An Attack on Ebola’s First Responders
Our chief Africa correspondent, Declan Walsh, reports from a city where Red Cross workers carrying out burials in the Ebola outbreak have come under attack.
At the Stadium and Far Away, Cape Verde Fans Embrace the Possible
Cape Verdeans were ecstatic when their country qualified for the World Cup. Their joy has now been supercharged by what seemed unthinkable before the tournament: a spot in the knockouts.
Trump’s Vow to ‘Run’ Venezuela Is Tested After Quakes
The U.S. dispatched hundreds of rescue workers to help the Venezuelan government, as the injured overwhelmed hospitals and the death toll rose to 920. The Pentagon sent two ships, transport planes and helicopters.
Dan Sullivan Can Join Dan Sullivan on Alaska Senate Ballot, Judge Says
The ruling reversed a decision by the state’s elections office that had found Dan J. Sullivan was ineligible to challenge Dan S. Sullivan, an incumbent senator.
Earthquake Tests Growing Ties Between U.S. and Venezuela
The Trump administration said it would commit aid, at a time when it has been expanding U.S. commercial interests in Venezuela beyond oil.
U.S. Begins Investigating Polymarket, a Test of a Key Regulator
Last year, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission overruled its enforcement attorneys and killed a separate inquiry into whether the Trump-tied company was illegally serving U.S. customers.
Convicted Rapist Who Fled to Scotland and Faked His Own Death Dies in Utah
Nicholas Rossi, 38, raped two girlfriends in 2008 and later fled to Scotland, prosecutors said. An attentive nurse treating him for Covid in 2021 identified him.
Gueye double keeps Senegal’s World Cup hopes alive
Senegal became the first African side to score five goals in a World Cup match, a stunning double by Pape Gueye inspiring them to a 5-0 win over 10-man Iraq in their final Group I match on Friday.
Senegal also boosted their chances of progressing to the last 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams — they have the best goal difference of the teams on three points.
Iraq go home without a point after a hugely disappointing campaign following an arduous route to qualify.
Senegal struck early, Habib Diarra getting the slightest of touches to Abdoulaye Seck’s header from a corner, for his first international goal since he scored in a friendly against England last year.
Iraq’s already slim hopes of keeping their hopes alive suffered a hammerblow a few minutes later.
Defender Rebin Sulaka had been brought into the starting line-up by Iraq coach Graham Arnold but his contribution lasted just 13 minutes.
English referee Anthony Taylor red-carded him after consulting the VAR screen for fouling Sadio Mane when the Senegal talisman was clear on goal.
It was the earliest red card of the nine so far in the World Cup, the fourth fastest in the tournament’s history.
Iraq were unable to fashion a chance in the rest of the half and despite their one man advantage Senegal could only muster one, Ismail Jacobs fierce strike from outside the box just going wide with the keeper beaten.
Senegal came out for the second-half bristling with intent.
Iraq had been further destabilised as they had to replace goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, who had taken a knock in the first-half, with Jalal Hassan at the break.
Hassan survived the early wave of attacks but was helpless when Senegal finally got into their stride.
Ismaila Sarr tapped in in the 56th minute, for his third goal of the tournament, after a dreadful error by former Manchester United player Zidane Iqbal deep inside his own half gifted Senegal possession.
The relief of the second goal had Sarr lying prone on his back pumping his fists with joy.
Then came the Gueye show and it had the fans off their seats.
Within 89 seconds of coming on as a substitute he let rip from outside the box with a sublime curling effort that gave Hassan no chance for 3-0 in the 59th minute.
The Villarreal midfielder possibly outdid that effort with a vicious half volley 12 minutes later that flew past the keeper.
Arnold was reduced to leaning on the dugout and ruefully shaking his head, and could only watch as Iliman Ndiaye scored with another screamer eight minutes from time.
Migrant Camps Swell in South Africa Amid Growing Anti-Immigrant Threats
A threat to all undocumented foreigners to leave the country by Tuesday has led many to set up street camps as they try to get out.
Govt keeps petrol, diesel prices unchanged 'till further orders'
The government on Friday kept petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices unchanged at Rs299.50 per litre and Rs311.47 per litre respectively “till further orders”.
The decision was announced in a notification issued by the Petroleum Division.
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a Rs74 reduction in petrol prices and a Rs67 cut in high-speed diesel (HSD) prices as the government passed on the benefit of declining international oil prices.
Petrol is mainly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers, and changes in its price affect the middle and lower-middle classes.
Similarly, changes in diesel prices also impact the public at large, as it is mainly used in the heavy transport sector, power plants and large generators.
As the energy crunch from the US-Iran war due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade hit the global markets, the government began revising petroleum prices every week on Friday night.
In the first wartime revision on March 6, the government hiked petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre — a move slammed as an “inflation bomb”.
That raised the ex-depot HSD rate to Rs335.86 per litre and the ex-depot petrol price to Rs321.17 per litre.
Fuel prices reached their peak on April 3 when the government hiked the petrol price by Rs137.24 per litre and the HSD price by Rs184.49, taking them to Rs458.4 and Rs520.35 per litre, respectively.
Amid backlash over the unprecedented hikes, PM Shehbaz had brought the petrol price down to Rs378 per litre within 24 hours by slashing the petroleum levy by Rs80 per litre.
