A shocking case of systemic abuse has unfolded in north-eastern South Africa, where a local pastor and his spouse have been taken into custody following a raid that uncovered more than 200 people held captive in squalid, dangerous conditions at an unregistered drug rehabilitation centre. Operated out of a local church in Mpumalanga province, the unlicensed facility was discovered during a targeted inspection by provincial social development and law enforcement officials on Thursday. When authorities entered the property, they described finding scenes of “gross inhuman conditions” that have sparked national outrage: multiple detainees were found chained to one another, while many others bore open, untreated sores across their bodies after being held in neglect for weeks or months. The pair running the centre had initially told officials they were housing only 60 patients, but a full count revealed three times that number — 200 people total, including two underage minors and 30 women, crammed into overcrowded rooms with no access to working sanitation or clean running water. Almost all of the people held at the facility were people struggling with drug addiction, who had been placed there by family or seeking treatment themselves. Officials confirmed some detainees had been held at the illegal centre for months, locked away from outside contact. The operation charged 3,000 South African rand, equal to roughly $182, per person each month for the so-called treatment, with close to half of that revenue funneled directly to the church that hosted the facility. In the wake of the raid, 14 detainees required urgent hospital care for untreated medical conditions and neglect-related health issues. The pastor and his wife have only been formally charged with kidnapping so far, though prosecutors have indicated additional charges are likely as the investigation continues. As of Saturday, the pair had not issued any public comment on the allegations against them. They are scheduled to make their first court appearance at a local magistrate’s court on Monday. This case is far from an isolated incident in South Africa, where unregulated, unlicensed rehabilitation centres have exploded in number over the past decade as national rates of illicit drug use have climbed sharply. Last year alone, South Africa’s national Department of Social Development documented more than 100 unlicensed rehab facilities operating across the country, with the largest concentration found in the neighboring province of Gauteng. Officials added that many of the detainees rescued in last week’s Mpumalanga raid had been transferred to the facility from illegal centres in Gauteng, highlighting the cross-provincial network of these unregulated operations. Advocates for drug policy reform and survivor rights have renewed calls for national action to crack down on these abusive facilities, while pushing for expanded access to regulated, evidence-based addiction treatment across the country to eliminate the demand that drives this black market. Currently, only a fraction of South Africans struggling with substance use disorder have access to affordable, licensed treatment, creating a gap that unlicensed, predatory operations have rushed to fill, often with deadly consequences for vulnerable people seeking help.
分类： society
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Children taken to hospital after chemical fumes at Dublin pool
A chemical accident at a Dublin hotel swimming pool has left a dozen child swimmers requiring urgent medical care, after toxic fumes leaked into the facility during scheduled swimming lessons on Thursday. The incident unfolded at the Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley, where contaminated air forced the evacuation of the site and prompted an emergency response from multiple fire brigades across the Irish capital.
After assessing the scene, Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) chief fire officer Greg O’Dwyer confirmed the contamination stemmed from an error in the pool’s mechanical plant room: an overmixing of chlorine and a second un specified chemical that released hazardous fumes into the surrounding area. At the time of the incident, 24 children were participating in swimming lessons at the pool, alongside several parents who were present to observe the sessions, O’Dwyer added.
Irish national public broadcaster RTÉ reported that multiple affected children were experiencing respiratory distress and irritation following exposure to the fumes. In total, 12 children and one adult were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment after the incident.
In an official statement released after the response, DFB confirmed that emergency units were dispatched from fire stations across Dublin City, including locations in Tallaght, Dolphins Barn, Donnybrook and Dun Laoghaire. Specialist hazardous material (HazMat) response teams from Donnybrook and Dun Laoghaire were also called to the scene to handle the chemical hazard. Responders wearing fully protective gas-tight suits entered the contaminated plant room to isolate the improperly mixed chemicals, and crews established a dedicated decontamination zone to treat anyone exposed before transport to medical facilities.
