•Muluwork Ambaw

An Ethiopian woman, Muluwork Ambaw, has claimed that she has not eaten food or drunk water since she was 10 years old, saying she suddenly lost her appetite as a child.

Ambaw, who is now 26 and lives in Jimma, Ethiopia, said her last meal was lentil stew before she stopped eating and drinking.

Her extraordinary claim gained international attention after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her story and daily life.

According to Ambaw, the change began when her family would ask her to have breakfast before going to school.

Her extraordinary claim gained international attention after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her story and daily life.

According to Ambaw, the change began when her family would ask her to have breakfast before going to school.

“I used to live with my family, and they asked me to eat breakfast and go to school. I said I had eaten, but I was pretending,” she said, according to an account shared by Binsky.

Ambaw said she simply stopped feeling hungry or thirsty and has continued living without consuming food or water.

Despite claiming not to eat, Ambaw said she enjoys preparing meals for her family and visitors.

She reportedly grows vegetables in her garden so she can cook fresh food when her sister or guests visit.

“I cook as much as I want, but I have no appetite,” she said.

•Saint Francis of Assisi

This Sunday, 4 October, marks the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, Italy’s patron saint. From this year, and for the first time since 1977, 4 October once again becomes a national holiday.

To mark the occasion, the city of Assisi is celebrating this historic anniversary by exceptionally bringing together all of Italy’s Regions and provincial capital municipalities, with 18 Regions and just as many municipalities already represented.

More than 3,000 pilgrims and tourists have arrived in the city to take part in the celebrations, which culminate in an address to the Nation by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, from the loggia of the Sacred Convent.

The day of prayer and festivities follows a tightly scheduled programme that began at midnight on Saturday with the festive ringing of the bells.

At 6.00 a.m. mass is celebrated for the community of friars, presided over by the Minister General, Friar Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, followed at 6.50 a.m. by the offering of prayers at the Saint’s Tomb.

The arrival of President Mattarella is expected by 9.45 a.m. for the solemn mass in the Upper Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi.

During the celebration, attended also by ambassadors and representatives of accredited countries, Umbria will offer the oil and the mayor of Assisi, Valter Stoppini, will light the votive lamp on behalf of all Italian municipalities.

This will be followed, at 11.20 a.m., by official speeches and, at noon, by the live broadcast of Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus prayer on the giant screens in the square.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the co-pilot of a Flydubai plane that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday stabbed the pilot and apparently tried to crash the aircraft.

Netanyahu made the claim in a video statement from his office on Wednesday afternoon, his first public comment on the incident.

He said the incident occurred as the plane approached Israel, adding that “all indications show that he tried to crash the plane” with everyone on board.

The prime minister said the co-pilot had been arrested and was being interrogated by Saudi authorities.

Israeli officials identified the suspect as the plane’s co-pilot.

Flight FZ1073, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with mostly Israeli passengers, was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Reuters reported that 172 people were on board, including 169 Israeli citizens.

Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger told him the aircraft went into a spin and began to descend.

According to the Prime Minister, the passenger broke into the cockpit with a crew member and together they overpowered the suspect.

Another crew member then stabilised the plane.

Flightradar24 data showed the aircraft dropped nearly 14,000 feet within 30 seconds during the incident.

Netanyahu praised the passengers and crew members who intervened as “heroes” and said he had directed Israel’s security establishment to prepare for possible additional threats.

Flydubai said the aircraft was secured by on-duty crew members travelling on the flight and that all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for.