deadly

The Foreign Office has issued updated travel advice for Indonesia after violent riots erupted across the country, leaving seven people dead and hundreds injured in the worst unrest the nation has seen for years

Brits planning a holiday to Bali have been issued an urgent safety warning as violent riots break out across Indonesia, resulting in seven fatalities and hundreds of injuries in the worst unrest the country has experienced in years.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice due to the increasing risk of civil disorder and terror attacks, following intense street fights between police and protesters throughout the vast archipelago.

The lethal chaos was sparked by public outrage over extravagant new parliamentary perks, leading to widespread demonstrations that have rapidly spread from the capital Jakarta to cities nationwide. This news comes as a report exposed the inside of the hellhole jail where British Angel Delight drug smugglers face terrifying ‘threats’.

Rampaging crowds have set regional parliament buildings ablaze, embarked on extensive looting sprees and engaged in fierce clashes with security forces as the political crisis intensifies.

The death toll continues to rise, with three individuals losing their lives in Makassar after irate protesters torched a parliament building, resulting in scenes of complete devastation, reports the Express.

The violence took a dramatic turn when 21 year old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan was tragically killed by a police vehicle in Jakarta, sparking national outrage and igniting further waves of anti-government anger.

A student tragically lost his life during violent clashes in Yogyakarta, while a pensioner pedicab driver passed away after inhaling tear gas during confrontations in Solo, adding to the growing human toll of the political chaos.

Jakarta’s health office has confirmed a shocking 469 people have been injured since the violence erupted, with nearly 100 needing hospital treatment for their injuries.

President orders crackdown as terror threat looms

President Prabowo Subianto expressed his shock and disappointment over the killing of Kurniawan but has commanded police and military forces to take the “firmest possible action” against rioters as the situation spirals out of control.

“There are signs of unlawful acts, even leading to treason and terrorism,” he cautioned in a chilling statement that highlights the severity of the crisis engulfing the nation.

Rehayu Saraswati, a member of the ruling party, admitted the scale of the protests had taken the government by surprise.

She confessed to the BBC: “I don’t think any of us saw this coming. It happened very, very quickly within a matter of days.”

But she dismissed accusations that the government had been deaf to public concerns, adding: “We understand that the situation is difficult, and that the economy has been quite, I would say, challenging for some people.

“The recently announced cuts to the parliamentary budget and allowances are a way to show that we are listening.”

Molotov cocktails and snipers as military deployed

The violence has escalated to worrying levels, with protestors lobbing Molotov cocktails and firecrackers at police lines in Bandung, while thousands more have taken to the streets across Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi.

Troops have been dispatched across Jakarta in scenes eerily similar to military rule, with snipers stationed in key strategic areas, checkpoints set up throughout the city, and schools forced to shut due to safety concerns.

The United Nations has called on Indonesia to probe allegations of “disproportionate force” used by police against demonstrators, underlining global concern over the spiralling crisis.

Protestors dismiss government concessions

Despite government efforts to defuse the situation, protest leaders have rejected the concessions – including scrapping the controversial allowance and banning overseas trips for MPs – as pitifully insufficient.

Muzammil Ihsan, leader of the country’s largest student group, delivered a resolute message: “The government must resolve deep-rooted problems.

“The anger on the streets is not without cause.”

Political pundits have cautioned that the unrest presents the first significant challenge for Subianto’s presidency and could seriously rattle investor confidence, with Indonesia’s stock index already plunging more than three percent on Monday as markets responded to the turmoil.

Foreign Office issues urgent travel warning

The UK Foreign Office is now urging British holidaymakers to avoid protests and large gatherings, emphasising that peaceful demonstrations can quickly turn violent.

In its updated travel advice, the FCDO warned: “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Indonesia. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals.

“Potential targets can include beach resorts, hotels, bars and restaurants, markets and shopping malls, tourist attractions, places of worship, foreign embassies, polling stations, ferry terminals and airports.”

Travellers are being advised to remain extra alert during national holidays, religious festivals and elections, when the terror threat becomes particularly acute.

Bali’s hidden perils revealed

Apart from the ongoing political turmoil, Bali presents considerable dangers that many British tourists don’t realise until it’s far too late.

Authorities have spotlighted worrying accounts of sexual attacks, drink tampering cases, methanol poisoning from fake alcohol, and violent bag-snatching in bustling tourist areas.

Holiday-makers are being urged to monitor drinks being made at all times, steer clear of potentially fatal homemade alcohol, and only buy drinks from properly authorised establishments to prevent poisoning.

The FCDO has also raised concerns about the ongoing risk of opportunistic theft and elaborate cons designed to exploit unwary tourists. British holidaymakers should pack only vital belongings, safeguard passports and bank cards constantly, and stick to licensed taxi firms like Bluebird, Silverbird or Express – whilst thoroughly verifying drivers correspond with app reservations.

Authorities issued a blunt warning that no overseas journey is entirely without danger, stating: “Read all advice carefully and ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance.”

Police set up checkpoints across Jakarta in anticipation of further demonstrations.

Indonesian authorities have ramped up security after six people were killed in unrest over economic hardship that escalated into violent anger against the nation’s police force.

The deadly protests, which began last week over financial perks for lawmakers, have forced President Prabowo Subianto to make a U-turn over the measures.

Demonstrations had begun peacefully, but turned violent against the nation’s elite paramilitary police unit after footage showed one of its teams running over 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan late on Thursday.

Protests have since spread from the capital, Jakarta, to other major cities, including Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya in Java, and Medan in North Sumatra province, in the worst unrest since Prabowo took power.

More gatherings of students and protesters were planned in several locations around Indonesia’s vast archipelago on Monday.

Police set up checkpoints across the capital, Jakarta, on Monday, and a police spokesman told broadcaster Kompas TV that officers were also patrolling the city to “protect” citizens and give a sense of security.

Police had deployed a convoy of armoured cars and motorbikes to parliament late on Sunday, in a show of force as they attempted to warn off protesters.

The crisis has forced Prabowo to cancel a planned trip to China this week for a military parade commemorating the end of World War II.

His close ally, Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, warned Sunday that military and police would take “firm action” against “rioters and looters”, after the Minister of Finance’s house was pillaged.

At least three people were killed after a fire on Friday started by protesters at a council building in the eastern city of Makassar.

Another victim died in Makassar on Friday after he was beaten by a mob on suspicion that he was an intelligence officer, local disaster agency official Muhammad Fadli Tahar told AFP on Sunday.

In Yogyakarta, the Amikom Yogyakarta University confirmed the death of its student, Rheza Sendy Pratama, in protests, but the circumstances around his death remain unclear.

In anticipation of further unrest, TikTok on Saturday temporarily suspended its live feature for “a few days” in Indonesia, where it has more than 100 million users.

