Old Firm 'buckle under pressure' as incredible title race twists again

After a defeat for Celtic and surprise draw for Rangers, where does the latest weekend of drama leave the Scottish Premiership title race?

from BBC News https://ift.tt/IMo35NK

Read More

Burnley 'disgusted' by racist abuse sent to Mejbri

Burnley say they are "disgusted" by online racist abuse directed at midfielder Hannibal Mejbri after the Clarets' Premier League match at Chelsea on Saturday.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/wtLIg2X

Read More

Russian Intelligence Seizes Wagner Mercenary Group's Shadow Empire In Africa

Russia's SVR foreign intelligence agency has taken over mercenary group Wagner's influence operations in Africa after the death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to a new investigation.

Wagner, whose brutal methods have been denounced by rights organisations, was Russia's best-known mercenary group.

It had a widespread presence in Africa, deploying fighters alongside the armies of countries including Libya and Mali, and also conducted vast disinformation and destabilisation campaigns.

After Prigozhin died in a plane crash in 2023 following a short-lived mutiny against Moscow, the Russian defence ministry has sought to replace Wagner in Africa and coordinate security operations through an umbrella group known as the Africa Corps.

But it is the SVR that has taken over Wagner's influence operations, aimed at pushing Moscow's political and economic interests, conducting disinformation campaigns and eliminating competition in Africa and beyond, according to an investigation by a consortium of investigative and media outlets, including Forbidden Stories and All Eyes On Wagner.

"The SVR has now taken over the most effective tool of the Wagner Group," said the investigation, which also involved Dossier Center, openDemocracy and iStories.

Nearly 100 consultants work for Wagner's influence branch, called Africa Politology or The Company, the investigative outlets said.

Between 2024 and 2025, the outfit deployed teams across numerous countries, including Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Niger and Sudan, the investigation said.

Teams have also been active in Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Cameroon, Benin and Namibia.

- 'Influence and disinformation' -

"The SVR provides a layer of intelligence with information on specific topics, recruits sources, opens access and places key agents of influence in strategic roles," the consortium said.

The investigation was launched after internal documents from the network were anonymously sent to the editor-in-chief of the award-winning pan-African media outlet The Continent.

These files -- comprising more than 1,400 pages in Russian -- include strategic plans, staff biographies, operational reports, accounting records and summaries of disinformation campaigns carried out between January and November 2024.

The investigation confirmed the authenticity of the 76 documents and their content.

"The documents show that these operations combine political influence, disinformation and close ties to security services, going far beyond the usual practices in the sector," it said.

Sometimes, the SVR intelligence service competes with the Russian defence ministry, which oversees the GRU military intelligence, or has to coordinate with it, according to the investigation.

While the Russian defence ministry took over Wagner operations in countries such as Mali, it did not bring the Russian private military contractors under its control in the Central African Republic.

"In the Central African Republic, the SVR is called upon to help the defence ministry avoid hindering the activities of Wagner," investigators said.

- 'Political win' -

The investigators reveal the nearly systematic involvement of the SVR across Africa.

"In Mali, the SVR is tasked to provide intelligence to Africa Politology regarding the military and political plans of France and the United States in the Sahel," the consortium said.

"It is also missioned to provide diplomatic support for the creation of a new military-political union to Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the Republic of Guinea."

After successive coups in 2021, 2022 and 2023, junta-run Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have turned their back on former colonial power France, drawing closer to Russia.

They broke ties with west African regional bloc ECOWAS and launched a rival group, the Alliance of Sahel States, or AES, in 2023.

"Russia's strategy manifested with the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States," the investigation said.

"That's a significant political win," Lou Osborn, co‑author of the investigation, told AFP, adding that Russians were particularly successful in the "unstable, vulnerable" Sahel countries.

She said she found the network's lobbying efforts in Africa "fascinating".

"They have so many lawyers, and they really try to influence laws," she added.

The journalists identified a network of companies used to send funds from the SVR to The Company.

According to their calculations, the budget for the influence operations between January and October 2024 amounted to nearly $7.3 million, or about $750,000 per month.

Despite their budget and efforts, Russia did not have much to show for its efforts, the investigators said.

"Russia is playing the long game but the results are not always quick to materialise," they said.

"On the African continent, Russia is signing a lot of memorandums of understanding but fails to convert these non-binding agreements into money-making businesses."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/72V5qbs

Read More

'Wonderfully different' Pollock ready to fire up England

"Wonderfully different" Henry Pollock will start his first England Test in Saturday's must-win Six Nations game against Ireland.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/AlPSTey

Read More

Svitolina beats Gauff in epic to reach Dubai final

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina beats world number four Coco Gauff to set up a final against American Jessica Pegula at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/xbyM7GS

Read More

UK Ex-Royal Andrew Released Hours After Arrest Amid Epstein Files Probe

Britain's royal family was thrown into crisis Thursday after former prince Andrew was arrested by police and held for hours, in an unprecedented move against the monarchy in modern British history.

