Thousands protest livestreamed murder of 2 women, young girl in Argentina
Drug gang suspected in torture and murder of two young women, and a 15-year-old girl, in crime that shocks Argentina. Clashes have erupted between demonstrators and police as thousands protested in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, to demand justice over the torture and killing of two young women and a teenager, which was livestreamed on social media by a purported drug gang. Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Saturday to denounce the killings that shocked Argentinians after it was revealed that the murders were perpetrated live on the Instagram platform and watched by 45 members of a private account, officials said. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The bodies of Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, cousins aged 20, and 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez were found buried on Wednesday in the yard of a house in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires, five days after they went missing. Investigators said the victims, thinking they were going to a party, were lured into a van on September 19, allegedly as part of a plan to “punish” them for violating gang code and to serve as a warning to others. Police discovered a video of the triple murder after a suspect in the disappearance of the three revealed it under questioning, according to Javier Alonso, the security minister for the Buenos Aires province. In the footage, a gang leader is heard saying: “This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.” Argentinian media reported that the torturers cut off fingers, pulled out nails, and beat and suffocated the victims. While most of the protesters who took part in the demonstration on Saturday marched peacefully, some confronted police who responded by aggressively pushing them away using their batons and shields, according to video clips and images posted by the La Izquierda Diario online news site. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Saturday to denounce the killings of Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, cousins aged 20, and 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez, by a suspected drug gang [Luis Robayo/AFP] As they marched towards the Argentinian parliament with thousands of supporters, family members of the victims held a banner with their names, “Lara, Brenda, Morena”, and placards with the images of the three. Advertisement “Women must be protected more than ever,” Brenda’s father, Leonel del Castillo, was quoted by the AFP news agency as telling reporters at the protest. He had earlier said he had not been able to identify his daughter’s body due to the torture she had endured. “It was a narco-femicide!” read a sign at the protest. Another declared, “Our lives are not disposable!” The protesters also banged on drums as they marched and denounced the “inaction” of the administration of President Javier Milei against what they called the growing “narco” influence in the country. An image posted on social media showed protesters burning an image of Milei and other political allies of his administration. Antonio del Castillo, the grandfather of the slain 20-year-old cousins, was in tears, calling his granddaughters’ killers “bloodthirsty”. “You wouldn’t do what they did to them to an animal,” he said. On Friday, Minister of National Security Patricia Bullrich announced the arrest of a fifth suspect in the case, bringing the total to three men and two women. The fifth suspect, accused of offering logistical support in the killing by providing a vehicle involved in the crime, was arrested in the Bolivian border city of Villazon . Authorities have also released a photograph of the alleged mastermind, a 20-year-old Peruvian, who remains at large. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has disputed that the livestream occurred on its platform, according to the AFP, citing a company spokesperson. Adblock test (Why?)
Venezuela Foreign Ministry warns of ‘immoral military threat’ from US
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto has told the United Nations General Assembly that the United States has an “illegal and completely immoral military threat hanging over our heads”, as reports emerge that the US is planning to escalate attacks on the South American country. Pinto told the gathering of UN member states on Friday in New York that his country was grateful for the support of governments and people “that are speaking out against this attempt to bring war to the Caribbean and South America”. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The minister claimed US threats towards his country were aimed at allowing “external powers to rob Venezuela’s immeasurable oil and gas wealth”. He also accused Washington of using “vulgar and perverse lies” to “justify an atrocious, extravagant and immoral multibillion-dollar military threat”. Earlier on Friday, US broadcaster NBC News reported that US military officials are drawing up plans to “target drug traffickers inside Venezuela” with air attacks, citing two unnamed US officials. US President Donald Trump said last week that US forces had carried out a third strike targeting a vessel he said was “trafficking illicit narcotics”. At least 17 people have been killed in the three attacks. Experts have cast doubt on the legality of US attacks on foreign boats in international waters, while data from both the UN and the US itself suggest that Venezuela is not a major source of cocaine coming into the US, as Trump has claimed. In an address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump said of drug smugglers: ” To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence.” By contrast, Colombian President Gustavo Petro used his UNGA address to call for a “criminal process” to be opened against Trump over the attacks on vessels in the Caribbean, which had killed Venezuelans who had not been convicted of any crime. Advertisement The US has so far deployed eight warships to international waters off Venezuela’s coast, backed by F-35 fighter jets sent to Puerto Rico, in what it calls an anti-drug operation. Washington has also refused an appeal for dialogue from Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, whom the Trump administration has accused of drug trafficking – a claim Maduro has strenuously denied. Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, had once been regular presences at the annual UNGA meetings taking place in New York, but Maduro did not come this year, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing him as a fugitive from justice over a US indictment on drug-trafficking allegations. Back home in Venezuela, Maduro has called for military drills to begin on Saturday, to test “the people’s readiness for natural catastrophes or any armed conflict” amid US “threats”. ‘Our fishermen are peaceful’ Venezuelan fishers who spoke to the AFP news agency said that the US strikes on Venezuelan boats have made them fearful to venture too far from shore. “It’s very upsetting because our country is peaceful, our fishermen are peaceful,” Joan Diaz, 46, told AFP in the northern town of Caraballeda. “Fishermen go out to work, and they [the US] have taken these measures to come to our … workplace to intimidate us, to attack us,” he said. Diaz said most fishers stay relatively close to shore, but that “to fish for tuna, you have to go very far, and that’s where they [the US forces] are.” A fisherman holds his catch at a harbour in Caraballeda, La Guaira State, Venezuela, on Wednesday [Federico Parra/AFP] Luis Garcia, a 51-year-old who leads a grouping of some 4,000 fishermen and women in the La Guaira region, described the US actions as “a real threat”. “We have nine-, 10-, 12-metre fishing boats against vessels that have missiles. Imagine the madness. The madness, my God!” he exclaimed. “We keep contact with everyone … especially those who are going a little further,” he said. “We report to the authorities where we are going, where we are, and how long our fishing operations will last, and we also report to our fishermen’s councils,” Garcia said. But, Garcia added, they would not be intimidated. “We say to him: ‘Mr Donald Trump, we, the fishermen of Venezuela … will continue to carry out our fishing activities. We will continue to go out to the Caribbean Sea that belongs to us.’” Adblock test (Why?)
US to revoke Colombian President Petro’s visa over actions in New York City
BREAKINGBREAKING, The Colombian leader was filmed joining thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters outside UN headquarters in New York. Published On 27 Sep 202527 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The United States Department of State has said it will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, citing his “reckless and incendiary actions”. “Earlier today, Colombian president [Gustavo Petro] stood on a NYC [New York City] street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence,” the department said in a post on X. Earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions. — Department of State (@StateDept) September 27, 2025 Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The post did not provide specific details on Petro’s alleged offence, but footage circulated widely on social media showed the Colombian leader joining thousands of pro-Palestine protesters outside UN headquarters in New York on Friday. Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the fourth day of the UN General Assembly’s General Debate on Friday, delivering a defiant speech as he told world leaders Israel must be allowed to “finish the job” in Gaza and lambasting Western states’ “disgraceful decision” to recognise a Palestinian state. This is a breaking news story. More to follow soon. Adblock test (Why?)
Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon among names in new Epstein documents
One calendar entry, dated December 6, 2014, reads: “Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)”. Democrats on the oversight committee of the United States House of Representatives have released the daily schedules of deceased high-society sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from 2010 to 2019, showing that he planned to meet with prominent Republican Party donors Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, as well as conservative media commentator Steve Bannon. Democrats on the key investigative House Oversight Committee said on Friday that 8,544 documents – including phone message logs, flight logs, transaction records and daily schedules – were retrieved through a congressional subpoena filed in August. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list A statement accompanying the release said the daily schedules “include mentions of possible contact between Jeffrey Epstein and prominent figures like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, and Prince Andrew”. “It should be clear to every American that Jeffrey Epstein was friends with some of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world,” Oversight Committee spokesperson Sara Guerrero said in the statement. “Every new document produced provides new information as we work to bring justice for the survivors and victims,” Guerrero said. “Oversight Democrats will not stop until we identify everyone complicit in Epstein’s heinous crimes. It’s past time for Attorney General [Pam] Bondi to release all the files now,” she said. According to the statement, the documents show that Thiel, a billionaire venture capitalist, and Bannon had “scheduled meetings with Epstein”. There was also mention of a “pending trip” by tech billionaire Musk to Epstein’s infamous island, Little St James, where many women said they were abused. Advertisement One calendar entry – dated December 6, 2014 – reads: “Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)”. Also mentioned in the documents is disgraced British royal, Prince Andrew, who was listed as a passenger on Epstein’s private jet in 2000 in a flight from New York to Palm Beach, Florida, along with Epstein’s longtime partner and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. The daily schedules released on Friday do not indicate whether Epstein’s meetings with Musk, Thiel and Bannon took place, and no accusations of any wrongdoing were levelled against the three men or Prince Andrew. Referencing a news story about the documents on X, Musk said: “This is false.” Thiel, Bannon and Prince Andrew have yet to comment. In 2022, the British royal settled a US lawsuit brought against him by the late Virginia Giuffre – a prominent Epstein accuser who took her own life in April – accusing him of sexual abuse when she was a teen. Financial disclosures in the newly released files also showed “possible evidence” that Epstein made payments to masseuses on behalf of someone named “Andrew”. The Oversight Committee said further review of the documents, which were partially redacted to protect the identity of victims and the ongoing investigation, is “ongoing”. Epstein died by suicide in his cell at New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center in 2019. His death has become the source of conspiracy theories due to his connections to America’s rich and powerful, including, allegedly, US President Donald Trump. The Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein case has only fuelled anger and concern over a cover-up, with the Department of Justice announcing in July it would not publish files from its investigation, reneging on earlier promises from Trump and his allies to do so. In now-deleted posts from June, part of a very public rupture between Musk and Trump, which appears now to have been resolved, the billionaire X owner claimed the US president was blocking the Epstein files’ release as he featured in them. The calendar entries released on Friday for Epstein’s purported planned meetings with Musk, Thiel and Bannon referenced periods that came before he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019, but after he pleaded guilty to state-level prostitution charges and soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008. Adblock test (Why?)
Palestinian Authority’s Abbas forced to deliver UNGA address via video
NewsFeed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly that Palestinians are ready for peace if only Israel would allow it. His address, delivered via video, accused the “extremist Israeli government” of crimes against humanity and made the case for his government’s control of Gaza. Published On 25 Sep 202525 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
US defence secretary summons military leaders to Virginia mystery meeting
The reason for the meeting, set for next Tuesday, remains unclear, with Trump dismissing concerns as not ‘a big deal’. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned senior United States military officers from their posts around the world to a meeting next week in Virginia, for what is expected to be a rare gathering. The summons was reported in US media on Thursday and confirmed later in the day by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list It was not immediately clear why Hegseth ordered the generals and admirals to meet in Virginia on such short notice or what the meeting’s agenda will look like. There are approximately 800 generals and admirals in the US military, and such senior officials can, in some cases, command thousands of troops, including in sensitive locations overseas. Most have detailed schedules that are set weeks in advance. One military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the news agency Reuters that those schedules have now been upended. “People are scrambling to change their plans and see if they have to attend,” the official said. For his part, Parnell declined to offer specifics about the meeting, telling reporters, “The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week.” At an Oval Office signing ceremony on Thursday, Trump expressed optimism about Hegseth’s meeting, describing it as a good idea. “I love it. I think it’s great,” Trump said. “Let him be friendly with the generals and admirals from all over the world.” He also appeared to downplay concerns that the event could take military leaders away from posts critical for national security. He expressed surprise that the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, had gained national attention. Advertisement “Why is that such a big deal?” Trump asked a reporter. “The fact that we’re getting along with the generals and admirals? Remember, I’m the president of peace. It’s good to get along. It’s good. You act like this is a bad thing.” Vice President JD Vance, who was at the Oval Office meeting, also sought to brush aside the anticipated criticism. “It’s not particularly unusual that generals who report to the secretary of war and then to the president of the United States are coming to speak with the secretary of war,” Vance said, adding it was “odd” that reporters were asking about it. Since Trump took office for a second term in January, he and Hegseth have taken on a campaign of reimagining the Department of Defense. They have, for instance, fired top military leaders, including CQ Brown, a former Air Force general who was serving as the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In May, he ordered a 20-percent reduction in the number of four-star officers, adding that there would be an additional 10-percent reduction among general and flag officers across the military. Hegseth has also called for the military to end its diversity initiatives, and several officials have been terminated for their alleged roles in such programmes. Instead, Hegseth has called on the military to increase its “lethality” and “restore” its “warrior ethos”. Earlier this month, Trump signed an order making it his policy to refer to the Defense Department as the Department of War, as it had been until 1949. But the name change will remain largely confined to the executive branch. A permanent change would require Congress to pass legislation adopting the new name. Adblock test (Why?)
