One of two doctors charged in the investigation of the death of Matthew Perry pleaded guilty on Wednesday in a federal court in Los Angeles to conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine.
Dr Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors in August and is now the third person to plead guilty in the aftermath of the Friends star's fatal overdose last year.
Prosecutors offered lesser charges to Chavez and two others in exchange for their cooperation as they go after two targets they deem more responsible for the overdose death: another doctor and an alleged dealer who they say was known as 'ketamine queen' of Los Angeles.
Chavez is free on bond after turning over his passport and surrendering his medical license, among other conditions.
His lawyer, Matthew Binninger, said after Chavez's first court appearance on 30 August that he was 'incredibly remorseful' and is 'trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here'.
Also working with federal prosecutors are Perry's assistant, who admitted to helping him obtain and inject ketamine, and a Perry acquaintance, who admitted to acting as a drug messenger and middleman.
The three are helping prosecutors in their prosecution of Dr Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman who authorities say sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine. Both have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Chavez admitted in his plea agreement that he obtained ketamine from his former clinic and from a wholesale distributor where he submitted a fraudulent prescription.
After a guilty plea, he could get up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced.
Perry was found dead by his assistant on 28 October. The medical examiner ruled ketamine was the primary cause of death. The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.
Perry began seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him, authorities say. About a month before the actor's death, he found Plasencia, who in turn asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.
'I wonder how much this moron will pay,' Plasencia texted Chavez. The two met up the same day in Costa Mesa, halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, and exchanged at least four vials of ketamine.
After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry's 'go-to'.
Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on the mega-hit sitcom on NBC.
The UK has agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending years of bitter dispute over Britain's last African colony.
The UK expelled the Chagossians in the 1960s and 1970s, in what has been described as a crime against humanity, when it retained possession of what it called the British Indian Ocean Territory, or BIOT, after Mauritius gained independence in 1968.
The agreement follows rounds of negotiations that began in 2022 after Mauritian arguments for sovereignty were recognised by the international court of justice (ICJ), the UN general assembly and the international tribunal of the law of the sea (Itlos) in 2019 and 2021.
Britain was found to have unlawfully separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius before granting independence in 1968. The UK initially defied UN votes and court judgments demanding it return the islands, emphasising that the ICJ ruling was only an 'advisory opinion'.
An attempt to halt the negotiations, on the basis that the Chagossians were not consulted or involved, failed.
The BBC has cancelled a prime-time interview with Boris Johnson after the presenter Laura Kuenssberg accidentally sent the former prime minister her briefing notes.
Kuenssberg said she sent Johnson the notes 'in a message meant for my team'. The former BBC political editor said it was 'embarrassing and disappointing', adding the error meant it was 'not right for the interview to go ahead'.
Due to be broadcast at 7.30pm on Thursday on BBC One, it was being billed as Johnson's first major interview since leaving office. He was expected to discuss Brexit, his government's handling of the Covid pandemic and the Partygate scandal.
Other broadcasters and podcasters have offered to do the interview in Kuenssberg's place amid calls for the BBC to use another journalist. Those volunteering on X to conduct the interview included Sky's former political editor Adam Boulton, Tony Blair's former director of communications Alastair Campbell, and the Channel 4 News presenters Cathy Newman and Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
Sunder Katwala, the director of the thinktank British Future, also urged the BBC to find a replacement to conduct the interview. 'Shouldn't the BBC just get somebody else to do the interview on Friday or next week?'Â he said on X.
Johnson, who was prime minister from 2019 to 2022, has a memoir, Unleashed, being published next week.
Kuenssberg previously investigated his government in Panorama episode Partygate: Inside the Storm, and looked back at the recent Conservative years in a three-part BBC Two series called Laura Kuenssberg: State of Chaos.
In a post on X on Wednesday evening, Kuenssberg wrote: 'While prepping to interview Boris Johnson tomorrow, by mistake I sent our briefing notes to him in a message meant for my team. That obviously means it's not right for the interview to go ahead.
'It's very frustrating, and there's no point pretending it's anything other than embarrassing and disappointing, as there are plenty of important questions to be asked. But red faces aside, honesty is the best policy. See you on Sunday.'
A BBC spokesperson was reported as saying the inadvertent move made the interview 'untenable' and that both the BBC and Johnson's team had agreed to cancel it.
The Ministry of Health reports that as of October 2, 2024, a total of 36 cases of the Marburg virus have been confirmed in Rwanda since the outbreak on September 27, including seven new cases. Of these, 25 are still under medical care.
Since the outbreak began on September 27, 11 people have died from the virus, including one death recorded on October 2.
State Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, revealed that 410 people who had contact with infected individuals are being monitored for testing. Preliminary tests on these individuals have shown that they are not infected, but further testing is ongoing to confirm.
The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) explained that there is currently no specific treatment or vaccine available for the Marburg virus, but trials for drugs and vaccines are progressing well.
The center emphasized that the current focus is on providing supportive care that relieves symptoms, and when administered early, it increases the chances of survival.
Dr. Butera announced that Rwanda is set to begin trials for vaccinating and treating people, with the aim of protecting those at high risk of contracting the virus.
Dr. Butera stated, 'We are close to starting trials for vaccines and treatments to protect those at high risk.'
In an exclusive interview , Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said that vaccinations could begin in the next two weeks, starting with individuals already in hospitals.
He said, 'Yes, we are planning it soon, and it could even happen in less than two weeks, but the exact date has not yet been finalized.'
The vaccines and treatments to be used are in the final stages of research, and Dr. Nsanzimana mentioned that Rwanda is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO).
He said, 'The vaccines are in the final stages of research, and there are also drugs being developed to fight the virus that are not yet on the market. These efforts are being fast-tracked by the WHO.'
It is not yet clear how the virus reached Rwanda, but Dr. Nsanzimana noted that research is ongoing to determine its origin.
He reassured the public that once the origin of the virus is identified, Rwandans will be informed.
Those at high risk of contracting the virus include healthcare workers, individuals who come into contact with the body of someone who died from Marburg during burial, and those who have been in contact with an infected person showing symptoms.
The early symptoms of Marburg are similar to those of other diseases like Malaria, Typhoid, and other fever-inducing illnesses. These symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The Marburg virus is transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids or blood of an infected person, or by touching contaminated surfaces or areas where these fluids have been.
RBC explains that a person infected with Marburg but not yet showing symptoms is less likely to transmit the virus to others
Melania Trump describes in her new memoir how she made her husband, then president Donald Trump, drop a signature hardline immigration policy under which migrant children were separated from their parents, stoking domestic and international uproar.
'This has to stop,' the former first lady says she told her husband, 'emphasizing the trauma it was causing these families' and seeing him swiftly comply, ending the policy on 20 June 2018.
It is not the only spousal disagreement revealed in the memoir, Melania, which will be published in the US next week. The Guardian obtained a copy.
Melania Trump also delivers a passionate defence of abortion rights significantly weakened by a supreme court to which her husband appointed three hardline justices and under further attack as he runs for the White House again.
Like abortion and reproductive rights, immigration is a hot-button issue in the campaign that will culminate on 5 November when Americans choose Trump or Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, as president for the next four years.
'Occasional political disagreements between me and my husband were a part of our relationship,' Melania Trump writes, 'but I believed in addressing them privately rather than publicly challenging him. I found our discussions more productive when we could have a quiet dialogue at home, out of the public eye.'
She writes of her immigration concerns: 'Given my past experiences with unfair media narratives, I always approached the news with some skepticism. Before discussing the border crisis with him, I thoroughly educated myself on the situation.'
Reports of children 'being held in overcrowded detention centers and in absolute squalor ⦠raised serious questions about their health and well-being. The lack of a clear plan for reuniting families and the absence of a definitive policy on these separations only added to the public's outrage. I felt strongly that the situation demanded urgent attention and action.'
Describing approaching a husband 'whose hardline stance on immigration was well known', Trump writes: 'I am sympathetic to all who wish to find a better life in this country. As an immigrant myself, I intimately understand the necessary if arduous process of legally becoming an American.'
Born in Slovenia, Trump became a US citizen in July 2006, eight years after meeting Donald Trump and shortly after giving birth to their son, Barron. That same month, Donald Trump had the sexual encounter with the adult film star Stormy Daniels from which arose his 34 felony convictions regarding hush-money payments.
Melania Trump in the controversial Zara jacket in 2018. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP
Melania does not address that scandal in her book. Regarding child separations, she continues: 'While I support strong borders, what was going on at the border was simply unacceptable. I immediately addressed my deep concerns with Donald regarding the family separations, emphasizing the trauma it was causing these families. As a mother myself, I stressed: 'The government should not be taking children away from their parents.' I communicated with great clarity ⦠'This has to stop.'
'Donald assured me that he would investigate the issue, and on 20 June, he announced the end of the family separation policy.'
The first lady's intervention was reported at the time. Also widely reported was an incident that occurred when she visited the southern border herself.
A first visit made her think 'the root cause' of family separations 'was not the government but rather the dangerous influence of criminal cartels in their home countries'.
But when she made a second trip to meet desperate migrant children, she stirred controversy by travelling in a jacket emblazoned with a slogan, 'I really don't care, do U?' that many thought insensitive at best and callous at worst.
On the page, Trump says the message, which she calls 'discreet yet impactful', was meant as a protest against anonymously sourced reporting.
'I was determined ⦠not to let the media's false narratives affect my mission to help the children and families at the border,' she writes. 'In fact, I decided to let them know that their criticism would never stop me from doing what I feel is right. To make the point, I wore a particular jacket as I boarded the plane, a jacket that quickly became famous.
'As the door on the plane closed, my press secretary's inbox was flooded with urgent emails from top-tier media outlets regarding the jacket ⦠'It's a message for the media,' I said, 'to let them know I was unconcerned with their opinions of me' [but] she told me I couldn't say that. 'Why not? It is the truth.' I disagreed with her insistence that I couldn't say that. Ignoring my comments, she told a CNN reporter she was friendly with that it was simply a jacket, a fashion choice with no underlying message.'
Trump says the subsequent fuss 'overshadowed the importance of the children, the border, and the policy change' and was 'just another example of the media's irresponsible behavior'.
But the press secretary she blames for communicating 'misinformation' about the jacket, Stephanie Grisham, wrote in her own book that when the two women got back to Washington DC, they were told off by the president. Contradicting Melania's claim to have worn the jacket to target the media, Grisham says Donald Trump came up with the idea, shouting: 'You just tell them you were talking to the fucking press.'
Recent reporting suggests a different motive on Melania's behalf. According to Katie Rogers, a New York Times reporter, the episode was part of a four-year 'internal power struggle' between Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump's daughter and senior adviser.
As described by Rogers, Melania and Ivanka were 'locked in a quiet competition for press coverage', prompting the first lady to scrutinize every 'mention of her name in the press ⦠often trawl[ing] Twitter to see what the press, her critics, and her supporters were saying about her' ┠and then to seek ways of boosting such coverage.
This initiative marks a critical step in combating the outbreak that has impacted the country since September 27, 2024.
As of October 2, 2024, the Ministry reported 36 confirmed cases of Marburg in Rwanda. Of these, 25 individuals are currently receiving medical care. However, the disease has claimed 11 lives, including one death recorded on October 2.
Dr. Yvan Butera, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, stated that 410 people who have been in contact with infected individuals are being closely monitored for testing to break transmission chains.
Initial tests have shown that none of these contacts are infected, pending further clinical and lab workouts.
The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) noted that while no specific treatment or vaccine currently exists for Marburg, promising progress has been made in research.
Presently, patient care focuses on alleviating symptoms, and early treatment significantly improves the chances of recovery.
Dr. Butera announced that Rwanda will soon initiate trials for both a vaccine and therapeutic treatment, prioritizing those at high risk of infection.
“We are about to start vaccine and therapeutic clinical trials to protect high-risk groups,” he stated.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, disclosed that vaccinations could begin within the next two weeks.
“Yes, we expect to start soon […] though we haven’t finalized the exact date yet,” he said.
The vaccines and treatments to be used are in the final stages of clinical research. Dr. Nsanzimana highlighted that Rwanda is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) to fast-track the process.
