AI-powered drones to help detect hill fires during Chung Yeung Festival
Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department will launch three new AI-assisted drone technologies to strengthen fire detection and its response to heightened risks during tomb-sweeping activities ahead of the Chung Yeung Festival on Sunday. Wong Tak-fai, acting divisional officer for information and communications technology, said on Friday that the technology would improve the speed and accuracy of fire detection to help the department operate more efficiently. “Artificial intelligence [AI] not only...
Singapore to accredit first five TCM providers under broader Chinese-Western medicine push
: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that accreditation shows a commitment to stronger governance, consistent standards and public confidence. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Shermaine Ang Updated Oct 17, 2026, PM Set as preferred source Listen SINGAPORE - Singapore is introducing a voluntary accreditation framework for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) providers. It will also study whether accredited TCM practitioners, working with general practitioners, can be allowed to order X-rays. These moves are part of a broader push to explore integrative medicine and expand the role of TCM in mainstream medicine. They come alongside efforts to introduce local degree and master’s programmes in TCM, to undertake sandbox studies to bring TCM treatments into mainstream care, and to explore how TCM can contribute to preventive care programme Healthier SG. Launched on Oct 17, the TCM Accreditation Programme will accredit the first five TCM providers. They are: Kwong Wai Shiu TCM Centre in Serangoon; NTU Chinese Medicine; Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution Headquarters; Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution Headquarters; and Thomson Chinese Medicine in Novena. “Our objective is to establish accreditation as something beyond licence of practice,” Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said at the opening of the 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine on Oct 17. He said accreditation it shows a commitment to stronger governance, consistent standards and public confidence. “It creates opportunities for accredited practitioners and providers to work with the Ministry of Health in co-designing future TCM care models and contributing to our national healthcare initiatives,” he added. The TCM Accreditation Programme, administered , Singapore, has separate tracks for organisations and individuals. Organisations are assessed on factors including governance, hygiene and infection control, equipment, and the preparation and dispensing of TCM medications. Practitioners are assessed on qualifications, clinical experience and professional standing, among other criteria. Accreditation goes beyond the existing requirements for TCM practitioners to be registered with the TCM Practitioners Board and hold valid practising certificates. Registered practitioners and providers can continue practising and operating without accreditation. MOH will also open a second call for proposals under its TCM Integrative Sandbox from Nov 3. The initiative allows public healthcare institutions to test and evaluate selected TCM treatments in hospital settings. The sandbox, launched in January 2025, evaluates whether treatments are clinically effective and cost-effective. Those that demonstrate positive results over one to two years could be considered for wider adoption and financial support. Ong said MOH wants to support further work involving Chinese proprietary medicines, including their use in managing chronic diseases. “The call for sandbox proposals will therefore remain open for another three years,” he said.
Are two N95 masks enough for me this haze season?
: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox From Oct 14, each eligible person could collect a pack of two N95 masks at community clubs as well as via vending machines. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Zhaki Abdullah Updated Oct 17, 2026, PM Set as preferred source Listen Summarise Singapore’s haze has worsened because of fires in Indonesia, dry weather and winds. PSI has been unhealthy or very unhealthy, and free N95 masks are being given to vulnerable people. N95 and similar masks such as KN95, KF94 and FFP2 filter haze particles best. Surgical and reusable masks give only limited protection, especially during heavy haze. N95 masks can be reused several times. Replace them when they are damp, dirty, damaged or no longer fit well. Children should use child-sized masks where possible. AI generated SINGAPORE – When Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) levels in Singapore hit the unhealthy and very unhealthy levels in mid-October, the authorities started distributing free N95 masks for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, expectant mothers, younger children and people with medical conditions such as asthma. From Oct 14, each eligible person could collect a pack of two N95 masks at community clubs as well as via vending machines at locations such as selected public transport hubs and social service offices. But with the bad haze conditions possibly extending into early December – with PSI possibly exceeding 300 – how long can a pack of two N95 masks last? Can these masks be reused and when should they be replaced? What are N95 masks, and how do they protect you against the haze? An N95 mask is one that forms a tight seal around the face, and can filter out 95% of fine particles between 0.1 and 0.3 micrometres in size. It is exposure to such particles that can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat in otherwise healthy people. Continuous exposure to haze particles at unhealthy PSI levels – of 101 and above – over several days can affect the heart and lungs, especially in those with chronic heart or lung disease. N95 masks also meets standards set ’ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Are KN95 and KF94 masks the same as N95 masks? KN95, FFP2 and KF94 masks are just as effective as N95 masks in reducing a person’s exposure to haze particles, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has noted. The different names simply indicate their respective national standards. KN95 indicates the mask meets standards in China, blocking at least 95% of airborne particles.
