South Korean singer Taeil, formerly from the K-pop band NCT, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for rape.
Taeil, 31, and two accomplices, named in South Korean reports only as Lee and Hong, admitted in June to taking turns assaulting their victim – a Chinese tourist.
A district judge in Seoul described the crime as “extremely grave”, but handed them just half the seven-year sentence requested by prosecutors, noting they were first time offenders.
The court also ordered the three men to complete 40 hours of a treatment programme designed for perpetrators of sexual violence.
The court heard they had met their victim at a bar in the Itaewon district in Seoul.
She became “heavily intoxicated” after drinking with them, the court heard. They then got into a taxi to Lee’s house, where the assault happened.
South Korean law describes this specific kind of rape as “aggravated” because it was a group attack, and a “quasi rape”, as the victim was unconscious.
Taeil, whose real name is Moon Tae-il, left NCT in August last year when allegations first emerged, although the exact details of the crime were not publicly known at the time.
Introduced as a K-pop band in January 2016, NCT is known for its experimental music spanning various genres and has gained international attention with some releases charting on Billboard lists. (BBC)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has said he is ready to match any tariffs imposed on Brazil by the United States.
Lula was responding to Wednesday’s threat by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to impose a 50% import tax on Brazilian goods from 1 August.
In a letter, Trump cited Brazil’s treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro as a trigger for tariff-hike.
Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly attempting to stage a coup against Lula after being defeated by him in the 2022 election.
Trump referred to Bolsonaro as “a highly respected leader throughout the world”. “This Trial should not be taking place,” he wrote, calling on Brazil to immediately end the “witch hunt” against the former president.
Trump’s support for Bolsonaro does not come as a surprise as the two men have long been considered allies.
The US president had already slammed Brazil for its treatment of Bolsonaro on Monday, comparing it to the legal cases he himself had faced in US courts.
The 50% tariff threat was met with a robust and lengthy response by President Lula.
In a post on X, he stressed that Brazil was “a sovereign country with independent institutions and will not accept any tutelage”.
The Brazilian leader also announced that “any unilateral tariff increases” would be met with reciprocal tariffs imposed on US goods.
The US is Brazil’s second-largest trade partner after China, so the hike from a tariff rate of 10% to an eye-watering 50% – if it comes into force – would hit the South American nation hard.
But Lula also made a point of challenging Trump’s assertion that the US had a trade deficit with Brazil, calling it “inaccurate”.
Lula’s rebuttal is backed up by US government data, which suggests the US had a goods trade surplus with Brazil of $7.4bn (£5.4bn) in 2024.
Brazil is the US’s 15th largest trading partner and among its main imports from the US are mineral fuels, aircraft and machinery.
For its part, the US imports gas and petroleum, iron, and coffee from Brazil.
Brazil was not the only country Trump threatened with higher tariffs on Wednesday.
Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka were among 22 nations which received letters warning of higher levies.
But the letter Trump sent to his Brazilian counterpart was the only one focussing matters beyond alleged trade deficits.
As well as denouncing the treatment of ex-President Bolsonaro, Trump slammed what he said were “secret and unlawful censorship orders to US social media platforms” which he said Brazil had imposed.
Trump Media, which operates the US president’s Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by him, is among the US tech companies fighting Brazilian court rulings over orders suspending social media accounts.
Lula fought back on that front too, justifying the rulings by arguing that “Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom”. (BBC)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has reactivated the portal of Jamiu Basola, a Civil Engineering graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, after he was previously flagged for possessing a fake admission.
PUNCH Online had reported that Basola, who graduated in 2024 with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.41, said he sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in 2017 and was admitted into FUTA in 2018.
However, an issue surfaced during his final clearance when the school’s Student Affairs Division informed him that his mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps had been rejected.
“I was advised to verify my details on the JAMB matriculation list, which indicated fake admission,” he said.
Basola added that after several failed attempts to access his JAMB portal, he wrote letters to various officials at FUTA, including the registrar, vice-chancellor, and chairman of the admissions committee, urging them to intervene.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, Basola exclusively confirmed that his previously locked JAMB portal had been unlocked and his name had now appeared on the matriculation list, a requirement for NYSC mobilisation.
