Imane Khelif – the Algerian Olympic gold medalist – has once again found herself at the center of controversy.
The boxer first made headlines during the Paris Summer Olympic Games in August, when Khelif’s rapid defeat of Angela Carini – who left the ring in tears after a brief 46-second match due to a severely injured nose – raised eyebrows from some viewers.
At the time, social media users – including high-profile stars like Logan Paul and J.K. Rowling – speculated on Khelif’s gender and repeatedly spread false claims about the athlete.
The fallout from the Games led Khelif to take legal action against those who publicly commented on her gender during the Olympics on social media.
Following her gold medal win, Khalif told the world: “I am fully qualified to take part in this competition – I am a woman. I was born a woman, I’ve lived as a woman and I’ve competed as a woman.
“There’s no doubt that there are enemies of success and that gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.”
Now, Khalif is preparing to fight yet another legal battle following reports of intrusive leaks of her medical records, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Per News.com.au, French media outlets ignited controversy by claiming that 25-year-old Khelif possesses XY chromosomes, prompting widespread debate and comments from figures as prominent as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and author JK Rowling.
The leaked report was allegedly first seen by French magazine Le Correspondant, per BBC News – however, as of this writing, the magazine’s claims remain unverified by the BBC.
The IOC, refraining from commenting on the ongoing legal matters or the authenticity of the leaked documents, highlighted Khelif’s longstanding participation in women’s international boxing. She has been competing in the women’s category at major events for years, including the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and various International Boxing Association (IBA) world championships.
“We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and is also preparing a lawsuit in response to the latest reporting,” the IOC said in its statement.
“The IOC will not comment while legal action is ongoing, or on media reports about unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.”
Per The Guardian, the IOC statement added: “All the athletes who participated in the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 complied with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, together with all the applicable medical regulations enacted by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU).
“As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes were based on their passport details.”
“The IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes who have taken part in the Olympic Games as per the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights,” the statement continnued. “The IOC is saddened by the abuse that Imane Khelif is currently receiving.”
The Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) has criticized the “ongoing and baseless attacks” on Khelif.
In a statement of their own, they told DW: “These attacks, often based on unsubstantiated allegations, aim to tarnish the image of an athlete who has brought honor to our nation on the international stage.
“We firmly condemn these attempts at destabilization, which have no place in the world of sports.”
Amidst this personal challenge for Khelif, the boxing world is facing its own upheaval.
France recently withdrew from the IBA, citing a need to secure a stable future for French boxing in the Olympics amidst ongoing disputes between the IBA and the IOC concerning the governance and ethics of the boxing body.
The IOC, having taken charge of the Paris Games’ boxing events, warned that boxing must align with a new, trustworthy international body to ensure its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
This controversy comes as World Boxing – a new entity formed in 2023 and supported by major boxing nations including the United States and the United Kingdom – is negotiating to potentially oversee future Olympic boxing competitions, aiming to restore faith in the sport.
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12-year-old girl who took her own life after bullying shared final post with haunting message
By James Kay
A tragedy saw a 12-year-old girl die by suicide after being bullied, and she shared a heartbreaking final post.
Ella Catley-Crawford was found on October 27 and passed away a week later at Queensland Children’s Hospital, per the Daily Mail.
Her family says she had endured bullying at her school in Brisbane, which led her to feel as though “she was the problem.”
“We are numb and broken, especially for our sister, Julie, who has lost her best friend, the love of her life, and her only child,” her family expressed in a fundraiser to support Ella’s mother. “Ella was a bright and quirky 12-year-old who faced unimaginable challenges.”
The GoFundMe page continued: “After just one term, she became the victim of a cruel catfishing scheme orchestrated by girls who preyed on her vulnerability.
“They shared her personal photos across social media, leading to bullying, isolation, and the start of a difficult mental health journey of trying to fit in.”
In a heartbreaking TikTok post just hours before she lost her life, Ella left a haunting message: “One day you’ll never see me again,” as reported by News.com.au.