A lesson in elegance: The Caulfield Cup fashion winners
The Caulfield Cup is celebrating a momentous 150 years in 2026, but you wouldn’t know it looking at the crowds. Large throngs of twenty-somethings descended upon the racecourse on what was an unseasonably warm Melbourne day. Many were dressed to the nines: some in corseted tulle gowns that looked borrowed from a recent school formal, others in dresses that came dangerously close to unwanted exposure. But the old hats knew what they were doing. Olivia Molly Rogers was the picture of sophisticated elegance, Lucy Elam glowed in her sweet yet distinct blue dress while Bonnie Lane nailed elevated whimsy. Here were the big fashion winners at the 2026 Caulfield Cup. Olivia Molly Rogers Olivia Molly Rogers in a custom Oglia Loro Couture outfit at the Caulfield Cup. PENNY STEPHENSOlivia Molly Rogers’ elegant blush pink custom look a welcome sight in the stands. The tailored contoured jacket juxtaposed her feminine tulle skirt and was completed with a custom Melissa Jackson hat. “It feels like a modern take on traditional racewear,” Rogers said of the look, styled . Lucy Elam Lucy Elam in a Deconduarte dress at the Caulfield Cup for the first day of the Spring Racing Carnival. Penny Stephens Lucy Elam’s frock seemed to float in her wake. Her soft blue dress featured a textured scarf that draped around her neck and fell across her waist elegantly. Paired with silver Bellini shoes and a matching Novo bag, it was a distinctly sweet look. When Elam learnt that the dress was -based label Deconduarte she knew she wanted to hire it for the occasion: “I loved that it was a small Australian brand. Their pieces are handmade, so I made it my mission to get this dress.” Rebekah Patterson Rebekah Patterson in the Beverly at the Caulfield Cup. PENNY STEPHENSSome people come to the races just to enjoy themselves, others mean business. Publicist Rebekah Patterson sits in the latter camp, but that doesn’t mean she can’t look chic at work. Wearing a sleek Eliya the Label dress that fit her like a glove, paired with a Ford Millinery headband, Dolce Firmi shoes and Chanel handbag, the South Yarra resident was poised to make all the right style statements. Delainey Mary Delainey Mary at the Caulfield Cup. Penny StephensDelainey Mary prompted a double-take as she made her way through Caulfield, that’s how striking her delicate headpiece was in person. The jewelled piece by Ezara/J Millinery is a great example of style that doesn’t need to shout to be heard.
Ground zero: America’s heartland hit by the fallout of Trump’s bomb
Jonathan Levin October 17, 2026 — 4:45pm SaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Gift iconGift Gift icon0 / 3 No gift articles left You've used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month. Close Share AAA President Donald Trump has changed the geography of inflation. After years of consumer prices rising faster in big US cities, Trump’s war against Iran and global tariffs have made rural America ground zero for the fallout from the inflation bomb — and at a particularly tricky time for Republicans as they try to defend their House and Senate majorities in the midterm elections less than three weeks away. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the consumer price index climbed 3.7 per cent in September from a year earlier, exceeding the median estimate of economists surveyed . The inflation fallout from Trump’s policies is being felt across the country. AP Photo/Julia Demaree NikhinsonWhat’s notable about the report, besides the fact that it shows inflation is accelerating, is that it reveals consumer prices are rising faster for rural America, gaining 4 per cent over the past 12 months, than for city dwellers (up 3.6 per cent). This has been the case since right after the start of the Iran war in late February. Not only that, but the gap between rural and urban inflation this year is the widest since 2022, just after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The reason why rural areas are getting hit harder is largely tied to the cost of motor vehicle fuels including diesel and gasoline (collectively up 35 per cent from a year earlier), which take up much larger shares of consumer budgets outside urban areas, according to the BLS’s Consumer Expenditure Survey. Also, rural America has a disproportionate dependence on household fuels (up 44 per cent), among them kerosene and propane, used for residential heating, hot water heaters and cooking in areas beyond the reach of traditional electric and natural gas grids, particularly parts of the Midwest, Plains and Appalachia. Although Trump has touted what he said is a deal with Vladimir Putin to allow Russia to export diesel, the consensus is that the amount agreed upon is too little to lower prices. And not even Trump’s fellow Republicans approve of the arrangement. Rural voters are a big part of the GOP’s base. In 2024, 69 per cent of rural voters supported Trump, compared with 29 per cent who backed Democrat Kamala Harris, .
