Sayyed al-Houthi Warns Enemies: 'What is Coming is Far Greater'

By Al Mayadeen English

15 Sep 2024 17:21

Against the backdrop of Yemen's missile attack on Tel Aviv, the leader of Ansar Allah highlights today's operation and its objectives.

The leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, confirmed that today's operation, which was carried out with a high-tech missile, succeeded in bypassing all the enemy's defense systems, despite covering a distance of about 2,040 km.

Addressing the million-man marches across Yemen on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, Sayyed al-Houthi confirmed that the operation was carried out by the Yemeni missile force using a new advanced home-grown missile, affirming that "it is part of the fifth phase of escalation [against the Israeli enemy]."

With this, the Yemeni leader rules out the operation being the response "Israel" has been anticipating for the past two months to retaliate against the Israeli aggression on Hodeidah.

"What is coming is far greater, God willing," he promised.

Meanwhile, Sayyed al-Houthi assured that the Yemeni forces shall continue their battle at sea against vessels linked with the Israeli, American, and British enemies, "conducting operations that are successful and highly effective."

He added that coordination with the different fronts of the Axis of Resistance is ongoing, vowing that the Yemeni operations will continue as long as the aggression and siege on Gaza are not ended.

"We remain steadfast on our position until Palestine is cleansed from the grip of the occupation," the Yemeni leader stated.

Sayyed al-Houthi commenced his speech by commending the high turnout, which reflects the love the Yemenis hold for the Messenger of God on the blessed day of his birth, stressing that it is "unparalleled on earth."

Addressing his people, he said, "You have held the greatest celebration on earth for the greatest and most noble human being, in appreciation of the grace, virtue, and mercy God has bestowed upon us."

Million-man marches across Yemen

Million-man marches were held across several Yemeni squares and cities on Sunday to celebrate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.

Large crowds of people headed to Al-Sabeen Square in the capital Sanaa and other squares in the governorates of Saada, Ibb, Hodeidah, and other Yemeni regions to celebrate the Prophet's birth anniversary, which coincided with Yemen’s top-tier operation targeting Tel Aviv.

The Yemenis who filled the squares carried green and white flags, as well as banners commemorating the precious occasion. Yemeni cities, mosques, homes, buildings, streets, squares, cars, and shops were all also adorned with green and white colors and lights.

Saree confirms hyper-sonic missile struck Tel Aviv

Earlier on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF), Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced that a new hypersonic ballistic missile launched from Yemen successfully struck its military target in Tel Aviv.

Saree reported that the YAF executed the operation using the new missile, which traveled approximately 2,040 kilometers and hit its target in Tel Aviv within just 11.5 minutes.

Israeli air defense systems failed to intercept the missile, he affirmed.

The missile launch induced widespread panic among Israeli settlers, with over two million people seeking shelter—marking an unprecedented event in Israeli history.

Saree highlighted that this operation is part of the fifth phase of Yemen's strategic military efforts, showcasing significant advancements in missile technology. He emphasized that these new technologies are designed to bypass all US-Israeli surface and maritime defensive systems.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Israeli occupation military acknowledged the launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward Tel Aviv and the failure of air defenses to intercept it.

Israeli media reported a direct hit on a power station southeast of Tel Aviv and mentioned that the attack caused fires in forested areas and material damage to a major train station near Modi'in. The missile strike resulted in the suspension of train services across most of the Israeli occupation, with Israeli media also reporting casualties.

Hezbollah Hits IOF Sites with Rockets, Drones, FPVs; Injuries Reported

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Military Media

15 Sep 2024 23:43

Hezbollah fighters have launched a series of attacks against Israeli military targets across northern occupied Palestine, with Israeli media decrying sirens sounding non-stop.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah attacked Israeli occupation forces, their headquarters, military hardware, artillery emplacements, soldiers, and officers on Sunday. 

Hezbollah announced a series of operations in line with its responses to Israeli aggressions on Lebanese territories, including attacks on the town of al-Sarafand and the Bekaa Valley. 

The first of these operations saw Hezbollah fighters fire a barrage of Katyusha rockets at the HQs of the Northern Command's 188th Armored Brigade in the Rivaia barracks. This attack came in response to Israeli aggressions, especially on the town of al-Sarafand. 

Prior to Hezbollah's announcement, sirens sounded in multiple Israeli settlements in al-Jalil and the Golan, at 8:20 am (local time), including in Kfar Blum, Amir, Kela, Sha'al, Beit Hillel, Kiryat Shmona, Shamir, and Lehavot HaBashan.

Later on Sunday, Hezbollah fighters launched an attack on buildings appropriated by Israeli occupation troops in Shlomi, dealing a direct hit to the intended targets. Sirens sounded in Shlomi at 6:00 pm. Hezbollah's Military Media Unit said this attack came in response to the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese towns and civilians. 

Then, the Resistance announced that its Unmanned Air Force launched a swarm of drones at the headquarters of a field intelligence battalion, subordinate to the 210th Regional Division responsible for operations in the occupied Syrian Golan, in the Yarden barracks. According to Hezbollah's Military Media Unit, the drones struck the positions and accommodation areas of Israeli occupation officers and soldiers at the site, killing and injuring a number of them. 

Later on Sunday, the Israeli military command confirmed that two drones struck an area in the Golan, injuring a total of three soldiers. 

Footage of a drone flying over Israeli-occupied territories was also recorded by settlers on Sunday, showing how the drones infiltrated Israeli defenses and reached their intended targets undisturbed. 

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported that Hezbollah's rocket and drone attacks have been launched non-stop against Israeli assets on Sunday. 

Hezbollah also executed multiple operations solely in support of the Palestinian people and their Resistance. 

In support of Palestine

At 6:45 am, Hezbollah fighters destroyed an Israeli military system in the al-Malikiyah military site after striking it with a miniature FPV drone. 

Approximately an hour later, Hezbollah fighters directed yet another FPV drone toward an Israeli military site, this time targeting a position of Israeli occupation troops located at the Metulla site, causing confirmed casualties among them. 

Nearing Sunday noon, Hezbollah fighters destroyed Israeli spyware equipment in the Roueissat al-Alam military site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Chouba Hills. 

At 4:05 pm, Hezbollah shelled the artillery emplacements at al-Zaoura and dealt direct hits to the intended targets. 

Later, at 5:15 pm, the Resistance fired an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) at Israeli spyware in the Ramiah military site, destroying the hardware. 

Fifteen minutes later, the Resistance attacked the al-Summaqah military site in the Kfar Chouba Hills with unspecified "rocket weapons".

At 7:20 pm, Hezbollah fighters shelled the artillery emplacements in Dishon, dealing direct hits to the intended targets.

Why the Kenya Airport Deal Flew Into a Storm

Sunday September 15 2024

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Motorists pass through security checks at the entrance of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

By The EastAfrican

The Jomo Kenya International Airport in Nairobi was engulfed in chaos earlier this week, as members of the Kenya Aviation Workers Union staged a strike in protest against a proposed lease of the facility to Indian infrastructure and airport management firm Adani Holdings.

Although government officials prefer to call the deal a public private partnership, the airport workers and the Kenyan public suspect it as a covert way of selling the family silver to Adani.

As part of his offer, Adani proposes to run the airport for 30 years and inject $1.8 billion in capital investment.

Among other developments, that would see the long-proposed but delayed second runway built at Jomo Kenyatta. A new passenger terminal would also be developed to accommodate the surging arrivals, which are already outstripping the capacity of the exiting facilities, as well as other aspects of modernisation.

Besides the industrial action, the Adani deal has run into opposition from professional groups who have petitioned the courts to block it.

There are two strands to the opposition – the belief that responsible officials have not negotiated the best terms for Kenya, and that a strategic national asset is being given away in perpetuity under the guise of a lease.

