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Who's Who in the Saudi G20

Who's Who in the Saudi G20
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Who's Who in the Saudi G20

Who's Who in the Saudi G20

The G20 Leaders’ Summit kicked off Saturday, bringing together leaders from the world’s leading economies to address global pressing issues.

The G20 Saudi Presidency has demonstrated determined and effective leadership in not only gathering the world leaders but also taking collective action that benefits the world.

The Saudi Presidency is led by His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Head of State, with the agenda and direction of the presidency held under his direction, supported by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. Dr. Fahad Toonsi is the Secretary-General for the G20 Saudi Secretariat, tasked with the responsibility of overseeing and supporting the implementation of the G20 Presidency work this year.

The Sherpa Track is led by Dr. Fahad Al-Mubarak, who has been the G20 Saudi Sherpa since 2018. Under this track, ministers of the Kingdom chaired ministerial meetings related to socio-economic issues. The ministers include His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al Saud, who chaired the Energy Ministerial Meeting, Dr. Tawfiq Al Rabiah for Health, Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, and Eng. Khaled AlFalih, who led the Trade & Investment Ministers Meeting. The Environment, Agriculture, and Water Ministers Meetings were chaired by Eng. Abdulrahman AlFadley, while Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha chaired the Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting. Dr. Hamad Alshaikh chaired the education ministerial meeting and Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi chaired the one on labor and employment. Ahmad Al-Khatib chaired the meeting for Tourism Ministers, and Mazin Al-Kahmous led the discussions on the first-ever Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting under the G20. Her Highness Princess Haifa AlMogrin chaired the Development Working Group.

The Finance Track is led by Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance, and Dr. Ahmed Alkholifey, the Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. With their leadership, the working groups for the finance track focused on economic response to global pandemic including debt relief for developing nations, infrastructure, financial inclusion, economic growth, international financial architecture, and the global economy.

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Arab World

France Shares More Proposals with Israel over Southern Lebanon

FILE PHOTO: Razor wire lies near an abandoned house, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel March 19, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Razor wire lies near an abandoned house, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel March 19, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo
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France Shares More Proposals with Israel over Southern Lebanon

FILE PHOTO: Razor wire lies near an abandoned house, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel March 19, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Razor wire lies near an abandoned house, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel March 19, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo

French officials shared on Tuesday proposals made to Lebanese authorities to defuse tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said as Paris attempts to work as an intermediary between the sides.
Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in escalating daily cross-border strikes over the past six months - in parallel with the war in Gaza - and their increasing range and sophistication has raised fears of a wider regional conflict, Reuters reported.
Hezbollah has amassed a formidable arsenal since 2006 and since October thousands of people on both sides of the border have been displaced.
"A number of proposals that we made to the Lebanese side have been shared (with you)," Sejourne said ahead of a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz in Jerusalem.
"We have a relationship with Lebanon, 20,000 citizens there and the war in 2006 was particularly dramatic for them."
Sejourne was in Lebanon on Sunday where he met officials including politicians close to Hezbollah. French officials say they had seen progress in the responses from Lebanese authorities.
Sejourne said the basis of the proposals was to ensure UN resolution 1701 was implemented.
Hezbollah has said it will not enter any concrete discussion until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, where the war between Israel and the Hamas group s in its seventh month.
Israel has flagged a potential military operation along its northern front, saying it wants to restore calm on the border with Lebanon so thousands of Israelis can return to the area without fear of rocket attacks, even if Hezbollah has said it will not stop exchanges until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
France has historical ties with Lebanon, a large expatriate population in the country and some 700 troops as part of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.
Sejourne presented this year a written proposal to both sides that included Hezbollah's elite unit pulling back 10km (6 miles) from the Israeli border and Israel halting strikes in southern Lebanon.
It also looked at long-term border issues and was discussed with partners including the United States, which is making its own efforts to ease tensions and exert the most influence on Israel.
Katz thanked France for its help in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones in an attack on Israel in April.
"It was a message that regional states participated in that because it was very important in regards to what we can expect in the future," he said

World

UN Right Chief Troubled by Treatment of Pro-Palestinian Protesters at US Universities

A state trooper pepper sprays pro-Palestinian protesters, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, after police vehicles were blocked at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US April 29, 2024. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman/USA Today.
A state trooper pepper sprays pro-Palestinian protesters, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, after police vehicles were blocked at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US April 29, 2024. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman/USA Today.
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UN Right Chief Troubled by Treatment of Pro-Palestinian Protesters at US Universities

A state trooper pepper sprays pro-Palestinian protesters, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, after police vehicles were blocked at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US April 29, 2024. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman/USA Today.
A state trooper pepper sprays pro-Palestinian protesters, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, after police vehicles were blocked at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, US April 29, 2024. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman/USA Today.

