Thursday, October 16, 2025

BIG Wrap

Uganda’s military chief claims to be holding opposition activist ‘in my basement’

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Uganda’s military chief, the son of longtime President Yoweri Museveni, says he is holding an opposition activist in his basement and threatened violence against him, after the man’s party said he was abducted. Eddie Mutwe went missing on April 27 after being grabbed near the capital Kampala by armed men, the National Unity Platform (NUP) party has said. Mutwe acts as the chief bodyguard for Uganda’s leading opposition figure, Bobi Wine. In a social media...

Update that made ChatGPT ‘sycophant-y’ pulled

(BBC News) OpenAI has pulled a ChatGPT update after users pointed out the chatbot was showering them with praise regardless of what they said. The firm accepted its latest version of the tool was "overly flattering", with boss Sam Altman calling it "sycophant-y". Users have highlighted the potential dangers on social media, with one person describing on Reddit how the chatbot told them it endorsed their decision to stop taking their medication "I am so proud of you, and I honour...

Gaza siege reaches 60th day as U.S. defends Israel at ICJ

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Israel’s total blockade of Gaza has reached its 60th day as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague holds the third day of hearings on Israel’s humanitarian obligations to Palestinians. No food, water or medical supplies have been allowed into the war-torn Gaza Strip since March 2, days before Israel broke the ceasefire on March 18 to restart the bombardments and ground assaults that have killed more than 52,000 Palestinians in...

Blast at Iranian port kills 28 and injures 800

(BBC News) At least 28 people have been killed and 800 injured in a massive explosion at one of Iran's key ports, authorities say. The blast took place at Shahid Rajaee, the country's largest commercial port, near the southern city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday morning. It blew out windows and roofs of nearby buildings and destroyed cars. Residents reported feeling the impact of the blast up to 50 km away. Six people remain unaccounted for,...

Suspect in custody after vehicle attack kills at least nine at Vancouver festival

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Police in Canada have ruled out “terrorism” as a motive for a deadly car ramming at a street festival in Vancouver. At least nine people were killed and several injured Saturday night while they attended celebrations for a major Filipino festival. Investigations are ongoing as a 30-year-old suspect is in custody. At 8:14 pm on Saturday (03:14 GMT on Sunday), a man drove into a crowd gathered for Lapu-Lapu Day, according to the Vancouver...

Car bomb kills senior Russian general near Moscow

(Al Jazeera Media Network) A senior Russian general has been killed after a home-made explosive device ripped through a parked car in the town of Balashikha, east of Moscow, according to the Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes in the country. Authorities named Lieutenant-General Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of the main operational directorate of the military’s General Staff, as the victim of Friday’s attack, which appeared to be similar to previous attacks on Russians linked to Moscow’s...

Ex-congressman George Santos sentenced to seven years in prison

(BBC News) Former Republican congressman George Santos has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to the federal charges in New York court last August. Prosecutors had asked for 87 months – over seven years – in prison, while Santos's attorneys had requested he serve two years, the minimum sentence for aggravated identity theft. The sentencing marks the final step in the downfall of...

Al-Shabab battles Somalia’s army for strategic military base

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Al-Shabab fighters have battled Somali troops and allied forces for control of a strategic army base in southern Somalia, according to the government and a military official. Capturing the base in Wargaadhi town in the Middle Shabelle region, which houses soldiers, special forces and clan fighters, would enable the al Qaeda-linked group to sever a crucial road between the capital Mogadishu, 200 km to the southwest, and the central Galmudug State...

Kennedy announces ban on artificial dyes in food and drinks

(BBC News) The US will ban eight commonly used artificial food dyes in a bid to help Americans "know what's in their food," Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced on Tuesday. Officials said two petroleum-based synthetic dyes would be phased out in the coming weeks, and others by the end of 2026. Experts have linked the dyes — which are found in dozens of foods, including cereals, candy, snacks and beverages — to neurological problems...

Gunmen kill at least 26 in Indian-administered Kashmir, say police

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Armed men opened fire on a group of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing at least 26 people, according to Indian police, in one of the deadliest attacks there in recent times. Police said multiple tourists received gunshot wounds in the “terror attack” on Tuesday while they were visiting Baisaran meadow, some 5 km from the disputed region’s resort town of Pahalgam. “This attack is much larger than anything we have seen directed...