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US Charges Man with Attempted Assassination of Trump at Florida Golf Course

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Federal prosecutors on Tuesday indicted Ryan Routh, 58, on a charge of attempted assassination of a political candidate, alleging he intended to kill former U.S. President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course.

Routh was previously facing two gun-related charges after authorities said he pointed a rifle through a fence at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach on September 15 while the Republican presidential candidate was golfing there. He has been ordered to remain in jail awaiting trial.

The new charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the alleged attempt a “heinous act” and said the Justice Department would “spare no resource” on the case.

Prosecutors claim Routh spent a month in South Florida, with cell phone data placing him near the golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. They allege he had a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump spoke or was expected to appear.

According to court filings, months before the incident, Routh allegedly dropped off a letter to an unidentified person alluding to “an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.”

A U.S. Secret Service agent reportedly opened fire after discovering the gun poking through the fence during a security sweep, causing Routh to flee. He was arrested within an hour along a Florida highway.

Routh has not yet entered a plea, and his lawyers unsuccessfully sought to have him released on bond.

Sri Lanka President Dissolves Parliament, Sets November 14 Election Date

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Sri Lanka’s newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has dissolved parliament to pave the way for a snap general election, according to a government gazette notification issued Tuesday.

The parliamentary election is scheduled for November 14, with the new parliament set to convene on November 21. This move comes after Dissanayake’s weekend victory in the presidential election, where he campaigned on a platform of change and economic reform.

Dissanayake’s coalition, the National People’s Party, currently holds only three of 225 seats in parliament, prompting the call for a fresh mandate to support his policy agenda.

The election follows a severe economic crisis in 2022 that left Sri Lanka unable to pay for essential imports and led to widespread protests. Dissanayake has promised to bring change for those affected by austerity measures linked to a $2.9 billion IMF bailout program and pledged to expand existing welfare schemes.

However, his intentions to cut taxes and potentially revise the terms of the IMF bailout have raised concerns among investors, particularly regarding a crucial $25 billion debt restructuring plan.

The new president faces the challenge of ensuring sustainable economic growth, reassuring markets, attracting investors, and addressing poverty issues affecting a quarter of Sri Lanka’s 22 million population.

This election marks Sri Lanka’s first since the 2022 economic collapse and comes as the country slowly emerges from its financial crisis.

Four Dead, in Canoe Accident in Borno State, Nigeria

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A canoe accident in Borno State, Nigeria, has resulted in the deaths of four people, local police reported Tuesday.

ASP Nahum Daso, Public Relations Officer for the Borno State Police Command, Nigeria, said the incident occurred Monday at approximately 3:30 PM in the Bakassi community between Mafa and Dikwa along Maiduguri Road. The canoe, carrying passengers, capsized in floodwaters.

The victims, all female residents of Bulabulin Ward in Dikwa, were identified as Ya Mallum Shettima, an adult from Marte LGA; Maimuna Akura, age 10; Umira Alhaji Bulama, age 6; and Yagana Bulama Kawu, 5 months old.

The bodies were taken to Dikwa General Hospital, where a doctor confirmed the deaths. They have since been released to their families for burial according to Islamic rites.

Commissioner of Police CP ML Yusufu expressed condolences to the affected families and urged the public, especially those in flood-prone areas, to exercise caution. The police provided emergency contact numbers for the public to report any distress: 08068075581 and 0802343293.

Iran Coal Mine Disaster Death Toll Rises to 49, All Remaining Workers Presumed Dead

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Iranian authorities announced Tuesday that all remaining workers trapped by an explosion at a coal mine in the country’s east are presumed dead, raising the death toll to at least 49 in one of Iran’s worst industrial disasters.

Mohammad Ali Akhoundi, a provincial emergency official, provided the updated casualty count in a report aired on Iranian state television from the mine in Tabas, located about 540 kilometers (335 miles) southeast of Tehran.

The methane gas leak on Saturday sparked an explosion at the Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. Approximately 70 people were working at the time of the blast. Recovered bodies showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many workers died from gas inhalation before the explosion.

Zahra Saeedi, a lawmaker and member of parliament’s mine committee, reported that the mine’s safety system was not operational and “even the central alarm system was broken or did not exist.” She added that workers were aware of safety issues just before the disaster but couldn’t evacuate in time.

Iran’s newly elected reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, currently in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, has ordered a full investigation into the explosion and called for all efforts to be made to aid the families of the victims.

This disaster highlights ongoing safety concerns in Iran’s mining industry. In 2017, a similar coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people, prompting protests against lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas.

As the investigation begins, questions remain about the safety procedures in place at the privately owned mine and the broader issues of industrial safety regulations in Iran.

Russian Strike Kills Three in Kharkiv Apartment Block

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A Russian strike on an apartment block in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed at least three people and injured 31 others on Tuesday, local officials reported.

The attack, which targeted residential areas including a high-rise building, a bakery, and a stadium, was carried out using guided glide bombs, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, currently in New York for the UN General Assembly, condemned the attack. “The targets for Russian bombs are a residential building, a bakery, a stadium… that is, the ordinary life of ordinary people,” Zelensky stated, calling on allies to “stop the terror.”

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekov reported that Russia had struck at least four districts in the city. The targeted apartment block had previously been hit at the start of the war and was recently repaired.

The attack comes as fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine, with Russian troops reportedly encircling and advancing on the largely destroyed town of Vuhledar.

