Iko Nini Bwana Seed?

WHAT UK NEWSPAPERS SAY

Martyns & Rose Solicitors - CAPITALfm RADIO fff - KAMEME RADIO IS BACK AGAIN

  LISTEN TO HODSIM RADIO OF BISHOP WARUI  - LONDON

Kenyans abroad sent home $609 million last year, down from a record $611 million in 2008 but higher in local currency terms, the central bank said on Tuesday. Remittances are a significant source of foreign exchange for east Africa's biggest economy, coming after horticulture, tea and tourism. Day-to-day fluctuations in the local currency market are often driven by remittance flows. Charles Gitari Koori, director of the research department at the Central Bank of Kenya, said after taking into account currency fluctuations, remittances in 2009 came to 47.1 billion shillings, up from 42.3 billion in 2008. He said in a statement that 2009 was much better than the previous year because there were no major events to boost remittances, such as mobile operator Safaricom's IPO or the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008. Kenyans abroad also sent money home to help relatives after post-election violence in early 2008. Persistent drought in Kenya during 2009 boosted remittances to help families hit by extensive crop failure and dead livestock, Koori said. North America remained the main source of remittances, accounting for 52 percent of the December's $56.3 million, followed by Europe with 30 percent -- up from 51 and 27 percent respectively in November. "In general, the remittances data could signal the fact that economic activities in the source markets are recovering and as such they will be significant sources of future remittances. Overall, these data signals the resilience," he said. "Most of the diaspora remittances are used to support investment especially in real estate-construction and investment in equities in the stock market."- Reuters

Welcome to Men's Choir

I attended a local church service while in Kenya at Kinyona Church, Murang'a a week ago. It was interesting to see men's choir giving a number during the service. Age was an issue here and Mr. Seed did not qualify - too young.  Far right with a white trouser is Mr. Dauglas Karanja, AP Police Commandant, Rift Valley Province.

METHALI YA KISWAHILI

Majumba makubwa husitiri mambo.

Big houses conceal a lot.

Al-Shaddai orphans home fundraising in London is in May 1st

Friends of El-Shaddai in London have organised a fundraising event to be held on Saturday 1st May 2010 at 500 High Street North Eastham London E12 6QN. To make an everlasting change in these Orphans’ Life they need to make a substantial contribution in their day to day life. They can only achieve this by first settling them at a single site location where they can call home. They are presently based on rented accommodation across two sites making it very expensive to run and serve these very needy children. They are hoping to buy them a piece of land and commence building of their own premises. Elshaddai Centre does not want to live on hand outs forever. They will probably get tired of handing out forever and this is why they want to start income generating projects such as daily and  poultry farming,  or carpentry, masonry possible once they are settled making them self sustaining in the long run. The children at the Elshaddai centre have nowhere else to call home and hence permanent premises of their own are essential. Mr. & Mrs. Brian Mukiri has been on the frontline to see this home has been helped. For more details please call either 07943043311 or 07536436061 or 07944701204. – For more information please visit - www.ehopecentre.org - - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

"Nice talking to you Mr. Seed. I am excited. I am going to tell my husband that I talked you today. He will be over the moon as he is a big fun of Mr. Seed website. I told him that I know you in person but he could not believe me. We will call you with him tomorrow. Right now he is at work." - A Kenya lady living in Southampton, UK.

Lemon: Benefits & Uses

Create Sweet Smelling Ice Cubes

While making ice cubes, put some extremely thin slices of lemon skin into the water-filled ice cube maker before putting them into the freezer. For added taste and smell, replace the plain water with water boiled with lemon skin and allow it to cool. Enjoy it in the beach!

Schoolgirl, 9, 'gives birth to baby boy'

A nine-year-old girl has reportedly given birth to a healthy baby boy and become one of the youngest mothers in the world. The unnamed schoolgirl is said to have had the 6lb boy by Caesarean section at a hospital in Changchun, north-eastern China. Her family have reported the matter to police, but have refused to speak publicly. Officers are investigating, and may press charges if they discover who the father is - Jilin province laws demand a rape conviction for anyone having sex with under-14s.  Five-year-old Lina Medina, of Peru, remains the youngest mother on record. She gave birth to 6lb son Gerardo in 1939. Two other Peruvian girls have also become mothers when very young - a nine-year-old, in 1957, and an eight-year-old in 2006. Britain's youngest mother is thought to be a 12-year-old, who fell pregnant at the age of 11.

DO YOU KNOW?: Britain debts increase by £1 million every 4 minutes

Police in manhunt for arms dealer accomplices

Three suspects arrested in connection with a cache of weapons recovered in Narok on Tuesday will spend six more days in custody. On Monday defence lawyers had demanded the release of the suspects o...  - VIDEO

Kenya, Ethiopia to inter-connect Power Grids

President Mwai Kibaki, who is attending the 14th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Tuesday met and held talks with the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi. During the discussions, President Kibaki and the Ethiopian Premier instructed the Ministers of Energy from the two countries to expedite the inter-connection of the power grids of the respective countries. The inter-connection of the power grids of the two countries is expected to enable Kenya access additional electricity to fix energy supply shortage that has been experienced in recent years as a result of erratic weather patterns and rapid economic growth.  The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the AU summit, also revisited the issue of the Southern Corridor which comprises road link, railway line and oil pipeline stretching from the proposed Port of Lamu along the Kenyan coast to Ethiopia and Sudan. In underlining the need to speed up the construction of the Southern corridor, the two leaders noted that the corridor is the long term solution to the transport problems between Kenya and Ethiopia. The corridor, they further noted, will also facilitate the development of the Northern Kenya as well as the Southern part of Ethiopia. During the talks, the two leaders also dwelt on the bilateral relations between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance cooperation in various areas of development. The two leaders singled out the need to link the two countries via fibre optic cable as this will further facilitate development cooperation. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Zenawi expressed their appreciation on the progress being made in this regard, noting that telecommunication companies of the two countries are working closely to achieve the desired results. The talks were attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, his Ethiopian counterpart Mr. Seyoum Mesfin and Kenya's Ambassador to Ethiopia Mr Franklin Esipila.

JE, HUU NI UNGWANA MBANA MBEGU? The man of the house (husband) drinking all the money after getting his salary not even caring for his children and wife's needs. Je huu ni ungwana? - MORE

If you are in debt you are not alone. People in the UK collectively owe over £1trillion. This is equivalent to nearly £5,000 for every man, woman and child in the country - and the debt is increasing!

The Rev. Dr .John Kivuva

Chairman and Coordinator

Kenya International Prayer Day, February 7, 2010.

January 26, 2010

Dear Kenyans in Diaspora

Grace and Peace From God Our Father and Our Lord Jesus Christ be with You. Amen.

My name is  Dr. John Kivuva and I am writing to all Kenyans in Diaspora on behalf of Bishops, Pastors, Evangelists, Apostles and church leaders who have come together with a clarion call to organize an international day of prayer and fasting on behalf of our community.

 The recent wave of deaths involving Kenyan youths in America has reached a worrying point and has become a concern to the people of God .It is this concern that brought all the Ministers together and after their deliberation, it was agreed to mobilize all Kenyans in Diaspora for prayer and fasting in line with the word of God in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We may not have an answer or a solution to this problem but it is a time like this that God becomes our only solution, He is the only one who can provide an answer for the word of God in Psalm 121:2,says “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. We need healing here in Diaspora and in extension; We need healing also for Our Motherland Kenya.

February 7th has been chosen as the day that all Kenyans in Diaspora join together in Prayers and Fasting. Those who will be able to congregate in Kenyan churches are encouraged to do so, if not you are encouraged to go to any other church but set that day apart to specifically pray for a deliverance from the spirit of death that has targeted our community. Every state in the US has a Pastor coordinator who is networking with other pastors to mobilize all Kenyans in that particular area to ensure that all Kenyans are aware of this important day (A list of the pastors coordinating different regions is available at Diasoramessenger.com) .Please call any pastor in your area to find out what other special activity they have, Also forward this information to all Kenyans you know. Those who do not have a Pastor in your area, please contact http://diasporamessenger.com/ or send an email to diasporamesenger@gmail.com.

