March 2018

South African triathlete focuses on recovery from saw attack

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African triathlete who suffered severe injuries when attackers cut his legs with a saw says he will focus on recovery so he can run and cycle again, South African media reported Thursday.

Athlete Mhlengi Gwala told News24 media that he panicked when several attackers pulled him off his bicycle and started cutting his leg, manually using the blade of a chainsaw after it malfunctioned.

“I don’t know why they would do something like that to me,” Gwala said a day after several hours of surgery in the city of Durban.

Syria aid convoy on hold, top UN official appeals for calm

BEIRUT (AP) — A top U.N. aid official appealed to the Syrian government and its Russian backers for a cessation of hostilities in eastern Ghouta on Thursday when a second convoy with desperately needed aid was postponed after government forces split the enclave in two, creating an evolving, unpredictable situation on the ground.

Jan Egeland said it is “impossible” to deliver aid to the rebel-held eastern suburbs of Damascus amid the current fighting, which he described as the worst ever.

S. Korea leader sees more obstacles ahead to disarm N. Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president said Thursday that many “critical moments” still lie ahead to end the nuclear crisis despite North Korea’s recent outreach to Seoul and Washington.

Moon Jae-in spoke before two senior Seoul officials left for the United States to brief officials about the outcome of their recent visit to North Korea.