A flotilla carrying aid to Gaza said Israeli forces yesterday intercepted its latest bid to break a blockade of the war-battered Palestinian territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla — around 45 vessels carrying activists and politicians including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg — left Spain last month aiming to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, where the UN says famine has set in.
“The warships are moving in to intercept the flotilla — only 81 nautical miles remain to Gaza,” said the Maghreb contingent of the Global Sumud Flotilla in a statement.
French politician Marie Mesmeur and Franco-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan also reported that their boats were being intercepted.
The French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X that Israeli authorities were “currently boarding” the flotilla.
Earlier, the Israeli navy warned the flotilla against entering waters under its blockade.
“The Israeli Navy has reached out to the… flotilla and asked them to change course,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Israel has informed the flotilla that it is approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade.”
Spain and Italy, which both sent naval escorts, had urged the ships to halt before entering Israel’s declared exclusion zone off Gaza.
After a 10-day stop in Tunisia, where organisers reported two drone attacks, the flotilla resumed its journey on September 15.
One of its main ships, the Alma, was “aggressively circled by an Israeli warship”, the group said, before another vessel, the Sirius, was subjected to “similar harassing manoeuvres”.
The flotilla had earlier vowed to press on with its bid to deliver aid to the devastated coastal territory despite what it called “intimidation” tactics by the Israeli military.
It said on X it remained “vigilant as we enter the area where the previous flotillas were intercepted and/or attacked”.
At around 1500 GMT yesterday, the flotilla said it was less than 90 nautical miles (about 170 kilometres) from the Gaza Strip.
“We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation,” said the flotilla, which is also carrying Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Parliament member.
Spain’s digital transformation minister, Oscar Lopez, had urged the flotilla not to cross into Israel’s declared exclusion zone, extending 150 nautical miles off Gaza.
“Our message to the flotilla has been clear: do not enter that zone,” he told Spanish public television, adding that Spain’s naval escort would not cross into the exclusion area.
Italy, too, urged the activists to “stop now” after its frigate also halted at the 150-nautical-mile limit, broadcasting radio messages to the activists’ vessels asking them to abandon their mission.
The activists said Spain and Italy’s decision was an attempt to “sabotage” their endeavours.
Rescuers used backhoes and sniffer dogs to look for survivors in collapsed houses and other damaged buildings in the central Philippines yesterday, a day after an earthquake killed at least 69 people and injured more than 200 others.
The death toll was expected to rise from the 6.9 magnitude quake that hit at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday and trapped an unspecified number of residents in the hard-hit city of Bogo and outlying rural towns in Cebu province.
Sporadic rain and damaged bridges and roads have hampered the race to save lives, officials said.
Yesterday night, rescuers in orange and yellow hard hats used spotlights, a backhoe and bare hands to sift through the rubble of concrete slabs, broken wood and twisted iron bars for hours in a collapsed building in Bogo city. No survivor was found.
“We’re still in the golden hour of our search and rescue,” Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said in a morning news briefing in Manila, the country’s capital. “There are still many reports of people who were pinned or hit by debris.”
The epicenter of the earthquake, which was set off by movement in an undersea fault line at a dangerously shallow depth of 5 kilometers (3 miles), was about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of about 90,000 people in Cebu province where about half of the deaths were reported, officials said.
The Philippine government is considering whether to seek help from foreign governments based on an ongoing rapid damage assessment, Alejandro said.
The United States, Japan, Australia and the European Union expressed condolences.
“We stand ready to support the Philippine government’s response as friends, partners, allies,” MaryKay Carlson, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said in a post on social media platform X.
Workers were trying to transport a backhoe to hasten search and rescue efforts in a cluster of shanties in a mountain village hit by a landslide and boulders, Bogo city disaster-mitigation officer Rex Ygot told The Associated Press early yesterday.
“It’s hard to move in the area because there are hazards,” said Glenn Ursal, another disaster mitigation officer, who added that some survivors were brought to a hospital from the mountain village.
Deaths also were reported from the outlying towns of Medellin and San Remigio, where three coast guard personnel, a firefighter and a child were killed separately by collapsing walls and falling debris while trying to flee to safety from a basketball game in a sports complex that was disrupted by the quake, town officials said.
