charged

A federal grand jury has charged two brothers in Southern California with tax evasion on more than $1.1 million in income they allegedly received in part from a years-long scheme selling tee times on local golf courses.

Se Youn “Steve” Kim, 41, and his identical twin brother, Hee Youn “Ted” Kim, 41, were arrested Thursday morning by federal authorities and pleaded not guilty.

From 2021 to 2023, the Kim brothers’ tee time brokering business scooped up thousands of reservation slots at golf courses across the U.S., including at least 17 public golf courses in Southern California, according to the indictment filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

The brothers used online platforms including KakaoTalk, a Korean instant messaging app, to reach their customers. Federal prosecutors say that by quickly nabbing popular early morning tee times almost immediately after they were available to the public, the brothers “created a monopoly” of Southern California golf courses.

The prevalence of tee-time brokering was reported by The Times last year, in which scores of local golfers shared frustrations over their inability to secure a tee time on public courses in L.A.

“Finally, it’s justice,” said Joseph Lee, a vocal critic of tee time brokers who helped collect evidence and met with federal prosecutors during their investigation of the Kim brothers. “For a long time, L.A. golfers have been frustrated by these illegal tee time brokers and their resale market. Authorities have finally recognized the seriousness of the issue.”

Anthony Solis, the attorney representing Ted Kim, said he did not immediately have a response on behalf of his client. The attorney representing Steve Kim did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Federal prosecutors said the brothers had customers pay reservation fees to their personal accounts via Venmo, Zelle, and other applications. The tee time brokering business netted the brothers nearly $700,000 between 2021 and 2023, according to the indictment. The brothers, who also worked as MRI technicians, are accused of willfully failing to report a combined $1.1 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service for 2022 and 2023.

The Kim brothers are also accused of failing to pay taxes that the IRS had assessed. Rather than paying off mounting tax debts, the indictment alleges that the brothers made lavish purchases at Chanel, Cartier, Prada and Louis Vuitton.

In a brief interview with The Times last year, Ted Kim said that he used up to five devices and relied on unspecified friends to secure tee times. He said he is on the same playing field as every other golfer in L.A. and does not use bots to game the system.

“It’s not like I’m taking advantage of technology. I’m booking myself,” Kim told The Times in an interview. “I’m not doing anything illegal.”

Kim told the newspaper that he profited a couple thousand dollars a month, and framed his business as a way of helping elderly Korean golfers without tech savvy to navigate the online golf reservation system.

“I’m just helping Korean seniors, because they have a right to play golf, because all the Koreans play golf, right? Without my help, they actually struggle,” he said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

The English Football Association charges Premier League club Chelsea with 74 breaches of payment rules between 2009-2022.

England’s Football Association has brought 74 charges against Premier League club Chelsea, alleging breaches of its football agents’ regulations, its regulations on working with intermediaries and third-party investment in players’ regulations.

“The conduct that is the subject of the charges ranges from 2009 to 2022 and primarily relates to events which occurred between the 2010-11 to 2015-16 playing seasons,” the FA said in a statement.

The FA did not elaborate on the charges but Chelsea said the matters were “self-reported” by the club after the change in ownership in May 2022.

At the time, the London club was owned by Roman Abramovich, but the Russian billionaire put Chelsea up for sale in 2022 following sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He completed the sale to an investment group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

“During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules,” Chelsea said in a statement.

“Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA.

“The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data.

“We will continue working collaboratively with the FA to conclude this matter as swiftly as possible.”

DRIVERS are forking out £100s more on their car insurance by merely using a certain key word as their occupation.

Experts have revealed elderly drivers are facing substantial increases in premiums with costs rising by up to 50% in some cases – simply by marking themselves as “retired” on car insurance forms. 

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According to research by Quotezone, car insurance premiums are rising for elderly motorists in the UK with retired drivers listing “retired” as their occupation.

On average, this is seeing premiums jumping from £492 to £733 annually.

To combat this, Quotezone suggests variations in job titles could potentially reduce insurance costs – as long as the descriptions remain accurate and honest. 

For unemployed individuals, adding a more experienced driver to the policy might help lower costs, although they caution against “fronting,” which is illegal.

DialDirect points out that premiums tend to rise for elderly drivers because insurance providers often view them as higher-risk.

They added: “Car insurance premiums can begin to rise as you become older as insurance providers typically view elderly drivers as higher-risk individuals.

