LIVE German 2025 Election Results as they come in and analysi on who will be the next German Chancellor.

When are the German Elections?

The Elections are on Sunday the 23rd of Feb 2025

Why are they having a snap election?

The German coalition government failed a no confidence vote

Do Germans vote?

Germans vote in big numbers, usually as high 70+ percent voter turnout

Trump announces decision on new U.S. strikes amid Iran’s tanker incidents

Get you up to speed: Iran War Updates: Trump touts imminent decision on new U.S. strikes, keeping up threats, but also diplomacy

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that two oil tankers struck mines and caught fire in or near the Strait of Hormuz, following claims of similar incidents involving five other tankers. The IRGC stated that the tankers had deactivated their navigation systems and attempted to use unauthorized routes before being immobilised by the mines.

No confirmation of the tanker incidents has been provided by maritime officials. The U.K. naval agency reported at least 30 attacks on commercial vessels in the region in October, marking a record high for that month.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that two oil tankers struck mines near the Strait of Hormuz, alleging their navigation systems had been deactivated and linking the incident to U.S. military support. Meanwhile, a U.K. naval agency has highlighted an alarming trend, reporting a record high of at least 30 attacks on commercial vessels in October alone, prompting ongoing U.S. military escort operations to enhance shipping safety in the region.

What remains unclear — The official number of incidents involving oil tankers in or near the Strait of Hormuz has not been confirmed by maritime officials.

Trump announces decision on new U.S. strikes amid Iran’s tanker incidents

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement carried by state media Friday that two oil tankers hit mines and caught fire in or near the Strait of Hormuz, a day after Tehran claimed five other tankers had met similar fates.

“Two violating oil tankers — one east of the Strait of Hormuz and the other within the Strait itself — that attempted to transit via an unauthorized route struck mines,” the IRGC said in a statement, according to state news outlets.

“These two tankers had deactivated all their navigation and identification systems. Supported by the aggressive and terrorist U.S. military, they attempted to exit the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized path; however, upon striking mines, they caught fire and were immobilized,” the statement said.

On Thursday, Iranian media reported that five oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz in similar incidents.

There has been no confirmation of any of the incidents from maritime officials, and President Trump has accused Iran of making up such attacks to drive up global energy prices.

A U.K. naval agency said earlier this week, however, that despite repeated assurances from the U.S. that shipping lanes through the strait are open and safe, there were at least 30 attacks on commercial vessels in the region during October alone, a record high. 

Since the war began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran has sought to control traffic through the strait, a key passage through which, before the war, about a fifth of global crude oil supplies would typically pass. In response, the U.S. imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.

The U.S. military has escorted tankers through the strait, which, along with other routes has helped bring shipments from the Gulf back up to or at least near to pre-war levels, but ships continue coming under attack.

WTX/AFP

Neighbours of Bath mansion built without permission express anger at council decision

Get you up to speed: Neighbours of ‘mega mansion’ built without permission furious at council approval | News UK

Neighbours in Bath, Somerset, are opposing the retention of a ‘mega mansion’ built by developer Thomas Worrall, who has been allowed to keep the property despite residents claiming it was constructed in blatant breach of planning permission. The house, which has been described as the largest new build in Bath in a century, was significantly altered from the original plans approved in 2021.

Developer Thomas Worrall submitted a retrospective application to validate the construction of the home, which was built significantly larger than the five-bedroom design initially approved in 2021. Bath and North East Somerset Council approved the application with a vote of 7-2, amid concerns that rejecting it could leave the property derelict or lead to an appeal.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has approved developer Thomas Worrall’s retrospective application for a seven-bedroom home, which residents claim is a ‘blatant’ breach of planning permission. Local councillors expressed reluctance but felt compelled to follow planning policy, with concerns raised about perceived inequities in the planning process for high-value projects.

What remains unclear — It is uncertain what specific enforcement actions, if any, will be taken against similar breaches of planning permission in the future.

