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By Cantona Joseph April 02, 2026 05:08 (EAT)

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Kirinyaga University student leader says young people are keen to step forward and take part in elections

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Kirinyaga University students turned up in large numbers to register as voters during following the launch of the 30-day enhance voter enlisting drive by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

The commission is targeting 40,800 new voters in Kirinyaga county.

 “This is the time for young people to step forward and take part in shaping the country’s leadership,” Kirinyaga University student leader Claystone Barongo said.

The youth are increasingly embracing the exercise after the IEBC adopted a youth-friendly approach to voter registration to attract more students.

 “The process has been made easier and more accessible to young people and that is why many are turning up,” Barongo observed.

For a long time, many young Kenyans have taken a back seat in electoral processes, leaving decision-making to older generations.

But that is changing as the youth are now ready to take responsibility by registering as voters and participating in the next general election.

“We cannot continue sitting back while others make decisions for us. We must be part of the process. We want to elect leaders who are visionary, accountable and focused on the needs of the people,” Barongo said.

Students also praised the “Niko Kadi” voter registration campaign, noting that it has played a key role in mobilising young people including those in remote areas who would otherwise have been left out.

Kirinyaga IEBC coordinator Jane Gitonga said the commission has intensified efforts to reach more eligible voters by taking registration services closer to the people.

“We have moved from our offices and brought services to the grassroots to ensure every eligible voter is reached,” she said.

Gitonga explained that the ongoing exercise is an enhanced continuous voter registration drive aimed at improving accessibility and inclusivity, especially among young people and first-time voters.

“Today’s exercise is an enhanced continuous voter registration. It is different from the continuous registration we have had before because its a more inclusive and effective exercise,” she said. The commission is targeting Gen Z youth who have recently turned 18, as well as millennials who have never registered.important for it gives citizens the power to influence governance.

“Being a registered voter means you have a say in how your country is governed and a seat at the decision-making table,” Gitonga said.

The commission has deployed registration kits across all 20 wards in Kirinyaga county to enhance access.

Gitonga said the deployment will ensure people can easily reach the registration centres.

She said the commission is committed to achieving its target and ensuring all eligible residents are registered as voters.

She also noted that, on average, each registration kit is expected to process at least 25 applicants per day, with IEBC personnel working closely with local administrators to ensure the success of the exercise.

She encouraged residents to contact local administrators or IEBC officials on the ground for assistance in locating registration centres, as the commission continues its push to ensure no eligible voter is left out.

‘I warned you!’ Uhuru urges Mt Kenya to beware of ‘sweet-tongued’ politicians

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Former DP Rigathi Gachagua (Left) and Martha Karua (Right) at the burial of the late Senator Daniel Karaba in Kirinyaga.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on the people of the Mt Kenya region to remain united and vigilant against political manipulation as the country heads towards the 2027 General Election.

Speaking during the burial of former Senator Daniel Karaba in Kirinyaga, Kenyatta cautioned voters against being swayed by political rhetoric, saying many politicians use charm and persuasion to mislead the public.

“It is good to listen to leaders… Politicians have a sweet tongue, and I told you. Even that last-born daughter of yours, whom you hope to marry off to a well-educated man, you may end up giving her away because of a sweet tongue,” Kenyatta said.

He urged voters to choose leaders who advise them honestly and prioritise the country’s development, rather than those who exploit ethnic divisions or personal ambitions.

“Pick leaders who will advise you, tell you the truth, because there is no other way this country will develop… Just like Kibicho has said, he now listens to the ground. And from what I’m hearing, the ground is saying it wants a united people. I’m also listening to the ground, and it is calling for unity,” Kenyatta said.

Kenyatta also took aim at religious leaders, urging them to refrain from partisan politics and accusing some of misleading the public.

