Police in France detained four people suspected in a plot targeting exiled Russian rights activist Vladimir Osechkin, who exposes abuses in Russian prisons, France’s national anti-terror prosecution office said. The General Directorate for Internal Security, France’s counter-espionage and counterterror intelligence service known by its French initials DGSI, has been the leading the investigation, the anti-terror prosecution office said on Thursday evening. It said the four men were detained Monday but gave no details about their nationalities, any possible motives for allegedly targeting Osechkin or whether the men are suspected of links to foreign spy services. Osechkin founded Gulagu.net, a rights...
Polish Court Considers Extradition To Germany Of Suspect In Nord Stream Pipeline Attack
A Polish court considered Friday whether to extradite a Ukrainian man suspected by German prosecutors of involvement in the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, a case that has potential to cause diplomatic friction between Warsaw and Berlin. The 46-year-old suspect, who has been identified only as Volodymyr Z. in line with local privacy rules, was arrested near Warsaw Sept. 30 on a German warrant. German prosecutors have described him as a trained diver and allege that he was part of a group that placed explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm three years ago. It wasn’t...
The Stilts Walking Tribe – Banna Tribe
To the untrained eye, it might look like an art performance, but to the Banna, it’s a sacred tradition that ties their feet quite literally to their ancestors. The Banna (or Benna) people reside in the Lower Omo Valley of southwestern Ethiopia. Their tradition of walking on tall wooden stilts, which can reach several meters in height, is a practice with both practical and profound cultural meaning. The Stilts are particularly used by unmarried young men or boys called “Tewa” and mastering the difficult feat of stilt walking symbolizes their transition from youth to maturity. It demonstrates that they possess...
Russia Convicts 15 Captured Ukrainian Soldiers On Terrorism Charges
A court in southern Russia convicted 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges Friday after a trial that Kyiv denounced as a sham and a violation of international law. The military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced 15 men from the Aidar battalion, which Russia has designated a terrorist group, to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years. The verdict marks the second mass trial of Ukrainian prisoners of war since March, when 23 members of the elite Azov brigade were convicted on similar charges in a trial that also was condemned by Ukraine as a violation of international law. When the trial...
UN Condemns Military Takeover In Madagascar As Coup Leader To Be Quickly Sworn In As President
The United Nations chief on Thursday condemned the military takeover in Madagascar as an army colonel who led the coup was set to be quickly sworn in as president just three days after announcing soldiers had taken charge. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres “condemns the unconstitutional change of government in Madagascar and calls for the return to constitutional order and the rule of law,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said. Col. Michael Randrianirina is due to be sworn in as Madagascar’s leader at a ceremony at the High Constitutional Court on Friday, according to a statement by the colonel, which he signed as the president of...
AP List Hostages Whose Remains Are Still Inside Gaza
Hamas freed the last 20 living hostages taken during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has returned the remains of nine hostages, but the process of returning the bodies of the last 19, as called for in the ceasefire agreement, has stalled. Hamas says it hasn’t been able to reach all of the remains because they are buried under rubble left behind by Israel’s two-year offensive in the Gaza Strip. Israel has accused the militants of dragging their feet and threatened to resume military operations if all of the remains aren’t...
An Arkansas Father Accused Of Murder Says He’s Running For Sheriff While Awaiting Trial
An Arkansas father accused of killing his daughter’s alleged abuser is running for sheriff while awaiting his murder trial, saying he has seen the failures of law enforcement in his rural county. Aaron Spencer, an Army veteran and farmer, announced his candidacy this month in Lonoke County a year after authorities say he shot and killed a man who had been out on bond after being charged with numerous sexual offenses against his underage daughter. Spencer has pleaded not guilty and is out on bond while awaiting a trial set for early next year. His attorneys do not deny that...
Mahmoud Khalil Can Freely Travel Around US As He Fights His Deportation Case, Judge Rules
A federal judge has lifted travel restrictions for Mahmoud Khalil, allowing the Palestinian activist to speak at rallies and other events across the U.S. as he fights his deportation case brought by the Trump administration. Khalil, who was freed from a Louisiana immigration jail in June, had asked a federal magistrate judge to lift the restrictions that limited his travel to New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Louisiana and Michigan. “He wants to travel for the very significant First Amendment reasons that are at the bottom of this case,” his lawyer, Alina Das, said during a virtual hearing Thursday. “He wants to speak to...
How To Accessorize Like A Pro: The Art Of Finishing Touches
Accessories aren’t just add-ons, they’re the magic that transforms outfits from basic to bold, simple to stunning. Whether it’s a sleek watch, layered necklaces, or the perfect pair of sunglasses, accessorizing well is a fashion skill and like all style skills, it can be learned. Here’s how to master the art of accessorizing like a true pro: Every outfit needs a hero. Choose one standout item like a chunky necklace, bold earrings, or an eye-catching bag and build around it. Let it shine without competition. Pro tip: Don’t pair loud earrings and a loud necklace, pick one focal point. Layering...