“Like the way in which drivers between the age of 17 to 25 are often charged more for insurance, so are elderly drivers.

“However, the level of risk attached to different ages will vary for different insurance providers so make sure you shop around for the best deal.”

GET COVERED

Car insurance in the UK is a legal necessity, with three main levels of cover available. 

These are fully comprehensive insurance, which offers the highest level of protection, covering damage to your vehicle, yourself and third party, fire and theft.

There’s then third party, fire and theft insurance, which covers damage you cause to others, as well as fire damage or theft of your own vehicle.

And there’s third party only insurance (TPO), which is the minimum legal requirement that covers damage caused to others but not your own vehicle. 

TPO, however, won’t compensate for any damage to your own car or for your medical expenses following an accident that you’re responsible for.

This comes as an urgent DVLA warning was recently issued to drivers as a major change is set to come into force this week that could see them slapped with a £1,000 fine.

The huge change will affect laws surrounding number plates and could lead to thousands of plates becoming invalid. 

Motorists using company cars should also expect to face fresh charges as part of major law changes hitting this month.

The new changes kicked in from September 1 – and includes toll hikes and fuel changes which are bound top affect thousands of Brit drivers.

A WOMAN has been charged after two children were killed in a horrific hit-and-run.

Roman Casselden, 16, and nine-year-old Darcie Casselden tragically died after a privately owned e-scooter they were riding on collided with a car in Pitsea, Essex, on February 1.

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Deimante Ziobryte, 21, appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 28, charged with failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

Essex Police said Ms Ziobryte remains on bail in connection with other driving offences, with an investigation ongoing into these.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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Aug. 30 (UPI) — North Carolinian Jan Carey on Wednesday was charged with two misdemeanor counts arising from the burning of a U.S. flag on Monday as an act of protest.

Carey, 54, is charged with one count of lighting and maintaining a fire in an area that is not designated for fires and without using a receptacle under approved conditions.

He also is charged with one count of creating a public hazard by lighting and tending a fire in a manner that threatened, caused damage to and resulted in the burning of property, real property and park resources.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf filed the charges against Carey in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to six months in jail and fines based on the amount of damage done.

Carey burned the flag in front of the White House on the same day that President Donald Trump signed an executive order making it illegal to burn the U.S. flag.

Carey was arrested and said he is a veteran who burned the flag in protest over the president’s executive order, CBS News reported.

Upon learning of the executive order, Carey told WUSA that he wanted to test the executive order.

The executive order also requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to challenge a 1989 Supreme Court ruling affirming that burning the U.S. flag is a form of protected speech

I’M A Celeb star Lord Charles Brocket has been charged with rape and sexual assault.

The peer, 73, is accused of targeting the same woman in East Sussex between May 5 and August 10.

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Brocket finished fourth on the 2004 series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.

Mali’s former prime minister, Choguel Maiga, has been charged with embezzlement and remanded in custody as the West African country’s military leaders intensify a crackdown over allegations of a coup plot.

The charges against Maiga were revealed on Tuesday following a hearing before Mali’s Supreme Court.

Maiga, who took office after a second coup in Mali in 2021, was sacked in November 2024 after he publicly denounced the military for a lack of clarity over when it would hand over power to a civilian government.

Maiga’s lawyer, Cheick Oumar Konare, told the AFP news agency that no date has yet been set for the former leader’s trial.

“We believe in justice, we are calm while awaiting the trial,” Konare said, explaining that Maiga would remain in prison for the trial.

A statement from the public prosecutor said the charges against Maiga involve “money laundering equal to many billions of CFA francs”, or several million US dollars.

The former prime minister was arrested one week ago, according to the AFP, days after Mali’s military leaders carried out dozens of arrests to quash an alleged plot within the army’s ranks to topple the government in turn.

Nine of Maiga’s colleagues from his time as prime minister also appeared before the court on Tuesday, with two being charged, some acquitted and others still awaiting their hearing, the AFP reported, citing a judicial source.

Earlier this month, another former prime minister, Moussa Mara, was imprisoned after tweeting his support for jailed critics of the military.

Mali has been gripped by a security crisis since 2012, driven by violence from armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group, as well as local criminal gangs. The fighting has resulted in thousands of deaths, while up to 350,000 people are currently displaced, according to Human Rights Watch.

The crisis set off mass protests in 2020, paving the way for the military to topple the country’s elected government in a coup.

