Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson marries longtime girlfriend, 80 Nigerians indicted for fraud in the US, Serena Williams to battle Maria Sharapova in US Open. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest which summarizes five of the hottest global news you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. 80 Nigerians indicted in the US for massive $3bn fraud
The United States Department of Justice has indicted dozens of individuals, mostly Nigerians, who are accused of involvement in a massive business email scam and money laundering scheme of about $3bn.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Thom Mrozek, confirmed that more than a dozen individuals had been arrested during raids on Thursday, mostly in the Los Angeles area. The spokesperson said most of the individuals alleged to be involved in the scheme are based in Nigeria.
The report noted that though it was not immediately known if the Nigerians would be extradited to the US, a treaty exists between the two nations, making extraditions possible.
US Attorney, Nicola Hanna, said the case was part of an ongoing effort to protect citizens and businesses from email scams.
2. Stampede at Algeria concert takes lives
At least five people have been killed in a stampede at a rap concert in Algeria’s capital, Algiers, medical officials say. At least 20 others were injured as thousands gathered at the entrance of a stadium to see a local rap star, Abderraouf Derradji, who is best known as “Soolking”.
A journalist who was at a rap concert in Algeria, where five people have died in a stampede, says there were huge crowds trying to get into the stadium.
Linda Chebbah told the media there seemed to be an issue with security at the entrance to the venue, as there was security hired for the event and the police.
3. The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is on fire
Thousands of fires are ravaging the Amazon rainforest in Brazil – the most intense blazes for almost a decade. The northern states of Roraima, Acre, Rondônia and Amazonas have been particularly badly affected.
A thick cloud of smoke travelled across the continent, forcing flights to be cancelled and many to be hospitalised due to respiratory problems. In Sao Paulo, residents were surprised when they saw the sky turn dark in the middle of the day, although the city is 2,500km away from the origin of the fires. The state of Amazonas declared an emergency in its capital of Manaus on August 9 and the state of Acre, bordering Peru, also put out an environmental alert on August 16.
According to the Brazilian newspaper Folha do Progresso, the fires started on August 10 when an association of farmers in the state of Para announced a so-called “day of fire”. The idea, according to the publication, was to coordinate a number of simultaneous fires to show Bolsonaro “they are ready to work”. On that day, 124 new fires were registered by INPE and the next day 203 more were flagged.
The Public Prosecutor in the State of Para has opened an investigation into the incident.
4. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Marries longtime girlfriend, Lauren
Dwayne Johnson also known as The Rock announced on Monday that he has married longtime love Lauren Hashian. He posted a picture on his official Instagram account showing the pair dressed in wedding finery and arms raised in celebration on a rise overlooking the ocean in Hawaii.
“We do. August 18th, 2019. Hawaii. Pōmaikaʻi (blessed),” the caption read.
The star tagged his new wife in the photo as well as his former brother-in-law Hiram Garcia, who heads up the production company founded by Dwayne Johnson and his ex-wife, Dany Garcia. Johnson, 47, and Hashian, 34, are the parents of two daughters: Jasmine, 3, and Tiana, 1. He has an 18-year-old daughter, Simone, from his marriage to Garcia.
5. US Open draw: Serena Williams drawn to play Sharapova in the first round
Serena Williams will play Maria Sharapova in the first round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have shared 21 matches and a fair bit of animosity over the years, but this is their first meeting since the Australian Open quarter-final of 2016.
Serena Williams has had back problems in recent weeks, while Maria Sharapova has been limited to just six matches since January because of a shoulder injury.
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