What President William Ruto and his government are dealing with, therefore, is by and large a question of trust. Grand corruption and impunity have, over the decades, eroded public trust in the custodians of power, to the extent that nothing they do or propose can be taken at face value.

The Adani deal is not irretrievable, but the government will have to change tack. There is no conceivable reason for hiding a good deal from the public. The general terms of the PPP can be disclosed, and ideally should be open to public scrutiny through designated offices. Alternatively, the deal could be deferred until such a time when public trust in government is restored.

The public is simply asking for transparency and their demands should be treated with respect. So far, all the information circulating about it is at best speculative.

Looked at on the surface, this is a proposal everyone should be applauding. PPPs or airport management contracts are becoming the norm in the development and maintenance of such facilities the world over.

But they should be approached with caution. Even as they offer advantages, such as better efficiency in operations, improved airport services and potential reduction in operating costs, they do have their pitfalls.

A private operator can access capital faster and on better terms, bring innovation, cost savings and turn what was once a drain on the public purse into a profitable operation. But those benefits can only accrue when the contract is properly structured, with effective oversight. The cost of investment and focus on profitability can translate into higher user costs.

The scope of responsibilities, performance benchmarks such as regulatory compliance and financial terms, including revenue sharing and operating costs ceilings as well as reporting standards, must be clearly defined to avert potential disputes and unexpected cost escalation.

The reluctance to make these terms public could be a red flag indicative of a poorly structured agreement.

Sudan Military Leader Burhan Seeks Political Legitimacy on the Back of Damaging War

Sunday September 15 2024

Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L) arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport before the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) Summit in Beijing, China on September 3, 2024.

By MAWAHIB ABDALLATIF

Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is seeing September, again, as a lucky month to market himself to the global audience as the legitimate leader of his country. It comes even as the ongoing war churns out a king-size humanitarian crisis.

Last week, Burhan travelled to Beijing where he met with President Xi Jinping.

The occasion was the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) where dozens of African leaders including Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Kenya’s President William Ruto gathered.

But it was a personal triumph for a man who was forced to relocate from the country’s capital Khartoum to Port Sudan, from where he has tried to defend his fort.

In Beijing, discussions with Xi didn’t amount to much but a photo of him and China’s assurances on Sudan sovereignty were significant.

China is ready to work with Sudan to promote the steady development of their strategic partnership, Xi said, according to an official dispatch from Beijing. Xi said China supports Sudan in “safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and hopes Sudan will restore peace and stability at an early date.”

One more important statement was that China will continue “to uphold justice for Sudan on multilateral occasions and strive for a sound external environment for the political settlement of the Sudanese issue.”

With China, one of the five permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, it means Burhan has two on his side, with Russia having already backed him. Both China and Russia have defended Sudan in UN forums, even in the face of Western criticism.

Indeed, some diplomatic sources in Khartoum indicated hope that Burhan’s moves may now force the US to endorse Burhan as the legitimate leader of Sudan’s transition period, or lose out in influencing events there.

The US has tried several times to push the warring parties, the Sudan Armed Forces (Saf) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to pursue peace. They haven’t and the SAF recently dodged an invitation to Geneva for the latest round, accusing organisers of inviting unwanted guests such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) whom the Saf accuse of backing RSF.

At the UN Security Council, however, the UAE, currently a non-permanent member said there won’t be a military solution in Sudan.

“An immediate and permanent ceasefire, unhindered access to humanitarian aid, and a return to a civilian-led government in Sudan are desperately needed, the UAE said on September 11.

“There is no military solution to this conflict. The warring parties must come to the negotiating table to end this devastating conflict.”

This month, Burhan is expected to make his second address to the UN General Assembly, the annual ritual where world leaders arrive in New York to give speeches at the global body. Yet there are calls from the UN and international human rights organisations to extend the mandate of the fact-finding mission in Sudan, because the situation in the country is witnessing a significant escalation in humanitarian violations.

During the session reviewing the mission’s report, held on Tuesday, September 10, the discussions highlighted the importance of continuing the mission’s work to address the worsening humanitarian and rights crisis.

The session reviewing the fact-finding mission’s report on Tuesday, September 10, featured extensive discussions within the Human Rights Council, with varied positions on the future of the mission. While some blocs and representatives of the Sudanese civil society called for extending the mission to continue its investigations, the Sudanese government requested its termination.

The mission’s report stated that the Sudanese government had not responded to four visit requests from the mission’s team, which hindered the completion of their investigations.

The report recommended an investigation by the International Criminal Court into the crimes committed, in addition to deploying peacekeeping forces to protect civilians due to the extensive violations committed by both sides in the conflict, including killings, arrests, torture, and internet blackouts.

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution extending sanctions against Sudan until September 2025. Robert Wood, the US Deputy Representative for Political Affairs at the UN, stated that these sanctions aim to limit arms transfers to Darfur and penalise individuals and entities contributing to destabilising activities.

General Yasser Al-Atta, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces elicited widespread reactions. He confirmed that Abdel Fattah al-Burhan will remain the head of state with full sovereign powers even after several electoral terms. Al-Atta’s comments indicate the army’s intention to maintain political control, even amid upcoming elections.

These statements are seen as part of al-Burhan’s effort to gain international legitimacy by reinforcing his role as a key leader, despite both international and domestic pressures. Observers believe that this stance reflects a desire to ensure the continuity of political control, which could complicate the prospects for peaceful resolutions and further entrench the current situation.

Moreover, some observers suggest that these remarks might be an attempt by al-Burhan to enhance his domestic political position and strengthen his standing with international powers, seeking international support and legitimacy amidst increasing criticism of Sudan’s human rights situation.

At the same time, these statements might exacerbate internal tensions by inflaming political discord and generating mixed reactions among various factions within Sudan.

This position reflects deep political tensions within the country, as the ongoing conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces could undermine the chances of reaching an effective political settlement and increase the humanitarian suffering of millions of Sudanese enduring the ongoing conflict.

The next session of the Human Rights Council is expected to conclude on October 10, with a vote scheduled on the resolution to extend the fact-finding mission’s mandate before the session ends.

Russian Forces Destroy Two Ukrainian Su-27 Fighter Jets in 24 Hours — Defense Ministry

The Russian Aerospace Forces downed two Su-27 fighter jets of Ukraine’s air forces in 24 hours

© Nicolas Economou via Reuters Connect, archive

MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. The Russian Aerospace Forces downed two Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jets in 24 hours, the Defense Ministry reported.

"The Russian Aerospace Forces downed two Su-27 fighter jets of Ukraine’s air forces in 24 hours," the report said.

Russian army hits railroad train with foreign weapons in special military operation zone

Operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as artillery and missile troops of the Russian armed forces destroyed a railroad train carrying foreign weapons, as well as a facility on production of components for short-range ballistic missiles in the area of the special military operation in 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"A railroad train with foreign weapons and a missile/artillery armament depot were destroyed," the ministry said, adding that troops and military equipment of the Ukrainian army were hit in 148 regions.

Russian air defense downs MiG-29 fighter jet, 55 drones in 24 hours 

Russian air defense downed Ukraine’s MiG-29 fighter jet and 55 drones, including 22 ones outside of the area of the special military operation, over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Air defense downed a MiG-29 fighter jet of Ukraine’s air forces, as well as intercepted a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, four France-produced guided aerial bombs and 55 unmanned aerial vehicles, including 22 outside of the area of the special military operation," the report said.

Battlegroup Center

The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 545 servicemen in one day as a result of the actions of Russia’s Center battlegroup, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

The units of the battlegroup continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses, defeating the formations of six Ukrainian brigades in the areas of the settlements of Katerinovka, Nelepovka, Novoekonomicheskoe, Druzhba, Rozovka and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.

