In a bold assertion of his political agenda, Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress’s presidential hopeful, has once again pledged to reinstate the petrol subsidy if he secures the presidency in 2027. This declaration comes amid efforts to dissociate his stance from recent remarks made by his media aide, Paul Ibe.
During a meeting on Tuesday with the Osun State leadership of the ADC in Abuja, Atiku emphasized the consistency of his views on the subsidy issue, distancing himself from any narrative that suggests otherwise.
He stated unequivocally, “I want to repeat categorically that when I said I would return to subsidy, I will!” While asserting his authority, Atiku made it clear that Ibe’s comments did not reflect his official standpoint.
Atiku explains proposed subsidy plan
Previously, Ibe had announced on AIT that Atiku’s administration would initially reinstate the petrol subsidy before gradually eliminating it, once economic conditions permitted a stable transition.
Yet, Atiku’s camp sought to highlight a critical nuance, explaining that this proposed move would not replicate the old import-dependent subsidy framework. Instead, it aims to be a refined approach adapted to the nation’s evolving economic landscape.
According to Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the policy would involve a targeted, capped and transparently budgeted intervention supporting domestic refining and production.
Atiku said, “A nation as blessed as ours has no business abandoning its citizens to hardship.”
The proposal would reportedly involve supplying crude oil to local refiners at discounted prices, with the aim of reducing production costs and, ultimately, petrol and diesel prices.
Subsidy debate returns ahead of 2027
The renewed debate comes after President Bola Tinubu removed petrol subsidy at his inauguration on May 29, 2023, contributing to a sharp rise in fuel prices and wider living costs.
Atiku has argued that Nigerians need relief from high transport, food and production costs, while the Federal Government has defended subsidy removal as necessary for economic reform.
His latest position places the subsidy debate firmly back at the centre of the 2027 presidential contest, with Atiku presenting his proposal as a temporary production-support measure rather than a return to the former import-driven system.
China Warns of Retaliation Against Trump Administration’s Iran Sanctions: A New US-China Clash Looms
Beijing has issued a warning to the United States, vowing retaliation due to President Donald Trump’s recent sanctions targeting Iran, which could have significant implications for its trading partners.
On Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled stringent measures cautioning that countries continuing trade with Iran may face exclusion from the dollar-based financial system.
China is currently the purchaser of approximately 90 percent of Iran’s oil, providing a critical economic support to the Islamic Republic as it struggles with previous US sanctions that have limited its access to American financial markets.
The latest sanctions announced by the US have been described as ‘the toughest in history,’ targeting 60 individuals, entities, and vessels, some of which are located in Hong Kong and mainland China, although no specific Chinese financial institutions were mentioned.
China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Lin Jian, strongly emphasized, “China will do everything necessary to firmly safeguard its rights and interests,” in light of the economic ‘D-Day’ predicted by the new US sanctions.
‘China has made clear on many occasions its firm opposition to illicit unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or the authorisation of the UN Security Council,’ he said.
‘Economic warfare and maximum pressure provide no solution. On the contrary, they only serve to fuel tensions and lead to risk spillover, which will disrupt the global economic and financial order, and harm the legitimate rights and interests of other countries.
‘The pressing task is to facilitate the deescalation of the situation and return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible.’
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (May 2026)
Experts yesterday claimed that Washington would be wary of how China would react to the sanctions, with any curbs on China’s exports of critical minerals as a result especially sensitive.
Last year, Beijing showed how dependent the US was on these resources that are essential to high-tech production, like electric cars, electronics and military weapons, by limiting their exports and bringing American manufacturing to a halt.
As part of a trade war between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, China forced companies to get approval from the government before they were allowed to ship the rare minerals abroad.
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Bessent called the move ‘economic coercion’ and a ‘global supply chain power grab’, seeing as China has a global monopoly on the extraction of the rare earth materials, with analysts claiming it was China’s way of demonstrating their bargaining leverage.