For those in UK and Europe, Bishop Warui of House of Divine Solution International Ministry (HODSIM) is coordinating with all the ministers there. Listen to the announcement that comes every 10 minutes on HODISM Radio (LISTEN TO HODSIM RADIO OF BISHOP WARUI - LONDON) if you need further help, you can visit misterseed at http://www.misterseed.com/ and you will be connected to a pastor near you.

The whole focus is Prayer and we are beseeching all Kenyans anywhere in Diaspora to stand with the Kenyans in America to pray for a divine intervention. Though the prayers will be on February 7th, we ask that we all start sanctifying ourselves immediately and continue praying from now on until the  7th of Feb. when we will climax with united prayers. Also check with any Kenyan church near you to find out if they have any other activity planned before the 7th.

This is the beginning of good things to come for us for when you honor God, He honors you (John 12:26).It is my prayer that coming together in prayer will unite us and bring us more closer as a community. May this unity bring love and compassion for one another that none will be lonely anymore and none will feel isolated.

Grace and peace to all of You.

Dr .John Kivuva

Chairman and Coordinator

Kenya International Prayer day, February 7, 2010.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS

Muthoni will not join Alliance girls because of fees

Being admitted to the top secondary schools in the country is many a pupils dream. Well one girls dream came true, but now she may not join the secondary school of her dreams. - VIDEO

Michuki orders closure of quarries in Murang'a

Three more bodies have been retrieved from the rubble where five people were buried alive after a quarry caved in on Monday in Mukangu village, Murang'a East district. At the same time, Environment minister John Michuki has ordered the immediate closure of all quarries in the greater Murang'a region following the tragedy. Mr. Michuki directed his permanent secretary Lawrence Lenayapa to immediately constitute a committee that would conduct an environmental audit of all quarries and give its findings and recommendations to him within a month. He said that the committee would also collect and collate views from families living in homesteads surrounding quarries while assessing the safety of those sites. The minister said that those quarries that would be found to be precarious and dangerous to human life would be condemned and closed indefinitely. Speaking Tuesday at the site of the tragedy where he had gone to console the families of the bereaved, Mr. Michuki said that his ministry would push on with the implementation of the noise pollution and quarry vibration laws in a bid to safeguard human life. He cited a case in Eldoret where several pregnant women miscarried following the impact of vibrations from a quarry saying the noise pollution laws were meant to safeguard the public against recurrence of such incidents. The minister said it was unfortunate that the tragedy had befallen innocent victims who were struggling to earn a living legally. He said that the deceased deserved post humous commendation and respect since they had refrained from crime and resorted to earn a decent life to support their families.

Mr. Michuki said that although quarries were vital sources of livelihood, there was need for their effective management and regulation to ensure the safety of miners.  The minister assured the bereaved families of government support and directed the area district commissioner George Natembeya to form a funeral committee that would oversee the burial arrangements for the deceased. He however said that the government would continue to encourage quarrying in sites that successful environmental impact assessments had been conducted since they were key in the construction industry. Speaking during the occasion, area MP Mwangi Muturi said that excessive use of explosives had affected the adjacent homes and caused cracks on the walls of houses. He urged the district environment committee to enlighten quarry miners, through public barazas, whenever quarries were found to be precarious following environmental audits. The bodies of Irungu Muthuo, Nelson Macharia, Irungu Ndegwa and Irungu Ngware have so far been retrieved from the quarry. Kenya Army personnel are still sifting through the rubble using earthmovers in search of the body of Robert Kuria. Present were Environment permanent secretary Lawrence Lenayapa, Commissioner of Mines and Geology Dr. Robbs, Director General of National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Muusya Mwinzi, Central Provincial Commissioner Jasper Rugut and DC Natembeya.

PM: Mariga could join FA in May

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has expressed his disappointment following Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga's failed bid to play in the English premier League with Manchester City. The Prime Minister recounted how he put in a strong appeal to the British government om Monday night and managed to secure a work permit for Mariga but the 23-years old player could not move to Man City because the Football Association (FA) transfer deadline had just expired. The Premier who was addressing a press conference in Treasury building office, however, said that all was not lost as the as the FA president had assured him that Mariga could join the FA in May this year when another transfer window opens. ‘'The FA President Mr. David Triesman assured me that with a UK work permit now in his hands, Mariga could join FA in May when another transfer window opens''. He said. Raila said that Mariga's failure to join Man City hit the country hard adding he had received a number of calls from concerned Kenyans who felt the government should intervene. He noted that a delegation from the civil society and human rights was the first to go public with their demand that his office should do something and help Mariga attain the UK work permit. "I would like to assure soccer fans and all Kenyans that together with the British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Mcaire,I have done what I could to get Mariga into Man City FC and all is not lost. The Premier said.

Raila added that ‘'I spent a minimum of three hours on phone talking to Gordon Brown‘s office, the Africa Office, office of Culture and Sports, the Home office, and to Mariga himself''. He decried the low football standards in the country and called on all the stakeholders to come in and assist the government in its effort to improve standards. ‘'The government requires the support of all the stakeholders especially the media .If the media continues to poison  football fans coaches against then we will not go far''. He remarked. He assured football lovers in the country that the government will invest more in football for meaningful results to be realized. The Premier also said that Kenya was ready to host the Africa cup in 2016 as the government had put in place mechanisms of upgrading all stadiums. The PM acknowledged weaknesses in soccer management in the country which he attributed to wrangling in the national football governing body, Football Kenya Limited (FKL) and Kenya Football Federation (KFF). Earlier, the Chairman of the Kenya Football Coaches Association Mr. Ricky Solomon had appealed to the PM to disband the two bodies that had failed to manage football in the country.  The Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission Hassan Omar said that his organization was unhappy with Mariga's predicament owing to wrangles that had dogged our football denying the youth an opportunity to develop their talent.

"I'm working to improve my methods, and every hour I save is an hour added to my life." - Ayn Rand: Wise Saying

UN accords Nairobi higher status

Nairobi residents can now walk heads high and be proud of their city after acquiring an improved status. Early this week, the United Nations (UN) International Civil Service Commission elevated Nairobi from category ‘C’ to ‘B’ at the headquarters in New York. In a press statement, which The Standard has obtained, the UN says it is satisfied with the Government’s effort to make the capital city safer. And according to the Human Development Index, Kenya has moved from a low ranking of 0.489 in 2001 to 0.541. The UN says the rise indicates an improvement in the quality of life. The country has also realised significant economic growth from a low rate of 0.6 in 2002 to a high of 7 per cent in 2007. And speaking to The Standard from his office in New York, Kenya’s Ambassador to the UN Zachary Muburi-Muita said Nairobi’s elevation means a lot. "I am delighted after the UN elevated Nairobi to level "B" UN duty station," he said. Mr Muburi-Muita added, "We have worked tirelessly to realise this and I can assure you we are not going to rest until our city reverts to its original category "A" status." To the UN workers in Kenya the categorisation removes the country from high security risk, meaning they will not receive risk allowance. A UN spokesman in Nairobi Pedro Maximilla said the gesture shows the body is comfortable working in Kenya. Mr Muita, however, said this should not be misconstrued as something punitive since Nairobi has witnessed significant improvement. In determining the degree of hardship, consideration is given to local conditions of safety and security, health care, education, housing, climate, isolation and availability of the basic amenities acceptable to UN staff and their families.  Duty stations are categorised on a scale of difficulty from "A" to "E" with "A" being the least difficult. Prior to 1994, Nairobi was classified as a category "A" station together with other UN headquarter duty stations; New York, Geneva and Vienna.

