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Main Suspect in Madeleine McCann Disappearance Released From German Prison

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Main Suspect in Madeleine McCann Disappearance Released From German Prison

Christian Brueckner, the main suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann, was released from a German prison on Wednesday after completing a seven-year sentence for an unrelated sex crime.

Brueckner, 49, was first named a suspect in the McCann case in 2020 while serving time for raping a 72-year-old woman in Portugal’s Algarve region — the same area where the three-year-old vanished.

Prison spokesperson Marcell Farbowski confirmed Brueckner’s release at 9:15 a.m. local time, saying he left under police escort with his lawyer. Reporters at the scene saw a car leaving the facility.

According to Der Spiegel, Brueckner’s release comes with strict conditions: his passport has been cancelled, he will wear an electronic tag, and he must declare a fixed residence which he cannot leave without permission.

Brueckner, who has previous convictions for child abuse and drug trafficking, denies any involvement in the McCann case. British, German and Portuguese police have yet to find conclusive evidence linking him to her disappearance but continue to investigate, including recent digs for evidence in the Algarve.

Madeleine McCann disappeared from her bedroom in a holiday resort in 2007 while her parents dined nearby. She would now be 22 years old. Her parents continue to campaign for answers, writing on their website:

“We love her dearly and miss her beyond words.”

APC to Atiku: Instigating Anarchy Demeans Your Status

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APC to Atiku: Instigating Anarchy Demeans Your Status

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday said instigating anarchy is degrading to the status of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party accused Atiku of sounding a false alarm about “hunger and insecurity” while dismissing the transformative reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Morka said Atiku’s recent remarks, which likened Nigeria’s situation to historic violent revolutions in France, Russia and the Arab Spring, were “reckless, irresponsible, unbefitting and degrading” to his status as a former vice president.

The APC spokesperson noted that Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed to eradicate hunger, poverty and insecurity during their 16 years in power, despite huge oil revenues.

“Instead, Atiku and his PDP democratised hunger and poverty in our country. They plundered and looted our treasury, and enthroned corruption and profligacy as state policy. Atiku and his PDP cemented the sordid foundations of hunger, poverty and insecurity that President Tinubu is battling courageously and relentlessly to defeat, with growing success,” Morka said.

He described Atiku as “clueless” about Nigeria’s economic challenges both as vice president and as a “forever-presidential aspirant,” adding that Nigerians have serially rejected his attempts to become president.

According to Morka, Atiku’s comments came at a time when inflation is lowering and key economic indicators are improving under Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” reforms. He warned that inciting violent uprising is “not a protected freedom” and urged Atiku to refrain from inflammatory language capable of undermining national peace and safety.

The APC said it trusts Nigerians to ignore Atiku’s “inciting statement” as self-serving, anti-democratic and a threat to the peace, unity and progress of the country, noting that Atiku “hardly resides in Nigeria” and would not share in the consequences of any unrest.

Sowore Sues DSS, Meta, X Over Alleged Rights Violations

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Sowore Sues DSS, Meta, X Over Alleged Rights Violations

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has filed two fundamental rights actions at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the Department of State Services (DSS), social media giants Meta (Facebook) and X Corp.

According to a statement released by his legal team on Tuesday and signed by Tope Temokun, the lawsuits were filed to challenge what the lawyers described as “unconstitutional censorship” against Sowore’s accounts maintained with Meta and X.

Temokun said the lawsuits are about the survival of free speech in Nigeria, adding that “if state agencies can dictate to global platforms who may speak and what may be said, then no Nigerian is safe; their voices will be silenced at the whims of those in power.”

“Censorship of political criticism is alien to democracy. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Section 39, guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, without interference. No security agency, no matter how powerful, can suspend or delete those rights,” the statement read.

The politician’s lawyers added that Meta and X must also understand that when they bow to unlawful censorship demands, they become complicit in the suppression of the struggle for liberty.

“They cannot hide behind neutrality while authoritarianism is exported onto their platforms,” the lawyers said.

