Multiple Kidnappings and Heists Make Headlines Globally

A group of armed men posing as Reserve Bank of India officials robbed a cash transport van of $800,000 in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The robbery occurred during the day, with the gang using an SUV with a fake number plate and a 'Government of India' sticker. They tricked the van's occupants into handing over the cash, then fled. Police have launched a massive search operation and recovered the SUV used in the heist. The investigation is ongoing, with officials considering the possibility of inside involvement. The Karnataka Chief Minister and Home Minister have commented on the case, with the latter expressing confidence in the police's ability to solve it.

Gunmen abducted over 200 pupils from St Mary's Catholic School in Niger state, Nigeria, in the early hours of Friday. This is the second mass school kidnapping in the country this week. The attack occurred despite authorities having ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools in the area due to rising security threats. The kidnappers, locally known as bandits, stormed the school at around 02:00 local time. The incident has sparked fear and uncertainty, with families waiting for news. The authorities have launched a rescue operation, combing the forests to locate the abducted students. The incident is part of a renewed wave of attacks by armed groups in Nigeria, including a recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in neighboring Kebbi state and an attack on a church in Kwara state.

Armed men attacked a Catholic boarding school in northwestern Nigeria, abducting several schoolchildren and staff. The incident occurred just days after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in a neighboring state. The abductions have sparked concern from the Nigerian government and international attention from the Trump administration, which has criticized Nigeria's handling of violence against Christians. The attack is the latest in a series of kidnappings in Nigeria, with at least 1,500 students abducted in the region since the Chibok schoolgirls were seized over a decade ago. Analysts blame the insecurity on a failure to prosecute known attackers and rampant corruption.

A Mexican court has sentenced a 23-year-old woman, Ary Gisell Silva, to 20 years in prison for her involvement in the murders of two Australian surfers, Jake and Callum Robinson, and an American, Jack Carter Rhoad, in Baja California, Mexico. The victims were killed while camping at a surfing hotspot in April 2024. Silva was found guilty of 'violent robbery' after admitting to instigating and participating in the robbery of the tourists' belongings, which led to their murder. Three other individuals, including Silva's boyfriend, have been arrested and charged with murder in separate proceedings. The crime sparked widespread outrage and sadness in the victims' home countries.

Gunmen kidnapped 52 children from St. Mary's Catholic School in Nigeria's Niger state on Friday. The attack is the latest in a series of assaults on Christian institutions in Nigeria, with the US expressing concern over the persecution of Christians in the country. The kidnapping follows similar incidents earlier in the week, including the abduction of 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church, where two people were killed and 38 worshippers were abducted. The Nigerian government has disputed the US's claims of persecution, but US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, has described the killings as 'genocide wearing the mask of chaos.' Rapper Nicki Minaj has also spoken out against the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

Gunmen kidnapped over 200 students and 12 teachers from St Mary's School in Agwara, Niger state, Nigeria, on Friday. This is the second mass abduction in the country this week, following the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in neighbouring Kebbi state on Monday. The attackers, who were armed with rifles, also shot a security staffer during the early-morning attack. The kidnappings have highlighted insecurity in Nigeria, with at least 1,500 students abducted in the region since Boko Haram extremists seized 276 Chibok schoolgirls over a decade ago. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but analysts say gangs often target schools in kidnappings for ransom.

Nigeria is reeling after 215 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in central Nigeria, marking the second mass school abduction in the country within a week. The kidnapping occurred against the backdrop of threats from Donald Trump to intervene militarily to end a perceived 'Christian genocide' in Nigeria, which the Nigerian government denies. The incident has heightened pressure on the government to act, with the US classifying Nigeria as a country of particular concern due to alleged severe violations of religious freedoms. The kidnappings are believed to be financially motivated, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom. The attacks are part of a larger insecurity crisis in Nigeria, with multiple overlapping crises across its central and northern states.