Category: International News

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested a 55-year-old Nigerian national for suspected drug trafficking shortly after he landed at OR Tambo International Airport from São Paulo, Brazil.

SAPS spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Van Wyk, said the man was arrested on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the busy airport after he was allegedly found to have swallowed cocaine with an estimated street value of R7.5 million.

A medical x-ray revealed that the suspect had ingested multiple objects suspected to be pellets containing cocaine.

“He is still releasing the pellets,” Van Wyk added.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court soon.

This arrest comes just weeks after police apprehended two South African drug mules at the same airport, seizing cocaine worth an estimated R7.5 million.

Jay-Z is suing a woman who in February withdrew her legal action accusing the rapper of rape.

His defamation action claims she “voluntarily admitted” being pressured into making false claims in what it describes as an “evil conspiracy” to extort money and damage his reputation.

The anonymous woman filed her legal action in October and refiled it in December, accusing Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her aged 13, after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.

Both rappers denied the allegations.

Jay-Z’s defamation action, filed at a federal court in Alabama, also accuses the woman’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, and his co-counsel, David Fortney, of orchestrating her lawsuit.

Mr Buzbee has garnered headlines internationally over the dozens of legal actions he has filed on behalf of people accusing Mr Combs of sexual misconduct, extortion, assault and other transgressions.

Mr Combs has denied all the allegations.

He is also facing federal sex-trafficking and racketeering charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Jay-Z’s defamation action says the woman told his legal team her lawyers had made her make the false allegations.

“Buzbee brought Jay-Z into it,” it says she said.

And despite her admitting Jay-Z “did not sexually assault [her],” Mr Buzbee “pushed [her] towards going forward” with the false story to strengthen the case and extort more money, the defamation suit claims.

Jay-Z’s action also notes alleged discrepancies in the woman’s interview with NBC News last year, including naming another celebrity guest at the MTV party, who had, in reality, been performing in a city thousands of miles away on the night.

Her father also contradicted her claim he had picked her up after the alleged assault, it claims.

Jay-Z’s defamation action says Mr Buzbee’s firm failed to vet the claims and the woman, who they say has a history of mental health issues and an assault charge.

‘Emotional toll’

Mr Buzbee has denied any wrongdoing and claims Jay-Z’s team tried to intimidate the woman into retracting her statements.

In a statement obtained by BBC News, Mr Buzbee said Jay-Z’s defamation action had “no legal merit”.

“Shawn Carter’s investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks, trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story,” Mr Buzbee said.

“She won’t – instead, she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims.”

Jay- Z, who is married to Beyoncé, says the accusations have led to personal and professional harm, including the loss of business contracts worth about $20m (£15.8m) a year for his company, Roc Nation, and taken an emotional toll on his family, particularly his children.

Carl Dean, the longtime husband of country music icon Dolly Parton, died on Monday at the age of 82.

Dean, who was famously private throughout his nearly 60-year marriage to Parton, died in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a statement she posted on social media.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,” the statement read.

The “9-5” singer met Dean outside a laundromat on the first day she arrived in Nashville as an 18-year-old aspiring singer.

Parton, 79, recalled their first meeting, saying, “I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me). He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”

Two years later, on May 30, 1966, the couple exchanged vows at a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.

Throughout their marriage, Dean remained out of the public eye, choosing instead to focus on his asphalt-paving business in Nashville.

Though he largely stayed out of the limelight, Dean continued to influence Parton’s work, most notably inspiring her classic hit “Jolene.”

She told US media in 2008 that the song was about a bank teller who developed a crush on Dean.

“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton said. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us—when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”

Parton and Dean’s relationship remained such a mystery that rumours started that he did not exist – but Parton joked about that.

“A lot of people say there’s no Carl Dean, that he’s just somebody I made up to keep other people off me,” she said to the Associated Press in 1984.

Parton and Dean had no children together.

He is survived by his siblings, Sandra and Donnie, Parton’s statement said.

A divided Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 5 rejected the Trump administration’s request to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen.

However, the court did not immediately say when the money must be released, allowing the White House to continue to dispute the issue in lower courts.

The order was unsigned but four conservative justices dissented – Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. That put five justices in the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

The majority noted that given a court-ordered deadline to spend the money last week had already passed, the lower courts should “clarify what obligations the government must fulfil to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order.”

