized for any signs of more open rebellion.

Meanwhile, for Biden and his team, the strategy seems to be to ride it out.

The campaign has unveiled an intense battle plan for July, including an avalanche of TV spots and trips to all the key states.

That includes a visit to the US Southwest during the Republican convention July 15-18, at which Trump will be anointed the party’s official presidential nominee.

Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge after the US found the company violated a deal meant to reform it after two fatal crashes by its 737 Max planes that killed 346 passengers and crew.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) said the plane-maker had also agreed to pay a criminal fine of $243.6m (£190m).

However, the families of the people who died on the flights five years ago have criticised it as a “sweetheart deal” that would allow Boeing to avoid full responsibility for the deaths.

By pleading guilty, Boeing will avoid the spectacle of a criminal trial – something that victims’ families have been pressing for.

The company has been in crisis over its safety record since two near-identical crashes involving 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019. It led to the global grounding of the plane for more than a year.

In 2021, prosecutors charged Boeing with one count of conspiracy to defraud regulators, alleging it had deceived the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about its MCAS flight control system, which was implicated in both crashes.

It agreed not to prosecute Boeing if the company paid a penalty and successfully completed a three-year period of increased monitoring and reporting.

But in January, shortly before that period was due to end, a door panel in a Boeing plane operated by Alaska Airlines blew out soon after take-off and forced the jet to land.

No-one was injured during the incident but it intensified scrutiny over how much progress Boeing had made on improving its safety and quality record.

In May, the DoJ said it had found Boeing had violated the terms of the agreement, opening up the possibility of prosecution.

Boeing’s decision to plead guilty is still a significant black mark for the firm because it means that the company – which is a prominent military contractor for the US government – now has a criminal record.

It is also one of the world’s two biggest manufacturers of commercial jets.

It is not immediately clear how the criminal record would affect the firm’s contracting business. The government typically bars or suspends firms with records from participating in bids, but can grant waivers.

However, Paul Cassell, a lawyer representing some families of people killed on the 2018 and 2019 flights, said: “The memory of 346 innocents killed by Boeing demands more justice than this.

In a letter to the government in June, he urged the DoJ to fine Boeing more than $24bn.
Ed Pierson, executive director of Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former senior manager at Boeing, said the plea was “seriously disappointing” and “a terrible deal for justice”.

“Instead of holding individuals accountable, they’re just basically giving them another get out of jail free card,” he said.

A Boeing 737 Max plane operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air crashed in late October 2018 shortly after take-off, killing all 189 people on board. Just months later, an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed, killing all 157 passengers and crew.

In the 2021 deal, Boeing also agreed to pay $2.5bn to resolve the matter, including a $243m criminal penalty and $500m to a victims’ fund.

The deal outraged family members, who were not consulted on the terms and have called for the company to stand trial.

Senior staff at DoJ recommended in favour of prosecution, CBS News, the BBC’s US news partner reported in late June.

At a hearing in June, Senator Richard Blumenthal said he believed that was “near overwhelming evidence” that prosecution should be pursued.

Lawyers for family members said the DoJ was worried it did not have a strong case against the firm.

Mark Forkner, a former Boeing technical pilot who was the only person to face criminal charges arising from the incident, was acquitted by a jury in 2022. His lawyers had argued he was being used as a scapegoat.

Mark Cohen, a professor emeritus at Vanderbilt University, who has studied corporate punishments, said prosecutors often prefer plea deals or deferred prosecution agreements, which allow them to avoid the risk of a trial and can give the government greater power over a company than a typical sentence.

“Because it’s easier to get than going to trial, it may ease the burden on the prosecutor but the prosecutor also may believe it’s a better sanction [because] they may be able to impose requirements that aren’t normally in sentencing guidelines,” he said.

He said there was little doubt that Boeing’s status as a key government contractor played a role in determining how to proceed.

“They’ve got to think about the collateral consequences,” he said. “You don’t take these kinds of cases lightly.”

The issues with MCAS were not Boeing’s first brush with the law.

It has also paid millions of penalties to the Federal Aviation Administration since 2015 to resolve a series of claims of improper manufacturing and other issues.

The company also continues to face investigations and lawsuits sparked by the incident on the January Alaska Airlines flight.

Massive floods have swept through swathes of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh in recent days, affecting millions while killing scores of people and animals.