From 1994 to 2000, it was categorised as "B", but in 2001 it was moved to category "C".  Deteriorating security and health care were the main two factors that influenced the move despite Government’s denial. Briefing the UN Security Council on his trip to Kenya in February 2008, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said the UN would look hard at how to reorient its development programmes for Kenya.  "The responsibility of the politicians on all sides was great, as was the need for continuing strong support from the international community," Mr Holmes said following peace deal after post-election violence. The violence left more than 1,300 people dead and 500,000 displaced. Holmes also highlighted the considerable regional implication of the crisis, because of Kenya’s long standing role as East Africa’s main transport hub. That also meant many aid and humanitarian operations, which relied on Mombasa were at risk of being affected by the violence and disruptions.  Among the secondary effects of violence, he mentioned was the rising fuel prices in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Aid agencies had to look for alternative routes, but a peaceful Kenya remained by far the preferred option.  There was a huge amount at stake.  The categorisation of duty stations is for purposes of implementing the hardship scheme, and it involves the assessment of the overall quality of life at duty stations.  The UN department is an independent body established in 1974 to regulate and co-ordinate conditions of service of staff in the United Nations common system, while promoting and maintaining high standards in the international civil service. - The Standard.

London, Monday 1st February, 2010 - Scientists say they have solved a crucial puzzle about the Aids virus after 20 years of research and that their findings could lead to better treatments of HIV. British and US researchers said they had grown a crystal that enabled them see the structure of an enzyme called integrase, which is found in retroviruses like HIV and is a target for some of the newest HIV medicines. "Despite initial painstaking slow progress and very many failed attempts, we did not give up and our effort was finally rewarded," said Peter Cherepanov of Imperial College London, who conducted the research with scientists from Harvard University. The Imperial and Harvard scientists said that having the integrase structure means researchers can begin fully to understand how integrase inhibitor drugs work, how they might be improved, and how to stop HIV developing resistance to them. When the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects someone, it uses the integrase enzyme to paste a copy of its genetic information into their DNA, Cherepanov explained in the study published in the Nature journal on Sunday.

Some new drugs for HIV — like Isentress from Merck & Co and elvitegravir, an experimental drug from Gilead Sciences — work by blocking integrase, but scientists are not clear exactly how they work or how to improve them. The only way to find out was to obtain high-quality crystals — a project that had defeated scientists for many years. "When we started out, we knew the project was very difficult, and many tricks had already been tried and given up by others long ago," said Cherepanov. "Therefore, we went back to square one and started by looking for a better model of HIV integrase, which could be more amenable for crystallisation." The researchers grew a crystal using a version of integrase borrowed from another retrovirus very similar to its HIV counterpart. It took more than 40,000 trials for them to come up with one a crystal of sufficiently high quality to allow them see the three-dimensional structure, they said. They tested the Merck and Gilead drugs on the crystals, and were able to see, for the first time, how the medicines bind to, and block, integrase. Almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes since the beginning of the Aids epidemic. There is no cure and no vaccine, although drug cocktails can keep patients healthy. United Nations data for 2008 show that 33.4 million people had HIV and two million people died of Aids-related illnesses. The worst affected region is sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 67 per cent of all people living with HIV. HIV is linked to the spread of Tuberculosis. — Reuters

A 14 ft x 14 ft bed in Kenya

I have just come back from Kenya where I have been for the last two weeks. While in Kenya I visited Kitengela town - the fastest growing town in East and Central Africa. During my visit, I met several businessmen who has been living in UK before relocating back to Kenya. They are doing well especially one with a big club, another one with a wine and spirits shop. I was taken for a dinner at Safari Lodge which is about one kilometre from Kitengela town and I was amazed by the accommodation facilities they offer. Among the accommodation they offer is a presidential wing. In the presidential wing - it is a house within a house. The bed measuring 14 ft x 14 ft (see above) and several sofa seats and a large bathroom. The bed can sleep 12 people comfortably. All in the land of hakuna matata. More later.

HOUSE    FOR    SALE
3 BEDROOM MAISONETTE

GOLF COURSE PHASE II, NAIROBI (Near Kenyatta Market)
Price: KSh.8.5 million

The property is in a gated cul-de-sac with 24-hour security guard.  Very good transport links into City Centre, only 10 minutes away.
Access via a high steel Gate onto a paved car park with all round brick wall. All windows and doors are burglar-proofed.
 
Ground floor
Living/Dinning room: Security steel door leading to hallway on to the large living/dinning room with doors to the kitchen, under stairs storage, and door to back garden.
 
Toilet:   With door off the hallway, has Low level w.c. with wash hand basin
Kitchen: Has built-in wall and floor cabinets with space for cooker and fridge.
Garden:  Lawn with shrubs and timber fence all round. Outside water tap.
 
1st Floor
Stairs leading off the hallway with a side window. Lockable steel gate at the top of the stairs
Bedrooms: 2 double bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, and single bedroom with a stand-alone single wardrobe.
Bathroom: Spacious bathroom with bath and telephone shower, low level w.c., wash hand basin, and a cupboard with hot water tank and airing shelves.

Available immediately, with vacant possession
Contact:
Owner (UK): +447766553647     :  Email: chezarinajones@hotmail.com
Lucy (Kenya): +254721770098   :  Email: karimi.advocates@gmail.com

Mr. Mwenda back in London

Mr. Dedan Mwenda Gichuhi is back in London. Mr. Gichuhi who is well known as Mheshimiwa Mwenda after contesting the Subukia constituency seat in the last general election. He has been out of London for more than a year - busy constructing his business empire in Kenya. During his stay in Kenya he has been a shining star for those coming from abroad undertaking several major projects. Among the major projects he has undertaken is a multi-million Citywall Hotel - a modern hotel situated at the heart of Nairobi on Duruma Road off River-Road. The hotel offers modern, luxurious self-contained rooms. A restaurant with a menu that suits both local and international clientelle. The hotel has become a popular accommodation venue for those coming from abroad as the hotel can pick you and drop you from the airport. The hotel also give good discounts for those coming from abroad. Mr. Gichuhi has just completed Gikwa Estate along Nakuru Bahati Road where he has constructed 30 two-bedroom and one bedroom units. Speaking to Mr. Seed in London Mr. Gichuhi had this to say: "I am back in London, ask those who would like to see me to come to my office. I have taken time in Kenya to prove that you can still build Kenya while still living and working abroad. East or west, home is best." Mr. Gichuhi concluded. While visiting Kenya from abroad you can can book the hotel for your accommodation at www.citywallhotel.co.ke

Man jailed for 36 years for killing friend and dismembering body

The ruthless murderer of the “jigsaw man” was jailed today for a minimum of 36 years. Personal trainer Stephen Marshall killed bathroom salesman Jeffrey Howe and, with girlfriend Sarah Bush, disposed of his body parts across Hertfordshire and Leicestershire.  They were discovered in different locations during last March and April. However Mr Howe's hands have not been found and Marshall, 38, has refused to give any clues to detectives of their whereabouts.  As he begins his life sentence questions remain over how many others may have suffered the same fate.  The jury at St Albans crown court heard how the limbs had been “skillfully and cleanly” removed from the body, clearly by an experienced practitioner. Marshall has boasted of butchering a human corpse and claimed to have used his skills on behalf of the notorious north London criminals, the Adams family. In March last year, Marshall stabbed 49-year-old Mr Howe in the back and placed a pillow over his face.

He cut up the body in the kitchen of his Southgate flat, disposed of its parts and assumed the victim's identity to ransack his bank account. Marshall, of Borehamwood, had originally admitted dismembering and disposing of the body, but denied murder. He changed his plea on Friday after three weeks of proceedings. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Cooke told him: “Mr Howe looked up to you and was scared of you and the evidence is you exploited that.” Bush, 21, of Southgate, was cleared of murder but admitted perverting the course of justice and was jailed for three years and nine months. She was told by the judge: “You were well aware of what Stephen Marshall had done.  “You took advantage of Mr Howe in life and then after his death you used his money.” During the trial a woman, who was granted anonymity by the judge, told the jury how Marshall had described how “he would cut up the bodies, decapitate them, severing them at their limbs. “He said he would put them into black bags and bury them sometimes, in Epping Forest, sometimes in different places. “He described to me that the first time he got asked to do this he felt distinct nausea and he started to take cocaine to deal with the effects and that's how he became an addict.”