"Ten counter-attacks were repulsed by the assault groups of the 32nd, 53rd mechanized, 68th infantry, 142nd infantry and 25th airborne brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the 3rd and 12th brigades of the National Guard. The enemy's losses amounted to 545 servicemen, three pickup trucks, one 155-mm M777 howitzer, two 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer and one 100-mm Rapira gun," the Defense Ministry said.

Battlegroup Dnepr

The units of Battlegroup Dnepr eliminated up to 75 Ukrainian troops over the past 24 hours, as well as inflicted fire damage on formations of three Ukrainian brigades, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"The units of Battlegroup Dnepr eliminated troops and equipment of the 118th mechanized, 141st infantry and 128th mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian army, the 123rd territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Pyatikhatki, Zherebyanki, Novodanilovka of the Zaporozhye Region and Novoraisk of the Kherson Region," the report said.

The enemy lost up to 75 troops, two tanks and five cars, the ministry added.

Battlegroup West

Ukraine’s armed forces lost up to 570 troops as a result of actions by Russia’s Battlegroup West in the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

The group’s units improved their tactical positions, inflicted damage on troops and equipment of the 44th, 54th, 60th and 63rd mechanized, the 3rd assault brigades of the Ukrainian army, the 1st National Guard brigade near the settlements of Berestovoye, Kovsharovka, Peski-Radkovskiye, Novoyegorovka of the Kharkov Region, Krasny Liman of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Serebryansky forestry.

"Three counterattacks by assault groups of the 63rd mechanized and the 3rd assault brigades of the Ukrainian army were repelled. The enemy lost up to 570 troops, seven cars, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a British-made 155mm FH-70 towed howitzer, a US-produced 155mm М198 howitzer, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two UK-made L-119 howitzers and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station. Four field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army were destroyed," the ministry said.

Battlegroup South 

Russia’s Battlegroup South took better positions over the past day and repelled three counterattacks by the enemy, with up to 765 Ukrainian troops eliminated in its responsibility zone, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Three counterattacks by assault groups of the 30th, 33rd mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army and the Aidar assault battalion (recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia - TASS) were repelled," the report said. Moreover, two counterattacks by the enemy were repelled in 24 hours.

The Ukrainian army lost up to 765 troops, ten cars, a 152mm D-20 gun, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm self-propelled artillery system Gvozdika, two UK-made 105mm L-119 howitzers, a US-produced 105mm M119 weapon, as well as five field armament depots, the minister added.

Battlegroup East 

The units of Battlegroup East secured better lines and positions over the past day, with the enemy losing up to 110 troops, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"The units of Battlegroup East secured better lines and positions, inflicted damage on formations of the 72nd mechanized, the 5th tank brigades of the Ukrainian army, the 18th, 116th territorial defense brigades and the 21st national guard brigade near settlements of Ugledar, Novoukrainka, Dobrovolye and Oktyabr of the Donetsk People’s Republic," the report said.

One counterattack by the enemy was repelled, according to the report. All in all, the Ukrainian army lost up to 110 troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armored combat vehicles and three cars.

Battlegroup North’s

Ukraine’s armed forces lost up to 150 troops, as well as a Caesar self-propelled artillery vehicle, as a result of actions by Battlegroup North in 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

The group’s units in the Liptsy and Volchansk directions inflicted damage on formations of four Ukrainian brigades near Liptsy and Volchansk of the Kharkov Region, the report said.

"The Ukrainian army lost up to 150 troops, five armored combat vehicles, four cars, a France-made 155mm Caesar howitzer, a US-manufactured 155mm M114 howitzer, a 152mm D-20 weapon, three 122mm D-30 howitzers and one UK-made 105mm L-119 howitzer," the ministry said.

Russian Aviation Defeats Reserves of Seven Ukrainian Brigades in Sumy Region

© Alexey Konovalov/TASS

MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. The Russian operational-tactical aviation and missile forces have defeated reserves of seven brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 11 settlements of the Sumy region within 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Operational-tactical aviation and missile forces carried out strikes on the concentration areas in the Sumy region and reserves of the 21st, 22nd and 41st mechanized and 82nd airborne assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 1, as well as the 103rd and 106th territorial defense brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Belopolye, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Obody, Katerynovka, Rechki, Pavlovka, Sosnovka, Sumy, Khoten, Yunakovka, Yastrebinoe, and Yampol," the ministry said.

Six attempts to break into Russia’s Kursk region by Ukrainian forces repelled

Six attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to break through the border into Russia’s Kursk region were repelled in 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"With the support of army aviation and artillery fire, six enemy attempts to break through the Russian border in the direction of the settlements of Novy Put, Veseloye, and Medvezhye were repulsed. The enemy lost up to 60 killed and wounded, three tanks, one armored personnel carrier, and five armored combat vehicles," the ministry said.

Seven Ukrainian servicemen surrender in Russia’s Kursk region in past 24 hours

Seven servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces surrendered to Russia in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Seven servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces surrendered," the ministry said. It was noted that over the past 24 hours the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 300 servicemen and 22 armored vehicles in the Kursk region.

In total, during the fighting in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost more than 13,400 servicemen, 113 tanks, 44 infantry fighting vehicles, 91 armored personnel carriers, and 718 armored combat vehicles, the ministry added.

Russian Armed Forces continue offensive in Kursk direction

Units of Russia’s North battlegroup continue their offensive in the direction of Kursk, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"The units of Russia’s North battlegroup continued the offensive operations and inflicted losses on the formations of the 22nd, 41st, 61st and 115th mechanized brigades, 17th armored, 82nd and 95th airborne assault brigades, and the 112th and 129th territorial defense brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Lyubimovka, Novoivanovka, Daryino, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Pokrovsky, and Borki," the ministry said.

Five Ukrainian servicemen surrender after unsuccessful attacks in Russia’s Kursk direction

Five servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces surrendered as a result of unsuccessful attacks in the Kursk direction, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Over the past 24 hours, units of the ["North"] battlegroup repelled two enemy counterattacks in the direction of the settlements of Lyubimovka and Malaya Loknya. Two attack attempts in the direction of the settlements of Viktorovka, Olgovka, and Kremyanoye were thwarted. As a result, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 25 people killed and wounded, an armored personnel carrier and two armored combat vehicles were destroyed. Five servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces surrendered," the ministry said.

Putin Always Deliberate in Choosing Response to West’s Actions — Kremlin

Russian experts discuss tough options among other things, Dmitry Peskov added

Russia's Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Gavriil Grigorov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

© Gavriil Grigorov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is always overly deliberate regarding response to the West’s actions though Russian experts discuss tough options among other things, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin.

"We have enough specialists, experts that are quite competent, which discuss the topic very actively. I think that this is enough so far," Peskov said when asked whether it is time to speak at an official level about the possible response to the West’s aggression, including provision of long-range missiles to Ukraine.

He mentioned the recent interview with Sergey Karaganov, the honorary chairman of the Presidium of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, "who offered his known line" of a preventive nuclear attack for intimidation of Russia’s possible enemies, as an example.

"We have enough such discussions, though the president is always overly deliberate with it," the spokesman stressed.

FBI Investigating Another Attempted Assassination of Trump

Gram Slattery and David Ljunggren

Sun, September 15, 2024 at 5:31 PM EDT

Police patrol the area following reports of multiple shots fired near the golf course of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump

Police vehicles are seen at a scene following reports of multiple shots fired near the golf course of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump

By Gram Slattery and David Ljunggren

(Reuters) -Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was safe after what the FBI said appeared to be an assassination attempt on Sunday outside Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Law enforcement officials said during an afternoon press conference that the gunman was in some bushes near the property line of the golf course when Secret Service agents, who were clearing holes ahead of Trump, spotted a rifle barrel in the bushes.