Those at highest risk of contracting the virus include healthcare workers, individuals involved in the burial of Marburg victims, and those who have been in contact with infected individuals showing symptoms.
Early symptoms of Marburg are similar to other diseases such as malaria and typhoid and include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The virus spreads through contact with bodily fluids or blood of an infected person or by touching contaminated objects and surfaces.
According to RBC, individuals infected with Marburg who have not yet developed symptoms are less likely to transmit the virus to others.
Following the confirmation of the outbreak in Rwanda, several measures have been implemented to contain its spread.
These include the suspension of visits to patients recovering in hospital wards and school visitations.
The Ministry of Health announced on Sunday night that only one caregiver per patient would be allowed at a time.
Besides, various countries, including the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), along with the WHO, have pledged their support for Rwanda’s efforts in combating the disease.
Dr. Yvan Butera, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, stated that 410 people who have been in contact with infected individuals are being closely monitored.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, disclosed that vaccinations could begin within the next two weeks.
Over half of the people displaced are children, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing.
He said the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned by rising displacement in recent months, as escalating gang violence deepens the country’s humanitarian crisis.
About three-quarters of the displaced seek shelter in other provinces, with the Grand Sud region alone hosting nearly half of the total displaced population. In Port-au-Prince, the capital, where the security situation remains highly unstable, a quarter of those displaced live in overcrowded sites, with limited access to basic services, said Dujarric.
The school year started in Haiti on Tuesday, and UN humanitarian partners have been working closely with the authorities to support the national back-to-school campaign. Some 1.4 million students and teachers have experienced severe disruptions to education over the past year due to ongoing insecurity.
Dujarric said that in partnership with local organizations, the UN Children’s Fund is offering various forms of support, including by providing cash transfers so that families can cover school-related costs, helping displaced children integrate into host schools, distributing school kits, and ensuring schools are rehabilitated and have adequate supplies.
“However, these response efforts remain significantly underfunded,” he said, adding that just 30 percent of the 30 million U.S. dollars needed to provide education support to children in Haiti this year has been received.
Overall, the humanitarian response plan for Haiti this year remains only 39 percent funded, with 264 million dollars of the 674 million dollars required to provide life-saving assistance to the people of the country, said Dujarric.
The dinner was attended by high-ranking officials, including Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, and Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean Damascene Bizimana.
President Kagame expressed his gratitude to his counterpart of Latvia, Rinkēvičs for the warm reception extended to him and his delegation.
'President Edgars Rinkēvičs, once again, thank you for hosting me and my delegation on this historic visit. I am convinced that Latvia and Rwanda have a lot to offer one another. We look forward to becoming not only friends but also partners,' said Kagame.
The dinner followed a series of discussions between the two Presidents. They covered topics including the strengthening of bilateral relations, addressing security challenges in both Africa and Europe, and enhancing cooperation in international organizations.
Rinkēvičs emphasized the historic nature of the visit, noting that President Kagame is the first African leader to pay an official visit to Latvia.
He also highlighted Latvia’s interest in expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in economic and trade sectors.
'There is potential for collaboration in the field of information and communication technologies, which is also demonstrated by the growing interest of Latvian companies in the African market,” said Rinkēvičs.
Following their bilateral talks, Kagame told members of the press that Rwanda and Latvia share strong bonds of friendship. He emphasized that the purpose of his visit was to explore new opportunities for the mutual benefit of both nations.
As part of the visit, the two Presidents unveiled a commemorative plaque at the National Library of Latvia, dedicated to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Rinkēvičs reflected on the genocide, calling it a dark chapter in world history.
'Thirty years ago, the world witnessed one of its darkest moments. The 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi served as a reminder of how hatred can poison people’s minds. The atrocities of 1994 in Rwanda cannot be described and must not be forgotten,' said Rinkēvičs.
'Three decades later, we continue to remember the victims and honor the survivors of the genocide. Rwanda has demonstrated to the world how to overcome an unimaginable tragedy by making a determined effort to heal society and forge unity,' he added.
Drawing a parallel with Latvia’s history, marked by wars, occupations, and violent repressions, Rinkēvičs remarked that Latvia deeply understands the importance of preserving historical memory.