Sowore’s legal team’s prayers before the court include: “That the DSS has no power in law to censor Nigerians on social media; That Meta and X must not lend their platforms as tools of repression; and that our client’s rights and by extension, the rights of all Nigerians, be fully protected against unlawful censorship.”

“We call on all lovers of freedom, journalists, human rights defenders, and the Nigerian people to stand firm. Today it is @YeleSowore; tomorrow it may be you. This struggle is not about personalities. It is about principle. And we shall resist every attempt to turn Nigeria into a digital dictatorship,” the statement concluded.

Sowore’s suit comes hours after the DSS filed a five-count charge at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against him.

The DSS also listed X Corp and Meta Inc. (Facebook) as defendants.

A Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Muhammed Abubakar, as well as other lawyers for the DSS, filed the charges on behalf of the agency and the Nigerian government.

The DSS had on September 8 issued Sowore a one-week ultimatum to delete what it described as a “false, malicious, and inciting” social media post about President Bola Tinubu.

The ultimatum expired on Monday without Sowore deleting the posts on President Tinubu. X Corp and Meta Inc., which own X and Facebook, also failed to comply with the DSS demand to delete Sowore’s accounts.

Spain Will Boycott Eurovision If Israel Takes Part — Report

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Spain Will Boycott Eurovision If Israel Takes Part — Report

Spain will boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel takes part, public broadcaster RTVE said Tuesday.

While other European nations have threatened to pull out, Spain is the first of the “big five” nations — the biggest funders of the event — to do so.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), organiser of Eurovision, is set to decide at its December general assembly whether Israel will participate in the 2026 edition.

If KAN, the Israeli public broadcaster, remains on the list of participants, “RTVE would have to carry out the threat of withdrawing from the contest for the first time in history,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

The announcement follows Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun’s call for a boycott if Israel takes part, citing its devastating military offensive in Gaza.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had earlier said Israel should be excluded from Eurovision over the Gaza conflict, just as Russia was barred following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. “What we cannot allow is double standards in culture,” he said.

On Monday, Sanchez also called for Israel to be banned from international sport after pro-Palestinian protesters in Madrid forced the Vuelta a Espana cycling race to be abandoned over the weekend, denouncing the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team.

Eurovision is the world’s largest live televised music event. This year’s edition in Basel drew 166 million viewers across 37 countries. Austrian singer JJ won, securing Vienna the right to host the 2026 contest.

Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have also threatened not to participate if Israel takes part.

Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain — the biggest contributors to the EBU — automatically qualify for the Eurovision final.

The EBU said in July it had begun consultations with all members on “how we manage participation, geopolitical tensions, and how other organisations have approached similar challenges.”

Pro-Palestinian activists have protested Israel’s participation at Eurovision in Malmo, Sweden (2024) and Basel, Switzerland (May 2025).

JUST IN: DSS Files Criminal Charge Against Sowore Over Claims On Tinubu

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JUST IN: DSS Files Criminal Charge Against Sowore Over Claims On Tinubu

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count criminal charge at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, alongside X Corp and Meta Incorporation (Facebook), over alleged defamatory posts about President Bola Tinubu.

The DSS had on September 8 given Sowore a one-week ultimatum to delete what it described as a “false, malicious, and inciting” social media post about President Tinubu. The ultimatum expired on Monday without Sowore or the social media companies deleting the posts or his accounts.

The charges, filed on behalf of the DSS and the Nigerian government by Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mister Muhammed Abubakar, and other DSS lawyers, read as follows:

Count One:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official X Handle page, @Yele Sowore, to send out a message/ tweet as : ‘THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!’, which you know the said message to be false but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”

Count Two:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official Facebook page, Omoyele Sowore, to send out a message/ post as : ‘THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!’, which you know the said message/post to be false but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”

Count Three:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, using the instrumentality of X, via your official X account @Yele Sowore, did knowingly published defamatory material on your online platform viz: ‘THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!’, against the personality and reputation of the President and Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.”