In a strongly worded dissent, Alito wrote that he was “stunned” by the court’s decision to permit the lower-court judge to order the administration to unfreeze the foreign aid at issue in the case.

Alito added: “A federal court has many tools to address a party’s supposed nonfeasance. Self-aggrandizement of its jurisdiction is not one of them.”

While the ruling was 5-4, it was “extremely modest,” said Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Centre.

“The unsigned order does not require the Trump administration to immediately make up to $2 billion in foreign aid payments; it merely clears the way for the district court to compel those payments, presumably if it is more specific about the contracts that have to be honoured,” Vladeck said. “The fact that four justices nevertheless dissented – vigorously – from such a decision is a sign that the Court is going to be divided, perhaps along these exact lines, in many of the more impactful Trump-related cases that are already on their way.”

The appeal raced to the high court within days – exceedingly fast by the federal judiciary’s standards. It is the second case to reach the justices dealing with Trump’s moves to consolidate power within the executive branch and dramatically reshape the government after taking power in January. At the centre of the case are billions in foreign aid from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development that Trump froze in January as he sought to clamp downon spending and bring those agencies in line with his agenda. Several nonprofit groups that rely on the funding for global health and other programs sued, asserting that the administration’s moves usurped the power of Congress to control government spending and violated a federal law that dictates how agencies make decisions.

In a brief on Friday, the groups described the administration’s actions as having a “devastating” impact.

They told the court that the funding “advances US interests abroad and improves – and, in many cases, literally saves – the lives of millions of people across the globe.”

“In doing so, it helps stop problems like disease and instability overseas before they reach our shores,” the groups said.

US District Judge Amir Ali on February 13 ordered that much of the money continue to flow temporarily while he reviewed the case. Days later, the plaintiffs argued that the administration was defying that order and continuing to block the spending and Ali then ordered the Trump administration to spend the money at issue by midnight Wednesday.

Ali was named to the bench by President Joe Biden.

The Trump administration rushed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court hours before that deadline, urging the court to at least pause it for a few days. The administration is making “substantial efforts” to review payment requests and spend the money, the government argued, but it couldn’t turn the spigot on fast enough to meet Ali’s timeline.

The groups that sued have baulked at that explanation, arguing that a small number of political appointees within the administration “are refusing to authorize essentially any payments.”

“The government has not taken ‘any meaningful steps’ to come into compliance,” the groups said in a Supreme Court filing earlier Friday.

Roberts, acting alone, gave the administration a brief reprieve on Wednesday, issuing what’s known as an “administrative stay” that pushed pause on the case so that both sides could submit written arguments. The chief justice handles emergency cases rising from the federal appeals court in Washington, DC. Among the groups challenging the freeze are the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, a New York-based organization working to speed HIV prevention and the Global Health Council, based in Washington, DC, which represents other groups that administer health programs.

The Trump administration revealed in court filings in the case that it is attempting to terminate more than 90% of the USAID foreign aid awards.

“In total, nearly 5,800 USAID awards were terminated, and more than 500 USAID awards were retained,” a filing from the administration said.

“The total ceiling value of the retained awards is approximately $57 billion,” the filing said.

In addition to the USAID award terminations, “approximately 4,100 State awards were terminated, and approximately 2,700 State awards were retained,” the government told a lower court, referring to the State Department.

Aid programs around the world have ground to a halt due to the sweeping funding freeze and review of billions of dollars of assistance. It also comes as the Trump administration has either placed the majority of USAID’s workforce on leave or terminated them.

Democrats celebrate ruling
On Capitol Hill, Democrats said the ruling shows that Trump’s power to freeze spending is not unlimited.

“That money had already been appropriated, things were already in action, and so I think the Supreme Court ruled the right way, and now the administration needs to unfreeze them and allow those contractors and the work to be done,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal called it “a very important ruling” from “a Trump-dominated court.”

“I think it reinforces … that Congress has authorization to appropriate money, and that people rely on that authorization for those programs, and that when you do the work, you should get paid when it’s been authorized,” the Washington state Democrat told CNN.

Asked if she’s confident the payments will be turned on, Jayapal said she’s not confident about anything, “but I hope that the Trump administration will pay attention to the Supreme Court.”