“We are still in the process because I have not been mobilised for NYSC.
“My portal was locked. But now, I am able to log in; I can now reprint.
“Though I had some of the documents before, I was able to reprint my documents again.
“My name was not on the matriculation list, but now it has changed,” Basola said.
This development was also confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the National Association of Nigerian Students’ National Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa, he described the resolution of the case as a significant victory for justice and student welfare.
“This positive development is a direct result of the decisive intervention by the NANS national leadership, led by the astute President, Comrade Olushola Oladoja,” Ajasa said.
He confirmed that Basola’s JAMB portal has now been restored and his name added to the official matriculation list, following sustained pressure from the national leadership and NANS South-West Zone D.
“Jamiu’s academic dedication was regrettably challenged by a ‘fake admission’ flag after years of diligent study.
“His fight was indeed our fight, and his victory is a triumph for every Nigerian student,” the statement added.
Ajasa also acknowledged the role played by the FUTA Civil Engineering Department in writing to JAMB to clarify Basola’s admission status.
“This resolution underscores the power of collective action and NANS’s unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of Nigerian students,” he said.
NANS said it would continue to monitor the case to ensure Basola’s inclusion in the next NYSC mobilisation batch.
“We reaffirm our commitment to holding institutions accountable and ensuring that such avoidable predicaments do not recur.
“The lives and academic pursuits of Nigerian students are not bargaining chips,” Ajasa stated. (Punch)
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, identified as Samuel Eze, for being in possession of a woman’s breast part.
The police also rescued a kidnapped driver and recovered a truck loaded with custard powder worth N9.5 million and arrested three suspects involved in the criminal act.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the command spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, on Sunday.
Ikenga added that joint security teams attached to various police divisions, including vigilante operatives, carried out the arrest at different intervals, adding that the suspects are currently undergoing interrogations.
The statement read, “The Joint Security Team comprising Police attached to the Awada Police Station and Anambra Vigilante Operatives on patrol along Jude Onyekwere Street, Awada, Obosi on July 6, 2025, by 3.30 pm arrested a male suspect, Samuel Eze aged 25 years with a woman’s breast.
“It was recovered immediately and deposited at the morgue for preservation, while the suspect is undergoing police interrogations for necessary Police investigative actions and prosecution.
“In another development, the police officers attached to the Rapid Response Squad, acting on credible information, rescued a kidnapped driver at 12.45 pm on July 4, 2025.
“The team also recovered a truck loaded with Custard powder worth N9.5 million only and arrested three suspects involved in the criminal act.
“The suspects, all males: Udegenyi Ugochukwu aged 38 years, Anayochukwu Okonkwo aged 47 years, and Good Odigili aged 47 years confessed that the goods were to be delivered to a Warehouse at Asaba, Delta State before they abducted the driver tied him in the bush, and diverted the goods to Enugwu Ukwu.”
Ikenga informed members of the public of a suspected stolen and abandoned, but recovered custom colour Toyota Sienna, Reg No: 736 JP with an inscription on the body “Forum of Accountants Delta State” by police operatives from Obosi Division by 4.30 pm on July 5, 2025, while on patrol along Okpuno – Umuota Village, Obosi.
“Given the above, the Command invites anyone or any group looking for any of the vehicles as highlighted above to come with valid proof/evidence of ownership for verification and possible collection, please.
“The Anambra State Police Command is committed to sustaining Safety as the Joint security surveillance and patrols comprising the police , the military, the Civil Defence, Immigration Service, DSS, and the AVG operatives continue in the State,” the statement added. (Punch)
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Emmanuel Macron to Downing Street, as the two leaders met to discuss small boat crossings and what more could be done to tackle illegal migration.
The French president arrived on Tuesday for the first state visit by an EU head of state since Brexit.
Speaking inside Downing Street, Starmer said the meetings were “hugely symbolic of the closeness between our countries and our personal relationship”.
He added: “Whether it’s on defence and security, whether it’s on Ukraine, whether it’s on trade and economy, business opportunities, capabilities, we think alike, we work together, and I feel this relationship is as strong as it’s ever been.”
Echoing the PM’s words, Macron said the UK and France would “build stronger links and make big moves forward on defence, security, technology, economy,” as well as “more exchange on culture, education, research and when we look at climate change, AI, but as well as challenging times from Ukraine to Middle East.”