India's 'cockroach' party founder detained ahead of protest
Abhijeet Dipke's youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has drawn thousands onto the streets in recent months Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of India's "cockroach" movement, and a few others were detained in Delhi as police tried to stop a protest demanding the resignation of the country's election chief. Hundreds had gathered in Connaught Place, one of the capital's busiest commercial districts, waving Indian flags and shouting slogans despite a heavy security presence. Police sealed off Central Park, the planned site of the protest, and deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel to prevent the gathering. The Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) accuses India's Election Commission of manipulating voter lists to favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling BJP. The group has held a series of protests in Delhi in recent weeks, with police repeatedly detaining its leaders and supporters. Friday's demonstration unfolded under similarly heavy security presence, though the police response was more restrained than during last weekend's sweeping crackdown. Hours before the protest, police went to the house where Dipke was staying. In an exchange broadcast live on Instagram, he challenged officers who had come to caution him against holding the march, asking whether waving the Indian flag was against the law. Hours later, the BBC saw officers surround Dipke as he approached his car and force him into a police vehicle. Some supporters tried to stop it from leaving. It was Dipke's second detention in less than a week. Last Saturday, police had boarded his plane shortly after it landed in Delhi to prevent him from reaching another demonstration. He was released the following day. The movement's two other main leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were also detained last weekend and later released. But on Wednesday, they were sent to jail for five days after returning to Jantar Mantar, a protest site near parliament that police had recently declared off-limits. Friday's march was partly intended to demand the release of Das and Ranka. Dipke's detention means the movement's three main leaders are once again in custody. The CJP said it had lost contact with him and accused police of taking him to an undisclosed location and denying him access to lawyers. But they insist the arrests and detentions will not stop them. "They may detain three people, but how will they stop 30 tomorrow? How will they stop 300 leaders?" CJP spokesperson Mehr Pasricha told the BBC. Police have not publicly confirmed the grounds for Dipke's detention or responded to the CJP's latest allegations.
A thousand slogans echoed here - but it could be the end for iconic Delhi protest site
The "cockroach" demonstrations over the summer of 2026 could well become the last time Jantar Mantar was home to a sustained protest movement What is the point of a protest? To raise your voice against injustice? To draw attention to a cause? Or to make those in power uncomfortable enough to listen? For more than three decades, Indians have tried to do all three in a narrow, tree-lined road near Jantar Mantar, an 18th Century astronomical obervatory in Delhi. But that may now be coming to an end. This week, Delhi Police said Jantar Mantar, located close to parliament, would no longer be a designated protest site. The decision comes months after the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) - not a political party but a collective which began as a joke - led a massive protest there demanding the resignation of federal education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Tens of thousands turned up and Pradhan subsequently resigned. Police barricaded Jantar Mantar soon afterwards, preventing further demonstrations. Last week, an attempt , this time demanding the resignation of India's election chief, ended in a police crackdown. Protesters have now been directed to three other sites. Two are far from parliament, while the third, the sprawling Ramlila Ground, is often booked months in advance. Unlike Jantar Mantar, which is free, all three charge tens of thousands of rupees a day. Delhi Police says, external it acted after the Supreme Court suggested identifying alternative sites with adequate infrastructure. But critics say the move could push protests beyond the reach of ordinary Indians, further from the seat of power and into venues many cannot afford. Over the years, Jantar Mantar has witnessed everything from mass movements that shook governments to small, lonely demonstrations . Farmers, students, grieving parents and ex-soldiers have gathered under its trees, holding placards and shouting slogans. Not every protest made headlines, but for many, it was a place to turn to when other doors had closed. This week, when the BBC visited, those scenes seemed a distant memory. Jantar Mantar is an 18th Century astronomical observatory in Delhi - the protests were held not in it, but in the road next to it Yellow barricades blocked both ends of the road, with hundreds of paramilitary personnel standing guard, batons in hand. In a nearby lane, uniformed men sat in shops drinking tea or scrolling through their phones. At one of the few shops without policemen, the shopkeeper folded his hands and said he did not want to answer any questions.