“I plead with you, respectfully. You played a big role in misguiding our people in the wrong direction. I do not know your reasons, but please stop misleading them. Guide them spiritually and lead them to the Kingdom of God through His Son Jesus Christ. But earthly matters should be left to leaders who understand them better. Let everyone do their work,” he said.

Kenyatta emphasised the need for principled leadership and national unity, saying that Kenya can only achieve peace, stability, and progress if leaders serve their people rather than themselves. He referenced his past cooperation with the late Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, stressing that both leaders always envisioned a united Kenya led by policies and principles rather than tribalism or ethnic bitterness.

“Our country needs unity in order for us to have peace, stability and progress. A country needs leaders of integrity, leaders who are principled, leaders who are there to serve their people. Because by serving your people, by extension, you are serving your God,” he said.

“That is what Raila Odinga and I have always desired, for this country to be united, to be together, to be led by policies and principles, not by tribe, not by ethnic bitterness and hatred,” he added.

Addressing young people, Uhuru urged them not to sell their votes, even in exchange for money. “If you are given money, take it, but do not give out your ID or voter’s card. Do not reject free things, but never sell your vote,” he said.

Kenyatta’s message comes amid growing political realignments in the Mt Kenya region and nationwide, with the electorate being urged to uphold unity and make informed choices ahead of the 2027 elections.

Also present at the burial were the United Opposition leaders led by Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua, Fred Matiang’i, Martha Karua, Justin Muturiand Eugene Wamalwa. Siaya James Orengo was also present.

‘You don’t know us!’ Gachagua tells off Ruto as he dismisses rift with Uhuru

DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua enjoys a light moment with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in Kirinyaga on April 1, 2026. PHOTO | COURTESY

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The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has hit out at President William Ruto, dismissing claims by himself anf his allies that he cannot work with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Speaking on Wednesday during the burial of former Kirinyaga Senator Daniel Karaba, Gachagua clarified his relationship with Kenyatta owing to the perceived fallout in the lead up to the 2022 elections, saying critics do not understand their long-standing ties.

The former Deputy Presdient ran down memory lane, recounting his history with the retired Head of State, emphasising that their relationship spans decades.

“I have been seeing Ruto’s people in State House saying that Uhuru cannot work with Riggy G. How do you know? Let me tell you, you don’t know us. The fact that we voted for you does not mean that you know us. In fact, you think you are part of us, you are not, you don’t know us!” Gachagua said.

“I have been a personal assistant to President Uhuru Kenyatta for many years and have worked closely with him for 20 years. This man came between us and we fell out for three years. Between three years and 20 years, which is more?” He posed amid laughter.

Gachagua further accused President Ruto of attempting to divide the Mt. Kenya region, warning against the fragmentation of the voting bloc.

He allayed fears of the United Opposition split ahead of the 2027 polls, maintaining that political differences in the past would not undermine their ties going forward, as he appealed to the Mt. Kenya region to remain united so as to mount a strong faction that is able to floor Ruto and his team.

“Ruto is trying to divide Mt. Kenya East and West, and that is why I cannot allow him because if he succeeds, we are finished. You know what happened in 1992, Matiba stood on one side and Kibaki on the other side and Moi passed between them. Our vote can only be useful to us when it is one,” he said.

“Let our detractors know that no one can divide this mountain. Nobody can come between Kenyatta and us. The former President, for the record, is my elder brother, kinsman, and my long-time friend, and those were politics of yesterday. We are in different times,” he added.

He underscored that the next General Election could mirror the 2002 transition, saying, “The upcoming election will be a 2002 moment. When we lost to Mwai Kibaki and we knew we would lose, we encouraged Uhuru Kenyatta to go to the ballot because of the future, to build his name.”

The DCP boss took a swipe at President Ruto over his public display of faith during the 2022 campaigns, reassuring that the region is now awake and would not be hoodwinked by such displays.

“I do not know what we will do about this matter of the Bible. For us Christians, if someone comes with a Bible and says he is saved, we say Amen. This man came with a big Bible… I blame myself for being lied to and deceiving our people, but then I console myself and say if bishops, pastors and reverends were deceived, then who am I, Riggy G of Wamunyoro?” He said.

