- Injury-ravaged Krygios aiming to return at Australian Open
- Greek international Baldock, dead at 31: family
- EU talks deportation hubs to stem migration
- Deaths and repression sideline Suu Kyi's party ahead of Myanmar vote
- S. Africa offers a lesson on how not to shut down a coal plant
- China opens $71 bn 'swap facility' to boost markets
- Mets advance on Lindor grand slam, Yankees and Tigers win
- Taiwan President Lai vows to 'resist annexation' of island
- China's solar goes from supremacy to oversupply
- Asian markets track Wall St record as Hong Kong, Shanghai stabilise
- 'Denying my potential': women at Japan's top university call out gender imbalance
- China's central bank says opens up $70.6 bn in liquidity to boost market
- Zelensky on whirlwind tour of Europe ahead of US vote
- Youth facing unprecedented wave of violence, UN envoy warns
- 'A casino in every kitchen': Brazil's online gambling craze
- Nobel chemistry winner sees engineered proteins solving tough problems
- Lindor powers Mets past Phillies into NL Championship Series
- Wildlife populations plunge 73% since 1970: WWF
- 'Sleeper agent' bots on X fuel US election misinformation, study says
- Death toll rises to 109 after Haiti gang attack, official says
- Tigers beat Guardians and on brink of advancing in MLB playoffs
- Argentina MPs back Milei's veto of university funding
- Man City sink Barca in Women's Champions League as Bayern outgun Arsenal
- Greek international Baldock, 31, found dead in pool: state agency
- Florida seaside haven a ghost town as hurricane nears
- Pharrell Williams to co-chair Met Gala exploring Black dandyism
- Wall Street indices hit fresh records as Chinese shares tumble
- Taiwan's president to deliver key speech for National Day
- Sea row on the menu as ASEAN leaders meet China's Li
- Injured Kane won't start England's Nations League clash with Greece
- Discord seen as online home for renegades
- US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
- Mozambique starts tallying votes in tense election
- Zelensky moves to court European leaders in drive for military aid
- Ratan Tata: Indian mogul who built a global powerhouse
- Rodgers rejects 'false' suggestions of role in Saleh dismissal
- One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
- Indian business titan Ratan Tata dead at 86
- Lebanon facing 'catastrophic' situation as 600,000 displaced: UN
- US warns Israel not to repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon
- Musk's X returns in Brazil after 40-day showdown with judge
- Call her savvy? Harris unleashes unconventional media blitz
- Lucian Freud 'masterpiece' fetches £13.9 million at London sale
- SoFi Stadium to hold next two CONCACAF Nations League finals
- McIlroy and DeChambeau set for PGA-LIV 'Showdown' in Vegas
- Fed minutes highlight divisions over rate cut decision
- Steve McQueen debuts new WWII film at London festival
- Run blitz edges India and South Africa closer to World Cup semi-finals
- Zelensky to court European leaders in drive for military aid
- Israel captain says 'difficult' to focus on football in time of war
Kenyan president names ally 'acting' stand-in for sacked ministers
Kenyan President William Ruto named Wednesday his foreign minister as "acting cabinet secretary" for all ministries, nearly a week after dismissing almost his entire cabinet in an attempt to defuse deadly anti-government rallies.
The East African nation was left reeling after peaceful rallies last month over steep tax increases spiralled into violence that left dozens killed, and Ruto facing the most serious crisis of his presidency.
Scrambling to contain the fallout, he has embarked on a series of measures, including scrapping the finance bill containing the tax hikes, announcing government cuts, and last week dismissing almost all of his cabinet.
"Musalia Mudavadi... is assigned as the Acting Cabinet Secretary in all vacant Ministerial Portfolios," according to a government Gazette Notice dated July 12, signed by the president, and released Wednesday.
Mudavadi, who holds the post of prime cabinet secretary and foreign minister, survived the cabinet purge on July 11 along with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Following the resignations, Ruto said that he would "immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government".
This government would, he said, help him to develop "radical programmes" to deal with the country's huge debt burden, increase job opportunities, eliminate government waste and "slay the dragon of corruption".
However, main opposition coalition Azimio said on Wednesday evening it would "not be part of proposed broad based or any other government".
It said that it had considered "a people driven National Constitutional Convention as a possible pathway towards the resolution of the national crisis".
- #RutoMustGo -
The cabinet dismissals were the latest move by the increasingly embattled Kenyan president to calm tensions.
Ruto has sought dialogue with the demonstrators, but the movement has spiralled into a broader campaign against his administration, with protesters calling for action against corruption and justice for victims of alleged police brutality.
The initially peaceful rallies degenerated into violence that has left 50 dead and 413 injured since their start on June 18, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday.
Rights groups have accused police of using disproportionate force against the protesters.
While large street protests have subsided, anger against the government has not, with Tuesday seeing smaller-scale rallies across Kenya.
Some demonstrators clashed with police, according to local media, with officers firing tear gas at small groups gathered to protest in the capital Nairobi.
Many of those attending the marches also carried signs with the still-popular hashtag #RutoMustGo.
J.Williams--AMWN