“The partnership and the friendship between UK and France is absolutely, I would say, a game changer for not just Europe, but a lot of these issues,” the president added.
Speaking after the meeting, a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed, “the leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions.”
They went on to add that the prime minister spoke about the UK’s toughening of the system in the past year to ensure rules are respected and enforced, pointing to a “massive surge in illegal working arrests to end the false promise of jobs that are used to sell spaces on boats.”
They finished: “The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs.”
Starmer hopes to strike a “one in, one out” deal to send small boat migrants back to the continent, in exchange for the UK accepting asylum seekers in Europe who have a British link.
In a speech to MPs and peers on Tuesday, Mr Macron promised to deliver on measures to cut the number of migrants crossing the English Channel, describing the issue as a “burden” to both countries.
He said France and the UK have a “shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness”.
Decisions at a Franco-British summit on Thursday will respond to “our aims for co-operation and tangible results on these major issues”, Mr Macron added.Last week, the total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year passed 20,000.
Government minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told ITV News he wouldn’t be drawn on details as to what any potential deal may include.
He insisted however that working with the French was already making a difference, despite record numbers making the trip in small boats so far in 2025.
Thomas-Symonds said, more broadly, any talks between Starmer and Macron would focus on trade, defence and deepening cooperation on illegal migration.
There had been some reporting that France felt the UK wasn’t doing enough to crackdown on illegal workers, making the prospect of making the crossing more appealing.
Thomas-Symonds rejected this saying 7,000 arrests had already been made in that area.
“This is a complex issue, I’m not going to pretend otherwise,” he told us.
“This government has cracked down on illegal working, it’s important that we’re working with France and other European countries… but also legislation in the UK.
“The Border’s Bill is giving police and law enforcement equivalent powers with tackling terrorism for tackling people smuggling. That’s the serious work of tackling this issue – not performative politics or gimmicks.”
On the results seen so far Thomas-Symonds claimed: “Working with the French authorities we have prevented 12,000 people from crossing the channel.
“We’ve seized 600 boats and in recent weeks you’ve seen nine people smugglers in Lille sentenced to a total of 64 years in prison.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick: “We are good friends and allies with France but it doesn’t always feel like that.
“The French have the potential to stop the small boats tomorrow if they wanted to.”
Whilst Jenrick welcomed the prospect of a returns deal subject to seeing the details of what it contained he added: “The most important thing is not to rely on the kindness of strangers to secure your own borders.
“The UK needs and deserves its own sovereign deterrent, whether the Rwanda scheme or something else.” (ITV)
Gregg Wallace has been “sacked” as Masterchef presenter following an inquiry into alleged misconduct allegations by production company Banijay, BBC News has reported.
It comes as 50 more people have come forward and made new claims about Wallace to the corporation, according to BBC News, including allegations he dropped his trousers in front of a junior female Masterchef worker while he was not wearing any underwear and groped another.
BBC News said it has not seen the final Banijay report, but it is understood the presenter has been sacked.
Banijay UK previously said Wallace “committed to fully cooperating” with the external review while his lawyers strongly denied “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, according to BBC News.
Earlier on Tuesday, the TV presenter claimed he had been cleared of the “most serious and sensational accusations” made against him ahead of the report.
Wallace stepped away from hosting the BBC cooking show after a number of historical complaints came to light last year.
This triggered an external investigation by Banijay UK, the production company behind Masterchef.
An investigation by BBC News reported that 13 people had alleged that Wallace had made inappropriate sexual comments across a number of shows over 17 years.
In a statement on his Instagram account earlier on Tuesday, ahead of the report being published, Wallace said: “After 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others.
“I have now been cleared by the Silkins (sic) report of the most serious and sensational accusations made against me.
“The most damaging claims (including allegations from public figures which have not been upheld) were found to be baseless after a full and forensic six-month investigation.”
He continued: “I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks.”
“I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience. I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established. The full story of this incredible injustice must be told and it is very much a matter of public interest, ” he added.
BBC spokesperson said: “Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace. We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.”
Banijay UK has declined to comment on Wallace’s comments.