“Bishop, forgive us. Nowadays, when someone comes with a Bible, we do not close our eyes because we have suffered for believing in the Bible.”

Toxic fish trade sparks alarm as Senate probes illegal fishing

This comes amid growing concerns over an illegal trade in contaminated fish reaching major markets.

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A Senate committee has directed the Fisheries department to urgently conduct fresh research on whether fish from Lake Nakuru are safe for human consumption.

This follows growing concerns over an illegal trade in contaminated fish reaching major markets.

The Senate National Security and Defence Committee, chaired by Fatuma Dullo, ordered the Kenya Fisheries Service to table a comprehensive report within 14 days on tests conducted on fish from the lake.

“We are directing the KFS to conduct research and determine whether fish from Lake Nakuru are fit for human consumption,” Dullo ruled.

The directive follows a petition by Peter Mbae and Tom Mboya, who warned that despite a standing ban on fishing in Lake Nakuru, an underground network continues to harvest and distribute fish from the lake.

The fish, they claimed, are often disguised as fresh tilapia from Lake Victoria and sold in markets as far as Nairobi and Kisumu, posing a serious public health risk.

The petitioners further alleged the existence of a cartel involving powerful individuals who continue to fish illegally with impunity, while ordinary fishermen face arrest and harassment from the Kenya Wildlife Service.

“We are concerned that while ordinary fishermen are being arrested by KWS officers for illegal fishing in Lake Nakuru National Park, influential individuals are carrying out illegal fishing of harmful fish,” Mbae told the committee.

“The fish is then supplied across the country to unsuspecting Kenyans,”

Mboya said their attempts to engage KWS had failed, forcing them to seek the Senate’s intervention.

He appealed for a long-term solution, including regulated fishing and the implementation of environmental restoration measures.

“We are appealing for a lasting solution by ensuring fishing is properly regulated and recommendations to clean the lake are implemented,” he said.

“We do not want our youths to continue disappearing while influential individuals exploit the situation,” he said.

However, environmental regulators painted a grim picture of the lake’s condition, warning that fish from Lake Nakuru may pose significant health risks.

National Environment Management Authority director general Mamo Mamo told the committee that pollution from untreated sewage, industrial discharge and storm water run-off has severely degraded the lake’s ecosystem.

He cited a 2022 study by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute which found that Nile tilapia from Lake Nakuru was unsafe for consumption due to high levels of endosulfan, a toxic pesticide.

Further scientific findings have consistently revealed elevated levels of organochlorine pesticides, nitrates and heavy metals in both the water and fish tissues.

These substances are associated with long-term health complications, including hormonal disruption and other chronic illnesses.

Lake Nakuru’s status as a closed basin, with no natural outlet, worsens the situation as pollutants accumulate over time.

Experts say this has led to oxygen depletion in several sections of the lake, further degrading its ecological health.

“Since the results of the present study indicate that Lake Nakuru fish are not fit for human consumption, an immediate ban on fish harvesting and consumption from the lake is recommended,” Mamo said.

Additional data presented to the committee showed a steady deterioration of the lake’s ecological status, underscoring the need for stricter enforcement and accelerated restoration efforts.

Studies by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute have also confirmed the presence of dangerous levels of toxic substances, including arsenic, nitrates and pesticide residues linked to untreated sewage and industrial waste.

Lake Nakuru, a protected Ramsar Wetland and UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a critical ecological zone.

Illegal fishing not only threatens public health but also disrupts the habitat of wildlife such as hippos and crocodiles, while providing cover for poachers operating within the rhino sanctuary.

Appearing before the committee, Daisy Muriuki, acting director general of the Kenya Fisheries Service, said her agency does not license any fishing activities in Lake Nakuru.

She reiterated the lake is not designated as a fishery.

