Is a new government the answer to Kenya’s problems?
President Ruto sacks most of his cabinet in the face of growing public discontent. Kenyan President William Ruto has hit the reset button on his government, dismissing almost his entire cabinet in a surprise shake-up. The decision comes on the heels of nationwide protests against a finance bill that would have led to tax increases. While announcing the mass dismissal, President Ruto pledged to build a broad-based government and engage directly with his critics. But will it be enough to quell the anger of protesters? Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom Guests: Silvanus Osoro – Member of the Kenyan parliament for the governing party Wanjiru Gikonyo – Researcher on good governance and accountability Kiritu Chege – Activist and member of the Communist Party of Kenya Adblock test (Why?)
Data of nearly all AT&T customers downloaded in security breach
The data of nearly all customers of the telecommunications giant AT&T was downloaded to a third-party platform in a security breach, the company has said, as cyberattacks against businesses, schools and health systems continue to spread globally. The breach, which was announced by the company on Friday, took place largely over five months in 2022. It hit customers of AT&T’s mobile customers, customers of mobile virtual network operators using AT&T’s wireless network, as well as its landline customers who interacted with those cellular numbers. Approximately 109 million customer accounts were affected, according to AT&T, which said that it currently does not believe that the data is publicly available. “The data does not contain the content of calls or texts, personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or other personally identifiable information,” AT&T said Friday. The compromised data also does not include some information typically seen in usage details, such as the time stamp of calls or texts, the company said, or customer names. AT&T, however, said that there are often ways using publicly available online tools to find the name associated with a specific telephone number. Cybersecurity experts concurred, saying that such data can be used to trace users. “While the information that was exposed doesn’t directly have sensitive information, it can be used to piece together events and who may be calling who. This could impact people’s private lives as private calls and connections could be exposed,” Thomas Richards, principal consultant at Synopsys Software Integrity Group, said in an emailed statement. “The business phone numbers will be easy to identify and private numbers can be matched to names with public record searches.” An internal investigation determined that compromised data includes AT&T records of calls and texts between May 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022. AT&T identified the third-party platform as Snowflake and said that the incident was limited to an AT&T workspace on that cloud company’s platform and did not affect its network. Growing risks Cybersecurity experts say the sheer volume of data held by companies on cloud platforms can create its own perils. “The AT&T data breach underscores the growing risks associated with the vast amounts of data companies now store on cloud and SaaS platforms,” said Roei Sherman, field chief technology officer at Mitiga, a threat detection and investigation company that focuses on cloud technology. “As organisations increasingly rely on these technologies, the complexity of detecting and investigating breaches has risen sharply.” AT&T’s investigation is continuing and it has engaged with cybersecurity experts to understand the nature and scope of the criminal breach. At least one person has been apprehended so far, according to the company. Compromised data also includes records from January 2, 2023, for a very small number of customers. The records identify the telephone numbers an AT&T or MVNO mobile number interacted with during these periods. For a subset of records, one or more cell site identification numbers associated with the interactions are also included. The FBI said that it has worked collaboratively with AT&T and the Department of Justice “through the first and second delay process, all while sharing key threat intelligence to bolster FBI investigative equities and to assist AT&T’s incident response work.” The Justice Department said Friday that it became aware of the breach early this year, but that it met the security standard for a delayed filing by AT&T with the United States Securities & Exchange Commission, a filing that was made public Friday. The Justice Department said an earlier disclosure of the breach would “pose a substantial risk to national security and public safety”. The Federal Communications Commission is also investigating the breach. The year has already been marked by several major data breaches, including an earlier attack on AT&T in March a dataset found on the “dark web” contained information such as Social Security numbers for about 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and 65.4 million former account holders. Some car dealerships are still using pens and paper to close deals after back-to-back cyberattacks last month on a company that supplies them with software. That company, CDK Global, is still attempting to reestablish normal operations. Alabama’s education superintendent said earlier this month that some data was “breached” during a hacking attempt at the Alabama State Department of Education. Cybersecurity experts are warning that hospital systems around the country, which have already been targeted, are at risk for more attacks and that the US government is doing too little to prevent breaches. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Obscene’ amounts spent at Indian billionaire Ambani’s son’s wedding
Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s son marries on Friday in a lavish ceremony that has been a hot talking point at home and abroad, with his father’s $260bn-conglomerate Reliance taking to social media to heavily publicise the event. Reliance’s efforts, coupled with posts from a host of Bollywood stars and coverage in media, have helped whip up public interest in the wedding, overshadowing some critical social media posts that have questioned the opulence at a time of growing inequality in India. Ambani’s youngest son Anant, 29, is marrying his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant, 29, in a star-studded ceremony in Mumbai that will be attended by celebrities and politicians, such as Kim Kardashian, Mike Tyson, Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. Three days of celebratory receptions will follow. One unnamed executive at Reliance called the event a “powerful symbol of India’s growing stature on the global stage”. “The presence of esteemed individuals highlights India’s economic, political, intellectual, and scientific prowess,” the note, shared with reporters, said. Ambani, Asia’s richest person, is famous for hosting lavish parties, especially for his three children Akash, Isha and Anant. International artists perform and a host of Bollywood stars usually attend the gatherings, whose price tag runs into the millions. This promises to be the most extravagant of Ambani’s galas so far, although it is not known how much was spent. ‘Ostentatious expenditure’ Some, such as opposition politician Thomas Isaac, have called the amount of spending “obscene”. “Legally it may be their money, but such ostentatious expenditure is a sin against mother earth and [the] poor,” he said in a post on X. The wedding functions have been deemed a public event, leading to traffic restrictions in a key Mumbai business district for four days, also raising public ire. With access limited and details closely guarded, information meted out to the eager public has been done partly through Reliance’s official Facebook page, which has 2.3 million followers. The account shared video clips of dance performances and photographs to give a peek into the private celebrations. One post on Reliance’s Facebook account this week, which received 54,000 likes, showed the Ambani family at a private music function, dancing to a Bollywood song, a common practice in Indian marriages. It was promoted with hashtags such as #ARWeddingCelebrations. Media access to the wedding venue was restricted on Friday night, with only a limited number of photographers and TV crew allowed to capture incoming guests. Onlookers stood with umbrellas in the rain outside the venue, some clicking pictures, with the sound of Bollywood audible from inside. A foreign company executive in India, who is due to attend the Ambani wedding function this weekend, told Reuters that the function organisers will likely put tape on the phone camera of entering guests to ensure no pictures are taken. Most of Ambani’s celebrations are closely guarded. The wedding events started in March with a three-day pre-wedding party with 1,200 guests and a performance by superstar Rihanna, followed by a European luxury cruise with 800 guests in May. Days later, several Bollywood actresses posted photos on Instagram, sporting luxury designer labels, to their millions of followers, without any details of the Ambani cruise celebrations. Such is the interest, that Indian TV news channels are tracking the wedding minute-by-minute. “The world descends … Guest list to what’s there to eat. Every minute detail on Times Now,” the TV news channel’s tickers said on Friday evening. Adblock test (Why?)
Four people die in attempt to cross English Channel from France
French coastguard says 63 people were rescued and returned to Boulogne-sur-Mer after trying to sail to Britain. At least four people have died while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to Britain, according to the French coastguard. Their inflatable boat capsized off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France at about 4:30am (02:30 GMT), a coastguard spokesperson said on Friday. Sixty-three people were rescued in an operation involving navy vessels, a fishing boat and a navy helicopter. They were returned to Boulogne-sur-Mer and attended to by emergency services and provided temporary shelter. The prefecture responsible for the north of France said a French Navy patrol boat spotted the overcrowded vessel early on Friday as it deflated off the coast. Many people were in the water, the statement said. Thousands of people arrive in Britain each year on small boats, which are usually flimsy inflatable dinghies. The United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government announced plans this week to deal with the influx of small boats crossing from France through the dangerous waters after scrapping the former Conservative government’s Rwanda deportation plan. The plan, pushed by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was set up to dissuade migrants and asylum seekers from arriving in the UK on small boats from France. Under the contentious policy, migrants would be deported to Rwanda to process their asylum claims. On Friday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said “criminal gangs are making vast profit from putting lives at risk”. “We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue & bring down dangerous smuggler gangs,” she wrote on X. The further loss of life in the Channel this morning is truly awful. My thoughts are with all those affected. Criminal gangs are making vast profit from putting lives at risk. We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue & bring down dangerous smuggler gangs. — Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) July 12, 2024 In April, five people, including a child, died trying to cross from France. British opposition Home Secretary James Cleverly said the reports of the deaths in the Channel were a “tragedy”. “As a country, we must do everything in our power to stop the boats and put an end to this vile trade in human suffering,” he wrote on X. Far-right leader Nigel Farage said the government “had better start moving fast”, referring to small boat crossings into the United Kingdom. Cooper announced she would appoint a leader of the UK’s new Border Security Command within weeks, which will “smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings”. According to the Migration Observatory, which is part of Oxford University’s Centre on Migration Policy and Society, about 12,600 small boat arrivals were detected in 2024. In 2023, an estimated 30,000 people made the crossing, according to UK government figures. Latest Home Office figures showed that 419 people journeyed across the Channel from France to the UK on Tuesday in six boats. Adblock test (Why?)