Nairobi, Monday 1st February, 2010. Manchester City's deal to sign Kenyan football star McDonald Mariga has fallen through after UK failed to give him a work permit. City attended an appeal at Wembley on Monday morning in an attempt to secure a permit for the Parma midfielder. 22- year- old Mariga, who has 24 caps for Kenya, met the criteria for appearing in 75% of internationals in the last two years. But his application was rejected as Kenya are ranked 98th in Fifa's world rankings, outside the top 70 nations. City can request a further appeal in a future transfer window but will not be able to register Mariga as a player in the current window. A delegation from Eastlands travelled to the appeal, where a panel made up of representatives from the Football Association, Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association, as well as some 'independent football experts' - usually ex-players - made their decision.

7 buried alive as quarry caves in

Tragedy struck Murang'a East district on Monday when a quarry in Mukangu area caved in burying five masons. Huge boulders which had hang precariously over a cliff gave way at midday burying the quarry workers alive. Area District Commissioner George Natembea has forthwith banned quarrying in the district until the National Environment Management Authority conducts an environmental audit on the 20 quarries in the district. He said an earlier ban on quarrying had not been heeded to. Kiharu MP Muturi Mwangi blamed the tragedy on poverty which is pushing young people into dangerous ventures including quarrying in dangerous mines. Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) Emergency Response personnel from Murang'a, Thika and Nairobi were working together with various teams in rescue and recovery efforts at a quarrying site.

NHS treats six for croc attacks in UK

The NHS has treated six people for croc attacks in the past year and another 18 were in A&E for poisonous spider and scorpion bites. Crocodile and alligator attacks may be common in places like Australia or Florida but they're certainly not expected here in Britain. According to newly released figures the attacks came from animals kept in zoos or as pets. But they are just some of the bizarre litany of of injuries treated by the NHS. A further 50 people suffered jellyfish stings and another 52 had snake or lizard bites. A further 23 were bitten by rats and almost 700 were stung by hornets. But the completely unexplained included three people receiving treatment for 'an illness resulting from staying too long in a weightless environment'. There was no further explanation of how the patients escaped gravity. Also in the figures were surprisingly large numbers of seemingly preventable accidents. More than 1,800 suffered burns from hot drinks , 89,000 slipped or tripped over and 531 went to hospital for lawnmower accidents. Over 1,000 fell out of trees in almost 6,000 toppled off their ladders. In stranger accidents 14 people almost suffocated in bed and ten were injured by exploding boilers, the Sun said.

On Saturday 30th January, 2010 the Kenya Scouts Association held a three hour match in the city streets to create awareness. KSA chair Charles Musau said it was an honour for Africa to host The first ever international scouts moot in one hundred years. Though the movement was started  in Kenya in 1910 by the late Boden Powell, neither Kenya nor any African country has hosted the glamorous event. This year over 3,000 delegates from over 83 member countries will meet in Nairobi, Nyeri, Machakos and Embu from July 27 to August 10. The government however has allocated Sh 40 million to organise the event. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi.

Suspension of Tier 4 student applications in North India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Home Office, 31 January 2010

The UK Border Agency has announced that, from 1 February 2010, it is not accepting any new applications under the Tier 4 student route of the points-based system at the following visa application centres:

• North India - New Delhi, Jalandhar and Chandigarh
• Bangladesh - Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong
• Nepal - Kathmandu

The head of the points-based system at the UK Border Agency, Jeremy Oppenheim, said:

'The points-based system gives us the flexibility to act to maintain the integrity of the visa system, while processing legitimate applications fairly, thoroughly and as quickly as possible. 'We continually check and monitor all student applications and education providers to ensure that they meet the required standards set by the points-based system. As a result of this routine monitoring and an increase in applications, we have temporarily stopped accepting new applications from North India, Nepal and Bangladesh while we carry out an investigation to ensure they are all genuine. 'We will take tough action against those who attempt to abuse the system.'

Dog tongue swells to 'monster' size

A pet dog nearly died after suffering a freak accident that caused her tongue to swell to four times its normal size.

Penny almost suffocated when her tongue ballooned as she tucked into her favourite treat of pig's heart. Membrane from the pig's aorta wound itself around the base of her tongue, cutting off the blood supply which caused it to swell to "monster" proportions. The lack of blood also meant that parts of the tongue died off and could have led to a fatal infection. Her situation worsened when she desperately tried to paw her tongue free, causing blood to gush from her mouth. Her horrified owner, Linda Donnelly, from Paisley, said her pet's tongue was left looking like an enormous piece of steak hanging from her mouth.  She rushed her to the PDSA's PedAid Hospital in Glasgow for life-saving treatment. Initially vets thought she was suffering from a tumour which had suddenly increased in size and warned Ms Donnelly that her pet was unlikely to pull through. Vet Dermot Mullen said the shock of the ordeal alone could have killed the 18-year-old pet.

Nairobi, Monday 1st February, 2010. Police in Narok have discovered another cache of weapons. The firearms were loaded in a container suspected to belong to a local businessman. Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere has left for Narok where a major security operation is underway. The latest recovery comes two months after another cache of firearms was discovered in the same area.  Five suspects including a couple and administration Police chief armourer Joseph Maritim were arrested and charged in court. More to follow....

Police in Narok have discovered another cache of weapons. Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere has left for Narok where a major security operation is underway.

Barack Obama to unveil 2011 budget plans

US President Barack Obama is due to unveil a $3.8tn (£2.4tn) budget which includes increased spending for job schemes, but cuts in other areas. The US deficit has soared to $1.4tn and Mr Obama's budget could push it to $1.6tn this year. He is expected to scrap plans to send astronauts back to the Moon, and will seek to save $250bn by capping a range of domestic programmes for three years. Congress must pass the budget for the financial year starting on 1 October. Having pledged in last week's State of the Union address to make job creation his top priority, Mr Obama will propose $100bn for tax breaks to encourage businesses to hire staff. The deficit has been affected by a drop in tax revenue from the 7.2 million people who have lost jobs since the recession began. Unemployment now stands at 10%.

Ministers aim to halve number of people smoking by 2020

A plan to halve the number of smokers in England over the next 10 years has been unveiled by ministers. The number of people smoking has fallen by a quarter in the past decade to 21%, and the proposed target is 10% by 2020. Measures being considered include removing branding from packets and banning cigarette vending machines, as will happen in Scotland next year.Smokers' lobby group Forest criticised the proposals for eroding people's ability to make lifestyle choices. Health charity Ash said that while it supported the plans in principle, there was a need for more detail and stronger pledges.

The president of Argentina has announced that pork is a more effective sexual stimulant than Viagra, as she tries to boost the country's pig industry. Cristina Fernandez claimed she and her husband had just spent a fulfilling weekend of marital bliss after tucking into some barbecued chops. "Eating pork improves your sex life. I'd say it's a lot nicer to eat a bit of grilled pork than take Viagra," she said in a speech to the leaders of Argentina's pig farming industry. "And let me tell you, I am a big fan of pork meat, and I am not just saying that to look good here." Ms Fernandez's half-joking comments were met with applause from the country's pork industry leaders. The light-hearted comments introduced Fernandez's proposed subsidies for Argentina's pig business. The president did, however, voice concern as to how her husband, former Argentinian president Nestor Kirchner, would react to her public revelation. "I just realised what I said - Kirchner will kill me," she said. The comment has been played repeatedly on television and radio stations, and has sparked fierce debate on whether Argentines, some of the world's most avid beef consumers, should add more pork to their diet. Argentinians consume a little more than their body weight in beef every year and have little interest in replacing their beefy meals with chicken, pork or other meats. The head of the association of pork producers, Juan Luis Uccelli, has supported Ms Fernandez's speech, saying that Denmark and Japan have a much more "harmonious" sexual life than Argentinians because they eat a lot of pig meat. "In Osaka, Japan, there is a village in which the people who reached 105 years old and ate a lot of pork had a lot of sexual activity," he told a radio station. A specialist in sexual dysfunction, has told the Argentinian newspaper La Nacion that there was no study showing that pork meat significantly improves sexual activity. - VIDEO

Fernandez was elected in 2007

Pastor Robbinson Kamau is serious sick at Newham Hospital, East London. He is in Beckton Ward. You can make a date to see him

A LUO PROVERB

Ondiek ok nyier nono.