“Fishing in Lake Nakuru National Park is not permitted, and all matters related to activities and security within the park fall under the Kenya Wildlife Service,” she said.

Muriuki further clarified that KFS is not involved in monitoring contaminants in the lake, as it is neither a recognised fishing ground nor under its regulatory scope.

The Senate committee is expected to use the findings of the forthcoming report to determine further action, as pressure mounts to dismantle illegal fishing networks and safeguard public health.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The Senate has launched a probe into the safety of fish from Lake Nakuru following claims of widespread illegal fishing and the distribution of contaminated fish to major markets. Petitioners allege that powerful individuals are behind the trade, evading enforcement while locals face arrest. Scientific studies show that fish contain toxic chemicals, posing serious health risks. Regulators blame pollution from sewage and industrial waste. The committee’s findings could trigger stricter enforcement and policy action to protect public health and restore the lake’s ecosystem.

Ex-Haiti Prime Minister Garry Conille appointed Kenya’s top UN envoy

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President William Ruto (R) gestures during his arrival to a joint press conference with former Prime Minister of Haiti Garry Conille (L) at the State House in Nairobi on October 11, 2024. Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP

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United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has appointed Garry Conille as the UN Resident Coordinator for Kenya. 

Conille, the former Prime Minister of Haiti takes over the role after the exit of Dr. Stephen Jackson, who held the role since 2021. Jackson will take over the Resident Coordinator position in China. 

While announcing the appointment, the UN said Conille “brings over 20 years of experience in international development, humanitarian affairs and public administration to the position.” 

Conille’s appointment followed the approval of Kenya – his new host nation. 

The Haitian envoy will serve as the UN Secretary-General’s representative in Kenya, leading efforts in driving the progress of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The new RC is also expected to lead the UN in engagements with the Government of Kenya, civil society, development partners and other stakeholders in public and private sectors. 

The appointment is not a first for Conille, who in 2020 served as UN Resident Coordinator for Jamaica. This was after holding the same role in Burundi from 2017 to 2020. 

The diplomat has decades of experience working with the UN and Non-Governmental Organisations, having begun his career working with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Haiti. 

Conille is not new to Kenya 

The new UN Resident is not very new to Kenya, having worked with the country’s leadership, especially during his stint as Haitian Prime Minister. 

Conille’s position as Prime Minister came at a critical time, when the Carribean nation struggled with gang violence that has led to humanitarian, security, and political crisis. 

Under this position, the diplomat visited Kenya on a four-day official visit in October 2024. His visit followed a United Nations Security Council approval of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to support peace-keeping in Haiti. 

Then, Kenya had flagged off 400 police officers to Haiti, and 600 others were undergoing pre-deployment training. 

In a joint address with Conille, President William Ruto noted “positive results” from the Kenya-led MSS, saying the PM’s visit would strengthen security cooperation and accelerate the deployment of Kenyan police to the Caribbean nation. 

Conille’s visit also brought up challenges of funding and logistics that the Kenya-led MSS was facing in its mission to combat gangs that controlled significant parts of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.

Shortly after his Kenyan visit, Conille was ousted from the Prime Minister position. On November 10, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council removed Conille from office and named businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the new Prime Minister. The removal, just six months after his appointment, followed a period of intense political infighting and power struggles between him and the council. 

“This resolution, taken outside any legal and constitutional framework, raises serious concerns about its legitimacy,” the BBC quoted Conille’s response on his dismissal. 

This was Conille’s second stint as Haitian PM, a position he first held from October 2011 to May 2012 under President Michel Martelly.

Stephen Jackson exit 

Conille’s predecessor Stephen Jackson on Tuesday held a farewell meeting with President William Ruto as his tour of duty in the country came to an end.

Here, Ruto hailed the cordial relationship that Kenya shares with the UN, being the host of multiple agencies and home to the only UN headquarters across the Global South.