Aug. 29 (UPI) — The New York City Health Department announced Friday that a deadly bout of Legionnaires’ disease in Upper Manhattan has ended.

According to the agency, as of Thursday, a cluster of the illness in the Central Harlem community caused 114 cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Of those who were infected, seven died and 90 were hospitalized.

Six of the victims remain hospitalized. The Health Department also noted that about 90% of those stricken “had a known risk factor for severe disease,” which includes smoking, having a compromised immune system, chronic lung disease or other chronic conditions, or being age 50 and older.

An investigation into the source of the sickness that began in July had led the Health Department to the cooling towers at Harlem Hospital, and the facility has since had its towers disinfected. However, a culture test taken from a hospital tower did come back positive earlier this month, and the hospital then drained, disinfected, and refilled the cooling tower.

A cooling tower at a construction site in Harlem was sampled in July, and it, too, received a positive result for Legionnaires, and the site contractor completed a total remediation in the beginning of August.

“After an extensive investigation, we were able to identify two cooling towers that had a genetic match with patient specimens,” announced Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse on Friday.

“We are working with building owners on next steps to protect the health and safety of Harlem residents and to prevent future clusters,” she concluded.

“Today marks three weeks since someone with symptoms was identified, which means New Yorkers should be able to breathe a sigh of relief that residents and visitors to Central Harlem are no longer at an increased risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a press release.

“But our job here is not done,” he added. “We must ensure that we learn from this and implement new steps to improve our detection and response to future clusters, because public safety is at the heart of everything we do, and we will never stop working to protect New Yorkers.”

The New York City Health Department described Legionnaires’ disease as a type of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella, which grows in warm, standing water.

Its symptoms can include muscle aches, fever, chills and cough. Cooling towers used in air conditioning systems emit water vapor that can spread the disease if the tower’s water system is contaminated.

The department further notes it can’t be spread from person to person or by drinking water. The city’s largest outbreak occurred in 2015, during which 16 people died and 136 were sickened.

Pakistan has been reeling from flooding triggered by torrential rains, with nearly 400 people killed since August 14.

On Wednesday, Karachi was inundated following a heavy downpour, paralysing the southern port city of 20 million people less than a week after deadly flash floods swept away villages in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

More than 700 people have been killed in the flooding and landslides across the South Asian nation since June, with forecasters warning of further downpours until Saturday.

So why have floods in Pakistan been so intense, and what is the solution to the South Asian country’s flooding problem?

Where did it flood in Pakistan?

The Buner district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been the worst hit, with more than 200 people killed and extensive damage to homes and public infrastructure across the northwestern mountainous province since August 14.

The Himalayan region of Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as Pakistan-administered Kashmir, was also affected.

Karachi, the capital of the southern Sindh province, was hit by floods after rainfall on Tuesday. Videos circulating on social media showed cars and motorbikes submerged in water.

How many people have died in the floods?

On Thursday, nine people died and 15 were injured across the country, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Seven of these deaths were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while two were in Sindh.

On Wednesday, 41 people died and 11 people were injured across the country. At least 19 of these deaths were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11 deaths were in Sindh, and 11 deaths were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Some 759 people have died, including 186 children, and 993 have been injured since the onset of the monsoon season in June. More than 4,000 houses have been damaged due to flooding in the same period.

What do rescue efforts look like?

The head of the NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, said that more than 25,000 people had been rescued from flood-hit areas, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The army and air force have also been pressed into action in rescue efforts.

On Wednesday, 2,300 people were treated in 14 active medical camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the NDMA. Relief items have also been distributed among those affected by the floods.

What is causing the floods in Pakistan?

While the exact cause of the floods is yet to be determined, several factors could have contributed to the deluge.

“While climate change plays a critical role in intensifying flooding events in Pakistan, other factors such as urbanisation, deforestation, inadequate infrastructure, and poor river management also contribute significantly,” Ayyoob Sharifi, a professor at Hiroshima University in Japan, told Al Jazeera.

Climate change

Sharifi told Al Jazeera that climate change is causing monsoon rainfall to intensify, resulting in more frequent extreme precipitation events.

A study co-authored by Sharifi and published in February this year, indicates that cities such as Lahore and Faisalabad could experience increased rainfall under certain scenarios, heightening the risk of urban flooding.

He added that rising temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, leading to heavier downpours during storms. In northern Pakistan, these higher temperatures are also accelerating glacial melting, which increases the likelihood of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). These are floods that occur when water is suddenly released from a glacial lake.

Earlier this month, a GLOF occurred in Pakistan’s northern region of Hunza, when the Shisper Glacier swelled the Hassanabad nullah, damaging infrastructure and destroying cultivable land, Dawn reported on August 8.

While Pakistan is responsible for less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions according to European Union data, the country bears the brunt of climate disaster, the country’s former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail told CNBC in 2022.

Heavy rain over a short period

Fahad Saeed, a climate scientist at the Berlin-based think tank, Climate Analytics, told Al Jazeera that the flooding was caused by higher-intensity rainfall. This means that there was a large amount of rain over a short period.

In Buner, more than 150mm (6 inches) of rain fell in just one hour on Friday morning.

In 2022, Pakistan endured its most severe monsoon season ever recorded, resulting in at least 1,700 deaths and causing an estimated $40bn in damage. Saeed said the 2022 floods were unexpected because of the areas they hit, ravaging arid or semiarid parts of northern Sindh that usually do not experience heavy rainfall.

However, rainfall this year has occurred within or around the region that normally experiences monsoon rain, he said. What is unusual this time is the sheer intensity of the rain.

Soil unable to absorb the rain in rural areas

Saeed explained that when there is rapid rainfall in a rural area over a short time, the soil does not get enough time to absorb the rainwater. “The rain doesn’t infiltrate into the soil, rather, it flows off the surface. It results in mudslides and soil erosion.”

This applies to rural areas in the northern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

“What happens is that normally, if you are living next to the rivers, your house is prone to get destroyed or inundated. But this time, what happened is that even if you are on the slopes of the mountain, the rainfall is so intense that because of the mudslide and the landslides, it destroyed the homes at the elevations,” Saeed explained.

Issues with the drainage system in urban areas

Karachi primarily relies on natural stormwater drains, or nullahs, for rainwater to be drained off.

Research shows that Karachi generates more than 20,000 tonnes of solid waste per day, and the nullahs are clogged by this rubbish.

During an event on urban flooding last year, hydrologist Sana Adnan pointed out that cleaning nullahs only before the monsoon season significantly contributes to flooded roads, emphasising that heavy rains can happen at any time of the year, not just during the monsoon, local outlet Dawn News reported.

