logo
ENFRع

Latest from Cairo 360

Ecuador deports more than 800 Colombian inmates as Bogota cries foul
Ecuador deports more than 800 Colombian inmates as Bogota cries foul

France 24

time20 minutes ago

  • Politics
  • France 24

Ecuador deports more than 800 Colombian inmates as Bogota cries foul

In 2024, Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa announced his intention to deport Colombian inmates to ease overcrowding in the country's prisons. Small groups were transferred starting in April. But Colombian President Gustavo Petro opposed the move, saying that a joint plan was needed to safeguard the prisoners' rights. More than 800 prisoners were deported through the Rumichaca border crossing in Carchi province, Governor Diana Pozo told reporters at the site. The inmates, wearing orange uniforms, waited in line to reenter their home country under the watchful eye of Ecuadoran police and military personnel. Early in the day, some in shorts and t-shirts did exercises while waiting for their turn to cross the border in the chilly Andean air, saying "We want to cross, we want to cross." On Friday, the government in Bogota lodged a formal complaint with Quito, saying such a move without prior agreement was a violation of international law and an "unfriendly gesture." A source in the Carchi governor's office who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity said the mass deportation began on Friday, and the 870 inmates slated for expulsion represented about 60 percent of all Colombians in Ecuador's prisons. Juan Morales, an official in the Colombian town of Ipiales, said that authorities had to scramble to handle the influx of people, because Ecuador had not informed them of the deportations. Ecuador's foreign ministry said Saturday that Bogota was told about the plan on July 8. The mayor of the border town of Ipiales, Amilcar Pantoja, told the media on Friday that prisoners without pending legal cases in Colombia would be released. Drug trafficking gangs operating in Ecuador -- some involving Colombian criminals -- have turned the country into one of the most violent in Latin America. The homicide rate has jumped from six per 100,000 people in 2018 to 38 in 2024, among the highest in the region.

Rahul and Gill frustrate England in fourth Test after Stokes century
Rahul and Gill frustrate England in fourth Test after Stokes century

France 24

time20 minutes ago

  • Sport
  • France 24

Rahul and Gill frustrate England in fourth Test after Stokes century

Gill came in with India in dire straits at 0-2 after Chris Woakes struck with successive balls in the first over of the tourists' second innings to have both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan caught in the slips for ducks. That left India more than 300 runs behind England's mammoth first-innings 669 all out, featuring Stokes' superb 141. But an engrossing series of several twists and turns produced another as India reached stumps on the fourth day without further loss at 174-2. KL Rahul was 87 not out and Gill 78 not out after the stubborn duo defied England's toiling bowlers for nearly five hours at an increasingly sun-drenched Old Trafford. India still face a deficit of 137 runs but have renewed hope of leaving Manchester with what would be a commendable draw after England, already 2-1 up in this five-match series, compiled their fifth-highest Test total of all time. It was a return to form for Gill, who had started his first series as India skipper with three hundreds in four innings, only to manage 34 runs in total in his last three knocks. "We thought we could get a few more wickets after the start... but it was not to be," England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick told Sky Sports. "They (Rahul and Gill) stuck at it well," the former England opener added. No bowling for Stokes Stokes did not bowl himself Saturday -- a concerning sign for England following his history of hamstring trouble -- after taking an excellent 5-72 in India's first-innings 358. Trescothick, asked if Stokes, the pick of England's attack this series, would bowl again in the match, replied: "We are waiting to see. "He is obviously stiff and sore, has had a big workload in the last few weeks and again in this game and had a bit of cramp while he was batting mainly yesterday (Friday)." In Stokes's absence, England's bowlers lacked penetration after Woakes' double strike, with recalled spinner Liam Dawson rarely turning the ball. But the second ball after lunch saw Gill, still on nought, survive an impassioned lbw appeal from fast bowler Jofra Archer. England's review proved inconclusive over whether the ball had hit bat or pad first and the original not out decision was upheld. Gill had made two when Archer had another lbw appeal rejected, with the express quick down on his haunches in disbelief. The 25-year-old Gill then hit back with two boundaries in three balls from Woakes -- a dashing cut followed by a textbook straight drive. But he might have been out for 46 when an edge off Brydon Carse flew high to point only for Dawson to drop a two-handed chance. Rahul mainly repelled England with sound defence, hitting just eight fours in 210 balls. But the obdurate opener attacked when Archer strayed in direction with an elegant late cut and forceful pull. Stokes hits out England resumed in command at 544-7 after Joe Root had become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history during his majestic 150 on Friday. Stokes, 77 not out overnight, delighted Saturday's large crowd with yet more thrilling stroke-play before completing a 164-ball hundred with a leg-glanced four off Jasprit Bumrah. It was Stokes's first Test century in more than two years following a whirlwind 155 against Australia at Lord's in June 2023. The 34-year-old celebrated his 14th hundred in 115 Tests by clenching his fist, looking to the sky and making a crooked finger gesture in honour of his late father Ged before raising his bat. His century meant Stokes became just the fourth England player to take five wickets and score a hundred in the same Test after Tony Greig, Ian Botham -- who did it five times -- and the currently sidelined Gus Atkinson. With the shackles off, left-handed batsman Stokes hit out. But one ball after launching left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for six, he holed out off the all-rounder, with England exactly 300 runs ahead at 658-9.

Britain leads calls for airdrops as Gaza hunger crisis deepens
Britain leads calls for airdrops as Gaza hunger crisis deepens

France 24

time20 minutes ago

  • Politics
  • France 24

Britain leads calls for airdrops as Gaza hunger crisis deepens

The UK decision to support the plans of regional partners Jordan and the United Arab Emirates came as pro-Palestinian activists piloted a symbolic aid vessel towards the shores of Gaza in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade. On the ground, the territory's civil defence agency said at least 40 more Palestinians had been killed in Israeli military strikes and shootings. Humanitarian chiefs are deeply sceptical that airdrops can deliver enough food to tackle the deepening hunger crisis facing Gaza's more than two million inhabitants and are instead demanding that Israel allow more overland convoys. But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the idea, vowing to work with Jordan to restart airdrops -- and with France and Germany to develop a plan for a lasting ceasefire. An Israeli official told AFP on Friday that airdrops in Gaza would resume soon, adding they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Starmer's office said that in a call with his French and German counterparts, the "prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance". The United Arab Emirates said it would resume airdrops "immediately". "The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level," Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a post on X. "Air drops are resuming once more, immediately." 'Starving civilians' A number of Western and Arab governments carried out air drops in Gaza in 2024, at a time when aid deliveries by land also faced Israeli restrictions, but many in the humanitarian community consider them ineffective. "Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians," said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a ceasefire in the now 21-month-old conflict broke down. In late May, it began to allow a trickle of aid to enter. Israel's military insists it does not limit the number of trucks going into the Gaza Strip, and alleges that UN agencies and relief groups are not collecting the aid once it is inside the territory. But humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions, while tightly controlling road access within Gaza. A separate aid operation is under way through the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but has faced fierce international criticism after Israeli fire killed hundreds of Palestinians near distribution points. Naval blockade On Saturday, pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla said its latest aid boat, the Handala, was approaching Gaza and had already got closer than its previous vessel, the Madleen, which was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces last month. The Israeli military said it was monitoring the situation and was prepared to enforce what it called its "legal maritime security blockade". Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed 40 people on Saturday, including 14 killed in separate incidents near aid distribution centres. One of the 14 was killed "after Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for humanitarian aid" northwest of Gaza City, the agency said. Witnesses told AFP that several thousand people had gathered in the area. Abu Samir Hamoudeh, 42, said the Israeli military opened fire while people were waiting to approach a distribution point near an Israeli military post in the Zikim area, northwest of Sudaniyah. The Israeli military told AFP that its troops fired "warning shots to distance the crowd" after identifying an "immediate threat". It added that it was not aware of any casualties as a result of the fire. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Israeli campaign has killed 59,733 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. © 2025 AFP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store