The Head of State thanked Jackson for his “exemplary service and wished him well in his next assignment.” 

As Jackson takes over his next assignment in China, he reflected on his 5-year journey, saying he has seen Kenya’s positive transformation.

“Everything that has changed for the good in Kenya, the growth, the development, but also the things that have remained constant-the warmth, the enthusiasm, the hard work, and the optimism of the Kenyan people,” he reflected during a press conference on March 25, 2026. 

In his exit interview, Jackson noted the lag in fulfilment of SDGs, only 4 years to the 2030 deadline. 

In his perspective, being off-track in SDGs is not unique to Kenya, as other developing and developed countries face the same challenge. 

“On the one hand, Kenya is making good, steady progress towards quite a number of the goals. But the bad news is, yes, we’re off-track on others of them, and Kenya’s not alone in that-in fact, the SDGs are off-track around the world,” he noted.

However, he expressed confidence that strategies such as changes in financing frameworks could accelerate progress towards achieving the 2030 agenda. 

“That needs to happen really urgently. We’ve got to get back on track for the SDGs. Will we make it? We have to make it. We have no choice; there is no alternative,” he submitted. 

Born in Ireland, Jackson took over his role as Kenya’s Resident Coordinator in 2021, having served in other UN positions in African countries including Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi.

Israeli strike on Beirut kills senior Hezbollah commander

By AFPApril 01, 2026 10:30 (EAT)

CCTV footage shows smoke rising from Israel’s Haifa refinery after a reported Iranian attack, in Haifa, Israel, March 19, 2026, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in this screengrab from video obtained from social media. Social Media/via REUTERS

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Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander on Wednesday, two sources told AFP, in a Beirut strike that Lebanon’s health ministry said killed seven people.

A Lebanese security source and a Hezbollah source told AFP that the commander, Youssef Hashem, had been responsible for the group’s military affairs in Iraq and was in a meeting inside a tent when Israel struck.

Israel’s military said Hashem was Hezbollah’s commander for its south Lebanon front.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel to avenge a US-Israeli attack that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with massive strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.

A source close to Hezbollah said Hashem is “the highest-ranking official to be targeted since the start of the war”.

Another Hezbollah member, Mohammad Baqir al-Nabulsi, was also killed in the strike on the Beirut area of Jnah, the group said.

– ‘Sleeping in the open’ –

Several large blasts were heard across the city on Wednesday and a column of smoke was seen rising from Jnah, which is home to apartment buildings, cafes and shops.

Hassan Jalwan, who lives nearby, told AFP he heard “big explosions” overnight.

“Nobody knows what’s happening,” he said, adding that “displaced people have been sleeping in the open” across the area.

Lebanese authorities say the war has forced more than one million people from their homes.

An earlier strike on a car in Khaldeh, just south of the capital, late on Tuesday killed two more people and wounded three, the health ministry said.

An AFP correspondent there saw a charred vehicle and paramedics taking a wounded person away on a stretcher.

Lebanese state media also reported a strike early Wednesday on the Hadath district near Beirut’s southern suburbs, which has largely emptied of residents following repeated Israeli strikes.

State media said Israeli artillery and airstrikes also hit Lebanon’s south and east.

– Army repositions –

In the south near the border, Israel has said it intends to reoccupy a swathe of Lebanon to create what officials have called a buffer zone to push back Hezbollah. Israel already occupied southern Lebanon for around two decades until 2000.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that “all the houses in the villages adjacent to the border in Lebanon will be demolished”.

Katz’s Lebanese counterpart Michel Menassa decried those plans, while Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney denounced what he called an “illegal invasion”.

The Lebanese army announced Wednesday “a repositioning and redeployment operation” in the south “as a result of the escalation of the Israeli aggression”.

A Lebanese military source told AFP that the army had withdrawn from some southern towns but remained in others.

“Where there is an Israeli incursion or advance, we evacuate,” the source said.