Nothing takes place without a cause.

Lemon: Benefits & Uses

Lemon is very much useful in maintaining the health of the teeth and the bones. The vitamin C content of lemon helps considerably in calcium metabolism.

A KIKUYU PROVERB

Kûrîithia îmwe ti kwenda kwa mwene

To graze only one goat is not the owner's will

Evils come though we do not want them.

LEFT: Fans of Cameroon's Indomitable Lions were dismayed by their loss to Egypt's Pharoahs on Monday in the quarter-final of the African Cup of Nations. RIGHT: More football. But this time in South Africa, where the national football team - Bafana Bafana - beat neighbouring Zimbabwe 3-0 in a friendly match on Wednesday.

A MAASAI PROVERB

Mincho ake kintaa enkoshoke osuuji.

Do not allow the belly to make you useless.

McDonald Mariga becomes the first Kenyan to play in UK's premiership

Manchester City have made a £7million move for Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga. Roberto Mancini has moved in to head off interest from former club Inter Milan and will offer City striker Valeri Bojinov as part of the deal. Bojinov has been on loan at Parma and has proved a relative hit. City value him at around £4m and Parma are happy to accept. City have moved for the 22-year-old Kenyan after growing frustrated in their bid for Real Madrid's Fernando Gago. Mariga is more combative than Gago.  He is 6ft 2ins tall and has more than 20 caps for Kenya after playing in Scandinavia. Parma are also in the process of signing Luis Jimenez permanently from Inter. City's move for Roma right-back Marco Motta is on hold though as talks have hit a hitch over his dual ownership with Udinese. City striker Benjani, meanwhile, will complete his £500,000 move to Sunderland today as revealed by Sportsmail. Despite late interest from Blackburn, the 31-year-old headed to Sunderland yesterday and held talks over the switch to the North East. Meanwhile, Sheffield United are interested in signing Sunderland defender Nyron Nosworthy on loan. Mariga is expected to sign the contract on Monday 1st February, 2010 at 1.00 p.m.

METHALI YA KISWAHILI

Ganda la mua la jana chungu kaona kivuno.

The skin of yesteday's sugarcane is a havest to an ant.

Kales paints red at Simba saloon

The 12th Kitwek night was yesterday held at the Carnivore. The main sponsors of the night were Kass International and Safaricom. At the entrance Kass International  were selling caps, Tshirts, KASSFM magazine and Kalenjin Dictionary for those brought up in towns and would love to know their mother tongue, one of the ladies said. There was plenty of food starting with their lovely Busaa known as Maiyek, Musarek (Porridge) Managu or Isagek, brown ugali also known as Kimyet ab Kipsyogik not forgetting their popular sour milk commonly known as Mursik che Kakisut. They had a Kalenjin  sausage also known as Mbochet, boiled goat meat (dendab Teta Nemi ruketet). Boiled maize was in plenty (Messisek ab Bandek) their tasty chicken (Ingokiek) among others. This was served in two tents piched outside. Several musicians also came in plenty to entertain the guests like Kiptulwired with Olgeri Sucess band, Kimaya Boosters, Tumbalal Arap Sang with Ureren Band, Wesldino labwes with Makibe worriors band, Kimalal jazz band by Kipkiroi Ngeng and Jepchirchir.

They performed in and out of the building. There was a big stage outside as a creation of more space. The chief Guest was Hon Pogisio Minister and KASS INTERNATIONAL Chairman C.K. Joshua. Julius Lamaon CEO KASS Media also attended and was hawk eyed to see everything went well as planned. We may have covered many themed nights like Mugithi (Kikuyu night) Kiriribi night (Kamba night) at the same venue but Kitwek Night beat them all.The Kales came from far and wide and the place was jam packed. Due to number of revellers the management added more security bouncers for the safety of everyone. The party went on to the wee hours of the morning for obvious reasons "Kales drink to the last drop" - Karuga wa Njuguna

0710148193.

I'm a married 'Man Now'...,

Mr.wainaina tells Pastor (Mrs) Jane Njiiri when they met at Heathrow Airport as he was coming back to London from Kanya, where he got married to a beautiful girl, Miss Caroline Wanjiku, on 19th December 2009 at Brook Hill School, Riara Ridge. - Photo and story by DK Kamanu. - WEDDING PHOTOS

Welcome back home Mzee

Mr. Seedbeing welcomed back home in London from Jamhuri by his wife Pastor (Mrs) Jane Njiiri at

Heathrow Airport, left. Behind every successful man, is a 'wise' wife, thats them, right, Mr & Pastor (Mrs) Peter Njiiri Karanja, well known as Mr & Mrs Seed. - Photo and story by DK Kamanu a surprise to Mr. Seed.

Orion the drug lord's hippo gets a check-up

This happy hippo getting his dental check-up once belonged to Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. Escobar had so much money – at one point he supplied 80 per cent of the world's cocaine – that he could afford to have exotic animals shipped to his Hacienda Napoles from around the world. He already had a fleet of luxury cars, a bullfighting ring and a dinosaur theme park – so why not a menagerie of exotic animals? When the narcobaron was killed in a rooftop shootout in Medellin, there were some 20 hippos at his ranch, which was taken over by Colombian authorities, but they had little idea of how to care for the animals. A few of the hippos escaped, and started damaging crops and endangering livestock, and when one of them was killed by locals, conservation and animal welfare groups were outraged and demanded that the hippos be relocated to more appropriate surrounding. Orion is the son of one of those hippos and was born on Pablo's ranch – luckily he has found a new home at a zoo in Santa Fe, New Mexico. And a good dentist, by the looks of it!
 

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON MONDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2010

LEFT: The Daily Express says official figures reveal nine in 10 long-term sick pay claimants are well enough to work. RIGHT: Heightening tensions between the US and Iran lead The Guardian. The paper reports on Barack Obama's deployment of a missile shield to protect American allies in the Gulf.

"Sometimes choices are made in the name of forgiveness while what is occurring isn't forgiveness at all. It is important not to confuse being forgiving with denying your own feelings, needs, and desires. Forgiving doesn't mean being passive and staying in a job or a relationship that clearly doesn't work for you or is abusive. It is important that you are clear about your boundaries. What is acceptable for you? If you are willing to allow unacceptable behavior again and again in the name of 'forgiveness,' you are more than likely using 'forgiveness' as an excuse not to take responsibility for taking care of yourself or as a way to avoid making changes." - Robin Casarjian - Forgiveness: A Bold Choice For A Peaceful Heart

A multi-millionaire was on Friday 29th January, 2010 accused of being in Kenya illegally. The man, whose name was given as Unknown alias Ibrahim Noor Hillowly, is suspected to be from Somalia. He was arraigned before chief magistrate Gilbert Mutembei by officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit. “I am a Kenyan and own a Sh700 million estate in Eastleigh estate besides other property,” he said while opposing a bid by the police to have him locked up pending further investigations.

Mr Ibrahim Noor Hillowly in a Nairobi court on Friday where he denied being in the country illegally.

The officers had told the court that they were opposed to the release of the suspect on bond because they wanted to establish how he managed to secure registration as a Kenyan. The magistrate heard that Mr Hillowly registered as a Kenya citizen at the Kapenguria office 11 years ago. “Police want to establish how he managed to get himself a Kenyan identity card and a passport when he is a Somali national,” the prosecutor, chief inspector Kinoti Marete, said as he asked the court to deny the suspect bail. Mr Hillowly faces six charges and the police wanted him remanded in custody for four days to allow for further investigations.  But the accused countered the State’s plea, saying: “I am a good candidate for bond. When I was summoned by police, I went to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit voluntarily unaccompanied. I will also cooperate with the investigators and appear in court when required.”  Mr Hillowly produced documents showing how he bought seven acres of land in Eastleigh in 2007 and how the City Council of Nairobi had authorised him to develop the parcel of land.