Agents engaged the gunman and fired at least four rounds of ammunition around 1:30 p.m. (1730 GMT). The gunman then dropped his rifle, two backpacks and other items and fled in a black Nissan car. A witness, the sheriff said, saw the gunman and managed to take photos of his car and license plate.

Authorities then sent out an alert to statewide agencies with the information on the vehicle, which led to sheriff’s deputies in neighboring Martin County stopping and apprehending the suspect on I-95.

"We have somebody in custody right now,” said Palm Beach County sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

Trump's campaign had earlier said he was safe following gunshots in his vicinity.

Trump sent an email to his fundraising list saying there were "gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!" according to an email seen by Reuters.

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on July 13, raising questions about protection for candidates just months ahead of what looks likely to be highly contested Nov. 5 election in which he will face off against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

The White House said in a statement that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed about the incident and were relieved to know that he is safe.

"Violence has no place in America," Harris said in an X social media post.

The Washington Post said Trump had been golfing at the course when the incident occurred. Secret Service agents took him to a holding room at the club, it said, citing two people briefed on what had happened.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The first shooting of a U.S. president or major party presidential candidate in more than four decades was a glaring security lapse that forced Kimberly Cheatle to resign as Secret Service director under bipartisan congressional pressure.

Trump was grazed in the right ear and one rallygoer was killed in the gunfire. The gunman, identified as a 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.

The U.S. Secret Service's new acting director said in August that he was "ashamed" of a security lapse that led to the assassination attempt.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery in Washington and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Douglas Gillison and Richard Cowan in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders and Lisa Shumaker)

US Election News: Trump Safe After Shooting Near His Florida Golf Course

This video may contain light patterns or images that could trigger seizures or cause discomfort for people with visual sensitivities.

15 Sep 2024

Authorities say former United States President Donald Trump is safe after multiple shots were fired near him by a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The identity of the shooter and details behind the incident remain unclear, but the Secret Service is expected to release more information in the coming hours.

US President Joe Biden says he and Vice President Kamala Harris are ‘relieved’ that Trump was not hurt in the incident.

Trump survived an assassination attempt in July when a gunman in Pennsylvania opened fire at one of his rallies.

What did we learn?

The news conference by law enforcement agencies – including the FBI, Secret Service and local officials – has ended. Here’s what they said:

The gunman was spotted by a Secret Service agent poking a muzzle of gun through a fence at the golf course. The agent was one hole ahead of Trump as part of the security protocol.

The Secret Service agent fired at the suspect. It was unclear if the suspect fired back at the agent.

The suspect then fled the wooded area, got into a black vehicle and fled the scene.

A witness took a picture of the vehicle, including its license plate. The information allowed law enforcement to quickly locate and detain the suspect.

A backpack, GoPro camera, firearm scope and AK-47-style rifle were recovered where the suspect had been near the golf course. The Palm County sheriff said it appeared the suspect sought to film himself.

The sherif said the suspect was about 400 to 500 yards (metres) from Trump.

The FBI had earlier confirmed that the incident was being investigated as an “attempted assassination”.

Trump is Safe After Secret Service Opened Fire at Suspected Person with Firearm Near His Golf Club

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, COLLEEN LONG, MICHAEL BALSAMO and ZEKE MILLER

4:44 PM EDT, September 15, 2024

Donald Trump is safe after Secret Service opened fire at suspected person with firearm near his golf club. Live updates here.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man with an AK-style rifle pointed the firearm’s muzzle into Donald Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as the former president was playing a round, prompting the U.S. Secret Service to open fire, according to three law enforcement officials. The former president is safe and unharmed, and the FBI says it is investigating “what appears to be an attempted assassination” of the Republican presidential candidate.

The person dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV, and was later taken into custody in a neighboring county, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

An AK-style firearm was recovered at the scene near Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, two of the officials said. And no injuries were reported.

The incident was the latest jarring moment in a campaign year marked by unprecedented upheaval. It occurred roughly two months after Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear. Only a week later, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.

The golf course was partially shut down for Trump as he played, and agents were a few holes ahead of him when they noticed the person with the firearm, the officials said. There are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are visible from the fence line. Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs generally secure the area several holes ahead and behind Trump when he golfs. Agents also usually bring an armored vehicle onto the course to quickly shelter Trump should a threat arise.

Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. His campaign had not advised Trump’s plans for Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the club, one of three he owns in the state.

The former president has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he has been at Trump Tower in New York, a lineup of dump trucks have parked in a wall outside the building. And at outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind an enclosure of bulletproof glass.

Trump was returned safely after the incident to his private Mar-a-Lago club, where he resides in neighboring Palm Beach, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had both been briefed and would be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added they were “relieved” to know Trump is safe.

Harris, in a statement said she was “glad” Trump was safe, adding that “violence has no place in America.”

In an X post, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, one of Trump’s top congressional allies, said he had spoken with Trump after the incident and that Trump was in “good spirits” and was “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”

Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder said the suspect was apprehended within minutes of the FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office putting out a “very urgent BOLO” — or “be on the lookout” alert” detailing the specific vehicle sought, license plate number and occupant description.

Snyder said his deputies “immediately flooded” northbound I-95, deploying to every exit between the Palm Beach County line to the south and St. Lucie County line to the north.

“One of my road patrol units saw the vehicle, matched the tag and we set up on the vehicle,” Snyder said, “We pinched in on the car, got it safely stopped and got the driver in custody.”

Snyder told WPTV that the suspect “was not armed when we took him out of the car.”

The man had a calm, flat demeanor and showed little emotion when he was stopped by police, Snyder said, saying the suspect did not question why he was being pulled over.

“He never asked, ‘what is this about?’ Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it,” Snyder said.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation and is receiving regular updates about it, a Justice Department spokeswoman said.

The post by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office indicated the suspect was apprehended near Palm City, Florida, about a 45-mile drive north of Trump’s golf course. Northbound lanes of I-95 were shut down, the sheriff’s office said.

A message sent to campaign officials seeking information on the security status and location of Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, was not immediately returned.

Max Egusquiza, of Palm Beach, described the emergency response outside Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.

“From what I saw 5 black unmarked SUVs blocked in a grey Mercedes in front of the golf course. There were about 20 or more cop cars flying from nearby streets,” he said.

Trump is supposed to speak about cryptocurrency live Monday night on the social media site X for the launch of his sons’ crypto platform. He’s expected to do that from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The former president is scheduled to return to the campaign trail on Tuesday for a town hall in Flint, Michigan with his former press secretary, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, followed by a campaign rally in New York on Long Island on Wednesday.

At the end of the week, he’s scheduled to attend and address the Israeli-American Council National Summit in Washington, D.C. and on Saturday hold a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.

___

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Michael R. Sisak in New York, Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report.

Al Mayadeen Report on Glilot & Ein Shemer Strike 'Accurate': Hezbollah

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Al Mayadeen

14 Sep 2024 20:03

Hezbollah's deputy chief says that Al Mayadeen's exclusive report about the Resistance's successful operation targeting the Glilot and Ein Shemer bases is "accurate and reliable".

Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, confirmed that the report by Al Mayadeen Network regarding the successful targeting of the Glilot and Ein Shemer bases is accurate and reliable.

September 14, 2024

This comes less than one day after Ibrahim al-Moussawi, a member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc in the Lebanese Parliament, said that the information received by Hezbollah confirms that what was reported by Al Mayadeen regarding the losses inflicted on "Israel" during Hezbollah's Operation Arbaeen last month.

In a speech marking the week since the martyrdom of Hani Hussein Ezzedine, Sheikh Qassem questioned: "Why has the occupation not organized a media tour or taken members of its government to the targeted bases to refute the resistance's announcement?"

He continued, "Why did the occupation impose a media blackout on the operation? Why did they impose a security cordon around the area if, as they claim, the operation failed? And why did the head of Unit 8200 announce his resignation now, instead of earlier, if it was linked to the events of October 7?"