Experts have warned that China may similarly react if the US enforces the latest sanctions.
China’s state-owned refiners largely comply with current Iran sanctions, however private companies, referred to as ‘teapots’, are allowed to buy and process Iranian oil.
Earlier this year, the US tried to sanction these private companies although Xi’s government ordered them to ignore the measures.
Bessent previously urged co-operation from China, although the US blockade of Iran’s ports, renewed in mid-July, has already cut Iranian oil flows to China.
‘No one is above the reach of US sanctions,’ Bessent said when asked about China’s trade ties to Tehran. ‘It is now time for world leaders to make a decision between America and Iran.’
Although Bessent declined to identify the countries that would be targeted or reveal when the penalties would take effect, Tehran expressed confidence that major trading partners would resist Washington’s pressure campaign.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh yesterday claimed that neither China nor Russia had ‘accepted’ the US measures, predicting that other countries would resist them also.
Iran has also promised retaliation to the sanctions, Madanizadeh adding, ‘We are fully prepared for the US sanctions.’
He told state television: ‘Naturally, the enemies intend to launch an economic terrorist attack on us, but we also have our own tools and know how to play the game. Our defense is no longer so defensive; the enemies should wait for an attack.’
Xi met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in recent days where they are believed to have discussed Iran and the war in Gaza, with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi similarly holding talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart.
Beijing’s threats of retaliation come only weeks before Trump and Xi are set to meet in Washington, where they are expected to discuss prolonging their trade war truce that was agreed in October.
Urgent Measles Alert: Nationwide Outbreak Puts Thousands at Risk
An increasing number of states are facing measles outbreaks, as the country experiences its highest incidence of the disease in over three decades.
Maryland has reported a measles outbreak across three counties, with 14 new cases confirmed just this Monday, raising the state’s total for 2025 to 31 cases.
Out of these, 27 infections are in individuals who have not been vaccinated, all occurring within the last six weeks.
The outbreaks are distributed among St. Mary’s County with 13 cases, Carroll County with eight cases, Cecil County with five, and Charles County with one case.
“Measles is highly contagious, and we are actively coordinating with healthcare providers and local health departments to assist affected areas, manage cases, and prevent further spread,” stated Dr. Meena Seshamani, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health.
‘The overall risk remains low if you are fully vaccinated. We ask that Marylanders join us in our effort to help keep our youngest safe and protect those who are most at risk. Checking your vaccination status and getting vaccinated if you are not up-to-date is the simplest and most effective way to do that.’
No public exposures have been identified in the 14 new cases in Maryland, however, a growing outbreak in Iowa may have potentially exposed thousands at nearly a dozen locations across the state.
Two more cases have been confirmed in the southern Iowa outbreak, bringing the number to 17.
Measles, which is highly infectious, is characterized by cough, fever, a distinctive blotchy rash that starts on the face before spreading down the body (stock image)
And there are now nine locations where people may have been exposed to the virus, including Natural Grocer’s Clive and Menards in Clive, Iowa; Vero Health Center and Office Depot in West Des moines, Iowa; Menards in Des Moines, Iowa; Pizza Ranch in Ottumwa, Iowa; and Wells Hometown Drug, JR Feed and Supply anad Sunnyside Grocery, in Bloomfield, Iowa.
The outbreaks come just as the first deaths of 2026 from the measles were reported on Tuesday.
Officials reported the two deaths occurred in unvaccinated patients in Pennsylvania. They are the state’s first measles deaths in 35 years.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed both individuals were residents of Lancaster County, about 60 miles outside of Philadelphia. No additional details about those who died were provided.
‘My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss,’ Dr Debra Bogen, the state’s secretary of health, said in a statement.
‘Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness.’
Pennsylvania has recorded 393 measles cases across 28 counties so far in 2026. Nationwide, cases have reached their highest in more than three decades.