The earthquake was one of the most powerful to batter the central region in more than a decade and it struck while many people slept or were at home.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology briefly issued a tsunami warning and advised people to stay away from the coastlines of Cebu and the nearby provinces of Leyte and Biliran due to possible waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet).
No such waves were reported and the tsunami warning was lifted more than three hours later, but thousands of traumatized residents refused to return home and chose to stay in open grassy fields and parks overnight despite intermittent rains.
Aftermath of magnitude 6.9 quake in central PhilippinesDamaged Mcdonald’s restaurant in the aftermath of a magnitude 6.9 quake in Bogo, Cebu, Philippines, Oct.1, 2025. Photo by Eloisa Lopez/ Reuters
Cebu and other provinces were still recovering from a tropical storm that battered the central region on Friday, leaving at least 27 people dead mostly due to drownings and falling trees, knocking out power in entire cities and towns and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
Schools and government offices were closed in the quake-hit cities and towns while the safety of buildings were checked. More than 600 aftershocks have been detected after Tuesday night’s temblor, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Teresito Bacolcol said.
Rain-soaked mountainsides were more susceptible to land- and mudslides in a major earthquake, he warned.
“This was really traumatic to people. They’ve been lashed by a storm then jolted by an earthquake,” Bacolcol said. “I don’t want to experience what they’ve gone through.”
The Philippines, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of seismic faults around the ocean. The archipelago is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms each year.
The administration of President Donald Trump yesterday placed full responsibility for the federal government shutdown on Senate Democrats, accusing them of engaging in “political maneuvering” and prioritizing illegal immigrants over American citizens.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the shutdown resulted from nearly every Democratic senator voting against a clean government funding bill—the same type of legislation they supported six months earlier.
Republicans opposed forcing US taxpayers to cover healthcare costs for undocumented immigrants, Leavitt added, warning that Democrats’ rejection of the funding bill now jeopardizes essential programs, including the WIC nutrition program (Women, Infants, and Children), community health centers, and Medicare treatment options.
Vice President JD Vance cautioned that the standoff is disrupting basic services, leaving soldiers without pay, low-income families without food assistance, and federal flood insurance uncertain as hurricane season begins.
He urged moderate Democrats to support reopening the government before debating healthcare policy, accusing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of yielding to pressure from the party’s far left.
The administration froze $26 billion for Democratic-leaning states, following through on a threat to use the government shutdown to target Democratic priorities.
The targeted programs included $18 billion for transit projects in New York, home to Congress’s top two Democrats, and $8 billion for green-energy projects in 16 Democratic-run states, including California and Illinois. Vice President JD Vance, meanwhile, warned that the administration might extend its purge of federal workers if the shutdown lasts more than a few days.
The moves made clear that Trump would carry out his threat to take advantage of the shutdown to punish his political opponents and extend his control over the $7 trillion federal budget, established by the U.S. Constitution as the domain of Congress.
The pressure tactics came as the 15th government shutdown since 1981 suspended scientific research, financial oversight, environmental cleanup efforts and a wide range of other activities.
Some 750,000 federal workers were ordered not to work, while others, such as troops and Border Patrol agents, began to work without pay. The Department of Veterans Affairs said it would provide burials at national cemeteries, but would not erect headstones or mow the grass.
Vance said at a White House briefing that the administration would be forced to resort to layoffs if the shutdown lasts more than a few days, adding to the 300,000 who will be pushed out by December. Previous shutdowns have not resulted in permanent layoffs.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said it would lay off 1% of its 14,000 employees, according to an internal letter seen by Reuters.
Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said the funding freeze for subway and harbor projects in his home of New York would throw thousands out of work.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, also from New York, said Trump was targeting regular Americans for partisan aims.
“He is using the American people as pawns, threatening pain on the country as blackmail,” Schumer said.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis said he was concerned that the freezing of infrastructure funds for New York could make it harder for Congress to exit the shutdown.
“They need to be really careful with that, because they can create a toxic environment here,” Tillis said. “So hopefully they’re working with the leader, and the leader with them, on not creating more work to get us out of this posture.”