ITV News has approached Wallace for comment. (ITV)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Donald Trump he was nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize as the two hailed their recent joint strikes on Iran ‘s nuclear facilities as an unmitigated success.
The pair sat down with their top aides for a dinner in the White House on Monday night, to mark the Iran operation and discuss efforts to push forward with a 60-day ceasefire proposal to pause the 21-month conflict in Gaza.
“He’s forging peace as we speak, one country and one region after the other,” Netanyahu said as he presented Trump with a nominating letter he said he sent the Nobel committee.
The call for the peace prize comes after the Israeli leader for years had pressed Trump and his predecessors to take military action against Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump ordered US forces to drop “bunker-buster” bombs and fire a barrage of Tomahawk missiles on three key Iranian nuclear sites.
It also allowed Netanyahu to further ingratiate himself with Trump, who for years has made little secret of the fact that he covets a Nobel Peace Prize and sees himself as a capable peacemaker.
Netanyahu’s outwardly triumphant visit to the White House, his third this year, was dogged by Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and questions over how hard Trump will push for an end to the conflict.
But in an exchange before reporters before the dinner got underway, both leaders expressed optimism that their success in Iran would mark a new era in the Middle East.
“I think things are going to be really settled down a lot in the Middle East,” Trump said. “And, they respect us and they respect Israel.”
Trump says Iran wants to restart talks, but Iran hasn’t confirmed that.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published Monday said the U.S. airstrikes so badly damaged his country’s nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction.
The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu may also give new urgency to a US ceasefire proposal being discussed by Israel and Hamas. (ITV)
Norman Tebbit, the former Conservative cabinet minister and one of Margaret Thatcher’s most loyal supporters, has died at the age of 94.
Tebbit represented the constituencies of Epping and Chingford as an MP for 22 years before receiving a life peerage, making him Lord Tebbit of Chingford. He retired from the House of Lords in 2022.
During his long political career he served as employment secretary, trade and industry secretary, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster and chair of the Conservative party.
His death was confirmed by his son, William, who said in a statement: “At 11.15pm on 7 July 2025 Lord Tebbit died peacefully at home aged 94. His family ask that their privacy is respected at this time and a further statement regarding funeral arrangements will be made in due course.”
Former Conservative prime ministers led tributes to the Tory grandee. Rishi Sunak said Tebbit was a “titan of Conservative politics”. Sunak said his “resilience, conviction and service left a lasting mark on our party and our country”.
David Cameron said Tebbit was a man of “great conviction” and “profound self-belief”, adding: “They don’t make ’em like Norman any more.”
“A man of great conviction, profound self-belief and with a direct and sometimes abrasive tone, he generated strong reactions from all sides,” Cameron said.
“I was sometimes on the hard end of that, but there is no doubting the tremendous impact he had on our country and my party. A staunch believer in self-reliance, hard work and enterprise, as secretary of state for employment he reformed our outdated and ineffective trade union laws, and thus transformed industrial relations in Britain for good.
“But for all his caustic tongue and sharp wit, he was also privately a kind and thoughtful man. The way he stepped aside from public life to care so tenderly and devotedly for his beloved wife, Margaret, after the Brighton bomb speaks to his compassion and the importance he placed on family, above all.”
The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said Tebbit “was an icon in British politics and his death will cause sadness across the political spectrum”.
Downing Street said Keir Starmer’s thoughts were with Tebbit’s family and paid tribute to the “great strength he showed” in the face of the Brighton bombing. “He will be missed by many,” a Number 10 spokesman said.
As employment secretary, Tebbit took on the trade unions, and as chair of the Conservative party from 1985 to 1987 he helped Thatcher secure her third general election victory.
He sustained serious injuries in the 1984 Brighton bombing, which left his wife, Margaret, paralysed from the neck down.
Badenoch said: “He was one of the leading exponents of the philosophy we now know as Thatcherism and his unstinting service in the pursuit of improving our country should be held up as an inspiration to all Conservatives. As a minister in Mrs Thatcher’s administration, he was one of the main agents of the transformation of our country, notably in taming the trade unions.