Friends responded with messages of love and support, urging her to reach out. “Nooo, I’m here for you, Ella.
Always here to talk,” one friend wrote, while another added: “I hope it all gets better,” to which Ella responded: “That means a lot.”
Ella had joined her new school this year on an academic scholarship. Her principal at Redlands College, Andrew Johnson, expressed condolences to Year 7 parents in a message, according to The Courier-Mail.
Ella’s mother shared with her netball club that playing netball had been her “happy place,” with the Raiders Netball Club Redlands mourning her loss in a public statement: “Our love, thoughts, and prayers are with Ella’s family, and we are so deeply sorry for the loss of such a beautiful young girl.”
The family’s statement on their GoFundMe page voiced anger and sadness at the systems in place. “If you ask if we are angry – yes, we are. If you ask if we are sad – absolutely. And if you ask if the system let her down – it did.”
The statement added: “In her final act of kindness, Ella was able to donate her organs through Donate Life, giving the gift of life to others —a testament to her compassionate spirit.”
At the time of writing, the fundraiser has gained AU$141,000 ($93,000).
In regards to what the money will be used for, the family said: “We want to provide Ella with a dignified funeral and support her mother, Julie, who needs time off work to heal and seek therapy.
“No parent should have to plan their child’s funeral, and we are asking for your kindness and generosity during this painful time.
“Every contribution will go directly to Ella’s funeral costs, and we will also donate 10% to suicide prevention initiatives to help others who may be struggling.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
Featured image credit: GoFundMe
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Chilling video captures skydiver’s final moments as he jumps off cliff before falling to his death
By Nasima Khatun
A chilling video captured the final moments of a skydiver who fell to his death.
On Sunday, Jose de Alencar Lima Junior tragically lost his life while attempting to speed fly at Pedra Bonita in Sao Conrado, Brazil.
Speedflying is an activity that allows you to glide down mountainsides on a small, lightweight canopy launched into flight either on skis or by foot – similar to that of paragliding.
But just like any air sport, it comes with some pretty big risks.
In video footage that was captured at the scene, Jose can be seen taking a run-up at the edge of a cliff before jumping off the edge with his parachute only half open.
The 49-year-old ended up falling into a heavily forested area, as per the New York Post, much to the shock of spectators who watched the entire scene unfold.
A rescue mission was deployed so that authorities could retrieve the former army veteran’s body, which reportedly hit some large rocks when it fell from approximately 820 feet up.
Local police also confirmed that his body was located in a hard-to-reach area of the forest.
An investigation into what could have caused the fall is currently ongoing with police stating that the equipment Jose used may have been faulty, ultimately leading to his death.
His sister-in-law told the outlet that Jose was visiting his family in Brazil at the time of his death and that he lived in Germany.
Clube Sao Conrado de Voo Livre (CSCLV), a company that controls access to the site reported that Jose may have jumped from a location that was not appropriate, also adding that he accessed Pedra Bonita from a trail and not the ramp, which is recommended.
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Story of ‘radioactive man’ who suffered one of the most painful deaths ever recorded
By James Kay
A “radioactive man” suffered one of the most painful deaths in history, with his family insisting he be kept alive in pain.
On September 30, 1999, a tragic nuclear accident at the Tokaimura Nuclear Power Plant left Hisashi Ouchi with severe radiation exposure, marking one of the most painful deaths in recorded history.
Ouchi and his colleagues, Masato Shinohara and Yutaka Yokokawa, were instructed to mix uranyl nitrate in a large metal tank, despite reportedly having limited experience handling the hazardous material, per the Daily Mail.
This mistake led to an uncontrolled nuclear fission chain reaction, releasing dangerous radiation and gamma rays.
Ouchi, who was standing closest to the tank, received a staggering dose of 17,000 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation, far exceeding the exposure absorbed by his coworkers.
Shinohara and Yokokawa, stationed further from the tank, were exposed to 10,000 and 3,000 mSv respectively.
