Mali charges ex-PM Moussa Mara with undermining the state in X post
On Thursday, Mara was detained and questioned for a second time by the national cybercrime unit about his 4 July X post.In the post, the ex-prime minister said his regular visits to see those detained were to make sure that "the flame of hope never fades in them"."As long as the night lasts, the sun will inevitably rise! And we will fight by all means to make that happen, and as soon as possible!" he added.The prosecutor at the cybercrime unit said that talking about "prisoners of conscience" and saying he wanted to fight for them constituted an offence, Radio France Internationale reports.On Friday, along with the accusation of undermining the credibility of the state, he was also charged with opposing legitimate authority and inciting public disorder.He is due to stand trial on 29 September.A month ago, military leader Gen Assimi Goïta was granted a five-year presidential term by the transitional parliament, which is renewable without elections.The 41-year-old, who seized power twice, was named transitional president after the 2021 coup.At the time he promised to hold elections the following year - but has since reneged, in a blow to efforts to restore multi-party rule in the West African state.
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Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry could face further action over claims of bullying and misogyny from leaders of African charity he set up
Prince Harry could face further action over claims of bullying and misogyny from the leaders of the African charity he set up. The Charity Commission yesterday revealed that after a bitter boardroom battle at Sentebale it had found 'no evidence of widespread or systematic bullying or harassment including misogyny or misogynoir'. But neither side was satisfied with the final adjudication, which criticised all parties involved, and, although the regulator urged all to be 'mindful to channel their belief in the charity's mission in a constructive and collaborative way', there seems little hope of the row going away. Both camps made serious claims of mismanagement and maladministration against the other. The current chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, accused the Duke of Sussex of waging a campaign of bullying 'at scale' against her. This was strongly denied. The watchdog acknowledged there was a 'strong perception' of ill-treatment by those involved but it could find no evidence of widespread bullying. However, it also confirmed it had no remit to investigate individual allegations. A spokesman for the prince declared this as a win, branding the claims as falsehoods. But those who run Sentebale, after Harry and other trustees resigned en masses in March following infighting, yesterday said such accusations 'can and may be dealt with through avenues more appropriate' than the Charity Commission, without elaborating. The regulator had been asked to investigate a dispute between the prince and its board of trustees on one side and Dr Chandauka on the other. Harry set up Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 to work with disadvantaged young people in Lesotho and Botswana, with both men honouring their late mothers. The Commission criticised all parties as a result of its investigation into the 'damaging internal dispute'. It said the trustees' failure to resolve conflict internally 'severely impacted the charity's reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities'. In a statement, Sentebale said yesterday: 'The Charity Commission is explicitly clear, including in its public guidance, that it is not the Commission's responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes. 'This would include individual allegations of bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir [misogyny against black women] etc. 'As a result, the Commission has not investigated any individual allegations and therefore has not made any findings in relation to individuals, including Prince Harry. The issues not investigated by the Commission can and may be dealt with through avenues more appropriate than the Commission.' A source told the Daily Mail that a decision on whether to proceed would be taken by the Sentebale trustees and executive management, although their focus for now was on delivering help to clients. This drew a scathing response from sources close to the original board of trustees – many of whom are Harry's friends and supporters – who said it was 'provocative and 'pitiful' to 'rehash unsubstantiated allegations of bullying, misogyny and more, which the Commission found no evidence of'. The former board of trustees also issued a stinging statement rebuking the Charity Commission for choosing to 'ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence' which they raised over the 'leadership and oversight' of Sentebale's chair. Sentebale, which has refuted the claims, said it welcomes the conclusion of the compliance case and the issuing of an action plan for the charity moving forward. It said it looked forward to a future 'free from interference' with confidence.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Trump threatens India with 50% tariffs for buying Russian oil