The military briefly ceded power to a transitional government but took over in a second coup in 2021.

The colonel who led the two power grabs, Assimi Goita, was also sworn in as transitional president that year. Under his government, the military has reneged on pledges to hand back power to civilians by the end of March 2024, and has tightened its grip on power by dissolving all political parties, and jailing dissidents and leading civil society figures.

In July, the military-appointed legislative body also passed legislation that granted Goita a five-year presidential mandate, renewable “as many times as necessary” and without elections.

Maiga was one of the leaders of the protests that helped topple Mali’s civilian government in 2020, and previously said he believed the military would safeguard the country’s democracy. “We must refound the Malian state, so that no political power can ever again create the conditions for a return to an unconstitutional order!” he told Al Jazeera in an interview in 2023.

Since his dismissal, however, Maiga has become one of the military’s fiercest critics, accusing it of weaponising the courts to silence dissent.

Experts, meanwhile, have described Maiga’s arrest and imprisonment on Tuesday as a sign of the military government’s fragility.

“If the most prominent opposition leaders are arrested and imprisoned, including Choguel, who once gave the junta credibility, then I believe today the junta credibility is greatly weakened,” said Alioune Tine, the former United Nations rapporteur on Mali to the Security Council.

“Just 50km [31 miles] from Bamako, you’re still in danger. Al-Qaeda’s affiliate JNIM controls most of the territory. The only way forward now is for President Goita to change course: free political prisoners, release activists and journalists, and open a national dialogue that leads to real democratic elections,” he said.

Mali’s military leaders have replaced Maiga with General Abdoulaye Maiga, who had previously served as government spokesman in the West African country.

The military’s power grab in Mali helped set off a wave of coups in the Sahel region, south of the Sahara desert, including in the neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, which are fighting the same groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL.

The three countries have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States amid pressure from the bloc to return to civilian government. They have now banded together to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and created a 5,000-strong force for joint military operations to try to drive out armed groups.

Marius Borg Hoiby faces up to 10 years in prison after being charged with 32 criminal offences, including rape.

The son of Norway’s crown princess has been charged with raping four women, domestic violence, assault and other crimes following a yearlong police investigation, according to prosecutors.

Marius Borg Hoiby, 28, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, is expected to stand trial early next year and could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of the most serious charges, Oslo state attorney Sturla Henriksbo said on Monday.

Hoiby denies the most serious accusations against him but plans to plead guilty to some lesser charges in court when the trial starts, his lawyer Petar Sekulic told the Reuters news agency.

“He does not agree with the claims regarding rape and domestic violence,” Sekulic said of his client.

Hoiby was charged on Monday with 32 criminal offences, including one count of rape with sexual intercourse and three counts of rape without intercourse, some of which he filmed on his telephone, the prosecution said.

Henriksbo estimates the trial could begin in mid-January and take about six weeks.

Hoiby does not have a royal title and is outside the line of royal succession.

“It is up to the courts to hear this case and to reach a decision,” the royal palace said in a statement.

The prosecutor said Hoiby, as a member of the royal family, would not be treated “more lightly or more severely” than anyone else in similar circumstances.

Domestic abuse

Police in November last year held Hoiby in detention for one week as part of the investigation.

In August of last year, Hoiby was named as a suspect of physical assault against a woman with whom he had been in a relationship – the only victim identified by the prosecution, Nora Haukland.

“The violence consisted, among other things, of him repeatedly hitting her in the face, including with a clenched fist, choking her, kicking her and grabbing her hard,” the prosecutor said.

Hoiby, in a statement to the media at the time, admitted to causing bodily harm to the woman while he was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol and of damaging her apartment. He had stated then that he regretted his actions.

According to media reports, he spent time with gang members, Hells Angels bikers and members of Oslo’s Albanian mafia. In 2023, police contacted him to discuss his hangouts with “notorious criminals”.

It emerged last year that Hoiby had already been arrested in 2017 for using cocaine at a music festival.

Aug. 18 (UPI) — The stepson of the presumed next king of Norway was charged Monday on multiple offenses, including rape.

Marius Borg Hobby, the 27-year-old son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson to Crown Prince Haakon, was charged with 32 offenses and four counts of rape by Norwegian authorities.

“Our client denies all charges of sexual abuse, as well as the majority of the charges regarding violence,” Hoiby’s co-attorney Petar Sekulic told The Guardian.