For Ouchi, this exposure marked the beginning of 83 harrowing days of suffering.
Following the incident, Ouchi fell unconscious and experienced immediate, severe symptoms: radiation burns, vomiting, and intense nausea.
He was quickly transferred to the University of Tokyo Hospital, where doctors discovered the extent of his injuries.
Ouchi had nearly no white blood cells left, compromising his immune system, and required extensive skin grafts and multiple blood transfusions.
As his condition deteriorated, Ouchi endured unrelenting pain.
His skin began to peel away, and his internal organs – particularly his liver and intestines – sustained extreme damage.
Despite medical interventions, his immune system could not recover.
During this time, he expressed profound distress to his medical team, reportedly crying out: “I can’t take it anymore! I am not a guinea pig.”
Despite Ouchi’s pleas, his family requested that doctors continue treatment.
On his 59th day of hospitalization, Ouchi suffered three heart attacks; however, his family insisted that he be resuscitated each time.
Ouchi ultimately succumbed to his injuries on December 21, 1999, at the age of 35, following multiple organ failure.
His colleague, Shinohara, also died of organ failure the following year at the age of 40. Yokokawa, however, survived after receiving three months of treatment for mild radiation sickness.
The accident’s aftermath saw Yokokawa and five JCO officials facing criminal negligence charges, to which all pled guilty in 2001.
JCO later paid $121 million in compensation for claims from 6,875 people and businesses affected by radiation exposure.
The company subsequently lost its credentials for operating nuclear facilities in Japan.
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Teen tragically died on mom’s shoulder after eating meal of chicken and fries
By Nasima Khatun
A teen passed away after eating a meal while on vacation.
Lily King from the United Kingdom tragically died after consuming chicken and fries at a local restaurant while on vacation in Rabat, Morocco.
The 18-year-old, who had just completed her first year at Exeter University, was enjoying the trip with her mother Aicha, and on the last night, they decided to visit a restaurant they had gone to previously as they were sure that it could adhere to the teen’s dietary restrictions.
Lily was highly allergic to dairy, fish, shellfish, sesame, and nuts so the 56-year-old communicated this to the staff at the establishment, even telling them in Arabic so there would be no misunderstandings.
“I explained to him [the waiter] in Arabic three times ‘Please be careful, she is very, very allergic,” the devastated mom told the Daily Mail. “He says ‘Yeah no worry, we careful.'”
However, as soon as Lily started eating her meal, she suddenly began experiencing symptoms of an allergic reaction, gasping for air and vomiting.
“She got an itchy throat, which developed into sickness, stomach cramps, and breathing problems,” her father Michael told the outlet.
The teenager attempted to use her Epi-Pen once she was allowed to leave as it was reported that staff initially tried to stop her and force her to settle the bill even when her life was in danger.
“They delayed her from leaving the restaurant by a few minutes that could have actually saved Lily’s life,” he added.
Aicha said she was already worried about the meal when it arrived at the table as it had some extra elements to her original order – which was a simple grilled chicken and fries with no oil.
However, the waiter assured the pair that it was just extra vegetables that had been cooked in olive oil and there was nothing to worry about.
While the 56-year-old continued to deliberate with the waiter, Lily had allegedly taken a bite of the carrots on the plate and started feeling uneasy.
“I can’t breathe,” she told her mother and even after trying some antihistamines which are supposed to help relieve some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction, things continued to get worse.
“I started calling the ambulance and we went outside, so she can try to breathe,” Aicha recalled. “We [used] the Epi-Pen. But I left my bag inside the restaurant, and it had my passport and everything in it, I can’t leave it, and I went [inside] to get it back.
“I told the restaurant, ‘My daughter [is] dying outside.’ He said to me, to pay the bill before you’re leaving [sic].”
After giving them the money, the panicked mother ran back outside to her daughter who had already administered her second Epi-Pen but again, to no avail.
The ambulance she had called was also taking a while to arrive, so the mom took matters into her own hands and drove her child to the nearest facility, which took another 30 minutes.