Neighbours of Bath mansion built without permission express anger at council decision

Neighbours of Bath mansion built without permission express anger at council decision
The developer has been allowed to keep his massive new-build home (Picture: SWNS)

Neighbours of a ‘mega mansion’ built without permission are fuming after losing a decade-long planning row.

Developer Thomas Worrall has been allowed to keep his massive home – believed to be the biggest new-build home in Bath in 100 years.

It is built in a beauty spot in what locals claim was a ‘blatant’ breach of planning permission.

The home on the edge of the historic city in Somerset was built significantly higher and with a larger footprint than what was initially approved, according to the residents, who submitted more than 100 letters of objection.

Initial plans were first submitted in 2013, with permission being granted in 2021 for a five-bedroom home, set into the hillside.

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FILE PHOTO - Local residents in Bailbrook near Bath are opposed to the new property which is being built on Bailbrook Lane. They say that it is not when was approved by planning. Bath, Somerset. 21 July 2026. // Neighbours of a ''mega mansion'' built without permission are fuming after losing a decade-long planning row.Developer Thomas Worrall has been allowed to keep his massive home- believed to be the biggest nev build home in Bath in 100 years.It is built in a beauty spot in what locals claim was a ???blatant??? breach of planning permission.The monster-sized home on the edge of the historic city in Somerset was built significantly higher and with a larger footprint than what was initially approved, according to the residents, who submitted more than 100 letters of objection. Photo released 06/11/2026
Neighbours have been fighting against the development (Picture: SWNS)

But what has been built was a much larger seven-bedroom home, along with its own gym and cinema room, which were not part of the original approved plans.

They claim the building is also in a different orientation, about 130 square metres larger and up to two metres taller – now towering over the spire of the tin church next door.

Mr Worrall submitted a retrospective application to avoid enforcement action and validate the build – which councillors have now approved over fears it would end up as a derelict building or face an appeal.

But residents have accused Bath and North East Somerset Council of authorising a ‘two-tier’ system and said it highlights how multi-millionaires are able to abuse and find loopholes during the planning process.

Speaking at the meeting, neighbour Paul Raithby said: ‘The applicant, their surveyor, and your own case officer all acknowledge that what has been built is an intentional breach of planning control.

‘There is zero demonstrated local need for a seven-bedroom luxury mansion to justify overturning planning laws.’

FILE PHOTO - Local residents in Bailbrook near Bath are opposed to the new property which is being built on Bailbrook Lane. They say that it is not when was approved by planning. Bath, Somerset. 21 July 2026. // Neighbours of a ''mega mansion'' built without permission are fuming after losing a decade-long planning row.Developer Thomas Worrall has been allowed to keep his massive home- believed to be the biggest nev build home in Bath in 100 years.It is built in a beauty spot in what locals claim was a ???blatant??? breach of planning permission.The monster-sized home on the edge of the historic city in Somerset was built significantly higher and with a larger footprint than what was initially approved, according to the residents, who submitted more than 100 letters of objection. Photo released 06/11/2026
Neighbour Tavis has spent ten years battling developers (Picture: SWNS)

Several councillors said they had ‘reluctantly’ agreed to the changes, which won a vote of 7-2.

Planners had recommended approval as it was ‘policy compliant’, despite being built without permission.

Cllr Tim Warren said: ‘I don’t like it, but I think we have no option but to go along with it.’

Cllr Saskia Heijltjes said: ‘Residents improving their homes must follow approved plans exactly. The owner of the tin church next door is doing everything by the planning book – however long it takes.

‘If this is approved as built, many will conclude that B&NES has a two-tier planning system: one set of rules for those who follow them, and one for those who build first and ask questions later.’

Mr Worall has previously said he had bought the plot with planning permission for the site but had to make some changes ‘on the ground’ due to the water table and ground conditions.

He said the amendments were necessary at the time of construction to allow for a safer build while the expanded basement was ‘added for structural purposes.’