In the backdrop of the ongoing UNGA 80, prominent African leaders gathered at the World Trade Center in New York City on Friday for Africa Breakfast Convos (ABC), a high-profile official side event of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Hosted by global communications firm Allison Worldwide, in partnership with The King’s Trust Group, and African public relations company Black House Media (BHM), the breakfast event brought together executives from across Africa and the U.S. to discuss strategies for Africa-led innovation, investment, and sustainable development.
The event featured an exclusive fireside chat with Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman of Access Holdings, Chairman of Coronation Group, Chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, and member of the Kings Trust Africa Advisory Board, who shared insights into Africa’s investment landscape, spotlighting opportunities to bridge African entrepreneurs with global capital.
“Unlocking Africa’s youth potential, connecting entrepreneurs to global markets, and ensuring inclusive growth are not just aspirations — they are imperatives if Africa is to shape the 21st century,” he stated.
Following the fireside, Claudine Moore, Managing Director, Africa, Allison Worldwide, who moderated the session with Aig-Imoukhuede, emphasised the importance of building platforms like ABC to amplify African innovation.
“This is our third annual UNGA event and the second in The Africa Breakfast Conversation series. Our goal with all our events is to not only create the space for candid conversations but also a space for high-level connections that lead to action and impact. Our vision is that our events contribute to positioning Africa as a driver of global sustainable development,” she said.
The discussions at the event highlighted Africa’s youthful population as a significant driver of future growth, with nearly 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. By 2030, one in five people globally will be African, underscoring the continent’s central role in shaping the world’s future.
A panel titled Generation Potential — Powering Africa’s Youth Through Nutrition, Skills, Access & Opportunity featured insights from Shalom Ndiku, Director of Policy, Food4Education; H.E. Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sierra Leone; Geoffrey Kasangaki, CEO, Asante Africa Foundation; Abeiku Greene, Outgoing Executive Director, Junior Achievement Ghana; and Ben Ovio, Chief Responsibility Executive, ENDIP International.
The panelists discussed how nutrition, education, and youth skills development can fuel Africa’s next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
Reflecting on the collaboration with Allison and BHM for this edition of the Africa Breakfast Conversation (ABC), The King’s Trust commented: “We are proud to support forums like ABC that put youth, innovation, and opportunity at the centre of Africa’s development agenda. Today was a chance for us to convene, to learn what we are doing right, but more importantly, to learn where we can do more to invest in Generation Potential.”
The second panel, Africa’s Role in the Future of Technology, Media, AI & Finance, featured Iyin Aboyeji, Founding Partner, Future Africa; Ayeni Adekunle, Founder & CEO, BHM; and Kayode Akintemi, Managing Director, News Central TV.
The session, moderated by Wendu Nwakanma, Vice President, Goldman Sachs, explored how Africa’s growing tech and creative ecosystems are shaping global industries, from fintech to artificial intelligence and media.
Speaking on the significance of the right investment in Africa, Ayeni Adekunle, Founder and CEO of BHM, said, “This gathering is an opportunity to have the right conversations about our continent – the opportunities and the challenges. We’re providing guests with a space where conversations can flow freely, turning ideas into impactful initiatives that foster sustainable growth across Africa.”
Throughout the event, speakers underscored the importance of cross-sector partnerships, diaspora engagement, and long-term investment in Africa’s growth. According to recent data from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), foreign direct investment flows to Africa stood at $50 billion in 2024, representing 3.7 percent of global FDI and reflecting continued confidence in the continent’s potential.
The Africa Breakfast Convos aligned with the UNGA 80s’ broader focus on global progress and sustainable development. As the event concluded, there was a palpable sense of optimism about Africa’s future and its ability to lead in critical sectors such as renewable energy, technology, and youth-driven innovation — setting the stage for deeper collaboration and continued investment in the continent’s sustainable development.
Allison is a global integrated marketing and communications agency, with operations across 50 markets throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa, dedicated to driving growth, innovation, and positive change for clients, colleagues, and communities. With a diverse range of expertise and a forward-looking mindset, Allison delivers game-changing results that make a lasting impact. Allison is owned by Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), one of the fastest growing and most influential marketing and communications networks in the world. Agency partners leverage Stagwell’s technology, data analytics, insights and strategic consulting solutions to drive measurable results and optimize return on marketing investment for more than 1,700 clients worldwide.