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As of August 20, the CDC has recorded 2,777 confirmed cases of the measles. This is the most cases recorded since 1991, which saw 9,643 cases.
Last year, there were 2,289 cases and three deaths, according to the CDC.
The vast majority of cases in both 2025 and 2026 were in individuals who had not received both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The shot is typically given once between ages 12 and 15 months and again between ages four and six. Two doses slash the risk of measles infection by 97 percent, according to the CDC.
For unvaccinated people, nine in ten of those exposed to the virus will get infected.
‘We want to ensure every Pennsylvanian has the information they need to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities,’ Bogen said.
‘As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles.’
Measles, which is highly infectious, is characterized by cough, fever, a distinctive blotchy rash that starts on the face before spreading down the body and tiny white spots inside the mouth called Koplik spots.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air. Patients with a measles infection are contagious from four days before the rash through four days after the rash appears. Enclosed areas like airports and planes are extremely risky locations for disease transmission.
It first invades the respiratory system, then spreads to the lymph nodes and throughout the body. As a result, the virus can affect the lungs, brain and central nervous system.
While measles sometimes causes milder symptoms, including diarrhea, sore throat and achiness, it leads to pneumonia in roughly six percent of otherwise healthy children, and more often in malnourished children.
Though the brain swelling that measles can trigger is rare, occurring in about one in 1,000 cases, it is deadly in roughly 15 to 20 percent of those who develop it, while about 20 percent are left with permanent neurological damage, such as brain damage, deafness or intellectual disability.
Measles also severely damages a child’s immune system, making them susceptible to other potentially devastating bacterial and viral infections they were previously protected against.
Before MMR vaccines became available in the 1960s, measles caused epidemics with up to 2.6 million global deaths every year. By 2023, that number had fallen to roughly 107,000 deaths.
Nationwide, 92.4 percent of kindergarteners are fully vaccinated against measles, below the CDC’s 95 percent threshold for herd immunity. In Pennsylvania, the MMR vaccination rate is 94.6, while rates in Maryland and Iowa are 96 and 90 percent, respectively.
Exemptions are also on the rise at 4.2 percent, up 17 percent from 1.6 percent just over a decade ago.
Australia Faces Unprecedented Threat as Deadly Bird Flu Shatters Previous Thresholds
On Sunday, the highly concerning H5N1 strain of avian influenza reached a new and worrisome level, as the first instance of transmission between bird and mammal species was confirmed. Experts caution that this represents only the beginning of potential broader impacts.
In a troubling development from coastal South Australia, a long-nosed fur seal was found to have succumbed to the illness. Furthermore, a possible second case has emerged among another seal at The Pages Conservation Park islands, situated near Kangaroo Island, and is currently under investigation.
Environment Minister Murray Watt previously remarked on the necessity for the nation to face the reality of how this disease could impact native wildlife populations.
“We can expect large-scale losses of both bird and mammal species,” Watt commented during an interview with ABC television, acknowledging how difficult this news would be for Australians.
According to Sean Dooley of BirdLife Australia, speaking to SBS News, the virus’s introduction could dramatically alter ecological dynamics.
“Potential extinction from the disease is possible for some birds,” he said.
“That’s why we need an effective response, where we can, to mitigate the losses.
“We also need a massive increase in the resources that go into ensuring resilient populations of as many of our species, or else we’re going to be facing a real ongoing crisis beyond the actual outbreak.”
How bird flu spreads
Avian influenza, a flu-type virus, is airborne and contracted by birds and other mammals when they breathe or ingest it from an infected animal.
Robyn Alders, an honorary professor at the Development Policy Centre at Australian National University, told SBS News that the virus also survives outside of a host animal.
“Even if you can’t see a diseased carcass or a dead animal, it doesn’t mean that the environment there is safe,” she said.
“Particularly now that we’re starting to see areas where you’ve got larger die-offs, the potential contamination in that area is going to be significant.”