He disclosed that he was the proprietor of Darasa Investments Limited. One of the directors of the firm is ODM-Kenya’s deputy secretary-general, Mr Adow Mohammed. “I bought the city parcel of land at Sh84 million,” Mr Hillowly said. He also asked the court to disregard the prosecution’s move to deny him bond, saying: “I would have left the court’s jurisdiction when I learnt I was being sought. There is no suggestion I will interfere with intended witnesses. In the interest of justice, I pray you release me on bond.” Mr Mutembei dismissed the state’s plea and released Mr Hillowly on a cash bail of Sh100,000. The case will come up for mention on February 3. He was also directed to report to the investigating officer every day until further notice. He denied obtaining a national identity card through false presentation from the Kapenguria district registrar of persons on December 15, 1999 and obtaining a Kenyan passport from the Immigration department at Nyayo House on January 20, 2003.  – Daily Nation.

Happy Birthday Njambi

Take that 'Guka', young beautiful Sheila Njambi gives her grandfather, Pastor John Kimari, (3rd left picture), a piece of her birthday cake during her 2nd year birthday last Sunday. Sheila is a daughter to Antony Gitau and Rebeccah Njeri, (holding her). Present during Njambi's birthday were her grandmother, Mama Kiruthi, 1st left, her Aunt Mary (wearing a red top-up) and a family friend. In the picture on the right, from left, are Margaret Waigwa, Mrs Maina-Mama Tamenu, Mrs Esther Kamanu, Mama Kiruthi, Njambi's mother, Njeri, and some children.

Call of duty too much for soldier who faints on guard 

Standing guard during a dinner at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen was too much for this soldier. A soldier from the Royal Danish Guard lies on the floor after he collapsed during the arrival of the Royal family and their guests at the Christiansborg Palace in central Copenhagen. He fainted at the event, held by Queen Margrethe for Danish and Euro MP.

Have a look at the below story sent in the message board

Eating pork improves your sex drive - says Argentinian President.

A whole pig! Are you crazy? The good thing is that Mama Watoto will increase your performance rating from mediocre to power-house and become very jealous of your whereabouts.

Talking about a whole pig, let me tell you a very recent story of some raw Kenyans in Toronto. These four roommate decided to go to a farm to buy a whole goat instead of regular kilos. Yes the farmer sold them a whole goat and they headed to their multi-floor apartment. They had already discussed how to go about with mutilating the goat for the upcoming festive day. Since they didnt have fodder to feed the goat for a couple more days, they decided to guillotine the goat in the apartment. Here is the Big Mistake.

These Kenyan herdsmen decided to slaughter the goat in their bathroom tub. I guess they had always thought of putting the tub into a much better use than standing in it for a shower. So they laid the poor goat and started the slaughter. Of course, the goat had to put up a kicking fight at the beginning before it surrendered its neck. During the slaughter the herdsmen did not muffle the goats mouth to reduce sound. So as they say in my place, all animals cry like human beings when death in the hands of human beings is inevitable. Anyway, with the kicks and human cries resounding all over the apartment complex, they put the goat to eternal rest.

Here is the twist: The kicks and sounds attracted the attention of the neighbour right below who was convinced there was a murder taking place just above him. He called the police and told them everything. The police sent a whole SWAT team for the battle all dressed and wired to meet fire with fire. They surrounded the apartment and evacuated the building since they already knew where the murder took place. Then they made it the exact apartment.

They delivered the usual deafening bang on the door and soon a herdsman opened the door, unfortunately, holding a huge kitchen knife and all drenched in blood from knife to clothes. The cop ordered him at gun point to drop the knife as the rest of the murder suspects began to head for the door unconcerned. All were ordered to lie facing down with hands on their heads.
To the Kenyan Bredrens, they actually were wondering where and how they broke the laws for killing a mere goat for food. They couldnt believe they were going to jail for killing a goat. The cops asked the handcuffed kijanas where the body was and, already shocked, they pointed to the washroom. The cops headed carefully to the washroom thinking there could be more armed murderers inside. Having cleared left and right, they took a deep breath to prepare for the sickening scene only to find that oh yes, there was a murder but the murder of an innocent goat.

The Kenyans were actually arrested and charged not for murdering the goat but for endangering the health of other people. They even paid the usual fees fines for police and fire trucks response. They argued that they decided to kill the goat in their apartment because from their apartment, they always saw Lebanese neighbours do the same. But they forgot that the Lebanese lived in single homes with expansive backyards where they could slaughter the goats like at home.

The morale of the story is that Never take home a whole pig to murder just for sex.

End of story.

A flying career and wedding bells stopped by thugs

Martin Gitehi Njuma got down on bended knee and proposed to his fiancé Rebecca Ngoiri just before Christmas. Less than three weeks later, the young pilot lay in a pool of blood after being set upon by thugs in a horrific attack that has highlighted the dangers motorists face while driving around Nairobi at night. Njuma was killed at the Makaburini area near Bunyala Road roundabout after his car stalled as he was driving to Westlands at around 4 a.m. He died the same day, January 17, at a Nairobi hospital less than 24 hours after he was rushed there unconscious. Njuma’s father, Captain James Njuma, said the last conversation he had with his son was about his pending nuptials.

“I spoke to my son on January 16, and he was worried about being on duty around his wedding day which was to be in May. He was trying to get annual leave around the same time to coincide with his wedding,” Captain Njuma said. Becky Ngoiri is at a loss for words after losing the love of her life. “I keep thinking that maybe he is in Bangkok or he has gone for training somewhere. I cannot believe I will never have lunch or dinner with him again,” Ms Ngoiri said. Mr Njuma’s death has triggered a flood of reactions on the Internet with Kenyans demanding that police act against thugs who prey on motorists at well known danger spots in the city. The Kenya Airways pilot spent the better part of his last day with his childhood friend and colleague Moses Karanja and left Mr Karanja’s house at midnight to attend a friend’s birthday party.

“I asked him to sleep over because it was late, but he said he had promised our friend that he would attend the party,” Mr Karanja said. Mr Karanja was unable to accompany his friend as he was to fly to Lagos the next day. He awoke at 5 a.m., and 20 minutes later he got a call from the friend whose party Mr Njuma had attended. “My friend informed me that Njuma was in critical condition after being attacked by thugs,” Mr Karanja said. The attack happened while the group was on its way from a nightclub in Lang’ata and was heading to Westlands to continue with the party. Mr Njuma had called his friends and informed them that his car had stalled. They were in another car behind his, but when they got to his car, they did not find him. “A police car came by later, and the officers assisted them to look for him. They found him lying unconscious a few metres from his car,” Mr Karanja said. – Daily Nation.

Pastor Gad Muthaka's wife Grace Kan;yi Gad has lost her sister back in Kenya through heart attack. She was sister to Simon Mbugua, Grace Kanyi Gad (wife to Gad Muthaka) of I.W.R.M UK, Samuel Kamande, Ngugi Stephen and Emilly Murugi, cousin to Priscilla Njoki of Calvary (C.C.B.C Swahili) UK.  Friends and family are meeting at 28 stoke Road, Rainham, Essex, RM13 9SF from 7 - 9pm up sto Monday 1st Feb. A memorial Service will be held on Tuesday 2nd Feb 2010 at I.W.R.M High street North, Manor Park, London E12 6QN.  The funeral will be held on Wednesday 3rd Feb 2010 at Karunga, Kiambu. You can contact Grace and Gad on 07949427050, 07984410236, Mama Gad 07903368351. Kinjo 07931168588. Friends and well wishers who might not be able to make to the meetings can send their contributions to the following Account: Miss G Kihara, Abbey National Bank. Account No.  77831315, Sort Code 090126.