Large-scale rescue operations are underway, with authorities directing thousands to shelters while sending food and supplies to stranded families.

Major rivers including the Brahmaputra and the Koshi, which flow through several countries, have overflowed their banks due to heavy rain.

Floods and landslides are not uncommon during South Asia’s monsoon season, when it receives up to 90% of its annual rainfall.

But experts say the issue has worsened in recent years due to climate change.

Over the weekend in Nepal, authorities said 14 people have died since Thursday, with key highways blocked and some bridges swept away by swollen rivers.

Authorities estimate that this year’s monsoon has killed more than 40 so far. They have urged residents in the south-east of the country to be on alert as the Koshi river, which flows through Nepal and India, is flowing above the danger level.

“This is not new for us, but the timing is wrong,” Kathmandu resident Rajkumar Bk told the Reuters news agency.

“The flooding triggered by heavy rains started early this year, in July. The water level has reached up to our knees. If the rainfall continues the same way then we will have to run for our lives.”

In the Indian state of Assam, about 2.4 million have been affected by floods while 66 people have died since mid-May.
Officials have warned of even more rain with water levels in the Brahmaputra expected to increase in the coming days.

Roads and vast areas of farmland have been submerged along the banks of the Brahmaputra, which flows through parts of India and Bangladesh, and other rivers.

Television pictures in recent days showed villagers salvaging their belongings and leaving their inundated homes by boat.

Several bridges and roads have been washed away, disconnecting remote villages.

Assam’s Kaziranga nature reserve, home to nearly 2,200 one-horned rhinos, was also under water. Four rhinos and scores of deer and other animals have died so far.

Experts have said it is one of the worst incidents of flooding in recent years in terms of the number of animals killed.

On Monday, officials closed some schools in the financial capital Mumbai as heavy rains overwhelmed some highways.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Khyree Jackson has died in a car crash at the age of 24.

Rookie Jackson and two former high school team-mates, Isaiah Hazel and Anthony Lytton Jr, died early on Saturday morning in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

The Dodge Charger they were travelling in collided with another vehicle that was trying to change lanes at high speed.

“I am absolutely crushed by this news,” said Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.

“Khyree brought a contagious energy to our facility and our team. His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his team-mates to him.

“In our short time together, it was evident Khyree was going to develop into a tremendous professional football player, but what was more impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him.”

A Vikings statement read: “We are devastated by the news of Khyree Jackson’s death following an overnight car accident.

“Our thoughts are with Khyree’s family, friends, team-mates and coaches, as well as all the victims of this tragic accident.”

Jackson was selected by the Vikings in the fourth round of the NFL Draft in April but had yet to play a game.

Yobe State Police Command said its operatives have arrested a notorious kidnapping kingpin on a wanted list.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.

According to the statement, on July 5, 2024, at about 1300hrs, detectives from the State Intelligence Department (SID) arrested one Usmanu Garba, 30, of Katarko Village, Gujba local government area, while on his way to spend his share of proceeds from a kidnapping operation.

It said that the suspect is a member of a gang specialised in armed robbery, kidnapping, and cattle rustling in Gujba and neighbouring towns.

“The gang was responsible for the recent kidnapping incident that occurred in Babaram Muktum, a Fulani settlement in Gujba LGA, where the gang kidnapped a resident and collected a ransom of N1.6 million.

“They also robbed the victim’s father of his mobile phone before releasing the victim. Other syndicate members are on the run, and the command is intensifying efforts to apprehend them,” it said.

The command said the suspect confessed to the crime and is cooperating with detectives as the investigation deepens.

The Commissioner of Police urged members of the public to be vigilant and report suspicious movements, activities, and events.

Security agencies in Osun State have confirmed that a man identified as Femi on Saturday committed suicide by jumping into the Osun River from the Gbodofon Bridge in Osogbo.

It was gathered that Femi, who earlier had complained of hardship and unfair treatment, ended his life by jumping into the river.

The spokesperson of Osun State Fire Service, Ibrahim Adekunle, said operatives of the agency were called for an emergency rescue operation when the victim jumped into the river around 10:30 am on Saturday.

Adejunle said, “We responded, but the river is overflowing and the current is strong at the moment.

“We made efforts and we are still looking for the person, but we are yet to recover the body. From what we were told, the person involved is a man.”

Also, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in the state, Kehinde Adeleke said the victim was identified as Femi.

