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President Ruto Names Kindiki As Deputy After Gachagua’s Impeachment

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In a historic political shake-up, Kenyan President, William Ruto on Friday nominated his interior minister, Kithuri Kindiki, to replace impeached Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua.

This unprecedented move comes after Gachagua was removed from office following a dramatic impeachment process that has captivated the East African nation.

Gachagua, who served as Ruto’s running mate in the 2022 elections, was impeached late Thursday after the Senate found him guilty of five out of 11 charges, including “gross violation” of the constitution.

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These charges included threatening judges and practicing divisive politics.

The vote followed a tense session in the upper house, marked by the absence of the 59-year-old deputy president, who was rushed to the hospital with chest pains earlier in the day.

Gachagua’s legal team had attempted to delay the hearings, citing his medical emergency, but the Senate pressed forward.

His lawyers walked out in protest, leaving the impeachment proceedings to continue without a defense.

The Senate’s decision came after the National Assembly overwhelmingly voted for Gachagua’s removal in an October 8 session.

With the two chambers in agreement, Gachagua became the first deputy president to be impeached under Kenya’s 2010 constitution.

President Ruto wasted no time in nominating his replacement, naming Kithuri Kindiki, the 52-year-old interior minister, as his new deputy.

Kindiki, an academic-turned-politician, had been a key player in Ruto’s administration but faced criticism earlier this year over police brutality during anti-government protests.

Despite these controversies, he emerged as a frontrunner for the role.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula confirmed Ruto’s nomination on Friday, urging parliamentarians to swiftly proceed with a vote to confirm Kindiki’s appointment.

Gachagua’s downfall marks the end of a long-standing alliance between him and Ruto, who he helped secure victory in the tightly contested 2022 election by rallying support from the influential Mount Kenya region.

In recent months, however, their relationship soured, with Gachagua accusing Ruto of sidelining him and backing youth-led protests against the government.

Although Gachagua has denied all charges and no criminal proceedings have been initiated against him, his political future remains uncertain.

He can challenge the impeachment in court, but previous legal attempts to halt the process have been unsuccessful.

As the nation waits for the parliamentary vote on Kindiki’s nomination, the impeachment marks a significant moment in Kenyan politics, a nation often seen as a stable democracy in a region marked by turmoil.

Gachagua remains in Nairobi’s Karen Hospital for further tests and observation, where his condition is reported as stable, according to his cardiologist, Dr. Dan Gikonyo.

Whether his political career can recover from this dramatic turn of events remains to be seen.

 

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Turkish Model Arrested Over Plan To Sleep With 100 Men In 24 Hours

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A 23-year-old Turkish OnlyFans model, Ezra Vandan, also known as Azranur AV, has been detained in Istanbul for publicly announcing her plan to engage in sexual activity with 100 men within 24 hours.

The announcement, made on social media, sparked outrage and led to her arrest by the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate’s Morality Bureau.

Vandan had shared her intentions on January 14, 2025, posting a photo of herself in red lingerie with the caption: “My goal is to break a Turkish record first, then a world record! I’m starting with 100 men in 24 hours.”

She reportedly planned to live-stream the event, which was widely criticised as “obscene” and “damaging to societal morals.”

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According to reports, the post drew the attention of authorities, who initiated an investigation and apprehended her while she awaited a cosmetic surgery operation in Atasehir. Footage captured her being escorted down the stairs of a hospital by female officers, her wrists bound behind her.

In a controversial twist, Vandan allegedly uploaded a revealing image taken during her arrest by a police officer, captioning it, “I had the photo taken by one of the officers, he didn’t object much.”

Her husband, Pedram Behdar Vandan, 25, was also briefly detained but later released.

The Istanbul 6th Criminal Judgeship of Peace has charged Vandan with obscenity, resisting an officer on duty, and slander, stating that her actions and posts were “damaging to moral values” and “provocative to society.”

Defending herself in court, Vandan argued that her posts were personal and did not harm anyone. “I do not deserve to be judged,” she said.

The case has reignited debates in Turkey about personal freedom and societal values.

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Train Accident In Maharashtra Claims 11 Lives After Panic Over Fire Alarm

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Eleven passengers tragically lost their lives on Wednesday in Maharashtra, India, after jumping off a moving train amid fears of a fire, only to be struck by an oncoming train.

The incident occurred in Jalgaon district, approximately 400 kilometres from Mumbai, and has once again highlighted safety issues in India’s extensive railway network, which serves millions of passengers daily.

Ayush Prasad, a senior district official, confirmed the fatalities and stated that five other passengers are receiving medical treatment. “People were run over by a train,” he said, without clarifying if the fire alarm was genuine or false.

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According to a spokesperson for Indian Railways, the chaos began when someone activated the “alarm chain” on the Mumbai-bound train, prompting several passengers to disembark. Tragically, they were struck by a train traveling in the opposite direction.

India’s interior minister, Amit Shah, expressed his grief over the incident, saying, “Deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident.” Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, described the tragedy as “deeply disturbing” and said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives” in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Despite efforts to modernise the railway infrastructure with a $30 billion investment aimed at improving safety and connectivity, accidents remain a significant concern. Official records indicate that an average of 20,000 people died annually in rail-related accidents between 2017 and 2021.

In 2023, one of the country’s deadliest rail disasters claimed nearly 300 lives when a passenger train collided with a stationary goods train, leading to further collisions.

India continues to grapple with balancing its rapid economic growth with ensuring the safety of its ageing railway network.

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WHO Expresses Regret Over US’ Withdrawal

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The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed regret on Tuesday over the decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to withdraw the United States from the global health body.

WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic addressed the media, stating, “The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the organisation.

“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.”

The move comes after Trump, on his first day back in the White House, signed an executive order initiating the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, citing dissatisfaction with the organization’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its failure to implement necessary reforms.

He also criticized the alleged political influence over the WHO. “That’s a big one,” Trump said, referring to his previous attempt to exit the organization in 2020, which was blocked by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Public health experts have sharply criticized the decision. Dr. Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, called the move a “strategic error,” warning that it could potentially increase China’s influence in global health matters.

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Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University, labeled the decision as “a cataclysmic presidential decision,” adding that it undermines both world health efforts and U.S. leadership on the global stage.

In response, China reiterated its support for the WHO.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Guo Jiakun, emphasized, “The role of the WHO should only be strengthened, not weakened. China will, as always, support the WHO in fulfilling its responsibilities… and work towards building a shared community of health for humanity.”

 

 

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