Saturday, 18 July 2020

Twitter hack: FBI investigates major Twitter attack



The FBI has launched an investigation after hackers hijacked Twitter accounts of a number of high-profile US figures in an apparent Bitcoin scam.

"The accounts appear to have been compromised" to perpetrate cryptocurrency fraud, said the bureau, urging the public to be vigilant.

Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Joe Biden were among those hit in what Twitter said was a "co-ordinated" attack.

Their official accounts requested donations in the cryptocurrency.

"Everyone is asking me to give back," said a tweet from the account of Mr Gates, the Microsoft founder. "You send $1,000, I send you back $2,000."

Sudan protesters reject anti-Islamist reforms





Dozens of pro-Sharia supporters have protested in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, over recent government reforms that allow non-Muslims to drink alcohol, and scrap the apostasy law and public flogging.

The reforms come after long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was ousted last year following massive street protests.

The protesters, who oppose any easing of Islamic laws, shouted: "God's laws shall not be replaced" - and had banners saying: “No to secularism”, according to the AFP news agency.

Addressing Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who leads the transitional government, the agency quoted some as saying: "Hamdok, Khartoum is not New York.”

Some held up photographs of Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari, who had announced the reforms last weekend.

Under the new laws, women also no longer need permission from a male relative to travel with their children.

Non-Muslims are now allowed to consume alcohol in private, however the ban on Muslim drinking remains.

And anyone convicted of renouncing Islam, or apostasy, will no longer face the death penalty.

The imposition of strict Islamist laws in the 1980s was a key factor in the long-running civil war which eventually led to independence for South Sudan, where the majority of people are Christian or follow traditional religions.

Nigeria's Zamfara state offers repentant bandits cows for AK-47s


Repentant bandits in Nigeria's north-western state of Zamfara are being offered two cows for every AK-47 they surrender.

It is an attempt to encourage them to give up a life of crime and live a normal life as responsible citizens, Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle said.

Motorcycle-riding armed bandits have been terrorising the state.

Cows are valued by the Fulani herder community who have been accused of being behind a wave of attacks.

However, members of the community have repeatedly rejected the allegations saying that they too were victims.

An average cow in northern Nigeria costs about 100,000 naira ($260; £200) while an AK-47 on the black market could cost as much as 500,000 naira ($1,200; £950), the BBC's Mansur Abubakar reports.

"These bandits who choose to repent initially sold their cows to buy guns and now that they want a life free of criminality, we are asking them to bring us an AK-47 and get two cows in return, this will empower and encourage them," Mr Matawalle said in a statement.

BBC News

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