WASHINGTON — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring 20 inmates with commuted death sentences to the nation’s highest security federal prison, warning that officials cannot employ a “sham” process for deciding where to incarcerate the prisoners for the rest of their lives. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled late Wednesday that the government cannot send the former death row inmates to the “Supermax” federal prison in Florence, Colorado, because it likely would violate their Fifth Amendment rights to due process. Kelly cited evidence that officials from the Republican administration “made it clear” to the federal Bureau of Prisons that the inmates had to be sent to ADX Florence — “administrative maximum” — to punish them because Democratic President Joe Biden had commuted their death sentences. “At least for now, they will remain serving life sentences for their heinous crimes where they are currently imprisoned,” wrote...

Ashmole & Co launches accountancy apprenticeships scheme Source link

Santa Ana city officials will take a very public look at what their police department did last June when they fired rubber bullets, projectiles and tear gas at peaceful protesters in downtown voicing opposition to ICE raids.  Recently, I joined Daniel Diaz of the Santanero newspaper in publicly calling out the city for ignoring questions about the protest response, where reporters like Diaz, several city council members and one county supervisor were fired upon along with peaceful protesters. [Read: Santana: Were Santa Ana Police Justified in Firing On Peaceful Protesters?]  Last week, Santa Ana City Council members gave staff direction to create a report within 60 days and hold a public hearing on the issue – a police response that many residents and activists have long decried as excessive.  Most importantly, the public hearing will allow police officials to show residents what kinds of threats they faced and the rationale...

Following earlier confirmation of the African Nations League, CAF President Patrice Motsepe outlined today, during the press briefing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the detailed format and schedule for the competition, which will officially begin in 2029. The idea behind the league is to ensure high-level football continues every single year. It gives all 54 African nations a proper competition to play in, rather than leaving them idle while waiting for the next AFCON, now held every four years. Motsepe explained that the league aims to deliver annual elite-level football for all member nations, foster regional rivalries and competitive growth, and align African football more closely with European and international calendars. Plus, it would also give African players a regular platform to showcase their abilities, rather than waiting years for the next AFCON. “African football is enormously attractive.” ~ CAF President, Patrice Motsepe #FUFATvUpdates | #HomeOfUgandanSport pic.twitter.com/zWv7UvRBkX — FUFA Tv...

When it comes to NBA All-Star Weekend, the league is helping brands have a solid game plan. This year’s All-Star activities kick off this weekend in Los Angeles with events such as the Castrol Rising Stars game on Friday; the Kia Shooting Stars, the State Farm 3-Point Contest, and the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday; and the All-Star game on Sunday, with the competition featuring a new U.S. vs. the World format. With so many options to be a part of a premier live event, the NBA All-Star Weekend has been a major draw for advertisers. NBCUniversal announced an ad-inventory sellout in January. Plus, throughout the weekend, more than 60 brands are participating in the festivities with on-the-ground fan activations, licensing opportunities, and merch and retail. According to Lauren Sullivan, svp, head of marketing partnerships, NBA, the integrations are designed to make an impact. “It’s way beyond just having...

The report, The Business of Despair, by the investigative collective All Eyes On Wagner, documents recruitment networks operating across Africa and Russia. Founded in 2014, Wagner is a Russian state-funded private military company that conducts covert military operations outside Russia. With the war in Ukraine entering its fifth year and recruitment from prisons largely exhausted, Russia has increasingly tu Source link

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 11 February 2026: The inauguration which began on February 7, 2026, at Njongon, will be held from February 7 – 15, 2026 at several locations across The Gambia. Declaring the inauguration ceremony officially open, Gambian President Adama BARROW, described the electricity access project as an “unprecedented achievement in The Gambia”, noting that through sustained efforts and partnerships of donors, the project will bring relief to the people and directly transform the daily lives of rural families in the country. President BARROW further disclosed that through ECOWAS-REAP, The Gambia’s electrification access rate “has increased from 73% to 90%, marking a transformative moment in the nation’s development journey” enabling 52,000 new households connect to power. The ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOWAS-REAP), which covers the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mali, is financed by the World Bank and coordinated at regional level by the ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines through...

About this research This Pew Research Center report describes levels of religious diversity in 201 countries and territories. We measure how evenly each country’s population is distributed among seven groups: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, adherents of all other religions (an umbrella category) and people with no religious affiliation. Why did we do this? This research is part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, which analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world. It builds on our recently published work on the world’s religious composition. How did we do this? The core of this analysis is our Religious Diversity Index (RDI). It relies on a mathematical formula that ecologists use to measure the diversity of species in a particular area and economists use to measure market concentration. Based on the size of seven religious groups, we calculate the religious diversity of 201 countries and territories that together are...

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 11 February 2026: Africa.com today announced a new Knowledge Partnership with The Education Collaborative, a pan-African network dedicated to strengthening education systems through locally grounded research, collaboration, and leadership development. Founded and convened at Ashesi University, The Education Collaborative brings together educators, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from across the continent to share evidence-based approaches and practical solutions to Africa’s most pressing education challenges. Through this partnership, Africa.com will publish selected analysis, essays, interviews, and insights from The Education Collaborative network, expanding access to experience-driven perspectives on education reform, systems leadership, and learning outcomes. The collaboration aligns with Africa.com’s ongoing commitment to amplifying credible, context-rich expertise through its growing Knowledge Partner Network. By integrating The Education Collaborative’s work across Africa.com’s editorial platforms, newsletters, and digital convenings, the partnership aims to connect education leaders and decision-makers with informed perspectives shaping the future of learning across Africa. “This partnership underscores...

Reports that WPP plans to move its creative agencies under an umbrella called WPP Creative would mark a big step in the holding company’s multi-year effort to revive its business, following the creation of WPP Media and WPP Production. A source close to WPP leadership told ADWEEK the company has no plans to sunset Ogilvy, VML, or AKQA. Instead, the agencies would retain their identities while sharing back-end resources—similar to how Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom operate under the new WPP Media. WPP declined to comment. The company is expected to outline more details about its strategy at an investor day on Feb. Source link