The Epping Forest District Council has applied for a High Court injunction to block the housing of asylum seekers at the Bell Hotel, following weeks of unrest and violent protests in the town.

Council leader Chris Whitbread, a Conservative, said on Tuesday the move was necessary due to “the clear risk of further escalating community tensions” after a series of demonstrations sparked by the July arrest of an asylum seeker accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, an allegation he denies.

Since mid-July, police have recorded at least six protests outside the hotel, with 28 arrests and 16 charges related to disorder. Some demonstrations turned violent, with officers and police vehicles targeted. Anti-immigration protests have also spread to London and other parts of England.

Whitbread argued that the Bell Hotel’s current use breaches planning permissions, given its proximity to schools and a care home, and claimed there was no evidence of criminal record checks being carried out on those housed there. “If the Bell Hotel was a nightclub, we could have closed it down long ago,” he said, accusing the government of “not listening” to local concerns.

The council’s application also claims the Home Office’s use of the property poses “a clear risk of irreparable harm” to the community.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to cut migrant and asylum seeker numbers to counter pressure from the hard-right Reform UK party, but Whitbread said Epping had been left with “no choice” but to pursue legal action.

Written By Rodney Mbua

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have exchanged fresh accusations over renewed clashes and troop buildups in the country’s volatile east, further clouding stalled peace efforts.

On Tuesday, Congo’s army accused M23 of launching multiple attacks in violation of agreements signed in Washington and Doha, warning it “reserved the right to respond to provocations.” The military alleged the rebels were carrying out near-daily assaults on its positions.

The statement followed M23’s accusations on Monday that Congolese forces were deploying troops and heavy equipment to at least six locations, breaching a July 19 Doha declaration of principles that commits both sides to support a permanent ceasefire. The rebels also claimed Kinshasa was failing to release detained members, as stipulated in the agreement.

Peace talks, due to resume in Doha last week, have been delayed, with neither side currently represented. The July declaration set an August 8 start date for negotiations and targeted a final deal by August 18. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa said the group had not received an invitation, while another commander told Reuters they would not attend until Congo honoured its commitments.

The Qatar-hosted talks are meant to run alongside a U.S.-led mediation effort involving Congo and Rwanda, aimed at securing lasting peace and unlocking Western investment in a mineral-rich region holding significant reserves of tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium.

M23, which seized the strategic city of Goma in January in its fastest territorial advance to date, now controls more territory than ever. Rwanda continues to deny backing the rebels, insisting its forces operate only in self-defence against Congo’s army and ethnic Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide.

Written By Rodney Mbua

South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee was arrested late Tuesday on multiple charges, including stock manipulation, corruption, and violations of political funds laws, prosecutors confirmed.

The Seoul Central District Court approved an arrest warrant for the 52-year-old after reviewing an 848-page prosecutorial brief detailing her alleged “unlawful acts,” citing a high risk of evidence tampering. The move marks the first time in South Korea’s history that both a former president and first lady are behind bars.

Kim’s detention follows the dramatic downfall of her husband, former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached in April over his controversial December 3 martial law declaration that deployed soldiers to parliament.

The measure was swiftly overturned by opposition lawmakers. Yoon was arrested on July 10 after a snap election in June brought new leadership to the Blue House.

Prosecutors allege Kim was involved in stock manipulation schemes, illicit political funding, and interference in her husband’s party’s parliamentary candidate nominations, breaching election laws. Public criticism against her intensified in 2022 when a left-wing pastor filmed himself handing her a Dior handbag, which she appeared to accept.

Yoon, during his presidency, vetoed three parliamentary bills seeking special investigations into her conduct, with his last veto issued just a week before declaring martial law.

Under prison rules, Kim has been moved to a 10-square-meter solitary cell in a separate detention facility about 20 kilometers from where Yoon is held. The cell contains a fan, small table, shelf, sink, and toilet, but no air-conditioning or bed.

She will wear a khaki prison uniform, be assigned an inmate number, and have a mug shot taken. Her presidential security protection was terminated immediately upon the court’s decision.

Kim can be held for up to 20 days before formal indictment. If indicted, she could remain in detention for up to six months. Legal experts say she may challenge the warrant or seek bail, but both are unlikely to succeed given the perceived risk of evidence destruction.

Written By Rodney Mbua

The United States and China have agreed to extend their trade truce for another 90 days, just hours before a deadline that would have seen both countries sharply increase tariffs on each other’s goods.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to maintain the pause until 10 November, while Beijing announced a similar extension. The move means the US will keep its tariff on Chinese imports at 30%, while China will continue imposing a 10% duty on American goods.

The agreement averts a planned escalation that earlier this year had seen Washington threaten tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese products, with Beijing warning of 125% duties on US shipments. Both sides scaled back their rates following trade talks in Geneva in May.

In a statement, the White House said the extension would allow more time for negotiations aimed at addressing “trade imbalances” and “unfair trade practices”. It pointed to the nearly $300bn (£223bn) US trade deficit with China in 2024 – the largest with any trading partner – and pledged to seek greater market access for American exporters.

The Chinese embassy in Washington welcomed the pause, describing “win-win cooperation” as the right path, and warning that “suppression and containment will lead nowhere”. It called on the US to remove “unreasonable” trade restrictions, and stressed the importance of maintaining global semiconductor supply chain stability.

Tariffs have been a central feature of Trump’s economic strategy since his return to the White House in January. The president has argued they will boost domestic manufacturing, raise revenue and correct what he sees as decades of unfair treatment by trading partners.

The latest extension signals a temporary easing of tensions, but the underlying disputes remain unresolved.