In cooler temperatures where water is present, Alders said there is evidence H5N1 can survive for days.
In areas where the virus has yet to arrive, Dooley recommends people continue spending time in nature and report anything they suspect could be bird flu-related to the emergency animal disease hotline.
“That’s still really valuable because it can help slow the spread as they remove those birds which are potential sources of infection,” he said.
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Cats are particularly susceptible to the disease, and Alders recommends people keep their cats indoors as the virus has a “50 per cent” mortality rate for them.
‘We’re seeing gaps’
Bird flu vaccinations are underway in specific, suitable populations at the moment, but experts question whether the government is adequately prepared.
Dooley said the country is in a stronger position now than it was a few years ago, but that government claims to have “done everything they could” are false.
“We’re seeing gaps,” he said.
“If you talk to people on the ground … it’s really hit and miss as to whether people have been trained for this, or whether they have the equipment, whether the PPE they need is filtering down.
“There’s a lot of people panicking because they don’t know what to do and they’re not resourced to do it.”
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has said the government is investigating whether bird flu vaccine trials for marine mammals in North America could be used in Australia — but that there is “nothing commercially available” which could protect vulnerable native seals.
Unlike anything we’ve seen before
While various avian influenza strains already exist in Australia, H5N1 is “so unlike any other bird flu virus we’ve dealt with”, Alders said.
First detected in geese in China in 1996, the strain has flared up in the past but typically burnt out because it is simply too lethal.
The fact the current lineage exists at all is down to human activity, Alders argued, particularly the concentrated nature of poultry farming which creates huge viral reservoirs.
“A virus that kills its host within 48 hours — and that’s what it does in chickens — shouldn’t survive,” she said.
“I don’t know where this virus is going, but what I do know is that it was human activity that, in many ways, facilitated this virus to continue and to spread.”
She said it’s “up to us” to reduce and eliminate the virus.
“Everybody’s got to be part of the discussion about how we produce our food, what standards we expect, not only in terms of human welfare but also animal welfare, and really working with agroecological cycles — not thinking that we can cut corners.
Sheriff Uncovers 1,800 Pounds of Suspected Black-Market Marijuana Shipped from California to Georgia
Daily marijuana use: Dr Jessica Gray busts safety myths
In the United States, daily marijuana use is on an upward trend, prompting experts like family physician Dr. Jessica Gray to debunk common safety misconceptions. Dr. Gray emphasizes that just because cannabis is derived from plants, it does not automatically imply it is safe. Citing a review from JAMA Internal Medicine, she highlights the lack of substantial evidence supporting cannabis as an effective treatment for anxiety or insomnia. Additionally, she points out that obtaining marijuana has become surprisingly easier than securing consultations for mental health counseling.
Authorities made a significant interception on Tuesday, halting a shipment of approximately 1,800 pounds of what is suspected to be black-market marijuana from California. This substantial haul was reportedly on its way to two major cities: Atlanta and Orlando.
According to the Butts County Sheriff’s Office, the haul began its journey in Sacramento, a place where recreational marijuana use is legal. Sheriff Gary Long stated that roughly half of the confiscated marijuana was destined for Atlanta, while the other half was meant for Orlando.
The Sheriff’s office has kept details about the interception under wraps, including the precise location and method of capture, any arrests made, or potential charges filed.
The suspected illegal shipment was traced back to Sacramento, California, before being seized in Butts County, Georgia, law enforcement officials reported. (Facebook/Butts County Sheriff’s Office)
Long used the seizure to make his case that legalizing marijuana does not eliminate illegal sales.
“But here is the reality: the black market isn’t going away,” Long said in a press release announcing the seizure.
Marijuana laws vary among the three states connected to the shipment. California allows recreational marijuana, while Georgia and Florida allow marijuana only for certain medical uses.
“The illegal marijuana trade does not stop at the state line,” Long said.
