On The LINE24

  After spending 34 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, 62-year-old Ronald Jenkins is finally set to receive $1.7 million in compensation from the state of Florida. Jenkins was wrongfully convicted in 1991 for the armed robbery and assault of a convenience store clerk in Tampa, based largely on mistaken eyewitness testimony and what his legal team later revealed to be flawed forensic evidence. He was just 28 years old when he was sentenced to life in prison. His case was re-examined in 2023 after new DNA testing—prompted by the efforts of the Innocence Project and a pro bono legal team—linked the crime to another suspect who is now deceased. In 2024, a Florida appeals court officially overturned his conviction, and Jenkins was released. On Wednesday, the Florida State Legislature approved a $1.7 million compensation package, the maximum allowable under state law for wrongful convictions. “No amount of money can return the years I lost, but this is a step toward he...

  Limpopo, South Africa — Emotions ran high outside the Limpopo High Court on Thursday as friends and family of the late Sipho Mokoena broke down in tears after the court acquitted the man accused of his brutal murder at a local pig farm. Mokoena, a 36-year-old farmworker, was found dead last year in what many described as a racially charged and gruesome incident. His battered body was discovered near pig pens on the outskirts of Polokwane, sparking national outrage and calls for justice. Activists and family members claimed he was tortured before being killed. The accused, Johan du Toit, a 48-year-old farm owner, was arrested shortly after the incident and charged with murder. But in a shocking turn of events, the judge ruled on Thursday that there was insufficient evidence to convict him, citing inconsistencies in witness testimonies and a lack of forensic clarity. The verdict triggered widespread outrage both inside and outside the courtroom. Protesters who had gathered out...

Waves have reached parts of the US West Coast following a powerful earthquake off Russia’s eastern coastline. The quake, which struck near the Kuril Islands, initially triggered tsunami alerts across the Pacific, including in Japan. Japanese authorities have since lifted their tsunami warnings after observing smaller-than-expected waves along the northern coast. No major damage or injuries have been reported in Japan so far. In the US, coastal monitoring stations detected minor wave activity along parts of California, Oregon, and Washington. Officials have advised the public to remain cautious near beaches and harbours as unpredictable currents could persist. Emergency agencies in both countries continue to monitor the situation, but experts say the risk of significant damage has diminished.

  Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba (R) David Kabanda (L) “PLU’s Secretary General is one of the sharpest politicians in Uganda today. His loyalty, discipline, and strategic thinking are unmatched. A true asset to our movement and to Uganda’s future!” — Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba