Friday, May 30News That Matters

International news

Afghanistan Earthquake Kills At Least 22 People
International news

Afghanistan Earthquake Kills At Least 22 People

An earthquake rocked western Afghanistan on Monday, killing more than 20 people and destroying hundreds of homes, local authorities said. The 5.6 magnitude tremor shook the western province of Badghis, bordering Turkmenistan, in the afternoon, reducing brick homes to rubble, according to photos shared by local authorities. "Unfortunately, our initial reports show that 22 people, including women and children, have been killed and four others injured," said Baz Mohammad Sarwari, the director of Information and Culture of the Badghis provincial administration. "The Mujahideen have reached to some of the affected areas, but Badghis is a mountainous province, the number of casualties might go up," he added, referring to Taliban fighters, and adding that heavy rain was also lashing...
Saudi-led coalition launches deadly air raids in Yemen’s capital Sanaa
International news

Saudi-led coalition launches deadly air raids in Yemen’s capital Sanaa

The Saudi-led coalition has carried out air raids in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, killing more than 12 people, according to residents, a day after the Houthi rebel group launched a deadly attack in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled after Houthi rebels took over the capital and parts of northern Yemen in late 2014. The UAE largely scaled down its military presence in the country in 2019 but continues to hold sway through the Yemeni forces it arms and trains. Early on Tuesday, the coalition said it had begun air raids against strongholds and camps in Sanaa belonging to the Iran-aligned Houthi group, according to Saudi state media. The attack...
Pioneering US military pilot Charles McGee dies at 102
International news

Pioneering US military pilot Charles McGee dies at 102

Charles McGee, a highly decorated American pilot who battled racism and segregation in the military, has died aged 102. He passed away in his sleep on Sunday morning, his family said. "He had his right hand over his heart and was smiling serenely," a statement read. A member of America's first all-black aviation unit, McGee flew more than 400 missions during a two-decade career. He served in World War Two, as well as the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. "Today, we lost an America hero," US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said on Sunday. "While I am saddened by his loss, I'm also incredibly grateful for his sacrifice, his legacy and his character." McGee, a retired brigadier general, was called to service in 1942 at the age of 23. He became one of the first black military...
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tests positive for Covid-19
International news

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tests positive for Covid-19

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday and was receiving treatment for mild symptoms, the presidency said in a statement. Ramaphosa, who is fully vaccinated, began feeling unwell after leaving a state memorial service for former president FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier in the day but was in good spirits and being monitored by doctors, it said. The highly mutated Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa last month and sparked global panic over fears that it is more contagious than other variants. Ramaphosa would remain in self-isolation in Cape Town for the time being and had delegated all responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week. On a recent visit to four West African states, the president and t...
Plumber at Joel Osteen’s church finds stash of cash, cheques in wall
International news

Plumber at Joel Osteen’s church finds stash of cash, cheques in wall

A plumber doing repair work at pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church  found hundreds of envelopes of cash and cheques hidden in a wall that police think is connected to a massive 2014 theft at the Houston mega-church. According to CNN, officers were called to the church on November 10 to investigate the discovery. "Church members stated that during a renovation project, a large amount of money -- including cash, cheques and money orders -- was found inside a wall," statement by Houston Police Department read. Police said that evidence from the recovered cheques suggests that the envelopes are connected to the March 9, 2014, theft of undisclosed amounts of money from the church. CNN reported at the time that about $600,000 (Sh66 million) in cash and $400,000 (Sh44 milli...
Malcolm X’s Daughter, Malikah Shabazz, Found Dead in Brooklyn Home
International news

Malcolm X’s Daughter, Malikah Shabazz, Found Dead in Brooklyn Home

Malikah Shabazz, the daughter of the late civil rights leader Malcolm X, has been found dead in Brooklyn, less than a week after the 2 men convicted for her father's assassination were exonerated ... TMZ has confirmed. Law enforcement sources tell us Shabazz's death does not appear to be suspicious, she was found face-down on the floor in her living room by her daughter. The timing is eerie considering just last week 83-year-old Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam -- who died in 2009 -- were exonerated after a several-decades long investigation. Shabazz was one of 6 of Malcolm X's kids with wife Betty Shabazz. Malcolm X was just 39 when he was assassinated in NYC in 1965. We recently had Phil Bertelsen, the director and producer of the Netflix doc "Who Killed Malcolm X?" on TMZ...
President Biden Considering Diplomatic Boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics
Gaming, International news, Sports

President Biden Considering Diplomatic Boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics

President Joe Biden says the United States is "considering" a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics ... as a result of China's human rights abuse issues. It's tradition for the U.S. and other nations to send high-profile delegates to represent their respective countries at the Games -- Biden's wife, Jill Biden, participated in this past summer's Olympics in Tokyo. But, as concerns continue to grow over China's human rights issues ... many across both sides of the political aisle have petitioned the Biden administration to boycott the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas addressed the situation on Wednesday ... saying, "I call on the Biden Administration to mount a complete and total boycott of the Beijing Winter Oly...
US Secretary Antony Blinken arrives in Nairobi
International news, Politics

US Secretary Antony Blinken arrives in Nairobi

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday morning. Announcing his arrival via Twitter, Blinken said he looks forward to meeting different stakeholders and discuss matters of shared interests. "Vipi WaKenya! Glad to be in Kenya, a nation with which we have a deep and long-standing friendship," he tweeted. "Looking forward to meeting with government officials and civil society to discuss our shared interests and affirm our strategic partnership." The US Secretary of State was received by Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo and Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy, Eric Kneedler. His plane touched down at around 1.20am. Blinken will meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss cooperation on ending the Covid-19 pandemic and regional security i...
Kampala bombings: Kenya tracking terror cells
International news

Kampala bombings: Kenya tracking terror cells

People extinguish fire on cars caused by a bomb explosion near Parliament building in Kampala, Uganda, on November 16, 2021. - Two explosions hit Uganda's capital Kampala on November 16, 2021, injuring a number of people in what police termed an attack on the city, the latest in a string of blasts targeting the country. The explosions occurred in the central business district of Kampala near the central police station and the entrance to parliament, police said. (Photo by Ivan Kabuye / AFP) Kenya deployed heavily armed police officers around key installations on Tuesday in response to twin suicide bomb blasts that rocked Kampala. At least six people were killed  and hundreds injured in the Ugandan capital. One blast was near Parliament, the other near the Central police stat...
Miguna return in limbo as Court refuses to lift red alerts
International news, local news

Miguna return in limbo as Court refuses to lift red alerts

The High court has declined to lift the red alerts issued by the Kenyan government preventing self declared NRM leader Miguna Miguna to travel to the country. Judge Hedwig Ong'undi said there was no evidence showing that Miguna had been stopped from returning to the country. He noted that the burden of proof was on Miguna to show that the red alerts exist "There is no evidence to prove the alerts exist. This court cannot rule on speculation to grant the orders he is seeking. Case dismissed," Justice Hedwig said. "Court being a Court of law expected him to adduce evidence to prove existence of the red alerts." Under a certificate of urgency, Miguna said the alerts had prevented Lufthansa and Air France airlines from allowing him to board its planes for purposes of travel...