South Africa’s notorious Thabo Bester in court bid to block release of Nextflix documentary” One of South Africa’s most notorious rapists and murderers, Thabo Bester, has taken court action to block Netflix from broadcasting a documentary about his life – including how he allegedly faked his death and escaped from prison.
His lawyers argued that Beauty and the Bester was defamatory, but the streaming giant defended its plan to release the three-part investigation.
Bester’s partner, celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana, features in the documentary, having allegedly helped him escape. She is part of the court bid to halt the release.
The High Court is expected to give its ruling about 30 minutes before the documentary’s planned release to a global audience on Friday.Bester was convicted in 2012 for the rape and murder of his model girlfriend Nomfundo Tyhulu.
A year earlier, he was found guilty of raping and robbing two other women.
Bester became known as the “Facebook rapist” for using the social networking site to lure his victims.
He was serving a life sentence when he allegedly escaped from a maximum security prison in 2022.
A fire broke out in prison, with the authorities finding a charred body that they thought was Bester’s. However, it turned out to be that of another person.
Undetected for a year, Bester then allegedly lived under an alias in South Africa’s main city, Johannesburg, helped by his partner.
The pair were arrested while on the run in the East African state of Tanzania in April 2023, and were deported.
They are currently in custody, awaiting trial on several charges – including violating a corpse, defeating the ends of justice and fraud.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday France will send three Rafale fighter jets to help protect Polish airspace after Warsaw accused Russia of launching a drone raid. Macron said the deployment aimed to defend “Europe’s eastern flank” alongside NATO allies following the Russian drone incursions.Following Russian drone incursions into Poland, I have decided to deploy three Rafale fighter jets to help protect Polish airspace and Europe‘s eastern flank alongside our NATO allies,” Macron said on X.
“I made this commitment yesterday to the Polish prime minister,” Macron said. “I also discussed this matter with the NATO secretary general and the British prime minister, who is also involved in protecting the eastern flank.
“We will not give in to Russia’s increasing intimidation,” added Macron, who has been leading diplomatic efforts internationally to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France would deploy three fighter jets to “help protect Polish airspace” after Warsaw accused Russia of launching a drone raid on its territory.
“Following Russian drone incursions into Poland, I have decided to deploy three Rafale fighter jets to help protect Polish airspace and Europe’s eastern flank alongside our NATO allies,” Macron said on X.
“I made this commitment yesterday to the Polish prime minister,” Macron said. “I also discussed this matter with the NATO secretary general and the British prime minister, who is also involved in protecting the eastern flank.
“We will not give in to Russia’s increasing intimidation,” added Macron, who has been leading diplomatic efforts internationally to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
A massive manhunt is underway for the person who killed Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative political activist.
New information: Authorities tonight shared a video that showed the suspect jumping off the roof of a university building after Kirk was shot. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox urged the public for assistance in finding the shooter.
The shooting: Audio captured near the podium where Kirk was speaking suggests he was hit with a single supersonic gunshot, according to an audio forensics expert. Meantime, sources say phrases related to cultural issues were scrawled on a rifle and ammunition recovered by authorities.
The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible for Kirk’s murder.
FBI Director Kash Patel appeared alongside the governor but did not address reporters nor take questions.
Shortly before the news conference, Utah authorities released new photos of the person of interest in the shooting, in which the individual can be seen on steps while carrying a black backpack and wearing a shirt with what appeared to be an American flag print on it. According to the BBC The FBI and Utah officials release a new video showing the suspect fleeing the scene of the crime – running across the roof and dropping over the edge before entering a wooded area
A black T-shirt with an American flag and Converse shoes are highlighted as “distinctive” features of the suspect who killed Charlie Kirk, a key ally of President Trump
DNA examinations of the crime scene are being conducted for prosecutors to pursue death penalty for the suspect, police say
No suspect is in custody, but sources say police have got the name of that “person of interest” – the FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information
A high-powered rifle was found in woods near the shooting
Nearly 3,000 people were killed when terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania.
People attending a commemoration at Ground Zero observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the moment the first plane struck. They observed five more moments of silence at the times of the other attacks and the collapse of the towers. Some, including families of the victims, read out the names of those who were lost.
Firefighters come every year to honor the hundreds of colleagues who died trying to save people trapped in the towers.
