UGANDA: Authorities said today that they have detained dozens of foreigners in a crackdown on illegal migration linked to human traffickers and cyberscam operations, with at least 231 people held since Monday.

Those detained included Nigerians and a group of 169 people from nine countries found in a restricted compound in Kampala equipped with its own restaurant.

Authorities say some claimed they were trafficked with promises of employment, while others were engaged in cyber-scamming activities.

AUSTRIA: A man accused of pledging allegiance to Isis and plotting to attack one of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago pleaded guilty as his trial began today, his lawyer said.

The 21-year-old Austrian citizen faces terrorist offences and could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for the plot, which led to the cancellation of three shows in August 2024.

His defence lawyer said he deeply regrets his actions and called the plot “the biggest mistake of his life.”

COLOMBIA: A spate of attacks against civilians and military bases in Colombia’s south-western region has raised security concerns as the country heads to a presidential election next month, with insurgent groups staging 26 attacks since Friday.

The death toll from a deadly blast on a highway between Cali and Popayan rose to 21 on Monday, with authorities blaming a group led by a former Farc commander who abandoned peace talks last year.

President Gustavo Petro has asked security forces to investigate whether the explosives came from neighbouring Ecuador.

NETHERLANDS: The International Criminal Court ordered an al-Qaida-linked extremist leader today to pay €7.2 million (£6.24m) in reparations for atrocities he oversaw as head of the Islamic police in Timbuktu, Mali.

Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud was convicted of torture and religious persecution in 2024 and sentenced to ten years in prison.

The 49-year-old has been declared indigent, so the money will instead be paid by the court’s Trust Fund for Victims, which relies on donations from member states.