DFB officials emphasized that the hazard was contained quickly, and there was no continued risk to the broader public in the surrounding area of Liffey Valley. When contacted by BBC News NI for comment on the incident and its aftermath, representatives for the Clayton Hotel declined to provide any statement.
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Dad fined after son, 2, died in Cyprus hotel fall
A devastating holiday accident that claimed the life of a two-year-old British boy has concluded in a Cypriot courtroom, where Joshua Foster, a 37-year-old auditor from Essex, has been handed a €3,000 (£2,500) fine for causing his son’s death.
The tragedy unfolded on July 12, the first day of Foster’s family vacation at the five-star King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Chlorakas. Just hours after the family — including Foster’s wife, their two children, and his in-laws — arrived in Cyprus, the incident occurred as the group prepared for an evening dinner following a day of swimming and leisure activities.
Court proceedings at Paphos District Court revealed that as Foster, his father-in-law, and his toddler son approached a hotel elevator, the young boy spotted a nearby waterpark through the window. After pressing the elevator call button, Foster lifted his son onto the windowsill to give him a better view of the attraction, mistakenly assuming the entire window was closed.
District Judge Froso Christodoulidou explained that the window lacked clear warning markings to alert Foster that one section was open. There was also no evidence that Foster had enough time to check the window’s state before the unthinkable happened. Before he could react, the toddler lost his balance and fell nearly 40 feet (12.1 meters) to the ground. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 18:40, and the child was rushed to Paphos General Hospital, where medics later pronounced him dead.
Foster pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death through a reckless, rash, and dangerous act, with sentencing delivered on the Friday morning after the trial. In his voluntary statement to local police, Foster said his son slipped and fell before he could even reach out to grab him. While low levels of alcohol were detected in Foster’s system following the incident, prosecutors did not cite intoxication as a core component of the case, and no witness testimony supported claims that he was drunk.
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, Foster was held in police custody for eight days. His defense lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, noted that during that time, the grieving father was forced to call his young daughter from custody to explain what had happened to her brother.
Judge Christodoulidou called the tragedy a “fatal and tragic momentary error,” adding that no court-imposed sentence could ever compare to the lifelong pain of losing a child. Alexandrou argued forcefully that the case should never have proceeded to trial, describing his client as an “incredible father” and an exemplary family man who is already consumed by overwhelming grief. The lawyer stressed that Foster’s deep remorse over the incident has always been clear, noting that the stress of the court proceedings had prevented the father from fully processing his loss until the ruling was delivered.
Following the sentencing, Foster briefly spoke to waiting reporters, simply saying: “Thank you for the support. I’m looking forward to going home and being with my wife and daughter.” Alexandrou added that with the legal process now complete, Foster will finally be able to confront the full weight of his child’s death.
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Three children and a teacher killed by 16-year-old at Oregon primary school
A horrific act of gun violence has left four people dead at an Oregon elementary school, in a tragedy that has shaken the small community of Bend. On Thursday afternoon, a local 16-year-old male suspect launched a deadly attack at Silver Rail Elementary School, leaving three children and one educator dead, and two more people fighting for their lives in hospital.
According to official statements from Bend Police, the teen attacker forced entry into the campus by firing multiple shots at the school’s locked entry doors. Police chief Mike Krantz confirmed that a civilian community member spotted the suspect entering the school building, followed him inside and confronted the gunman, fatally shooting him before law enforcement could fully secure the scene. Additional law enforcement details clarify that the first 911 call came in at 12:59 local time, initially reporting an unknown shooter opening fire on a vehicle outside the school. Crime scene photos released by authorities show a red truck marked with multiple bullet holes. Within just three minutes of the first report, at approximately 1:02 pm, the gunman was confirmed dead.