Authorities seized about 1,800 pounds of suspected black-market marijuana. (Facebook/Butts County Sheriff’s Office)
Long said Mexican drug-trafficking organizations and other criminal groups continue to move large amounts of marijuana across state lines. The sheriff’s office did not say the shipment seized Tuesday was connected to a cartel or any other criminal organization.
The sheriff also argued that illegal sellers can undercut licensed marijuana businesses because they don’t pay taxes or licensing fees or have to follow testing and other regulatory requirements.
“As long as there is demand and money to be made, illegal dealers will continue to operate,” Long said.
Long urged Georgia lawmakers to look closely at what has happened in states that have legalized marijuana before making changes to Georgia’s laws.
Butts County Sheriff Gary Long said about half of the marijuana was bound for Atlanta, while the rest was headed to Orlando. (Facebook/Butts County Sheriff’s Office)
He pointed to California, which has changed its cannabis tax and regulatory system while continuing to fight illegal marijuana sales. He also cited past ballot initiatives filed in Colorado seeking to repeal constitutional provisions that legalized recreational marijuana, though those efforts did not reverse legalization.
“That should be a warning to Georgia,” Long said. “We should learn from the experiences of states that have already gone down this road instead of repeating the same mistakes and then spending years trying to fix them.”
Long said his statement was not meant to settle the question of whether marijuana should be legal. Instead, he argued that lawmakers need to consider how illegal sales and trafficking would fit into any changes to Georgia law.
“Georgia, let’s get it right the first time,” Long said.
Fiancée’s Secret Meetings with Male Friend Raise Relationship Concerns
Dear Abby: I’m a 63-year-old man caught in a romantic quandary. Over the past four years, I believed that my 57-year-old fiancée and I were in an exclusive relationship. However, I’ve recently discovered she has been spending time with another man, a friend she chose not to tell me about. They frequently meet for lunches, dinners, and various activities.
She insists they are simply friends and reveals that he is her attorney, who has shown interest in pursuing a romantic relationship. Her omission feels like a breach of trust, and I’m struggling with both her honesty and our relationship’s future. She doesn’t see the incident as significant. What do you advise? — Simmering Suspicion in Florida
Dear Simmering Suspicion: For someone who’s engaged, interacting privately with a man keen on romance is far from appropriate. Her secrecy and trivialization of the situation only escalate its seriousness. Caution: If you decide to take this relationship down the aisle, you may find yourself needing legal counsel sooner than you’d like.
Dear Abby: My marriage of 34 years has faced a unique strain for the last decade. My husband and I took in his brother “Clay,” now in his 60s, after long-term effects from PCP left him needing care. Living with Clay has transformed our home life into a constant challenge.
Clay has driven away one of our pets, and his behavior is erratic and disruptive. He’s dishonest and has a habit of stealing from us. Basic hygiene eludes him, he refuses to tidy up, and he leaves all household chores to me, the only woman here. His expectations have long been ingrained, and his indolence is exasperating.
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I want a divorce. My husband will not put Clay into an assisted living facility or a mental institution. I love my husband, but I refuse to be disrespected by anyone. I told him I wouldn’t ever allow any member of my family to disrespect him the way I, our marriage and our home have been disrespected by his brother. Abby, would you divorce your husband for subjecting you to this daily living hell for 10 years? — Done in Montana
Dear Done: I certainly wouldn’t have put up with your mess of a brother-in-law for an entire decade! Still, if you are considering divorce, you must mention that to your husband. Offer him a final opportunity to make other arrangements for his brother. Be clear that if he continues to value Clay’s comfort over yours, the marriage is over.
