International
Putin’s cousin hit by new UK sanctions over Ukraine
The Foreign Office said Anna Tsivileva, Putin’s cousin and president of a major mining firm, has been sanctioned.
Vladimir Potanin, Russia’s second richest man and key supporter of Putin’s regime, was also sanctioned on Wednesday due to the war in Ukraine.
The UK government said the sanctions were intended to “weaken the Russian war machine”.
The pair will be subject to asset freezes and travel bans.
Ms Tsivileva, who runs prominent Russian coal mining company JSC Kolmar Group, significantly benefitted from her relationship with the president, the Foreign Office said.
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Oligarch Mr Potanin, owner of major conglomerate Interros, continues to amass wealth supporting Putin’s regime, according to the UK.
He has acquired Russian bank Rosbank and shares in Tinkoff Bank in the period since the invasion of Ukraine.
A UK government spokesperson said: “As long as Putin continues his abhorrent assault on Ukraine, we will use sanctions to weaken the Russian war machine.
“Today’s sanctions show that nothing and no one is off the table, including Putin’s inner circle.”
The sanctions are the latest as part of a series imposed by the UK on Russian individuals and companies.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, in Madrid for a Nato summit, told the BBC that Russia must be held to account for its actions.
BBC NEWS
International
US Embassy Warns Nigerians Against Visa Fraud, Threatens Permanent Entry Ban
US Embassy Warns Nigerians Against Visa Fraud, Threatens Permanent Entry Ban
The United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a stern warning to Nigerians against involvement in visa fraud, cautioning that providing false information or submitting fake documents during the application process could result in a permanent ban from entering the United States.
In a post on its official X handle on Monday, the embassy emphasized, “Visa fraud has serious consequences. Lying or providing fake documents can lead to permanent visa bans under U.S. immigration law.”
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The warning coincided with a meeting between US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, where both leaders discussed bilateral relations and areas of cooperation between the two countries.
The embassy reaffirmed its commitment to working with Nigeria on issues of mutual concern, urging visa applicants to adhere strictly to the rules to avoid jeopardizing future travel opportunities.
US Embassy Warns Nigerians Against Visa Fraud, Threatens Permanent Entry Ban
International
Trump Files $10bn Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Capitol Riot Documentary
Trump Files $10bn Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Capitol Riot Documentary
US President Donald Trump has filed a massive $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of defamation and election interference over a documentary that allegedly altered his January 6, 2021 Capitol riot speech.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday in a federal court in Miami, seeks damages of at least $5 billion on each of two counts, including defamation and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Trump, 79, said the action followed claims that the BBC documentary deliberately “put words in my mouth,” suggesting the broadcaster may have used artificial intelligence (AI) or deceptive editing techniques.
The documentary in question aired last year ahead of the 2024 US presidential election on the BBC’s flagship current affairs programme, Panorama. It featured an edited version of Trump’s speech delivered to supporters on January 6, 2021, shortly before the storming of the US Capitol, where lawmakers were certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
According to the lawsuit, the BBC spliced together two separate portions of the speech, making it appear that Trump explicitly urged supporters to attack the Capitol. Trump’s legal team described the broadcast as a “malicious and deceptive” act aimed at damaging his political prospects.
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“The formerly respected and now disgraced BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally doctoring his speech in a brazen attempt to interfere in the 2024 Presidential Election,” a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team said. The statement further accused the broadcaster of pursuing a “leftist political agenda” in its coverage of Trump.
The controversy triggered significant fallout within the British Broadcasting Corporation, which serves a global audience. Last month, the BBC director-general and the organisation’s top news executive resigned after internal documents revealed the extent of the editing error, sparking public and political backlash in the UK.
Trump’s lawsuit claims the edited clip was “fabricated and aired one week before the election” to influence voters against him. While the BBC has denied claims of legal defamation, its chairman, Samir Shah, sent Trump a formal letter of apology. Shah also told a UK parliamentary committee that the broadcaster should have responded more quickly after the error was identified in an internal memo later leaked to the media.
The legal action marks the latest in a series of Trump lawsuits against media organisations, several of which have ended in multi-million-dollar settlements, reinforcing Trump’s aggressive legal stance against what he describes as unfair media treatment.
Trump Files $10bn Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Capitol Riot Documentary
International
(UPDATED) Sydney Bondi Shooting: Anti-Semitic Attack Leaves 16 Dead, 40 Injured
(UPDATED) Sydney Bondi Shooting: Anti-Semitic Attack Leaves 16 Dead, 40 Injured
Two alleged gunmen responsible for the deadly shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach were a father and son, police confirmed on Monday, as Australia mourned its worst gun violence in nearly three decades.
The 50-year-old father was killed at the scene, bringing the total deaths to 16, while his 24-year-old son remains in critical condition in hospital. The pair have been identified by local media as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram.
Authorities described Sunday’s attack as a targeted antisemitic incident, which left 40 people hospitalized, including two police officers in serious but stable condition. Victims ranged in age from 10 to 87.
The incident occurred at a packed Hanukkah event attended by roughly 1,000 people in a small park near Bondi Beach. Witnesses reported that the attack lasted approximately 10 minutes, sending attendees scattering across the sand and nearby streets.
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A bystander hero, identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, tackled and disarmed one of the shooters during the attack, saving lives. The 43-year-old fruit shop owner, who was shot twice, underwent surgery, and a fundraising page supporting him raised over A$350,000.
Police stated that the father had held a firearms license since 2015 with six registered weapons. Home Minister Tony Burke noted the father arrived in Australia on a student visa in 1998, while his son is an Australian-born citizen.
Videos from the scene indicated that the attackers used what appeared to be a bolt-action rifle and a shotgun, although authorities have not released full details about the firearms.
Keywords for SEO: Sydney Bondi Beach shooting, Jewish Hanukkah attack, father and son gunmen, Australia gun violence, antisemitic attack, Sajid Akram, Naveed Akram, Ahmed al Ahmed hero, Bondi Beach tragedy.
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