- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
- Sabalenka sets up Gauff showdown in Wuhan semis
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Kim Sei-young holds lead with late birdies at LPGA Shanghai
- Toulouse welcome Dupont 'boost' as Olympic star returns to Top 14
- Japanese atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize
- Deadly Israeli strike on Beirut likely targeted Hezbollah security chief
- Bangladesh Islamist chief backs crimes against humanity trial for ex-PM
- Everest climber's remains believed found after 100 years
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack
- Clashes on South China Sea, Ukraine dominate Asia summit
- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Zelensky meets Pope, Scholz as whirlwind Europe tour ends
- Hello Hallyu: why is South Korean culture sweeping the globe?
- UK economy rebounds in August in boost to new govt
- Voice of Japan's beloved robot cat 'Doraemon' dies
- Shanghai markets sink ahead of briefing on mixed day for Asia
- Investors, analysts eye bigger China stimulus at Saturday briefing
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack: police
- Blinken condemns China's 'increasingly dangerous' sea moves
- Toyota returns to Formula One as Haas partner
- EU chief says China must 'adapt its behaviour' to solve trade row
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
- Lynx rally, stun Liberty in overtime in WNBA Finals opener
- Pogacar hunting 'perfect' season finale with Coppi's Il Lombardia record
- 'Soul of old Baghdad': city centre sees timid revival
- Kittle at the double as Niners hold off Seahawks
- At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Yankees advance in MLB playoffs as Guardians stay alive
- Asian markets mixed after Wall St drop, Shanghai dips before briefing
- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
- Musk's promised robotaxi unveil delayed
- Kamada says Japan can close in on World Cup place against Australia
- On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument
- Renewables revolt in Sardinia, Italy's coal-fired island
- Argentina held, Brazil leave it late in 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- Obama blasts 'crazy' Trump in first rally for Harris
- 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, a plea in favour of world order?
- Fry homers as Guardians down Tigers to stay alive in MLB playoffs
- Japan PM presses China's Li on airspace intrusion
Kenya police fire rubber bullets, tear gas at protesters after Ruto urges talks
Kenyan police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators in Nairobi on Thursday, as protesters returned to the streets despite President William Ruto scrapping contentious tax hikes after deadly clashes.
The protests -- led largely by young Kenyans -- caught the authorities off-guard, as Ruto's government ricocheted between taking a tough line on the unrest and calling for dialogue.
Dozens of protesters gathered in Nairobi's central business district, with soldiers deployed and police in anti-riot gear blocking access along roads leading to Ruto's office at State House and parliament, according to AFP journalists.
Officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas at small groups of protesters and arrested at least seven people, with scuffles erupting as some demonstrators threw stones at police, AFP journalists saw.
"The youth will not rest," Lucky, a 27-year-old university graduate, told AFP.
"It's our future we are fighting for," he said, adding that he did not trust Ruto, who had earlier likened the demonstrators to "criminals" before backing down.
Many shops remained shuttered as traders worried about further unrest.
Protesters also rallied in the port city of Mombasa and the opposition bastion of Kisumu, with some blocking roads and lighting fires in the lakeside city.
After the parliament complex was ransacked on Tuesday and police opened fire on protesters, Ruto made a surprise U-turn on the tax hikes that set off the demonstrations.
He declined to sign the increases into law and withdrew the bill on Wednesday.
"The people have spoken," he said, adding that he would seek "engagement with the young people of our nation".
But protesters maintained Thursday's rally in memory of those killed in the demonstrations, criticising Ruto's dramatic reversal as a case of too little, too late.
Ivy, a 26-year-old job seeker, told AFP Wednesday that Ruto's about-turn was "a start to changing things."
"He could have done this earlier without people having to die," she added, echoing the words of other protesters interviewed by AFP.
- 'Cannot take risk' -
A state-backed rights group counted 22 dead nationwide -- 19 in Nairobi alone -- in the aftermath of Tuesday's protests and vowed an investigation.
"This is the largest number of deaths (in) a single day protest," said Roseline Odede, chairwoman of the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, adding that 300 people were injured across the country.
Shops were largely closed in Nairobi's business district on Thursday.
"We cannot take risk. We don't know what happens next," said Joe, an employee in a perfume store, as he prepared to head home.
"Why did they have to kill these young people? This bill is not worth people dying," the 30-year-old said.
"We are in uncharted waters."
The unrest has alarmed the international community, with Washington calling on Kenya to respect the right to peaceful protest and the UN urging "accountability" for the bloodshed.
Rights watchdogs have accused the authorities of abducting protesters.
The police have not responded to AFP requests for comment.
- Debt fears -
Ruto rolled back some of the tax measures last week, prompting the treasury to warn of a budget shortfall of 200 billion shillings ($1.6 billion).
Ruto said Wednesday that withdrawing the bill would mean a significant hole in funding for development programmes to help farmers and teachers, among others.
The cash-strapped government had said previously that the increases were necessary to service Kenya's debt of some 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), equal to roughly 70 percent of GDP.
The government "will now have to find a way to pacify two opposing forces: a populace willing to resort to violence to protect livelihoods, and a macroeconomic trajectory that, bar considerable multilateral support, is heading towards a cliff," Oxford Economics said in a note.
Ruto's administration is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, which has called for fiscal reforms in order to access crucial funding.
B.Finley--AMWN