Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who bravely battled breast cancer in 2019, has been struck with another health challenge.

The president’s office revealed in a statement on Tuesday that she has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

The statement said, “First Lady Asma al-Assad has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.”

More to follow………… 

Bandits launched an attack on Zurak village in the Bashar District of Wase local government area, Plateau State, on Monday at around 5 p.m., resulting in the death of over 40 individuals, including local vigilantes.

According to report, the assault took place while people were engaged in their daily routines.

Residents reported that they were unable to immediately report the incident due to poor communication networks in the area.

Sahpi’i Sambo, a local youth leader, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, stating that the bandits arrived on motorcycles—two per bike—armed with sophisticated weapons, and began shooting indiscriminately.

He said “More than 40 people were killed while many injured. Residents of the village have fled to neighbouring communities for cover. As of yesterday, security personnel had not yet arrived at the community. It was deadly. ”

As of the time this report was filed, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries.

A 61-year-old male Nigerian, with physical challenges, who has resided in the UK for 38 years, has deportation by the Home Office, staring him in the face.

Media reports indicate that Anthony Olubunmi George, migrated to the UK from Nigeria at the age of 24 back in 1986.

According to the Guardian UK, George has been law abiding throughout his unbroken stay in the UK, with a clean record, no criminal convictions.

However, in 2019, he experienced two strokes that had a significant impact on his ability to speak and move.

On his part, George maintains that he no longer has any immediate relatives residing in Nigeria.

His health challenge has exposed to several episodes of homelessness, which left him at the mercy of friends for shelter over the years.

George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry.

“All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”

In this regard, George had made multiple applications for leave to remain in the UK, all of which have been denied by the Home Office, with the most recent rejection occurring on May 7, 2024.

In 2005, his previous solicitors submitted a falsified entry stamp in his passport which has since been reported to the police and the legal regulatory bodies.

The Guardian UK cites George as claiming to completely unaware of the passport stamp until several years later.

His present legal representatives trace George’s trauma to previous poor legal representation.

According to his current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, George’s difficulties can be attributed to his poor past legal representation.

In their latest rejection, officials from the Home Office stated that the situation was not deemed to be an exceptional circumstance.

Counting the failure of his previous applications being on the shoulders of his lawyers, Kandiah has filed an appeal challenging the most recent denial.

Kandiah said, “My client has been living in limbo for 38 years, with no family, has suffered two strokes and has no family left in Nigeria.

“His situation is not just because of Home Office policies but also because of poor representation by previous solicitors who failed to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards.”

The Guardian UK cites a spokesperson for the Home Office, thus, “applications have to be considered on their merits in accordance with the immigration rules with the responsibility on applicants to demonstrate they meet these rules.”

George might not be alone in this, as the Guardian UK also reported the story of Nelson Shardey, a 74-year-old newsagent from Merseyside.

Shardey has been living in the UK since 1977 and was recently denied indefinite leave to remain by the Home Office, despite having spent the majority of his adult life in the country.