At least four different women stepped forward with rape allegations that extended from 2018 to last year, which included domestic abuse of an ex-lover and illegally filming a number of different women without consent.

It was first revealed in November that an untitled would-be royal was under suspicion and allegedly “attacked” a 20-year-old woman in a “psychologically and physically” harmful way, according to Norwegian outlet Se og Hor.

He was later arrested on preliminary charges that included violating a restraining order and driving without a license.

On Monday, Sekulic added that Hoiby will later “present a detailed account of his version of events before the court.”

Hoiby, who holds no place in line to throne, became connected to the Norwegian royal house of Glucksburg via marriage in 2001 when his mother married the son and second eldest child of Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

He also faces charges of harassment of police and other traffic violations.

A trial is expected for early next year and Hoiby could spend up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the more serious rape charges.

Aug. 14 (UPI) — The man charged with purposely driving into a crowd celebrating a soccer win in May was charged Thursday with 24 new counts, a pair of which involve babies.

Former Royal Marine Paul Doyle has been charged with dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm with intent after 134 people were hurt when a car slammed into people celebrating a Liverpool Premier League title football win.

Among the new counts, two of the victims have been revealed to be babies, with five of the people allegedly struck by Doyle aged between six months and 17 years old.

Originally charged with seven counts relating to six people, the 24 added charges were applied before the hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, raising the total against Doyle to 31.

Once in court, Judge Andrew Menary KC postponed the plea hearing to Sept. 4 due to Doyle’s legal team not receiving an opportunity to review crucial evidence that was to be presented to the court. The eventual trial is expected to last around a month to resolve.

A 38-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with raping a 17-year-old boy after “approaching him on a bench” in a popular UK seaside town.

The teen, who was sitting on a bench in Dyke Road, Brighton, was approached by a man who asked for help finding a shop that was open.

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He assisted the man before being taken to an address in Regent Hill where the rape was reported to have taken place.

Cops received a report of the rape in the early hours of Sunday and immediately launched an investigation.

A 38-year-old Brazilian man, of no fixed address, was arrested near the property shortly later.

Officers have since charged Rafael Nascimento with rape, he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Nascimento was remanded into custody and is due to appear in court again on September 9.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Cobbett, said, “A dedicated team has been working diligently, swiftly, and thoroughly to ensure all lines of enquiry are fully progressed.

“The victim will continue to be supported throughout this process, and following their bravery in making a report, officers quickly identified a person of interest, and they have since been charged and remanded.

“Officers have continued to carry out enquiries in the Regent Hill area, and as a result, a heightened police presence has been visible.

“This forms part of our ongoing work to support the investigation and to provide reassurance to the community.

“We remain committed to protecting the public from those who seek to harm others. We are here to listen, to support, and to take action.

“If have information to report in connection with ongoing enquiries, we ask you contact police”

“Officers are here to ensure that every piece of evidence is collected, and every piece of information is heard.”

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Lee is accused of going online and offering to assist Russian authorities in exchange for Russian citizenship.

An active duty soldier has been charged with seeking to pass sensitive information about the United States Army’s main battle tank to the Russian government, the US Justice Department has announced.

The suspect, Taylor Adam Lee, has been charged with “attempted transmission of national defense information to a foreign adversary and attempted export of controlled technical data without a license”, the Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

Lee, a 22-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, has yet to enter a plea in the charges, filed at the US District Court for the Western District of Texas.

John A Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, said Lee sought to “transmit sensitive national defense information to Russia” regarding the operation of the M1A2 Abrams – the main battle tank used by the US Army.

In June, Lee is said to have gone online and offered assistance to Russia in exchange for Russian citizenship. In the alleged messages, Lee, who holds a top-secret security clearance, allegedly “transmitted export-controlled technical information” about the M1A2’s operation and vulnerabilities.

“The USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” Lee reportedly said. “At this point, I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian Federation when I’m there in any way,” he added.

Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s counterintelligence division, said Lee then shared a memory card containing documents and information about the tank and other US military operations during an in-person meeting in July with someone he believed to be a Russian intelligence officer.

“Today’s arrest is a message to anyone thinking about betraying the US – especially service members who have sworn to protect our homeland,” Rozhavsky said.

The documents contained technical data Lee was not authorised to provide, with some marked “Controlled Unclassified Information”, according to prosecutors.

“Throughout the meeting, Lee stated that the information on the SD card was sensitive and likely classified,” prosecutors said.