U.S. President Donald Trump 's had signed an executive order subjecting Indian imports to a 50% tariff due to its purchase of Russian oil. The order subjects Indian imports to an additional 25% in duties on top of an existing 25% tariff. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urged by India's opposition parties and the general public to stand up to Trump, labelling the move as 'bullying'. Trump has been warned his latest tirade threatens to undo two decades of diplomatic progress, analysts and officials say, and could derail other areas of cooperation as domestic political pressures drive both sides to harden their stances. While India has emerged in recent years as a key partner for Washington in its strategic rivalry with China, its large U.S. trade surplus and close relations with Russia – which Trump is seeking to pressure into agreeing to a peace agreement with Ukraine – have made it a prime target in the Republican president's global tariff offensive. Trump's taunt that India could buy oil from arch enemy Pakistan has also not gone down well in New Delhi, said two Indian government sources. India has also rejected repeated claims by Trump that he used trade as a lever to end a recent military conflict between India and Pakistan. In an unusually sharp statement this week, India accused the U.S. of double standards in singling it out for Russian oil imports while continuing to buy Russian uranium hexafluoride, palladium and fertiliser. On Wednesday, it called the tariffs "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable," vowing to "take all actions necessary to protect its national interests." But New Delhi knows that any further escalation will hurt it in matters beyond trade, said the sources. Unlike China, India does not have leverage like supplies of rare earths to force Trump's hand to improve the terms of any trade deal, they said. In recent years, successive U.S. administrations, including Trump's first, carefully cultivated relations with India with an eye on it as a vital partner in long-term efforts to counter the growing might of China. But analysts say Trump's recent moves have plunged the relationship back to possibly its worst phase since the U.S. imposed sanctions on India for nuclear tests in 1998. "India is now in a trap: because of Trump's pressure, Modi will reduce India's oil purchases from Russia, but he cannot publicly admit to doing so for fear of looking like he's surrendering to Trump's blackmail," said Ashley Tellis at Washington's Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "We could be heading into a needless crisis that unravels a quarter century of hard-won gains with India." Indian state refiners have in recent days stopped buying Russian oil as discounts narrowed and pressure from Trump rose, Reuters has reported. New challenges for relations A more pressing challenge for India, analysts say, is the stark divergence between its priorities and Trump's political base on key issues such as work visas for tech professionals and offshoring of services. India has long been a major beneficiary of U.S. work visa programs and the outsourcing of software and business services, a sore point for Americans who have lost jobs to cheaper workers in India. Relations with India risk becoming a "football in American domestic politics," warned Evan Feigenbaum, a former senior State Department official under the Republican presidency of George W. Bush. "Issues that directly touch India are among the most partisan and explosive in Washington, including immigration and deportation, H1B visas for tech workers, offshoring and overseas manufacturing by U.S. companies, and technology sharing and co-innovation with foreigners," he wrote in a LinkedIn post. Since a 2008 deal to cooperate on civilian nuclear technology, the two countries have deepened intelligence sharing and defence cooperation and expanded interactions with Australia and Japan through the Quad grouping aimed at containing China's dominance in the Indo-Pacific. But fractures have appeared, despite Modi's rapport with Trump in his first term and then former President Joe Biden. Images in February of Indians deported by the U.S. on military planes, their hands and legs shackled, horrified the country just days before Modi went to see Trump seeking to stave off high tariffs. The relationship was also seriously tested in late 2023 when the U.S. said it had foiled a plot with Indian links to kill a Sikh separatist leader on U.S. soil. New Delhi has denied any official connection to the plot. "The Modi regime's credibility in the U.S. has gone down," said Sukh Deo Muni, a former Indian diplomat and a professor emeritus at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University. "And maybe there are people who think that India or Modi had to be brought back on track, if not taught a lesson. And if that trend continues, I'm quite worried that the challenge is quite powerful and strong for India to navigate." Strengthening ties with US rivals One Indian government source said India needs to gradually repair ties with the U.S. while engaging more with other nations that have faced the brunt of Trump tariffs and aid cuts, including the African Union and the BRICS bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. India is already making some moves with Russia and China. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit New Delhi this year and on Tuesday, Russia said the two countries had discussed further strengthening defence cooperation "in the form of a particularly privileged strategic partnership." India has also boosted engagement with China, a change after years of tensions following a deadly border clash in 2020. Modi is set to visit China soon for the first time since 2018. "Russia will attempt to exploit the rift between the U.S. and India by proposing the restoration of the Russia-India-China trilateral and new projects in defence," said analyst Aleksei Zakharov at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Harry's response to charity row is typically him – blame others and then flounce off instead of trying to fix things