“But to many of us it was the stoicism and courage he showed in the face of terrorism which inspired us as he rebuilt his political career after suffering terrible injuries in the Brighton bomb, and cared selflessly for his wife, Margaret, who was gravely disabled in the bombing – a reminder that he was first and foremost a family man who always held true to his principles. He never buckled under pressure and he never compromised.”
Tebbit was a prominent figure in the Thatcher era with a reputation as a political bruiser unafraid of confrontation as he helped drive forward the economic and social changes that characterised the 1980s.
After inner-city riots in Handsworth, Birmingham, and Brixton, south London, in 1981, he made comments that led to him being called “On yer bike” by critics who felt he was a symbol of Conservative indifference to rising unemployment.
Rejecting suggestions that street violence was a natural response to rising unemployment, he retorted: “I grew up in the 30s with an unemployed father. He didn’t riot. He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking till he found it.”
In 1990, in response to concerns over integration of migrants, he set out the “cricket test”, suggesting the side British Asians supported in internationals should be seen as an indicator of whether they were loyal to the UK, leading to accusations of racism.
He was memorably described by Labour’s Michael Foot as a “semi-housetrained polecat”, and was also nicknamed the “Chingford skinhead” in reference to his east London constituency, while his puppet on the satirical TV show Spitting Image was a leather jacket-clad hardman – an image Tebbit enjoyed because “he was always a winner”.
The former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said: “Rest in eternal peace, great man. Norman Tebbit was a giant of Conservative politics and Conservative ideals. A man who looked after his beloved wife beautifully after the horrific terror attack by the IRA. A man who nurtured and befriended young conservatives like me.”
The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, said on X: “Norman gave me a lot of help in my early days as an MEP and was a great man. RIP.” (Guardian)
The Welsh national football team have been involved in a traffic collision while heading to training in Switzerland.
Wales women are set to play France tomorrow evening in their second game of Euro 2025 however their bus was involved in a crash on their way St. Gallen Arena on Tuesday (8 July) afternoon.
Tuesday’s training session at the stadium has been cancelled but manager Rhian Wilkinson reassured the media that everyone was OK. She and captain Angharad James had been travelling in a separate car on their way to a press conference.
The team will instead train at their base in Weinfelden.
Shortly after the incident, Wilkinson told members of the media that the situation was “developing” but added: “Everyone is OK, our priority is just to get them all together and away form the scene and then reassess.
“We’ve got great staff and really good support for them and we’ll be checking in to make sure they continue to be OK.
“Also, and just as importantly, I believe the other car involved – I think everyone is OK there as well.”
She added: “Football is secondary and I think yes we are shaken just because we don’t know. We are away from the team right now so they’ve had to experience that but equally we have a great group.
“I’ve been assured everyone is fine. We’ve practised for the unexpected and I think that’s what you can call this.
“Football is secondary but equally we’ll check back in and make sure everyone is in a good spot and then start working towards football again after that.”
In a statement, the FAW said: “The Cymru national team bus has been involved in a road traffic accident whilst travelling to Arena St Gallen for their match day -1 training session ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 match against France.
“All passengers on the Cymru national team bus and in the other vehicle are unharmed. The FAW’s priority has been to remove the players from the scene and return to the Cymru training base to complete their preparations for tomorrow’s match.”
In a press conference at the stadium, France manager Laurent Bonadei sent the team “a message of support, because beyond football, health is so important”.
He added: “I heard they cancelled their training. I hope they’re OK and I hope they’re OK tomorrow. It will be a pleasure to meet them tomorrow.” (ITV)
A fast-moving wildfire broke out close to the southern French city of Marseille on Tuesday, forcing the city’s airport to suspend all flights.
Some 168 firefighters, two helicopters and 68 engines were deployed to tackle the fire, which broke out in the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau.
Around 350 hectares (865 acres) have been hit with no reports of casualties.
Pictures online showed flames racing down the hillside as plumes of smoke could be seen falling towards the city.
The prefecture urged people in the affected areas to stay indoors and off the roads.
With the fire approaching Marseille, the prefecture also advised residents in the northern area of the city to remain inside with doors and windows closed to prevent toxic smoke from entering their homes.
Marseille Provence Airport announced that the runway had been closed at around midday on Tuesday.
Several weeks of heatwaves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days. (ITV)
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