The disgraced royal was detained early Thursday on suspicion of misconduct for his links to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with some analysts pointing back centuries to find another such example.

As Andrew marked his 66th birthday on Thursday, police swooped on his new home on the remote royal eastern Sandringham estate around 8:00 am (0800 GMT). 

King Charles III, who has promised police the full support of Buckingham Palace, swiftly issued a rare personally signed statement insisting "the law must take its course".

It was a humiliating new blow for Andrew who was last year stripped of his titles, and ousted from his Windsor residence of more than two decades.

Thames Valley Police said in a statement late Thursday that "the arrested man has now been released under investigation".

A photograph published by media showed Andrew slumped in the back of a car, staring wild-eyed ahead.

While the earlier police searches in Norfolk "have now concluded," they were still searching a property in Berkshire, police added. It is believed that is Andrew's former residence, Royal Lodge.

"It's a hugely significant moment for the British monarchy, and indeed the nation," royal expert Ed Owens told AFP.

"We are witnessing a monarchy, I think, shaken by recent events."

In the sleepy village of Sandringham near the royal estate, an off-duty police officer said he was "very satisfied some formal action was taken".

"It shows that we are taking steps... I think it's very reassuring to the members of the public," the officer, who did not want to be named, told AFP.

Thames Valley police said it had arrested "a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office," without naming the suspect, as is common UK practice.

Moment of crisis

Andrew's arrest follows new revelations last week that the ex-prince appeared to have sent Epstein potentially confidential documents while serving as a UK trade envoy.

In a November 2010 email seen by AFP, Andrew appeared to share with the US financier reports on his visit to several Asian countries.

Epstein had been convicted in the United States in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution.

Charles last year stripped his brother of his titles and ordered him to leave his Windsor mansion -- though he does remain eighth in the line of succession.

"Let me state clearly: the law must take its course," the king said in his statement.

In an apparent bid to project an air of business-as-usual, Charles carried out several public duties Thursday, including opening London Fashion Week.

In the Norfolk village of Dersingham, local pub owner John Higginson said he hoped the issue would be "resolved".

"I just feel sorry, to be quite honest, for people like William and Kate," he added, referring to the heir-to-the-throne and his wife.

Royal commentator Katie Nicholl told Sky News: "Let's make no bones about it. This is a moment of crisis for the monarchy, possibly the greatest crisis since the (1936) abdication. No one quite knows how this is going to pan out."

The scandal has been gathering pace since one of Epstein's accusers, Virginia Giuffre, last year claimed in her posthumous memoirs that she had been trafficked three times to have sex with Andrew when she was a teenager.

The Giuffre family welcomed Andrew's arrest Thursday, saying: "Our broken hearts have been lifted at the news," adding that he was "never a prince".

 Wide probe

Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein.

He settled a US civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Giuffre while not admitting liability.

The ex-prince served as a British trade envoy for a decade from 2001.

Official guidance stipulates trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive commercial or political information related to their official visits, the BBC has said.

Misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

At least nine UK police forces have confirmed they are assessing claims stemming from the Epstein files, many related to Andrew.

It follows the US justice department's latest release of millions of files from its investigation into the US financier.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/6tlgSUD

Read More

Tripura Woman, 19, Brutally Assaulted By Live-In Partner In Gurugram

A 19-year-old man has been arrested by Gurugram Police after a biotechnology student was allegedly brutally assaulted by her live-in partner at a paying guest accommodation in the city.

The accused, identified as Shivam, a resident of Delhi, was taken into custody following a complaint received by the Badshahpur police station.

According to police, the case came to light after the victim's mother called the police, alleging that her 19-year-old daughter had been severely assaulted by her live-in partner, who had reportedly become suspicious about her character.

Police teams rushed to the Great PG, a rental accommodation in Sector 69, Gurugram, where the incident took place, and detained the accused before beginning an investigation.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Hitesh Yadav said the victim, a resident of North Tripura and a biotechnology student at GD Goenka University, was admitted to a government hospital in Gurugram late at night in critical condition.

Due to the seriousness of her injuries, doctors later referred her to AIIMS in Delhi for advanced treatment.

Hospital authorities confirmed that the victim had multiple serious injuries on her body.

Police said the victim and the accused had met in September 2025 and were living together. Discussions regarding their marriage had reportedly taken place between the two families.

Officials said an argument broke out between the couple late at night, which escalated into a violent altercation. During the dispute, Shivam allegedly assaulted the victim.

The police have registered a case and arrested the accused. Further investigation is underway to determine the exact sequence of circumstances leading to the assault.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/h6gXSys

Read More