Today’s news briefs include a fugitive pastor evades 2000 police; Alex Trebek honored on postage stamp; Germany deports convicted migrants.
Fugitive pastor evades 2,000 police in Philippines
Police in the Philippines say 2,000 armed officers are not enough to arrest a megachurch pastor wanted for child sex-trafficking. The standoff to apprehend the now fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy is entering its second week at his 74-acre Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound. Authorities believe he is hiding in an underground bunker. Philippine National Police Director for Police Community Relations, Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, told the Manila Standard that additional officers from three separate regional police units were sent in to assist the 2,000 officers from Davao who were deployed on Saturday to search for the fugitive pastor. Quiboloy faces charges of child abuse and human trafficking and is also on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for similar charges in the U.S.
Germany mass deports immigrants with convictions
Germany says it has resumed mass deportations of “convicted Afghan offenders since the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan three years ago,” reports the BBC. It is in response to three people who were fatally stabbed at a street festival in the western town of Solingen by a migrant. “The killings shocked Germany and sparked an intense debate over asylum rules when it emerged the main suspect was a 26-year-old Syrian refugee facing deportation. An Afghan man was detained after another deadly attack in May. “Last Friday’s attack in Solingen, in which three people died and eight others were wounded, has caused outrage in Germany. Issa Al H, 26, is being investigated for murder and links to militant group Islamic State.”
Game show host Alex Trebek honored on postage stamp
Former “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek is being honored with his own U.S. postal “Forever” stamp. He departed the popular show after 37 seasons after announcing he had a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2019 and died on Nov. 8, 2020 — only 10 days after filming his final episode, Fox News Digital reported. “The new honorary stamp was released during a ceremony in Culver City, California, that celebrated the 60th anniversary of the game show and an additional 84th birthday celebration in honor of Trebek.” The stamps pay tribute to the game show’s classic “answer-and-question format” along with its recognizable font and coloring. “This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show ‘Jeopardy!’ for 37 seasons,” the stamp states. Underneath is the correct question — which reads, “Who is Alex Trebek?”
Nicaragua offers to send troops to Venezuela
Nicaragua’s dictator President Daniel Ortega wants to send “Sandinista fighters” to support Marxist leader Nicolas Maduro. Maduro has faced massive protests since his declaration of victory in the vote sparked widespread suspicion around the world. The opposition released vote tallies showing they had 50% more votes than Maduro announced. Thousands of Venezuelans have since taken to the streets in protest and political violence has killed at least 24 civilians and one soldier. The government’s security forces have detained at least 2,000 opposition sympathizers, CNN reports.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice