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Four former female recruits have accused the UK’s Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate of fostering a culture of sexual abuse, harassment and misogyny, with one woman alleging she was raped by several fellow recruits when she was 17 years old. The women, who attended the military training college over the past five years, shared their experiences publicly for the first time. They said they faced sexual violence, harassment and degrading treatment while undergoing training at the college, which prepares teenagers for military service. One former recruit said she accepted an invitation to another recruit’s room, believing it was harmless. She alleged that several male recruits sexually assaulted and raped her over the course of several hours. The traumatic incident forced her to leave the Army within weeks, saying she could no longer continue her training after the attack. Another former recruit alleged that a fellow trainee trapped her inside a room before sexually assaulting her. She said she managed to escape after struggling with the attacker. A third former recruit’s mother said her daughter endured repeated sexual harassment throughout her training and even blocked her dormitory door at night because the room’s lock was broken and she feared male recruits entering. A fourth woman claimed some instructors openly made sexist remarks, rated female recruits based on their appearance and entered female dormitories without warning. She alleged that such behaviour encouraged disrespectful attitudes toward women among male trainees. Official data obtained through freedom of information requests revealed that police received 16 reports of sexual offences linked to the college during the year ending in June. The reported incidents included allegations of sexual assault, exposure and voyeurism. Separate Ministry of Defence figures showed that 176 complaints involving inappropriate sexual behaviour were recorded at the college between January 2018 and June 2025. Most complaints involved junior soldiers, while dozens concerned permanent staff members. The British Army described the allegations as extremely serious and distressing, stating that criminal or unacceptable behaviour has no place in the armed forces. It said several reforms have been introduced to improve victim support and strengthen the handling of serious offences, including specialist investigations conducted outside the normal chain of command. The Army also said it encourages anyone who has experienced or witnessed misconduct to report it and maintained that the college remains committed to providing a professional, safe and supportive environment for all recruits. However, concerns have grown over the safety of young recruits following previous convictions involving Army personnel for sexual offences and wider reports highlighting sexual misconduct within the armed forces.

LIMA: A tourist aircraft crashed in southern Peru on Saturday, killing all 13 people on board during a sightseeing flight over the world-famous Nazca Lines, authorities confirmed. The aircraft, identified as a Cessna Caravan C-208, was carrying 11 foreign tourists and two pilots when it went down near the Nazca archaeological site shortly after taking off from Pisco Airport. According to officials, the passengers included seven Italian nationals, two Germans and two Spaniards. Emergency responders rushed to the crash site, but there were no survivors. Police and rescue teams launched recovery operations immediately after the accident. Authorities said the impact completely destroyed the aircraft, making rescue efforts impossible. Investigators have begun examining the wreckage to determine what caused the crash. The Nazca Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attract thousands of visitors every year. The enormous ancient geoglyphs, etched into the desert more than 1,500 years ago, are best viewed from the air, making sightseeing flights a popular tourist activity. Local authorities expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the victims’ families. The airline operating the flight said it would cooperate fully with investigators and review its flight operations in line with directives from aviation authorities. The accident is the latest in a series of aviation incidents involving sightseeing flights over the Nazca Lines. Similar crashes in previous years have raised concerns about the safety of tourist flights in the region. Officials said a full investigation is underway to establish the exact circumstances behind the fatal crash.

A controversy has erupted in Bangladesh after a member of parliament from Jamaat-e-Islami, Ghazi Nazrul Islam, became the center of public debate over his alleged second marriage following the circulation of a viral video on social media. According to Bangladeshi media reports, the video showed Ghazi Nazrul Islam with a young woman whom he later identified as his second wife. The footage quickly spread online, prompting widespread discussion and speculation. A fact-checking organization examined the video and stated that it found no evidence suggesting it had been generated using artificial intelligence or digitally manipulated. Following that assessment, public attention shifted from the authenticity of the video to the identity of the woman and the nature of her relationship with the lawmaker. In a statement, Ghazi Nazrul Islam confirmed that the woman is his second wife. He said the marriage took place on June 17 with the consent of both families and the approval of his first wife. The lawmaker alleged that the viral video had been secretly recorded and later released as part of an extortion attempt and a politically motivated campaign to damage his reputation. His first wife also released a video supporting his account. She confirmed that her husband had married Maryam Begum as his second wife and said the marriage had taken place with her knowledge and consent. Maryam Begum also appeared in a separate video, identifying herself as Ghazi Nazrul Islam’s wife. She said the marriage ceremony was held on June 17 in the presence of both families and the lawmaker’s first wife. Despite these public statements, Bangladeshi media reported that documents related to Maryam Begum later surfaced on social media. The authenticity of those documents has not been independently verified, and neither the lawmaker nor Maryam Begum or her family has publicly addressed the apparent inconsistencies contained in them. According to the documents, Maryam Begum’s marital status was listed as “unmarried.” The papers also reportedly included a recommendation signed by Ghazi Nazrul Islam on June 22—five days after the claimed marriage—in support of her application for a government job. Reports said Maryam Begum had applied for public sector employment and that the MP had endorsed her application. Ghazi Nazrul Islam rejected all allegations arising from the documents. He claimed that on July 13 he visited an office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar area, where both of his wives were present. He alleged that his driver, his second wife’s uncle and several unidentified individuals held him captive, extorted 100,000 taka, demanded additional money and secretly recorded a private video, which was later circulated on social media. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh said it is gathering information about the incident and will decide on any organizational action once all facts have been established. Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Haque Mahbub Zubair said the party is reviewing media reports as well as statements from the member of parliament, his two wives and the woman’s father before reaching any conclusion.