The victims of the attack include three children aged 5, 8, and 11, and one teacher who was killed during the rampage. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were rushed to a local hospital and remain in critical condition, as of the latest official update. Investigators have not yet confirmed whether the 16-year-old suspect had any prior connection to the school, and authorities have withheld the suspect’s name pending the completion of the ongoing investigation.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook released an official statement expressing the community’s overwhelming grief following the shooting. “We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” Cook said. “No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing.” This latest incident adds to the long-running national debate over gun control and school safety in the United States, where mass shootings at primary and secondary education campuses have become an increasingly frequent public safety crisis.
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Bus hits train stopped on French side of Channel Tunnel, with 19 injured
A traffic incident near the Channel Tunnel’s French entrance in Coquelles, close to Calais, has left 19 people injured after a bus collided with a parked freight train on Saturday evening, according to local French authorities.
The vehicle involved in the crash was transporting lorry drivers who were scheduled to board a shuttle rail service through the tunnel when the collision occurred at approximately 19:27 local time (17:27 GMT) on the tunnel’s loading platform.
Agathe Cury, the local sub-prefect, confirmed to reporters that two of the 19 injured people, which include the bus driver and 18 passengers, have sustained severe injuries and were airlifted to nearby medical facilities via helicopter. As of the latest update, none of the injured are reported to be in life-threatening condition.
Cury also noted that all people affected in the crash are men from multiple different nationalities. Images released by local French newspaper La Voix du Nord show emergency response personnel crowded around the scene, where the damaged bus with visible dents and breaks to its front and side panels is parked alongside the stationary freight train.
In terms of traffic impact, Cury stated that only a brief pause in both freight and Eurostar passenger transit through the tunnel was ordered, to allow emergency teams to evacuate injured people. Beyond this short suspension, regular traffic flow through the Channel Tunnel was not disrupted in the longer term.
Eurostar, the high-speed rail service that operates passenger routes through the tunnel between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, later released an official statement confirming that the crash took place several kilometers from the tunnel proper. The company clarified that the incident does not involve any Eurostar trains traveling to or from London, and all services have continued to operate on schedule as planned.
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Investigation launched after male body found in County Cork
Irish national police, Gardaí, have opened a full criminal investigation following the discovery of an unidentified man’s body in the County Cork town of Mallow this Thursday. The grim find was made around 1:30 p.m. local time in the Ballyellis area of the town, according to official police statements. Local public broadcaster RTÉ first reported details of the case, confirming the deceased bore visible injuries when he was found. The body was located by members of the public who were using a public walking path that runs along the banks of the River Blackwater, RTÉ added. Forensic teams have left the body undisturbed at the discovery site to preserve all potential evidence ahead of official forensic testing. Investigators have established a dedicated incident command room at Mallow Garda Station to coordinate the probe, and a post-mortem examination has been scheduled to help detectives clarify the cause of death and guide the next steps of their inquiry. As of Thursday evening, authorities had not released any further details about the identity of the deceased or potential persons of interest connected to the case.
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Arrests made after couple and two children killed in arson attack
A devastating suspected arson attack on a suburban family home in Waterford, Ireland, has left four people dead and two children fighting for their lives in hospital, with two suspects now in police custody.
Gardaí, the national police service of the Republic of Ireland, confirmed that a man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s have been taken into custody in connection with the deadly incident, which unfolded on Tuesday. Both suspects are currently being detained at a Garda station in the eastern part of the country as investigators carry out ongoing questioning and evidence gathering.
The victims have been named locally as Kim English, Philip English, and their two young sons: 12-year-old Callum and 9-year-old Jayden. The blaze broke out at the family’s property on Birch Avenue, located on the outskirts of Waterford, and the four members of the family could not be saved. Two additional children, who were also inside the home when the fire started, were rescued and rushed to a specialist hospital in Crumlin, Dublin, where they remain in critical condition as of the latest updates.
Forensic post-mortem examinations have already been completed on the four deceased family members, but Gardaí have declined to publicly release the findings of the autopsies, citing operational investigative requirements that prevent the disclosure of sensitive details at this stage of the case.
