The International Criminal Court on Tuesday ordered an al-Qaida-linked extremist leader to pay 7.2 million euros ($8.4 million) in reparations for atrocities he oversaw as head of the Islamic police in the desert city of Timbuktu in the West African country of Mali. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud was convicted of torture, religious persecution and other inhumane acts in 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Judges found he was a key figure in a reign of terror after Islamic extremist rebels overran Timbuktu in 2012. “Mr. Al Hassan, as the person found responsible for...

Ugandan authorities said Tuesday that they have detained dozens of foreigners in a crackdown on illegal migration that the internal affairs ministry suggested was linked to human traffickers and cyberscam operations. At least 231 people have been detained since Monday in operations that targeted a group of Nigerians living in the country’s north, as well as another group of foreigners living together in a closed compound in Kampala, the capital. The second group included people from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Malaysia, all of whom were staying in “a highly restricted, self-contained apartment complex equipped...

An appeals court has raised to four years the sentence for the wife of South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol for corruption, about two months after her husband was sentenced to life in prison for rebellion. In January, ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison in a district court for receiving gifts including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church in return for promises of political favors. However, she was acquitted of involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme before she became first lady. Both parties appealed, and on...

Prominent journalist Andrzej Poczobut has been released from jail in Belarus in a swap with Poland that also saw a total of 10 prisoners released as the authoritarian leader of Belarus seeks improved relations with the West, officials in both countries said Tuesday. Poczobut, a correspondent for the influential Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and a leading figure among Belarus’ Polish minority, was serving eight years in prison in a case condemned as politically motivated. His arrest in 2021 drew widespread criticism from Europe and he was later awarded the European Union’s most prestigious human rights award, the Sakharov Prize. Polish...

On Monday, an elderly tribal man in Odisha’s Keonjhar district identified as Jitu Munda (55) shocked bank officials and customers alike when he brought the skeletal remains of his deceased sister Ms. Kalara Munda to prove her death and claim the money in her account. The incident occurred in the Malipasi area under the Patna block of Keonjhar, the 55-year-old had approached the Odisha Grameen Bank to withdraw his late sister savings who had died two months earlier. As per banking regulations, third-party withdrawals are not permitted without proper authorization. Upon being informed, he stated that the account holder was...

Jimmy Kimmel: “I said, ‘our first lady Melania’s here, look at her, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow. Which, obviously, was a joke about their age difference- and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together. “It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am. It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in St. Petersburg on Monday, saying Moscow would do everything it can to support Tehran. “Last week, I received a message from the supreme leader of Iran … I would like you to convey my most sincere words of gratitude and to confirm that Russia, like Iran, intends to continue our strategic relations,” Putin said. Araghchi emphasized the strength of ties between the two countries, saying: “I was asked to confirm during this visit that Russian-Iranian relations continue to be a strategic partnership at the highest level. This is...

Terra Industries, founded 2024 in Abuja by Nigerians Nathan Nwachuku (CEO, 22) and Maxwell Maduka (24). Raised $34M total: $11.75M seed led by 8VC (Joe Lonsdale/Palantir co-founder ties), followed by $22M bridge led by Lux Capital. Other investors: Valor Equity Partners, SV Angel, Nova Global, Resilience17 (Flutterwave CEO), plus angels incl. Jared Leto. Palantir board member Alex Moore joined board. Nine-figure valuation. Private company—founders hold significant equity (diluted post-raises); exact shares not public. Heavy US VC stake but no direct foreign gov ownership found. Nigeria military/DICON backs it via JV for local manufacturing of drones, mine-clearers, intel software. Focus: sovereign...