GENEVA – The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday said the “intense bombardment” and “escalating violence” in northern Gaza had forced it to postpone the final phase of a child polio vaccination drive. The necessary second round of vaccinations has been completed in central and southern Gaza, and was to begin yesterday in the north. But...
NAIROBI – Kenya’s High Court yesterday began hearing an appeal by impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua over his ouster in an unprecedented Senate vote last week. But as the proceedings got underway, president William Ruto filed an objection, saying the court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the case, and that it was a...
NAIROBI – The United Nations yesterday expressed concern over the repatriation of four Turkish refugees from Kenya, who rights groups say were abducted and forcibly returned in violation of international law. The four – Mustafa Genc, Huseyin Yesilsu, Ozturk Uzun and Alparslan Tasci – were sent back to Turkey on Friday, according to the Kenyan...
MAPUTO – European Union poll observers yesterday noted irregularities in the results of Mozambique’s general election, which has been contested by the opposition. On Monday, riot police in the capital Maputo fired tear gas to disperse a crowd protesting against alleged fraud in the 9 October presidential and parliamentary election, days after two associates of...
LONDON – Upmarket London department store Harrods yesterday said it was in discussions with more than 250 women to settle claims of sexual misconduct by former owner Mohamed Al-Fayed. The disclosure came as the daughter of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne said she was assaulted by the late Egyptian billionaire when she worked at the...
BERLIN – An infection with the new mpox variant clade 1b has been detected in Germany for the first time, the Robert Koch Institute health authority said yesterday. The infection occurred abroad and was detected last Friday, the institute said, adding that it did not see an increased risk for Germany, but was “monitoring the...
SEOUL – South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador yesterday to criticise Pyongyang’s decision to send thousands of soldiers to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, the foreign ministry said, calling for their immediate withdrawal. About 1 500 North Korean special forces’ soldiers are already in Russia, acclimatising and likely to head to the frontlines after, Seoul’s...
N’DJAMENA – Chad president Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has removed several high-ranking defence and security officials from their posts, days after dismissing the security minister. A presidential decree declared late on Wednesday the director generals of both the police and military police, the chiefs of general staff of the armed forces as well as the...
BEIRUT – Lebanese data scientist and volunteer rescue worker Bachir Nakhal started a crowdfunding effort to buy new ambulances for south Lebanon months ago, fearing Israel’s war in Gaza could spread to his country. But weeks into Israel’s war with Hezbollah, his worst fears came true when an ambulance he had helped purchase was bombed.“We...
BEIRUT – Lebanon said six people were killed in Israeli strikes yesterday on municipality buildings in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, where Hezbollah and ally Amal hold sway, with an official saying the mayor was among the dead. The attacks were among 11 strikes on Nabatiyeh city and its surroundings that created “a kind of...