Investigating officers have issued a public appeal for any member of the community who may have relevant information about what they are describing as a “murderous attack” to come forward to assist with the probe. Specifically, police have asked any drivers who were traveling in the area around the time of the fire and have dash cam footage from that window to share their recordings, as such material could provide critical evidence to help build the case and clarify the sequence of events leading up to the attack.
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‘Utter contempt’ for human life shown in deadly arson attack
The Republic of Ireland is reeling from a devastating act of criminal violence that claimed the lives of an entire family, sparking urgent calls for greater policing resources and action against drug-linked intimidation in the Dáil, Ireland’s national parliament.
On Tuesday, a deliberately set fire tore through a home on Birch Avenue, on the outskirts of Waterford, killing Kim English, her husband Philip English, and their two young sons — 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden. Investigators have linked the deadly arson attack to organized crime and intimidation tied to the illegal drug trade, according to reports from Irish public broadcaster RTÉ.
Speaking before the Dáil this week, Sinn Féin parliamentarian David Cullinane delivered a scathing rebuke of the criminal networks behind the attack, saying the killings demonstrated utter contempt for human life. Cullinane emphasized that the terror inflicted on the English family is not an isolated tragedy, noting that other households across Waterford now live in fear that they could be targeted next.
“No family should have to put their children to bed wondering whether someone will set fire to their home,” Cullinane told legislators. “And yet drug gangs and murderous criminals are inflicting precisely that terror on families.”
The Sinn Féin deputy put forward three key demands for the Irish government: first, to guarantee Waterford has all the policing resources it needs to combat drug-linked criminal intimidation; second, to ensure families that report threats receive the full support they require to stay safe; and third, to launch a formal review of how threat reports and requests for protection are currently managed. Cullinane also called on Ireland’s Justice Minister to address the Dáil next week to outline a plan to tackle drug-related intimidation.
Cullinane went on to detail the pattern of violence used by these criminal gangs, saying “They threaten children, they assault people, they burn homes, they murder people and they pursue parents, friends and even neighbours for money. This is not debt collection, it is violent criminality and we need to call it for what it is. Vulnerable families and innocent people need to be protected and live safe.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee, responding on behalf of the Irish government, echoed Cullinane’s condemnation, describing the attack as “appalling and vicious” and extending heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased.
“It was an appalling and vicious attack on a family who should still be with us today,” McEntee told the Dáil. “This is not debt collection, this is violence, criminality. Debt collection is an absolute scourge on our society and I think we all need to commit to work collectively together to try and stamp it out.”
McEntee confirmed that the government would commit any additional resources required to bring those responsible for the Waterford attack to justice, noting that drug-linked intimidation is a widespread problem that affects many communities across Ireland. She encouraged residents who receive threats to reach out directly to An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s national police service, which maintains a dedicated unit for countering drug-related criminal activity.
Both Cullinane and McEntee publicly commended first responders and hospital medical teams who attended to the scene of the fire for their quick response and efforts to save the family.
In the coming days, the community of Waterford will gather to lay the English family to rest. A funeral mass will be held at 1 p.m. local time on Monday, October 19 at the Sacred Heart Church Parish Centre, followed by burial at Kilbarry Cemetery in Waterford.
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US teenager appears in court over alleged Hindu temple shooting plot
A foiled alleged mass shooting plot targeting a Hindu temple outside Chicago has ended in the arrest of a 19-year-old Illinois man with documented white supremacist extremist beliefs, law enforcement officials confirmed this week.
Alexandros Paporakis, a resident of Palatine, Illinois, made his first court appearance on Wednesday following the weekend arrest, according to CBS News, the BBC’s partner outlet in the United States. He faces two separate criminal charges: one felony count of terrorist threat, and a weapons charge for unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle measuring less than 16 inches in length.