Count Four:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, using the instrumentality of Facebook, via your official Facebook account Omoyele Sowore, did knowingly published defamatory material on your online platform viz: ‘THIS CRIMINAL @ OFFICIAL PBAT ACTUALLY WENT TO BRAZIL TO STATE THAT THERE IS NO MORE CORRUPTION UNDER HIS REGIME IN NIGERIA. WHAT AUDACITY TO LIE SHAMELESSLY!’, against the personality and reputation of the President and Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.”

Count Five:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to cause public fear and disturbance, published false information on your official X and Facebook account @Yele Sowore, respectively, against the personality and reputation of the President and Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under the same Act.”

Bayern Host Chelsea As Champions League Begins

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Bayern Host Chelsea As Champions League Begins

Bayern Munich’s revamped line-up faces a stern test in their Champions League opener at home against Club World Cup winners Chelsea on Wednesday, in a rematch of the 2012 final at the same venue, won on penalties by the English club.

Bayern endured a summer of upheaval, losing forwards Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Mueller and Mathys Tel, replacing them with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson. Injuries to Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies have further stretched the squad, prompting rare criticism from Harry Kane, who called Bayern’s team “thin” and “maybe one of the smallest I’ve had in my career.”

Chelsea, fresh from their Club World Cup triumph over Paris Saint-Germain, are expected to provide a formidable challenge. Both teams are targeting direct qualification from the league phase to avoid additional knockout ties.

Wednesday’s match comes just over 13 years after Chelsea’s famous upset in Munich. Mueller’s departure leaves Manuel Neuer as the only player from either side involved in that 2012 final.

Champions League Fixtures (Tuesday):

  • Athletic Club vs Arsenal
  • PSV Eindhoven vs Union Saint-Gilloise
  • Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund
  • Real Madrid vs Marseille
  • Benfica vs Qarabağ
  • Tottenham vs Villarreal

Trader Allegedly Kills Sister Over ₦800 Debt In Ondo

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Trader Allegedly Kills Sister Over ₦800 Debt In Ondo

Police in Ondo State have arrested a middle-aged trader, Bosede Iluyemi, for allegedly killing her elder sister, Omowumi Tewogboye, during a dispute over an ₦800 debt in Akure, the state capital.

According to eyewitness accounts, the altercation began after Bosede demanded payment for tomatoes and pepper Omowumi had purchased on credit. The argument escalated when Bosede allegedly grabbed her sister’s clothes, causing her to fall and sustain fatal injuries.

Omowumi was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that Bosede has been taken into custody. Command spokesperson DSP Olusola Ayanlade said the case is under investigation and assured that justice will be served.

NNPCL Expands Farmers Empowerment Programme To Northern Nigeria

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NNPCL Expands Farmers Empowerment Programme To Northern Nigeria

The NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Ltd., has extended its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen food security, stimulate economic empowerment, and promote national development.

The second phase of the initiative will cover the North East, North West, and North Central geopolitical zones, with training sessions scheduled across six designated states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

According to Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, the programme equips farmers with modern agricultural techniques, including climate-smart farming, organic fertilisation, post-harvest loss reduction, and improved market access strategies.

The first phase of the programme, held across the Southern region, empowered over 4,000 farmers with contemporary agricultural practices and market strategies, recording significant success.

Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, said during the official flag-off of the first phase in Nsukka, Enugu State, that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda.

“At NNPC Ltd, we recognise that agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for over 70% of Nigeria’s population. Yet, many farmers remain trapped in subsistence-level production due to limited access to modern techniques, quality inputs, and competitive markets. This training is designed to change that narrative,” Arukwe stated.

She stressed that the programme aims to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, and resources required to transition from subsistence farming to sustainable, commercial-scale agricultural production.

Trump To Sue New York Times For $15 Billion Over Defamation

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Trump To Sue New York Times For $15 Billion Over Defamation

US President Donald Trump on Monday announced plans to file a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times, accusing the newspaper of defamation, bias and “smears” over its coverage of his administration and the 2024 election.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the lawsuit — to be filed in Florida — would target what he described as the Times’ “lies” and its role as a “mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party.”