A 12-year-old boxing champ in Mongolia dreams of Olympic glory
Gerelt-Od Kherlen, 12, could not contain his excitement after winning a bronze medal in the children’s national boxing championship in Mongolia. In September, his father heard about the opening of the Mongolian Boxing Academy close to their home in Dambadarjaa, a tent-dotted district on the outskirts of the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The boy had been restless. “We are happy that our son has found his passion and hobby,” said his mother, Narantsetseg Narantsogt. He had been playing chess at school, but the programme was discontinued, she said. They decided to send him to the new boxing school “because it will keep him away from playing on the smartphone and watching too much TV at home”. Mongolia is the land of 13th century conqueror Genghis Khan, who built one of the largest empires in the world, and contact sports are part of a warrior tradition. Mongolians have won Olympic medals in boxing and other individual sports such as wrestling and archery. Gerelt-Od was already strong. Growing up in a district without running water, he fetched water every day for his family. He also chopped firewood, which he said helped him develop patience and resilience. The boxing academy taught him and dozens of other children how to punch and avoid being hit. Gerelt-Od trained for more than two hours every day before going to school. Less than a year later, he was among more than 400 boxers between the ages of 10 and 14 in the national championship. His third-place finish in the 10- to 12-year old, 32kg (70lb) weight category surprised his family. He now wears a T-shirt with pictures of famous Mongolian boxers and dreams of becoming an Olympic champion. Adblock test (Why?)
Did Brazil’s spy agency snoop on Bolsonaro rivals?
EXPLAINER Court records allege that under Bolsonaro’s aide, Brazil’s spy agency snooped on politicians, judges and other officials. Brazilian police arrested five people on Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that the country’s spy agency was weaponised by former President Jair Bolsonaro during his time in office from 2019 to 2023. Federal police allege that Bolsonaro’s spy chief, Alexandre Ramagem, was running a “criminal organisation of high offensive capability” within the Agencia Brasileira de Inteligencia (Abin), the country’s top intelligence agency. Here’s what we know about the investigation: Did Bolsonaro order Ramagem to spy on his rivals? Abin is accused of illegally spying on government officials during the former president’s right-wing administration. While Bolsonaro is not formally accused of ordering any espionage, the court decision that authorised arrests mentioned his name five times, and mentioned how one of the suspects had claimed to have a “direct line” to Bolsonaro. A 187-page police document includes screenshots of WhatsApp message exchanges between those arrested by the police on Thursday. According to the police, Abin used a software called FirstMile, developed by the Israeli company Cognyte, under Ramagem’s watch. The agency was used to illegally spy on tax auditors who were investigating the president’s eldest son, Flavio Bolsonaro, according to prosecutors. The intention was to find dirt on them to halt a corruption probe from when the younger Bolsonaro was a Rio de Janeiro councilman. Who did Abin allegedly spy on? A Supreme Court document contains names of several Brazilian public figures who were allegedly targets of the snooping operation. Some of the people named included Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, former Sao Paulo governor Joao Doria and current head of Brazil’s lower house, Arthur Lira. Names of senior officials from the environmental agency Ibama were also on the list. As president, Bolsonaro cut the budget of Ibama by 30 percent between 2019 and 2020, while also cutting funding for other environmental agencies. When he was in office, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surged, and Bolsonaro was accused of facilitating this destruction. Three senators who led a parliamentary investigation into Bolsonaro’s conduct during COVID-19 were also on the list. Journalists Monica Bergamo of Folha de S Paulo newspaper and Vera Magalhaes of O Globo newspaper were also targeted, the document alleges. Who was arrested and on what charges? Police carried out search and seizure raids, and issued preventive, pre-trial arrest warrants on Thursday. The warrants were against: Mateus de Carvalho