The investigation was triggered by two of Paporakis’ co-workers at the local Taco Bell where he was employed, who contacted Palatine police on Sunday to report alarming statements and messages the suspect had shared. Prosecutors told the court that Paporakis reached out to one co-worker by phone to complain that his weapon had jammed, then followed up the call with digital messages that included images of an AR-style rifle, photos that showed the gun failing to fire when the trigger was pulled, and a picture of himself wearing a tactical vest. Prior to that, Paporakis had already made his extremist views known at work, prosecutors added: he openly identified as a white supremacist while on the job, and repeatedly made derogatory, hateful remarks about people from non-white racial backgrounds.
Over the weekend before the arrest, prosecutors allege Paporakis told another co-worker that he was planning an attack at a Hindu temple located in Aurora, a Chicago suburb, and stated that the upcoming Sunday would be “a special day” — a clear reference to the planned attack.
When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Paporakis’ Palatine home, they uncovered a large cache of weapons and tactical equipment: the short-barreled rifle in question, multiple loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition for the rifle, and full body armor, Palatine Police Chief William Nord confirmed. Working alongside FBI agents, officers also seized and analyzed Paporakis’ digital devices and communication records. On those devices, they found a written manifesto in which Paporakis openly affirmed his white supremacist identity, laid out his violent hatred for non-white people, and laid out detailed plans to carry out a mass shooting, Nord said.
While law enforcement has confirmed the alleged plot referenced a local Hindu temple, officials noted that a specific exact target location has not yet been definitively confirmed, and the investigation remains active as of Wednesday.
Local elected officials have condemned the alleged plot, stressing the need for collective action against violent racial extremism. “Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms,” said Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in a public Facebook statement, adding that he was horrified by the planned attack.
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Two dead in Istanbul after heaviest rainfall in 84 years, governor says
Deadly flash flooding triggered by the heaviest rainfall Istanbul has seen in 84 years has left two people dead and hundreds displaced, according to a report from BBC Turkish. City officials have declared emergency measures, including school closures and targeted administrative leave for vulnerable workers, as the region braces for continued severe weather.
The two fatalities were identified as a 14-year-old boy and a 34-year-old man. The teenager was electrocuted after stepping into a waterlogged puddle, and the Istanbul governorship has launched an official investigation into his death. The man died after slipping on a flooded road and striking his head against the pavement. Multiple districts across the sprawling Istanbul metropolitan area, home to more than 16 million people, have reported significant damage. In Sariyer district, an underground shopping center car park was entirely inundated, leaving dozens of vehicles submerged. Other parts of the city have reported collapsed road sections and a local river that overflowed its banks, leaving cars trapped in standing water in multiple neighborhoods.
As of Thursday, local officials confirmed that 595 stranded residents have been rescued and evacuated to safe shelters. More than 8,000 emergency response workers have been deployed across the city to assist with rescues, clear floodwaters, and repair damaged infrastructure. Istanbul Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan announced that metro operating hours have been extended to 2:00 a.m. local time to accommodate residents, and urged the public to use public transportation instead of private vehicles to reduce congestion and risk for travelers. “I urge all our citizens to remain vigilant against the expected heavy rain and storm, particularly during nighttime hours,” Aslan shared in a post on X.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül has advised residents to stay indoors unless travel is absolutely essential. According to Turkish Interior Ministry data, some parts of the city have already received rainfall equal to one-seventh of the city’s average annual precipitation, with more rain forecast in the coming days. In response to the ongoing weather emergency, all schools in Istanbul were ordered closed for Thursday and Friday. The Interior Ministry has also issued flood warnings for several other neighboring Turkish provinces.
Adminstrative leave has been authorized for at-risk public sector workers to reduce unnecessary travel and risk: the policy applies to disabled employees, pregnant workers, military veterans, and female public sector employees who have children under the age of 8. Employees working in critical emergency sectors including healthcare, public safety, and rainwater drainage are exempt from the leave order.
The flooding has also disrupted air travel to Istanbul, with BBC Turkish reporting that 46 commercial aircraft were unable to land at the city’s major airports Thursday due to poor weather conditions and unsafe infrastructure.