Architect and planner Arif Hasan told Dawn in 2020 that due to the absence of a sustainable social housing policy, working-class families set up informal settlements across these nullahs. These informal settlements and formal developments use the nullahs for sewage disposal.

Hasan wrote that since the mid-1960s, Karachi’s waste disposal system has been set up for sewage to go into nullahs.

Rapid urbanisation and migration

Sharifi said that another reason behind urban flooding is that rapid and unplanned urbanisation reduces natural drainage and increases surface run-off, exacerbating flooding in cities like Karachi and Lahore.

Saeed added that cities are growing due to the rapid migration of people from rural areas into urban centres, and climate change might also cause this.

“Whenever somebody migrates from a rural to an urban area, they tend to move towards big cities like Lahore or Karachi,” Saeed said.

He explained that climate change can result in low crop yields, compromising the livelihoods of farmers in rural areas, leading them to move their families to cities.

“Once they reach the city, they are most likely to settle in informal settlements. Over time, they try to become part of that society. Meanwhile, city management struggles to provide necessary civic facilities, creating a kind of feedback loop.”

Deforestation and river management issues

“Loss of forest cover in upstream areas reduces the land’s ability to absorb water, increasing the volume of run-off into rivers,” Sharifi said.

Buner is mostly hilly, with steep slopes leading into narrow valleys. The area’s loose, easily eroded soil and ongoing deforestation make it especially prone to landslides and flash floods.

Sharifi added that the absence of green infrastructure such as parks, wetlands and permeable pavements also exacerbates flooding by removing natural systems that would otherwise help absorb and slow water flow, reducing the risk of flooding.

“Inefficient management of river systems, including the lack of proper embankments and flood control measures, contributes to riverine flooding.”

Limitations in early warning systems 

The study that Sharifi co-authored identified limitations in the early warning systems which predict rainfall.

He explained that the currently used models often fail to capture regional and local climate nuances, leading to inaccuracies in projecting extreme precipitation events at smaller scales.

Sharifi added that most studies focus on large cities, leaving small cities underrepresented.

What measures can Pakistan take to mitigate flooding?

“Mitigating flooding in Pakistan requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses both structural and non-structural measures,” Sharifi said.

He explained that structural steps include building and maintaining drainage systems, reservoirs and restoring natural waterways.

Urban areas should use green infrastructure like permeable pavements and rain gardens to absorb water and prevent run-off. Urban planning must also manage land use to avoid building in flood-prone areas.

Non-structural measures include the latest early warning systems, better disaster preparedness, community education on flood risks and stronger disaster management coordination.

Saeed said that Pakistan is experiencing multiple facets of climate change impacts.

He said that addressing climate change calls for holistic, integrated planning across different departments.

“We can no longer afford to work in silos,” Saeed said, explaining that Pakistan has federal-level ministries for climate change, development, water, industry and agriculture.

Climate scientists, academics and other experts need to become a part of climate policymaking in the country, he said.

How is the current flood situation in Pakistan?

Rainwater accumulation has been cleared from the northwestern regions of Pakistan. However, infrastructure has sustained damage.

The Sindh Information Department made a series of posts on X on Wednesday saying that stormwater has been cleared from roads in multiple neighbourhoods in Karachi, including North Nazimabad. Safoora, Clifton and Liaquatabad.

Dawn reported on Wednesday that rainwater had accumulated in some roads near Karachi’s major I I Chundrigar Road.

Is more flooding expected in Pakistan?

Yes, the NDMA posted an emergency alert on X at about noon (07:18 GMT) saying that extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Sindh’s cities Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and adjacent areas “within the next 12-24 hours”.

The NDMA added that there is a risk of more than 50 to 100mm of rainfall over a short period raising the risks of urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas.

The NDMA added that Sindh’s rural regions Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro and Dadu are at risk of sudden flooding due to rising water levels in the Indus River and its tributaries. Low-lying regions may be inundated, with major highways and local roads potentially submerged, severely affecting transport. Extended disruptions to power and telecommunication services are also expected.

The authority has warned residents in flood-prone areas to move livestock and valuable items to safe locations, keep emergency supplies ready, be careful when using electrical appliances and stay away from submerged roads and from electrical poles.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department issued a similar warning on its X account on Wednesday, listing more areas prone to upcoming floods in the southern region of the Balochistan province, such as Makran and Khuzdar.

The NDMA has predicted monsoon spells across the country until September 10.

A new wave of flooding has swept through villages in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Officials say at least 20 people were killed when fresh monsoon rains added to the ongoing flood emergency in the region.

Health authorities are warning people to keep their distance from “risky” animals

The Catalan Department for Health has issued a warning as 21% of animal attacks in the area are now considered to be “risky” for disease transmission. Bats with rabies are a particular concern according to the authority.

It urged people in Catalonia to avoid contact with bats at all costs as these animals are the main carriers of rabies in the area. Rabies is passed on through bites, scratches and other close contact from an infected animal such as an infected animal licking your eyes, nose or mouth.

The authority cautioned: “It is important that if a person finds a bat, they do not handle it, even if it seems harmless or injured. And in this case, notify rural agents so that they can take charge of its management.

“In the event of a bite, scratch or lick from an animal considered at risk, both in Catalonia and in any other territory, in addition to immediately washing the wound with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection, it is necessary to consult a healthcare centre so that it can assess the actions to be taken.”

Officials also reminded people to be wary when travelling to other countries or areas that might have endemic rabies but Catalonia is currently free of terrestrial endemic rabies. This means that animals such as dogs, cats and ferrets in the area have no risk of contagion. The authority has highlighted that occasional instances of bats carrying the infection have been reported in the area.

Between January and 29 July this year, there were 88 animal attacks reported in Catalonia, with 22 involving bats, a figure consistent with previous years. However, this year has seen a significant increase in cases requiring intervention due to potential rabies infection, accounting for 63% of all incidents.

The health authority clarified that people who have been attacked by an animal deemed at risk of carrying rabies are typically administered anti-rabies medication and must adhere to a vaccination schedule following the suspected exposure.

Historically, June, July and August have been the peak months for animal attacks in Catalonia, with most incidents occurring during tourist trips in the region, on the streets or within domestic settings.

The NHS has issued a warning to travellers heading to Asia, Africa, Central America and South America to be particularly vigilant for rabies, as these regions have a higher prevalence of the disease.

In certain circumstances, a rabies vaccine may be recommended for those travelling to areas where access to emergency medical assistance may be limited or for those likely to come into contact with animals, such as those engaging in extensive outdoor activities.

Rabies is extremely rare in the UK and can be transmitted by various mammals including dogs, bats, raccoons and foxes. Currently, much like Catalonia, it’s only sporadically found in some bats in the UK.

Rabies can be prevented if treatment is sought promptly after exposure, according to health services. However, once symptoms begin to manifest, the disease becomes untreatable and is almost always fatal.

