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California Wildfires: Statue of biblical Mary remains standing amid charred ruins

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California Wildfires: Statue of Biblical Mary Remains Standing Amid Charred Ruins Source: Facebook
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  • A family in California lost their entire house to a devastating fire, but their statue of biblical Mary remained untouched
  • It stood in near perfect condition, surrounded by charred debris of what had been their home of 37 years
  • “It’s the most interesting and peculiar phenomena that only God understands,” read one of the comments

Amid the devastating wildfires that scorched southern California, a remarkable symbol of hope and faith emerged from the ashes of a California family’s home—a statue of biblical Mary.

California Wildfires: Statue of Biblical Mary Remains Standing Amid Charred Ruins Source: Facebook

 

In a video that has gone viral on Instagram, the statue remained standing, nearly unscathed, surrounded by smouldering ruins.

It all started when the Halpins’ home of 37 years was reduced to rubble by the destructive Eaton Fire.

Peter Halpin, the family patriarch, shared the emotional story during a media interview, describing the miraculous sight.

“It was remarkable how everything had gotten fried, but the statue of Mary and another of Saint Joseph were in perfect condition,” he said.

However, their unwavering faith led them back to the site last week, despite restrictions from the government.

Surrounded by their six children and other loved ones, the family sang a hymn to the statue, captured in a heartfelt video that has since gone viral on Instagram.

“Our intention was not for this thing to go viral at all,” Peter noted. “It was pretty much just a family thing, but the response from the community has been unbelievable and so heartfelt.”

Peter’s wife, Jackie, recounted her reaction to discovering the statues still standing.

Her son-in-law had visited the site the day before and snapped a photo of the Mary statue, inspiring the family to make their pilgrimage.

“I fell to my knees,” Jackie said. “I knew we had to go there to thank God for the years we spent in that home.”

The family, deeply rooted in their faith, dedicated their home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus years ago, with Jackie sharing her gratitude for the life they built in the house.

“We have entertained a lot for years. We feel very strongly about the virtue of hospitality, so I just wanted to pray and say, ‘If we can do it again, that would be great.’”

Malibu home untouched by LA wildfires

In an almost similar story, a stunning photo of a lone Malibu mansion standing intact while neighbouring homes lay in ruins went viral online.

The house was photographed in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires which have continued to rage for days.

Details indicate that the $8 million (KSh 1 billion) mansion, built in 2000, is owned by waste management CEO David Steiner.

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Plea bargain unfair in criminal justice system – Group

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Plea bargain unfair in criminal justice system - Group
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A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), CLEEN Foundation, has lamented the unfairness of plea bargain and its implementation process in the country.

Mr Peter Maduoma, Ag. Executive Director of the organisation, spoke during a media parley with newsmen at the CLEEN Foundation Hall, Innocent Chukwuma House, Ojodu, Ikeja on Wednesday.

Maduoma said that it had become necessary for that section of plea bargain, as contained in the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), to be amended and changed for proper justice to be delivered accordingly.

“The plea bargain is very unfair and it is one of the weaknesses I see in the ACJL.

“A situation where somebody has stolen N50 billion and then, through plea bargain, is ordered to pay a certain amount and then after that, the matter is settled.

“This is very unfair and I will like the media to continue to publicise and write on the unfairness of that section of the law until it is amended and changed.

“A law cannot be cast in stone; So, we need to continue to improve on it but that aspect of the ACJL has not yielded much benefit to anybody,” the director said.

Maduoma said that the plea bargain was mostly exploited by security agencies and especially politically exposed people, who after embezzling money, settle to pay back a meagre amount as settlement.

“Thereafter, all charges will be dropped against them; however, what that money would have done and the lives that had been affected negatively by such act, is not replicable.

“This makes the plea bargain very unfair particularly with the way it is being implemented in Nigeria,” the director said

Similarly, the organisation’s Programme Director, Mr Salaudeen Hashim, said that politically exposed persons had now seen plea bargain as an exit door to escape justice which was a fundamental element.

“Once a crime is committed, it beholds on the state to ensure that justice is served.

“However, what we have clearly happening is that at the point of investigation, they quickly introduce plea bargaining as alternative to that person going through the justice route.

“So, once this happens, it offers that person some level of safe guard and that safe guard means that he no longer gets to be entirely processed through the court”.

Hashim said that plea bargain was actually not being implemented in the actual sense as the law had stipulated it.

He said that no matter what the plea bargain arrangements were, it was actually made to be an arrangement that offered a speedier process for justice to be served.

“But they cut off the aspect that borders around punishment and at the end of the day, make it a win-win for both the perpetrator and the state.

“This is actually the consequence for the poor nature of conceiving the law and how we have also implemented it,” Hashim said.

(NAN)

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Delta police arrest father, second wife over death of three sisters

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Delta State police command has arrested a man and his second wife over the death of three sisters in Delta State.

The three sisters of the same parents have reportedly died while on a visit to their father’s residence at the Delta Steel Company, DSC, Township, Oruhworun, Udu local government area of Delta state.

Reports said that the sisters live apart from their father who remarried after the death of their mother but occasionally pay visits from time to time.

“The incident has sent shock-waves through the community, especially as it comes less than a year after the death of their biological mother.

“Their father remarried shortly after their mother passed on, with the stepmother reportedly being a close friend of the late woman (their mother),” a source said.

Ekwutosblog learnt that the sisters allegedly returned from a birthday party the previous day to their father’s DSC residence only to be found foaming at the mouth the next day.

 

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Edafe Bright, confirmed the incident, saying, “We are treating this as a suspicious death and are exploring all angles.

“The public will be updated as we make progress.”

In a related development, two Tiv boys from Benue state have been arrested in connection with the alleged killing of yet-to-be-identified Engineer contracted to construct offices at Akwukwu-Igbo, the headquarters of Oshimili North local government area in Delta state

According to sources, the incident occurred in December 2024, but details only emerged recently after two suspects were arrested in connection with the crime, while the cause of the dastardly act remained unknown.

Community source revealed that “the suspects, identified as Tiv youths from Benue state, allegedly killed the Engineer and concealed his body in a shallow grave inside a farm.

Also, Edafe confirmed that the body has been exhumed.

“We are aware of the incident and our men are working to ensure others involved are apprehended,” he assured.

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Key witness, Cheryl Zondi breaks down as court acquits Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso on all charges of r3pe and human trafficking

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Cheryl Zondi, a key witness in the case against Nigerian pastor, Timothy Omotoso, was overcome with emotion in court after he was found not guilty of r3pe and human trafficking.

LIB reported that the High Court in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa acquitted the 66-year-old pastor and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

The trio faced 32 counts of charges which included racketeering, trafficking in persons, r3pe and s3xual assault.

The ruling, which has shocked many, left Zondi visibly distressed as she reacted to the verdict.

LIB further reported in 2018 that Zondi, who claimed she was sexually assaulted by pastor Omotoso, waived her right to anonymity in the trial because she wanted the world to know the type of person he is.

“We took it upon ourselves to go through a humiliating process to have our dignity stripped from us in public, to be called names and have lies and all sorts of fabrications spread about us online, walking in the streets. Our lives have never been the same since we came out about this and one has to wonder if this is what the last years have come down to,” she said.

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