The UN human rights chief said on Tuesday he was "troubled" by heavy-handed actions taken by US security forces during attempts to break up pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.
"I am concerned that some of law enforcement actions across a series of universities appear disproportionate in their impacts," Volker Turk said in a statement sent to journalists, in which he made reference to arrests and sanctions of students.
"It must be clear that legitimate exercises of the freedom of expression cannot be conflated with incitement to violence and hatred," he added.
Student protests over the Israel-Hamas war have popped up at many college campuses in the United States following the arrest of demonstrators this month at Columbia University.
The students are calling for universities to separate themselves from companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza — and in some cases from Israel itself. The number of arrests nationwide has approached 1,000 since New York police arrested demonstrators at Columbia on April 18.
The protests have spread to Canada and Europe, with French police removing dozens of students from the Sorbonne university after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the main courtyard.
Officials are trying to resolve the protests as the academic year winds down, but students have dug in at several high-profile universities.

World

UK Police Arrest Man Wielding a Sword in East London

Footage posted on social media appears to show a man wearing a yellow hooded top carrying a large blade. (The Telegraph)
Footage posted on social media appears to show a man wearing a yellow hooded top carrying a large blade. (The Telegraph)
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UK Police Arrest Man Wielding a Sword in East London

Footage posted on social media appears to show a man wearing a yellow hooded top carrying a large blade. (The Telegraph)
Footage posted on social media appears to show a man wearing a yellow hooded top carrying a large blade. (The Telegraph)

A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and two police officers on Tuesday in the east London community of Hainault before being arrested, police said. The London Ambulance Service said emergency workers treated five people and took them to the hospital.
The incident is not being treated as terror-related, said The Associated Press.
The Metropolitan Police said they were called early Tuesday to reports of a vehicle being driven into a house in a residential street and people being stabbed close to the Hainault underground station.
A 36-year-old man was arrested at the scene, police said.
No other details were immediately available.
Video on British media showed a man in a yellow hoodie holding a long sword or knife walking near houses in the area.
Witnesses say they heard police shouting to the suspect urging him to put down the weapon as they chased after him.
“This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said. “I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm. People will want to know what has happened and we will provide more information as soon as we can.”
He added that police do not believe there is a threat to the wider community.
“We are not looking for more suspects,'' he said. ”This incident does not appear to be terror-related."
Transport for London said Hainault underground station was closed due to a police investigation in the area.

Arab World

UNICEF: At Least 8 Children Killed, 75 Injured in Conflict along Lebanon Border

Rubble litters the area around a house which was hit overnight by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Shebaa near the border on April 26, 2024. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Rubble litters the area around a house which was hit overnight by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Shebaa near the border on April 26, 2024. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
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UNICEF: At Least 8 Children Killed, 75 Injured in Conflict along Lebanon Border

Rubble litters the area around a house which was hit overnight by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Shebaa near the border on April 26, 2024. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Rubble litters the area around a house which was hit overnight by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Shebaa near the border on April 26, 2024. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)

At least eight children have been killed and 75 injured in Lebanon in the ongoing conflict along the country’s border with Israel, UNICEF has said.
Out of 90,000 people displaced by the conflict in south Lebanon, 30,000 are children, UNICEF said in a report. It said that 20,000 students have been impacted by the partial or total closure of 72 schools in the conflict zone.
Children in Lebanon have also suffered as a result of disruptions to services including health care and water and are struggling with mental health issues because of the violence, the report said Monday.
More than 350 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon over nearly seven months of near-daily cross-border fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The conflict escalated after the Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7.
Most of those killed were fighters with Hezbollah and allied groups, but more than 50 civilians have also been killed. In addition to eight children, 21 women were killed in the first six months of fighting, UNICEF reported. On the Israeli side, strikes from Lebanon have killed at least 10 civilians and 12 soldiers.