Sudan PM urges end to ‘political’ chemical weapons sanctions
NewsFeed Sudan’s transitional Prime Minister Kamil Idris told the 80th United Nations General Assembly Sudan’s civil war has killed 150,000 and displaced 12 million. He urged lifting chemical weapons sanctions he called “political,” condemned foreign mercenaries, and demanded an end to the siege of el-Fasher. Published On 25 Sep 202525 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
UN General Assembly 2025 live: Palestine’s Abbas to speak by video
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, The president of the Palestinian Authority is among the chief speakers on the third day of the UN’s General Assembly. Published On 25 Sep 202525 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Trump puts photo of Biden autopen in White House ‘Walk of Fame’
NewsFeed President Donald Trump has installed a ‘Walk of Fame’ wall in the White House, where Joe Biden’s portrait is replaced by a photo of an ‘autopen’. This follows Trump’s assertions that Biden had used the device to sign key policy documents due to a declining cognitive state. Published On 25 Sep 202525 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Moldovan oligarch extradited to face charges over $1bn fraud
Trial of former political kingmaker Vladimir Plahotniuc comes at a sensitive time, as elections approach and authorities warn of Russian meddling. By News Agencies Published On 25 Sep 202525 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Moldova’s most notorious fugitive businessman, Vladimir Plahotniuc, has been extradited from Greece to face trial over the country’s biggest financial scandal, AFP and local media reported. The 59-year-old oligarch, accused of orchestrating the disappearance of $1bn from Moldovan banks in 2014, arrived in Chisinau on Thursday under tight security. The fraud, known locally as the “theft of the century,” amounted to about 12 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) at the time. Plahotniuc was detained in July at Athens airport on an Interpol red notice while attempting to travel to Dubai, Greek authorities said. He had been held in Greece for two months before being handed over to Moldovan officials. Once considered the most powerful figure in the Democratic Party of Moldova, Plahotniuc has long denied wrongdoing and resisted extradition. He is expected to appear in court in Chisinau on September 26. Given previous accusations that he has acted in the interests of Russia, the timing of the oligarch’s return is politically charged. Moldovans head to the polls on September 28 in parliamentary elections seen as a choice between closer ties with the European Union or a pivot towards Moscow. Sanctions and Russian interference Plahotniuc fled Moldova in 2019 while facing multiple investigations, including the bank fraud case. He later lived in the United States for several months, where he applied for asylum. That request was rejected, and in January 2020, his US visa was revoked when then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused him of corruption that “severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova”. Advertisement The EU, US and United Kingdom have all imposed sanctions on Plahotniuc, citing efforts to destabilise Moldovan politics and weaken the rule of law. Moldovan authorities say the former tycoon must now answer charges of fraud, money laundering and organised crime. His legal battle is set to dominate headlines in a country already bracing for a deeply divisive election. President of Moldova Maia Sandu has warned of Russian interference in the country’s upcoming elections (File: Getty) Earlier this week, at least 74 people were arrested in Moldova over an alleged plot to organise “mass riots”. President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of attempting to sway the upcoming election. The police said the suspects were detained on Monday as more than 250 raids were carried out across the country. “The searches are related to a criminal case into the preparation of mass riots and destabilisation, which were coordinated from the Russian Federation through criminal elements,” police said in a statement. Pro-Western Sandu, who has described Sunday’s vote as the “most consequential” in the nation’s history, accused the Kremlin of pouring “hundreds of millions of euros” into the country in an attempt to sway the elections. Adblock test (Why?)