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Murder of an elephant defender: 11 death sentences in Tanzania

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Eva Deschamps / December 3, 2022

Eleven people were sentenced to death Friday by a court in Tanzania for the August 2017 killing in the East African country of Wayne Lotter, a prominent environmental activist.
 
Wayne Lotter, a 51-year-old South African who lived and worked in Tanzania, where he was dedicated to fighting elephant poaching, had been shot dead in the economic capital Dar es Salaam.
 
The precise motives of the perpetrators have not been established, but his colleagues believe that Lotter paid with his life for his fight to protect elephants.
 
During her reading of the judgment, Judge Laila Mgonya said the trial “proved beyond reasonable doubt” the charges against the eleven defendants, who include two Burundian nationals.
 
“Some of the suspects, in their statements recorded by the police, admitted to participating in the preparatory meetings and the murder,” she said, adding that 32 witnesses also supported the charges.
 
“The evidence provided was strong enough to convict them,” she said.
 
Death sentences are not uncommon in Tanzania, but they are usually commuted to life imprisonment. The last execution was in 1994.
 
Up to 22 people were accused of organizing or carrying out the murder of Lotter, co-founder of the Tanzanian branch of the nature protection foundation Pams (Protected Area Management Solutions).
 
The prosecution had dropped charges against four people, and seven others had been released by the court in previous sessions.
 
Tanzania is one of the countries with the largest elephant population on the African continent. It is also one of the most affected by poaching.
 
According to official data, the pachyderm population there decreased by 60% between 2009 and 2014. It then recovered, from 43,000 in 2014 to 60,000 in 2018, mainly due to the efforts of the authorities who created specialized anti-poaching units.

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Moscow attack: Vladimir Putin promises those responsible will all be “punished”, EI says four of its fighters carried out the attack

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Moscow attack: Vladimir Putin promises those responsible will all be “punished”, EI says four of its fighters carried out the attack, Magnate Daily
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Eva Deschamps / March 23,

 

At least 133 people were killed on Friday evening in an armed attack followed by a huge fire at a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, which was claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State (EI).
 
The four perpetrators” of the attack were arrested “on their way to Ukraine”, said the Russian president on Saturday March 23.
 
The Russian president spoke at a time of terrible tragedy in Russia. “The four perpetrators” of the attack near Moscow were arrested “on their way to Ukraine”, he said in a televised speech broadcast the day after the murderous attack. “According to initial data [from investigators], on the Ukrainian side, a passage had been prepared for them to cross the border”, he continued, notes Le Monde.
 
The attack, which killed at least 133 people near Moscow, was in the eyes of the Kremlin leader a “bloody and barbaric act of terrorism”. “Peaceful, innocent people […] including children, teenagers and women” were killed, he continued, adding, “I express my deepest and most sincere condolences to those who have lost their loved ones.” A national day of mourning will be observed on March 24.
 
“War”. In his speech, Vladimir Putin assured that “those behind these terrorists will be punished” and that they “will have no future”. On Saturday, the Kremlin announced that eleven people had been arrested, including the four suspects who carried out the attack.

 
As a reminder, the Islamic State (EI) claimed responsibility for the attack. Its Afghan branch, the Islamic State in Khorassan, known as “EI-K”, is suspected of being behind the attack. According to EI, the attack is part of a “raging war” between the organization and countries fighting Islam, its Amaq news agency said in a statement.
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Princess Kate announces cancer diagnosis

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Princess Kate announces cancer diagnosis, Magnate Daily
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Sylvie Claire / March 23,

 

After weeks of silence from the British royal family, cancer-stricken Princess Kate has announced that she has begun chemotherapy.

 
Princess Kate has been diagnosed with cancer, Kensington Palace announced on Friday evening. The wife of the heir to the British throne has begun chemotherapy. “I’m fine,” assured the 42-year-old princess after her cancer diagnosis was announced. In a video, the princess explained, “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding. While I was recovering from surgery, it was an incredibly difficult two months for the whole family. But I had the benefit of a fantastic medical team who took great care of me, for which I am very grateful. In January, I underwent a major domino operation in London and, at the time, my condition was not thought to be cancerous“.
 
She continues: “The operation was successful, but tests carried out after the operation revealed the presence of cancer. My medical team therefore advised me to undergo preventive chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of this treatment. William and I have done everything in our power to manage this situation privately, in the best interests of our young family“.
 

Princess Kate explains that it has taken them some time to explain the situation to their children George, Charlotte and Louis. She concludes her message: “But for now, I need to focus on my full recovery. I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For anyone facing this disease in any form, don’t lose faith or hide. You are not alone.

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She underwent major abdominal surgery on January 16 at the London Clinic, where she was hospitalized for ten days. For weeks, rumors had been circulating about the princess’s state of health.
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Dragon Ball: a theme park inspired by Toriyama’s universe is coming soon!

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Dragon Ball: a theme park inspired by Toriyama’s universe is coming soon!, Magnate Daily
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Steph Deschamps / March 23,

 

The world’s first theme park inspired by the world of the famous Japanese manga and anime series Dragon Ball is to be built in a future leisure city in Saudi Arabia, the developer of this colossal project announced on Friday.
 
The planned opening date of this 500,000 m2 theme park was not specified, nor was its cost, as is usually the case for the Saudi kingdom’s tourism megaprojects.
 
Located in Qiddiya, near the capital Riyadh, the park will feature seven different zones from the Dragon Ball universe, around 30 attractions as well as hotels and restaurants, according to a press release from Qiddiya Investment Company, also issued by Japanese studio Toei Animation, producer of the franchise’s cartoons.
 
The death of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama on March 1 at the age of 68 provoked a worldwide wave of emotion, reflecting the immense popularity of his work.

 
First published in 1984, Dragon Ball is one of the best-selling mangas of all time, and has spawned countless animated series, films and video games. It recounts the adventures of Son Goku, a young martial arts prodigy in search of seven crystal balls to help him and his allies protect the Earth from evil enemies.
 
The new town of Qiddiya is one of the pharaonic projects in Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” program, designed to develop the country’s tourism industry and reduce its economy’s heavy dependence on hydrocarbons.
 
Qiddiya will eventually house several theme parks, sports facilities and cultural venues. Construction of the city began in 2019, but its completion date is not known.
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