Headline

Bomb Attack Kills Guard, Injures Journalists

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2023

Editor

A bomb blast in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Saturday killed a security guard and wounded a group of journalists, as well as several children, police and a witness said.The blast came two days after a suicide bomber killed the Taliban governor of northern Balkh province in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

The attack on Mohammad Muzammil in the Balkh provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif on Thursday marked the killing of one of the highest-ranking officials since the Taliban stormed back to power in 2021.

Saturday’s blast took place during an event honouring Afghanistan’s media at a cultural centre in Mazar-i-Sharif. Police said a security guard was killed and that five journalists were among the wounded.

“I heard a big bang… then there was chaos as everyone was trying to find a way to escape,” Afghan journalist Atif Arian, who was wounded in the blast, told AFP.

“Some journalists are seriously wounded.”

Balkh police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said three children were also among the wounded.

Arian said the explosion happened when a group of children were singing an anthem, minutes after a Taliban official had delivered a speech.

Afghan journalists were regularly targeted before the Taliban reclaimed power, with several attacks claimed by Islamic State.

“Targeting journalists during an event to honour reporters is a despicable and cowardly act,” said Beh Lih Yi, Asia programme director at the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“The Taliban must investigate quickly, bring the perpetrators to justice, and end impunity for those who target journalists.”

No group has so far claimed the attack.

Violence across Afghanistan has fallen since the Taliban seized control but security has deteriorated again, with Islamic State claiming several deadly attacks.

Muzammil, the Balkh governor, was killed by an IS suicide bomber minutes after he arrived at his office in Mazar-i-Sharif.

The jihadist group has emerged as the biggest security challenge to the Taliban government since last year, carrying out attacks against Afghan civilians as well as foreigners and foreign interests.

The Taliban and IS share an austere Sunni Islamist ideology, but the latter are fighting to establish a global “caliphate” instead of the Taliban’s aim of ruling an independent Afghanistan.
AFP

Headline

FULL LIST: 13 More Cars Now Eligible For Up To £3,750 UK’s Electric Vehicle Grant

Published

8 hours ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced 13 additional cars that qualify for its new electric vehicle grant. None of them currently qualify for the full discount available.

According to a statement on the government’s website, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that from August 5, buyers can get £1,500 off four Citroën models – the Citroën ë-C3, ë–C4, ë-C5 and the ë-Berlingo. The discount will be applied automatically at purchase, with no extra paperwork required.

These are the first models approved under the £650 million Electric Car Grant (ECG) scheme. More vehicles are expected to be added in the coming weeks. The ECG allows carmakers to apply a discount at the point of sale for eligible electric vehicles that meet high sustainability standards.

The scheme is funded until the 2028–2029 financial year and aims to boost EV sales, support jobs, and attract investment.

Since July 2024, over 17,300 public chargepoints have been installed in the UK — a 27% increase from last year — bringing the total to more than 82,000. The government plans to expand this to over 100,000 in the coming years, with a new chargepoint added roughly every 30 minutes.

Models from Renault, Nissan and Vauxhall are also now eligible for the £1,500 grant, although none meet the criteria for the full £3,750 discount yet as they are classified among the Band 2 cars. Nissan believes its new Leaf, to be built in Sunderland, may qualify for the higher grant, but this is not confirmed.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the grant, a vehicle must:
Be an M1 passenger vehicle
Produce 0g CO₂/km at the tailpipe

Have a minimum range of 100 miles (160 km)
Include a 3-year or 60,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first)

Be powered by a battery with an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first)

Meet minimum sustainability standards

Cars Eligible for EV grants
Nissan

Micra – Based on the Renault 5 with some design changes, sharing the same motors and batteries. Starting price after the grant is under £22,000.

Ariya – Electric SUV with a spacious interior. Nissan plans to reduce the price to qualify for the grant.

Leaf – The new model offers up to 375 miles of range. Nissan expects it may qualify for the full grant.

Renault & Alpine

Renault 5 – Compact hatchback priced under £23,000 before the grant.
Renault 4 – Larger and roomier than the Renault 5, starting at £27,000.
Renault Megane – Modern design with Google-based infotainment. Prices start at £32,500.
Renault Scenic – Family-sized EV with up to 381 miles of range. Starts at £35,495 after the grant.
Alpine A290 – Performance-focused version of the Renault 5.

