Latest news with #violence
Reuters
3 minutes ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Rwandan rebels' fate clouds Trump's vision for mineral-rich Congo
July 23 (Reuters) - Moves to end fighting in eastern Congo that are essential to U.S. President Donald Trump's plans for a mining bonanza in the region are meant to get underway by Sunday, but the future of a small rebel group has emerged as one of the major obstacles. A U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed last month by the Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers was designed to halt violence that escalated this year with a lightning advance in the Democratic Republic of Congo by M23 rebels. Rwanda denies allegations from the U.N. and Western governments that it is fighting alongside the M23 rebels to gain access to Congo's minerals. Rwanda says its troops are there to tackle what it describes as an existential threat from thousands of Rwandan Hutu rebels known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Security experts and diplomats say the FDLR, which includes remnants of Rwanda's former army and militias that carried out the 1994 Rwandan genocide, boasts only a few hundred combatants and is not a significant battlefield force. But the peace agreement explicitly requires Congo to "neutralise" the FDLR as Rwanda withdraws from Congolese territory, underscoring the group's importance to the fate of Trump's diplomacy. Both the Congolese operations against the FDLR and the Rwandan withdrawal are supposed to start by Sunday and conclude by the end of September. U.N. experts said in a report this month that Rwanda, along with M23, is trying to seize control of mineral-rich territory. Kigali responded that the presence of the "genocidal" FDLR "necessitates the defence posture in our border areas". The U.N. experts also accused the Congolese military of relying on the FDLR in its fight against M23. A spokesperson for Congo's government did not respond to a request for comment on that question, but Kinshasa has said it is on board with ensuring any threat posed by the FDLR is "definitively eradicated", including by voluntary disarmament. It has also accused Rwanda of using the FDLR as a pretext for deploying on Congolese territory. Congolese researcher Josaphat Musamba said it was not possible for Congo to rid the region of FDLR fighters given that M23 holds much of the territory where the FDLR now operates. "It would be feasible if the Rwandan-backed rebellion were not active and threatening to conquer other territories," said Musamba, a Ph.D. candidate at Ghent University who is from eastern Congo and studies the conflict there. Jason Stearns, a political scientist at Simon Fraser University in Canada who specialises in Africa's Great Lakes region, said lack of progress against the FDLR could be cited by Rwanda as a reason to keep its troops deployed in eastern Congo past September, throwing off Washington's timeline. "It would be fairly easy for Rwanda to claim that Congo is not abiding by its side of the deal - that its operations against the FDLR are not serious enough, have not been successful enough - and therefore to drag its feet," Stearns said. A spokesperson for Rwanda's government did not respond to a request for comment on its approach to the FDLR. Rwandan President Paul Kagame said on July 4 that Rwanda was committed to implementing the deal, but that it could fail if Congo did not live up to its promises to neutralise the FDLR. Trump said on July 9 the Congolese and Rwandan presidents would travel to the United States in the "next couple of weeks" to sign the peace agreement. They are also expected to sign bilateral economic packages that would bring billions of dollars of investment into countries rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. There has been no further word on a date. While Washington has hosted negotiations between Congo and Rwanda, Qatar has hosted separate direct talks between Congo and M23. On Saturday the two sides agreed to sign a separate peace deal by August 18. M23 currently has no concrete plans to withdraw from the territory it controls. The FDLR has urged Trump not to green-light a Congolese offensive against it. A July 2 letter to Trump from Victor Byiringiro, the FDLR's acting president, said attacking the FDLR would jeopardise the safety of Congolese civilians as well as more than 200,000 Rwandan refugees. In written responses to questions from Reuters, FDLR spokesperson Cure Ngoma said only "a frank, sincere, and inclusive dialogue among Rwandans" could bring peace, though Rwanda has repeatedly ruled out such talks with the group. Trump expects Congo and Rwanda to abide by the peace deal "which will foster lasting stability and prosperity in the region," Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, said in response to Reuters questions about the FDLR's future. "All armed groups must lay down their arms and work within the framework of the peace process." The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a return to the kind of full-scale regional war which led to the deaths of millions of Congolese in 1998-2003.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Teen arrested in 11-year-old's shooting death at Minneapolis park
