DRC politician beaten to death after radio appearance about Ebola outbreak Marie-Celestin Karondwa was attacked on Sunday after promoting measures to prevent spread of disease, his party saysA senior member of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's ruling party was beaten to death on Sunday after appearing on a radio programme to raise awareness about the Ebola outbreak, a party representative has said.Marie-Celestin Karondwa, the acting president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party's federal executive committee in Butembo, a new hotspot for the outbreak, was attacked after taking part in a radio show during which he promoted prevention measures for the disease, the UDPS federation in the city said in a statement, Reuters reported. Continue reading...
At least 27 dead after two mass shootings in South Africa, police say Seventeen people killed near Johannesburg in suspected 'illegal goldmining turf war', as 10 killed in separate incident at barbecue venue near Cape TownTwo separate mass shootings near South Africa's two biggest cities killed at least 27 people, as the country grapples with one of the world's highest murder rates amid investigations into corruption and criminality within the police.The South African police service said on Sunday that 17 people were killed on Saturday night when eight suspects armed with AK-47 assault rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar in Wedela township, about 50 miles south-west of central Johannesburg. At least 15 other people sustained gunshot injuries in that attack, police said. Continue reading...
'It's hard to sell a house when it's covered in baboon faeces': Cape Town divided over plan to remove its monkeys Two troops of chacma baboons are breaking into homes and shops but animal rights activists insist coexistence is the answerCape Town's city council has said it will "imminently" round up two baboon troops coming into repeated conflict with residents. The animals will be sterilised and permanently moved to a newly constructed sanctuary. The plan has been fiercely criticised by animal rights activists, who say the monkeys should remain roaming freely, and that less destructive options have not been properly considered.Cape Town's baboon problem has been brewing since the 2000s, after the city stopped culling troops in the late 1990s after pressure from the public. But in the past two years it has reached boiling point. A 2025 census found that the population had grown by a third since 2000, from 360 baboons to 493, now living in 12 managed troops. Continue reading...
Rebel offensive against Ethiopian army stokes fears of return to civil war Fighting escalates after Tigrayan rebels form new coalition aimed at overthrowing Abiy Ahmed governmentThere are growing fears of a return to civil war in Ethiopia after an offensive by fighters from Tigray into the neighbouring states of Afar and Amhara and the formation of a new rebel alliance aimed at overthrowing the government of the prime minister, Abiy Ahmed.About 600,000 people died between 2020 and 2022 during a devastating war between the Ethiopian army and the political party and paramilitary group the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Both sides are now accusing the other of triggering a return to open conflict. Continue reading...
Mighty Sparrow, the Trinidad and Tobago singer known as the 'calypso king of the world', dies aged 91 Slinger Francisco, who performed as the Mighty Sparrow, died on Sunday surrounded by family in New YorkSlinger Francisco, known on stage as the Mighty Sparrow and dubbed the "calypso king of the world", has died aged 91.Francisco, who got his breakthrough in calypso music with his 1956 hit song Jean and Dinah, died peacefully surrounded by his family in New York on Sunday, his family said in a statement. Continue reading...
FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey resigns in latest shake-up at bureau FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey resigns in latest shake-up at bureauThe conservative firebrand whom the Trump administration installed as a No. 2 at the FBI announced Monday that he is resigning from the bureau. Andrew Bailey, the former Missouri attorney general who has supported debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen, told bureau employees in an email that he was leaving to spend more time with this family, according to three people familiar with the personnel move who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a matter they were not authorized to speak about. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Bailey, who was hired for the leadership role about a year ago, confirmed his departure in a social media post. "With great pride in what we have accomplished, I am announcing that I am stepping down to return to my family in Missouri," Bailey wrote on social media. "I am confident Director Patel will continue to reform the FBI, combat violent crime, defend the homeland, ensure strong organizational accountability, and restore public trust in this institution of excellence." The departure marks a dramatic turn for Bailey, a loyalist of President Donald Trump who had been floated as a candidate early in the administration to run the FBI or Justice Department. It is also the latest shake-up at the federal law enforcement agency under FBI Director Kash Patel. Bailey was hired to serve as the co-deputy director alongside Dan Bongino, a conservative podcast host and former Secret Service officer. Neither Bongino nor Bailey had FBI experience, which made them highly unusual picks for a position that typically goes to a veteran of the bureau. The position does not require Senate confirmation and is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of the FBI. Earlier this year, Bongino quit amid frustrations about the demands of the position, The Washington Post previously reported. He was replaced with Christopher Raia, a career FBI official. During Bailey's tenure, the department has seen an unprecedented wave of dismissals and transfers of experienced FBI agents. Last week, for example, the top two agents running the counterterrorism division in the Washington field office were transferred because of their work investigating threats against Katie Miller - a conservative podcaster who is the wife of top Trump aide Stephen Miller - according to three people familiar with the matter. The officials were transferred because top officials felt work on the probe was moving too slowly, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter. Bailey