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650,000 African children given malaria jab: WHO

AFP/Editor

wo years into a malaria vaccine pilot scheme, more than 650,000 children have been immunised across Kenya, Ghana and Malawi, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

Global advisory bodies for immunisation and malaria are expected to convene in October to review data on the vaccine and consider whether to recommend using it more widely.

The RTS,S vaccine is the only existing jab shown to reduce malaria in children. It acts against plasmodium falciparum — the most deadly malaria parasite globally and the most prevalent in Africa.

Progress against malaria has been stalling for a number of years.

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The WHO’s World Malaria Report 2020 said progress against the mosquito-borne disease was plateauing, particularly in African countries bearing the brunt of cases and deaths.

The annual report, published in November, said that after steadily tumbling from 736,000 in 2000, the disease claimed an estimated 411,000 lives in 2018 and 409,000 in 2019.

Meanwhile in 2019 the global tally of malaria cases was estimated at 229 million — a figure that has been at the same level for the past four years.

Over 90 percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa, the majority — more than 265,000 — in young children.

The WHO said clinical testing had demonstrated that the RTS,S vaccine, when given in four doses, prevented four in 10 cases of malaria, and three in 10 cases of life-threatening severe malaria, over a four-year period.

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“Ghana, Kenya and Malawi show that existing childhood vaccination platforms can effectively deliver the malaria vaccine to children, some of whom have not been able to access an insecticide treated bed net or other malaria prevention measures,” said Kate O’Brien, the WHO’s immunisation chief.

“This vaccine may be key to making malaria prevention more equitable, and to saving more lives.”

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International

Mbappé Ties Klose on All-Time World Cup Scoring List After Brace Against Iraq

Kylian Mbappé moved another step closer to World Cup history on Monday, scoring twice against Iraq to reach 16 career goals in the tournament and draw level with German legend Miroslav Klose on the all-time scoring chart.

The French forward found the net in the 14th and 54th minutes of France’s Group I clash in Philadelphia, registering his second consecutive brace of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mbappé’s achievement came on the same day that Argentina captain Lionel Messi set a new all-time World Cup scoring record. The Argentine star scored twice against Austria to raise his career total to 18 goals, surpassing the previous mark of 16 held by Klose.

Klose established his record on July 8, 2014, during Germany’s historic 7-1 victory over Brazil in the World Cup semifinals in Belo Horizonte.

Before facing Iraq, Mbappé was tied with German striker Gerd Müller on 14 World Cup goals. His first goal of the match lifted him to 15, drawing level with Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazário.

The second strike moved the Real Madrid forward to 16 goals, allowing him to surpass Ronaldo, match Klose’s tally, and position himself just two goals behind Messi in the race for World Cup immortality.

The match also marked a personal milestone for Mbappé, as he made his 100th appearance for the French national team.

At 27 years old, the French superstar remains firmly in pursuit of Messi’s newly established record and continues to strengthen his legacy as one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history.

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International

UNHCR Urges U.S. Deportation Agreements to Uphold Asylum Rights and International Law

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday called on the United States to ensure that its migrant deportation and transfer agreements fully comply with asylum rights and international refugee protection standards.

UNHCR chief Barham Salih stated that any transfer mechanism must guarantee access to asylum procedures and respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to places where they may face persecution, violence, or other serious harm.

“Transfer agreements must ensure access to asylum, respect due process guarantees, and uphold the principle of non-refoulement, meaning that no person in need of international protection should be returned to any place where they risk suffering harm,” Salih said during a virtual press conference.

The UN official added that transfers can only be considered lawful if they include strong safeguards and comply with the principles of responsibility-sharing and non-refoulement.

Salih noted that UNHCR was not involved in negotiating the agreements signed between the United States and several African nations. However, he emphasized that the agency remains willing to cooperate in ensuring that any measures affecting refugees and asylum seekers comply with international law.

The resumption of deportation flights to third countries became possible after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2025 that the administration of President Donald Trump could continue carrying out such removals, a key component of its immigration policy.

Human rights organizations have criticized the practice. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have argued that many deportees lack adequate legal assistance and, in some cases, are held in maximum-security detention facilities without formal charges.

The organizations have also urged African governments to reject migration agreements with the United States, warning that such arrangements could expose deportees to arbitrary detention, mistreatment, and possible forced returns to countries where they may face persecution or torture.

Since returning to the White House in January 2025, President Trump has promoted an accelerated deportation policy and signed agreements with countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and Equatorial Guinea.

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International

FBI Says It Disrupted Alleged Plot Targeting White House During UFC Event

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Tuesday that it had disrupted an alleged plot to attack the White House during a major Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held in Washington over the weekend.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the threat was identified on June 10 through a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to Patel, swift action by authorities led to the arrest of several suspects before the alleged plan could be carried out.

“On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat targeting UFC America 250 in Washington. Thanks to the rapid response of the FBI and our partners, multiple individuals are now in custody, and the alleged attack plans were stopped before they could be executed,” Patel said.

He emphasized that the operation demonstrated the ability of security agencies to detect and prevent potential threats at large public gatherings. Patel added that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional details will be released as court proceedings move forward.

According to reports from U.S. media outlets, five individuals have been arrested so far. The suspects were identified as Tycen Proper of Ohio, Daniel Eskridge of Missouri, Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez of Nebraska, and Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas, both from California. Authorities are also investigating the possible involvement of 18 additional individuals.

Investigators allege that the plot involved the use of drones equipped with explosives to target buildings near the sporting event. The plan reportedly sought to trigger a mass evacuation and direct attendees toward areas where snipers were allegedly positioned. Authorities further claim that a second phase of the operation included an attempted assault on the White House.

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it worked closely with the FBI throughout the operation. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that security teams conducted extensive efforts to identify those involved and eliminate any threat to attendees and protected facilities.

The investigation reportedly uncovered communications conducted through the messaging application Signal, where several suspects allegedly discussed details related to the planned attack. A forensic analysis of one of the seized mobile phones revealed at least 23 users participating in conversations connected to the alleged planning activities.

Court documents also indicate that some of the suspects allegedly intended to target U.S. political figures. Among the reported targets were members of Congress who had received contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Investigators further stated that one of the primary suspects had posted antisemitic messages and expressions of support for Adolf Hitler on social media, evidence that is now part of the ongoing judicial investigation.

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