Buried, forgotten, demolished: Archaeologist searches for New York City’s lost mikvehs
Miriam Entin, a PhD candidate at CUNY, scours historical records to locate ritual baths from immigrant heyday, hoping to shine light on Jewish history and allow for future digs
GOP incumbent and Democratic challenger vie for Jewish vote in New York House race
As polling shows neck and neck contest, Republican Mike Lawler seeks to link his rival Cait Conley to Mamdani, while she accuses him of being a rubber stamp for Trump
Delegates walked out of IMF steering committee meeting when Russian official spoke, sources say
Anton Siluanov, Russian Minister of Finance, attends a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. (AFP)Short Urlhttps://arab. news/gt8tb Delegates exited the meeting during Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov’s speech The walkout occurred at an International Monetary Fund steering committee meeting Updated Reuters October 17, 2026 Follow BANGKOK: Many delegates to the International Monetary Fund’s steering committee walked out of a meeting on Saturday when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group in Russian, three sources familiar with the matter said. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has roiled the International Monetary and Financial Committee, preventing it from reaching consensus statements in the years since. There were deep divisions again at this week’s annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok, as new tensions flared between the US and Ukraine. “Many delegations walked out, including members of the European Union,” one of the sources told Reuters. A second official in the room said nearly a dozen delegates left the room when the Russian official began speaking. Delegates from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were among those who left, the official said. “The Ukraine war is existential for us in Europe,” one European diplomat said. “We cannot normalize relations with Russia.” Germany on Thursday warned against efforts to bring Russia back on to the international stage after Siluanov attended a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers, just over a month after the US had hosted his first in-person G20 appearance since Russia invaded Ukraine, at a meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. EU leaders rallied around Zelensky after Trump again criticized Ukraine, calling its strikes on Russian refineries a “disgrace.” The EU was hosting Zelensky at one of the most difficult moments for Ukraine, with missiles and drones raining down on Ukrainian cities and fears that the US could pull back intelligence sharing and weapons support from Kyiv. Follow Topics: Russia-Ukraine ConflictInternational Monetary Fund
Haze triggers highest alert level in southern ASEAN zone: monitor
People wear masks in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 17, 2026, as the country continues to be shrouded in haze caused . (AFP)Short Urlhttps://arab. news/6m28h The alert indicates a high risk of severe transboundary haze due to significant and persistent hotspot activities Dry weather and ongoing winds are contributing to the spread of haze towards neighboring ASEAN countries Updated AFP October 17, 2026 Follow SINGAPORE: Ongoing fires in Indonesia that have blanketed parts of Southeast Asia with toxic haze have triggered the highest-level alert ’s climate and fire monitor. “Activation of Alert Level 3 for the Southern ASEAN region,” the Singapore ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center said on its website, seen on Saturday. Based near Singapore’s Changi Airport, the ASMC uses a four-tiered alert level system, from zero to three, with the highest triggered if there is a “high risk of severe transboundary haze in the region.” This included significant and persistent hotspot activities with widespread moderate to dense smoke haze, observed over two or more consecutive days, dry weather persisting and wind continuing to blow haze toward neighboring ASEAN countries. The ASMC alert was issued Friday, but similar alerts have already been handed out twice this year — on August 26 and March 27. The months-long spell of haze has been disrupting life in large parts of Southeast Asia, closing schools and spiking respiratory complaints. Singapore said on Friday it would issue warnings to seven companies in Indonesia it identified as responsible for fires but warned the worst may yet to come.
The World’s Oldest Shipwreck? Maybe, but ‘We’re All Excited by Maybe.’
Archaeologists said that they had found jars from a shipwreck as much as 4,700 years old, with black residue inside. Outside experts were skeptical but intrigued.
Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinians and Washington Post Journalist in West Bank
In the latest surge of violence, settlers targeted Palestinians during the olive harvest, a cultural touchstone and economic lifeline in the Israeli-occupied area.
