Obituary: Jose Mujica, Uruguayan Marxist guerrilla who later became ‘the world's poorest president'
Jose Mujica, who has died aged 89, was a Marxist terrorist who reinvented himself to become a popular liberalising president of Uruguay in his 1970s. Ostentatiously rejecting the rewards of office, he earned the soubriquet 'the world's poorest president'.
As a Marxist guerrilla, Mujica survived a gun battle with police during which he was shot six times and later spent two years incarcerated in a hole in the ground, keeping his sanity intact by befriending and conversing with a frog. In his later years his life became more mellow and — as he joined the centre-left Broad Front party — so did his politics.
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Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Selina Scott blames London mayor Sadiq Khan after she was mugged by gang
The 74-year-old revealed that in June she was surrounded near Waterstones in Piccadilly by a group of thieves who hit her on the back of the leg and stole her purse. She received an apology from the head of the Metropolitan Police Mark Rowley after she said she could not find an officer to report the crime to, in an interview with the Telegraph saying she blames Sadiq Khan for the incident. 'I actually blame the mayor of London,' Scott told the newspaper. 'More than I blame the police, actually, because the mayor of London took on the job to keep the people of London safe, the police come under him.' Recounting the incident, she said she ran from Piccadilly to Leicester Square without finding a police officer, despite seeing 'all kinds of security officers'. The nearby West End Central police station was closed four years ago and the day after the mugging officers failed to go to her home for a planned appointment because there was no available police car. In June, Rowley admitted on Nick Ferrari's show on LBC that the force could have given the broadcaster a better service. 'I can feel for her. She's obviously very upset. She's a 70-odd-year-old lady who had a very frightening experience,' he said. 'The officers weren't able to give the service that we would expect on that day. I'm sorry about that.' Scott said she had to walk miles home after the attack as the gang had taken her money. ADVERTISEMENT She said: 'I would say to anyone walking through central London, put 20 quid in your shoe or down a sock or in your knickers or somewhere, because the worst thing was not having any money. 'I'm fairly fit, so I could walk, but I did try to get on a bus.' After the attack, she told LBC she felt 'humiliated and angry'. She added: 'But most of all (I'm feeling) fearful for all those who are listening to Nick's show and feel that they can walk the streets of London safely, because I'm telling you, they can't.' A spokeswoman for the mayor of London said: 'Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe. Sadiq is determined to do all he can to tackle crime and its complex causes, and build on progress that has been achieved in London.
Irish Independent
22-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Jeffrey Epstein accuser twice urged FBI to look at Donald Trump after New York incident
In 1996, Maria Farmer told police she was groped by Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Ms Farmer, who worked for Epstein as an art adviser, was one of the first people to accuse the paedophile financier of sexual misconduct. When reporting the incident she raised concerns about the high-profile individuals surrounding Epstein, including Mr Trump and Bill Clinton, she told the New York Times. Ms Farmer told the newspaper she had been troubled by a 1995 incident with the then Apprentice star, in which she met Mr Trump for the first time after being summoned to Epstein's Manhattan offices late one evening. She claimed the impromptu meeting took place just before she began working for Epstein. Ms Farmer said she arrived in running shorts and that Mr Trump hovered over her and stared at her legs, making her feel scared. She said Epstein then entered the room and said, 'No, no. She's not here for you', before the pair left together. Ms Farmer claimed she then heard Mr Trump say he thought she was 16 years old. Ms Farmer said she did not experience any other incidents with Mr Trump and did not see him engage in inappropriate behaviour with women or girls. In 2006, Ms Farmer claimed she again told the FBI to examine Mr Trump's links to the late financier. At the time, she was interviewed as part of the investigation into claims Epstein had sex with a minor. Epstein was eventually charged with one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. He pleaded guilty and served 13 months in a low-security prison. The White House branded the story about Mr Trump, which Ms Farmer first made public in 2019, as 'recycled'. 'This is recycled, old fake news of the highest order that was already peddled for more than six years, concocted by Democrats and the liberal media just like they did with the Russiagate scandal, which was just proven today,' director of communications Steven Cheung told the Telegraph. 'The fact is that the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep.' Mr Trump is facing the biggest crisis of his presidency over his administration's failure to release all information related to Epstein's case. The FBI and the Department of Justice sparked dismay among the president's MAGA base earlier this month after concluding that the sex offender did not have a 'client list' and took his own life in a Manhattan prison cell in 2019. Conspiracy theorists, including many Trump voters, believe that Epstein was killed to prevent supposed information about high-profile 'clients' involved with the financier being made public.
The Journal
11-07-2025
- The Journal
BBC ban Gregg Wallace over lack of ‘confidence' presenter can change behaviour
THE BBC HAS reportedly banned Gregg Wallace from working at the organisation again, citing a lack of 'confidence' the presenter can change his behaviour following allegations of sexual misconduct. He was sacked as MasterChef presenter on Tuesday after an inquiry into his alleged inappropriate behaviour, by production company Banijay, BBC News reported. Wallace, 60, stepped away from hosting the BBC cooking competition last year after a number of historical complaints came to light. New claims emerged this week about the TV presenter from 50 or more people, to the corporation, with the majority saying he made inappropriate sexual comments, and 11 women accused him of inappropriate sexual behaviour, such as groping and touching, BBC News reported. Ahead of the inquiry report being published, the Telegraph reported that the TV presenter had been dismissed by the corporation. In a letter to Wallace seen by the Telegraph, a senior figure at BBC television wrote: 'Given my conclusion, I do not believe that the BBC should make plans to work with you in the future on any of its productions, whether directly or indirectly. 'I have also taken into account whether your behaviour could be improved with training and/or coaching. 'However, having reviewed the 2025 findings, I do not have the confidence that you can change what seems to be learned behaviour for you to make what you perceive to be jokes in the working environment, without understanding the boundaries of what is appropriate.' Advertisement The letter continued: 'I do not have confidence that your behaviour can change to ensure there is a sufficiently safe and respectful environment for others working with you in the types of programmes the BBC has engaged you to present.' Some of the more recent claims include a MasterChef worker who said she tried to complain about comments she alleged he made about her body in 2022, and a former policeman who said he tried to raise concerns after he allegedly witnessed Wallace making inappropriate sexual comments at a charity event in 2023. The former greengrocer posted a statement on his Instagram page on Tuesday, claiming he had been cleared of the 'most serious and sensational accusations' against him. The statement said: 'I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience. I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established. He also said he recognises that some of his humour and language was inappropriate 'at times' and apologised for this. Wallace was a greengrocer before he shot to fame fronting BBC shows including Inside The Factory, Supermarket Secrets, as well as MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals. The most recent series of MasterChef: The Professionals continued to air last year amid allegations against Wallace, but two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials were pulled from the BBC's schedule in December 2024. At the time, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she would look to impose new standards in the creative industry. A BBC spokesperson said: 'Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace. 'We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.'
