Rorisang Modiba delivers daily updates from around the world.
Italy – British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch, are among six people missing after Lynch’s luxury yacht, the Bayesian, sank in a tornado off the coast of Palermo, Italy. One person, believed to be the yacht’s Canadian chef, Recaldo Thomas, has been confirmed dead. The boat was carrying 10 crew members and 12 passengers. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was among the 14 people rescued, including a mother, Charlotte Golunski, who saved her one-year-old baby from drowning. Lynch was recently cleared of fraud charges related to the 2011 sale of his company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard.
Ethiopia – The sentencing of Getnet Baye to 25 years in prison for the rape and murder of seven-year-old Heaven Awot has sparked outrage in Ethiopia, with many criticising the sentence as too lenient. Over 200,000 people have signed a petition demanding a tougher punishment, and the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association has suggested life imprisonment or the death penalty would be more appropriate. The case has fueled a broader debate on the safety of women and girls in Ethiopia, especially amid rising sexual violence linked to the Tigray conflict. Heaven’s mother, Abekyelesh Adeba, expressed deep grief and fears that justice may not be served if Getnet’s appeal succeeds.
US – President Joe Biden gave an emotional speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Introduced by his daughter Ashley and wife Jill, Biden delivered a passionate defence of his presidency, reflecting on his career and hardships. He praised Vice-President Kamala Harris, expressing hope for her success in the upcoming election against Donald Trump. The event underscored Biden’s legacy and leadership transition to Harris, who also received strong support and gratitude from Biden and other speakers.
Palestine – Sham Abu Tabaq, a five-year-old girl from Gaza, witnessed her father and older sister being fatally shot and was forced to flee her home due to the Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza. Sham and her mother, Sanaa, were later found in a Palestinian hospital in Jerusalem. Sanaa blames the Israeli military for the death of her husband and daughter, as well as for shooting her in the leg. However, in a rare act of compassion in the conflict, an Israeli soldier may have saved Sanaa’s life. The family had been living in a UN-run clinic in the Jabalya refugee camp but tried to return home during a brief ceasefire in late November, only to be attacked on their journey.
Pictured above: Mike Lynch.
Source: X
