International

Jimmy Carter, former US president, dies aged 100

Published

11 months ago

December 30, 2024

OCHEFA

179 Views

▪︎Carter and his wife Rosalynn; Reuters image.

by Wale Ewedimi

Former US President Jimmy Carter has died aged 100, the centre he founded has confirmed.

BBC reported that the former peanut farmer lived longer than any president in history and celebrated his 100th birthday in October.

The Carter Center, which advocates for democracy and human rights around the world, said he died on Sunday afternoon at his home in Plains, Georgia. The Democrat served as president from 1977 to 1981, a period beset by economic and diplomatic crises.

After leaving the White House with low approval ratings, his reputation was restored through humanitarian work which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” his son, Chip Carter, said in a statement.

“The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Carter – who prior to becoming president was governor of Georgia, a lieutenant in the US navy and a farmer – is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

His wife, Rosalynn, who he was married to for 77 years, died in November 2023. Since 2018 and the death of George HW Bush, he was the oldest surviving US president.

Carter stopped medical treatment for an undisclosed illness last year and instead began receiving hospice care at his home.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”.

Describing him as “a dear friend” and “a man of principle, faith and humility”, they added: “

He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.”

“The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans,” President-elect Donald Trump wrote on social media.

“For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.” Carter’s presidency will be remembered for his struggles in dealing with acute economic problems and several foreign policy challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis, which ended with the deaths of eight Americans.

There was, however, a notable foreign policy triumph in the Middle East when he helped broker an accord between Egypt and Israel, signed at Camp David in the US in 1978.

International

Death toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 44 with 279 still missing, authorities say

Hong Kong authorities say the fires in four of the buildings have been brought under control, but large plumes of smoke are still hanging over the residential estate.

Published

6 days ago

November 27, 2025

OCHEFA

55 Views

Photo: AFP

At least 44 people have been killed so far in a major fire engulfing public housing apartments in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, with 279 people not accounted for.

Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter connected to flammable materials, including mesh and plastic sheets, that may have allowed the fire to spread quickly.

More than 800 firefighters are tackling the blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which has been burning for over 18 hours.

The fire has been classified a level five blaze, the most serious level in Hong Kong.

A baby and an elderly woman were rescued during a late-night rescue, local media reports.

Hong Kong authorities say the fires in four of the buildings have been brought under control, but large plumes of smoke are still hanging over the residential estate.

I can smell it in the air. I can also see a number of small fires still burning in the apartment blocks.

Even more fire engines and an ambulance have arrived this morning to help with rescue efforts

BBC.

International

BREAKING: Indian fighter jet crashes at Dubai airshow

Published

2 weeks ago

November 21, 2025

OCHEFA

108 Views

An Indian fighter jet has crashed while performing a display at an airshow in Dubai, officials have said.

Details later.

International

JUST IN: Bangladesh war Crimes Court Sentences Ex-PM Hasina to Death

Published

2 weeks ago

November 17, 2025

Charles Flames

121 Views

A Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death.

The verdict, delivered on Monday, November 17, 2025, follows a months-long trial that found Hasina guilty of ordering a lethal crackdown on a student-led uprising last year. She received a death sentence for the killing of several protesters and a life sentence on charges of crimes against humanity.

The ruling marks the most significant legal action against a former Bangladeshi leader in decades and comes ahead of parliamentary elections expected in early February 2026. There was cheering and clapping in the courtroom as the death sentence was pronounced. The verdict can be appealed in the Supreme Court, though Hasina’s son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, said they would not appeal unless a democratically elected government, including the Awami League, is in office.

Prosecutors told the court that evidence showed Hasina directly ordered security forces to use lethal force to suppress protests in July and August 2024. A United Nations report estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed during the demonstrations, with thousands more injured, making it the deadliest unrest in Bangladesh since its 1971 war of independence.

Hasina, represented by a state-appointed defense lawyer, denied the charges, calling the tribunal proceedings unfair and claiming a guilty verdict was “a foregone conclusion.”

Tensions in Bangladesh had escalated ahead of the verdict, with at least 30 crude bomb explosions and 26 vehicles torched in recent days, though no casualties were reported.