Aug. 16 (UPI) — The deadly explosion in the Steel Clairton Coke Works near Pittsburgh occurred when a gas valve was flushed in preparation of planned maintenance, U.S. Steel said in preliminary findings.

Two people died and 10 people were hospitalized on Monday in the explosion at the plant about 15 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Black smoke could be seen for miles.

“Pressure built inside the valve, leading to valve failure and coke oven gas filling the area and ultimately exploding when finding an ignition source,” U.S. Steel spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said in the statement to KDKA-TV and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Workers were charging ovens and pushing coke out of them as part of normal operations, Executive Vice President Scott Buckiso said at a news conference earlier this week.

“We want to reinforce that this investigation is in its early stages, and we will provide more information when we can,” Malkowski added. “Our focus remains on our employees and their families during this difficult time.”

She said company employees, agencies and experts have been reviewing video and interviewing workers.

“I thought something like this would take two to four to five months for it to unfold,” Calirton Mayor Rich Lattanzi said Friday. “I’m thinking what they found is a smoking gun.”

JoJo Burgess, who works at the plant and is mayor of nearby Washington, said he wants more information.

“Did someone know before it happened, so that they could have tried to stop the process?” he told KDKA-TV.

Bernie Hall, director of United Steelworkers District 10, said the union needs to learn more before speculating.

The explosion occurred around 11 a.m. Monday at the plant. Two people were initially reported missing, but the workers’ bodies were found in the rubble.

Killed were Timothy Quinn, 39, who lived with his disabled mother, and Bryan Dascani, 52, who was married and had two daughters, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Three other people remain in critical condition.

On Monday, U.S. Steel said the initial blast occurred inside the reversing room for batteries 13 and 14. Secondary explosions ensued but those blasts didn’t injure anyone.

U.S. Steel CEO Dave Burritt said local, state and federal personnel are investigating, including the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro said during a news conference he wants Clairton and its surrounding communities to be protected. The blast could be felt miles away.

The Clairton plant settled a 2017 suit for $8.5 million over pollution, including $6.5 million to reduce soot emissions and noxious odors, CNN reported.

WTAE-TV uncovered past violations and injury reports at the plant over the past decades.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program enforcement analysis found that over five years, the plant was listed in “high priority violation” of the Clean Air Act and 32 “formal enforcement actions.” This is four times more violations than at similar places at the same time.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the plant had nine serious injury reports as of early 2024. They include trips and falls, resulting in broken bones or cuts.

There are around 1,300 workers at the plant.

“U.S. Steel had a record-setting safety performance in 2024 and an over 99% environmental compliance record. Safety is our top priority every single day,” the company said in a statement.

“Over the last five years, U. S. Steel has invested over $750 million in improvement projects at its Mon Valley Works facilities, including roughly $100 million annually being spent at the Clairton facility on environmental compliance.”

The company’s headquarters are in Pittsburgh.

U.S. Steel, which was founded in 1901, has about 22,000 employees with revenue of $15.6 billion in 2024.

Aug. 13 (UPI) — The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told employees about the dangers of misinformation, four days after a suspected gunman shot at the agency’s headquarters in Atlanta, claiming the COVID-19 vaccine made him sick.

On Tuesday, Susan Monarez met with staffers virtually and then sent a note to all 10,000 employees nationwide, obtained by ABC News. Staffers at the headquarters have been working remotely since the attack on Friday.

“The dangers of misinformation and its promulgation has now led to deadly consequences,” she wrote. “I will work to restore trust in public health to those who have lost it — through science, evidence and clarity of purpose. I will need your help.”

The comments were slightly different than those during her staff meeting in which she said: “Public health should never be under attack. We know that misinformation can be dangerous.”

She said the health agency can rebuild trust with “rational evidence-based discourse” with “compassion and understanding.”

Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, told NBC News: “The irony is her boss is the biggest spreader of misinformation.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is secretary of the Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC.

In 2021, during the pandemic, Kennedy described the shot as the “deadliest vaccine ever made” after he filed a citizens’ petition requesting that the Food and Drug Administration end emergency authorization.

Last week, Kennedy announced that HHS was moving to terminate $500 million in contracts to develop vaccines using mRNA technology, which was used to develop the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020.

“After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH [National Institutes of Health] and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses,”

The American Medical Association backs mRNA vaccine research and the CDC still says on its website: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 vaccines underwent the most intensive safety analysis in U.S. history.”

Health officials have denounced skepticism of the research, noting the COVID-19 vaccine saved millions of lives in the United States.

“The Covid pandemic showed us what’s possible when science moves fast,” Rick Bright, who directed the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development from 2016 to 2020, told NBC News. “Dismantling that momentum now is like disbanding the fire department because the fire’s out.”

As head of the HHS, he has updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for the fall to be restricted to older adults and those with underlying health conditions. He also doesn’t want children to get the shots.

On Monday, Kennedy toured the CDC campus in Atlanta and met with the widow of the one person slain in the attack, DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose. He toured with Monarez and HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill.

“He offered his deepest condolences and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to honoring officer Rose’s bravery, sacrifice and service to the nation,” HHS said.

Since the attack, the union representing CDC workers condemned the lack of support from top officials.

“This leadership is critical in reinforcing public trust and ensuring that accurate, science-based information prevails,” the union said Sunday. “This condemnation is necessary to help prevent violence against scientists that may be incited by such disinformation.”

The American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883, which represents more than 2,000 CDC workers, said in a statement Sunday that the attack “was not random and it compounds months of mistreatment, neglect and vilification that CDC staff have endured.”

The union also said: “The deliberate targeting of CDC through this violent act is deeply disturbing, completely unacceptable and an attack on every public servant.”

The father of the suspected gunman, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, reportedly told authorities he targeted the CDC over health problems he blamed on the COVID-19 vaccine. He said the shot made him depressed and suicidal.

He was fatally shot by police after around 200 bullets struck the six buildings. Five firearms were recovered.

“All indications are that this was an isolated event involving one individual,” Jeff Williams, the deputy secretary of the CDC’s Office of Safety, Security and Asset Management, said during the staff meeting Tuesday.

Aug. 12 (UPI) — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has visited the CDC headquarters in Atlanta where a police officer was killed in a shooting that is believed to have targeted the national public health agency.

Kennedy was led by CDC security on a tour of the Roybal Campus on Monday, HHS said in a statement, with HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and CDC Director Susan Monarez in attendance.

Little information about the tour was made public aside from shattered windows across multiple buildings on campus being pointed out to Kennedy.

Kennedy also visited the DeKalb County Police Department, which lost office David Rose in the shooting. The HHS secretary also visited with Rose’s widow, the statement said.

“He offered his deepest condolences and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to honoring officer Rose’s bravery, sacrifice and service to the nation,” HHS said.

Rose was fatally shot while responding to the shooting at the CDC headquarters on Friday.

The suspected gunman, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, was shot dead by police at the scene.

At least 180 shots were fired during the incident, hitting at least 150 windows and doors at the CDC headquarters, CBS News reported, citing two people with knowledge of the police investigation.

Authorities believe that White targeted the CDC over health problems he blamed on the COVID-19 vaccine.

The shooting came on the heels of Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, pulling $500 million in funding from developing vaccines using mRNA technology, which was used to develop the COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite support from the medical community for such research and medical therapies, Kennedy claimed “the technology poses more risks than benefits.”

Before his visit, the union representing thousands of workers at the CDC on Sunday called on Kennedy and CDC leadership to make “a clear and unequivocal stance in condemning vaccine disinformation.”

“The deliberate targeting of CDC through this violent act is deeply disturbing, completely unacceptable and an attack on every public servant,” the union said.

“Early reports indicate the gunman was motivated by vaccine disinformation, which continues to pose a dangerous threat to public health and safety.”

ATLANTA — Investigators identified a 30-year-old man from suburban Atlanta on Saturday as the person who opened fire on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killing a police officer and spreading panic through the health agency and nearby Emory University.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the shooter, who died at the scene Friday, was Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw, Ga. Officer David Rose of the DeKalb County Police Department was shot and mortally wounded while responding.

No one else was hit, although police said four people reported to emergency rooms with symptoms of anxiety. Many CDC employees sought cover in their offices as bullets strafed the CDC’s headquarters.

Police say White opened fire at the campus from across the street, leaving gaping bullet holes in windows and littering the sidewalk outside a CVS pharmacy with bullet casings. The attack prompted a massive law enforcement response to one of the nation’s most prominent public health institutions.

At least four CDC buildings were hit, CDC Director Susan Monarez said in a post on X, and dozens of impacts were visible from outside the campus. Images shared by employees showed bullet-pocked windows in agency buildings where thousands of scientists and other staffers work on critical disease research.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC’s Atlanta campus that took the life of Officer David Rose,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Saturday.

“We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others,” his statement said.

Some laid-off employees rejected the expressions of solidarity Kennedy made in a “Dear colleagues” email, and they called for his resignation.

“Kennedy is directly responsible for the villainization of CDC’s workforce through his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust,” Fired but Fighting said.

Hundreds of CDC staffers sheltered in place during the shooting and many couldn’t leave for hours afterward Friday as investigators interviewed witnesses and gathered evidence. The staff was told to work from home or take leave on Monday.

CDC workers already faced uncertain futures due to Trump administration funding cuts, layoffs and political disputes over their agency’s mission. “Save the CDC” signs are common in some Atlanta-area neighborhoods, and a group of laid-off employees has been demanding that elected officials take action against the federal cuts.

This shooting was the “physical embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal workers,” said Sarah Boim, a former CDC communications staffer who was fired this year during a wave of terminations.

“It’s devastating,” said Boim, who helped to start an advocacy organization for the former employees called Fired But Fighting. “When I saw the picture of those windows having been struck by bullets, I really lost it,” she said, her voice cracking.

Without naming White on Friday night, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described the gunman as a “known person that may have some interest in certain things.” He did not name a motive.

A neighbor of White told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White spoke with her multiple times about his distrust of COVID-19 vaccines.

Nancy Hoalst, who lives in the same cul-de-sac as White’s family, said he was friendly and “seemed like a good guy,” doing yard work and walking dogs for neighbors. But Hoalst said White would bring up vaccines even in unrelated conversations.

“He was very unsettled and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people,” Hoalst told the Journal-Constitution. “He emphatically believed that.”

But Hoalst said she never believed White would be violent: “I had no idea he thought he would take it out on the CDC.”

A voicemail left at a phone number listed for White’s family in public records was not immediately returned Saturday morning.

Authorities don’t know whether White died from police fire or a self-inflicted gunshot, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Friday.

White had been armed with a long gun, and authorities recovered three other firearms at the scene, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

The CVS remained closed Saturday morning, with one bullet hole in its front door and two more in a rear door. A bouquet was placed outside the building.

Rose, 33, was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan and graduated from the police academy in March and “quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage and professionalism,” DeKalb County said in a statement.

“This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father,” DeKalb County Chief Executive Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said Friday.

Outside the complex that includes the CVS and four floors of apartments above the store, some people came to examine what had happened.

Sam Atkins, who lives in Stone Mountain, said gun violence feels like “a fact of life” now: “This is an everyday thing that happens here in Georgia.”

Monarez, the newly confirmed CDC chief, hailed the police response and called off in-person work Monday, telling staff in a Friday email that the shooting brought “fear, anger and worry to all of us.”

Amy writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.

Human Rights Watch says US arms were used in ‘unlawful indiscriminate’ Israeli attacks that killed Palestinian civilians.

Israel has used US-made bombs in “unlawful attacks” on schools sheltering displaced civilians in Gaza, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said.

In a report released Thursday, HRW said Israel had carried out hundreds of strikes on schools since the start of its war on Gaza in October 2023, including “unlawfully indiscriminate attacks” using US munitions, which violated international law.

In its report, HRW investigated two incidents in 2024 in which it found that GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs supplied by the United States were used. One attack on the Khadija girls’ school in Deir el-Balah on July 27, 2024, killed at least 15 people, and another attack on the Zeitoun C school in Gaza City on September 21, 2024, left at least 34 dead.

Israeli authorities have not publicly shared information relating to the attacks. Israel has often said that its attacks on schools were targeting Hamas fighters. It has provided no evidence to indicate the presence of military targets at the sites of the attacks documented by the rights group.

In both attacks, HRW and that there was no evidence of a military presence at the schools on the days of the attacks.

The rights group also warned that recent Israeli attacks on schools sheltering displaced people were worsening the dire humanitarian situation in the territory.

HRW said that from July 1-10, 2025, Israeli forces struck at least 10 schools where displaced people were sheltering, killing 59 people and displacing dozens of families, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The group emphasised that schools used to house civilians remain protected under international law unless used for military purposes.

The rights group called for an immediate halt to arms transfers to Israel, warning of potential complicity by governments providing military support.

“These strikes on schools sheltering displaced families are just one window into the carnage in Gaza,” said Gerry Simpson, associate director at HRW. “Other governments should not tolerate this horrendous slaughter of Palestinian civilians merely seeking safety.”

It also urged states to uphold their obligations under international law, including the Genocide Convention.

“Governments supporting Israel militarily can’t say they didn’t know what their weapons are being used for,” said Simpson.

According to the United Nations, nearly 1 million displaced Palestinians have taken shelter in Gaza’s schools since October 2023.