resigned from his position as Missouri attorney general last September to assume the role as FBI co-deputy director. He is a military veteran who as Missouri's chief legal officer mounted high-profile legal fights aligned with Trump's agenda. He sued Starbucks over its diversity, equity and inclusion policies; fought transgender care policies; and waged legal battles against "sanctuary city" policies. Among the most notable parts of Bailey's short FBI tenure was his presence on the scene as the FBI executed search warrants in January to seize 2020 ballots and other election material from Fulton County, Georgia. It is rare for an FBI deputy director to personally oversee such a routine development in an investigation, but Bailey's presence was also notable given the political tensions surrounding the probe and Trump's repeated insistence, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen. The FBI has said it is investigating whether what it has described in court filings as "deficiencies" in the 2020 vote tabulation in Fulton County, home to Atlanta, were the result of intentional wrongdoing that could constitute a crime. Related ContentThis article originally appeared on Washington Post at https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/andrew-bailey-no-2-fbi-161002023.html
Supreme Court Justice Alito recuses himself from climate case involving oil companies Supreme Court Justice Alito recuses himself from climate case involving oil companiesBy John Kruzel WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will not participate in an upcoming case involving a bid by oil companies to scuttle a lawsuit seeking to hold them liable for helping fuel climate change, a court official said on Monday. Alito owns stock in several oil and gas companies but not Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy, the two companies involved in the dispute to be heard by the court on October 5. He had initially declined calls from watchdog and environmental groups to recuse. Alito stepped aside when the litigation reached the court at an earlier stage in 2023. Alito is one of the most conservative justices on the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority. Lawyers for the oil companies and those representing officials in Boulder, Colorado, who sued Exxon and Suncor in 2018, were informed on Monday of Alito's recusal in a letter from Scott Harris, clerk of the Supreme Court. Harris did not provide a rationale, stating only, "I am writing to inform the parties that Justice Alito has determined that he will not continue to participate in this case." The dispute, which will be heard on the first day of the court's new term, could determine the fate of dozens of state and local climate-related lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. According to his most recent financial disclosure, Alito's holdings include stock in ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66, which are defendants in separate but similar climate-related lawsuits. The upcoming Supreme Court case involves whether federal law precludes certain claims under state law seeking damages for harms allegedly caused by the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The justices also directed the parties to address whether the court has jurisdiction to decide the case at this stage. President Donald Trump's administration has backed Exxon and Suncor, arguing that federal law precludes Boulder's claims. (Reporting by John Kruzel; Editing by Will Dunham) This article originally appeared on Reuters at https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/us-supreme-courts-alito-wont-175903169.html
Trump puts sanctions relief on the table as U.S.-Iran talks continue, U.S. official says Trump puts sanctions relief on the table as U.S.-Iran talks continue, U.S. official saysA satellite view shows an overview of the Natanz nuclear facility near Natanz, Iran, on June 30. - Vantor/ReutersPresident Donald Trump is willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release frozen funds as part of a final deal, but only if Tehran offers "concrete progress" on the nuclear issue, a US official told CNN Monday, as mediators try to bring both countries back to the negotiating table.The United States is having "positive and constructive discussions through the mediators," the official said, though they noted that there will not be a deal unless nuclear issues are addressed. Trump on Saturday rejected Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it "unacceptable."On Sunday, Trump told Axios that he expects more talks with Iran to occur this week. The official said that special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are leading the talks on the US side. On Monday, he also disputed the idea he had "offered" Iran any concession, saying on Truth Social that he "offered them NOTHING!""They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make," the president said Sunday. "It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago. They overplayed their hand."According to the official, Iran has indicated they are flexible on nuclear issues - but both sides have not reached an agreement on the timing of the commitments.US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that Trump rejected the proposal because he did not believe Iran was negotiating in good faith, arguing that it was unacceptable that Tehran was "asking for everything up front.""The bottom line is they were asking for everything up front with a promise that they would then talk," Waltz said on "State of the Union."Waltz later told NBC's "Meet the Press" that "it's kind of common sense" Trump doesn't have a lot of confidence in the Iranian proposal. He dismissed Tehran's latest offer as "a pretty cynical attempt to put something on the table that they knew was unacceptable."The US official reiterated Waltz's assertion that the United States is skeptical of Iran's promises, given the country violated the US-Iran memorandum of understanding reached in July by firing on commercial vessels.This story has been updated with additional context and developments.For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.comThis article originally appeared on CNN at https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/politics/trump-iran-deal-sanctions-nuclear