Tavis Hamilton, 48, lives next door to the massive house and has spent ten years battling developers.

”It is enormous and dwarfs all the cottages. It just shows how unfair the process is. It seems if you put the wrong guttering on your house or use the incorrect glazing, the council jump on you for enforcement,’ he said.

FILE PHOTO - Local residents in Bailbrook near Bath are opposed to the new property which is being built on Bailbrook Lane. They say that it is not when was approved by planning. Bath, Somerset. 21 July 2026. // Neighbours of a ''mega mansion'' built without permission are fuming after losing a decade-long planning row.Developer Thomas Worrall has been allowed to keep his massive home- believed to be the biggest nev build home in Bath in 100 years.It is built in a beauty spot in what locals claim was a ???blatant??? breach of planning permission.The monster-sized home on the edge of the historic city in Somerset was built significantly higher and with a larger footprint than what was initially approved, according to the residents, who submitted more than 100 letters of objection. Photo released 06/11/2026
Homeowner Thomas Worrall said he just wants to finish the home and be a good neighbour (Picture: SWNS)

‘But you can build this enormous structure without the right planning permission and no enforcement is carried out until it is too late.’

The applicant and house owner Thomas Worrall, of Yate near Bristol, said previously: ‘I only bought the site to build my own house with planning permission already on it. I just want an easy life. I want to get my house finished and move my family into it.

‘I am sorry to everyone for the inconvenience of it all. But I want to be a good neighbour. It will be a lovely building with green grass on the roof. I am just in the hands of planners. I want it to be right. There will be no more work on site until they are 100 per cent happy.’

Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie sentenced to 200 years for 190 child murders

Get you up to speed: Leader of doomsday cult jailed for 200 years for murdering 190 children | News World

Paul Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, was sentenced to 200 years in prison for the murders of 190 children and one adult, following the discovery of 448 bodies in mass graves in Shakahola Forest, Kenya. The court determined that the victims were instructed to starve themselves to death as part of a cult directive.

Mackenzie had been under scrutiny since 2017, culminating in authorities shutting down his church in Malindi in 2019 prior to his relocation to Shakahola Forest. In response to the situation, President William Ruto appointed a task force in May 2023 to evaluate the legal and regulatory framework governing religious organisations, although proposed reforms have yet to be enacted into law.

The Kenyan government has faced calls for enhanced regulation of religious organisations following the sentencing of Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for his role in the Shakahola cult deaths, where over 400 bodies were found. President William Ruto appointed a task force in May 2023 to review the legal framework governing religious groups, though proposed measures have not yet been enacted.

What remains unclear — It is uncertain when the proposed legal and regulatory frameworks for tighter oversight of religious groups will be passed into law.

Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie sentenced to 200 years for 190 child murders

Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie sentenced to 200 years for 190 child murders
Paul Mackenzie ordered followers at the Good News International Church to starve themselves to death in Shakahola forest (Picture: Reuters)

The leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult linked to the deaths of more than 400 people has been given a 200-year sentence.

Paul Mackenzie, who led an apocalyptic Christian church in a forest near the Indian Ocean coast, told his followers to starve themselves to death, along with their children, to reach heaven before the end of the world.

He was convicted of the murders of 190 children and one adult alongside 28 of his followers.

They including guards who enforced his fasting directives and gravediggers who helped conceal the mass graves.

The case stems from the April 2023 discovery of mass graves eventually found to contain 448 bodies in Shakahola Forest, where cult members lived off grid in mud huts.

Mackenzie is also accused of ordering the deaths of 52 people found at a separate location in a village 20 miles away, bringing the suspected death toll to 500.

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He has pleaded not guilty in that case.

During the sentencing, Justice Diana Kavedza said that 183 victims died of starvation, defined as a complete lack of food, and the other eight were classified as murder by direct homicide.