In that time, Lily had taken her final breath, telling her mother “I love you, goodbye” before dying on her shoulder.
Lily had suffered a heart attack before having a catatonic fit which destroyed her brain function, leaving her brain dead.
“They kept her alive for three days and gave her another test and there was no brain function detectable, and we had to let her go,” Michael said, noting that he and his oldest daughter from a previous marriage had rushed to Rabat after hearing about the news.
“‘We told [the doctors] exactly what happened in the restaurant,” Aicha said. “But on the death certificate that was issued subsequently, they said her cause of death was a heart attack.”
The family is now seeking answers answers from the establishment, hoping to determine whether there was an allergen in the food or whether that had been some cross-contamination that led to Lily’s death.
Paying tribute to their daughter, Michael said: “Lily was loved by many, many friends. We had 60 or 70 of her friends and colleagues at the funeral, and they all signed a book of condolences, and they said the most marvellous things about her; how she was a shining light and made everybody laugh, and how she helped them with their problems.
He continued: “She was a very caring girl and very intelligent. With all her problems, she still managed to get to grammar school and get three A-Levels with grades for Exeter University to study Economics.”
The family is now raising awareness of the matter through their JustGiving page, hoping to fund more money into research on allergies.
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Creators of controversial suicide pod respond to claims first person to die using it was found with ‘strangulation marks’
By James Kay
The creators of the “suicide pod” have spoken out following claims that the first person to use it was found with strangulation marks.
As previously reported, the device known as the Sarco Pod, developed by Exit International and operated by The Last Resort, allows users to end their lives through a controlled release of nitrogen gas.
This induces a painless death through oxygen deprivation.
Dr. Philip Nitschke, an advocate for assisted suicide who has been dubbed “Doctor Death,” created the pod with the goal of offering a humane, drug-free method of euthanasia.
An American woman’s death has since led to an ongoing criminal investigation in Switzerland, after she became the first to die using the device.
According to Nitschke, the woman appeared to die peacefully.
“It looked exactly as we expected it to,” he said in a statement to Dutch media, adding: “My guess is that she lost consciousness within two minutes and that she died after five minutes.”
The woman died on September 23 in the pod and Dr. Florian Willet, who was reportedly the only person present at the time of her death, was detained at the scene alongside two lawyers and a photographer and remains in custody.
Authorities are probing the woman’s death, raising suspicions of potential foul play after forensic experts allegedly observed serious neck injuries, per Dutch media.
Despite The Last Resort’s description of the woman’s death as peaceful, forensic evidence led investigators to question the cause.
Chief prosecutor Peter Sticher, who was present with police and forensics on September 23, said: “We found the capsule with the lifeless person inside… and brought them to the Institute of Forensic Medicine. An autopsy will be performed.”
However, no official autopsy report has been released, raising further questions.
The woman reportedly suffered from skull base osteomyelitis, a painful bone marrow infection that, according to a source close to The Last Resort, could have caused neck marks resembling strangulation.
Friends of the woman told NZZ that she had struggled with debilitating pain for two years, experiencing severe headaches and limitations on mobility due to an immune disorder that made treating the condition challenging.
The Last Resort shared a statement made by the woman before her death, in which she said, “I have had a death wish for at least two years” due to her “very serious illness.”
The Last Resort and Exit International have insisted the unnamed woman entered the pod willingly and pushed a button, which filled the pod with nitrogen, euthanizing her as planned.
In a joint statement, they described chief prosecutor Peter Sticher’s allegation of “intentional homicide” as “ridiculous and absurd”, per the Daily Mail.
The Sarco capsule, created using a 3D printer, works by filling the enclosed chamber with nitrogen, replacing oxygen, and rendering the occupant unconscious within minutes.
A camera records the final moments, and the footage is provided to coroners.
The Last Resort noted that the device is meant to be a free alternative for those seeking assisted suicide, with the only expense being the nitrogen cost of approximately 18 Swiss francs.