A Russian missile attack on a hotel has killed four people in President Zelensky’s home town in Ukraine.

The attack in Kryvyi Rih happened as Zelensky prepares for a summit with European leaders in Brussels.

The summit, which begins on Thursday morning, will aim to boost European support for Ukraine.

On Monday, the US suspended military aid to Ukraine – even equipment that is already in Poland can not cross the border.

Last night, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “I want to believe the US will stay at our side, but we must be ready if that is not the case.”

The Oval Office row, a handshake with King Charles, and now back to Brussels – it has been a busy, bruising week for Zelensky, writes Daniel Wittenberg from Belgium.

David Paradang, former Nigerian Immigration Service boss, under whose watch the NIS recruitment exercise claimed about 20 lives in 2014, is dead. Mr Paradang died in Joy House Hotel in downtown Abuja on Monday after hosting a woman in his hotel room, the police said, dismissing reports that kidnappers killed him.

“On March 3, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., Mr Parradang arrived at Joy House Hotel, Area 3 Junction, driving a black Mercedes Benz. He checked into the hotel, paying a sum of twenty-two thousand naira (N22,000) for one night’s stay.

“Shortly thereafter, he directed the hotel room attendant to escort a female guest who had come to visit his room. This lady left the hotel premises around 04:00 p.m. of the same day,” the police said in a statement by its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh.

It added, “Mr. Parradang did not exit his room after the lady left. Around 04:00 a.m. of March 4 2025, a friend who is a military officer, concerned for his wellbeing, traced him to the hotel. Upon arrival, the hotel receptionist and the officer proceeded to his room, where Mr Parradang was found deceased, seated in a chair.”

The police said Mr Paradang’s body had been transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja, for necessary procedures, and the hotel staff members were cooperating with officers in the ongoing investigation.

Also, the police authorities said efforts were ongoing to identify the lady who visited the ex-immigration boss.

In 2014, an NIS recruitment exercise conducted under Mr Parrandang’s watch claimed 20 lives after the process resulted in a stampede.

Mr Parrandang ventured into politics after retirement from NIS. He contested a senatorial seat in 2019 and for Plateau governorship in 2023.

Republican Congressman Tim Burchett tells the BBC that America will no longer be “the world’s peacekeeper” as they are “going to have to protect our own”.

Speaking on The World Tonight, he says: “We’ve done a poor job of protecting our own borders and we’ve stretched our fiscal ability very thin with this war, and we’ve done enough, and it’s time for everyone else to step up.”

Burchett describes the minerals deal with Ukraine, which would see the US gain access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, as “a masterful move by Trump” and says the presence of American civilians would guarantee Ukrainian security.

“When we start getting the minerals out of there, Russia will not want to harm a hair on an American businessperson’s head,” Burchett explains.

Burchett also welcomes Donald Trump’s decision to suspend arms shipments to Ukraine: “It’s not our war. It’s Europe’s war. We’ve funded this thing from day one. The American taxpayers have.

On Putin, Burchett says: “Putin’s a no-good thug. There’s no question there. But again, here we are messing in somebody else’s business.”

US President Donald Trump has addressed a raucous joint session of the US Congress for the first time since he returned to power in January, declaring: “America is back.”

He outlined his vision for his second term, as Republicans applauded a high-octane first six weeks that has reshaped domestic and foreign policy.

Trump was heckled by Democrats and he goaded them in turn during the rowdy primetime speech, which was themed the “renewal of the American Dream”.

In his first six weeks in the White House, the Republican president has moved to slash the federal workforce and crack down on immigration, while imposing tariffs on America’s biggest trading partners and shaking up the trans-atlantic alliance over the war in Ukraine.

Here are six takeaways from his speech.

‘Thank you, Elon’

Trump name-checked his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who was watching from the gallery, early in his speech.

The tech mogul’s Department of Government Efficiency taskforce has moved to fire tens of thousands of federal workers, cut billions of dollars in foreign aid and slash programmes across the US government.

The SpaceX and Tesla boss stood and acknowledged the cheers from the crowd.

“Thank you, Elon,” Trump said. “He’s working very hard. He didn’t need this.”

“Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it, I believe,” Trump said, referring to Democrats. “They just don’t want to admit that.”