She said the killings were ‘cold and calculated’ and dismissed claims by some of the accused that the loss of their own children altered the fact that they had participated in the killings of many other children.

epa10588058 Kenyan homicide detectives and forensic experts from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), examine exhumed bodies from several shallow mass graves of suspected members of a Christian cult after starving themselves to death, after allegedly being told by their controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie that they would go to heaven if they starved themselves to death, in the coastal Shakahola forest, in Kilifi, Kenya, 23 April 2023. According to the Police, 18 more bodies were exhumed on 23 April bringing the tally of bodies recovered to at 39. EPA/STR
Kenyan homicide detectives and forensic experts examine exhumed bodies from several shallow mass graves in the Shakahola forest (Picture: EPA)

The justice said that the perpetrators didn’t show remorse and declared they were ready to fast to death as well.

The scale of the killing is comparable to that of a doomsday cult that killed more than 700 people in Uganda in 2000, and the 1978 Jonestown massacre in Guyana when an American cult leader killed more than 900 people by ordering them to drink poison.

Mackenzie often smiled and chatted with his assistant pastor, Smart Mwakalama, who was sentenced to 160 years in prison.

The prosecution had argued for the death penalty for Mackenzie and life imprisonment for his accomplices.

Mackenzie is also facing terrorism, child abuse and torture charges in two other courts.

Stephen Mwiti, 48, father of six of Mackenzie’s child victims and husband of one of his convicted accomplices, said his wife had taken the children to Shakahola where they were starved to death.

‘I lost children and I will not be able to get them back no matter what happens to Mackenzie and his accomplices,’ he said.

‘I expect him to be sentenced to death or be jailed for life so that he never comes out to cause more deaths.’

Stephen Mwiti, who lost six children to the Shakahola starvation cult, reacts at the grave of his son Samuel, the only one whose body was identified, ahead of the sentencing of cult leader Paul Mackenzie, who was found guilty of the murder of 190 children and one adult linked to the Shakahola starvation cult, at the Malindi cemetery, Kilifi County, Kenya, November 3, 2026. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi
Stephen Mwiti, who lost six children to the Shakahola starvation cult, at the grave of his son Samuel, the only one whose body was identified (Picture: Reuters)

Dan Mackenzie, one of Paul’s sons, said his father did not spare his own family.

‘I didn’t end up in Shakahola, because I didn’t believe any more about going to heaven. So I left the church and started doing my own thing,’ he told Reuters.

‘I lost friends too, and my younger brother. It’s justice to the people who we lost over there in Shakahola.’

Mackenzie had been on the radar of the authorities since 2017 when his premises were searched by police.

In 2019, authorities shut down Mackenzie’s church in Malindi and he relocated to the nearby Shakahola Forest.

The discoveries prompted calls for tighter oversight of religious groups.

President William Ruto appointed a task force in May 2023 to review the legal and regulatory framework, and separate government-backed and Senate proposals were published in 2024, though they have yet to be passed into law.

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Smallholder farmers in Tanzania face difficulties accessing digital agriculture services

Get you up to speed: Tanzania’s smallholder farmers struggle to benefit from digital agriculture

Smallholder farmers in Dodoma region, Tanzania, are struggling to benefit from digital agriculture services such as M-Kilimo and e-Kilimo due to a lack of training and delayed responses to inquiries. Farmers like Theresia Abel Nyoka and Jeremiah Luwe report that the available information is often too late to be useful, highlighting deficiencies in the government’s agricultural digital initiatives.

The $3.62 million Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme, initiated in September 2024, aims to enhance agricultural data systems and improve digital literacy for 500,000 farmers over three years. Despite having around 7.2 million registered farmers on M-Kilimo, a recent study revealed approximately 400,000 incomplete registrations and noted significant barriers to digital literacy and access among farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture is investing $3.62 million in the Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme, set to run from September 2024 to August 2027, aimed at enhancing agricultural data systems and improving digital literacy among farmers. Praygod Malisa, an agriculture specialist, urged that programmes should be assessed based on their impact, emphasising the importance of understanding how many farmers benefit from these initiatives.