Russian forces have increasingly used guided glide bombs in recent months, which are modified Soviet-era bombs fitted with wings and satellite navigation aids. These weapons have been employed in various Ukrainian cities, including Zaporizhzhia, where recent strikes injured at least 21 civilians.

As the conflict continues to escalate, Ukrainian officials report Russian advances near Hlyboke, Kupyansk, and Pokrovsk, while the Institute for the Study of War notes recent Ukrainian progress in the Kursk region.

A bbc report

Israeli Airstrike Kills Hezbollah Commander in Beirut, Escalating Tensions

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An Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday killed a Hezbollah commander identified as Ibrahim Qubaisi, a leading figure in the group’s rocket division, according to two Lebanese security sources.

The attack, which reportedly killed six people and wounded 15 others, marks another escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This strike follows a series of Israeli airstrikes on Monday that Lebanese authorities say killed 558 people, including 50 children and 94 women.

Israel’s military chief, Herzi Halevi, stated earlier that attacks on Hezbollah would be accelerated. “The situation requires continued, intense action in all arenas,” Halevi said after a security assessment.

The ongoing violence has sparked fears of a full-scale war that could destabilize the Middle East. Israel has been shifting its focus to the northern frontier with Lebanon after nearly a year of conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas. The group announced on Tuesday that it had used a new rocket, Fadi 3, in an attack on an Israeli army base.

The escalating conflict has led to growing calls for diplomacy. UN human rights chief Volker Turk has urged all states and actors with influence to avert further escalation in Lebanon.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told MSNBC, “I believe that we can still find a path forward to get de-escalation between Israel and across that northern border between Israel and Lebanon and bring about a diplomatic solution.”

As tensions rise, there are concerns that the United States, Israel’s close ally, and Iran, which has proxies across the Middle East, could be drawn into a wider conflict.

The situation remains volatile, with both sides continuing to engage in military actions despite international calls for de-escalation.

U.S. to Donate 1 Million Mpox Vaccine Doses to African Countries

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President Joe Biden will announce Tuesday the donation of 1 million mpox vaccine doses and at least $500 million to African countries to support their response to the outbreak, a senior administration official said.

Biden, attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, will call on other countries to make similar contributions, the official told Reuters.

The World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency in August following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to neighboring countries and beyond, including India.

The donated doses are expected to be the Bavarian Nordic vaccine known as Jynneos in the United States, with many coming from a U.S. stockpile. This donation is in addition to 60,000 previously donated shots.

The administration anticipates that Gavi, a public-private alliance that co-funds vaccine purchases for low-income countries, will distribute the donated vaccines. Last week, Gavi announced plans to purchase 500,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine.

Mpox, which can spread through close contact, usually causes mild symptoms but can be fatal in rare cases. It leads to flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

The outbreak in Congo began with an endemic strain known as clade I, but a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact.

The Biden administration is also promoting vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries and collaborating with Brazil to identify how the G20 nations can support the mpox response.

Nigerian Officials Seize $2.93 Million Worth of Cocaine at Lagos Airport

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Nigerian officials have seized 19.4 kilograms (42.77 pounds) of cocaine valued at 4.66 billion naira ($2.93 million) from a passenger arriving at Lagos airport on a flight from Ethiopia, the country’s anti-drug agency announced Tuesday.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported the arrest of a 48-year-old Nigerian businessman on September 18. The suspect, who had previously been convicted of drug trafficking last year but avoided jail time by paying a fine, was allegedly carrying 817 wraps of cocaine.

NDLEA chief Mohammed Buba Marwa stated, “The agency will continue to work to disrupt the activities of drug cartels operating in the country.”

Nigeria, with a population exceeding 200 million, has recently transitioned from being primarily a transit point for drug gangs moving narcotics between South America and Europe to becoming a significant consumer and distributor market.

REUTERS

Russia Signs Satellite Deal with West African Military Governments

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Three West African nations governed by military juntas – Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso – have announced a deal with Russia to acquire telecommunications and surveillance satellites, officials said Tuesday.

The agreement, reached during a meeting between ministers from the three countries and representatives from Russia’s aerospace agency Roscosmos in Bamako, Mali’s capital, aims to enhance border surveillance and national security across the Sahel region.

Mali’s Finance Minister, Alousséni Sanou, stated that the technology would enable secure communications and help monitor and respond to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and fires.

The three countries, which formed the Alliance of Sahel States last year, have been battling Islamist insurgencies for years. They have increasingly turned to Russia for military support after relations with Western allies deteriorated.

This satellite project comes just days after an Islamist militant attack on an airport in Bamako, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the region. The remote-sensing satellite is seen as crucial to the countries’ security strategy, particularly given the vast, porous borders across the semi-arid Sahel region.

In addition to security applications, ministers said the telecommunications satellite would facilitate television and radio broadcasts across the three countries and provide internet and telephone services in underdeveloped and inaccessible areas within the Sahel.

Russia has been actively seeking to expand its influence in Africa, especially in the Sahel region, as these countries’ relationships with Western allies have broken down. However, despite the use of Russian weapons and alleged involvement of Russian mercenaries, the security situation in the region remains precarious.

The deal marks a significant development in Russia’s growing presence in West Africa and raises questions about the shifting dynamics of international influence in the region. It also underscores the complex challenges facing these countries as they struggle to maintain security and stability while navigating international relationships.

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