Latest news with #Kenyan
Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Sydney Marathon hails field as best-ever in Australia
Sydney Marathon organisers are hailing the men's field as the strongest assembled in Australia after confirming another raft of big-name signings. Kenyan megastar Eliud Kipchoge, announced as the headline attraction last March, will be joined at the start line of the August 31 race by 14 other runners who hold personal-best times inside the current Sydney course record. That batch includes emerging Kenyan Vincent Ngetich, Ethiopian duo Dawit Wolde and Birhanu Legese and Japanese great Yuki Kawauchi. Kawauchi holds the world record for most marathons completed in less than two hours 20 minutes, a feat he has achieved more than 100 times. Australian record holder Andrew Buchanan will prioritise the world championships marathon in Tokyo in September, but the local contingent is still strong. Former national record holder Brett Robinson and fellow Olympian Liam Adams will feature alongside rising star Haftu Strintzos, who will make his marathon debut after an impressive US college career. Race director Wayne Larden said the men's field was the most competitive assembled on Australian soil. "When you look at the depth of this year's men's field, it's not just star-studded and fast, it's exceptionally deep," Larden said. "We have multiple athletes capable of running under the course record, rising stars on the brink of global breakthrough, and, of course, Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathoner of all-time. "We've also focused on Australian elites and it's exciting to see so many top Aussies lining up alongside world-class internationals in our first year as an World Marathon Major." The Sydney Marathon is the seventh event on the marathon major calendar, a global points-based competition. The Sydney race record is 2:06.18 set last year by Kenyan Brimin Kipkorir, who is currently provisionally suspended after recording a positive test for a prohibited substance two months after his win in Australia.
The Star
16 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Kenya vaccinates over 21 mln children against typhoid, measles
NAIROBI, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has vaccinated some 21.3 million children against typhoid and measles in its latest campaign against the two infectious diseases, the biggest vaccination drive in the East African nation's history, a government official has said. Aden Duale, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, said in a statement released on Tuesday evening in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that 16.1 million children received typhoid conjugate vaccine, and 5.18 million children were vaccinated against measles and rubella. "Over 74,000 zero-dose children who had never received routine immunization were identified and vaccinated, a remarkable milestone in our efforts not to leave anyone behind," Duale said. He said that the typhoid vaccine has achieved 84 percent national coverage while the measles vaccine reached 81 percent. The typhoid vaccine has now been incorporated in Kenya's national vaccination drive to fight drug-resistant forms of the disease, the Ministry of Health said. According to the World Health Organization, typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi, which spreads through contaminated food and water, while measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children worldwide.
Hans India
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
82 suspects arrested in Ethiopia over Islamic State-related terror attacks
Addis Ababa: Ethiopia's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) said that it has apprehended 82 suspects who were allegedly plotting terrorist operations in various parts of the East African country. In a statement, the NISS said that the arrest of the suspects, who have alleged links with the terrorist group the Islamic State (IS), stems from an extensive intelligence investigation into the Somali wing of the IS. The terrorist group has been attempting to expand its operational footprint into Ethiopia and neighbouring countries. According to the statement, NISS has been closely monitoring the group's cross-border infiltration strategies and its efforts to establish sleeper cells in Ethiopia, Xinhua news agency reported. "Following the compilation of actionable intelligence and corroborating evidence, 82 operatives -- trained by the IS in Puntland and clandestinely deployed across Ethiopia -- were identified and apprehended in a coordinated operation conducted in collaboration with the Ethiopian Federal Police and regional security forces," the statement added. NISS confirmed that the suspects maintained direct links with the terrorist organisation and were engaged in receiving logistical, financial, and operational support. The statement further said that the IS has been exploiting religious institutions and symbols as a cover for its operations to disseminate extremist ideology, recruit vulnerable individuals, and destabilise communities. Earlier this year, Ethiopian and Kenyan intelligence agencies had launched a joint military operation aimed at dismantling a militant group along their common border areas, NISS said in a statement. The primary objective of the joint operation was to dismantle 'Shene', also known as the Oromo Liberation Army, a militant group designated as a terrorist organisation by the Ethiopian government, thereby enhancing regional stability along the border, the statement said. Specifically, the operation aimed to counter activities related to terrorism, contraband trade and the trafficking of people and arms. NISS said joint security forces from Ethiopia and Kenya were actively conducting operations in designated camps of the group within their respective border territories to neutralise its influence and promote peace in the Horn of Africa region.