Adeleke added that he had earlier made an attempt to commit suicide, but was chased away by some people who suspected his movement on the bridge.

“On July 6th, 2024, at exactly 10:30 am, a man identified as Femi, the only son of his parent and a native of Ilesha jumped into Gbodofon River.

“According to an eyewitness, before he jumped into the river, he kept saying that a group of people had beaten him mercilessly at a (fast food joint) in the Ogo-Oluwa area, which led him to decide to end his life.

“During the investigation, we interviewed a man who witnessed the incident. He mentioned that Femi initially attempted to commit suicide, but was chased away.

He later came back, saying he was tired of life. Shortly after, he went to the top of the Gbodofon Bridge and jumped into the river.

“As of Saturday evening, the body of the said man has not been recovered but effort is ongoing,” he said.

Earlier, an eyewitness, a vulcaniser who craved anonymity said, “I was at a spot close to the bridge working on a customer’s tyre when I looked towards the Gbodofon Bridge and I saw a man walking down from Old Governor’s Office end of the Osogbo/Gbongan.

“He stood right in the middle of the bridge and took a plunge into the Gbodofon River. People around were seized with fear after the incident.”

On Saturday, the Rwanda High Commission in Nigeria in Abuja celebrated the 30th anniversary of its liberation, known as Kwibohora 30.

The celebration marked a significant moment in Rwanda’s history, symbolising the end of genocide and the defeat of the oppressive regime that orchestrated it on July 4, 1994.

While Rwanda has made remarkable progress in these areas, the journey towards building a prosperous and unified nation is still ongoing.

Christophe Bazivamo, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, reflected on the challenges Rwanda faced after gaining independence on July 1, 1962.

“While we acknowledge our independence day on July 1, Kwibohora, July 4 holds a deeper significance for Rwandans as it marks the day we reclaimed our nation, our dignity and our right to chart our own path.

“We honour the resilience of the Rwandan people and the bravery of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, highlighting their sacrifices in the struggle for freedom and peace. We express gratitude to those who fought for Rwanda’s liberation and honoured the heroes who laid down their lives for a free and united Rwanda,” he said.

The ambassador also added that true liberation involves healing, reconciliation and rebuilding.

“Rwanda’s innovative approach to justice, including initiatives like the Gacaca courts and the “Ndi Umunyarwanda” programme, has played a crucial role in healing the wounds of the past and fostering national unity.

“Today, Rwanda stands stronger and more united than ever before. Significant progress has been made in reducing poverty, expanding access to healthcare and education, and empowering women. With an impressive annual economic growth rate of 7 per cent, Rwanda has emerged as a key investment destination in Africa.

“We want to invite individuals to #VisitRwanda through #RwandAir to explore the country’s natural beauty, diverse wildlife and vibrant culture.

“For investors, Rwanda offers a supportive business environment and a government committed to facilitating growth and development,” he added.

Furthermore, the ambassador acknowledged the valuable collaborations with nations like Nigeria that had contributed to Rwanda’s progress. He expressed gratitude for the partnerships that had supported Rwanda’s development and emphasised the importance of strengthening those relationships for mutual benefit.

Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister Yusuf Tuggar commended the people of Rwanda on their liberation, growth and achievements over the past three decades.

Mr Tuggar, represented by Safiu Olaniyan, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Rwanda and strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Borno State Government has declared Monday as a public holiday in recognition of the Islamic New Year of Hijrah calendar.

The acting Governor of the State, Umar Kadafur, announced that Monday would be observed as a public holiday throughout the state.

Mr Kadafur said the decision was in honour of the Islamic New Year, which begins on the first day of the month of Muharram.

According to him, the public holiday aims to provide the Muslim community with the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Hijrah and to celebrate the Islamic New Year in unity and devotion.

He said that the Hijrah marks the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD.

Muharram is also one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar, as ordained by Allah (SWT) in the Holy Quran.

The acting governor extended his best wishes to the Muslims in Borno State and around the world, expressing hope for a peaceful, harmonious, and productive new Islamic year.

He urged the Muslim Ummah to uphold values of moderation, piety, tolerance, respect, dignity, and patriotism, which resonate universally.

Mr Kadafur also encouraged Muslims to coexist peacefully with the followers of other faiths, fostering bonds of fraternity, generosity, and mercy that unite humanity.