“Because… there is a possibility of a direct targeting of the Lebanese army… and even if there is no direct targeting, there is a risk the army could be encircled.”

The source said the Israelis had advanced up to 10 kilometres in some places.

Hezbollah early Wednesday claimed cross-border attacks against Israel and said its fighters were engaged in “fierce clashes” with soldiers in the Lebanese town of Shamaa, around five kilometres (three miles) from the border. It also said it was behind rocket fire targeting a group of Israeli soldiers in another area.

Late on Tuesday night, air raid sirens sounded across northern Israel’s Galilee region, according to the Israeli military’s Home Front Command, hours after what Israeli media said was a barrage of more than 40 rockets fired by Hezbollah.

Israel’s military has reported several casualties among its ranks in recent days in south Lebanon.

Lebanese authorities say the war has so far killed more than 1,300 people.

Trump says US may exit Iran war soon and threatens to quit NATO, as oil crisis escalates

By ReutersApril 02, 2026 06:20 (EAT)

Emergency personnel operate around a destroyed car following a targeted Israeli strike, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 31, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

The United States will end its war on Iran fairly soon and could return for “spot ​hits” if needed, President Donald Trump told Reuters on Wednesday, hours before he was scheduled to make a primetime address to the nation.

Trump also said he would state in ‌the speech, which is due at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT on Thursday), that he was considering withdrawing the U.S. from the NATO alliance.

Asked when the United States would consider the Iran war over, Trump said: “I can’t tell you exactly … we’re going to be out pretty quickly.”

U.S. action had ensured Iran would not have nuclear arms, he said: “They won’t have a nuclear weapon because they are incapable of that now, and then I’ll leave, and I’ll take everybody with me, and if we ​have to we’ll come back to do spot hits.”

TRUMP CONSIDERS QUITTING NATO

Global oil supplies were expected to be hit twice as hard this month as in March, the International Energy Agency said on​Wednesday, underlining the urgent need for an end to the conflict Trump began with Israel on February 28.

Trump said separately on social media that Iran had ⁠asked for a ceasefire but that he would not consider it until Tehran ceased blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a major fuel shipment route. Iran denied making any such request.

Two security sources from Pakistan, which is ​mediating in the conflict, earlier told Reuters Islamabad had proposed a temporary ceasefire to both sides but had not heard back from either.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance communicated with intermediaries from Pakistan about the Iran conflict as ​recently as Tuesday, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. At Trump’s direction, Vance signalled privately that Trump was open to a ceasefire as long as certain U.S. demands were met, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the source said.

Trump had signalled on Tuesday he could wind down the war in two to three weeks even without a deal, and scaled up threats to pull the U.S. out of the NATO defence alliance if European states did not ​help stop Iran threatening the waterway.

In his remarks to Reuters on Wednesday, Trump said he would express his disgust with NATO for what he considers the alliance’s lack of support for U.S. objectives in Iran.

European ​states took pains to appear unruffled and France’s junior army minister Alice Rufo said operations by NATO in the Strait of Hormuz would be a breach of international law.

JET FUEL AND DIESEL SHORTAGE

The conflict has killed thousands, spread across the ‌region and caused ⁠unprecedented energy disruption.

IEA head Fatih Birol said the main issue so far from Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz was the lack of jet fuel and diesel that was already a problem in Asia and would hit Europe in April or May.

Businesses around the world are struggling, with cosmetics and tea among the latest sectors to report difficulties.

However, global stocks rallied and oil prices reversed gains on Wednesday as hopes of a de-escalation fuelled the biggest rebound in regional equities in more than three years.

Higher fuel prices are already weighing on U.S. household finances before the November midterm elections, with two-thirds of Americans believing the U.S. should work to ​exit the Iran war quickly, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

TANKER ​HIT OFF QATAR

Drones hit fuel tanks at Kuwait’s international ⁠airport, causing a big blaze, and authorities in Bahrain reported a fire at an undisclosed company facility from an Iranian attack.

