International
Southport killer, who killed three girls, sentenced to 52 years in prison
18-year-old Axel Rudakubana, guilty of the murder of three girls in the English town of Southport (northern England) on July 29, 2024, was sentenced this Thursday to a minimum prison time of 52 years, according to a Liverpool court.
Judge Julian Goose imposed a life sentence on Rudakubana, but since he was a minor at the time of committing the crime, and British law does not allow life imprisonment for minors, a minimum of 51 years and 190 days in prison was determined, discounting the time he has already been under bars since his arrest.
“(Axel Rudakubana) will spend most of his life in prison. I think it is quite likely that he will never be released and that he will be in prison all his life,” Goose added in the reading of the sentence, where he commented that, if he had been 18 years old, he would have sentenced him to life imprisonment without a minimum period.
Rudakubana, who did not express remorse after killing the minors, had pleaded guilty on Monday to the charges of stabbing murder of 6-year-old Bebe King; Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9; and of trying to murder eight other minors and two adults during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.
In total, Rudakubana was convicted of a total of 16 charges, including the production of ricin, a biological toxin and the possession of an Al Qaeda training manual, although he admitted that there was no evidence to consider the attack a terrorist cause, but he did commit “equivalent” actions.
“I am sure that Rudakabana had a fixed and determined intention to carry out these crimes, and that if he had been able to, he would have killed each and every one of the minors, all 26 of them, as well as all the adults who had stook in his way,” said the British magistrate.
Shortly after the punishment against infanticide became known, the Prosecutor’s Office announced that it is considering the possibility of filing an appeal with the Court of Appeal if it concludes that the sentence has been “excessively lenient.”
During the incident, Rudakubana stabbed at least 122 times the youngest of the victims, 6 years old, and tried to “decapitate her,” according to the pathologist who examined the body.
The Rudakubana case has also highlighted the errors in the British anti-terrorist prevention system, after it was revealed this week that the young man had been referred to the youth program ‘Prevent’ from the age of 14 until three times.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement after the conviction was announced that the Southport massacre is “one of the most heartbreaking moments” in the history of the United Kingdom.
“What happened in Southport was an atrocity and, as the judge has stated, this vile criminal will probably never be released. After one of the most heartbreaking moments in the history of our country, we owe those innocent girls and all those affected the change they deserve,” he said.
He alluded in this way to the “fundamental change” in the protection of minors that he asked for on Tuesday after Rudakubana pleaded guilty, when he dropped that the legal definition of terrorism should be changed to include actions such as that of Southport.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
International
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
At least 23 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion at a supermarket in Hermosillo, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, local authorities reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 23 confirmed deaths and 11 injured, including minors,” said Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo in a video message. He added that the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city.
“I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and assign responsibility where appropriate,” Durazo said.
The explosion occurred at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was not an attack nor related to any violent act against civilians.
Meanwhile, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on X, offering sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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