From BAFTAs to Courtrooms: The Biggest Entertainment and Legal News of the Week

Argentina President, Javier Milei, earlier this week faced impeachment calls due to a cryptocurrency endorsement that led to losses from thousands of investors in the country. It all started after the president promoted a cryptocurrency with the name “$LIBRA” through his X social media account with more that 3,8 million followers. Immediately after his endorsement, the cryptocurrency price soared up then collapsed a few hours later which led to the losses of thousands of people who invested into the coin.

The news has caused a major scandal in the country leading to the citizens and the opposition party accusing the president of promoting a scam. Though, hours after endorsing the cryptocurrency, the president deleted the post on his X account and made another post claiming to have nothing to do with the initiative. In the post Milel said “I was not aware of the details of the project and after having become aware of it, I decided not to continue spreading it.”

The presidency has announced an immediate investigation with the involvement of the Anti-Corruption Office into the matter to determine whether there was any improper conduct on the part of any member of the national government including the president himself.

Click the link and check out the statement of Pablo Sabbatella, an expert in crypto security issues on the matter.

South Korea Blocks AI Application Over Data Concerns

The South Korean authority on Monday has blocked the fast rising Chinese Artificial intelligence, DeepSeek, chatbot app temporarily following a review of its handling of its users’ data. 

The commission director, Nam Seok, has advised South Korean users of DeepSeek to delete the app or refrain from inputting their personal information into the app till the issues are resolved. He also recommended that DeepSeek temporarily suspend its service while making the necessary improvements.

Many South Korean agencies and companies using the DeepSeekAI have also either blocked the AI from their networks or prohibited employees from using the app for work due to worries that the AI model was gathering too much sensitive information.

However, the action does not affect users who have already downloaded the application on their phones, computer or other devices.

Deepseek has also agreed to collaborate with the agency to strengthen privacy protections before relaunching the apps.

Trending Highlights For The Week

2024 BAFTA 78th Award Winners: The 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) celebrated outstanding achievements in film on Sunday. Conclave and The Brutalist dominated the night, each securing four awards. Wicked, Emilia Pérez, Anora, Dune: Part Two, A Real Pain, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl followed closely, each taking home two awards.

Loss In the Entertainment Industry: South Koreans mourn the death of a young and promising actress Kim Seo-ron on Sunday.According to the police report, her friend discovered her body in her Seoul apartment on Sunday evening. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of her death.

DOGE Department Sparks Privacy Converns Over Tax Payers Data: The Elon Musk led Department Of Government Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has sparked reactions again by seeking access to a system with the US tax office that contains the financial data of millions of Americans. This has raised alarm within the government and among many privacy experts saying granting Elon Musk access to the taxpayer data system could be extraordinarily dangerous.

Death Trolls In India

At least 18 people have been recorded dead, 10 people injured in a crowd in India at a railway station in New Delhi. The incident occurred just weeks after a crowd crush at a religious festival in the northern part of the country where dozens of people lost their lives when gathered to bathe in a sacred river during the six-weeks event.

According to the local police, the stampede occurred around 10 p.m at the railway station when passengers tried to board trains heading to another known world’s largest religious gathering.

The deputy commissioner of the Delhi police, KPS Malhotra when interviewed by the local news said the incident occurred due to delay in two trains services and an influx of passengers which led  to overcrowding.

The leader of the opposition in india’s parliament, Rahul Gandhi have criticised the government, accusing the of an administrative failure. He said on his X social media account that the authorities should have made better arrangements at the railway station, giving the large number of devotees travelling to the event on that day.

Surgeon Faces Trial for Abusing Anesthetized Patients

A retired french surgeon, Joel le Scouarnec is set to face trail over alleged raping and sexually assaulting his nearly 300 former patients who are mostly children and unconscious at the time of incident between 1989 to 2014 across all western France.

Once a respected surgeon, Joel Le Scouarnec has already faced convictions for similar crimes in the past.He has been in jail since 2017, arrested on suspicion for raping his nieces who are now in the 30s, a six-year old and a young patient and later sentenced to 15 years imprisonent in 2020. In late 2005, authorities convicted him for downloading child sexual abuse images and suspended him for four months. Now, he stands trial for crimes against 299 victims, including 256 children under the age of 15.

After arresting him, the police searched his home and discovered over 300,000 child abuse images and thousands of pages of meticulously compiled diaries. Le Scouarnec allegedly documented the assaults he carried out on his young patients over 25 years.

If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as French law prohibits stacking sentences, even for multiple victims.

Local News

Army Destroys Illegal Refineries, Seizes litres of Crude Oil: The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army intensified its crackdown on illegal refineries and oil activities in the Niger Delta, destroyed 25 illegal refineries, arrested 12 suspected oil thieves, recovered 90,000 litres of stolen crude and dismantled 18 boats used in illicit operations across four states in the region.

Petrol Meets Highest Industry Standards: The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has dismissed a circulating video alleging poor product quality. The association affirmed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)’s premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, adheres to the highest industry standards.

FG Calls For Humane Deportation: The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has urged the United States to adhere to established protocols when deporting Nigerian immigrants from its territory. Mrs Bianca on Sunday made the appeal in a statement in Abuja, following a visit by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr.