Fresh headlines and publisher-supplied excerpts from Kenya, Africa and the world—collected in one transparent, attributed briefing.
Single-Stage Reconstruction of a Complex Full-Thickness Auricular Defect Following Excision of Rapidly Progressive Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a 100-Year-Old Patient: A Case Report Cureus
Read briefingEd Sheeran fans attending the pop star’s Philadelphia concert on Saturday said they still support the English singer-songwriter despite a controversy over Macklemore being pulled from the tour over his remarks on Palestine.Addressing the issue from the stage, Sheeran told the crowd he had made “mistakes” and apologized to fans. Sheeran said he has tried to avoid being “a political commentator of any kind” but could no longer hide his feelings.Although the October 7 attack by Hamas was “horrific,” Sheeran said, according to Variety, adding, “What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate.”Sheeran said he was having conversations about contributing to help “victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough.” Sheeran’s show at Lincoln Financial Field marked his first performance since rapper Macklemore announced he had been removed as one of the tour’s opening acts after saying “Free Palestine” at a show early this month. The tour’s other supporting acts subsequently quit to show solidarity with Macklemore.The controversy did not matter to people who spoke to Reuters on Saturday before Sheeran took to the stage.Joy VanRuler, a 55-year-old teacher from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, said she supports both artists.“It doesn’t need to be political,” VanRuler said in an interview outside the stadium in Philadelphia. “It’s about the music, and we support both of them and it’s all good.”Macklemore “shouldn’t have talked about politics,” said Javier Hernandez, a 62-year-old designer from Allentown, Pennsylvania, whose daughter invited him to the concert. “It gives the people an opportunity to raise their voices and just make a mess of the whole situation. He should have just left it alone.”Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered about half a mile from the concert venue ahead of Sheeran’s performance. Organizers said they were there to talk to people about the conditions on the ground in Gaza and to highlight local groups advocating for Palestinians.Macklemore posted on Instagram this week that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft had told Sheeran that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Sheeran has shows on September 25 and 26. Kraft said in a statement that Macklemore would not perform at those shows.Macklemore said Kraft and other stadium owners had told Sheeran he would not be allowed to perform in their venues if Macklemore remained on the tour.Macklemore said “Free Palestine” during a September 4 concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.“If those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve been on,” Macklemore wrote this week.In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Sheeran said the promoter was responsible for removing Macklemore and that he has “personal views on this devastating conflict” despite being publicly apolitical.Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
Read briefingBears QB Caleb Williams carted into locker room with apparent injury vs. Vikings NFL.comNFL roundup: Bears QB Caleb Williams carted off in loss to Vikings; Saints stun Ravens theguardian.comCarson Wentz leads team to road win in rain USA TodayBryce Young, Tyler Shough and Top Fantasy Waiver-Wire QBs After Caleb Williams Injury Bleacher Report'Madden curse strikes again' - Fans react as Caleb Williams screams in pain after suffering a non-contact injury hitc.com
Read briefingSouth Africa Questions 3 People of Interest in Women’s Murders Livemint
Read briefingKenya: Two Students Denied Bail in Child Pornography Case UA.NEWS
Read briefingFinancial adviser in South Africa explains risks of an unclear will — Daily Maverick UA.NEWS
Read briefingScott Bessent and He Lifeng meet in New York for US-China talks ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting later this week.Top economic officials from China and the United States have begun talks in New York City aimed at clearing the way for possible agreements on trade, artificial intelligence and critical minerals ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng began talks at JPMorgan Chase’s Manhattan headquarters on Sunday morning, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also taking part.The talks come four days before Trump is due to host Xi at the White House, with both sides looking to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.