BHM is a media and communications services company, home to public relations and reputation management consultancy BlackHouse Media (UK & Nigeria); Pan African communications advisory firm, ID Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, etc); and marketing technology platform, Plaqad. BHM was named one of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2023 and 2024 by the Financial Times.
The King’s Trust Group is a global network of support for young people, established by His Majesty King Charles III, our Royal Founding President. Our mission is to work for young people. Together with our partners, we empower young people to build the confidence, skills and experience they need to succeed in the world of work. We do this through programmes focused on Education, Employment and Enterprise. We are active in over 20 countries. Since 1976, we have supported over 1.3 million young people to change their lives for the better. “The King’s Trust Group” includes The King’s Trust Group Company and its charitable subsidiaries – King’s Trust International, King’s Trust USA, King’s Trust Canada, King’s Trust Aotearoa New Zealand and King’s Trust Australia – plus The King’s Trust in the UK.
Calls for reparative justice over the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism dominated proceedings at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, as African and Global South leaders mounted an unprecedented challenge to Western silence on historical crimes.
In a landmark address, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, serving as the African Union Champion for Reparations, declared the slave trade “the greatest crime against humanity,” recalling the forced displacement of over 12.5 million Africans whose labour and lives built the wealth of Western nations.
“We must demand reparations for the enslavement of our people and the colonisation of our land that resulted in the theft of natural resources,” Mahama told world leaders, stressing the bitter irony that Western governments once compensated slave owners for the loss of their “property” while ignoring the humanity of the enslaved.
Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadera reinforced the call, insisting that “the era of Africa’s dependence is over.”
He urged a decisive shift toward sovereignty, partnership, and equity, condemning widening poverty in Africa alongside rising wealth in the North.
Bolivia’s President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora pushed further by demanding the creation of a dedicated UN commission on reparations to address slavery, apartheid, genocide, and colonialism.
He proposed financial compensation, environmental restoration, and restitution of stolen cultural property as central pillars of reparative justice.
“This commission must establish effective mechanisms to restore historical justice,” Arce said, urging Western powers to commit “billions of dollars into a reparations fund” and calling for unity between the African Union and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States).
Across the board, leaders voiced disappointment with the refusal of Western nations to engage meaningfully on reparations, describing the silence as a deliberate attempt to evade historical responsibility.
The coordinated stance, delivered during the General Debate of the 80th UN General Assembly, marks a major escalation in the global reparations campaign, signaling that former colonial powers can no longer ignore the demands for justice.
Police in India registered a criminal case against leaders of Tamil actor Vijay’s political party after a stampede at his rally killed 39 people, a senior police official said yesterday.
The dead included children and more than 50 people were injured in Saturday’s stampede in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where Vijay was campaigning for his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party ahead of state elections early next year.
Tamil Nadu police filed the case, the first step toward potential charges, “against TVK party senior leaders Bussy Anand, Nirmal Kumar and V.P. Mathiyalagan, and the investigation is under way,” senior police official V. Selvaraj told Reuters.
“TVK originally sought permission for a gathering of 10,000 people, but the actual crowd was more than double,” he said.
Vijay, one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable actors for three decades, has drawn massive crowds since launching his party last year. He said he was “heartbroken” by the stampede in the Karur district, pledging support for the victims’ families.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced compensation of 1 million rupees ($11,300) per family.
The state has appointed a commission led by a retired judge to investigate the cause of the stampede.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that the incident was “deeply saddening”.
During the rally, footage from local media showed thousands of people surrounding a large campaign vehicle on top of which Vijay was speaking. He was seen throwing water bottles to fainting supporters and calling for police help when the crowd became uncontrollable.
Vijay’s TVK has targeted the state’s ruling party, DMK, and Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
The European Union has announced plans to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran “without delay,” days after a vote to delay them failed in the Security Council earlier this week.
“The European Union will now proceed to implement the re-imposition of all previously lifted UN and EU nuclear-related sanctions without delay,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement issued by the European External Action Service (EEAS), the bloc’s diplomatic arm.
Kallas noted that the snapback of sanctions and nuclear restrictions “must not” be the end of nuclear diplomacy with Iran, calling the issue a “key challenge” to regional and international security.
“It is the position of the European Union that a sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiation and diplomacy. In line with the UNSC Resolutions that have been brought back into force today, I will remain engaged with all relevant parties, including Iran, in support of political and diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated solution,” she added.