“The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” Trump wrote.

He singled out the paper’s 2024 endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, calling it “unprecedented” and “heretofore unheard of” for being displayed prominently on the front page.

Trump further accused major media outlets of “smearing” him through “a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration.” The New York Times has not yet responded to the allegations.

This is not Trump’s first legal confrontation with the newspaper. In 2023, a judge dismissed his $100 million lawsuit accusing the Times and his niece Mary Trump of conspiring to obtain his tax records for a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation. That same year, he lost a $475 million defamation case against CNN after the network likened him to Adolf Hitler.

If filed, the lawsuit would be among the largest defamation claims ever brought by a sitting US president.

Drug Cheats Threaten India’s Olympic Bid And Athletes’ Careers

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Drug Cheats Threaten India’s Olympic Bid And Athletes’ Careers

India’s drive to host the 2036 Olympics is under scrutiny as the country struggles to shed its reputation as one of the world’s worst doping offenders. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has raised concerns over widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs among Indian athletes, echoed by javelin Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who admitted earlier this year that “doping is a big problem in India”.

Last month, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) created a new anti-doping panel after the IOC flagged the nation’s poor record. A new national anti-doping bill has also been passed to tighten enforcement, expand testing and “ensure the highest standards of integrity” in sports.

India ranks among the top offenders on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of nations submitting over 1,000 samples. From 5,606 samples collected in 2023, 213 tested positive, with the synthetic steroid stanozolol the most commonly abused substance.

Experts say desperation to escape poverty and secure government jobs drives some athletes to risk doping. “Athletes know they can be punished but still put their careers at stake because getting a medal can clinch a government job,” lawyer Saurabh Mishra said.

Athletics leads India’s doping violations, followed by wrestling, where 19 athletes were recently banned. Under-23 wrestling champion and Paris Olympics quarter-finalist Reetika Hooda tested positive in July and was provisionally suspended.

Sports medicine expert Saranjeet Singh said stricter testing explains part of the surge in violations but noted some athletes deliberately take banned drugs “for a short cut” to reach international standards, sometimes under pressure from coaches.

Despite its population of 1.4 billion, India has only 10 Olympic golds. Former IOC marketing director Michael Payne warned that, while doping is an issue, India’s greater challenge lies in proving its operational capacity to host a Games, referencing the corruption-tainted 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

“That is the biggest hurdle facing India’s bid,” Payne said.

Israel Intensifies Gaza Bombardment As UN Probe Alleges ‘Genocide’

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Israel Intensifies Gaza Bombardment As UN Probe Alleges ‘Genocide’

Israel on Tuesday launched a massive new bombing campaign on Gaza City, hours after visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s support for its offensive against Hamas and warned that only days remain for a diplomatic solution.

The Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said Gaza City — the territory’s main urban hub — was “on fire” as the military struck what it called “terrorist infrastructure” in a bid to free hostages and defeat Hamas. Witnesses reported relentless air strikes on the city, already devastated by nearly two years of conflict.

A group representing hostages’ families said they were “terrified” for their loved ones, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of endangering a potential deal for their release.

During his visit, Rubio said the US still preferred a diplomatic solution but warned that “we probably have days and maybe a few weeks” to reach an agreement. He also met families of hostages and urged Qatar to continue its mediation efforts despite Israel’s recent strikes on Hamas leaders in the Gulf emirate.

Meanwhile, a UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, led by South African judge Navi Pillay, accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza with the intent to destroy Palestinians as a group. The report named Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former defence minister Yoav Gallant as having “incited the commission of genocide”.

Israel rejected the findings as “distorted and false” and demanded the commission’s abolition.

According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, at least 17 people were killed on Tuesday alone, with the number of casualties expected to rise. The agency said Israeli strikes also hit the southern city of Khan Yunis.

The offensive comes ahead of a UN summit in which several Western nations are expected to push for recognition of a Palestinian state — a move Netanyahu opposes, warning of potential unilateral Israeli responses.

The October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since killed at least 64,905 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry deemed reliable by the UN.

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