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old at a Minneapolis park last month. The Minneapolis Police Department said the teenager was taken into custody in Apple Valley, Minnesota, Tuesday morning. Police said "gunfire erupted in the park" on June 23. Someone sitting on their porch nearby heard cries for help and found a boy, later identified as Amir Lamar Atkins, with a gunshot wound. He started driving the boy to the hospital and flagged down an officer near Penn and Dowling avenues. Despite efforts from first responders, the boy died at the scene. The teen is awaiting charges at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center. After the shooting, community members and activists gathered to call for change. "We need to just really take accountability," said activist Angela Williams. "Come on, parents, that's not acceptable." An online fundraiser started by Atkins' family said he "was a beacon of light in our lives — a joyful, loving child whose laughter filled our hearts."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
5 teens arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt
SINGAPORE – Five teenagers between ages 12 and 15 who were involved in a bullying incident in which one boy had a knife held to his throat were arrested on July 10 for suspected rioting offences. In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police said two of the boys, aged 13 and 15, were charged on July 16 with causing hurt. The 15-year-old was also charged with carrying an offensive weapon in a public place. In a video posted on social media platform Xiaohongshu on July 23, a boy seems to be holding a knife to a smaller-sized boy's throat. The incident occurred on July 6, said the police. The knife appears to be a butterfly knife, which is a type of weapon considered more dangerous and therefore, subject to stricter rules. Other weapons that fall under the same category include knuckle dusters, flick knives and the claw-shaped karambit knives. After pressing the knife to the victim's throat, the boy asks him to tell the truth. When the victim assures him that he is not lying, the boy slaps him forcefully on the face. The victim is then offered two choices as punishment, although it is unclear what were the circumstances that led to the situation. The assailant and another boy – who is off-camera – can be heard giving him the option between getting punched in the stomach five times or stripping naked. The victim opts for the second choice and starts taking off his clothes before the video ends. Police investigations involving the other three boys are ongoing. Those found guilty of possessing a dangerous weapon can be jailed for up to five years and get at least six strokes of the cane. Responding to queries, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said it is aware of a video of an assault circulating on social media. It said: 'Such behaviour is not acceptable and has no place in our society. The perpetrators involved are under police investigations.' MOE added that the school has been providing support to the affected student and his family. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Russia Today
Premier league soccer star investigated for ‘liking' AI video
German police have launched a probe into a premier league soccer star over allegations he liked an AI video depicting violence at a gay pride parade, Bild has reported. The video reportedly shows a car crashing into a crowd at a pride march, accompanied by text referencing a game scenario in Grand Theft Auto 6. An openly bisexual football referee and content creator, Pascal Kaiser, has filed charges of incitement of hatred against the video creators and Fulham and former Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno for liking it, the outlet reported last week. 'It is enough that such disgusting videos are circulating. The fact that someone like Leno spreads them by liking and thus drawing attention to them is, in my opinion, a further scandal,' Pascal claimed. Screenshots show Leno's verified Instagram account, which has around 810,000 followers, registering a 'Like' for the video. He later removed the like before the clip was deleted from the platform. According to the outlet, Kaiser first reached out to Leno in a private message, asking why a national player would like such content, but reports indicate Leno blocked him instead. He then encouraged supporters to post rainbow flag emojis on Leno's feed. The goalkeeper reportedly disabled comments in response. 'We can confirm the complaint in this case and that State Security has taken over the investigation,' a police spokesperson told Bild. Leno's agency, fair-sport GmbH, issued a statement via the outlet, saying: 'Bernd is a cosmopolitan person. He distances himself from the video, which he never knowingly liked. He will hire a lawyer and request access to the files.' Leno, 33, currently plays for Fulham in the English premier league and earned nine caps for Germany, most recently appearing against Liechtenstein in 2021.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Chilling moment prolific phone snatcher jumps out of car to stab aristocrat's footballer grandson to death - as he is jailed for life