Arab World

China Says Hamas and Fatah Made 'Encouraging Progress' in Talks in Beijing

FILE - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Gaza City, March 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
FILE - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Gaza City, March 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
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China Says Hamas and Fatah Made 'Encouraging Progress' in Talks in Beijing

FILE - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Gaza City, March 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
FILE - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, right, and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Gaza City, March 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

Representatives of rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah made “encouraging progress” in recent talks in the Chinese capital on promoting reconciliation, China's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian gave few details at a daily briefing, but the meeting in Beijing is China's latest attempt to position itself as a broker in the Middle East as an alternative to the US and its Western allies, most often seen as backing Israel.
Lin said representatives of the two groups were invited by China and “recently came to Beijing to have an in-depth and candid dialogue on promoting Palestinian reconciliation.” He said they “had discussions on many specific issues and made encouraging progress.”
Hamas has been under siege by Israel in Gaza since launching Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel, while Fatah’s rule of the West Bank is under severe stress amid an expanding Israeli presence, a morbid economy and widespread accusations of corruption.
“The sides agreed to continue this dialogue process so as to achieve Palestinian solidarity and unity at an early date,” Lin said.
“They highly appreciated China’s firm support for the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, thanked the Chinese side for its efforts to help strengthen Palestinian internal unity and reached an agreement on ideas for future dialogue,” he said.
Hamas has said for more than 15 years that it could accept a two-state compromise with Israel, but has refused to say it would recognize Israel or renounce its armed fight against it.
For Israel and others, especially in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, that’s proof that Hamas is still committed to destroying Israel. The United States and European countries have joined Israel in shunning the militant group, which they have labeled a terrorist organization.
Ties between Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas ′ Fatah faction have long been fraught. In 2006, after Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections, it entered talks with the Palestinian Authority over a unity government. During the negotiations, Ismail Haniyeh, who is now Hamas’ top political leader, said the group supported a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines “at this stage, but in return for a cease-fire, not recognition.”
The two groups eventually reached a deal under which the unity government, including Hamas, would “respect” the Palestinian Authority’s peace agreements with Israel. It was a formula that allowed Hamas to avoid accepting the accords and recognizing Israel.
Israel and the US refused to recognize the unity government and imposed economic sanctions. The government quickly collapsed amid fighting between Hamas and Fatah, ending with Hamas’ 2007 takeover of Gaza.
China has long recognized a Palestinian state as part of its Cold War strategy to build ties with the developing world and undermine Western support for Israel. In recent years, however, it has sought to engage both sides, appointing a special envoy for Middle Eastern affairs to hold talks with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
In other recent diplomatic developments, Hamas officials have left Cairo after talks with Egyptian officials on a new proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, Egypt’s state-owned Al-Qahera News satellite channel said Tuesday.
The channel, which has close ties with Egyptian security agencies, said a Hamas delegation will return to Cairo with a written response to the cease-fire proposal, without saying when.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel on his latest trip to the region, which began Monday in Saudi Arabia. He said Israel needs to do more to allow aid to enter Gaza, but that the best way to alleviate the humanitarian crisis is for the two sides to agree to a cease-fire.

Varieties

Indonesia Volcano Erupts, More Than 12,000 People Evacuated

An eruption from Mount Ruang volcano is seen from Tagulandang island in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on April 30, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
An eruption from Mount Ruang volcano is seen from Tagulandang island in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on April 30, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
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Indonesia Volcano Erupts, More Than 12,000 People Evacuated

An eruption from Mount Ruang volcano is seen from Tagulandang island in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on April 30, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
An eruption from Mount Ruang volcano is seen from Tagulandang island in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on April 30, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Indonesia's Ruang volcano erupted on Tuesday, spewing lava as lightning flashes lit up its crater, prompting authorities to raise the alert status and evacuate more than 12,000 people living on a nearby island, Reuters reported.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) had warned the residents of Tagulandang island that a tsunami could be triggered by volcanic material collapsing into the ocean.
The warning, issued on Tuesday morning, remained in placed as of the afternoon.
The agency raised the alert status of Ruang to the highest level following the early morning eruption, urging residents not to go near the volcano.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said that all 843 residents living in Ruang island, where the volcano is located, have been moved to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province. Residents of Tagulandang island are being relocated to Siau island to the north.
The eruption follows a series of eruptions earlier this month that forced hundreds to evacuate, and the airport in the provincial capital of Manado to close. That eruption also caused damage to some homes. At the time, the volcanology also issued a warning about the potential for a tsunami.
Footage shared by Indonesia's disaster agency showed strikes of lightning flashing above Ruang's crater, as fiery red clouds of lava and rocks were projected into the air and rained down around the island.
The volcanology agency said the eruption column reached 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) high, and urged any remaining residents within a 7-km, previously 6-km, radius to immediately evacuate, warning of possible further "explosive eruptions".
Ruang island is about 100 km from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province in the north-central region of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago.
The eruption corresponded with a spike in seismic activity and deep volcanic earthquakes, the disaster agency said.
Authorities closed Manado's Sam Ratulangi airport again on Tuesday, citing the possible spread of volcanic ash, the airport operator said in an Instagram post. The airport will remain closed until noon on Wednesday, the transport ministry said.
Authorities downgraded the status level to level 3 last week before bumping it up again to level 4 on Tuesday.