The Resistance leader also pointed out that Hezbollah has "numerous experiences with the occupation, most notably the operation by martyr Ahmad Qasir in Tyre, which the occupation acknowledged 40 years after it was carried out."

Regarding the possibility of an expanded battle at the northern borders of occupied Palestine, he stated that Hezbollah has no plans to "initiate a war, but any expansion of the occupation's aggression will be met with an expanded response."

"If they believe that war will bring back the [northern] settlers, they should prepare to [evacuate] hundreds of thousands of settlers [more]."

'The days and nights will reveal the truth'

Earlier this week, European security sources disclosed to Al Mayadeen that the recent operation by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon targeting the HQs of Unit 8200 in the Glilot base and the airbase of Ein Shemer have been substantially successful.

The European sources confirmed that Hezbollah's strike resulted in 22 deaths and 74 injuries.

The operation, dubbed Operation Arbaeen, was an "initial" response to the assassination of martyred Commander Fouad Shokor, as confirmed by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on August 25.

In an address directly following the operation, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that the Glilot base is located 110 km from the Blue Line between Lebanon and occupied Palestine, and 1,500 meters from Tel Aviv's periphery, placing it just outside Tel Aviv. He added that the operation's second target was the Ein Shemer airbase, situated 75 km from Lebanon and 40 km from Tel Aviv.

He confirmed that "a significant number of drones hit their intended targets, but the enemy is keeping all relevant details concealed, but the days and nights will reveal the truth of what happened there."

Kenya’s Ruto: Labour Export to Germany is Not Brain Brain; There’s Enough Where Those Come From

Friday September 13 2024

Kenya's President William Ruto holds a joint press briefing with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany on September 13, 2024. PCS

By AGGREY MUTAMBO

Kenya’s President William Ruto on Friday said a bilateral deal his country had signed with Germany would not erode the skills needed to help industrialise, but was instead an opportunity to address youth unemployment.

At a joint press briefing with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Dr Ruto fought back criticism that the deal could lead to brain drain as masses of educated Kenyan youth target better jobs in Germany. 

The deal known as Kenya-Germany Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (some German dispatches labelled it an MoU for a pilot project on job placements) is meant to “formalise the cooperation on migration and labour mobility between both countries.”

According to a brochure shared with the media on Friday, it is expected to provide a framework for cooperation and information exchange on labour mobility, apprenticeship, student training, labour market needs, employment and welfare of workers, readmission, and return.

But the merging question is whether it could lead to more educated people fleeing Kenya, leaving the country’s industrialisation targets in limbo.

“I want to assure you that we have skills, we have developed a huge human capital. As you may be aware, Kenya is a young country,” Dr Ruto said.

“We have a huge young population that cannot only satisfy our industrialisation agenda in Kenya but also here in Germany. In fact, it will provide an avenue for us to tap the skills here,” he argued.

That agreement, he said, had been negotiated in the past year and focuses on all “skills sets” and would ensure Kenyan training centres raise their standards to be at per with Germany’s, including twinning syllabi and training Kenyans in German.

The deal is expected to provide opportunities for at least 250 professional, skilled and semi-skilled Kenyan nationals in fields such as information technology and engineering, to work in Germany, helping the European country meet its needs in the necessary sectors and address an ageing workforce problem.

In Nairobi, however, that has to be balanced with some of the policies Ruto’s government pledged before he was elected.

They had promised to raise industrialisation to at least 15 percent of GDP, up from seven percent.

Kenya traditionally has relied on agriculture and the service industry to sustain its economy, now expected to grow at 5.2 percent on average, according to the World Bank.

Yet he also promised to address the huge youth unemployment problem amid local scarcity of jobs, which may mean hunting for opportunities abroad. For that, Ruto’s government has taken flak for exporting labour, some even semi-skilled.

In Germany, however, the deal addresses a different political problem: Illegal migration. Part of the deal will ensure illegal Kenyans in Germany are returned to Nairobi and Kenya will ensure they don’t sneak back.

Germany has been one of the most accommodative Western Europeans to migrants but has struggled to tame the flow.

Some 92,119 individuals illegally entered Germany between January and September of 2023, according to official figures. Others entered legally but overstayed. 

Then there is a group that entered legally, then applied for asylum, which was denied, but then vanished into the country to avoid deportation.

Officially, this deal is to provide a “win-win” model for solving Germany’s labour conundrum occasioned by the retirement of the “baby boomer generation” while offering decent remote jobs to restive, but qualified, young Kenyan professionals, according to a dispatch.

“We are happy to export Kenyan expertise to support German industrialisation. There is also the opportunity that we can transfer some of your industries to Kenya so that we do not have to export the labour here,” President Ruto said. “This agreement gives us an opportunity to avoid illegal immigrants, because illegal immigrants give a problem to both Kenya and Germany.”

Chancellor Scholz, backing the deal, has had to convince local politicians to support it. At the joint press conference, he said Germany needs skilled workers from Europe and many other places in the world, legally.

The country has taken in six million workers, a figure he said has saved Germany from “a very difficult situation” of an ageing workforce. 

“Germany has the opportunity to evade that trap while benefiting both countries,” he said.

That will continue, he said, but Germany wants “a clear reduction of irregular migration and better border management…By using this openness we can use this agreement to return people when it becomes necessary.”

US Issues Travel Advisory, Cites Fear of Possible Terror Attack in Kenya

Saturday September 14 2024

A View of the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya after the deadly assault by terrorists on September 21, 2013. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

By NATION AFRICA

As Kenya this month holds anniversaries for the major terrorist attacks that has rocked the country in the past, including the 9/11 attack and the September 21, 2013 Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi, the US has once again alerted its citizens who reside in the nation of a new terror advisory.

“While attacks can occur at any time, concerns are heightened in proximity to anniversaries of prior terrorist attacks, such as September 11, the September 21 Westgate Mall attack,” the embassy said in a Friday advisory. 

Equally, the embassy says a first anniversary of the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel (October 7, 2023) is nearing.

“The US Embassy in Nairobi reminds US citizens in Kenya that they should exercise increased caution due to the risks of terrorism and kidnapping. Locations frequented by US citizens and other foreigners and tourists in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya continue to be targets to terrorists,” it stated.

As a precaution, the embassy advises US citizens to remain vigilant in areas frequented by tourists, review their personal security plans, monitor local media, avoid areas where protests and demonstrations are taking place, avoid crowds and keep a low profile.

The British High Commission in Kenya reinforced the US Embassy's advice. 

In an advisory revised on September 13, the High Commission reproduced the US Embassy's warning on its website, as it reiterated that there are areas bordering Somalia where its citizens could have their travel insurance invalidated if they ignore its advice and visit them. 

Meet the Straight Ally Who is Protesting Ghana’s Anti-LGBTQ Bill

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE

1:02 PM EDT, September 13, 2024

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Texas Kadiri Moro stood in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Accra on Thursday, dressed in short pink Speedos and a pink polo shirt. Accompanied by trumpet players, carrying a banner with slogans including, “Why should a society of evildoers judge others?” and “Justice begins where inequality ends!” he marched across the Ghanaian capital in a one-man protest against a highly controversial bill which targets members of the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters.

Moro is an unusual figure amid the LGBTQ+ rights activists in the coastal West African nation.

He is heterosexual, married to a woman, and a father of six. He is a teacher. And he is a practicing Muslim. Yet for months he has been conducting solo demonstrations against the bill, which criminalizes members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as its supporters, including promotion and funding of related activities and public displays of affection. It could send some people to prison for more than a decade.

The bill was passed by Ghana ’s parliament earlier this year but has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

It has not yet been signed into law by President Nana Akufo-Addo, who cited ongoing proceedings. But he refused to reject it either.