“I’m looking forward to having focused, fulsome and constructive talks today that will set the stage for our leaders’ meeting,” Bessent told reporters as he arrived.At the top of the agenda is a fragile US-China trade truce due to expire on November 10.The agreement, reached in Busan, South Korea, last November, capped US tariffs on Chinese goods at about 20 percent after a tit-for-tat trade fight briefly pushed tariffs into the triple digits.Washington is also pressuring Beijing over its supply of rare-earth magnets and other critical minerals, crucial to industries ranging from cars to advanced semiconductors.China promised to restore the flow of critical minerals under last year’s truce, but a senior US official said on Friday that Beijing’s performance had “not been up to par”.Artificial intelligence (AI) is also expected to feature prominently, adding a relatively new issue to negotiations long dominated by trade.Bessent has said the countries could discuss AI “guardrails” aimed at addressing shared risks, including preventing powerful models from falling into the hands of malign non-state actors.The talks are expected to cover both open- and closed-weight AI models. Chinese open-weight models have increasingly attracted US companies, in part because they can be cheaper than closed systems developed by US firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic.“The United States remains the leader in AI,” Bessent said. “And we are open to discussions on avoiding shared risks and avoiding bifurcation of our two systems.”Another potential point of friction is Iran. China remains one of Tehran’s most important economic partners and buys much of its oil, making Beijing an important target of Washington’s efforts to increase economic pressure on Iran as the US-Israel war on Iran enters its seventh month.“I think there will be some show of deliverables because of the fact that it’s a presidential summit coming, but I don’t feel like we’re on the verge of some sort of breakthrough,” Anna Ashton, a China trade analyst and founder of Ashton Intelligence, told Reuters.Former US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell similarly said the immediate goal may simply be keeping tensions contained.“One of the only things we can hope for in the short term is a truce, and that this will likely continue through the remainder of this year,” Campbell said.Sunday’s negotiations are part of a series of meetings between Bessent, He and Greer over the past 16 months aimed at hammering out areas of agreement before Trump and Xi meet face to face.
Read briefingEarl Spencer says media treatment of Harry and Meghan ‘echoes’ Diana’s experience theguardian.comSee more headlines and perspectives on Google News
Read briefingTen lions have been found dead in a suspected poisoning incident at Tanzania’s UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area, according to the authorities.“The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) regrets to inform the public that ten (10) lions were found dead on 18 September 2026 in the Ndutu area,” reads the statement from late Saturday.Authorities said preliminary findings suggest that the lions died after “ingesting poison”, adding that an expert investigation was ongoing “to determine the cause of the incident and identify those responsible”.Ngorongoro has been the scene of long-standing tensions between the authorities and the local nomadic community. Clashes have sometimes turned deadly since the government launched an eviction programme in 2022.The Tanzanian government argues that population growth is encroaching on wildlife habitat, with the number of people living in Ngorongoro rising from about 8,000 in 1959 to more than 100,000.Since June, at least 20 elephants have died in Kenya’s Amboseli ecosystem, near the Tanzanian border, from suspected pesticide poisoning, although authorities could not establish whether the deaths were accidental or deliberate.Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the first 15 elephant deaths were recorded between June 24 and July 24, 2026, prompting the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), security agencies, investigators and scientific institutions to launch a multi-agency inquiry.The investigation has since expanded following the deaths of three additional elephants, bringing the total number of reported deaths to 18.Miano said comprehensive field investigations, laboratory analysis and environmental sampling had been conducted as authorities sought to establish what caused the deaths.