Author: WTX News

At least 17 pupils have died in a fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County, central Kenya, according to police. The blaze, which broke out Thursday night, has also left over a dozen students hospitalised with severe burns.  The cause of the fire is under investigation, and a team of investigators has been dispatched to the scene, police spokesperson Resila Onyango reported. The Kenya Red Cross is offering psychosocial support to students, teachers, and families affected by the tragedy and has set up a tracing desk at the school. School fires have been a recurring issue in Kenya,…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk If you are someone who reads every perspective of a story, here is a news summary of all of today’s front pages from today’s newspapers; summarised in a 2-minute read

Haiti expands state of emergency to whole country Haiti has extended a state of emergency nationwide as the government struggles to regain control from violent gangs that have seized large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and are expanding into other regions. This comes ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will meet Prime Minister Garry Conille to discuss Haiti’s path toward democratic stability. Since the new government was formed three months ago, efforts to restore order have been ongoing. The United Nations reports nearly 580,000 people have been displaced, with almost five million facing severe…

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei dies after petrol attack Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died after being set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, according to Ugandan officials. The 33-year-old athlete, who competed in Paris, suffered severe burns in the attack, which took place after she returned home from church in north-west Kenya, where she lived and trained. Local reports suggest the attack was related to a land dispute between Cheptegei and her former partner. An investigation is ongoing. Cheptegei’s death highlights rising concerns about violence against female athletes in Kenya, with several cases ending in tragedy. Uganda’s athletics federation…

New Māori queen crowned as her father is buried A new Māori queen has been crowned in New Zealand following the death of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII. Ngā Wai hono i te pō, 27, was selected as the eighth Māori monarch by a council of chiefs during a traditional ceremony in the North Island. She becomes the second Māori queen, following her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Ngā Wai hono i te pō, the youngest daughter of the late king, was anointed with the same Bible used for the first Māori king in 1858. Sitting…

WHO exceeds target for Gaza polio vaccinations as campaign continues The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that polio vaccinations in central Gaza have exceeded expectations during the first two days of its immunisation campaign. Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, reported that 161,030 children under 10 were vaccinated on Sunday and Monday, surpassing the initial target of 156,500. The vaccination campaign was made possible after Israel and Hamas agreed to a series of localised pauses in fighting, following Gaza’s first confirmed polio case in 25 years, which left a 10-month-old partially paralyzed. These pauses, which occur…

Arrest warrant issued for Venezuela opposition candidate A Venezuelan judge has issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González, the opposition candidate in the country’s recent presidential election, following a request from the public prosecutor’s office, which is aligned with President Nicolás Maduro. President Maduro was declared the winner of the July election by Venezuela’s electoral council, which is dominated by government loyalists. However, the government has not released any evidence to support this outcome. In contrast, the opposition claims their data shows that González won by a significant margin of over 30%. The arrest warrant was swiftly approved by Judge…

School bus ploughs into crowd in China killing 11 A tragic incident in China’s Shandong province has left at least 11 people dead, including five students, after a school bus ploughed into a crowd outside a school in Tai’an city. Several others were injured, with one person in critical condition. According to state media, the bus lost control and rammed into students and parents gathered outside the school gates. The driver has been taken into custody as police investigate the cause of the crash, though it remains unclear if it was intentional. Chinese state media confirmed that the fatalities included…

Netanyahu apologises over hostage deaths as protests continue Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologised to Israelis for failing to rescue six hostages who were found dead in Gaza on Saturday. This comes as Hamas warned that more hostages could be “returned to their families in shrouds” if a ceasefire is not reached. Netanyahu’s comments were made amid growing protests in Israel against his handling of the hostage negotiations. Thousands of Israelis took to the streets for a second night, demanding the safe return of the hostages, who were kidnapped by Hamas nearly 11 months ago. A total of 97…

Trending Story Today Ten Hag is on the verge of United exit The thumping on Sunday afternoon humiliated Manchester United at Old Trafford as Liverpool push Ten Hag closer to exit. Much to the relief of supporters there will also be a mass exodus of players over the next 24 months as Sir Jim Radcliffe looks to revive the club. How did Liverpool beat Man Utd? Liverpool FC got another clean sheet and put in some monster performances at the back once again. It was Van Dijk at his best next to Konate who seems to be performing at exceptional…

Children die in building collapse after Nigeria flooding Two children have died in north-western Nigeria after a building collapse, further adding to the toll of lives lost in weeks of severe flooding, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema). The incident occurred in Katsina, one of the seven north-western states severely affected by the floods. A third child sustained injuries from the collapse. Nema reported that at least 179 people have died across Nigeria due to the flooding, with tens of thousands more displaced from their homes. The office of President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sorrow over the widespread…

General strike begins in Israel as protesters demand Gaza hostage deal A general strike is underway in Israel as protests continue over the government’s perceived failure to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. The strike was called by Histadrut, one of Israel’s most influential unions, for one day, although it remains unclear how extensively the strike will be observed across the country. On Sunday, tens of thousands of people rallied across Israel following the discovery of the bodies of six hostages, which were recovered by soldiers on Saturday. The protests are the latest in a series of demonstrations…

A major operation has been launched in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces. Today marks the third day of Israeli raids across the north – they claim to have killed the head of the Palestinian armed group Hamas in Jenin and two other fighters. It’s understood that at least 12 Palestinians were killed in the first two days. The UN has criticised the operation saying it is causing unnecessary deaths. Israel says it is looking for those behind an attempted suicide bombing on 18 August and has accused Iran of trying to establish a terrorist network in the West Bank.…