Qatar said an oil tanker leased to state-owned QatarEnergy was hit by an Iranian cruise missile in Qatari waters, but that there were no injuries or environmental damage.

An overnight strike hit Shahid Haghani Port, ​Iran’s largest passenger terminal, deputy regional governor Ahmad Nafisi told state media, calling it a “criminal” attack on civilian infrastructure.

Iran has fired repeatedly on Gulf countries, ​some home to U.S. bases, ⁠during the conflict, and is using the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, as a bargaining chip.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened to hit U.S. companies in the region including Microsoft Google, Apple Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing from 8 p.m. Tehran time (1630 GMT) on Wednesday. Trump has said he was not concerned.

LATEST STRIKES

In Tel Aviv on Wednesday, evening air raid sirens and air defence systems were repeatedly ⁠triggered as Iran ​fired a volley of missiles around an hour before the start of Passover, the Jewish festival of freedom.

Israel’s fire and rescue ​service said there had been multiple “impacts” in the greater Tel Aviv area. It was not immediately clear if the impacts were caused by missile strikes or debris from missile interceptions.

Shortly after the latest Iranian attack, the Israeli military said in a statement that ​the Air Force was carrying out strikes on dozens of targets across Tehran.

NASA to launch astronauts to moon for first time in 54 years

By AFPApril 02, 2026 05:45 (EAT)

The NASA logo is seen at Kennedy Space Center ahead of the NASA/SpaceX launch of a commercial crew mission to the International Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., April 16, 2021. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo

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Four astronauts are set to embark Wednesday on the first crewed journey around the Moon since 1972, an odyssey that aims to launch the US into a new era of space exploration.

The NASA mission dubbed Artemis 2 has been years in the making after facing repeated setbacks and massive cost overruns, but is finally scheduled to take off from Florida as early as 6:24 pm (2224 GMT).

Under bright Florida sunshine, the rocket’s giant tanks started filling with liquid hydrogen and oxygen at 8:35 am.

The team featuring Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen will set forth on the approximately 10-day mission and hurtle around Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor without landing — much like Apollo 8 did in 1968.

The journey marks a series of historic accomplishments: it will send the first person of color, the first woman and the first non-American on a lunar mission.

It is also the inaugural crewed flight of NASA’s new lunar rocket, dubbed SLS.

The mammoth orange-and-white rocket is designed to allow the United States to repeatedly return to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a permanent base that will offer a platform for further exploration.

“It’s a stepping stone to Mars, where we might have the most likelihood of finding evidence of past life, but it’s also a Rosetta Stone for how other solar systems form,” Koch told reporters on the weekend.

– Repeated setbacks –

The mission was originally due to take off as early as February.

But repeated setbacks stalled the mission and even necessitated rolling the rocket back to its hangar for analysis and repairs.

As of Tuesday afternoon, NASA officials voiced confidence that engineering operations and final preparations were proceeding smoothly.

If Wednesday’s launch is canceled or delayed, there are more liftoff opportunities through Monday, although weather later in the week was looking slightly less favorable.

Melinda Schuerfranz, a retiree from Ohio, traveled to Florida for the launch.

“We’re looking forward to it, we’ve never seen anything like this,” the 76-year-old swimsuit-clad beachgoer told AFP.

But Schuerfranz remembers the Apollo era, and thinks some of the magic might be lost in today’s more fragmented media environment.

“I think it was way more exciting then,” she said. “Everybody tuned into it.”

– ‘Astronauts for Halloween’ –

Artemis is facing pressure from President Donald Trump, who has pushed the pace of the ambitious program that’s aiming to see boots hit the lunar surface before his second term ends in early 2029.

Artemis 2’s objectives include verifying that both the rocket and the spacecraft are in working order in the hopes of paving the way for a Moon landing in 2028.

That deadline has raised eyebrows among experts, in part because Washington is relying on the private sector’s technological headway.