Varieties

Plastic Pollution Talks Move Closer to World-first Pact

A sculpture titled "Giant Plastic Tap" by Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong is displayed outside the fourth session of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution that has wrapped up in Ottawa, Canada. Dave Chan / AFP
A sculpture titled "Giant Plastic Tap" by Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong is displayed outside the fourth session of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution that has wrapped up in Ottawa, Canada. Dave Chan / AFP
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Plastic Pollution Talks Move Closer to World-first Pact

A sculpture titled "Giant Plastic Tap" by Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong is displayed outside the fourth session of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution that has wrapped up in Ottawa, Canada. Dave Chan / AFP
A sculpture titled "Giant Plastic Tap" by Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong is displayed outside the fourth session of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution that has wrapped up in Ottawa, Canada. Dave Chan / AFP

A fourth and penultimate round of UN-led negotiations to solve global plastic pollution wrapped up in Ottawa early on Tuesday with a world-first pact said to be within reach by year's end but without a cap on the production of polymers.
For the first time in the negotiations, delegates from 175 countries and observers discussed a draft of what is to become a global treaty on ending the scourge of plastics that are found everywhere from mountain tops to ocean depths, as well as within human blood and breast milk, AFP said.
The current session picked up where talks in Kenya left off five months ago.
They also agreed to a series of consultations between now and November, when the final round of talks is to be held in South Korea.
The Ottawa talks saw "a massive, monumental change in the tone and in the energy" compared with the previous round, Canadian parliamentary secretary Julie Dabrusin said.
"I'm really optimistic that we can get to an agreement by the end of the year... to end plastic pollution by 2040," she said.
Dabrusin and others welcomed a shift in the negotiations from vague objectives to treaty language, as well as streamlining options presented in Kenya.
However, a proposed cap on plastic production did not make it into the draft text and remains a major sticking point.
Although there is a broad consensus on the need for a treaty, environmental activists pleading for a cut in plastic production remain at odds with oil-producing nations and the plastics industry, which favors recycling.
Recycling versus production cut
Ana Rocha, speaking on behalf of Global South nations, said there had been "a growing willingness to address primary plastic polymers under the treaty."
This is crucial, according to environmental groups. "You cannot end plastic pollution if you do not reduce the amount of plastic we produce," Greenpeace's Graham Forbes told AFP.
Annual plastics production has more than doubled in 20 years to 460 million tons and is on track to triple within four decades if left unchecked.
"This treaty will succeed or fail based on the extent to which it addresses and reduces plastic production. Nothing else will work if we don't get that right," Forbes said.
G7 environment ministers meeting in Italy had been expected on Tuesday to commit to reducing plastic production, recognizing "that the level of plastic pollution is unsustainable and that its increase is alarming," according to the French delegation.
Peru and Rwanda proposed in a motion in Ottawa cutting plastic production by 40 percent in the next 15 years, in line with Paris agreement climate goals. Plastic production is a significant driver of global warming because most plastic is made from fossil fuels.
The motion was defeated.
Chris Jahn, council secretary of the International Council of Chemical Associations, said the industry is "fully committed to a legally binding agreement" on plastic waste, but one that does not "eliminate the massive societal benefits plastics provide for a healthier and more sustainable world."
Alejandra Parra, from Latin America, called recycling a "false option."
A lot of plastic is not or cannot be recycled, she said. The process of melting plastics into new forms also has drawbacks because it releases toxins and carbon emissions.
Collecting and sorting recyclable plastics is also relatively expensive.

Business

Riyadh WEF Special Meeting Calls for Tech Use in Global Economic Growth

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Riyadh WEF Special Meeting Calls for Tech Use in Global Economic Growth

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Leaders from around the world are stressing the importance of boosting global growth and tackling economic challenges, calling for urgent action to chart a sustainable future.

Riyadh had hosted global leaders for a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) special meeting in Riyadh.

The Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development 2024 - held under the patronage of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - brought together key leaders to exchange perspectives, consider new data, and advance high-impact partnerships.

Attendees at the meeting stressed the importance of working together to boost sustainable economic growth and tackle obstacles.

They highlighted the need to use technology wisely amid global changes, aiming not just for economic growth but also to fix systemic issues.

They urged unified efforts to address economic slowdowns and build resilience by pooling expertise and resources to create new strategies for growth, job creation, and fair opportunities in building stronger economies.