Developer offers $10,000 checks to all households in township if data center is built Developer offers $10,000 checks to all households in township if data center is builtWhen you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images NorthPoint Development wants to build a data center on 1,300 acres in the Pocono foothills, near Hazle Township, Pennsylvania. As well as seeking to charm the local government with various funding packages, it has proposed paying checks of $10,000 per household. Despite the Pennsylvania town's median income of $60,000, the offer isn't being warmly welcomed by locals, reports the Wall Street Journal. Those interviewed were widely against the data center development plans and cited several reasons for being averse to accepting the payout. The major concerns regarded potential impacts on property values, the specter of noise pollution, and a distrust of both the AI moguls and local government representatives.Offer letters began to be received by Hazle Township back in June. The WSJ recently talked to several residents about NorthPoint's $10,000 offer. While some say the $10,000 would be handy, it couldn't find many residents who were "eager to welcome the data center for the payout," in the journal's words. We'd point out that opinion polling can often be inaccurate, as what people say and what they do, voting-wise, doesn't always line up.Interviewees cited a number of key reasons for their data center development aversion. We distilled the following points from the source:
Traditionally, developers have offered towns and cities packages worth tens of millions, including funding for local services. But direct cash payments to residents represent a new phase of their charm offensive, the WSJ indicates. Perhaps the idea for the direct payments to residents came after "a raucous public meeting last year, where angry locals asked what they had to gain by supporting the data center," ponders the source.The locals won't just get the direct payout, though. Other funds up to $120 million over the next 15 years have been dangled like a carrot for community and local services investments - improved schools, emergency services, and so on.Meanwhile, Hazle Township's government already rejected the data center project on zoning grounds last year, and it has enacted a temporary moratorium on data center construction. Finally, the $10,000 offer to households is simply not enough in many interviewed folks' opinions. Residents could feel insulted by it, regarding the offer as a bribe, concludes the WSJ report. This article originally appeared on Tom's Hardware at https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/data-center-developer-offers-usd10-000-checks-to-4-500-households-if-the-1-300-acre-facility-is-approved-locals-push-back-over-noise-and-bribe-concerns
A New York state prosecutor has reopened a criminal investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024 after a civil lawsuit filed last week by the alleged victim drew national attention.
In a lengthy statement released on Monday, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced that he had started pursuing criminal charges against seven fraternity members and would present the case to a grand jury.
He also sought to explain why he initially decided not to prosecute them.
According to Van Houten, the woman identified in the civil lawsuit as "Jane Doe" did not say that she was "drugged against her will or gang raped" in her 2024 sworn statement to police.
"On the contrary, Jane Doe's statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary, conscious, and consensual," Van Houten said. "My office obviously did not and could not have based our November 2024 decision on the allegations in a civil lawsuit that would not be filed until nearly two years later."
Cornell University issued a statement saying it supports the district attorney's decision to reopen the case while pushing back against claims that the school did not thoroughly punish those involved in the alleged assault following its own Title IX investigation.
"Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," the university said. "A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault."
What does the lawsuit allege?
The Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., is seen on Sept. 28.
AP Photo/Heather Ainsworth
On Sept. 14, Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell University and seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity, alleging that she was the victim of a "gang rape" at the fraternity house when she was incapable of consent - and that the school failed to protect her from "sexual predators" on its campus.
The defendants named in the lawsuit include Cornell, the seven fraternity members, the Chi Pi fraternity, the woman's own sorority, Delta Delta Delta, and an off-campus bar that allegedly served her alcohol.
She is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages resulting from "sustained psychological injuries, severe emotional distress, along with pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life."
According to her lawsuit, Jane Doe was a 20-year-old student at the school in October 2024 when she went to visit a friend at the fraternity house on Cornell's Ithaca, N.Y., campus while intoxicated. Shortly after arriving, Jane Doe alleged that she was pressured by two fraternity brothers into snorting what they said was ketamine before sexually assaulting her. One of the men then allegedly sent a message to the fraternity's Snapchat group chat suggesting that she was available for sex. According to the complaint, multiple other members of the fraternity showed up, and she was raped for hours.
During the alleged assault, the fraternity members "began pouring lines of Ketamine all over her body and snorting them," according to the complaint.
"At around 5:45 AM, this assault concluded and Plaintiff lost consciousness," the lawsuit stated.
About three weeks later, on Nov. 8, 2024, Jane Doe reported the incident to the university's police department.
What was Cornell's response?
A student walks past a Cornell University sign in Ithaca, N.Y., on Sept. 28.
AP Photo/Heather Ainsworth
According to the lawsuit, the accused fraternity members were temporarily suspended while Cornell conducted a months-long Title IX investigation that included at least 12 hearings. According to the suit, the accused fraternity members were "afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell."
Two of the seven accused fraternity members were ultimately expelled, while the others received lesser sanctions, according to the complaint. Jane Doe dropped out of school.
Last week, Cornell issued a statement saying it is "aware of a lawsuit concerning the deeply disturbing allegations of sexual assault involving members of the student community that occurred in 2024."