Snow causes havoc for motorists

Drivers had to battle icy conditions and road closures as snow hit parts of the North East overnight. There were five separate crashes on Bonemill Lane in Sunderland and police were forced to close the road for an hour and a half. And an icy road surface led to a three-vehicle collision at a roundabout near Crowther Road in the city. Nobody was injured in any of the incidents, police said. A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "Police are reminding motorists to be extra vigilant when driving today due to heavy snowfall overnight in parts of the force area. "Northumbria Police is advising motorists to exercise caution, particularly on untreated roads, maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front as stopping distances will be longer on wet or icy roads." Watford's Championship match against Swansea was postponed due to a frozen pitch, along with Oldham's League One match against Brentford, League Two matches at Cheltenham, Lincoln City and Rotherham, and a number of non-league matches. The worst-hit parts of the UK were the east and west coasts of England, northern Scotland and south-west Wales. Temperatures dropped below minus six degrees Celsius (21.2F) in parts of northern Scotland, where most snow fell overnight. Aisling Creevey, of MeteoGroup, weather division of the Press Association, said: "Northerly winds were pushing snow showers across northern Scotland and exposed coastal areas on the east and west coasts of England. The snow fell most frequently in northern Scotland, where there was approximately two to five centimetres in some parts. The lowest temperature recorded in northern Scotland was just below minus six degrees in Loch Glascarnoch."

Dog eats 13 golf balls, owner teed off

Owner Chris Morrison walks Oscar on a golf course near his Dunfermline home, and was first alerted to his hound’s gold-ball eating tendencies when he heard a rattling noise emanating from his stomach. A worried Mr Morrison took the five-year-old dog to see a vet, who found a stunning total of 13 balls in his stomach. One of them had been in there so long that it had turned black and was decomposing, reports the Daily Telegraph. Mr Morrison said: ‘He finds golf balls like truffles. We're not sure how long exactly this happened over - but it must have been a fair period, several months at least. ‘I felt his stomach and heard them rattling around. He normally brings a few home, but I had no idea he had eaten so many. ‘It is normally around the ninth and 12th fairways that we go around - and he just goes and searches for them wherever the golfers lose them.’ Vet Hesketh, who performed the op, was astonished by Oscar’s golfing diet, saying: ‘It was like a magic trick. I opened him up and felt what I thought was two or three golf balls. But they just kept coming until we had a bag full.’ A little birdie has told us that Oscar has made a full recovery.

Daredevil swims alongside 11ft crocodile

Daredevil diver Israel Gonzalez takes his life in his hands to be snapped alongside this deadly crocodile. Swimming close enough to count her razor sharp teeth, the 31-year-old is dwarfed by the 3.35m (11ft) long, 454kg (1,000lb) beast. Together with photographer David Doubilet, he spent two hours swimming with the female croc as she returned to her nest on one of 50 or so islands just off the Cuban coast. ‘This crocodile exhibited very benign behaviour for such a notorious predator,’ said Doubilet, 63. ‘As a wildlife photography opportunity, this was extremely exciting to capture not only the rare and overlooked American crocodile but also to run the gauntlet with the animal. ‘Honestly, after the initial rush when we encountered the crocodile, our levels of fear dropped quite considerably.’ Most people are unaware there are crocodiles that live in the Americas. There are only about 1,500 American crocodiles living in Florida and the same number across Central America and South America, putting them in the endangered animals category. Gliding alongside the croc, the divers were aware that at any minute the situation could turn life-threatening. ‘We had no protection on us. No sticks, no harpoons, nothing that would have saved our lives had the crocodiles turned nasty,’ said Doubilet. ‘We were careful to know our limits and not to stress the creature.’ The crocodile is distinctive from its American alligator cousin by its longer, thinner snout, lighter colour and two longer teeth on its lower jaw that are visible when the mouth is shut. Some males can reach up to 6m (20ft) in length and weigh in at more than 600kg (2,000lb).

Family fights court order to deport their son

Ahmed Mohammed Diriye is staring at deportation to Somalia. But, he claims he is Kenyan and has little clue where the country the court has branded as his ‘home’ is.  His parents who live in Mandera are shocked, too. His elderly mother even sent her national ID to prove her Kenyan citizenship to the court, but the only thing Diriye can hear is ‘deport him’.  - FULL STORY

A Bolivian family in UK is to receive damages of thousands of pounds from the Home Office for false imprisonment during a review of the refugees' case. Carmen Quiroga and her four children, aged three to 11 at the time, spent six weeks in Oakington immigration centre in Cambridgeshire in 2004. The Home Office accepted they should have been freed when they applied for a judicial review against deportation. The family was granted the right to stay in the UK in 2008. Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, representing the family, argued the detention was illegal for reasons including a failure to prioritise the welfare of the children, in contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The solicitors claimed that being detained in a dawn raid and held at the immigration centre had left the three eldest children with psychiatric problems. "They have required significant psychiatric help to seek to overcome this experience," a statement said. Following the agreement of damages, Ms Quiroga said: "I brought these proceedings so that my voice and the voice of other detained families would be heard. "No family should suffer as we have done. I hope the Home Office have learned lessons from my children's case."

President Mwai Kibaki is shown the newly-acquired equipments from the People's Republic of China by Mr. Japheth Mwania, Director, NYS during the official commissioning of the machinery at the Institution's headquarter’s, Ruaraka, Nairobi.

Now you can get your PIN online as KRA Online Services Enhanced

The issuance of PIN has been fully automated following the successful launch of electronic registration services with effect from 30th March 2009. Henceforth manual processing of PIN has been discontinued with the previous PIN certificate being replaced with a new one specifying the tax obligations for which a taxpayer has elected to be registered. Concurrent with these changes has been the phase out of the traditional VAT registration certificate and its replacement with the generic PIN certificate. To date over 25,918 new entrants have enrolled through the new system while 495 taxpayers filed their monthly VAT returns electronically in April 2009. Presently focus is geared towards marketing the new system for wider usage in addition to providing effective back up support. Piloting of the new PAYE e-filing module has also commenced with roll out planned for May 2009. Queries on the KRA Online service should be directed through the KRA Call Centre on 020 4999999. - You need your Kenyan ID to register for the PIN. - MORE

Starbus Burnt at Ndumbuini in Uthiru on Friday morning

Ndumbuini residents view a shell of a burnt mini-bus belonging to Star bus on 28th January 2010.The mini-bus is alleged to be petrol bombed by Mungiki sect who were extorting money from the matatu crew. The driver was injured and taken to Kikuyu mission hospital.

And the world's number one game show is…

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has come top of a list of the world’s 10 most popular game show formats. The Top 10, which was compiled by TV magazine TBI, is based on the number of viewers and countries showing the programmes. Here are the full results, including one show which has yet to make it to the UK…

1 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Hosted by Chris Tarrant in the UK, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is broadcast in no fewer than 112 countries, which makes it the most popular quiz show ever.

2 Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is played in more than 80 countries. The British version of the programme is presented by Noel Edmonds, who made a successful television comeback when he started hosting the show.

3 Total Wipeout
TV viewers across the globe also enjoy watching contestants take on a series of physical challenges in Total Wipeout, which is hosted by Richard Hammond and Amanda Byram here in the UK.

4 Wheel of Fortune
Classic game show Wheel of Fortune aired on ITV from 1988 until 2001, but is still going strong in the US, where it was first broadcast in 1975 – 35 years ago.

5 Hole in the Wall
BBC One's Hole in the Wall originated in Japan, where it is known as Brain Wall. Players of this fun game show must fit through holes in a moving wall to avoid being pushed into water.

6 Are You Smarter Than a 10 Year Old?
This kids vs adults quiz show is now screened in nearly 50 countries worldwide, and it's proved there are lots of grown-ups who should have paid more attention at school.

7 Jeopardy
This long-running game show with a twist – contestants are given an answer and must say what the question was – isn't screened in the UK anymore, but has aired since 1964 in the US.

8 I Love My Country
Not sure what this show is? That's because Endemol's I Love My Country – in which contestants are quizzed about their nation – has never been shown over here. But it has proven extremely popular in five countries so far.

9 Don't Forget the Lyrics
The hit singing game show has been sold in 30 countries around the world. In the UK, Don't Forget the Lyrics has aired on Sky1 and been presented by Shane Richie.