The astronauts will require a second vehicle to descend to the moon’s surface, a lunar lander that remains under development by rival space companies owned by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

This contemporary era of American lunar investment has frequently been portrayed as an effort in competition with China, which is currently aiming to land humans on the Moon by 2030.

For NASA head Jared Isaacman, it’s a multi-pronged pursuit related to scientific discovery, national security and economic opportunity — as well as some less tangible goals.

“I guarantee after these astronauts fly around the moon, you’re going to have more kids dressing up as astronauts for Halloween,” Isaacman said during a recent television interview.

“And that’s going to inspire the next generation to take us further.”

‘Embarrassed’ Spain probes anti-Muslim chants at Egypt friendly

By AFPApril 02, 2026 06:00 (EAT)

Spain supporters hold up flags during the international friendly football match between Spain and Egypt at RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat, near Barcelona, on March 31, 2026. Police in Spain said on Wednesday that they were investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona. Egypt’s national anthem was jeered ahead of the 0-0 draw in Barcelona on Tuesday in a pre-World Cup friendly and authorities at the RCDE Stadium appealed to fans more than once over the public announcement system to refrain from making offensive comments.

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Spanish police said on Wednesday that they were investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants that were heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona, which the government said “embarrass us as a society”.

Egypt’s national anthem was also jeered ahead of the 0-0 draw on Tuesday in a pre-World Cup friendly, while authorities at La Liga side Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium appealed to fans more than once over the public announcement system to refrain from making offensive comments.

It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.

“We are investigating yesterday’s Islamophobic and xenophobic chants at RCDE Stadium during the Spain-Egypt friendly match,” Catalonia’s regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, wrote on X.

A section of supporters had chanted: “Whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim.”

One of Spain’s starting players during Tuesday’s match, forward Lamine Yamal who plays for Espanyol’s city rivals Barcelona and is Muslim, slammed the chants as “a lack of respect and something intolerable”.

“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist,” he wrote on Instagram.

Justice Minister Felix Bolanos condemned the incident, saying that “racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society”.

“The far right will not leave any space free from their hatred, and those who remain silent today will be complicit,” he added on X.

-‘Intolerable’-

The Spanish Football Federation also condemned the incident, as did most major political parties.

But the leader of the far-right Vox party, Santiago Abascal, reposted a photo taken at the match of fans waving red and yellow Spanish flags along with the message: “Proud fans, proud country”.

“When Spain plays, there’s no room for doubts or division,” the message added.

The game in Barcelona was moved from Qatar due to the war in the Middle East and was played out in a hostile environment from the start.

A message urging fans to stop xenophobic chants and remarks was displayed on the screen at half-time and read aloud by the stadium announcer at the ground.

The announcement was repeated early in the second half, prompting some sections of the crowd of 35,000 to respond with whistles.

“I don’t know exactly what the protocol is, but I think it was the right decision to display the message on the screen and make the announcement,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after the match, calling the chants “intolerable”.

“Violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible,” the 64-year-old added.

-First conviction-

Spain has struggled to stamp out racism at football matches.

Vinicius has become a lightning rod for racist abuse since arriving in the Spanish capital in 2018 from Brazilians Flamengo.

The 25-year-old has been targeted in many high-profile incidents, mostly within Spain.

In January 2023, Atletico Madrid fans hung an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground.

In 2025, five Real Valladolid fans, who racially abused Vinicius in a 2022 match, were found guilty by a court of committing a hate crime — the first such ruling in Spain regarding insults at a football stadium.

There have been numerous other incidents, most recently Albacete fans singing a racist chant about the forward outside their stadium before knocking Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey in January.

Spain’s game with Egypt was a warm-up fixture for this summer’s World Cup, with both nations qualified for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

La Roja will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H, while Egypt are scheduled to play against Belgium, New Zealand and Iran in Group G.

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