What remains unclear — The Ministry of Agriculture has not clarified how many farmers effectively leverage the M-Kilimo and e-Kilimo platforms for improved decision-making in agriculture.

Smallholder farmers in Tanzania face difficulties accessing digital agriculture services

EconomyTanzania’s smallholder farmers struggle to benefit from digital agriculture

Poor training and delayed responses leave farmers struggling to access useful market information.

Published On 6 Nov 20266 Nov 2026

Dodoma region, Tanzania – Theresia Abel Nyoka has received messages on her phone about M-Kilimo and e-Kilimo, digital services designed to help farmers, but she has never registered for either.

“It is simply because we have not been given education. I do not know their importance or benefits,” she told WTX News by phone from Paranga village in central Tanzania’s Dodoma region.

M-Kilimo, a Ministry of Agriculture mobile service, provides market information and farming advice, allows farmers to advertise produce and enables them to ask agricultural extension workers for help. The broader e-Kilimo platform brings government agricultural services together through a website and smartphone app.

Nyoka instead relies on a system she understands. She takes her produce to a warehouse operated through her Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS), where farmers pool crops for sale at organised auctions during the marketing season.

Jeremiah Luwe, 49, a maize and pigeon pea farmer from Ngomai village in Kongwa district, has tried using M-Kilimo on his smartphone. But he says responses to questions about markets and agricultural inputs can take up to two weeks.

“Sometimes the information arrives too late to be useful. The government should provide a faster system that responds on time and connects us to markets and other farmers,” he told WTX News.

Luwe continues to rely on public meetings, auctions and media reports for market information.

Their experiences highlight a challenge for Tanzania’s digital agriculture initiatives: Making services available does not guarantee that farmers know how to use them or receive information when they need it.

The government is investing in the sector through the $3.62m Data for Digital Agricultural Transformation Joint Programme, which runs from September 2024 to August 2027. The programme aims to strengthen agricultural data systems and expand access to digital services, with targets of improving digital literacy for 500,000 farmers and training 500 government extension workers.

The Ministry of Agriculture did not respond to requests for comment on farmers’ concerns about training and the performance of M-Kilimo and e-Kilimo.

Registration does not guarantee use

A 2024 study drawing on Ministry of Agriculture information reported about 7.2 million registered farmers on M-Kilimo, alongside 9,985 extension workers and experts, 24,523 customers and 26,927 sellers of agricultural products.

The platform had recorded 75,623 advisory consultations, of which 73,839 had received replies, the study found. However, the figures do not establish how many farmers actively used the service or whether its responses helped them make better farming and marketing decisions.

The study also identified about 400,000 incomplete registrations and documented challenges with digital literacy and access. Some farmers struggled to use the USSD service, which allows people to access certain functions through basic mobile phones without an internet connection. No comparable figures have been published for e-Kilimo.

In Kingale village, Adam Rashidi grows pigeon peas and sesame on more than six hectares (15 acres). He uses a basic mobile phone and obtains market information through organised auctions. He also knows the traditional market, where buyers get produce directly from farms.

“If I am given education, I can register,” he told WTX News. He could not name anyone in Kingale who used M-Kilimo or e-Kilimo.

Shaban Omary, another pigeon pea farmer, has no smartphone and gets price information from television. Although M-Kilimo offers access through basic phones, the 2024 study found that some users struggled with the service.

“If I knew how to use it, it would help me because I would know more and it could help me move forward,” Omary said.

Shaban Ndatwa, chairman of the Kingale AMCOS, has attended seminars on the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX), the country’s commodity exchange, but says he has not registered and has never received training on how to use it.

“I can see that people still do not understand the systems properly,” he said.

Praygod Malisa, an agriculture specialist with Rikolto East Africa in Tanzania, said larger farmers often have better access to market information.

“They know where buyers are, hold contracts and can afford to store produce until prices rise,” he told WTX News. “Smallholders may not know where to find markets and often sell quickly because they need money.”