President Kagame’s official visit to Latvia is set to conclude on October 3, 2024. Diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Latvia were first established on April 10, 2007.
Latvian President sosted his counterpart of Rwanda for a dinner on the evening of Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
The dinner followed a series of discussions between the two Presidents.
Rinkēvičs highlighted Latvia’s interest in expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in economic and trade sectors.
President Kagame emphasized that the purpose of his visit was to explore new opportunities for the mutual benefit of both nations.
President Kagame expressed his gratitude to his counterpart of Latvia, Rinkēvičs for the warm reception extended to him and his delegation.
President Kagame and his Latvian counterpart share a ceremonial toast at the dinner.
The dinner was attended by high-ranking officials, including Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, and Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean Damascene Bizimana.
The two Presidents unveiled a commemorative plaque at the National Library of Latvia, dedicated to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The commemorative plaque was unveiled at the National Library of Latvia.
Both heads of state and their delegations attended the unveling of the commmorative plaque.
The UK High Commissioner to Rwanda, Alison Heather Thorpe, told the media in Kigali on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, that the British government stands ready to assist Rwanda in responding to the health emergency through, among other measures, the provision of protective kits and medical experts.
“We are looking at a whole variety of measures, from the provision of kits, such as personal protective equipment and testing kits, to potentially sending out some epidemiologists and medical support staff,” Thorpe stated.
She added, “We are also examining whether we have any vaccines under trial that we could develop. In fact, there’s a team from Oxford University currently in the country supporting the WHO in their efforts.”
“So we stand ready to help in whatever way we can. The government of Rwanda needs to tell us what they would most like from us, and then we can set our wheels in motion to deliver that.”
The UK’s support will complement efforts from other partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has also offered to collaborate with the Rwandan government in the fight against Marburg.
CDC, the national public health agency of the United States, announced on Monday that it is deploying experts to assist Rwanda’s investigation and response to the Marburg outbreak.
“The staff will use their experience from responding to outbreaks of Marburg virus disease and similar diseases in other countries to support epidemiology, contact tracing, laboratory testing, disease detection and control along borders, and hospital infection prevention and control,” the CDC said in a statement.
Rwanda confirmed its first-ever Marburg outbreak six days ago, with 29 cases and 10 deaths reported as of Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
To control the spread of the virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever, the government has implemented several measures, including suspending hospital visits, banning wakes and home vigils (locally known as Ikiriyo) for Marburg-related deaths, and limiting burials for Marburg deaths to a maximum of 50 people.
Additionally, all healthcare facilities have been directed to implement a protocol for receiving and providing services to clients exhibiting symptoms of Marburg virus disease, with strict adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.
Currently, there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Marburg virus disease. However, supportive careâ”rehydration with oral or intravenous fluidsâ”and treatment of specific symptoms can improve survival.
The UK High Commissioner to Rwanda, Alison Heather Thorpe, told the media in Kigali on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, that the British government stands ready to assist Rwanda in responding to the health emergency.
Mr. Butera brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in mining industry, positioning Ngali Holdings Ltd for its next phase of growth and innovation.
With over six years of leadership experience in mining, Mr. Butera has held prominent roles at LuNa Smelter Ltd â” Rwanda, where he served as both the Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director among other roles. Known for his strategic vision, innovative approach, and industry expertise, Mr. Butera will spearhead Ngali Holdings Ltd’s efforts to expand its market presence.
The Chairperson and the Board of Directors of Ngali Holdings Ltd expressed their enthusiasm and confidence in Mr. Butera’s leadership and look forward to seeing the company reach new heights under his guidance.
He is set to work closely with the executive leadership team and all employees to continue driving the company’s mission to unlock economic potential and eliminate growth barriers in Africa; and deliver value to its customers, partners, and stakeholders.
Ngali Holdings is a Rwandan company investing in a wide range of industries across the continent of Africa. The company aspires to see African markets grow and specialize in long-term, wide-scale infrastructure projects with a holistic focus.
Mr. Joseph Butera is the new Chief Executive Officer of Ngali Holdings Ltd.