Kallas further urged Iran to “fully resume cooperation” with the International Atomic Energy Agency “without delay,” in line with its “legal obligations” under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The UN Security Council on Friday vetoed a draft resolution to extend the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program until April 18, 2026.
Under the pact, endorsed by the UN Security Council, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors to verify that its nuclear program served only peaceful purposes.
On Aug. 28, France, Germany, and the UK triggered the “snapback” mechanism under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which restores sanctions in 30 days if Iran fails to meet its obligations.
After U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran earlier this year, Tehran halted cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, claiming that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was biased against it.
The sanctions came back into force for the first time in a decade on Sunday after France, Germany, and the UK invoked the snapback mechanism, accusing Tehran of violating its nuclear obligations.
The sanctions bar dealings related to Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles program and are also expected to have wider effects on the country’s economy.
Executive Director, eHealth Africa, Atef Fawaz, has called for more investments in health and tech projects in Africa, saying the continent had much potential and talents to drive such investments.
Atef made the call at a side event at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week in the US with the theme: African-led Innovation: Shaping Sustainable Futures with or without Aid, co-hosted by eHealth Africa, Population Services International (PSI), Population Council, and Bridge Digital Health.
The side event set out to challenge a long history of dependency and spotlight Africa’s homegrown ingenuity.
Speaking during the discussion, Atef: “Some African governments are beginning to prioritize innovation, especially in health technology. We are seeing increased funding and commitment, which is both encouraging and proof that this works.
“We believe that Africa will be among the top 10–20 emerging markets in the next two decades. This is the place to be. My message to the younger generation is: look into Africa, invest in Africa—whether in health projects or tech. There is so much potential and talent here, and that’s what we are pushing forward.”
Atef added, “The world is evolving very quickly, and this year in particular has accelerated discussions about how we remodel development on the continent.
“When we say ‘with or without aid,’ we are not rejecting partnerships. We are saying that partnerships must be aligned with Africa’s priorities. It’s not about others bringing ready-made solutions to us, but about us co-designing sustainable solutions together.
“This is pivotal because Africa has ideas, insights, local knowledge, population, and real challenges. What we need is complementarity—global partners meeting us halfway, combining resources and expertise to develop long-term, sustainable initiatives.
“It’s about moving beyond short pilot projects to multi-year initiatives that genuinely serve people across Africa. And there’s no better place to have these discussions than here, where global decision-makers are present.”
“That was very powerful. When you have a message, you take it to the highest stage—and that’s exactly what eHealth Africa has done at UNGA, spotlighting resilience, sovereignty, and creativity across sectors for sustainability.”
Also speaking, Director of Partnerships and Programs at eHealth Africa, Ota Akhigbe noted that for decades, aid had shaped health, innovation, and development in Africa—but often without African ownership at the center.
He said: “In many ways, this created systems that were never truly ours. But Africans have always innovated. Innovation is part of who we are—born out of necessity and the inequities we’ve had to overcome.”
He urged the audience to see this moment as a turning point.
Akhigbe added, “This is a new era—an era of designing our own future, where African ideas and creativity lead the way. How we collaborate across government, the private sector, civil society, and communities will determine whether we succeed in reclaiming our sovereignty.”
President and CEO of PSI, Michael Holscher reminded the audience that true innovation was judged not by its novelty, but by its sustainability.
Holscher said, “One of the most critical players is the community itself—that woman in the marketplace, or that man in the village,” he said. “Our projects have timelines. But beyond short-term results, the question always is: what happens when we leave? True sustainability rests in the ownership of stakeholders.”
A Paris court yesterday sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison after finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy in a scheme to finance his 2007 campaign with funds from Libya, a verdict that the still-influential conservative leader denounced as “a scandal.”
The historic ruling made Sarkozy the first former president of modern France sentenced to actual time behind bars. In a major surprise, the court ruled that the 70-year-old will be incarcerated despite his intention to appeal. It said his imprisonment would start at a date yet to be fixed, sparing the former head of state the humiliation of being led out of the packed courtroom by police, bound for a cell.
The court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal association in a plot from 2005 to 2007, when he served as interior minister, to finance his winning presidential campaign with funds from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favours. It cleared him of three other charges including passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and others.
