Here are today’s latest news briefs. Russian forces raping men, boys; Tattoos; Nelson Mandela’s political party set for defeat; Hamas robs banks and Cracker Barrel changing things up.
Hamas stole $100 million from Gaza banks
The Hamas combatants last month stole at least $108 million from banks in the Gaza strip, the Israeli military revealed on Wednesday. The claim is verified by France’s Le Monde newspaper which reported that armed groups in the strip with links to Hamas looted at that time, $70 million just from branches of the Bank of Palestine. The cash was stolen from bank vaults across Gaza by armed terrorist commandos who told bank employees they were ordered to do so by “Gaza’s highest authorities” which is Hamas leadership. The Bank of Palestine sent documentation of the thefts to international banking partners. The IDF says that the theft of deposits by Gazan citizens has added to the economic crisis. Hamas has also stolen most food aid and resold it on the black market for a $500 million profit.
Russian forces sexually abusing Ukrainian men
A United Nations Security Council report finds Russian forces are using sexual violence against Ukrainian men and boys. The tactic, meant to instill terror in occupied Ukrainian areas, is common. The rape of male Ukrainians is nearly double that of women. Victim accounts have been documented by regional prosecutors in Kyiv, Kherson and Kharkiv and were corroborated by witnesses held in the same Russian detention facilities. One man described being tortured as often as three times a day, every day, for four months. “It’s in every region that was under occupation. Everywhere that Russian troops were located, we’re seeing cases of sexual violence and gender-based violence. The bottom line is that it looks like it is Russian policy,” said Anna Sosonska, a Ukrainian prosecutor and the acting chief of the conflict-related sexual violence division.
Tattoo – Cancer link investigated
Research has found a link between tattoos and malignant lymphoma Cancer. Swedish researchers, from Lund University, reported the study was done to explore the long-term health effects of tattooing. The study looked at 12,000 individuals who had lymphoma. After factoring in things like family history, age, smoking, etc., researchers found malignant lymphoma was 21% higher among those who had at least one tattoo. The study authors speculate that it may ink. which have carcinogens, including metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In the US alone, nearly a third of people have at least one tattoo, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey. Some are skeptical. The conclusion is “really overstated,” said Dr. Timothy Rebbeck.
Nelson Mandela’s party set to lose South African Elections
Initial election results suggest the African National Congress (ANC) will lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela led the party to victory after apartheid ended in 1994. The ANC this year aligned South Africa wit, Russia, Iran and China and this year, Hamas. The controversial party fell out of disfavor following three decades of corruption, retribution against white citizens, massive crime, and socialist policies that voters say have destroyed the economy which was once one of the world’s largest. “We are entering the next phase of our democracy, and it is going to be a big transition,” political analyst Richard Calland told the BBC. South Africans do not directly vote for a president. Instead, they vote for members of parliament who will then go on to elect the president.
Cracker Barrel set for makeover
Cracker Barrel, the iconic restaurant that’s a favorite of travelers, is set to make major changes. The move is meant to draw in new customers after reports showed the chain’s largest customer demographic — those 65 and older — stopped dining there at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the most part, they have not returned. Julie Felss Masino, who took over as CEO of the Tennessee-based company nine months ago, outlined changes during a recent investor call, according to CBS News. Look for new colors and a new menu. “The goal, simply put, was to freshen things in such a way as to be noticeable and attractive but still feel like Cracker Barrel,” Masino said. The changes will also include price increases.
–Dwight Widaman and News Services