Workers trapped for days in Thai tunnel found dead Three foreign workers trapped in a collapsed train tunnel in Thailand have died despite rescue efforts that spanned over five days, Thai authorities confirmed. The men, two from China and one from Myanmar were believed to be alive as recently as Thursday. The workers were trapped when a tunnel they were constructing in the Pak Chong district, about 200 km (124 miles) northeast of Bangkok, collapsed due to a landslide late last Saturday night. The tunnel is part of the Thailand-China high-speed railway project currently under construction. Rescue teams, including officials…

Israel agrees to pauses in fighting for polio vaccine drive Israel has agreed to a series of “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza to facilitate a mass vaccination campaign against polio, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 640,000 children across the Gaza Strip, starting on Sunday, said senior WHO official Rik Peeperkorn. The vaccination effort will be conducted in three stages across central, southern, and northern Gaza. Each stage will involve a three-day pause in fighting, from 06:00 to 15:00 local time, to ensure the safety of the vaccination teams and the public. To combat…

Japan hit by typhoon as millions told to evacuate Japan has been hit by one of its strongest typhoons in decades with torrential rain and gusts of 157mph.  Three people have died in a landslide and dozens have been injured as more than 5 million people have been evacuated.  Japanese authorities say more than 5.2 million people in Japan have been ordered to evacuate their homes. Most of the orders are in place for the southern Kyushu island, but some are also in place for central Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency says that for level 4 emergency warnings all residents…

Floods in Indian state kill 28 and displace thousands Severe flooding in the western Indian state of Gujarat has killed at least 28 people and forced over 24,000 to evacuate their homes since Sunday, following heavy rains. Overflowing rivers and reservoirs have surpassed danger levels, prompting the Indian army and national disaster response teams to carry out extensive rescue and relief operations in the hardest-hit areas. The state remains on high alert as the weather department forecasts more heavy rains in the coming days. Gujarat is frequently affected by severe floods during the monsoon season. A government report highlights that…

Venezuelan opposition leader’s lawyer detained Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s lawyer, Perkins Rocha, has been detained, marking the latest in a series of arrests targeting opposition figures since last month’s disputed presidential election. Rocha, who also serves as a legal adviser for the Vente Venezuela party, was reportedly seized by unidentified men, and his whereabouts remain unknown. President Nicolás Maduro’s government has detained over 2,400 people in the past month, which the UN describes as creating “a climate of fear.” Human rights group Provea warns that political persecution has intensified since July 29, when the National Electoral Council (CNE)…

World Food Programme halts Gaza staff movements The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a halt to the movement of its staff in the Gaza Strip “until further notice” following an attack on its convoy near an Israeli checkpoint. According to the WFP, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening at the Wadi Gaza bridge when two of its armoured vehicles, escorting a convoy of humanitarian aid trucks, came under fire. Although no injuries were reported, one vehicle was directly hit despite the convoy being clearly marked and having received multiple clearances from Israel. “It sustained at least 10 bullets: five…

At least 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli raids in West Bank Israeli forces have launched a significant operation in the north of the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli military described the action as a “counterterrorism operation” targeting Jenin and Tulkarm, where they reported killing five armed individuals. Additionally, four more were killed in an airstrike at the al-Faraa refugee camp near Tubas, and another death occurred west of Jenin. Local journalists have noted that this operation is the largest seen in the West Bank since…

Brazil says criminals likely set São Paulo fires Brazilian government officials suspect that “criminals” are responsible for the record number of fires that have ravaged large areas of São Paulo state. Wolnei Wolff, head of Brazil’s National Office for Protection and Civil Defence, stated that 99.9% of the fires were caused by human actions, with no natural causes like lightning or downed power lines accounting for the blazes. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the fires. Environment Minister Marina Silva described the situation as “unusual,” noting that it is rare to see so many fires ignite simultaneously in…

At least 11 dead as Israel launches major West Bank operation At least 11 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials. The fatalities include five people killed in an air strike on the al-Far’a refugee camp and six others during a drone strike and armed clashes in Jenin. Israeli security forces described their actions in Jenin and Tulkarm as a “counterterrorism operation to thwart terror.” It appears that they have targeted multiple locations simultaneously—Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Tubas—marking the first time since the second intifada (2000-2005) that several Palestinian cities…

Africa to finally receive first batch of vaccines for deadly mpox virus Nigeria has become the first African country to receive mpox vaccines, obtaining 10,000 doses to combat the ongoing outbreak of the disease. The country began securing the vaccines well before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency earlier this month. Africa has been significantly affected by the rapid spread of mpox, prompting calls for a faster response from international agencies. While Nigeria has confirmed 40 cases of mpox this year, officials suggest the actual number could exceed 700. The 10,000 vaccine doses Nigeria received…

Five dead after Israeli airstrike on refugee camp in West Bank At least five people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian officials. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack, stating it targeted the command centre of a “terror cell.” Separately, the Palestinian Authority reported that one person was killed and three others were injured in an attack by Israeli settlers near Bethlehem. The IDF said it is investigating these reports. Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the war in Gaza began…

UN says Gaza aid operation paused due to evacuation orders The United Nations has temporarily suspended its aid operations in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli military evacuation orders in the central area of the territory. A senior UN official reported that humanitarian staff could not work on Monday because of safety concerns stemming from evacuation orders around Deir al-Balah, where the UN has its main operations centre. The evacuation forced UN staff to relocate quickly, leaving behind essential equipment. Despite the disruption, the UN emphasised it would not be leaving Gaza and is looking for a safe location to…