BBC News in London have accused the Iranian government of escalating a campaign of harassment by punishing their families in Iran, as part of a wider attempt to silence journalists working for the broadcaster’s Persian service. It revealed this week that there has been a “sharp and deeply troubling escalation” in the targeting of its journalists’ families, describing the campaign as “psychological warfare” by the Iranian regime. BBC Persian, the Farsi-language arm of the BBC’s World Service, has long faced pressure from Tehran. But staff now say Iranian authorities have stepped up intimidation tactics, dragging relatives into interrogations, threatening them…
Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso
A senior legal expert at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has delivered a blistering critique of Hungary’s controversial 2021 law banning LGBTQ+ content in schools and on primetime television, declaring it a clear violation of basic human rights and freedom of expression. Tamara Ćapeta, advocate general at the ECJ, issued her non-binding opinion on Thursday, stating unequivocally that the legislation, enacted under the guise of child protection, is not rooted in scientific evidence but in prejudice against non-heterosexual and non-cisgender identities. “The stigmatising effects of the Hungarian legislation, which creates a climate of hostility towards LGBTI persons, may affect…
In a monumental move that could reshape the future of millions across the African continent, U.S. tech mogul and philanthropist Bill Gates has pledged the majority of his estimated $200 billion fortune to improving health and education services in Africa. Speaking at a major event in Addis Ababa on Monday, the 69-year-old Microsoft co-founder and co-chair of the Gates Foundation announced an ambitious, two-decade commitment to “unleashing the human potential through health, through education.” “Every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity,” Gates told attendees. “I recently committed that my wealth will be given away over the…
The UK Home Office is facing renewed allegations of racism and discriminatory immigration practices following its refusal to grant a visit visa to Samuel Onyekachi Ibeawuchi, a prominent Nigerian security entrepreneur, and his family. Critics say the decision is part of a broader, racially motivated clampdown on Nigerians seeking to visit the UK.
Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump’s flagship tax and spending bill, calling it a “disgusting abomination” and accusing Congress of driving the United States into financial ruin. The scathing remarks, posted on Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) platform, have intensified divisions within the Republican Party, just as the controversial bill moves to the Senate for final negotiations. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk wrote on Tuesday. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You…
In a sweeping rollback of environmental protections, the Trump administration announced Monday it would eliminate federal safeguards on millions of acres of Alaska’s wilderness, exposing the area to oil drilling and mining in a renewed push for energy dominance. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, speaking from Alaska alongside Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, confirmed the reversal of a December 2024 executive order by then President Joe Biden. That order had banned drilling across the 23 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska (NPR-A) the largest single tract of public land in the United States. Calling the…
Millions of South Koreans are heading to the polls in a historic snap presidential election, following the dramatic impeachment and removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The former conservative leader now awaits trial on rebellion charges, stemming from his abrupt and widely condemned attempt to impose martial law last December. The election, one of the most consequential in the country’s democratic history, has exposed deep political rifts and civic unrest, with citizens choosing between starkly contrasting visions for South Korea’s future. Pre-election polls suggest liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung holds a strong lead over conservative contender Kim Moon Soo, as public…
Renowned AI expert Yoshua Bengio has unveiled a new non-profit organisation aimed at creating safe, transparent artificial intelligence systems capable of detecting and preventing rogue AI behaviour. Named LawZero, the initiative seeks to address growing concerns about autonomous AI agents that could act deceptively or resist human control. Bengio, a professor at the University of Montreal and one of the so-called “godfathers of AI,” will serve as president of LawZero. With $30 million in initial funding and a team of more than a dozen researchers, the organisation’s flagship project is Scientist AI, a system designed to evaluate the potential harm…
Mount Etna, Europe’s largest and most active volcano, erupted on Monday morning, releasing a vast plume of ash, gas, and volcanic rock into the skies over Sicily. The dramatic event, which began at approximately 11:24 a.m. local time, was captured on surveillance cameras and closely monitored by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The eruption produced a pyroclastic flow, a fast-moving and highly dangerous surge of hot gases, ash, and volcanic debris, which INGV attributed to a likely collapse of material along the northern flank of the volcano’s southeast crater. This explosive activity later transitioned into a lava…
What was meant to be a night of jubilation turned into a scene of fiery chaos across France as Paris Saint-Germain fans took to the streets to celebrate the club’s historic Champions League victory, its first ever. The joy quickly turned into unrest as violence, vandalism, and political fallout gripped the country. Following PSG’s 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Munich on Saturday night, supporters flooded the Champs-Élysées in central Paris. But celebrations spiraled out of control. According to the French Interior Ministry, 491 people were arrested in the capital alone. An additional 68 arrests were made across the country.…