Newsweek
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Amal Clooney Applauds 2025 King's Trust Changemakers
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. "While still a high school student in Kenya, Alice refused to live the life of a child bride," Amal Clooney tells a packed audience at London's Royal Festival Hall. She is, together with husband George, the star guest at The King's Trust Awards and proudly presenting one of the winners. This particular line, however, is not included in the media pack, nor was it divulged to the many journalists involved in reporting this event. Such is the human rights lawyer's knowledge of the winner she helped choose. And such is her passion for Alice's story. King Charles III (front centre) stands with Declan Donnelly (immediate right) and other celebrities and winners of the King's Trust Awards 2025 during a reception for the winners of the King's Trust Awards 2025 at... King Charles III (front centre) stands with Declan Donnelly (immediate right) and other celebrities and winners of the King's Trust Awards 2025 during a reception for the winners of the King's Trust Awards 2025 at Buckingham Palace on June 25, 2025 in London, England. More Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty The Kenyan was facing the prospect of life as a child bride after her father died when she was in her early teens, leaving her family with no bread winner. Alice saved herself by building her own craft business, making products using beads, while still a high school pupil in Form 2, which in Kenya is around 15 or 16 years old. The King's Trust charity, founded by King Charles III, helped her learn to scale her business and pursue high-demand products, in time earning enough money to support her mother and siblings. In honor of that achievement, Alice, 19, was given the Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award during the star-studded ceremony on June 26. "Amongst this year's incredible nominees, Alice's resilience, courage and entrepreneurial spirit really stood out for me," Clooney continued. "She turned this craft into a lifeline not only for herself, but also to support her whole family. "And she didn't stop there. Now an employer as well as an entrepreneur, she trains other girls in the school holidays, so they too have the means to forge a livelihood of their own. With her bright spirit, Alice has shared her skills with those around her, bringing together young women in her community and inspiring them to carve out their own path." Amal Clooney and George Clooney attend The King's Trust and TKMaxx & Homesense Awards 2025 at The Royal Festival Hall on June 26, 2025 in London, England. Amal Clooney and George Clooney attend The King's Trust and TKMaxx & Homesense Awards 2025 at The Royal Festival Hall on June 26, 2025 in London, England. Nicky J Sims/Getty Inspiring Stories On the red carpet, Clooney told Newsweek: "They approached me to present this award and I'm able to play a part in selecting the recipient every year, and it's always really inspiring stories and girls who've really made the most of the training and upskilling that the King's Trust International provide." Clooney has been the official partner for the Women's Empowerment Award since 2019, and this year her actor husband joined her not only for the award ceremony but also at a Buckingham Palace reception in honor of the winners the day before. On the red carpet, he told Newsweek: "My wife has an award named after her so it's pretty fun to be here, but, look, we get to draw attention to the young people who could use the attention for the hard work they're doing, and that's always a good thing to do." Newsweek is an official media partner for the Global Sustainability Award, won by Pascal, 20, from Uganda, for his work turning plastic bottles into everyday products, including vases. He got to meet the king at the palace reception, sharing a lighthearted moment during a group photograph with other award winners. King Charles III cuts a cake to mark ten years of the Prince's Trust International, now known as the King's Trust International, as others look on during a reception for the winners of the King's... King Charles III cuts a cake to mark ten years of the Prince's Trust International, now known as the King's Trust International, as others look on during a reception for the winners of the King's Trust Awards 2025 at Buckingham Palace on June 25, 2025 in London, England. More Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty "I recycle plastic bottles," Pascal later told Newsweek. "I get different products from plastic that I collect around the towns. And I make products like key holders, sugar bowls, flower vessels. "I have a number of days that I normally go to collect the bottles. I will use one hour to collect the bottles and the other remaining hours to work on them. Mostly I do that during the evening after school time. Plastic bottles are a big problem in the town where I live. "I really enjoyed meeting the king and I was very happy." And he has an impressive record, having gathered 300kg of plastic waste in a single month as well as reducing the amount of waste going to landfill in his community by 80 percent. On the red carpet, Pascal told Newsweek: "When I go back to my motherland, I will take a concern to inspire other young people to take action in my project so we can save the world with the issue of climate change." Amal with Alice at The King's Trust Awards 2025 Ceremony. Amal with Alice at The King's Trust Awards 2025 Ceremony. Courtesy The King's Trust The Handmaid's Tale actor Joseph Fiennes was also at the ceremony. He told Newsweek: "I've been supporting [the awards] since the moment I was kindly invited almost 25 years ago. "I was invited to be a part because it really celebrates the extraordinary journey that many, many young people have gone on, from fighting adversity from being disenfranchised to being mentored by the trust and all the partners with the trust to get back on track." "We're talking tens of thousands of people over many years who have been brought back from total situations, so it's great," he added.
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Kenyan president makes u-turn on police violence stance as protests escalate
President Ruto, once a vocal critic of police brutality, now supports violent suppression of protests, raising fears of a return to autocratic rule in Kenya. A young woman reacts as young activists, friends and family members surround the coffin of Boniface Kariuki, a street hawker who died from gunshot wounds days after being shot by Kenyan police during nationwide protests against police violence and government policies, during his funeral in a village near Kangema on July 11, 2025. Picture: Luis Tato / AFP When Kenyan President William Ruto took office in 2022, he pledged to end police brutality. Three years on, he has instructed officers to shoot violent protesters 'in the leg'. Over the past year, the east African country has been grappling with waves of demonstrations, initially over economic stagnation and corruption but later broadening out to police violence, a long-standing issue in the country of 55 million. The protests have been met with increasingly fierce repression, rights groups say, leaving dozens dead. Kenyan authorities have justified their heavy-handed response by pointing to violence and looting during the demonstrations, while rights groups allege that some of this unrest is the work of paid thugs acting alongside officers to stir mayhem. A more belligerent tone In 2023, a year after disbanding a notorious police squad, Ruto said: 'I made a promise during my campaign trail that I would stop extrajudicial killings.' 'No mother, no Kenyan will die under circumstances that the government of Kenya cannot explain,' he added. Such comments seem a long way away now, as the president has struck a more belligerent tone, condemning the rallies and systematically backing police officers. More than 100 people have died since anti-government demonstrations broke out in June of last year, according to rights groups, with 38 dying in the latest rally on July 7. Ruto has alleged those behind the protests are attempting 'to overthrow the government' and that any attack on a police officer or station is a 'declaration of war'. Two days after the July 7 demonstration, he said violent protesters should be 'shot in the leg'. ALSO READ: Kenya's president warns against bid to 'overthrow' govt by protests 'Losing it' Ruto's comments have been met with shock and anger by parts of the population. 'The president is losing it,' wrote Kenyan newspaper The Standard in an editorial, with another frontpage that read: 'Kenya sliding into tyranny'. 'Whether he's instructing police to shoot in the leg or wherever… let us just take it for what it is,' said Otsieno Namwaya, a researcher with Human Rights Watch. 'It is a shoot-to-kill order,' he added. Karuti Kanyinga, a political researcher at the University of Nairobi, said the government's heavy-handed response to protests reminded him of the 1990s, when Kenya suffered years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi. Ruto himself has said he is a 'student' of the former leader, cutting his political teeth in the youth league of Moi's party. 'We are on a cliff and the possibility of going to a very violent period, like the post-election violence period of 2007, is very high,' said Kanyinga. 'I think he's preparing to move into a tougher, repressive phase in his regime,' he said of Ruto. Cases of abductions — a prominent feature of the Moi era — have risen sharply since the protests began, according to several rights groups, which estimate more than 80 abductions have occurred over the past year, with dozens still missing. Ruto initially said there had been no abductions. He later promised to end disappearances and ensured that all abducted individuals had been 'returned to their families'. ALSO READ: Kenyan cop faces possible murder charge for rally bystander's death But some of these families are still searching for their loved ones. 'Cannot be held hostage' The rhetoric from those around the president has also intensified. 'We have told the police that anyone who comes near a police station: shoot them,' interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen told a crowd on June 26. He later claimed the remarks, caught on camera, had been taken out of context. The government's defence committee chairman was also filmed calling for 'shoot-to-kill' during rallies. Also backing Ruto is Christopher Aseka, a lawmaker who over the weekend rejected suggestions that the president had endorsed such orders. 'He is simply saying, if you are caught burning a police station or destroying public infrastructure, you will be immobilised,' Aseka told a crowd. Parts of Nairobi's outskirts saw looting and vandalism during the June and July protests, with the interior ministry saying hundreds of officers were injured. 'This country cannot be held hostage by a few rogue individuals,' Aseka added. ALSO READ: Eight killed as deadly clashes erupt in Kenya on protest anniversary 'Dictatorship 101' Pro-democracy protests last week to mark Saba Saba day — the anniversary of the bloody 1990 uprising that demanded a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule — were met by a heavy police presence and violence. Rights groups reported at least 38 deaths among protesters, while the government says only 17 people died. 'Saba Saba was the deadliest single day since the beginning of the demos' a year ago, said Africa Hussein Khalid, head of rights group Vocal. Protests also erupted in June over the death of teacher Albert Ojwang, who died in custody, with people marching in Nairobi against police brutality. The United Nations has condemned the use of force by Kenyan authorities. Contacted by AFP, a government spokesperson pointed to Ruto's full remarks last week to 'understand the context', without answering further questions. But for many rights defenders, Saba Saba marked a new low. 'Ruto defended the police without saying a single word for the victims,' Khalid, from Vocal, said. 'The force is used to silence dissent,' he said. 'It is dictatorship 101.' NOW READ: Motorbike-riding 'goons' attack Kenya protesters