Vauxhall

Corsa Electric – Small hatchback with potential savings beyond the grant.
Combo Life Electric – Practical MPV with a spacious interior.
Astra Electric – Family car available in hatchback or estate form.
Mokka Electric – Compact SUV with distinctive styling.
Frontera Electric – Affordable SUV with a large boot.
Grandland Electric – Larger family SUV with a lower price than some competitors.

Citroën

ë-C3 – Compact EV priced from £20,600 after the grant.

ë-C3 Aircross – Larger version of the ë-C3 with more boot space.
ë-C4 – Alternative to the VW ID.3 with a simpler interior layout.
ë-C4 X – Saloon-style version of the ë-C4.
ë-C5 Aircross – Flagship SUV arriving in the UK in October 2025.
ë-Berlingo – Large electric MPV with a focus on practicality.

The government has confirmed more models from other manufacturers will be added to the scheme as they are approved.

Headline

Three Ghanaian Nationals Extradited To US In $100m Online Fraud Case

Published

21 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Editor

Three Ghanaian nationals accused of orchestrating a $100 million online fraud scheme targeting U.S. businesses and vulnerable Americans have been extradited to New York, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Isaac Oduro Boateng, a/k/a “Kofi Boat,” Inusah Ahmed, a/k/a “Pascal,” and Derrick Van Yeboah, a/k/a “Van,” arrived in New York on August 7 after being extradited from Ghana.

They are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. A fourth defendant, Patrick Kwame Asare, a/k/a “Borgar,” remains at large.

According a post on the FBI website on Friday

“As alleged, Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare led and participated in an international fraud ring that engaged in a massive conspiracy to defraud vulnerable people and steal from businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.

“Offshore scammers should know that we, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners will work around the world to combat online fraud and bring perpetrators to justice.”

All these are detailed in a press release dated August 8, 2025, on the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said, “Deceiving businesses using email compromise campaigns and tricking innocent elderly victims through fraudulent companionship in order to exploit their trust and finances is not merely appalling but illegal.

“The FBI will continue to ensure anyone who preys on companies and vulnerable Americans online is made to face the criminal justice system.”

Prosecutors say the defendants held senior positions in a Ghana-based network that posed as romantic partners to older victims and used fraudulent emails to trick companies into wiring funds.

After securing the money, the proceeds were allegedly laundered through West Africa, often directed by “chairmen” such as Boateng and Ahmed.

All four defendants face multiple federal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and receiving stolen funds, with each wire fraud count carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The case is being handled by the Southern District of New York’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.

Headline

Israeli Fire Kills 34 In Gaza

Published

21 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Editor

Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least 34 people were killed by Israeli fire on Saturday, including more than a dozen civilians who were waiting to collect aid.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP nine people were killed and 181 wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on them as they gathered near a border crossing in northern Gaza that has been used for aid deliveries.

Six more people were killed and 30 wounded after Israeli troops targeted civilians assembling near an aid point in central Gaza, he said.

Strikes in central Gaza also resulted in multiple casualties, according to Bassal, while a drone attack near the southern city of Khan Yunis killed at least three people and wounded several others.

Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence and the Israeli military.

Thousands of Palestinians congregate daily near food distribution points in Gaza, including four managed by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Since launching in late May, its operations have been marred by almost-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on those waiting to collect aid.

Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies into Gaza since the start of the war nearly two years ago have led to shortages of food and essential supplies, including medicine and fuel, which hospitals require to power their generators.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to agree to a ceasefire to bring the territory’s more than two million people back from the brink of famine and free the hostages held by Palestinian militants.

But early Friday, the Israeli security cabinet approved plans for a major operation to seize Gaza City, triggering a wave of outrage across the globe.

Despite the backlash and rumours of dissent from Israeli military top brass, Netanyahu has remained defiant over the decision.

In a post on social media late Friday, he said, “We are not going to occupy Gaza — we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.”

The Palestinian militant group, whose October 7, 2023, attack triggered the war, has slammed the plan to expand the fighting as a “new war crime”.

Israel’s offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable.

Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

AFP