Trump went on to list some examples of wasteful spending he said had been eliminated by Musk’s cost-cutting initiative, drawing laughter from Republicans.

“Eight million dollars to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of”, Trump said.

Democratic lawmakers held up signs saying “Musk steals” and “false”.

Doge claims to have saved $105bn already but that figure can’t be indepedently verified. Receipts have been published for $18.6bn worth of savings but accounting errors have been reported by US media outlets which have analysed the figures.

An ‘important letter’ from Zelensky

Trump said he had received an “important letter” from Ukraine’s leader earlier in the day, which appeared to match what Volodymyr Zelensky posted publicly on social media.

Ukraine’s president had said he was now ready to work under Donald Trump’s “strong leadership” to end the war and “come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer”.

“I appreciate that he sent this letter,” Trump told lawmakers.

Zelensky offered the olive branch a day after Trump paused all military aid to the beleaguered US ally.

It following an acrimonious Oval Office meeting last week when the two leaders argued in front of TV cameras, before cancelling plans to sign a minerals deal that would allow the US to profit from an economic partnership involving Ukraine’s resources.

Trump was reportedly hoping to announce during his speech to Congress that the deal had been signed. But it did not materialise.

Democrats heckle the president

Democrats began disrupting the proceedings even before Trump took to the podium. As he entered the chamber, Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico held up a sign saying: “This is not normal.” It was ripped out of her hands by a Republican colleague.

And then, within the first five minutes of the address, Al Green of Texas was escorted out of the chamber by the sergeant-at-arms after refusing to comply with the House Speaker’s demands that he stop heckling the president and take his seat.

As Trump spoke, other Democrats held up signs saying “False” and “This is a lie”.

With Republicans in control of the White House, House of Representatives and Senate, Democrats have been largely leaderless as they work to hone their message and counter the blitz of activity from the Trump administration.

Many Democratic women arrived in the House chamber wearing pink pantsuits in protest. Dozens from their party – some of them wearing the words “Resist” printed on the backs of their shirts – turned away from the president and exited the chamber during his speech.

“I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realise there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud,” Trump said, appearing to revel in the partisan rancour.

Democratic leadership chose Elissa Slotkin of Michigan – a first-term senator elected in a battleground state that Trump won in November – to deliver the party’s official response.

Biden blamed for egg prices

The soaring cost of eggs has been headline news in recent weeks, and Trump – who had pledged to voters that he would beat inflation on his return to office – made clear who he felt was responsible.

“As you know, we inherited, from the last administration, an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare,” Trump said.

“Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control – and we are working hard to get it back down,” he added.

Egg prices soared under Biden as his administration directed millions of egg-laying birds to be culled last year amid a bird flu outbreak, though prices have continued rising in Trump’s fledging presidency.

Inflation was slightly elevated at 3% last month, but way down from its peak of 9.1% in 2022.

Cost of living remains a political thorn in Trump’s side, with only one in three Americans approving of his handling of the issue, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey on Tuesday.

Trade war will cause ‘a little disturbance’

Following a second day of market turbulence, Trump played down the potential economic fallout from a trade war he ignited this week, including 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% on Chinese imports.

But in contrast with the ovations that greeted his other policy objectives, many Republicans remained seated, a sign of how Trump’s import taxes have divided his party.

“Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again,” he said.

“And it’s happening. And it will happen rather quickly. There’ll be a little disturbance, but we’re okay with that. It won’t be much.”

Trump also took aim at the EU and countries including Brazil, India and South Korea over what he called “unfair” practices.

He added that reciprocal tariffs tailored to US trading partners would “kick in” on April 2.

Earlier in the day, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that Trump could announce a trade deal with Mexico and Canada as soon as Wednesday.

“I think he’s going to work something out with them,” Lutnick said on Fox Business.

A child’s dream comes true

In one of the most viral moments of the night, Trump offered a surprise to a child diagnosed with brain cancer whom the president said aspired to become a policeman.

The boy, 13-year-old DJ Daniel, was held up by his father as Republicans and attendees in the House gallery chanted “DJ.”

Trump announced DJ would be sworn in by his new Secret Service director as a member of the force.

A stunned DJ then received a Secret Service badge from the agency’s director Sean Curran, one of the agents who rushed onto stage to protect Trump during the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania in July.