HRW said the repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure, including shelters, hospitals and schools, showed a pattern of attacks that may amount to war crimes.

HRW noted that nearly all of Gaza’s 564 schools have sustained damage, with 92 percent requiring full reconstruction or major repairs.

The UN has reported that at least 836 people sheltering in schools have been killed.

As Israel’s forced starvation tightens its grip on Gaza’s entire population, an increasing number of Palestinian families are frantically searching for news of relatives who undertook perilous journeys to get food from aid distribution points, never to return.

Khaled Obaid has been searching for his beloved son, Ahmed, for two months, scanning every passing vehicle on the coastal road in Deir-el-Balah, hoping against all odds that one of them might bring him home.

The boy had left the displaced family’s tent in the central town to find food for his parents and sister, who had lost her husband during the war, and headed to the Zikim crossing point, where aid trucks enter northern Gaza.

“He hasn’t returned until now. He went because he was hungry. We have nothing to eat,” the distraught father told Al Jazeera, breaking down in tears with his wife under the blue tarpaulin where they are sheltering.

Khaled reported his son’s disappearance to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and every official body he could reach, to radio silence. To this day, he has received no answers on Ahmed’s whereabouts.

Khaled’s story is all too common under Israel’s ongoing punishing blockade of Gaza, where the largely displaced population faces a stark choice between starvation and braving the bullets fired by Israeli soldiers and United States security contractors in a bid to get food from Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites. These distribution points have been dubbed “death traps” and “human slaughterhouses” by the United Nations and rights groups.

It is a life-or-death gamble that has taken the lives of nearly 1,400 people, shot dead mainly by the Israeli army, at the aid sites since they started operations in late May and along food convoy routes, according to figures released by the UN last week. That is, without counting the untold numbers of missing aid seekers, like Ahmed.

Human rights monitors have been collecting harrowing firsthand accounts of people who have gone missing in Gaza, only to be found later, killed by Israeli forces.

“In many cases, those who went missing are apparently killed near the aid distribution points, but due to the Israeli targeting, their bodies remained unreachable,” Maha Hussaini, the head of media at the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, told Al Jazeera.

“Many Palestinians left home with empty hands, hoping to return with a bag of flour. But many never came back,” said Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir-el-Balah. “In Gaza, the line between survival and disappearance is now heartbreakingly thin.”

As the number of missing aid seekers mounts, famine stalks the enclave, with more than 80 adults reportedly dying of starvation over the past five weeks alone, and 93 children succumbing to man-made malnutrition since the war began.

Authorities in Gaza say an average of 84 trucks have entered the besieged enclave each day since Israel eased restrictions on July 27. But aid organisations say at least 600 aid trucks are needed per day to meet the territory’s basic needs.

‘Death circle’

On Monday, amid growing international condemnation over the mass starvation, seen by many as being deliberately engineered by Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to double down on his war goals.

Netanyahu announced that he would convene a meeting of his cabinet on Tuesday to ensure that “Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel”. Israel’s Channel 12 cited an official as saying that Netanyahu was tending towards expanding the offensive.

The announcement came on another bloody day in the Strip, with at least 74 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since dawn on Monday, including 36 aid seekers, according to medical sources.

Among the attacks, at least three people were killed by an Israeli strike on a house in Deir el-Balah, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

A source at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City reported that seven people were killed in Israeli shelling on multiple areas in the Shujayea neighbourhood, east of Gaza City.

Emergency services said that two were killed in an Israeli bombing of Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza.

It also emerged on Monday that a nurse at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah was killed when he was hit by an airdropped box of aid.

This week, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, described the dangerous airdrops as a “distraction” and smokescreen.

On Monday, UNICEF warned that 28 children – essentially an entire “classroom” – are dying each day from Israeli bombardment and lack of aid.

“Gaza’s children need food, water, medicine and protection. More than anything, they need a ceasefire, NOW,” said the UN agency on X.

Death by bombardments.
Death by malnutrition and starvation.
Death by lack of aid and vital services.
In Gaza, an average of 28 children a day – the size of a classroom – have been killed.

Gaza’s children need food, water, medicine and protection. More than anything, they need a… pic.twitter.com/7QIQQ6IAoG

— UNICEF (@UNICEF) August 4, 2025

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on the UN Security Council to “assume its responsibilities” by enforcing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, conducting an official visit to the territory and implementing calls at a recent UN conference in New York for a two-state solution.

In a statement posted on social media on Monday, the ministry warned that more than two million Palestinians in Gaza are “living in a tight death circle of killing, starvation, thirst, and deprivation of medicine, treatment, and all basic human rights”.

Hundreds gathered in Beirut to mark five years since the deadly port explosion that killed over 218 people, renewing calls for justice and accountability. Protesters urged Lebanon’s leaders to act, hoping the stalled judicial investigation will soon be completed.

Nineteen suspects accused of being involved in the 2024 shooting attack in a Moscow concert hall that killed 149 people, and wounded over 600, have appeared in court in a glass cage at the beginning of their trial. A faction of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Aug. 1 (UPI) — Tesla must pay $243 million for a 2019 accident that killed a pedestrian and badly injured another in the Florida Keys, a federal jury decided on Friday.

The accident occurred at a T-intersection after sundown in the Florida Keys in 2019 when the Tesla did not stop and rammed a parked SUV.

The collision killed Naibel Benavides Leon, 20, as she stood next to the SUV. Her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, was injured.

The Miami jury granted a $43 million award for compensatory damages for pain and suffering and another $200 million for punitive damages arising from the vehicular accident that occurred in the Florida Keys, NBC News reported.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs successfully argued Tesla officials overestimated the capabilities of the autopilot program in the Tesla Model S sedan that the defendant was driving.

The jury determined the plaintiff’s pain and suffering merited a total of $129 million in compensatory damages, but Tesla only pays a third of that amount.

The jury assigned one-third of the blame to Tesla and two-thirds to the driver, who said he was distracted while reaching for his cell phone when the accident occurred.

The motorist was sued separately from Tesla and was not a party to the federal lawsuit that the jury decided on Friday.

U.S. District Court of Southern Florida Judge Beth Bloom accepted the jury’s verdict and said she will order Tesla to pay the judgment.

The jury of eight found Tesla was partly liable because the vehicle’s autopilot system did not brake in time to prevent the deadly accident.

Officials for Elon Musk-owned and publicly traded electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla said they will appeal the jury’s verdict.

“Today’s verdict is wrong and only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology,” they said in a prepared statement.

“We plan to appeal given the substantial errors of law and irregularities at trial.”

Fighting between the armies of Uganda and neighbouring South Sudan, which are longtime allies, erupted this week over demarcations in disputed border regions, leading to the death of at least four soldiers, according to official reports from both sides.