PRINCE Harry has flounced out – yet again. This time, not from the monarchy. Not from a podcast deal. Not from the Army, that many believe he quit too soon. 6 6 6 This time, from Sentebale – the worthy African children's charity he co-founded in memory of his mother, Princess Diana. Once a passion project. Now just another scorched bridge. The exit wasn't quiet or dignified. It followed an ugly row with the chair of trustees, Dr Sophie Chandauka, a punchy Zimbabwean-born lawyer and major donor. Several trustees stepped down, too. What followed was familiar: leaked emails, bullying allegations, duelling statements and headlines Harry tried — and failed — to control. Now comes the Charity Commission's verdict: No laws broken. But the rebuke was clear: governance failures, damaging behaviour and a serious lack of leadership. Harry insists he was forced out. That the chair was impossible to work with. That the environment had turned toxic. What else could he do? Harry always throws toys out of pram - latest charity move is childish But leadership isn't about walking away when the mood turns. In any serious institution — royalty, the boardroom or charity — you don't storm out. You stay in the room. You resolve the problem for the greater good. Instead, Harry bailed. Same old story. And like so many of his recent exits, this one fits the pattern. When pressure mounts and compromise is needed, he withdraws. Rather than engage, Harry flushed red and scarpered back to the luxury of Montecito, and Megs to mop his furrowed brow Robert It's a shame. Because Sentebale mattered. Founded in 2006, it provides long-term support to children in Lesotho and Botswana affected by HIV and poverty. It wasn't a vanity project. It was purposeful — touching the lives of 100,000 youngsters — and at one point, so was Harry. I travelled to Lesotho with him twice. I saw the work up close. Those children in need of help didn't see him as a prince. They saw someone who listened, who cared, somebody who came back. His presence wasn't performative. It was real. His royal rank and media profile opened doors. His conviction helped break stigma of HIV/AIDS, just as his late mother had done right at the outset of the fight. For years, he gave Sentebale visibility and momentum. It was, without question, his most meaningful contribution. But cracks appeared. His decision to quit royal life was costly. In 2023, Dr Chandauka initiated a financial review. She flagged a sharp drop in donations following Harry's withdrawal from royal duties; income fell to £2.39million in 2020, though later rebounded. She reportedly labelled his image a 'reputational risk' and raised questions about whether he was now more liability than asset. Rather than engage, Harry flushed red and scarpered back to the luxury of Montecito, and Megs to mop his furrowed brow. No formal rebuttal. No quiet diplomacy. No attempt to repair. He threw his toys out of the pram. He could have shown resolve, offered solutions, and strengthened the structure. Instead, he vanished. And that's what makes this so frustrating. Harry had no shortage of templates to help lead through turbulence. His grandfather, Prince Philip, oversaw the Duke of Edinburgh's Award for more than six decades — often in silence, always with rigour. His son Edward, the new Duke, is its leader. His father, King Charles, spent years building The Prince's Trust — now the King's Trust — from a niche programme into a national institution. 6 His sister-in-law, Catherine, champions important causes such as early years development with longevity, consistency and focus. His brother, William, leads Earthshot, a well-structured mission with financial backing. None of them walked out mid-crisis. They worked through it. Harry could have done the same. He could have stayed on the board in a non-executive role. Helped recruit new trustees. Brought in independent mediators. Stabilised the organisation rather than adding to the unrest. But that would have required discipline — and a willingness to listen. 'Squandered legacy' Instead, he defaulted to the same script: leave, blame, reposition. And this time, the people most affected weren't palace courtiers or out-of-pocket podcast executives. They were the children of Lesotho — many living with HIV, others orphaned, some still stigmatised. Those were the ones who stood to lose most. The pattern goes back further. His early exit from the Army — ten solid years of exemplary service, but he chose not to be a career soldier and go on, to rise further through the ranks and gain his braided uniforms on merit rather than royal birthright. His abrupt departure from working royal life. His mudslinging. His family ties frayed. Promises to reinvent himself in California have mostly yielded media spats, stalled projects and carefully lit documentaries. What's missing is institutional maturity. And staying power. This isn't about empathy or charisma; Harry has plenty of both. But he's never learned to sit with discomfort, to fix what's failing. Instead, he blames. Then bails. Since relocating to Montecito, his inner circle of advisers has narrowed. 6 He listens to American PR consultants and is guided, above all, by his Duchess, Meghan Markle — who built her brand around control and survival, not compromise or tradition. The problem is that leadership — particularly in the charitable sector — requires grit, continuity and people willing to challenge you, not flatter you. It's not that Dr Chandauka is beyond reproach. Under her tenure, annual accounts remain unpublished, and the next set is delayed until 2025. She may face valid questions. But here's the telling detail: the Commission didn't ask her to go. She stayed. Harry didn't. Now his team says Harry will support African kids 'in new ways.' In practice, that means nothing. His seat at the Sentebale table is empty. His voice, once essential, is absent. It's the institutional equivalent of ghosting. And this wasn't just another cause. This was personal. A living tribute to his mother. One of the few initiatives he helped build from the ground up. He could have pushed for reform. Brought in fresh trustees. Set a better standard. The options were there. What they didn't need was drama. What they couldn't survive was abandonment. This isn't scandal. It's waste. A squandered legacy. A cautionary tale. Another institution left to sweep up the debris of brand-driven burnout. The headlines will fade. The charity may recover. But something has shifted. The Harry I saw in Lesotho back in 2006 –- he had a purpose. A spark. A sense of something larger than himself. Now, all we're left with is another clean break, and another promise unkept. When Harry chose the name Sentebale, it meant forget-me-not — a tribute to Diana and her favourite flowers. It was a promise never to let her memory fade. Well, sadly, it looks like he's done just that. Robert Jobson is a royal editor and the No1 bestselling author of Catherine, The Princess of Wales – The Biography 6