The school said it concluded its Title IX investigation but would not disclose individual sanctions, citing federal privacy laws.
"The Cornell Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies. The Xi chapter of Chi Phi fraternity remains barred from our campus," the statement said: "Federal privacy law prohibits Cornell from disclosing specific information regarding individual students and we therefore are unable to make a public statement on any other disciplinary response. Violations of university policies could lead to sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion. We will respond in detail through the legal process."
The university also pointed out that it launched a task force on campus sexual assault in the wake of the incident and issued a report in March with recommendations for "an environment that fosters sexual health and safety."
"Several of the recommendations have already been implemented, while others are in development with oversight by a university implementation committee," Cornell said.
Reactions to the allegations
Florence Pugh attends an event for Netflix's "East of Eden" in New York City on Sept. 27.
Jason Mendez via Getty Images
The lawsuit and its harrowing allegations prompted reactions from several celebrities, including Florence Pugh, who posted a lengthy response on Instagram calling for men to speak out against sexual violence.
"This is really the moment where we need our men to be as horrified and as sickened as us," Pugh wrote. "You need to be leading conversations about how we change the allowance and complicity of this behaviour as much as we are. How can you expect us to trust that it's 'not all men' when in moments like this, many of you stay quiet?"
Toby Morton, a former South Park writer, launched a website, TheCornell7.org, dedicated to holding the school and the accused fraternity members accountable.
Van Houten, the district attorney, said that "over the past two weeks, many people have called my office, left voicemails, and sent emails about this case."
"Some people have understandably sought answers," he said. "Others have simply insulted and sometimes threatened my office and my staff."This article originally appeared on Yahoo News at https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/prosecutor-reopens-criminal-investigation-into-cornell-gang-rape-allegations-183826467.html
Stocks fall as surging interest rates add another worry for investors Stocks fall as surging interest rates add another worry for investorsBy midmorning, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield had risen to 5.27%, its highest level since mid-June 2007. (Samuel Corum / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)Stocks fell Monday alongside a jump in bond yields and erratic oil trading as geopolitical upheaval remained front and center for traders.The S&P 500 ended lower by 0.7% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.9% as oil prices rose, pushing Brent crude oil back above $106 per barrel.Earlier in the day, Brent rose beyond $108, but the jump moderated after reports said mediators planned to meet with U.S. and Iranian officials separately to discuss the stalemate between the two sides over the war with Iran. Iran's semiofficial ISNA news agency downplayed the significance of the meetings, saying that Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, would attend talks with mediators but that no U.S. representatives would be present. Other reports throughout the day that said President Donald Trump was open to offering Iran economic concessions to reboot talks and reach a deal also took some of the heat off oil prices. NBC News has not confirmed those reports.Over the weekend, Trump said he had rejected a recent proposal from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which critical energy supplies flowed before the war. "They want to make a deal, and I think that's fine," Trump told reporters in Washington. "I like making a deal too, but ... that deal would not be acceptable." Monday's rocky oil trading has been a familiar feature of this year's turbulent markets.Bond yields also surged to fresh multiyear highs. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose as high as 5.27%, its highest since mid-June 2007. A wide swath of other Treasurys also continued to trade above 5%, and the yield on the 30-year bond hit its highest level since May 2004.The 2-year Treasury, which is often viewed as a signal of where the market expects central bank rates to go, reached its highest level since 2024.Market watchers' anxiety has grown alongside the rise in bond yields."The significant increase in oil prices so far this year hasn't knocked the wind out of the global economy's sails," longtime market analyst Ed Yardeni wrote Saturday. "The question is whether rapidly rising interest rates will do so.""Unfortunately, these higher rates also exacerbate the outlook for large government deficits worldwide," wrote Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research.Still, stocks have largely remained resilient in the face of rising inflation from higher oil prices and bond yields that keep shooting higher. Part of the reason "is that financial conditions have changed little" since January, analysts at Goldman Sachs said. They added that "the substantial rise in interest rates has been nearly offset by the effects of higher equity prices." But the equity market's rise this year has been driven primarily by just a few sectors, which troubles some analysts.For the year so far, the S&P 500 has risen a little more than 12%. But a look under the hood reveals a different story. The information technology sector has gained 27% this year, and the energy sector has added 38%. The healthcare, industrials and materials sectors are up 10%. But the real estate, consumer staples and communication services sectors have all gained less than 7%. The utilities, financial and consumer discretionary sectors have all contracted.On top of higher oil prices, rising bond yields and geopolitical headlines that could swing stocks in either direction at a moment's notice, the end of the month features prominent central bank meetings, including meetings at the Federal Reserve, where rates could rise further.This article was originally published on NBCNews.comThis article originally appeared on NBC News at https://www.nbcnews.com/business/markets/stocks-oil-bond-yields-geopolitics-rcna600284