Thousands of civilians have since been displaced in affected areas as people fled to safety amid the rare outbreak of violence.

A gunfight began on Monday and comes as South Sudan, one of the world’s youngest countries, is facing renewed violence due to fracturing within the government of President Salva Kiir that has led to fighting between South Sudanese troops and a rebel armed group.

Uganda has been pivotal in keeping that issue contained by deploying troops to assist Kiir’s forces. However, the latest conflict between the two countries’ armies is raising questions regarding the state of that alliance.

What has happened?

There are conflicting accounts of the events that began at about 4:25pm local time (13:25 GMT) on Monday, making it hard to pinpoint which side struck first.

The two agree on where the fighting took place, but each claims the site as being in its own territory.

Ugandan military spokesperson Major-General Felix Kulayigye told reporters on Wednesday that the fighting broke out when South Sudanese soldiers crossed into Ugandan territory in the state of West Nile and set up camp there. The South Sudanese soldiers refused to leave after being told to do so, Kulayigye said, resulting in the Ugandan side having “to apply force”.

A Ugandan soldier was killed in the skirmish that ensued, Kulayigye added, after which the Ugandan side retaliated and opened fire, killing three South Sudanese soldiers.

However, South Sudan military spokesperson Major-General Lul Ruai Koang said in a Facebook post earlier on Tuesday that armies of the “two sisterly republics” had exchanged fire on the South Sudanese side, in the Kajo Keji County of Central Equatoria state. Both sides suffered casualties, he said, without giving more details.

Wani Jackson Mule, a local leader in Kajo-Keji County, backed up this account in a Facebook post on Wednesday and added that Ugandan forces had launched a “surprise attack” on South Sudanese territory. Mule said local officials had counted the bodies of five South Sudanese officers.

Kajo-Keji County army commander Brigadier General Henry Buri, in the same statement as Mule, said the Ugandan forces had been “heavily armed with tanks and artillery”, and that they had targeted a joint security force unit stationed to protect civilians, who are often attacked by criminal groups in the area. The army general identified the deceased men as two South Sudanese soldiers, two police officers and one prison officer.

The fighting affected border villages and caused panic as people fled from the area, packing their belongings hurriedly on their backs, according to residents speaking to the media. Children were lost in the chaos. Photos on social media showed crowds gathered as local priests supervised the collection and transport of remains.

What is the border conflict about?

Uganda and South Sudan have previously clashed over demarcations along their joint border, although those events have been few and far between. As with the Monday clash, the fighting is often characterised by tension and violence. However, heavy artillery fighting, which occurred on Monday, is rare.

Problems at the border date back to the demarcations made during the British colonial era between Sudan, which South Sudan was once a part of, and Uganda. Despite setting up a joint demarcation committee (unknown when), the two countries have failed to agree on border points.

In November 2010, just months before an anticipated South Sudanese referendum on independence from Sudan, clashes erupted after the Ugandan government accused the Sudanese army of attacking Dengolo village in the West Nile district of Moyo on the Ugandan side in multiple raids, and of arresting Ugandan villagers who were accused of crossing the border to cut down timber.

A South Sudanese army spokesperson denied the allegations and suggested that the assailants could have been from the forestry commission. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and South Sudan’s Kiir met a few days later and pledged to finalise the border issue, but that did not happen.

Little was reported on the matter for several years after that, but in October 2020, two Ugandan soldiers and two South Sudanese soldiers were killed when the two sides attacked each other in Pogee, Magwi County of South Sudan, which connects to Gulu district of northern Uganda. The area includes disputed territory. Some reports claimed that three South Sudanese were killed. Each side blamed the other for starting the fight.

In September 2024, the Ugandan parliament urged the government to expedite the demarcation process, adding that the lack of clear borders was fuelling insecurity in parts of rural Uganda, and Ugandan forces could not effectively pursue criminal cattle rustling groups operating in the border area as a result.

Following the latest flare-up of violence this week, the countries have pledged to form a new joint committee to investigate the clashes, South Sudan military spokesperson, General Koang, said in a statement on Tuesday. The committee will also investigate any recurring issues along the border in a bid to resolve them, the statement read.

Why does Uganda provide military support to South Sudan’s President Kiir?

Uganda’s Museveni has been a staunch ally of South Sudan’s independence leader, Kiir, and his Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party for many years.

Museveni supported South Sudan’s liberation war against Sudan, especially following alleged collusion between the former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group originally formed in Uganda but which regularly attacks both Ugandan and South Sudanese locations in its efforts to overthrow the Ugandan government.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in January 2011. In 2013, Uganda sent troops to support Kiir after a civil war broke out in the new country.

Fighting had erupted between forces loyal to Kiir and those loyal to his longtime rival, Riek Machar, who was also Kiir’s deputy president pre and post independence, over allegations that Machar was planning a coup.

Ethnic differences between the two (Kiir is Dinka while Machar is Nuer) also added to the tensions. Machar fled the capital, Juba, to form his own Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO).

The SPLM and SPLM-IO fought for five years before reaching a peace agreement in August 2018. About 400,000 people were killed in the war. Uganda deployed troops to fight alongside Kiir’s SPLM, while the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNMISS), which was in place following independence, worked to protect civilians.

This year, a power-sharing deal has unravelled, however, and fighting has again broken out between South Sudanese forces and the White Army, a Nuer armed group which the government alleges is backed by Machar, in Nasir County, in the northeast of the country.

In March, Uganda again deployed special forces to fight alongside Kiir’s forces as fears of another civil war mounted. Kiir ordered Machar to be placed under house arrest and also detained several of his allies in the government.

Are there concerns about Uganda’s influence in South Sudan?

Some South Sudanese who support Vice President Machar, who is still under house arrest, are opposed to Uganda’s deployment of troops in the country, and say Kampala is overreaching.

Since the Monday skirmish with Ugandan troops, some South Sudanese have taken to Facebook to rail against the army for not condemning alleged territorial violations by Ugandan soldiers, and mocked the spokesman, Koang, for describing the nations as “sisterly”.

“I wish the escalation would continue,” one poster wrote. “The reason why South Sudan is not peaceful is because of Uganda’s interference in our country’s affairs.”

“What did South Sudan expect when they cheaply sold their sovereignty to Uganda?” another commenter added.

Since joining forces to fight the rebel White Army, South Sudanese forces and the Ugandan Army have been accused by Machar and local authorities in Nasir State of using chemical weapons, namely barrel bombs containing a flammable liquid that they say has burned and killed civilians. Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN mission in South Sudan, confirmed that air strikes had been conducted with the bombs. However, Uganda has denied these allegations. The South Sudan army has not commented.

Forces local to Machar, including the White Army, have also been accused of targeting civilians. Dozens have died, and at least 100,000 have been displaced across northeastern South Sudan since March.