“Preliminary laboratory results point to the probable involvement of a toxic substance,” she said.Earlier findings had indicated the possibility of cyanide poisoning linked to the ingestion of pesticide-contaminated tomatoes sourced from farms adjacent to wildlife habitats.However, the CS cautioned that the findings were still preliminary and would require further scientific verification before investigators could reach a definitive conclusion on the cause of death.The multi-agency operation has so far resulted in the arrest of four persons of interest, while investigators are pursuing another individual believed to possess information relevant to the case.A search operation conducted in Tikondo, Kimana, within Loitoktok Sub-County, also led to the recovery of assorted substances, including chemicals suspected to have been sourced from a neighbouring country.The recovered materials, some of which were unlabelled and considered potentially toxic, have been secured for further scientific examination.Miano, however, stressed that the arrests and recovery of the substances did not, by themselves, establish criminal responsibility.She said the Government would allow investigators and the courts to determine whether the suspects had committed any offence.“Any person established to have unlawfully killed, poisoned or harmed wildlife will be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” she said.The CS described the Amboseli deaths as more than a wildlife conservation matter, saying they constituted a national conservation and security concern.She noted that Kenya’s wildlife occupies diverse landscapes and seascapes, including national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, conservancies, forests, rangelands, wetlands and coastal and marine ecosystems.“Every wild animal, irrespective of species or location, forms part of the national heritage and merits protection under the law,” she said.The Government, she added, was reinforcing measures to protect wildlife through intelligence-led operations, surveillance, scientific investigations, law enforcement and rapid response mechanisms in vulnerable areas.Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
Read briefingVictoria Starmer models clothes at London fashion week show theguardian.comSee more headlines and perspectives on Google News
Read briefingUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) said he was looking forward to have ‘focused, fulsome and constructive talks’ with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng ahead of their meeting in New York City.NEW YORK - US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng began talks on Sept 20, as they set the stage for possible agreements on trade, AI and other issues before a summit of the countries’ top leaders.The talks, which also include President Donald Trump’s top trade official Jamieson Greer, are expected to last all day at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters in New York.It is a prelude to a planned White House meeting on Oct 24 of the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies: Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Both sides will be looking to ease tensions on trade, technology and other strategic concerns. These include the possible extension of a trade truce expiring in November and guardrails for artificial intelligence development.“I’m looking forward to have focused, fulsome and constructive talks today that will set the stage for our leaders’ meeting,” Bessent told reporters as he arrived for the talks of Sept 20.US officials will also be looking to ensure the continued flow of rare earth magnets and critical minerals that are vital for US manufacturers.A source familiar with the discussions told AFP that the talks will focus on AI, trade, rare earths and other topics, building on earlier rounds of bilateral talks.Earlier negotiations saw China pledge purchases of US agriculture goods too, and their fulfilment of the terms could also be an issue under scrutiny.On AI talks, Bessent said in an earlier statement: “We are open to discussions on avoiding shared risks and avoiding bifurcation of our two systems.”Another issue is US economic pressure on Iran, as Washington’s war with Tehran has entered its seventh month.China is a top economic partner of Iran that buys much of its oil output and a key diplomatic backer.“One of the only things we can hope for in the short term is a truce, and that this will likely continue through the remainder of this year,” said former US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell.“I think you will hear the president announce the intention to meet with Xi Jinping two more times,” added Campbell, who is now chairman of The Asia Group consultancy.Trump and Xi are expected to meet in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Shenzhen, China. Trump is also anticipated to invite Xi to the G-20 summit in December at his Doral resort in Miami. AFP
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Read briefingQatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari tells Bloomberg that mediators are shuttling between Tehran and Washington to revive talks, with several proposals being exchanged to bridge differences.