“There are so many issues about rights” when it comes to the bill, Moro told The Associated Press.

“Homosexuality does not affect anyone,” Moro said. “We have activities that people are doing in the country that are worse than homosexual activities,” he added, citing adultery as an example. The parliament, he said, should be more concerned with “other crimes and pollution.”

The bill has sparked condemnation from rights groups and some in the international community who have been concerned about similar efforts by other African governments.

Sponsors of the bill have said it seeks to protect children and people who are victims of abuse.

Gay sex is already illegal in Ghana, carrying a three-year prison sentence, but the new bill could imprison people for more than a decade for activities including public displays of affection and promotion and funding of LGBTQ+ activities.

Since he began his protests, Moro has lost his job, has not received any assistance from the LGBTQ+ community, and has become a target of “very hostile attacks from the Muslim community,” he says.

But he is determined to continue. For him, it is about battling injustice.

“I know I’m doing something that God is asking me to do,” he said.

To point out the hypocrisy of the bill, Moro carried a petition to the Parliament asking the government to withdraw foreign missions from countries where homosexuality is legal, if they find it “filthy,” he said.

At the entrance to Parliament House, Kate Addo, Parliament’s director of communications, received Moro’s petition on behalf of the speaker. She said she was pleased with his initiative.

“We live in a democratic country where what people do in their bedrooms is not to be anyone’s concern,” Addo said. “However, we are also regulated by law.”

Even though Ghana’s president delayed signing the bill into law, activists said that the debate by itself triggered an increase in physical and psychological violence against LGBTQ+ people.

Joseph Kobla Wemakor, the executive director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana, said that “abuse, both psychologically and physically against members of the community has skyrocketed” since the bill has been introduced.

“The moment people hear that you are part of this, the LGBTQ+, you are an enemy,” Wekamor said. “They are looking forward to hurting you, even lynching you, killing you.”

They are “forgetting that we are all humans,” he added.

“It takes one man to change the world,” he said. “And if he has started something like that, other people will follow, because it (the bill) is a wrongdoing.”

The Church Was Named Good News. Hundreds of Members Died in a Cult Massacre that Haunts Survivors

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

8:19 AM EDT, September 14, 2024

MALINDI, Kenya (AP) — Shukran Karisa Mangi always showed up drunk at work, where he dug up the bodies of doomsday cult members buried in shallow graves. But the alcohol couldn’t numb his shock the morning he found the body of a close friend, whose neck had been twisted so severely that his head and torso faced opposite directions.

This violent death upset Mangi, who had already unearthed children’s bodies. The number of bodies kept rising in this community off Kenya’s coastline where extremist evangelical leader Paul Mackenzie is accused of instructing his followers to starve to death for the opportunity to meet Jesus.

While he sometimes sees the remains of others when he tries to sleep, Mangi said recently, the recurring image of his friend’s mutilated body torments him when he’s awake.

“He died in a very cruel manner,” said Mangi, one of several gravediggers whose work was suspended earlier in the year as bodies piled up in the morgue. “Most of the time, I still think about how he died.”

In one of the deadliest cult-related massacres ever, at least 436 bodies have been recovered since police raided Good News International Church in a forest some 70 kilometers (40 miles) inland from the coastal town of Malindi. Seventeen months later, many in the area are still shaken by what happened despite repeated warnings about the church’s leader.

Mackenzie pleaded not guilty to charges in the murders of 191 children, multiple counts of manslaughter and other crimes. If convicted, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Some in Malindi who spoke to The Associated Press said Mackenzie’s confidence while in custody showed the wide-ranging power some evangelists project even as their teachings undermine government authority, break the law, or harm followers desperate for healing and other miracles.

It’s not only Mackenzie, said Thomas Kakala, a self-described bishop with the Malindi-based Jesus Cares Ministry International, referring to questionable pastors he knew in the capital, Nairobi.

“You look at them. If you are sober and you want to hear the word of God, you wouldn’t go to their church,” he said. “But the place is packed.”

A man like Mackenzie, who refused to join the fellowship of pastors in Malindi and rarely quoted Scripture, could thrive in a country like Kenya, said Kakala. Six detectives have been suspended for ignoring multiple warnings about Mackenzie’s illegal activities.

Kakala said he felt discouraged in his attempts to discredit Mackenzie years ago. The evangelist had played a tape of Kakala on his TV station and declared him an enemy. Kakala felt threatened.

“Those were some of his powers, and he was using them,” Kakala said.

Kenya, like much of East Africa, is dominated by Christians. While many are Anglican or Catholic, evangelical Christianity has spread widely since the 1980s. Many pastors style their ministries in the manner of successful American televangelists, investing in broadcasting and advertising.

Many of Africa’s evangelical churches are run like sole proprietorships, without the guidance of trustee boards or laity. Pastors are often unaccountable, deriving authority from their perceived ability to perform miracles or make prophecies. Some, like Mackenzie, can seem all-powerful.

Mackenzie, a former street vendor and cab driver with a high school education, apprenticed with a Malindi preacher in the late 1990s. There, in the laid-back tourist town, he opened his own church in 2003.

A charismatic preacher, he was said to perform miracles and exorcisms, and could be generous with his money. His followers included teachers and police officers. They came to Malindi from across Kenya, giving Mackenzie national prominence that spread the pain of the deaths across the country.

“As a religious leader, I see Mackenzie as a very mysterious man because I can’t fathom how he was able to kill all those people in one place,” said Famau Mohamed, a sheikh in Malindi. “But one thing that’s still puzzling, even at the moment, is he still talks with so much courage. … He feels like he did nothing wrong.”

The first complaints against Mackenzie concerned his opposition to formal schooling and vaccination. He was briefly detained in 2019 for opposing the government’s efforts to assign national identification numbers to Kenyans, saying the numbers were satanic.

He closed his Malindi church premises later that year and urged his congregation to follow him to Shakahola, where he leased 800 acres of forest inhabited by elephants and big cats.

Church members paid small sums to own plots in Shakahola, and were required to build houses and live in villages with biblical names like Nazareth, according to survivors. Mackenzie grew more demanding, with people from different villages forbidden from communicating or gathering, said former church member Salama Masha.

“What made me (realize) Mackenzie was not a good person was when he said that the children should fast to die,” said Masha, who escaped after witnessing the starvation deaths of two children. “That’s when I knew that it’s not something I can do.”

The grass-thatched house with a solar panel where Mackenzie lived was known as “ikulu,” or statehouse. Police found milk and bread in Mackenzie’s refrigerator as his followers starved nearby. He had bodyguards. He had informers. And, decisively, he had his aura as the self-proclaimed prophetic “paapa” to thousands of obedient followers.

“(He’s) like a chief, because they had a small village and my brother’s the elder of that particular village,” said Robert Mbatha Mackenzie, speaking of his older brother’s authority in Shakahola. “He went there, and, in only two years, he made a big village. And many people followed him there.”

Mbatha Mackenzie, a mason who lives with his family and goats in a tin shack in Malindi, said that while Mackenzie was generous to his followers, he never treated his extended family with similar kindness.

“My brother — he seemed like a politician,” he said. “They have a sweet tongue, and when he talks something to the people, people believe him.”

A former church member who escaped Shakahola said she lost faith in Mackenzie when she saw how his men handled people on the verge of dying from starvation. She said Mackenzie’s bodyguards would take the starving person away, never to be seen again.

The woman said it was “like a routine” for the bodyguards to rape women in the villages. She says she, too, was sexually assaulted by four men while she was pregnant with her fourth child. The Associated Press does not identify victims of alleged sexual assault unless they choose to publicly identify themselves.

Those who tried to the leave the forest without Mackenzie’s permission faced beatings, as did those who were caught breaking fast, according to former church members.