Palestinians and US journalist injured by Israeli settlers in West Bank harvest attack
This video can not be played Watch: Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in West Bank during olive harvest Dozens of masked settlers have attacked Palestinians and set fire to cars and olive trees during the annual olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. A BBC team witnessed one of several attacks in farmland near the Palestinian village of Abu Falah. A local official said the attacks had injured 12 Palestinians, including four dual Palestinian American citizens. A foreign journalist was also among those hurt. Driving into the area early in the morning, we came across the first signs of the violence: a stream of cars carrying wounded Palestinian olive farmers racing out along the narrow stony track, piled high with olive picking equipment, as smoke rose from several fires nearby. The bloodied face of Majdi Fheed peered out from the backseat of one car. "We were getting our olive trees and almost 15 Jewish guys … started attacking us with guns, with rocks, with special weapons. They hit me on my head [and] my neck – look, I am bleeding!" Yaser AlKam, a council member from the neighbouring village of Turmus Aya told me Majdi - an American citizen - was attacked -studded sticks, and needed treatment for deep wounds on his head. His elderly mother was also injured. Another man ferrying the injured to hospital told us that settlers had attacked them with sticks while they harvested their olives, and had burned three cars – including one of his own. "As soon as we got to the land and put our things on the ground, they started to come, so we ran away" said a woman next to him. Several Palestinian-American citizens and a foreign journalist were left injured following the attacks Asked about the violence, a US State Department spokesperson said they were aware of the reports. "We condemn criminal violence in the West Bank and call for investigations, arrests, and convictions, of those responsible," the spokesperson said. Watching the vehicles stream past her, 73-year-old Imm Khaldoun told me emphatically that, no matter what happened, she would always return to her land. "This is my land. It's my right [to be here]" she told me. The UN says the past two weeks have already seen more attacks . Olive picking in the West Bank is now a test of speed, with trees rapidly stripped of fruit as soon as the sun rises, before violent Israeli settlers attack.
Ship attack reports near Hormuz reach record high as oil exports slow
The number of ships that have reported being attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz has hit a record high, BBC Verify analysis of data from a UK maritime agency shows. Twelve vessels were attacked between 5 and 11 October - the largest number of weekly strikes reported to the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency since the US-Israeli war with Iran began. The previous week saw 10 ships reporting attacks. Six of the vessels were struck last Sunday, according to the UKMTO - a one-day high. So far this week, there have been four reported attacks. As the number of strikes has risen, the recovery in oil shipments through the strait seen last month has slowed, industry data suggests. BBC Verify collated incident reports published a timeline based on the first date cited in each report. This is approximate because some incidents use the date of the attack and some the date on which it was reported. Experts say Tehran has been attacking ships in an effort to assert greater control over the waterway as the US military has increased the number of tankers it is shepherding through the south of the strait to evade Iranian strikes. Iran is also carrying out more attacks on vessels further away from the Strait of Hormuz, according to experts. The US military's Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, posted on social media that despite the attacks "commercial traffic continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz with co-ordinated protection from US forces and regional partners". The aftermath of one of Sunday's six reported attacks was captured in verified footage showing the Nicaragua-flagged tanker Petro Dolphin on fire, as filmed a smaller boat nearby. The vessel was struck by a drone close to the Sohar Anchorage, Oman, more than 250km (150 miles) from the strait, according to the maritime intelligence firm Vanguard. Eleven Indian seafarers were rescued but two are still missing, the Forward Seamen's Union of India said. Attacks have continued this week with the container ship GFS Pride sinking after a strike . Twenty-one crew were safely evacuated. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) published footage of what appeared to be the same ship sinking. It said the vessel was carrying "2,500 containers of contraband" and had taken an "unauthorised route". Middle East oil exports have slowed as the number of ship strikes has risen. About 12.6 million barrels per day went through the strait on 13 October, below the 15 million reported at the end of September, data from trade intelligence firm Kpler shows.