Digital tools could help narrow that gap, Malisa said, but only if farmers can use them. He cited training, smartphone and SIM-card access, connectivity and cost as barriers, and urged programmes to reach farmers in their villages.

“If farmers do not know the technology, it has no benefit for them,” he said.

Malisa also called for programmes to be assessed on their impact rather than registration figures alone. “We need to know how many farmers were reached, how many benefitted and whether there is real data and evidence of success,” he said.

Building on existing market systems

Digital services are not the only way farmers obtain market information. Cooperatives and organised commodity markets already connect smallholders with buyers.

The Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board, a government agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, oversees a system that allows farmers to deposit produce in licensed warehouses. The Tanzania Mercantile Exchange provides an organised marketplace for commodity trading, including produce stored under the warehouse receipt system.

These arrangements give farmers established routes to market. Digital services could complement them by helping farmers access timely price information, identify buyers and explore markets beyond their immediate areas.

“Farmers need information about prices, buyers and markets beyond their immediate areas to make better production and marketing decisions,” said Kadeghe Goodluck Fue of Sokoine University of Agriculture.

Vedalinda Asiya, 35, a sesame and maize farmer from Chilanjilizi village in Kongwa district, registered for M-Kilimo after a friend introduced her to the platform. But she says it has not provided the market prices and timely agricultural information she needs. The main benefit she has experienced is information about subsidised fertiliser, which she followed up on and obtained.

“I have not seen its direct benefits. It does not give me market information, particularly prices. I have only seen information about subsidised fertiliser, which I followed up on and accessed,” she told WTX News.

Mahadia Tunga, cofounder and executive director of the Tanzania Data Lab, said digital services could become more accessible by working through communication networks that farmers already trust.

She suggested using WhatsApp groups run by extension officers and combining digital services with offline information and support from local enterprises and agricultural officers.

“Utilise existing, deeply embedded social architectures … to make information accessible, highly conversational and interactive,” she told WTX News.

None of the farmers interviewed could identify someone they knew who had earned more through M-Kilimo or e-Kilimo. That does not establish that the platforms have failed nationally, but it highlights the difference between registering farmers and demonstrating tangible benefits.

For Ndatwa, the potential remains worth exploring.

“I really want to learn. If I am given training on how M-Kilimo and e-Kilimo work, I believe they would help me a lot and open me up to many things I do not know, including information on agricultural input subsidies and markets,” he said.

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.

Online gambling among young men in Montreal more than doubles, study finds

What’s the Latest: Online gambling more than doubles among young Montreal men, study finds

A study by Quebec public health researchers found that online gambling has more than doubled among young men in Montreal, despite a decline in overall adult gambling rates. Among the 8,500 adults surveyed, 39 per cent reported engaging in some form of gambling in 2025, which is 15 per cent fewer than in 2018 and 2002.

The study surveyed 8,500 adults in Montreal and found a 15 per cent decrease in the overall number of adults who gamble compared to 2018 and 2002. Additionally, Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, CEO of Maison Jean Lapointe, reported an increase in young men seeking help for online gambling addiction since the COVID pandemic.

Researchers in Quebec have warned that the surge in online gambling among young men poses significant risks, with Sylvia Kairouz stating, “the ease of accessing gambling sites through a phone can make it difficult for people to resist.” In response, Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, CEO of Maison Jean Lapointe, has called for stricter regulation of gambling advertising, suggesting that “gambling advertising needs to either be banned or more effectively regulated.”

What remains unclear — The study did not specify the percentage increase in online gambling among young men in Montreal.

Online gambling among young men in Montreal more than doubles, study finds

A recent study has revealed that online gambling among young men in Montreal has more than doubled, even as overall gambling rates among adults have decreased. Conducted by Quebec public health researchers, the study surveyed 8,500 adults in Montreal. It found that 39 per cent reported engaging in gambling in 2025, a decline of 15 per cent compared to 2018 and 2002.

