A makeshift bomb exploded inside a Catholic church in the city of Beni in the DR Congo’s conflict-plagued east on Sunday, injuring two just an hour before a children’s Confirmation ceremony was due to be held. The head of police in Beni’s town hall Narcisse Muteba Kashale told AFP that the explosion occurred at 06:00 and that experts from the UN’s mission to DR Congo had told “us it is a home-made bomb, a bomb that was set up for an ambush”. Beni’s vicar general Laurent Sondirya said two people were injured in the blast, which went off before crowds would have gathered to attend the Confirmation ceremony. “They were targeting a large crowd because the ceremony would bring together children, their parents and the faithful,” he told AFP, adding that “mass would not be postponed”. Traces of b...
The United Nations’ cultural agency has opened an exhibit detailing plans to restore multicultural landmarks in the Iraqi city of Mosul, underlining the role of architecture in helping heal wounds. The exhibit, “Revive the Spirit of Mosul,” will be featured on the sidelines of the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, which opened Saturday after a one-year pandemic delay under the title: “How will we live together?” The Venice Biennale’s central question resonates in particular in Iraq, which is experiencing turbulent change, and the old city of Mosul, where 80% of the city’s monuments were destroyed by extremists during the city’s 36-month occupation by the Islamic State group. Iraq is one of three countries participating for the first time at the Biennale, with an exhibit by Rashad...
Armed security men on Saturday night raided a mosque in Filin Lazio, Hotoro, in Kano metropolitan area, arresting an unspecified number of worshippers. Eyewitnesses told newsmen that the operation, led the military, occurred at about when the Muslim faithful were breaking their Ramadan fast. Sources indicate that the operation was targeted at suspected Boko Haram members who are believed to have gathereed at the said mosque. The arrest, which took members of the immediate area by surprise, automatically resulted into a scare as many residents left the vicinity in order not to run into harm as a result of the operation Nigerian Army spokesman in Kano State Captain Irabor told Daily Sun by phone that the army are working on a public statement on the operation. Get more stories like this on T...
Tunisian-French rapper Swagg Man, known for the Louis Vuitton logos tattooed on his head, has been sentenced to five years in jail for fraud and money laundering, the judiciary said Tuesday. Born in the French Mediterranean town of Nice, the 34-year-old, whose real name is Iteb Zaibet, became an internet celebrity known for his ostentatious clothing, body tattoos, and chunky jewelry. His social media fame led him to be invited onto television shows in both France and Tunisia. On Monday, a Tunis court sentenced him to five years in prison and fined him 100,000 dinars ($36,000) on charges of money laundering and fraud, judicial official Mohsen Dali told AFP. He said funds of about 17 million dinars ($6 million) in euros and Swiss francs were also confiscated from Swagg Man’s accounts. The ra...
A suspected gas explosion tore through a Bangladesh mosque killing at least 12 people while dozens suffered life-threatening burns, police said Saturday. Worshippers were at Friday evening prayers when the blast sent a ball of flames through the mosque in the central district of Narayanganj, emergency services said. Investigators suspected a spark from an air conditioner — which came on after a power cut — set off the gas. “Leaked gas entered the mosque,” Narayanganj fire chief Abdullah Al Arefin told AFP. “When they shut the windows and doors and switched on the air conditioners there was an electricity spark that led to the explosion inside the mosque.” The 12 who died were among 37 taken to a specialist burns hospital in Dhaka in critical condition, said hospital spokesman Samanta Lal S...
Source: @og_infamouspop / Instagram After nine years of imprisonment, Loon is finally a free man. He is making the most of his first couple of days out. As spotted on HipHopDX the Harlem native is grateful to able to move on his own accord without being told what to do and when to do it. Last week U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle granted him an early release prior to his original August 2021 date due to COVID-19 concerns. Upon walking out of the prison system on July 26 he made a big splash onto social media. On July 31 the first photo showed him, Akon’s brother Bu and two other friends in front of a Roll Royce car. His manager’s caption read “Yeah we are back like we never left. Still Brothers still solid. Met @__bu through @loon.tv and we have been together ever since...
The Saudi Arabia government has approved the re-opening of Masjid Al Nabawi, Madinah gradually from Sunday 31 May with precautionary measures. According to the approved guidelines, the permitted access of public in Masjid Al Nabawi, Madinah will be in the Courtyards and the King Fahad Expansion of the mosque. It stated that men will be allowed to enter Masjid Al Nabawi through the following gates: Al-Hijrah Gate No. 4; Quba Gate No. 5; King Saud Gate No 8; Imam Al-Bukhari Gate No. 10; King Fahd Gate No. 21; King Abdulaziz Gate No 34; Makkah Gate No. 37; while the Salam Gate will remain closed. It added that women will be allowed to enter through the gates 13, 17, 25, 29 all from Sunday. “The Old Mosque and Ziyarah (visitation) to the Rawdah (resting place of Prophet Muhammad) and Riyadh Al...