Bolivia’s former president, Luis Arce, has been arrested in La Paz as part of an investigation into alleged graft, the government has said. The investigation relates to when Arce, 62, was economy minister under then-president Evo Morales, who was in office from 2006 to 2019. He is accused of authorising transfers from the public treasury to the personal accounts of political leaders. Arce, who left office last month, is yet to comment but his former colleague María Nela Prada said he was innocent and described the arrest as a “total abuse of power”. The Attorney General’s office requested Arce be…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
Japanese police have suspended the car driving licences of nearly 900 cyclists after they were caught riding bicycles under the influence of alcohol, local media report. Authorities deemed that the offenders were “likely to pose a significant danger when driving a car”. The number of suspended car driving licenses from January to September rose sharply compared to last year, as Japan imposed new traffic laws that imposed stricter penalties on cyclists. Under the new rules introduced in November last year, those who cycle while under the influence of alcohol can face up to three years in jail or a maximum…
Pakistan’s former spy chief has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a military court, on charges including violation of state secrets and interfering in politics. Faiz Hameed led Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency from 2019 to 2021, during the tenure of now-jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. He was known to be a staunch supporter of Khan, and took early retirement shortly after Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in 2022. It is the first time that an ISI chief in Pakistan has been court martialled. The ISI chief is seen as the second most powerful position…
Ghana has deported three Israeli nationals who arrived in the country on Wednesday in what appears to be a tit-for-tat move over the alleged mistreatment of Ghanaian nationals at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. Seven Ghanaians, including four members of an official delegation attending a cyber-security conference in Tel Aviv, were allegedly detained without explanation. They were released after five hours, while the three others were deported, according to Ghana, which condemned their “humiliating treatment”. Ghana’s foreign ministry says a senior diplomat from the Israeli embassy in Accra was summoned over the incident, and both countries have agreed to…
Every homeowner wants a fair property valuation. When the assessment seems higher than expected, it becomes important to understand the protest process clearly. Mistakes in this process can reduce the chances of getting a favorable decision, so preparation plays a key role. A Houston property tax protest allows homeowners to request a review of their appraised value. The process requires attention to detail, clear evidence, and timely action. Knowing what to avoid can make the process smoother and more effective for Houston residents. Ignore The Protest Deadline One of the biggest errors is missing the protest deadline. Houston property owners…
Storing items away for a season or for an extended period often seems straightforward: box them up, label the lid, and place everything neatly into a unit. But anyone who has ever returned months later to discover damaged items, warped materials, moisture issues, or unexpected odors knows the process requires more intention. The planning phase is where most challenges can be avoided, and for many people, that research begins with basics like learning how to prevent mold in a storage unit before deciding what, where, and how to store long-term. Once that foundation is set, the rest becomes easier, almost…
When Human Comfort Meets Responsible AI Design Many adults searching online for ai girlfriend sex chat options end up on platforms feeling unsafe. Unpredictable. Poorly moderated. Concerns around privacy, harmful stereotypes, and unreliable AI behavior push many users to search for better options. People hope for a space offering emotional presence without chaos. My Dream Companion steps forward as an AI companion platform shaped around stable interaction. Grounded personality design. Private conversations staying within the user’s control. The Need for Safe Digital Companionship People exploring AI companions often want more than entertainment. Some look for emotional comfort. Some want a…
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced its third interest rate cut of the year as policymakers moved forward with the cut to support the labor market despite elevated inflation. Fed policymakers voted to lower the benchmark federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a new range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The move follows rate cuts of that size in September and October, which were the first of the year. Policymakers have been tracking economic datashowing a slowdown in the labor market in recent months as companies adjust to shifts in trade and immigration policy. Meanwhile, inflation has trended higher…
Men accounted for the majority of homicide victims in 2024, underscoring a deeply rooted violence crisis. A study conducted by the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) found that men were the primary victims, especially in cases related to cattle rustling, communal conflicts, drunken altercations, land-related conflicts and many mob violence cases resulting from suspicions of theft. Women were predominantly killed in incidents of domestic violence, land/property succession disputes, love triangles and other crime-of-passion related incidents. “In some places, the perpetrators targeted people in employment and the business persons/community. In other places, elderly women, especially those living alone in rural areas…
At least 15 Kenyans living in the United States are among individuals branded the “worst of the worst”. This is after they were arrested pending deportation by the Trump administration. The 14 men and one woman find themselves on an initial list of 10,000 whose names, images and criminal histories have been published by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a webpage called “Worst of the Worst,” which was launched on Monday. The crimes for which they are listed include driving under the influence, fraud and robbery. Naserian Montet appears on the initial list of 10,000 criminal aliens…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered the state department to return to using Times New Roman font for documents instead of Calibri, erasing a change under the Biden administration meant to make documents more accessible. Antony Blinken, Rubio’s predecessor, had changed font requirements to Calibri to make text more legible for people with disabilities, but Rubio reversed this decision in part to make text “more formal and professional”. The new changes go into effect on10 December, and apply to both external and internal documents. Lucas de Groot, the Dutch designer who created the Calibri typeface, told BBC Newshour…
A federal judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles and ordered the troops be returned to the state governor’s control. In June, Trump sent thousands of National Guard troops to the California city in the wake of protests over his administration ramping up immigration raids in Los Angeles. US District Judge Charles Breyer said the Trump administration had not proven that that the city’s protests against immigration justified taking federal control of the state’s National Guard. The Trump administration still has control over 300 California National Guard troops six months after they…
A federal judge in New York ruled the US Department of Justice can publicly release grand jury records from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case. US District Judge Richard Berman’s ruling reverses his previous decision to keep the material sealed. He cited a new law passed by Congress requiring the justice department to release files about Epstein. In his latest ruling, Judge Berman said the victims have the right to “have their identity and privacy protected”, adding that their “safety and privacy are paramount”. Esptein was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019. He died in a New York prison…
Canada’s ambassador to Washington Kirsten Hillman has announced she will be stepping down in the new year – a key departure as trade talks between the US and Canada remain stalled. In a post on X late on Monday, Hillman said there is never a “perfect time” to leave such a post but that she is grateful for the confidence that was placed in her “as the Canada-US relationship is being rewritten”. Hillman has served as ambassador since March 2020. Before that, she was part of a team that helped renegotiate a free trade agreement between Canada, the US and…
The daughter of María Corina Machado, the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has said her mother is determined to live in a free Venezuela and would “never give up on that purpose” as she accepted her mother’s award. The Venezuelan opposition leader was “safe” and will travel to Oslo, the Nobel Institute said, but was unable to make the awards ceremony scheduled for 12:00 GMT on Wednesday. Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the award on her mother’s behalf and delivered a lecture written by her at the ceremony in Oslo’s City Hall. The Nobel Institute awarded Machado…