Lee is also alleged to have attempted to provide the Russian government with a piece of hardware from the M1A2 Abrams tank at a July 31 meeting at a storage unit in El Paso, Texas.

“After doing so, Lee sent a message to the individual he believed to be a representative of the Russian government stating, ‘Mission accomplished’,” according to prosecutors.

A TRAGIC three-year-old girl has been pictured after her mum was charged with murder.

Hope McGrath was discovered by police at home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, following a concern for welfare report.

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Tragically the youngster could not be saved and was declared dead at the scene on July 30.

Her mum Pippa McGrath today appeared at Leeds Crown Court charged with murder.

The 47-year-old spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth and address during the hearing.

Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC said:”A post mortem on Hope has not taken place. It is to take place tomorrow.

“The heart of the issue will be a toxicology report.”

The court heard psychiatric reports would be prepared to establish McGrath’s fitness to plead.

A provisional trial date was set for February 24, with a further hearing set to take place on September 3.

McGrath is accused of murdering her daughter between July 26 and July 30.

McGrath, was understood to have moved with Hope to Austhorpe Close, in Leeds, just weeks before the tragedy.

Neighbours suggested that the youngster had suffered with a disability and required the use of a wheelchair, but was often heard playing in her back garden.

McGrath was taken to hospital before later being remanded into custody on suspicion of murder.

West Yorkshire Police previously said it was treating Hope’s death as an “isolated incident”.

Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Hope’s death.  

“A photograph of the three-year-old has been released by her family. I would ask that people respect their privacy at this extremely difficult time.”  

TV presenter Jay Blades has been charged with two counts of rape.

Mr Blades, best known for hosting BBC show The Repair Shop, will appear in court next Wednesday over the allegations, police said.

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “Jason Blades, 55, of Claverley in Shropshire, has been charged with two counts of rape.

“He is due to appear at Telford magistrates’ court on 13 August 2025.”

Separately, a pre-trial review is taking place for Mr Blades at Worcester Crown & County Court on Tuesday regarding a charge of engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour against the presenter’s estranged wife Lisa Zbozen. Mr Blades pleaded not guilty to the charge at a plea hearing in October.

Mr Blades became one of the best-known faces on British TV after The Repair Shop launched in 2017, with members of the public bringing their treasured possessions and heirlooms to be fixed.

It began in a daytime slot and then moved to primetime after it became a hit.

The show won a National Television Award in 2023, and also won a Bafta the same year for its royal special, in which the future King took a clock and a vase to the workshop.

He has also hosted Money for Nothing, Jay Blades’ Home Fix and Jay and Dom’s Home Fix, and in 2022 he fronted a documentary about learning to read at the age of 51.

He was honoured with an MBE in 2021.

Mr Blades stepped back from presenting The Repair Shop last year.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office will not pursue charges against Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman, who was arrested on suspicion of felony weapons possession Friday night, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept. records.

Perryman was arrested after deputies allegedly discovered five firearms — including two assault-style weapons — in his vehicle during a traffic stop Friday night, the agency said in a statement. He was released from jail Monday afternoon and his arrest will be listed as a detention on his record.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh publicly addressed the situation Monday, saying he visited with the veteran linebacker in jail over the weekend.

“He’s working through the legalities along with his representation,” said Harbaugh before Perryman’s release from jail. “Had a chance to see him yesterday, whenever I visited, and he was in good spirits. And love Denzel. He’s always done right. He’s never been in trouble. They’ve got a beautiful family.”

In training camp, Perryman was batting to be a starter at middle linebacker. In his absence, Troy Dye has taken most of the first-team snaps.

One of the veterans of the Chargers’ defense, Perryman, 32, had 55 tackles and one sack last season. He returned to the Chargers in 2024 — the team that drafted him in 2015 — after stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Houston Texans.

Keenan Allen reunion?

Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen catches a pass during training camp in 2023.

(Kyusung Gong / For The Times)

Despite the emergence of two rookie receivers in camp and a promising young core, the Chargers continued to explore the possibility of reuniting with veteran wideout Keenan Allen.

Allen was brought in for a workout Friday, but the team has yet to decide if they will sign him.

Harbaugh said the workout went well, noting Allen did “a lot of Keenan Allen things.”

Allen echoed those sentiments, responding to a viewer on a Twitch stream that, “The meeting went good, man. The meeting was straight.”