Read briefingAtwoli: I like what Sifuna is doing People Daily
Read briefingIn Kenya, MV Likoni ferry malfunctioned while docking — Nation Kenya UA.NEWS
Read briefingA woman casts her ballot on the last day of voting on Sept 20, at a polling station in Podolsk, Moscow, Russia.MOSCOW - Russia vowed Sept 20 to “intensify” its strikes on Kyiv in response to Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, as an exit poll showed the ruling United Russia party on course to win tightly controlled parliamentary elections.Ukraine fired waves of drones at Moscow and the surrounding region on the final day of voting, killing two people and setting an oil refinery ablaze, officials said.Russia’s defence ministry accused Ukraine of attempting to “disrupt the democratic will of Russian citizens” and vowed a response.An exit poll published by a state-run pollster showed United Russia on course to win 49.4 per cent of the vote, around the same it achieved in the previous election.“In response to the Kyiv regime’s attacks on civilian targets within Russia, the Russian army will continue and intensify its high-accuracy strikes against military targets in Kyiv,” the Russian defence ministry said.The attack was the largest on Moscow since the Kremlin launched its Ukraine offensive in 2022 and involved some 1,600 drones, 450 of which were aimed directly at the capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.Images showed a gaping hole in a multi-storey apartment building on the outskirts of the capital, while another showed black smoke pouring from what appeared to be an oil refinery.A multi-storey apartment building was hit by a drone attack in Kotelniki, a town on the outskirts of Russia’s capital city Moscow on Sept 20.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the attacks, saying: “Our long-range responses had a very significant impact in the Moscow region last night.”“One of Russia’s key oil industry facilities and the aggressor’s logistics facility were hit. These are billions of dollars that sustain the war machine,” he said on X.At least two people were killed – a 44-year-old woman and an elderly man – in two separate locations, Moscow regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said.A fire triggered by a drone crashing into a 21-storey building also led to 400 people being evacuated, Vorobyov added.Ukraine has targeted Russian infrastructure with drones throughout the war, in retaliation for Russian bombardment of its own towns and cities.The parliamentary vote, which decides all 450 seats in Russia’s lower house State Duma, was Russia’s first since launching its Ukraine offensive.An exit poll by the state-owned Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) showed United Russia winning 49.4 per cent, with the Communist Party and nationalist LDPR party on 14.2 and 10.7 per cent respectively.Former president Dmitry Medvedev, who chairs United Russia, said his party appeared to have “performed admirably”.“We must now put the President’s decisions into practice,” he was quoted as saying by the state RIA news agency.Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and leader of the ruling party, United Russia, casts his ballot at a polling a station in Moscow on Sept 18.All other parties contesting supported the war and Putin, and the exit poll did not include electronic voting and military ballots.“For that reason I believe United Russia’s result will be higher, whilst that of the opposition parties will be lower,” VCIOM director Valery Fedorov said.Yabloko – a liberal party that had called for an end to the fighting – was barred from running its federal list by Russia’s Supreme Court, although its candidates remained on the ballot in some single-mandate constituencies.Putin had urged Russians to take part, casting the vote as a show of support for Moscow’s troops and an “answer to those who want to weaken Russia”.The Kremlin’s chief political opponents have been driven into exile, while Putin’s main rival, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison in 2024.Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya called on anti-war Russians to collectively cast their ballots at noon on Sept 20, a tactic that drew crowds in the 2024 presidential election.In Berlin and London, AFP reporters saw dozens of opposition supporters gathered outside Russian embassy buildings in protest at the vote.The first official results and turnout will be expected on the morning of Sept 20 local time.As voting entered a final day, Russia’s electoral chief said there had been a wave of cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure.Ella Pamfilova, chair of Russia’s Central Election Commission, did not say who was responsible.The attacks appeared to have been carried out by “highly professional, well-coordinated groups using artificial intelligence tools,” she said.“Over the past period, more than 1,000 waves of DDoS attacks have been recorded against infrastructure in Russia that is specifically involved in the electoral process,” Pamfilova was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks involve overwhelming a system with internet traffic so that it is unable to function normally.