Sarkozy denounced the ruling as a humiliation.
“If they want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison. But with my head held high. I am innocent. This injustice is a scandal,” he said with his wife, the singer and model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, at his side.
“I ask the French people — whether they voted for me or not, whether they support me or not — to grasp what has just happened. Hatred truly knows no bounds,” he said.
“Should I appear in handcuffs before the Court of Appeal? Those who hate me this much, think it’s humiliating for me. What they humiliated today is France.”
With Sarkozy standing in front of her, chief judge Nathalie Gavarino said in sentencing him that “the goal of the criminal conspiracy was to give you an advantage in the electoral campaign” and “to prepare an act of corruption at the highest possible level in the event that you were elected President of the Republic.”
The facts were “exceptionally serious” and “capable of undermining citizens’ trust in public institutions,” with Sarkozy having used his position as interior minister “to prepare an act of corruption at the highest level,” the judge said.
Sarkozy described the financing plot as simply “an idea.”
“I am being convicted for having supposedly allowed two of my staff members to go ahead with the idea — the idea — of illegal financing for my campaign,” he said.
The court found that two of Sarkozy’s closest associates when he was president — former ministers Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux — were guilty of criminal association, but likewise acquitted them of some other charges. The court sentenced Hortefeux to two years imprisonment, but said time can be served outside prison with an electronic monitoring bracelet. Guéant was handed a six-year prison term but wasn’t incarcerated immediately for health reasons.
The court said both Guéant and Hortefeux held secret meetings in 2005 with Abdullah al-Senoussi, the brother-in-law and intelligence chief of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Gadhafi was toppled and killed in an uprising in 2011, ending his four-decade rule of the North African country. Al-Senoussi is considered the mastermind of attacks on a Pan Am jumbo jet over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 and a French airliner over Niger the following year — causing hundreds of deaths. In 2003, Libya took responsibility for both plane bombings.
The Paris court described the contacts as a “corruption pact.” It said favours offered to Libya by Sarkozy and associates included talks about Al-Senoussi’s judicial fate as well as financing for nuclear power in Libya and continued French efforts to help Libya shed its status as a pariah state under Gadhafi.
The ruling from the panel of three judges said Sarkozy allowed his associates to reach out to Libyan authorities “to obtain or try to obtain financial support.” But the court said it wasn’t able to determine with certainty that Libyan money ended up financing Sarkozy’s campaign. The court explained that under French law, a corrupt scheme can still be a crime even if money wasn’t paid or cannot be proven.
Sarkozy, who was elected in 2007 but lost his bid for reelection in 2012, denied all wrongdoing during a three-month trial earlier this year.
Despite multiple legal scandals that have clouded his presidential legacy, Sarkozy remains an influential figure in right-wing politics in France and in entertainment circles, by virtue of his marriage to Bruni-Sarkozy.
The accusations trace their roots to 2011, when a Libyan news agency and Gadhafi said the Libyan state had secretly funneled millions of euros into Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign.
In 2012, the French investigative outlet Mediapart published what it said was a Libyan intelligence memo referencing a 50 million-euro funding agreement. Sarkozy denounced the document as a forgery and sued for defamation. The court ruled yesterday that it “now appears most likely that this document is a forgery.”
•Firm leverages UNGA 2025 to position Nigeria as investment hub
Cavista Holdings, as part of the sidelines of the 80th Session of United Nations General Assembly, in partnership with Corporate Council on Nigeria and Nigeria Governors Forum, hosted a Gala in New York, to drive foreign direct investment and end food insecurity in Nigeria.
The event emphasised the urgency of driving more direct foreign investment in Nigeria, African largest economy, as it also enjoined corporate investors to key into President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to end food insecurity.
Chair of Cavista Holdings, Niyi Olajide, said efforts must be made to raise foreign investment, noting Nigeria can be the future market through “value creation and impact.”
“Nigeria is the frontier of value creation and impact,” adding at “At Cavista, our vision is clear: to create value and transform lives. We invest in Africa for three reasons: to create jobs, more jobs, and more jobs.”
At the event, private sector investors, leaders from international partners, top officials in U.S., Africa showed interest in partnering Nigerian states to drive growth.