The study highlights a worrying trend among younger men, particularly those aged 18 to 34, where the likelihood of gambling online has significantly increased. Sylvia Kairouz, a researcher from Concordia University and one of the study’s authors, commented on the ease of access to online gambling, noting, “When you just need to pick up your phone and push a button to gamble, that makes it very difficult to resist.”

Anne Elizabeth Lapointe, CEO of Maison Jean Lapointe, which provides treatment for gambling addiction, confirmed that more young men are seeking help for online gambling issues. “For the last two years now, we’ve seen kids coming to our office with a gambling addiction,” she said, adding that there has been a noticeable decline in cases related to traditional gambling venues like casinos.

Kairouz pointed to the proliferation of gambling advertisements as contributing to the normalisation of online betting among young people. The study indicated that 75 per cent of respondents would prefer fewer advertisements for gambling services. Kairouz called for improved regulations, stating, “Spain has done it. Belgium has done it. So I think the lack of regulation is one of the major problems now.”

Help is available for those affected by gambling-related issues across Canada. In Quebec, individuals can access confidential support via Gambling: Help and Referral at 514-527-0140 in Montreal or 1-800-461-0140 elsewhere in the province.

California governor to commute death row sentences to life without parole

Get you up to speed: California death row sentences to be commuted to life without parole, Newsom says

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that he will commute every current death sentence in California to life in prison without the possibility of parole, affecting 548 individuals. This decision does not repeal the death penalty, and future prosecution decisions will remain with local authorities.

Governor Gavin Newsom will use his constitutional clemency authority to commute the sentences of 548 inmates currently facing the death penalty, transforming their sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The commutations will necessitate review by the California Supreme Court for cases involving individuals convicted of multiple felonies, as state law requires court approval for such clemency grants.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced he will commute the death sentences of 548 inmates to life without parole, asserting that “state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values.” The decision has faced criticism from some law enforcement officials, including Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, who stated it undermines jury verdicts and the interests of victims’ families.

What remains unclear — It is unclear how many cases will require review by the California Supreme Court before commutations can be finalised.

California governor to commute death row sentences to life without parole

Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will commute every current death sentence in California to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Newsom announced the decision Thursday in an open letter, saying he will use his constitutional clemency authority to commute the sentences of 548 people currently facing the death penalty.

“I take this action because I firmly believe that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values, undermines the foundations of our legal system, and diminishes each of us,” Newsom wrote.

The move does not repeal California’s death penalty or prevent prosecutors from seeking it in future cases. Newsom said those decisions will remain with prosecutors, juries and courts.

“Many Californians feel that those who commit brutal crimes deserve to die. But as Governor, I have concluded the state cannot morally kill them,” Newsom wrote.

California voters, however, have repeatedly chosen to keep the death penalty.

Voters rejected Proposition 34, which would have abolished capital punishment, in 2012. Four years later, they again rejected repeal with Proposition 62 while narrowly approving Proposition 66, which sought to speed up death penalty cases.

Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions shortly after taking office in 2019. California last carried out an execution in 2006.

The decision drew sharply different reactions from California criminal justice officials.

Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo García praised the move, saying his office had called for universal clemency because of what he described as deep inequities in the death penalty system.

“Clemency is not leniency,” García said in a statement. “This decision moves California closer to a justice system that values human dignity.”

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer strongly criticized the commutations, saying they override verdicts reached by juries and undermine the wishes of crime victims’ families.

“The pursuit of justice does not bend to political whims, and I am heartbroken for the hundreds of families who must now grapple with the devastation of knowing that the monsters who harmed their loved ones are one step closer to being back out on our streets,” Spitzer stated.

Spitzer said his office will continue seeking the death penalty in cases where prosecutors believe it is warranted.

Under the commutations announced Thursday, every current death sentence would instead become life without parole, which Newsom called the most severe punishment he can impose through clemency.

Some cases will require review by the California Supreme Court because the state constitution requires court approval before a governor can grant clemency to someone convicted of more than one felony.

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