Autopsies on more than 100 bodies showed deaths from starvation, strangulation, suffocation, and injuries sustained from blunt objects. Mangi, the gravedigger, said he believed more mass graves were yet to be discovered in Shakahola. At least 600 people are reported missing, according to the Kenya Red Cross.

Priscillar Riziki, who left Mackenzie’s church in 2017 but lost her daughter and three grandchildren in Shakahola, broke down as she remembered Mackenzie as “good at first” but increasingly discourteous to his followers. Her daughter Lorine was not allowed to take her children on family visits without Mackenzie’s approval, Riziki said.

One of Riziki’s grandchildren was identified through DNA analysis and received a proper burial. Lorine and two of her children are presumed dead.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which witnesses said strengthened Mackenzie’s vision of the end times, the leader ordered more rigorous fasting that became even more stringent by the end of 2022. Parents were forbidden from feeding their children, witnesses said.

Some church members who escaped Shakahola spread word of suffering there, once causing a fight inside the forest when outsiders riding motorcycles attempted a rescue mission, said village elder Changawa Mangi Yaah.

The rescue party had two of their motorcycles burned in Shakahola, but the police failed to act beyond making brief arrests, Yaah said, adding that he realized “Mackenzie was more powerful than I thought.”

Takeaways from AP’s Report Updating the Cult Massacre that Claimed Hundreds of Lives in Kenya

A piece of clothing lies in the bush near the forest where dozens of bodies were found in shallow graves in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in southern Kenya, on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

2:52 AM EDT, September 14, 2024

In one of the deadliest cult-related massacres ever, the remains of more than 430 victims have been recovered since police raided Good News International Church in a forest some 70 kilometers (40 miles) inland from the Kenyan coastal town of Malindi.

Seventeen months later, many in the area are still shaken by what happened despite repeated warnings about the church’s leader.

Autopsies on more than 100 bodies showed deaths from starvation, strangulation, suffocation, and injuries sustained from blunt objects. A gravedigger, Shukran Karisa Mangi, said he believed more mass graves were yet to be discovered. At least 600 people are reported missing, according to the Kenya Red Cross.

Here are some details about the case.

The church’s leader is on trial

The evangelical leader of Good News, Paul Mackenzie, is accused of instructing his followers to starve to death for the opportunity to meet Jesus. Mackenzie pleaded not guilty to charges in the murders of 191 children, multiple counts of manslaughter and other crimes. If convicted, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Some in Malindi who spoke to The Associated Press said Mackenzie’s confidence while in custody showed the wide-ranging power some evangelists project even as their teachings undermine government authority, break the law, or harm followers desperate for healing and other miracles.

It’s not only Mackenzie, said Thomas Kakala, a self-described bishop with the Malindi-based Jesus Cares Ministry International, referring to questionable pastors he knew in the capital Nairobi. “You look at them. If you are sober and you want to hear the word of God, you wouldn’t go to their church. But the place is packed.”

A man like Mackenzie, who refused to join the fellowship of pastors in Malindi and rarely quoted Scripture, could thrive in a country like Kenya, said Kakala. Six detectives have been suspended for ignoring multiple warnings about Mackenzie’s illegal activities.

Kakala said he felt discouraged in his attempts to discredit Mackenzie years ago. The evangelist had played a tape of Kakala on his TV station and declared him an enemy. Kakala felt threatened.

Mackenzie’s ascent to a position of power

Mackenzie, a former street vendor and cab driver with a high-school education, apprenticed with a Malindi preacher in the late 1990s. There, in the laid-back tourist town, he opened his own church in 2003.

A charismatic preacher, he was said to perform miracles and exorcisms, and could be generous with his money. His followers included teachers and police officers. They came to Malindi from across Kenya, giving Mackenzie national prominence that spread the pain of the deaths across the country.

The first complaints against Mackenzie concerned his opposition to formal schooling and vaccination. He was briefly detained in 2019 for opposing the government’s efforts to assign national identification numbers to Kenyans, saying the numbers were satanic.

He closed his Malindi church premises later that year and urged his congregation to follow him to Shakahola, where he leased 800 acres of forest inhabited by elephants and big cats.

Church members paid small sums to own plots in Shakahola. They were required to build houses and live in villages with biblical names like Nazareth, according to survivors. They said Mackenzie grew more demanding, with people from different villages forbidden from communicating or gathering.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which witnesses said strengthened Mackenzie’s vision of the end times, the leader ordered more rigorous fasting that became even more stringent by the end of 2022. Parents were forbidden from feeding their children, witnesses said.

Evangelical churches are proliferating in Kenya

Like much of East Africa, Kenya is dominated by Christians. While many are Anglican or Catholic, evangelical Christianity has been spreading widely since the 1980s. Many pastors style their ministries in the manner of successful U.S. televangelists, investing in broadcasting and advertising.

Many of Africa’s evangelical churches are run like sole proprietorships, without the guidance of trustee boards or laity. Pastors are often unaccountable, deriving authority from their perceived ability to perform miracles or make prophecies. Some, like Mackenzie, can seem all-powerful.

Ugandan Olympic Athlete Who Died After Her Partner Set Her on Fire Gets a Military Funeral

By PATRICK ONEN and RODNEY MUHUMUZA

3:11 PM EDT, September 14, 2024

BUKWO, Uganda (AP) — Thousands of mourners in Uganda paid their respects Saturday to Rebecca Cheptegei, the Olympic athlete who died last week in Kenya after her partner set her on fire. The military funeral took place in a remote town near the Kenyan border.

Military officers played a prominent role in the funeral because Cheptegei held the rank of sergeant in Uganda’s army, said military spokesman Brig. Felix Kulayigye, adding that she deserved a “gun salute that befits her rank.”

Athletes, family members and others delivered their eulogies before thousands in a sports field in the district of Bukwo. Many condemned domestic violence.

“As a nation, we are indeed in a black and dark moment,” said Ajilong B. Modestar, the Bukwo resident district commissioner. “We condemn in the strongest terms the manner in which Rebecca died. ... We should not continue battering women in this manner.”

Cheptegei, who was 33, was buried at her father’s homestead.

She died after her body suffered 80% burns in the attack by Dickson Ndiema, who doused her in gasoline at her home in western Kenya’s Trans-Nzoia County on Sept. 3. Ndiema sustained 30% burns on his body and later succumbed to his injuries.

According to a report filed by the local chief, they quarreled over a piece of land the athlete bought in Kenya.

The horrific gasoline attack shocked many and strengthened calls for the protection of female runners facing exploitation and abuse in the East African country.

Cheptegei’s body was returned to Uganda on Friday in a somber procession following a street march by dozens of activists in the western Kenyan town of Eldoret who demanded an end to violence against female athletes.

Cheptegei is the fourth female athlete to have been killed by her partner in Kenya in a worrying pattern of gender-based violence in recent years. Kenya’s high rates of violence against women have prompted several marches this year.

Ugandan officials have condemned the attack, demanding justice for Cheptegei. First lady Janet Museveni, who also serves as Uganda’s education and sports minister, described the attack as “deeply disturbing.”

Don Rukare, chairman of the National Council of Sports of Uganda, said in a statement on X that the attack was “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”

Four in 10 women, or an estimated 41% of dating or married Kenyan women, have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their current or most recent partner, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.

Many Ugandan athletes train across the border in Kenya, an athletics powerhouse with better facilities. Some of the region’s best runners train together at a high-altitude center in Kenya’s west.

Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, finishing in 44th place, less than a month before the attack. She had represented Uganda at other competitions.

___

Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda.

The Presidential Campaign Season in Tunisia is Officially Underway a Day After Protests

By MASSINISSA BENLAKEHAL

4:12 PM EDT, September 14, 2024

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The official start of the presidential campaign season in Tunisia began on Saturday, a day after Tunisians took their anger to the streets of the capital to decry what protesters say is the deteriorating state of the country.