Harbaugh said he’s hopeful about the signing but is waiting on negotiations between general manager Joe Hortiz and Allen’s camp.

Last season with the Bears, Allen was the team’s second-leading receiver in a struggling Chicago offense. He started 15 games, was targeted 121 times, and finished with 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns.

Throughout his career, the 33-year-old has battled injuries, missing 11 games over his final two seasons with the Chargers because of a hamstring strain and a heel bruise.

“He’s got the license to be one of the best,” Harbaugh said. “That all gets determined on the field — who we play. We play the best players. … So, like all the receivers on our team, he would have that opportunity.”

Etc.

Last year’s leading receiver, Ladd McConkey, has been working off to the side since July 29 with an undisclosed injury. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman described it as “extremely minor.” Harbaugh added that McConkey is “doing everything he can to get back” and continues to work without pads. … Mekhi Becton has also been absent from on-field reps as he deals with an injury Harbaugh called “not severe.” … Najee Harris began ramping up his conditioning this past week, doing laps around the practice field wearing a visored helmet and weight vest. Harbaugh said Harris is “doing everything he can” and is “better today than yesterday.” Harris has not yet returned to team reps, and his timetable for return is not clear.

Moussa Mara, the prime minister for eight months in 2014-2015, has been charged with ‘undermining the credibility of the state’.

A former prime minister of Mali has been charged with “undermining the credibility of the state” following a social media post about his visits to political prisoners, according to a prosecutor.

Moussa Mara held the post of prime minister for a brief eight months from 2014 until 2015. He was previously summoned for questioning following a July 4 post on X in which he spoke of visiting the prisoners and promising to ensure them justice.

“As long as the night lasts, the sun will obviously appear!” he wrote and added, “We will fight by all means for this to happen as soon as possible!”

Mara remains in jail with a trial scheduled for September 29. His lawyers condemned the proceedings in a statement on Friday.

Mara’s arrest is the latest in a crackdown on dissent by Mali’s military rulers following the country’s first pro-democracy rally since soldiers seized power nearly four years ago.

Abdoulaye Yaro, a close associate of the former prime minister, told The Associated Press news agency that Mara was arrested after a cybercrime prosecutor ordered his detention pending trial for expressing compassion for people jailed for political beliefs.

His lawyer, Mountaga Tall, said on X that the former prime minister faces charges including undermining state authority, inciting public disorder, and spreading false information.

Mara’s legal team is contesting the charges and detention, Tall said.

Since orchestrating two coups in 2020 and 2021, General Assimi Goita has led Mali. In June, he was granted an additional five years in power, despite the military government’s earlier promises of a return to civilian rule by March 2024.

The move followed the military’s dissolution of political parties in May.

Mali, a landlocked nation in Africa’s semi-arid Sahel region on the southern fringe of the Sahara desert, has been embroiled in political instability that swept across West and Central Africa over the last decade.

A FANCY coffee shop in northern Italy has been swamped with protests after a fed-up customer revealed she was charged extra for having her croissant cut in half.

The woman, who has not been named in local media, visited Audrey Patisserie in Oderzo on Sunday for breakfast, ordering two coffees and a pastry.

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But when she asked staff to slice the croissant so she could share it with her mother, she later discovered an extra €0.10 (around 9p) charge on the bill.

Fuming, she shared the receipt online, writing: “It’s not about the cost, it’s the principle.”

Her post spread like wildfire, sparking an avalanche of fury from social media users.

One user blasted: “You have to hate your customers to charge them €0.10 to cut a croissant in half.

“A total lack of elegance, refinement, and empathy.

“They should bring hotel management students to your restaurant to show them how not to treat your customers. Pathetic.”

Another piled on: “Disgusting cappuccino and they ask 10 cents to cut a croissant in half, never again, how squalid.”

A third raged: “€0.10 what a disgrace… just to cut a croissant!!!”

The backlash left café owner Massimiliano Viotto under siege, as his shop was bombarded with negative reviews.

He said: “We were flooded with one-star reviews from people who have never even visited our shop.

“Our Google rating dropped from 4.5 to 3.5, but we’re confident it will recover with time and dedication.”

Viotto denied the charge was a rip-off, even though it doesn’t appear on the menu, claiming it covers the use of an extra plate and napkin and the “skill” needed to cut a pastry.

Bafflingly, a photo from the café shows a staff member simply snipping through a croissant with a pair of scissors while steadying it with a fork.