Read briefingIn South Africa, FF Plus backed a mayoral candidate convicted of murder — Daily Maverick UA.NEWS
Read briefingAnnouncement comes as Canada seeks a closer relationship with the EU amid a trade war with the US.Canada and France will pursue cooperation on energy, defence, space and other sectors, in what their leaders say is a reflection of shared values between the two countries.The announcement was made on Sunday during a joint media conference by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron on the island archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic.The French territory is only about 25km (15.5 miles) from Newfoundland in Canada. Macron said it is a reflection of the historic closeness between the two countries, who “see the present from the same angle”.Parts of Canada were once French colonies and French is still one of Canada’s two official languages, along with English.“We both believe in democracy, in the rule of law, in the respect of international law, in the respect of free and fair commerce and trade,” Macron said alongside Carney. “That is why we support this future alliance, that you named as an associate member of the EU.”Carney said both countries see eye to eye on protecting sovereignty, and that this meant going beyond “being able to feed, fuel and defend ourselves” to being able to secure access to AI, space, semiconductors, critical minerals and clean energy. Carney said the time had come to strengthen bonds between Canada, France and the European Union based on their “shared values”.The remarks came as Canada looks to reduce its dependence on the United States amid the escalating trade dispute between the neighbours and instead move closer to the EU.Carney has said Canada seeks a “unique alliance” with the economic and political bloc, which would fall short of being a full member state. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening the door for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member.”Canadian and European leaders have openly said they want to forge closer bonds to distance themselves from the United States and the political direction it seems to be going.“I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival – only with better manners,” Carney said in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday. “We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law.”United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada and make it the “51st state”. He has also called for Greenland to be taken away from Denmark and made a part of the US. But this week, he said he was happy with an agreement that he claimed would give Washington “permanent control” over the island, which largely enjoys self-rule but is still a part of Denmark. Both Greenland and Denmark said after the agreement was announced that any deal with the US would not compromise Greenland’s sovereignty.Trump has called Ottawa’s attempt to move closer to the EU “laughable” and said he would have to study exactly what membership would mean. If it did not satisfy him, Trump said it could be seen as a “hostile act”.“If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs,” Trump said. He also suggested that the US could stop trading with Europe “on many things”.Canada and the US have been locked in a trade war after failing to reach an agreement. The Trump administration imposed up to 50 percent tariffs on nearly $20bn worth of Canadian products, including machinery, textiles and even hockey sticks. Canada imposed retaliatory measures and the impasse continues.
Read briefingGovernment says the 180-day credit arrangement has secured fuel supplies, reduced dollar demand and lowered petroleum import premiums since 2023.
Read briefingDisputes in ANC intensify ahead of South African elections — Daily Maverick UA.NEWS
Read briefingAI robots could follow dangerous instructions, study warns Digital TrendsCo-founder of robot benchmarks company says OpenAI’s flagship AI model attempted 97% of harmful tasks The Times of IndiaOpenAI's top model stabs baby doll 17 times, Anthropic's top model makes toxic gas in new test | Fable put screwdriver in toaster 6 of 20 times | Inshorts InshortsRobocurve finds GPT-6 Astra complied 97 of 100 risky tasks NewsBytesGPT-6 Astra Faces Physical AI Safety Test as Model Attempts 97 Hazardous Instructions Analytics Insight
Read briefingUse of MRI before prostate biopsies increases sharply across U.S. hospitals Medical XpressUniversity Hospitals researchers find major increase in the use of MRI before prostate biopsy University HospitalsMajor Increase In MRI Before Prostate Biopsy - Is It Necessary? Science 2.0Prostate biopsy success is highly dependent on MRI quality, study shows Radiology Business
Read briefingUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump shake hands during their meeting on Jan 22, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept 20 that he had spoken with US President Donald Trump and the two agreed to meet in New York for talks that “could change a lot” in terms of finding a resolution to the 4½-year-old war with Russia.The two leaders will be in New York in the coming week for the UN General Assembly.“We agreed to meet in New York, and this meeting could change a lot. There is diplomatic momentum,” Zelensky wrote on the X social media platform.Zelensky said he thanked Trump for September’s visit to Kyiv by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.“There are ideas for de-escalation steps and for addressing fundamental security issues – energy security, food security, and the protection of human life,” he said.“We are working together with the American team and are ready to take really serious steps.”Zelensky again thanked Trump for signing into law the Russian sanctions Bill championed by the late US Senator Lindsey Graham. REUTERS
Read briefingAFRICA RICH BUT ITS PEOPLE POOR
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