In what appeared to be the largest protest since authorities began a monthslong wave of arrests earlier this year, hundreds of Tunisians marched peacefully on Friday and called for an end to what they called a police state.

“We’re here to say no and show that we don’t all agree with what’s really happening in the country,” Khaled Ben Abdeslam, a father and urban development consultant, told The Associated Press.

In 2011, longtime Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled by nationwide protests that unleashed revolt across the Arab world.

More than a decade later, Ben Abdelslam said he was worried about the growing number of political figures who’ve been thrown in jail under President Kais Saied and said he wants to ensure Tunisia “turns the page” for the good of his kids.

“Nobody dares to say or do anything anymore today,” he said as protesters neared Tunisia’s powerful Interior Ministry.

“Where is sugar? Where is oil? Where is freedom? Where is democracy?” signs read.

Some carried posters telling the government that “human rights are not optional” while others revived the popular slogans that mobilized Tunisia’s masses against Ben Ali.

This time though, they directed scorn toward Saied.

The protests capped off a week in which the North African country’s largest opposition party, Ennahda, said its senior members had been arrested en masse, at a scale not previously seen.

They come as Saied prepares to campaign for reelection on Oct. 6, when he will ask voters to grant him a second terms.

When first elected in 2019, Saied used anti-corruption promises to win over people disillusioned with the political controversies that plagued Tunisia’s young democracy in the years that followed the Arab Spring.

Since taking office, the 66-year-old former law professor has gone to lengths to consolidate his own power, freezing the country’s parliament and rewriting the constitution. Throughout his tenure, authorities have arrested journalists, activists, civil society figures and political opponents across the ideological spectrum.

And though he promised to chart a new course for the country, its unemployment rate has steadily increased to one of the region’s highest at 16%, with young Tunisians hit particularly hard.

The economy continues to face significant challenges, yet Saied has managed to energize supporters with populist rhetoric, often accusing migrants from sub-Saharan Africa of violence and crime and aiming at changing the country’s demography.

In the months leading up to his reelection bid, the political crackdown has expanded.

His opponents have been arrested, placed under gag order or faced criminal investigations that observers have called politically motivated. Figures who said they planned to challenge him have been sentenced for breaking campaign finance laws. Others have been ruled ineligible to challenge him by Tunisia’s election authority.

Even those the authority approved have later faced arrest.

Ayachi Zammel, a businessman planning to challenge Saied, was promptly arrested after being announced as one of the two candidates approved to appear on the ballot alongside Saied. His attorney, Abdessattar Messaoudi, told The Associated Press that she feared a court may bar him from politics for life as it had done to other Saied challengers.

The Tunisian Network for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms — a newly formed coalition of civil society groups and political parties — organized Friday’s protest to draw attention to what it called a surge of authoritarianism.

Outrage swelled among many members of the network after the country’s election authority — made up of Saied appointees — dismissed a court ruling ordering it to reinstate three challengers to Saied.

The authority has defied judges who have ruled in favor of candidates who have appealed its decisions and pledged not to allow Mondher Zenaidi, Abdellatif El Mekki and Imed Daimi to appear on the ballot alongside Saied next month.

In less than a month, Tunisian voters are expected to cast their choice in the Oct. 6 poll, amid spreading worrying and doubts about the country’s political future.

Hajer Mohamed, a 33-year-old law firm assistant said that she and her friends were terrified about the direction Tunisia was heading in ways they couldn’t have imagined when people rejoiced the freedoms won 13 years ago.

“We never thought that after the 2011 revolution we’d live to see the country’s suffocating situation,” she said. “even under former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the situation wasn’t as scandalous as it is today.”

___

Sam Metz contributed to this report from Rabat, Morocco.

Comoros President is ‘Slightly Injured’ in Knife Attack. The Suspect is Found Dead in Police Cell

FILE - Comoros’ President Azali Assoumani waves as he is escorted by Chinese officials upon arrival at the Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing, on Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, Pool, File)

By NAZIR NAZI

9:42 AM EDT, September 14, 2024

MORONI, Comoros (AP) — The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros was “slightly injured” in a knife attack while attending the funeral of a religious leader on Friday, his office said. The suspect, who was identified as a 24-year-old male soldier, was then found dead in a police cell on Saturday.

President Azali Assoumani’s injuries were not serious and he had returned to his home, his office said in a statement. It said the attacker was arrested by security forces and was taken into custody, but authorities said he had been discovered a day later “unresponsive” in a cell where he was being held and was declared dead.

The suspect was identified as Ahmed Abdou. Public prosecutor Ali Mohamed Djounaid said Abdou had attacked Assoumani with a kitchen knife at the funeral. A civilian was also injured during the attack while attempting to protect the president, government minister Aboubacar Said Anli said.

The attack happened in the town of Salimani on the outskirts of the capital Moroni.

“The president’s security agents immediately subdued the young man and handed him over to investigators,” public prosecutor Djounaid told reporters. He said an investigation was underway into the attacker’s motive and the circumstances of his death while in custody.

Assoumani was reelected as president of Comoros in January in a vote denounced by opposition parties as fraudulent. At least one person died in unrest following the election. The country, which is made up of an archipelago of islands off the east coast of Africa, has experienced more than a dozen coups or attempted coups since independence from France in 1975.

Assoumani, 65, is a former military officer who first came to power in a coup in 1999. He served a first term as president from 2002 - 2006 and was elected again in 2016.

He has been the leader since and extended his presidency into a fourth term this year after changing the constitution to remove term limits and abolishing a system that saw the presidency rotated between Comoros’ three main islands. He has been accused of cracking down on dissent and banning peaceful protests.

South Sudan Postpones December Elections by 2 Years Citing Incomplete Preparations

FILE - South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir arrives at Juba’s Presidential Palace, South Sudan, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

By DENG MACHOL

6:04 PM EDT, September 13, 2024

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The government in South Sudan has postponed elections scheduled for December for two years citing the need to complete processes such as a census, the drafting of a permanent constitution and the registration of political parties.

The Presidential Adviser on National Security Tut Gatluak on Friday said the extension would provide an opportunity to complete critical processes before the new election date of Dec. 22, 2026.

This is the second time the country, which gained independence in 2011, is postponing elections and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020.

President Salva Kiir and his former rival turned deputy, Riek Machar, signed a peace agreement in 2018 that ended a five-year civil war in which more than 400,000 people died.

Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said the extension followed recommendations from both electoral institutions and the security sector.

Last month, the chairperson of National Election Commission, Prof. Abednego Akok, told the Associated Press the country was behind the electoral calendar which required voter registration to have started in June but was still pending due to a shortage of funds.

The country is going through an economic crisis that has seen civil servants go unpaid for almost one year, after its oil exports were affected by a damaged pipeline in war-torn neighboring Sudan through which it exports.

The Tumaini initiative peace talks that have been going on in neighboring Kenya, believed to provide a foundation for the inclusion of non-signatory groups to sustain peace, have also stalled.

A new security act that allows for warrantless detentions became law in August despite concerns from human rights groups that it would create fear in the runup to the elections.

Andrea Mach Mabior, an independent political analyst, warned that any sham elections may result in a waste of resources and chaos.

“Going for elections that do not meet international standards will be a waste of money,” Mabior told the AP.

But others like Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment Progress Organization, said delays to the elections or any extension of the transitional period would create a possibility of violence erupting across the fragile country.

“If we fail to conduct the elections in December 2024 the chance of the country turning into violence is higher than if we go for the elections,” Yakani told the AP in August.

The country, which has gone through the shocks of civil war and climate change is in need of humanitarian aid with an estimated 9 million people — 73% of the country’s population — projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance during 2024, according to the 2024 UN Humanitarian Needs Overview for South Sudan.