He insisted: “It’s not a scam. It is a conscious choice that we defend with pride.”

The row adds to Italy’s growing reputation for bizarre summer surcharges.

Last year, a woman in Arezzo revealed she was slapped with a £50 fee to cut her own birthday cake in a restaurant.

And it’s not the only baffling bill making headlines.

A man has told how he was left scratching his head after a local restaurant added a mysterious “S Charge” to his tab.

The 2.75% extra fee — around 70 cents — appeared despite him paying in cash, meaning it couldn’t be a card surcharge.

Posting the receipt online, he wrote: “After eating at a local restaurant I noticed a charge on the receipt I did not recognize and have never seen before.

“I emailed the contact listed on their website a week ago but never received a response.

“Can someone tell me what is the S Charge (2.75%)? Can’t be a credit card up charge since I paid cash.”

The post sparked heated debate, with most guessing it was some form of service charge.

4

British actor Micheal Ward, known for the Netflix series “Top Boy” and and most recently Ari Aster’s movie “Eddington,” is facing charges of allegedly raping and sexually assaulting a woman in the United Kingdom in 2023.

London’s Metropolitan Police announced in a Friday statement that prosecutors had charged BAFTA winner Ward, 28, with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault following an investigation into an alleged January 2023 incident. The statement did not provide details about the incident, including the location and the identity of Ward’s accuser.

“Our specialist officers continue to support the woman who has come forward — we know investigations of this nature can have significant impact on those who make reports,” Det. Supt. Scott Ware said in the statement.

Representatives for Ward did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Friday. The actor is due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court in London on Aug. 28.

Ward, who was born in Jamaica, broke into acting less than a decade ago, appearing in the British drama series “Top Boy” and rapper Rapman’s 2019 film “Blue Story.” He won BAFTA’s rising star award in 2020. That same year he appeared in “The Old Guard” opposite Charlize Theron and in Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” miniseries.

His movie credits also include Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” “The Book of Clarence,” “Bob Marley: One Love” and “The Beautiful Game.” He currently stars as a young police officer in “Eddington,” the latest film from “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” filmmaker Aster.

The prominent activist and former photojournalist is charged over alleged role in deadly antigovernment protests in June.

A prominent Kenyan human rights activist has been charged with unlawful possession of ammunition over his alleged role in deadly antigovernment protests in June.

Boniface Mwangi was charged by the police on Monday, two days after he was arrested and accused of possessing unused tear gas canisters, a “7.62mm blank round”, two mobile phones, a laptop and notebooks.

Kenya has been facing mass antigovernment protests across the country since last year – first against tax increases in a finance bill and later to demand the resignation of President William Ruto.

Since the protests broke out, police have been accused of human rights abuses, including allegations of government critics and activists being abducted and tortured.

Rights groups said more than 100 people have been killed in the protests, which have been harshly suppressed.

This month, at least 31 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a government crackdown on a protest. In June, at least 19 people were killed in a similar demonstration against Ruto.

Police accused Mwangi, a former photojournalist, of “facilitating terrorist acts” during the June protests and arrested him on Saturday. The activist denied the charges, saying in a social media post shared by his supporters: “I am not a terrorist.”

His arrest triggered a wave of condemnation online with the hashtag #FreeBonifaceMwangi going viral and rights groups condemning it.

The search warrant police used to raid Mwangi’s home, which an ally shared with journalists, accused the campaigner of having paid “goons” to stoke unrest at last month’s protests.

However, 37 rights organisations and dozens of activists said they have not yet managed to prove that a judge had issued that warrant.

Mwangi’s arrest on “unjustified terrorism allegations” represents an abuse of the justice system to crush the opposition, the organisations said in a joint statement.

“What began as targeted persecution of young protesters demanding accountability has metastasized into a full-scale assault on Kenya’s democracy,” the groups said.

In June last year, Al Jazeera’s digital documentary strand Close Up profiled Mwangi during a ferocious police crackdown. He then said his nickname online was the “People’s Watchman” because he was striving to get justice for the families of protesters killed by police.

Mwangi has been arrested multiple times in Kenya.

He was arrested on May 19 this year in Dar-es-Salaam, neighbouring Tanzania’s largest city, where he had travelled to support treason-accused Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

Both Mwangi and a fellow detainee, award-winning Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire, accused the Tanzanian police of torturing and sexually abusing them while they were in custody.

The pair have brought a case before the East African Court of Justice.