Dear Abby: I am a boy in South Korea who likes boys. When I was in middle school, I loved girls just like everyone else, but it changed after entering high school. When I see boys in school now, I have started to feel the charm of them. These days, I’m scared that if I reveal it, I’ll be mocked by my friends and others. What should I do? — Not Straight in Seoul, S. Korea
Dear Not Straight: If you don’t feel comfortable or safe coming out to your friends, it’s OK to wait. All of this gets a bit easier after you graduate, especially if you are able to attend a university. For now, focus on your studies so you can make that happen. To find gay or gay-friendly people to talk to outside your school, look up an organization called Dding Dong at ddingdong.kr.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren. For nearly four decades, Jeanne Phillips penned the column, which was founded in 1956 by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 270135, Kansas City, MO 64127.
Justine Bateman Criticizes Supporters of Lindsay Clancy at Courthouse
Actress Justine Bateman didn’t mince words, calling the courthouse supporters of Lindsay Clancy, a mother accused of murder, ‘broken’.
On Tuesday, the 60-year-old actress addressed the troubling situation by posting heartfelt photos on Instagram, depicting her tender moments with her own children. Her post coincided with a groundswell of backing for Clancy, visible both at the courthouse and across social platforms.
She captioned the post with a message: “In light of the unsettling and grim case, along with motherhood and baby-themed ‘support videos’, consider this an alternative narrative,” she expressed.
“Mothers who genuinely adore their children vastly outnumber the troubling instances we’ve recently witnessed. #ILoveMyKids,” she continued.
Justine Bateman, the sister of fellow actor Jason Bateman, shares two children, Duke and Gianetta, with her husband Mark Fluent. The couple has been together since their marriage in 2001.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Bateman for comment.
Justine Bateman, 60, blasted killer mom Lindsay Clancy’s courthouse supporters as ‘broken’ in a new Instagram post where she shared two photos of herself cradling her kids
Clancy, 36, killed her children, Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan, at her home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 2023; Seen in court on August 20
The actress is known for her outspoken views.
Last year she accused Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of being ‘disaster tourists’ after they popped up as volunteers during the Los Angeles wildfires.
Bateman rose to fame as a teenager on the sitcom Family Ties, starring as the Keaton daughter Mallory for seven seasons from 1982 until the show ended in 1989.
Her television career also includes her work on Men Behaving Badly, Californication and Desperate Housewives.
Her latest post comes as Clancy’s trial nears its conclusion.
Clancy, 36, killed her children, Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan, at her home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 2023.
She strangled the children with exercise bands and then allegedly attempted to kill herself, but her efforts failed and left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair for life.
Clancy has admitted to killing her children but pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of insanity, citing postpartum psychosis, and is seeking to be committed to a state mental health facility rather than face a prison sentence.
The actress weighed in on the case writing, ‘Considering the very disturbing and macabre case and “support videos” about mothering and babies, here’s some counter-programming’
‘Moms who love their kids far outnumber the broken display we’ve seen lately. #ILoveMyKids,’ she wrote in the caption
Bateman – who’s the sister of actor Jason Bateman – shares son Duke and daughter Gianetta with her husband Mark Fluent. The pair have been married since 2001; She is seen in 2018
Clancy has admitted to killing her children but pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of insanity, citing postpartum psychosis; Pictured in court on August 25
Clancy with her husband Patrick Clancy and two oldest children Cora, five, and Dawson, three
Prosecutors, however, claimed that Clancy carefully planned the January 2023 killings and contrived to get her husband out of the house so she could carry them out.
On Tuesday, the final witness took the stand as Clancy waits to learn her fate after five weeks of grueling testimony.
FBI forensic psychiatrist Dr Gregory Saathoff testified as the prosecution’s last rebuttal witness in the murder trial.
Judge William Sullivan then called for the jury to be dismissed for the day.
He advised that the evidence will likely conclude on Wednesday, and then he will meet with the attorneys.
Sullivan anticipates closing arguments on Thursday, after which the jury will begin deliberations.
Last week around 400 women gathered in solidarity with Clancy in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and cheered and clapped as a sheriff’s department van carrying the defendant rolled past.
Some had driven overnight from New York City with their young children. Others traveled seven hours from Maine to attend what is being dubbed ‘America’s saddest murder trial.’