Chilling CCTV footage captured the moment a prolific phone snatcher jumped out of a car to stab an aristocrat's grandson to death with a machete in a 13-second attack. Abdul-Latif Pouget, 20, is sitting on a moped near Farringdon station in central London when Oguzcan Dereli, 27, pulls up in a blue Ford Focus estate on October 18. Mr Pouget sees Dereli wielding a large blade and tries to ride away but the killer blocks his scooter and knifes him as the bike is knocked over during the struggle. The victim was the grandson of Baron Pouget, while his great-grandfather had been banker George de Vere Drummond, godson of King George VI. The Pouget family has links to Chateau Pouget, a winery in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, France. Known as 'Abz', the victim was a talented footballer and played on the left wing for Zaza FC in the Barnet Sunday Football League, the Old Bailey heard. He was sitting on his moped in Back Hill at the time of the attack. Mr Pouget fought for his life for three days before he died in hospital. Dereli, who was working as a cannabis dealer at the time, was convicted by an Old Bailey jury of murder and having an offensive weapon having denied the charges. He has an appalling criminal of 39 previous convictions and was jailed for 18 months in 2018 for a series of phone thefts in north London while riding pillion on the back of a moped. Mr Pouget's brother Badruddin, turned to address Dereli in the dock as he gave a victim impact statement from the witness box. 'Mr Dereli, when Abz was nine you had your first conviction,' he said. 'When Abz was collecting medals you were collecting bank cards and snatching phones from strangers. You were caught hiding under a mattress.' Badruddin said his brother was 'a young man who, unlike you, was loved for who he was, not feared for what he might do.' He added: 'I hope that justice might speak for Abz now since you never let him speak again.' The victim's mother Kawsar Pouget said in a statement her son was 'kind, respectful, polite and humble.' 'He was a talented and gifted footballer who was a role model to those younger than him. He was young intelligent and full of promise,' Mrs Pouget added. Mrs Pouget said her son, who was one of seven children, had hoped to become a professional footballer. 'He bought warmth and laughter to every room. His murder shattered the natural order of things and has broken something deep within us. 'Every member of the family carries this loss. Our family gatherings now taken place at the graveside.' The motive for the murder is unclear, although the prosecution claimed Dereli was attempting to steal Mr Pouget's mobile phone as he sat on his bike. There was also a suggestion the two men had fallen out over a debt. Dereli told the court Mr Pouget had wrongly accused him of robbery and he had got out the car to confront him, using the machete for protection. Mr Pouget pulled up his moped at Back Hill at 9.27pm on October 18 last year. A minute later the Ford Focus estate driven by Dereli turned into that hill from Clerkenwell Road. 'As he left the car he had a large machete in his right hand. He ran straight over to Mr Pouget who was still sat on his moped,' prosecutor Danny Robinson said earlier. 'He struck him with the machete and then stabbed him with it to his right thigh. The stab wound severed an artery causing instant massive blood loss and Mr Pouget collapsed on the pavement. 'The defendant got back in his car with the machete and drove off leaving Mr Pouget fighting for his life on the floor.' The whole incident had taken 13 seconds. 'Members of the public and one of Mr Pouget's friends tried to help him as did paramedics and police officers,' Mr Robinson said. 'He was taken to Royal London Hospital but despite the best efforts of all those involved in his care he died at 11.15am on October 21.' At the time of the murder, Dereli's partner had recently given birth but he had never seen the child, claiming he was 'scared'. He was with another woman when he checked into the Easy Hotel in Old Street on the evening of October 19. Dereli was arrested there the following morning but the murder weapon was never recovered. The court heard his family of eleven were Kurdish asylum seekers who all lived in a three bedroomed council flat. His father was unemployed and his mother was too ill to work. Passing sentence Judge Sarah Whitehouse told Dereli: 'I am not satisfied this was a murder carried out in the circumstances of a robbery. 'We shall probably never know why you decided to get out of your car and run over and stab Mr Pouget.' But the judge added there had been rumours of a disagreement over a debt. 'Some of the rumours were that you and Mr Pouget had an altercation that very evening in which he had got the better of you and your friends had encouraged you to go out and seek revenge,' the judge said. 'I am satisfied you had formed the intention to cause him really serious bodily harm when you stopped and got out of your car at speed, carrying that machete. 'Your actions caused incalculable distress to Abdul-Latif Pouget's family.' Dereli, who was smartly dressed in a suit and tie, showed no trace of emotion as he was sentenced and did not look back at the packed public gallery as he was led to the cells. Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the Met's investigation, said: 'My thoughts and that of my team remain with Abdul's family, a much loved brother, friend and neighbour. 'A young man has tragically died in a senseless and brutal way. I can only hope that this sentence can go some way in providing a sense of justice to Abdul's family.'