Sposito, former member of the Secretariat of Social Communication, a government body in charge of public relations; Richards Dyer Pozzer, an entrepreneur; Rogerio Beraldo de Almeida, an influencer; Marcelo Araújo Bormevet, a federal police officer; and Giancarlo Gomes Rodrigues, a military officer. The police said the arrest warrants were issued against individuals suspected of criminal organisation, the clandestine interception of communications and for spying on computer devices belonging to others. Why is this important? The newest allegations add to a slew of probes against Bolsonaro. Already rendered ineligible to run for office in 2030 after a failed 2022 re-election campaign, he is currently embroiled in last week’s jewellery embezzlement case as well as a case pertaining to him forging his COVID-19 vaccine records. What are the reactions to the allegations? The former president’s son, Flavio Bolsonaro denied any links with Abin, saying the details of the investigation were released to hamper former Abin head Ramagem’s intentions to run for Rio de Janeiro mayor this year. Brazilian senator Alessandro Vieira, posted on X that the “criminal espionage and online attacks” were “typical of dictatorial governments.” Senator Randolfe Rodrigues invoked Bolsonaro’s conduct during COVID-19, which he dismissed as a “little flu”, playing down its severity. “While Brazilians were dying, the previous government, instead of worrying about buying vaccines, was concerned with persecuting and monitoring political opponents,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
US set to wind down Gaza pier operations
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says US ‘will wind down pier operations’ in ‘relatively short order’. The United States has said it will soon end operations from its pier designed to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip amid Israel’s continuing war. The $230m pier has repeatedly been detached from the shore because of weather conditions since its initial installation in mid-May, and the project also faced problems with the distribution of assistance due to conditions onshore. “I do anticipate that in relatively short order, we will wind down pier operations,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told journalists on Thursday. Pentagon spokesman Major-General Pat Ryder said in a statement that “the pier will soon cease operations, with more details on that process and timing available in the coming days”. A United Nations report says 96 percent of Gaza’s population is food insecure, and one in five Palestinians, or about 495,000 people, face starvation amid Israel’s nine-month war on the territory. While the pier has brought in 8,100 metric tonnes of aid to a marshalling area on Gaza’s shore since it started operating in May, the 370m (1,200-foot) floating pier has had to be removed multiple times because of bad weather. Sullivan said the pier helped bring urgently needed food and other aid to Gaza, but additional supplies are now coming into the Palestinian enclave via land routes. “The real issue right now is not about getting aid into Gaza. It’s about getting aid around Gaza effectively,” he told reporters. A satellite image shows an overview of the Trident Pier in Gaza [File: Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters] Military personnel attempted to re-anchor the temporary Gaza pier to the beach on Wednesday after technical and weather-related issues, but were unable to do so. The project has also been hampered by security threats that prompted aid agencies to halt distribution of the food and other supplies into Gaza. The aid groups have said that while any amount of food for Gaza is welcome, many have criticised the project as a costly distraction, saying the US should concentrate on pressuring Israel to allow more aid through land borders, which have long been considered the most productive option. The UN suspended all World Food Programme (WFP) deliveries from the pier after a June 8 Israeli military raid that secured the release of four Israeli hostages but killed hundreds of Palestinians, citing concerns that troops used an area near there for flying out the rescued hostages by helicopter. Aid flowing through the pier then began piling up in the secure area on the beach, but the WFP eventually hired contractors to move it into storage areas for further distribution. The US Defense Department said this week that a significant amount of the aid had been cleared out. Adblock test (Why?)
