Egyptian Court Sentences TV Presenter, 11 Others to Death for Drug Charges

Egyptian TV Presenter Sentenced to Death Over Drug Charges Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted of drug charges. According to state-owned media, the group was found guilty of operating a criminal gang that imported ingredients used to manufacture narcotics for sale. They also had illegal firearms and ammunition. Authorities reportedly seized more than 750kg of narcotics and raw materials during the investigation. Prosecutors also relied on testimony from 20 witnesses and electronic evidence, including conversations and video clips. Khalifa, 39, who is known for hosting the crime-focused television programme Mission Impossible, has denied the charges and maintained her innocence. Nine other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, while seven were acquitted. The death sentences were confirmed after the court obtained the legally required opinion of Egypt's grand mufti, and Khalifa's lawyer has said she will appeal the ruling. UN Approves Resolution to Replace Mercator Map With Accurate Africa Size Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines The UN General Assembly has voted in favour of replacing the widely used Mercator world map with a projection that more accurately reflects the size of Africa. The non-binding "Correct the Map" resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union member states, received support from 164 countries, including France and the United Kingdom. The United States was the only country to vote against it, and six nations abstained. The Mercator projection, created in the 16th century to assist navigation, has long been criticised for distorting the size of countries and continents by making areas near the poles appear larger and regions near the equator smaller. Africa, for example, appears to be roughly the same size as Greenland on some Mercator maps, despite being around 14 times larger. Supporters of the resolution argue that such distortions shape political and economic perceptions of Africa and can minimise the continent's size, resources, population and development potential. The African Union adopted the Equal Earth projection earlier this year, saying it provides a more accurate representation of the relative sizes of continents. Zimbabwe Unions Urge Jobs, Not Vendor Crackdown The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has urged the government to focus on repairing the country's struggling economy and creating jobs rather than pursuing a crackdown on illegal street vendors. The call followed an ultimatum by Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe ordering vendors and informal traders to vacate undesignated trading sites by September 9. Thereafter, law enforcement and municipal police will dismantle and demolish all irregular stalls, structures and informal vending sites. The directive initially targeted Harare's central business district and surrounding metropolitan areas. However, it has since expanded into a nationwide campaign. ZCTU secretary-general Tirivanhu Marimo said thousands of Zimbabweans had been forced into street vending by unemployment and poor economic policies. He argued that the informal economy had become the country's largest employer and should be treated accordingly. He also criticised the government for failing to provide vendors with alternative trading spaces or permanent solutions. He accused politicians of encouraging informal trading during election periods before later treating vendors as a nuisance. Ruto, Governors to Meet Over Kenya Nurses' Strike Kenyan President William Ruto and the country's governors are expected to meet as pressure grows to resolve a nationwide nurses' strike that has severely disrupted healthcare services. The meeting will involve the national and county governments. It is expected to focus on outstanding issues surrounding the implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, which remains at the centre of the indu