Edwin Morales lost his cousin Ruben, a firefighter whose body was never found. He said he thinks Ruben’s spirit is still at Ground Zero.
President Donald Trump spoke at a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon, where he recently rolled out a new name. He said, “As one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget September 11, 2001.”
He also said, “If you attack the United States of America, we will hunt you down and we will find you.” And he added: “We will crush you without mercy. And we will triumph without question. That’s why we named the former Department of Defense the Department of War.”
He emphasized that the US will win every war it fights, including the one on terrorism.
The former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after being found guilty of plotting a military coup.
A panel of five Supreme Court justices handed down the sentence just hours after they had convicted the former leader.
They ruled he was guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Four of the justices found him guilty while one voted to acquit him. Bolsonaro’s lawyers have called the sentence “absurdly excessive” and said that they would file “the appropriate appeals”.Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting Brazil coup 41 minutes ago Ione WellsSouth America correspondent in Brasília andVanessa BuschschlüterBBC News
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Save EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro gestures after taking medical tests at DF Star hospital in Brasilia on August 16, 2025. He is wearing a pale yellow polo shirt and touches his forehead with his hand. Jair Bolsonaro was found guilty of five charges The former president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after being found guilty of plotting a military coup.
A panel of five Supreme Court justices handed down the sentence just hours after they had convicted the former leader.
They ruled he was guilty of leading a conspiracy aimed at keeping him in power after he lost the 2022 election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Four of the justices found him guilty while one voted to acquit him. Bolsonaro’s lawyers have called the sentence “absurdly excessive” and said that they would file “the appropriate appeals”.
The Supreme Court panel also barred him from running for public office until 2033.
Bolsonaro, who was put under house arrest after being deemed a flight risk, did not attend this final phase of the trial in person.
But he has in the past said it was designed to prevent him from running in the 2026 presidential election – even though he had already been barred from public office on separate charges. He has also called it a “witch hunt”.
His words have previously been echoed by US President, Donald Trump, who imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, framing them as retaliation for Bolsonaro’s prosecution.
Reacting to the guilty verdict, Trump said he found it “very surprising” and compared it to his own experience: “That’s very much like they tried to do with me. But they didn’t get away with it at all.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Brazil’s Supreme Court had “unjustly ruled to imprison former President Jair Bolsonaro” and threatened to “respond accordingly to this witch hunt”.
Brazil’s foreign ministry reacted swiftly, posting on X that “threats like the one made today by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement that attacks a Brazilian authority and ignores the facts and the compelling evidence on record, will not intimidate our democracy”.
Bolsonaro’s coup trial gripped Brazil – and his conviction will divide the country Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years in jail – what you need to know
Bolsonaro, who is 70, now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison.
His lawyers are expected to argue that he should be kept under house arrest instead of being sent to jail – as well as plead for a lower sentence.
They have also said that they will appeal against his conviction but legal experts have said this may prove difficult, as this is normally only possible if two out of the five justices have voted to acquit.
Bolsonaro was found guilty of five charges, all relating to his attempt to cling to power after he was beaten in the 2022 election.
But prosecutors said he had started to plot to stay in power long before, proposing a coup to military commanders and sowing unfounded doubts about the electoral system.
They also said that Bolsonaro knew of a plan to assassinate Lula and his vice-presidential running mate, as well as a Supreme Court Justice.
The justices found he had led a conspiracy and also convicted seven of his co-conspirators, including senior military officers. Among them are two former defence ministers, a former spy chief and former security minster.
While the plot failed to enlist enough support from the military to go ahead, it did culminate in the storming of government buildings by Bolsonaro’s supporters on 8 January 2023, the justices found.
Order was quickly restored and more than 1,500 people were arrested.
But, according to Alexandre de Moraes – the justice who oversaw the trial – Brazil had come close to descending into authoritarianism.
“We are slowly forgetting that Brazil almost returned to its 20-year dictatorship because a criminal organisation, comprised of a political group, doesn’t know how to lose elections,” he said before casting his guilty vote.
Brazil’s recent history and the decades it spent under military rule were also invoked by Justice Cármen Lúcia, who cast the decisive third “guilty” vote on Thursday.
She compared the attempted coup to a “virus”, which, if left to fester, can kill the society in which it has taken hold in-BBC
The singer, who has played 30 shows in Puerto Rico and will stage around 50 on a world tour, has decided to skip the US: ‘It’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about’The 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer is one of the biggest stars in the world and has a major concert residency on his home island, which he will later tour around the world. But not to the continental United States. Until now, the singer had not clarified the reasons for this conspicuous absence, but now he has explained the decision: it is, in large part, due to the raids that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is carrying out indiscriminately among the Latino population, deporting thousands of people with little or no protection.
The singer shared this during an interview with the fashion and trends magazine i-D, published on September 10. His Puerto Rican residency, pointedly titled No me quiero ir de aquí (I Don’t Want to Leave Here), has lasted three months and has brought in at least $200 million to the island, according to Forbes estimates. However, in a very measured decision, he has decided not to expand that tour to the United States. Until now, he had simply said that it wasn’t “necessary.” But now, he’s gone a step further. Was it because of his concern about Latinos in the United States, about mass deportations, the interviewer asks. “Man, honestly, yes,” he replies.
“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times,” the singer clarifies in the interview. “All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the U.S. But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the US…” he explains. “People from the U.S. could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of — like, fucking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
After the London club were accused of breaching regulations covering football agents, intermediaries and third-party investment in players spanning more than a decade.
The FA did not elaborate on the charges, but Chelsea said the matters were “self-reported” by the club after the change in ownership in May 2022.The charges are primarily focused on transfers between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons.Chelsea issued a statement saying the club were “pleased to confirm that its engagement with the FA concerning matters that were self-reported by the club is now reaching a conclusion”.
“The club’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on May 30, 2022,” the statement continued.
“During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules.
“Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA.
“The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data.
“We will continue working collaboratively with the FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible. We wish to place on record our gratitude to the FA for their engagement with the club on this complex case, the focus of which has been on matters that took place over a decade ago.”
In August 2023, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said his organisation was investigating “historic” financial issues that the club had self-reported to the Premier League and to the FA.
It is understood that an investigation into whether the club breached any of its rules remains ongoing.
In July 2023, Chelsea agreed a resolution with European football’s governing body to hand over €10million euros after owning up to “incomplete financial reporting” under the Abramovich regime.
UEFA said it had been “proactively” approached with the information by Chelsea’s new ownership group.
A spokesperson for Abramovich has been contacted for comment.
It is also felt Chelsea are unlikely to dispute the FA charges and expect the matter to be concluded swiftly.
They expect any sanction imposed by an independent commission would be financial rather than a sporting penalty, such as a transfer embargo or points deduction.
The breaches are primarily understood be tax-related matters which the club have since settled with HMRC.
Tokyo police have arrested four people on suspicion of illegally arranging cleaning jobs for Indonesians admitted to Japan as agricultural workers.
Those arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department include Hihara Tatsuhito, the president of a temporary staffing company in Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan. Kobayashi Kansei, an executive of a laundry plant, was also arrested.
The police say the four are suspected of violating the immigration control law by arranging jobs at the plant for three Indonesians from last October through June. The three have residency status as specified skilled agricultural workers.
Investigators say Hihara partially denied the allegation, saying he believed they could legally work in an industrial laundry if there were no agricultural jobs.
Kobayashi is said to have admitted to the allegation. He was quoted as saying he had no choice but to use the workers to cover serious staff shortages, adding that he wanted to keep the business running.
Police suspect that Hihara’s company illegally dispatched about 120 foreigners to the same plant during a period of over two years through June.
The suspect in the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk remains on the run, the FBI says – but is believed to be of college age. Charlie Kirk’s killer is still at large but the FBI say they have found a high-powered rifle and tracked the movements of the suspected gunman
Kirk, an ally of President Trump, was shot at a Utah university – officials say the suspect “appears to be of college age” and fled “into a neighbourhood”
They have “good video footage” of the gunman, but have not identified him – they are not releasing the footage yet
The weapon was found in a wooded area, and officials are analysing a “footwear impression… and a forearm imprint”
Earlier, two people questioned by police were released. Authorities are still searching for the shooter who killed Charlie Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University, but have recovered a rifle believed to have been used to fire the single fatal shot.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump says he will award Kirk the “Presidential Medal of Freedom” posthumously
