Eight children among 21 killed as Gaza building collapses
At least 21 people, including eight children, have been killed after a war damaged residential building collapsed in Gaza City, rescuers and medics said. The six storey building in the Tal al Hawa area collapsed overnight on Wednesday.
Witnesses said the building had been left dangerously tilted after an Israeli strike more than a year ago but continued to shelter displaced families who had nowhere else to go. Locals said about 10 families were living there despite warnings that the structure was unsafe.
Rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of equipment, forcing Civil Defence workers initially to search through the rubble with their bare hands. UN and Egyptian teams later joined the operation.
Gaza Civil Defence said it had taken 45 injured people to hospitals before ending the search on Wednesday afternoon. Relatives and residents said the families had accepted the risk because of the severe shortage of shelter in the territory.
Eight children among 21 killed as Gaza building collapses
At least 21 people, including eight children, have been killed after a war damaged residential building collapsed in Gaza City, rescuers and medics said. The six storey building in the Tal al Hawa area collapsed overnight on Wednesday.
Witnesses said the building had been left dangerously tilted after an Israeli strike more than a year ago but continued to shelter displaced families who had nowhere else to go. Locals said about 10 families were living there despite warnings that the structure was unsafe.
Rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of equipment, forcing Civil Defence workers initially to search through the rubble with their bare hands. UN and Egyptian teams later joined the operation.
Gaza Civil Defence said it had taken 45 injured people to hospitals before ending the search on Wednesday afternoon. Relatives and residents said the families had accepted the risk because of the severe shortage of shelter in the territory.
Kosovo’s former president Hashim Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes
Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s former president, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of war crimes committed during the territory’s 1990s war for independence from Serbia.
The 58 year old was convicted at The Hague after a three year trial covering crimes including murder, illegal detention, torture and cruel treatment. Prosecutors had accused him of responsibility for the deaths of nearly 100 people, although several allegations were not proven.
Thaci was a co founder and commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, the ethnic Albanian armed group that fought Serbian forces during the conflict. More than 10,000 people were killed during the war, which ended after Nato military intervention in 1999.
He became Kosovo’s first prime minister after it declared independence in 2008 and later served as president. He resigned from the presidency in 2020 to face the charges before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
The verdict prompted an emotional reaction in Kosovo, where Thaci remains a significant and controversial figure. Thousands gathered in Pristina and other cities to watch the judgment on large screens, with supporters expressing shock and grief over the sentence.
US accuses Russia of plotting attacks on Ukrainian allies
The US Department of Justice has accused five men linked to Russian intelligence services of conspiring to finance attacks against people considered supporters or allies of Ukraine in the United States and Europe.
The defendants were charged with conspiring to finance terrorism, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. US authorities said three of the suspects were high ranking members of a Russian Intelligence Services network.
Among those charged are Yuri Khrameev, 63, a former Russian intelligence colonel, and his son Kirill Khrameev, 27, who the US describes as an officer in Russia’s Federal Security Service. A Cuban national, Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, was also identified as an alleged influential member of the network.
Two other defendants, Yaidel Delgado Suarez and Angel Eduardo Castro, are accused of recruiting or attempting to recruit people in the US to surveil and attempt to murder a prominent Russian dissident based in the country. All five remain at large.
The Kremlin said it would not comment until it saw credible evidence or tangible facts. US officials said the alleged network sought to intimidate, threaten or kill people regarded as aligned with Ukraine, including individuals on American soil.
Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles says she is cancer free
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, has announced that she is cancer free six months after revealing that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Wiles, 69, said in a post on X that pathology tests carried out after a visit to the Mayo Clinic had come back clear. She did not provide further details about her treatment or the diagnosis.
She thanked Donald Trump, United States president, for his support and said she would continue working to advance his administration’s America First agenda. Wiles continued working virtually from the White House during her six months of treatment.
Wiles became the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff and is one of the most influential figures in the Trump administration. Her responsibilities include coordinating policy, managing the president’s agenda and controlling access to him.
She disclosed her diagnosis in March and said she was joining millions of women who continue to work, raise families and serve their communities while undergoing cancer treatment. Her latest announcement did not indicate whether she has completed all aspects of her treatment.
EU backs closer relationship with Canada
The European Union has backed proposals for Canada to become its first associate member, opening the possibility of closer cooperation between the two sides in key economic and strategic sectors.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, told the European Parliament that she wanted to work towards ‘opening the door’ to Canada. The proposal would give the country closer links with the EU without making it a full member.
Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, has called for a unique alliance with Europe as relations between Ottawa and Washington become increasingly strained. Trade tensions between Canada and the United States intensified after negotiations collapsed last month.
Von der Leyen said closer ties with Canada would not be directed against another country but would strengthen Europe’s ability to respond to changes in the international system.
Carney attended von der Leyen’s annual address in Strasbourg and was scheduled to address the European Parliament on Thursday. The proposal could deepen cooperation between Canada and Europe as both sides seek stronger economic and strategic partnerships.
AFRICA
US restricts visas for South African officials over alleged discrimination
The United States has imposed visa restrictions on people it accuses of promoting discrimination against South Africa’s white minority, escalating tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, said the restrictions targeted people involved in what Washington described as race based discrimination, incitement to violence or efforts to enable land confiscation without compensation.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused South Africa of discriminating against Afrikaners through policies aimed at addressing historic racial inequality. South Africa has rejected the allegations and maintained that its policies are intended to address the country’s deep economic and racial disparities.
Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s foreign minister, expressed concern over the latest restrictions and accused groups presenting themselves as representatives of Afrikaners and other minorities of mischaracterising the country’s domestic policies.
The US government did not immediately identify the individuals affected. The move adds to a series of disputes between the two countries over land policy, racial inequality and South Africa’s broader domestic and foreign policy positions.
Israel, Morocco agree to upgrade diplomatic relations
Israel and Morocco have agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relationship, including plans to open embassies and appoint ambassadors in both countries, according to the Israeli government.
The agreement was announced on Wednesday by Israel’s official government account in Arabic. It represents a further step in the normalisation of relations between the two countries.
Morocco was one of four Arab countries, alongside the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, to move towards normalising relations with Israel in 2020 under US backed agreements.
The two countries have maintained diplomatic ties since the normalisation process, while cooperation has expanded across areas including security, trade and tourism.
The decision to upgrade diplomatic representation comes amid continuing tensions across the Middle East and a wider debate among Arab states over relations with Israel.
Guterres calls for accountability over foreign support for Sudan war
Antonio Guterres, United Nations secretary general, has called for countries supplying weapons to Sudan’s warring parties to be held accountable when those weapons are used against civilians.
Guterres described the humanitarian situation in Sudan as devastating and said the suffering of the Sudanese people had reached an intolerable level. He made the comments ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Sudan has been engulfed in war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023. The conflict has killed civilians, displaced millions and created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
Guterres specifically referred to countries providing weapons that are subsequently used in attacks on civilians, without naming individual governments or suppliers.
His comments come as international pressure grows for an end to the conflict and for greater scrutiny of the external actors supporting the rival forces. The UN continues to warn of severe food insecurity, displacement and shortages of essential services across Sudan.
Ramaphosa takes medical leave from public engagements
Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, has been advised to rest and has temporarily withdrawn from public engagements after returning from the BRICS leaders’ summit in India.
The presidency said Ramaphosa was booked off from public duties on medical advice after returning to South Africa on Monday. It did not disclose the nature of his illness or how long he would remain away from official engagements.
Ramaphosa has asked cabinet ministers to represent him at scheduled public events where possible. Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s foreign minister, is expected to lead the country’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in his absence.
Paul Mashatile, South Africa’s deputy president, is also resting on medical advice following a procedure. The simultaneous absence of the country’s two senior political leaders has led ministers to take on additional public responsibilities.
The presidency gave no indication of any broader disruption to government operations. Ramaphosa’s temporary absence comes as South Africa prepares for major international engagements at the UN.
Ghana cuts fuel exports to Burkina Faso, Mali
Ghana’s state owned fuel distributor, BOST Energies, has reduced diesel and petrol exports to Burkina Faso and Mali to protect domestic supplies amid tighter global energy markets.
Afetsi Awoonor, managing director of BOST, said exports to the two neighbouring countries had been cut since August as Ghana prioritised local demand. He said the company supplied only about half of the 80,000 metric tonnes of fuel requested by Burkina Faso in July and August.
Global fuel markets have been under pressure from disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, contributing to higher energy prices as demand rises ahead of peak harvest and winter periods.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger rely heavily on fuel imports from coastal countries such as Ghana and Ivory Coast. Their access to reliable fuel supplies is particularly important as the Sahel countries face continuing security challenges and economic pressures.
Ghana’s decision could add to fuel supply difficulties in the landlocked Sahel, where alternative import routes are limited. BOST’s priority shift also reflects the pressure that regional fuel exporters face when domestic demand rises alongside international supply disruptions.