In May, Amnesty International said Uganda’s deployment and supply of arms to South Sudan violated a UN arms embargo on the country, which was part of the 2018 peace deal, and called on the UN Security Council to enforce the clause.

Palestinians take Al Jazeera on journey showing how hard it is to get food at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s distribution hubs. Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 people at GHF sites since May. Observers say Israel’s aid management is cruel and farcical.

EastEnders spoilers confirm horrifying scenes for one Walford legend, while the BBC soap also airs big decisions, worrying actions and two enemies appear to team up

New spoilers for EastEnders have teased worrying twists and turns ahead for multiple characters.

There’s a violent showdown that leads to one favourite being rushed to hospital. One vile character is soon targeting others with his grim behaviour, while another teen finds himself in big trouble.

There’s a big decision to be made for one resident of Walford, while one married character is warned against his flirty behaviour with another man. One character, soon returning to the show, makes contact with their family, and two love rivals look set to unite.

Let’s kick things off with more drama ahead for troubled teen Oscar Branning, and it leaves one Albert Square legend in serious danger. Patrick Trueman fends off Oscar who has broken into his home, unaware he is the culprit.

Oscar is being threatened by thug Mike who he grassed up to the police. As things escalate, Mike returns and demands £5,000 in return for the Branning family’s safety.

READ MORE: Coronation Street wedding day interrupted by horror collapse as death ‘sealed’

Oscar initially tries to lure Ian Beale into a business deal to find the extra cash, but Ian refuses. Lauren Branning soon finds out what her brother has been up to, leaving Oscar seeking other means of getting the funds.

Oscar breaks into Patrick’s home to steal his bet winnings. He’s caught in the act though, leading to Oscar abruptly pushing Patrick to flee. But Patrick ends up falling to the ground, leaving him badly injured.

Patrick is left unconscious as the horror unfolds, with his partner Yolande Trueman unaware of what’s happening amid her row with her fiancé. Having called off the wedding over his betting, will she regret this when she realises Patrick is in a bad way?

With Patrick motionless on the ground, Oscar decides to leave him only for Howie Danes to return home and realise what’s happened. Oscar makes a run for it and Howie sees him, while he doesn’t see his face so is unaware it’s Oscar.

Yolande is inconsolable as she heads home to the horror unfolding, and soon Patrick is rushed to hospital. His family wait for news and the police arrive to take a witness statement from Howie, but will he be okay?

Lauren meanwhile is suspicious of Oscar’s behaviour, and his sudden concern for Patrick. He tries to flee Walford only for her to stop him in his tracks, confronting him with the stolen money.

He begs his sister to let him flee as she riles at him for his actions. But will Oscar be exposed? Elsewhere, Avani Nandra-Hart is still torn over her pregnancy amid her grandmother Suki Panesar’s plan to help raise the baby with her wife Eve Unwin.

Eve is still unconvinced by the plan next week and is desperate to hear from Avani what she wants, without Suki’s involvement. Eve supports the teenager at her 12-week scan, and after she and Avani lie to the family when Priya finds a receipt from the hospital in Avani’s jacket – but will the pregnancy be rumbled?

The baby’s father Joel Marshall, who has no idea about the baby, is back to his vile ways next week. Ross Marshall takes son Joel and his pal Tommy Moon to work at the timber yard but soon grows concerned for the boys when he overhears some of the language from other workers on the site.

That’s the least of his issues though, as Ross pales to receive a call from Joel’s mum. She informs him that she is getting remarried, and Ross faces having to tell Joel.

As Joel slips out to process the news, he’s soon stealing drink from the pub with Tommy only to be caught. As Joel’s stepmother Vicki Fowler and Tommy’s parents Kat and Alfie rage at the boys for their behaviour, everyone is shocked by what Joel does next.

Joel lashes out with derogatory language towards Kat leaving them all horrified, and soon he’s being lectured by Ross and Vicki. A moment later on that sees Ross trying to bond with his troubled son leaves him sickened though, as he makes a worrying discovery on Joel’s laptop and destroys the device.

He’s cold towards his son in the fallout, and Vicki is later shocked to discover the real reason why Ross broke his laptop. She tells Ross to take action against Joel before his behaviour gets out of hand.

It leads to Ross sharing a heart-to-heart with Harvey in the café and the former is given food for thought. When Joel apologises to Kat, she allows him to hang out with Tommy. But it’s not long before Joel is showing his true colours again when Vicki and Stacey Slater bond over parenting and men.

Finally next week, Elaine Peacock is struggling without the pub and after a heart-to-heart with Yolande, she and love rival Cindy Beale join forces at The Albert. Cindy later offers Elaine the job of co-manager, so could there be a thawing between them?

Callum Highway’s flirting with Johnny Carter leads to him being warned by Jay brown, amid a call from his imprisoned husband Ben Mitchell. With Ben set to return to the show, will it all end in tears?

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

A UN mission says 43 worshippers were killed in the attack at a night mass in a church.

The armed group ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack that a United Nations mission says killed at least 43 worshippers during a night mass at a church in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The attack, which took place at the church in Ituri province’s Komanda city, saw members of the ISIL-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killing people with guns and machetes, and taking captives.

ISIL said on its Telegram channel that rebels had killed some 45 churchgoers and burned dozens of homes and shops.

The UN mission known as MONUSCO said at least 43 people had been killed, including 19 women and nine children, and condemned the attack.

Pope Leo sent a message of condolences to the bereaved families and the Christian community who lost their relatives and friends in the assault, saying he would pray for them.

The Congolese government condemned the church attack as “horrific”, while the military described it as a “large-scale massacre” carried out in revenge for recent security operations targeting the ADF.

However, M23, another Congolese rebel group, backed by Rwanda, used the attack to accuse the government of “blatant incompetence” in attempts to protect citizens.

MONUSCO said the church killings will “exacerbate an already extremely worrying humanitarian situation in the province”.

The church attack on Sunday was the latest in a series of deadly ADF assaults on civilians, including an attack earlier this month when the group killed 66 people in Ituri province.

The attack happened on July 11, at about 1am (00:00 GMT) in the Irumu area, near the border with Uganda.

The ADF originates in neighbouring Uganda, but is now based in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. It mounts frequent attacks, further destabilising a region where many armed groups compete for influence and resources.

The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with President Yoweri Museveni.

In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to the neighbouring DRC and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to ISIL.

The ADF’s leadership says it is fighting to form a government in the East African country.

The DRC army has long struggled against the rebel group, and it is now also grappling with a complex web of attacks since renewed hostilities with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire after five days of deadly border clashes. At least 35 people were killed and 270,000 displaced on both sides. The Malaysia-brokered truce follows talks involving US and Chinese diplomats.