Wide-ranging discussions at the WEF meeting delved into geopolitical and technological developments, with a focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, renewable energy, logistics sectors, and other economic issues confronting the world.

Saudi Economy Minister Faisal Alibrahim stated that the global economy is still facing slow growth. He stressed the need for fair technology distribution, saying it could boost growth in less developed countries.

During the final plenary session, Alibrahim announced that the Kingdom joined the AI Governance Alliance, and will co-launch the ‘Inclusive AI Initiative for Growth and Development’, to develop solutions for AI access and adoption.

Alibrahim also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing non-oil sectors since Vision 2030, aiming for a diverse economy led by productivity. He mentioned Saudi Arabia’s adaptability to AI technologies.

Additionally, Alibrahim discussed the recent conflicts in the Middle East, suggesting that peace in the region would help economic progress.

“We may end up with this decade being remembered as the Turbulent Twenties or the Tepid Twenties, and what we actually want is Transformational Twenties,” said Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund.

“Over the next 100 years leaders must aim for the same degree of wealth as that created over the past 100 years, but with a much better distribution of the benefits of growth,” she added.

World

Kenya Searches for More Than 90 Missing after Floods

A woman and a man take mud and water out of their house in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Mai Mahiu, on April 29, 2024. (Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP)
A woman and a man take mud and water out of their house in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Mai Mahiu, on April 29, 2024. (Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP)
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Kenya Searches for More Than 90 Missing after Floods

A woman and a man take mud and water out of their house in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Mai Mahiu, on April 29, 2024. (Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP)
A woman and a man take mud and water out of their house in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Mai Mahiu, on April 29, 2024. (Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP)

Rescuers were searching on Tuesday for at least 91 people missing in heavy flooding across Kenya, the interior ministry said.
At least 46 people were killed on Monday morning in a mudslide and flash floods in Mai Mahiu town in central Kenya, the ministry said in a situation report, an increase of one on the previous death toll.
Survivors in Mai Mahiu described an onslaught of water that carried away houses, cars and railway tracks, Reuters reported.
"When I opened the door, the water gushed in and made its way through the kitchen," said resident Anne Gachie.
"My husband managed to quickly maneuver and get out. My daughters who were in the next room were swept out of the house by the force of the water."
Fifty-three more people in Mai Mahiu were reported missing, the interior ministry said, while the Kenya Red Cross said its tracing desk had reports of 76 missing.
In all, at least 169 people have died across Kenya from heavy rains and flooding since last month. More than 185,000 have been forced from their homes, according to government data.
Dozens more have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced by intense downpours in Tanzania and Burundi, with scientists saying climate change is causing more intense and frequent extreme weather events.
The eastern county of Garissa, where four people were killed when their boat capsized over the weekend and 23 others were rescued from the floodwaters, has reported 16 people missing, the interior ministry said.
At least 120 people were killed in Kenya late last year by flooding caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon. Those rains followed the worst drought large parts of East Africa had experienced in decades.

World

Mali Forces Kill Senior Figure in ISIS Affiliate

Malian soldiers are pictured during a patrol with soldiers from the new Takuba force near Niger border in Dansongo Circle, Mali August 23, 2021. REUTERS/ Paul Lorgerie
Malian soldiers are pictured during a patrol with soldiers from the new Takuba force near Niger border in Dansongo Circle, Mali August 23, 2021. REUTERS/ Paul Lorgerie
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Mali Forces Kill Senior Figure in ISIS Affiliate

Malian soldiers are pictured during a patrol with soldiers from the new Takuba force near Niger border in Dansongo Circle, Mali August 23, 2021. REUTERS/ Paul Lorgerie
Malian soldiers are pictured during a patrol with soldiers from the new Takuba force near Niger border in Dansongo Circle, Mali August 23, 2021. REUTERS/ Paul Lorgerie

Malian forces killed Abu Huzeifa, a commander for a West African affiliate of the ISIS group, during a large-scale operation in the northern region of Menaka, the Malian authorities said in a statement read on state television on Monday.
Huzeifa's death on Sunday had been confirmed after the operation in the region's Indelimane sector, they said, but did not give further details.
The US State Department's Rewards for Justice program offers a bounty of up to $5 million for information on Huzeifa for his alleged participation in a 2017 attack in neighboring Niger that killed four US and four Nigerien soldiers, Reuters reported.
Over the past decade, attacks by groups linked to al Qaeda and ISIS have killed thousands of people in Mali, Niger, and neighboring Burkina Faso, destabilizing West Africa's central Sahel region.
As of March, the protracted security and humanitarian crisis had displaced over 3 million people in the region, according to the International Organization for Migration.