One pregnant mother who attended with a friend and their three small children told The Daily Mail: ‘The healthcare failed her, and that’s just tragic.’
‘We’re both mothers and both experienced postpartum anxiety and depression,’ she said.
Last week around 400 women gathered in solidarity with Clancy in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and cheered and clapped as a sheriff’s department van carrying the defendant rolled past
‘It’s scary to speak out. You don’t want to get judged and you don’t want somebody to take your child.’
Several women said they felt they could have been Clancy. Many had struggled with postpartum depression or anxiety and said the mother-of-three’s experience of reaching out for help only to feel unsupported was painfully familiar.
The obsession with criminal trials is not new, but it is a growing phenomenon. In recent years, other high-profile trials have drawn devotees to social media and courthouses.
Last year, in nearby Canton, when Karen Read went on trial for a second time over the death of her boyfriend, Boston officer John O’Keefe, she came to symbolize a revolt against police corruption.
When Bryan Kohberger was sentenced last summer, another group of women who travel to trials together camped outside the courthouse from 9pm the night before.
And during the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial, fans dressed as pirates outside the Virginia courthouse.
ICE Issues Detainer for Undocumented Immigrant with Extensive Criminal Record Following Alleged Homicide Motivated by Jealousy
In a chilling reminder of the complexities surrounding immigration and crime, federal authorities have urged Miami-area law enforcement to comply with a detainer request for William Serrano Domenech. The illegal immigrant, already notorious for his criminal record, is now facing charges of murder after allegedly shooting a man in a fit of jealousy.
William Serrano Domenech, aged 49, currently resides in a Miami-Dade County jail. He stands accused of the August 17 killing of Raul Aballe, aged 42, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday.
“His criminal record is extensive, with convictions in Florida and Michigan for drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession. Moreover, he has faced previous arrests in New Mexico and Tennessee for aggravated assault, theft, and resisting arrest,” stated Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in a press release to News Media. Mullin criticized the current administration by saying, “This dangerous criminal should have never been in our country. If he hadn’t been released from ICE custody in 2023 by the Biden Administration, Raul Aballe might still be alive today.”
The DHS identifies 49-year-old William Serrano Domenech, an illegal immigrant from Cuba, as the suspect in a deadly altercation in Miami. The incident resulted in murder charges against Domenech after an argument escalated fatally, according to official reports.
According to authorities, Domenech, a Cuban national, was spending time with a witness on the night of the incident when Raul Aballe unexpectedly arrived. Tensions flared, leading to a heated argument between the two. The confrontation rapidly deteriorated into violence as Domenech reportedly began to physically assault Aballe, first with punches and slaps.
Domenech allegedly pulled a gun out of a fanny pack and opened fire, striking Aballe in the stomach. Aballe was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Domenech allegedly fled the scene, but he was arrested the next day. He allegedly admitted to the killing and said he was jealous of Aballe’s relationship with the witness, according to authorities.
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The witness reportedly told investigators that Aballe was not armed and didn’t initiate the fight.
Domenech is charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer with Miami-Dade authorities the day after Domenech’s arrest.
His criminal history spans at least four states for a litany of offenses, DHS said. That includes a conviction for a weapons offense and arrests on charges of vehicle theft, burglary, driving without a license, and driving with a suspended license in Florida, as well as prior arrests on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and bribery of a witness in New Mexico.
In addition, Domenech has prior arrests for unlawful possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, and theft in Tennessee, and convictions for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute an unknown quantity of marijuana, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and felon in possession of a firearm in Michigan, authorities said.
Domenech allegedly told authorities he entered the United States through Florida in 1995. A deportation order was issued by a judge in 2002.
However, when ICE took him into custody in 2023, he was released back onto the streets by the Biden administration, DHS said.
“ICE has lodged a detainer and will work with our partners in Florida to ensure that this killer is never again allowed back onto our streets,” Mullin said.