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Pakistan’s ex-PM, Imran Khan jailed for three years, banned from politics for five years

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Imran Khan, former Pakistan prime minister, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for illegally selling state gifts.

A trial court in Islamabad, the country’s capital, issued the ruling on Saturday.

The court also barred Khan from politics for five years.

Khan was Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his removal in 2022.

The 70-year-old was accused of incorrectly declaring details of presents from foreign dignitaries and proceeds from their alleged sale.

The gifts, worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000), included watches given by a royal family, a ring and a pair of cuff links.

Khan was not present at the hearing on Saturday.

Shortly after the court verdict, the cricketer-cum-politician was arrested by the police at his residence in Lahore, the eastern district of the country.

According to Reuters, Intezar Panjotha, Khan’s lawyer, said the court ruling will be appealed at a higher court.

Khan is facing more than 100 cases in Pakistan since his ouster as the country’s prime minister in 2022.

He has denied any wrongdoing, saying the charges are politically motivated.

The ex-prime minister was initially arrested in May, a development which was followed by violent protests across the country.

At least eight people died in the demonstrations with 1,400 arrested, according to the police.

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Sierra Leone government arrests gunmen who attacked barracks, says calm has been restored

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Sierra Leone says its security forces have restored calm to the country after armed men attacked the military barracks on Sunday.

Chernor Bah, the country’s minister of information and civic education, had said “unidentified individuals” attacked the barracks which houses several foreign embassies, including those of China, Germany, Austria, Gambia, Lebanon and Syria.

Following Bah’s announcement, the government declared a nationwide curfew.

Prisoners also escaped from a detention facility after a coordinated jail break orchestrated by gunmen.

In an address on Sunday night, Julius Bio, president of Sierra Leone, said most of the leaders of the attack have been arrested.

Although Bio refrained from describing the chain of events as a coup, he labelled them an attempt to undermine the stability the country has worked hard to achieve.

“The attackers have been repelled by a combined team of gallant security forces and calm has been restored,” the president said.

“Most of the leaders have been arrested, security operations and investigations are ongoing. We will ensure that those responsible are held accountable through due process.

“I acknowledge the bravery and dedication of our armed forces, police, and all those who played a role to defeat this attempt to undermine the peace and stability we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

Bio asked citizens to be reminded of national unity and advised that “everyone remain vigilant and cooperate with the security forces”.

In another statement, the minister of information and civic education said a new curfew would be imposed from 9 pm to 6 am local time till further notice.

Bah also asked citizens to report suspicious activities to security agencies.

Sierra Leone has been engulfed by a tense political climate since Bio was re-elected in June.

The result of the election was rejected by the opposition candidate and questioned by international partners, including the US and European Union, who said the polls lacked transparency.

The unrest in Sierra Leone comes in the wake of a slew of military coups in West and Central Africa.

In his address to the nation following the attack on the barracks, Bio called on the West African nation’s political and traditional leaders to work to preserve peace.

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SpaceX launches mega Starship rocket on second test flight

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SpaceX today carried out the second test launch of Starship, the largest rocket ever built that Elon Musk hopes will one day colonise Mars, while NASA awaits a modified version to land humans on the Moon.

It comes after a first attempt to fly the spaceship in its fully-stacked configuration back in April ended in a spectacular explosion over the Gulf of Mexico.

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UK PM appoints James Cleverly as new interior minister

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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday appointed James Cleverly as interior minister, switching the 54-year-old from the role of foreign secretary which he had held for a year.

The move, part of Sunak’s first major reshuffle after nearly 13 months in power, follows the UK leader sacking Suella Braverman as interior minister earlier Monday.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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