Israel military says it failed to protect kibbutz during Hamas-led attack
The report stated that the military was unprepared and slow to respond to the attack while fighting was uncoordinated. The Israeli military has acknowledged it did not protect the community of Kibbutz Be’eri during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, in its first investigation into its own security failings on the day of the attacks. More than 100 people were killed in the attack on Be’eri, a community of about 1,000 people, and 32 were taken as captives to Gaza, 11 of whom are still being held there. The military said on Thursday the probe examined the day’s chain of events, fighting and security forces’ conduct. While acknowledging its own failure in protecting the kibbutz civilians, the military hailed the bravery of Be’eri residents, including its rapid response team. Israel’s military was unprepared for the scenario of a massive infiltration of Hamas fighters into Israel, had inadequate forces in the area, did not have a clear picture of the events until noon – several hours after the attack began, did not properly alert Be’eri’s residents, and its fighting was uncoordinated, the investigation found. A member of ZAKA International Rescue Unit cleans up a room after Hamas attacked Holit on October 7 [File: Nils Adler/Al Jazeera] The probe, however, did not find fault in tank fire towards a house where fighters were holding some 15 people captive, an incident that has drawn criticism in Israel for having put civilians in harm’s way. “After shooting was heard from the house and the terrorists announced their intent to kill themselves and the hostages, the forces decided to storm it in order to save the hostages,” the military’s summary said. “The team found that the civilians inside the house were not hurt by the tank shells,” the summary said; however, it argued that further investigation is needed to determine how hostages inside died, with signs pointing to them having been killed by the gunmen. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant [File: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo] Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday called for a state inquiry into the security failings of the October 7 attack. He said the probe should investigate Gallant himself and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has dismissed past calls to form a state inquiry. The military presented its report to Be’eri’s residents, many of whom are among the tens of thousands of Israelis still displaced since the October 7 attack, which precipitated Israel’s war on Gaza. “I didn’t need all these details,” said Miri Gad Mesika, a kibbutz member. “What matters to me is why what happened happened, how we can prevent it from happening again, how we can bring back our hostages and how we can feel secure again.” Adblock test (Why?)
How is climate change affecting food prices and inflation?
Disruption to food supplies hits both wealthy and poor nations. Climate change is disrupting food production and supply worldwide. Crops, fruit, livestock and transport are all affected. It could lead to higher inflation, as well as food security threats. What are the implications for people around the world? Presenter: Elizabeth Puranam Guests:George Monbiot – Environmental and political activist Carin Smaller – Executive director of the Shamba Centre for Food and Climate Thin Lei Win – Food systems and climate change journalist Adblock test (Why?)
UEFA Euro 2024 final: Teams, match schedule, start times, venue, date
Who will play in Euro 2024’s final? When is the match and how to follow? Who is the top scorer? Al Jazeera explains. After a whopping 50 matches, the Euro 2024 gears up for its ultimate clash, as Spain and England are set to meet in Sunday’s final. Spain are aiming for a record fourth title at the continental championship, while England will be playing in their second consecutive Euro final. Here’s what you need to know about the final: ⚽ When and where is the Euro 2024 final? Spain vs England: Sunday July 14, 9pm local time (19:00 GMT) at Olympiastadion in Berlin Al Jazeera will bring you live text commentary of the game with build-up starting four hours before kickoff. Olympiastadion will hold 75,000 fans for Sunday’s Euro 2024 final [Fabian Bimmer/Reuters] ⚽ Who are the favourites? As the only side with a perfect 100 percent winning record, Spain are favourites to lift the trophy. ⚽ What happens if a match ends in a draw? If a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time of two periods of 15 minutes each will be played. If still tied, the match will be decided by a penalty shootout. ⚽ How much is the prize money? European football’s governing body UEFA will pay 331 million euros ($360m) in total prize money to the 24 participants. The maximum amount that a champion team may achieve if they have won all three of their group matches is 28.25 million euros ($30.31m). ⚽ Who has scored the most goals? Six players are tied for the top scorer with three goals each – Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Harry Kane (England), Georges Mikautadze (Georgia), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Dani Olmo (Spain) and Ivan Schranz (Slovakia). Among them, only Kane and Olmo will play in the final. ⚽ What are the head-to-head records of the finalists? The head-to-head record of Spain and England in all international matches: Spain wins: 10 England wins: 13 Draws: 4 ⚽ How did Spain and England reach the final? Here is their road to the final: Spain 3-0 win over Croatia in Group B in Berlin 1-0 win over Italy in Group B in Gelsenkirchen 1-0 win over Albania in Group B in Dusseldorf 4-1 win over Georgia in the round of 16 in Cologne 2-1 win over Germany in the quarterfinal in Stuttgart 2-1 win over France in the semifinals in Munich England 1-0 win over Serbia in Group C in Gelsenkirchen 1-1 draw with Denmark in Group C in Frankfurt 0-0 draw with Slovenia in Group C in Cologne 2-1 win in extra time over Slovakia in the round of 16 in Gelsenkirchen 5-3 win on penalties over Switzerland in the quarterfinal in Dusseldorf 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the semifinals in Dortmund A star is born. Spain’s 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the Euros after he scored a screamer in their semifinal victory over France [Annegret Hilse/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)