Israeli settlers attack olive farmers and Washington Post journalist in West Bank
Firefighters dousing a burnt car with water after Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinians harvesting olives near Turmus Ayya. Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters View image in fullscreen Firefighters dousing a burnt car with water after Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinians harvesting olives near Turmus Ayya. Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters Israeli settlers attack olive farmers and Washington Post journalist in West Bank Settlers hurl rocks at Palestinians and beat photographer Heidi Levine as part of yearly attacks to disrupt harvest Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinians across the occupied West Bank in a coordinated movement to disrupt the annual olive harvest, burning cars and trees and injuring Palestinians and a Washington Post photographer. Masked settlers wielding clubs and other weapons attacked people attempting to harvest their olives in West Bank towns on Friday. Palestinian authorities said they recorded attacks in eight villages, and injuries among at least 20 people. American photojournalist recounts Israeli settler attack in the occupied West Bank – video It was the latest series of attacks in a deadly campaign of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in recent months, violence which has drawn accusations of “ethnic cleansing”, including from the British government. In the town of Abu Falah, near Ramallah, at least 80 settlers, some of whom were carrying firearms or clubs, gathered to stop Palestinians from harvesting their olives, using slingshots to hurl rocks at the farmers in view of Israeli military vehicles. When some of the Palestinians then picked up rocks to defend themselves, the Israeli military fired teargas in their direction. View image in fullscreen Teargas fired . Photograph: Léo Corrêa/APThe Israeli Foreign Press Association said in a statement: “This is the latest in a long line of violent attacks . Yet our repeated calls for action to confront this lawlessness have been ignored .” Among those injured was the Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine, who was beaten 10 minutes, according to witnesses. Settlers stole her passport, phone, wallet and equipment. “I was attacked, pushed to the ground. Luckily, I had my flak jacket and helmet, otherwise I probably wouldn’t even be here, because they just kept kicking and kicking me,” Levine said from a hospital bed in Ramallah. She said the attack ended when her Palestinian colleagues intervened to save her. In a statement, the Washington Post said Levine had been wearing visible markings clearly identifying her as a journalist. The office of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the facts surrounding the attack on Levine were “unclear”, suggesting the attack was the fault of “200 Arabs and far-left activists” who confronted Israeli youths.
American photojournalist recounts Israeli settler attack in the occupied West Bank – video
At least six people were injured when a group of masked Israeli settlers descended on an olive grove in Abu Falah, in the occupied West Bank, on Friday, in a coordinated movement across the area to disrupt the annual olive harvest . Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine was injured . There has been a surge of settler violence against Palestinians over the past month, with at least 170 attacks since 27 September, around the start of the annual olive harvest, according to Yesh Din, an Israeli rights group.
6 Members of South Africa’s Biggest Party Are Killed in Shootings
The two shootings took place only a few weeks before pivotal, nationwide local elections, and as the party, the A.N.C., is embroiled in a dispute over the eligibility of more than 100 candidates.
Second Ebola Infection Announced in Kenya
The case is likely to raise alarms in the country and increase scrutiny of the government’s surveillance measures.
Eritrean aggression must not be overlooked | Letter
A person collects recyclable materials from the wreckage of an abandoned truck damaged by a drone strike during fighting between the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in southern Tigray, . Photograph: Reuters View image in fullscreen A person collects recyclable materials from the wreckage of an abandoned truck damaged by a drone strike during fighting between the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in southern Tigray, . Photograph: Reuters Letters Eritrean aggression must not be overlooked Biruk Mekonnen, the Ethiopian ambassador to the UK, responds to an editorial on the war in Tigray Your attention to Ethiopia is welcome, but your editorial (8 October) presents an incomplete account of the crisis, framing Ethiopia’s national interests as sources of regional instability while insufficiently examining the actions of other actors. The opening reference to the Nobel peace prize is particularly telling. “ages better than 2019’s”, the editorial invites readers to question Abiy Ahmed’s award because of the war that followed a year later. Yet the prime minister received the prize for his efforts to achieve peace with Eritrea. The subsequent war in Tigray does not erase that achievement or, by itself, establish that the award was undeserved. Describing the rapprochement with Eritrea as having “facilitated a war with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front” implies causation without adequately explaining the evidence. Likewise, claiming Mr Abiy’s coalition is “held together ” reduces political support to personal favours without establishing that this is what sustains it. More seriously, the editorial overlooks the broader context of Eritrean aggression. The current crisis must also be understood in the context of an Eritrean foreign policy that, from Ethiopia’s perspective, has treated a weak Ethiopia as serving Eritrea’s interests. The call for a truce also fails to address responsibility for renewed hostilities. Dialogue is welcome, but it must not reward armed aggression with political leverage or pressure Ethiopia into concessions. Ethiopia’s pursuit of Red Sea access and its right to develop the Nile’s resources should not be portrayed as threats simply because they challenge neighbouring states’ preferences. Whether or not Eritrea’s strategic value to Washington explains its approach, that should not eclipse the consequences of its actions for Ethiopia’s sovereignty and security.