10 Family Fortunes
Classic TV programme Family Fortunes is based on the US game show Family Feud. It's still showing in the UK as All Star Family Fortunes, featuring celebrities and their families.

"Mr. Seed you look popular I want a photo with you"

Chris Tarrant (above right) programe - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has come top of a list of the world’s 10 most popular game show format. The photo above of Mr. Seed and Chris Tarrant was taken in an event in central London. While taking photos photos of celebrities posing with Kenyans, there was several shouts from Kenyans to take them the photo. After taking the photo, Chris Tarrant turned to Mr. Seed and said: "Mr. Seed you look popular, I want a photo with you." Mr. Seed had not option than to give a friend the camera to take the photo. Unfortunately Mr. Seed forgot to tell Chris Tarrant - "I want to be a millionaire".

US: 2 million dead people ‘voted’ in 2007 poll

A US official revisited the controversial 2007 presidential election when she said her country was aware two million dead voters were not weeded from the electoral register as pressure on reforms mounted. US Undersecretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero said America is aware that there were over two million dead voters whose names remained in the register and ‘voted’ in 2007. "We are aware that over two million dead people voted in 2007, so we will support the process of compiling a new voter register. At a time the whole world is watching Kenya, we want to be there with our support," Ms Otero said. She spoke on Thursday during a meeting with Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Nairobi where she affirmed the US pledge to fund the reform agenda, including new voter registration by the Interim Independent Electoral Commission. Otero, who was accompanied by US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger, said America will support the IIEC with the ambassador saying they are putting together "a couple of millions of dollars" for IIEC. - The Standard.

Body found buried under newly-laid concrete believed to be missing £19.3million lottery winner
 

A body found buried in fresh concrete at a home in Florida may be that of missing lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare. The 43-year-old has been missing since April last year, after becoming embroiled in a bitter legal battle over the £19.3million jackpot. Today, police made the discovery after a tip-off, which suggested officers would find human remains near a home in Plant City where new concrete had been laid. Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said the body was slowly being uncovered. Shakespearian tragedy: Lottery jackpot Abraham Shakespeare, who has disappeared. Police believe a body found buried under newly-laid concrete at a Florida home may be him. He added their investigation and information specifically led them to the area after they began to believe Shakespeare might be dead because of ‘sinister means and motives’. Gee said: ‘Our indications were it would be there.’ On Wednesday, the newly finished concrete slabs were scanned and removed. Yesterday, they discovered the remains – which officers claim appeared to have been there for a while - buried five feet below underground. Shakespeare, a 43-year-old truck driver, won a $31 million Florida lottery prize in 2006. A year later, he won a court challenge from a fellow trucker who accused Shakespeare of snatching the winning ticket out of his wallet while the two were delivering meat to Miami restaurants.

Shakespeare's family reported him missing in November 2009, telling the Polk County sheriff's office they hadn't seen him since April. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said when their investigation began, they had hoped to find Shakespeare alive ‘and he truly had just wanted to hide from those who were asking him for money’. He added: ‘As our investigation continued, the information we developed led us to believe he may very well have ended up with an untimely death.’ Both Judd and Gee said they would not comment on whether anything else was found inside the manmade grave, or whether a previous person of interest was connected to the area.  The home, according to a local TV station, belongs to the boyfriend of a person of interest in the disappearance of Shakespeare. While they await identification of the remains, police said they would begin to shift their focus to a murder investigation. ‘It's painfully obvious he didn't get there by himself,’ Judd added. Gee said police from Polk and Hillsborough Counties were already working with prosecutors on the case and hope to bring to justice the person responsible for what they believe is clearly cold-blooded murder. ‘Somebody put that body in that hole,’ Gee said. ‘This isn't by any means just where we find someone on the side of the road. Somebody has obviously put him there.’

Serena seals fifth Aussie title

World number one Serena Williams beats Justine Henin in three sets to win her fifth Australian Open title. Serena Williams claimed her fifth Australian Open crown and ended Justine Henin's hopes of a comeback title with a three-set win in Saturday's final. Henin hoped to cap her first Grand Slam since ending an 18-month retirement with a fairytale win, but Williams was too strong in the final set. The American, 28, won 6-4 3-6 6-2 in two hours and seven minutes. Williams has now won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, moving her level with Billie-Jean King in the all-time list. It was the world number one's magnificent serve that gave her the edge, regularly digging her out of trouble as she saved 11 of 16 points during the match. And despite having had her right thigh and left knee heavily taped as it had been for much of the tournament, Williams was the stronger in the closing stages as a first Grand Slam tournament in two years finally appeared to take its toll on Henin.

Bird-brained

More than £40,000 of taxpayers' cash was spent on a study aimed at stopping hawks killing PIGEONS. Scottish Government ministers stumped up dosh to back the four-month probe into sparrowhawk attacks on racing doos. The Scottish Homing Union - which represents 3,500 members with more than quarter of a million pigeons - claims their flocks are being devastated by predators. But the lengthy investigation by Stirling University scientists last year into hawks' raids on fanciers' lofts provided NO conclusion. Last night Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, accused ministers of "throwing cash away" on the study. He said: "It's gobsmacking that so much money has been spent on this. "It's bird-brained at best. The fact the study didn't even produce any useful results or solutions just makes it even worse." Independent MSP Margo Macdonald also believes the investigation - which used live birds as bait - was a waste of public money. She said: "Words fail me." The Scottish Government contributed £24,000 to the study, publicly-funded body Scottish Natural Heritage gave £24,300, and the Scottish Homing Union £3,000.

KPLC signs a 300 megawatts deal of wind power‏

On Friday 29th January, 2010  KPLC have signed a deal with Lake Turkana Wind Power Consortium after the successful conclusion on negotiations on a 20 year power purchase agreement (PPA0The signing ceremony took place at Serena hotel. The deal costs Euro 465 Million which will be at Loiyangalani, Marsabit District in a remote part on northern Kenya. Aditional costs include a 465 km power transmission line from the site to Suswa at a cost of 140 million Euros and 27 million Euros for the substations. This is the biggest single Foreign Direct Investment by a private entity in Kenya ever.  Above Mr Henk Hutting MD Lake Turkana Wind Power and Eng Njoroge MD KPLC.

Anti-pirate attack guidelines being ignored, UN says

The majority of ships being hijacked off the coast of Somalia are ignoring safety advice, UN piracy experts say.  Carl Salicath, chairman of the UN group on piracy, told the BBC up to 25% of vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden are ignoring the UN's guidelines. "Commercial ships following these practices are, with a very few exceptions, not hijacked," he said. "They are designed, even if pirates become technically more sophisticated... to prevent hijacking." The waters around Somalia are among the most dangerous in the world, despite patrols from the naval forces of the US, Nato and the European Union. Mr Salicath said piracy experts meeting at the UN headquarters on Thursday were told ships were ignoring some simple advice. He told the BBC's Network Africa programme this included:

• Sailing as fast as possible

• Using barbed wire where pirates could possibly board

• Staying in contact with the international maritime forces

• Sailing at recommended times

The piracy experts also heard that piracy has continued to expand further out to sea, at times more than 1,000 nautical miles from Somalia's coast. Captain Paul Chivers, chief of staff of the EU naval forces, said "the number of attacks has gone up considerably in the Somali basin, the number of successful attacks has gone down". "It would be dangerous to assume we have overcome the threat," AP news agency quotes him as saying. War-torn Somalia has had no functioning government since 1991, allowing pirates to operate along the lawless coast, almost with impunity. Mr Salicath said the contact group had agreed to set up a trust fund to help establish a Somali coast guard and to support the judiciary in countries where captured pirates are being prosecuted.

38 aliens arrested in Mwingi

Nairobi, Saturday 30th January, 2010 - Police in Mwingi District have arrested 38 Somali nationals who were traveling to Nairobi without valid documents. The foreigners who were traveling in several taxis were arrested at a police barrier along Mwingi-Garissa road on their way to Nairobi. The area OCPD Kenneth Kimani confirmed the incident saying that upon interrogation police discovered that the aliens were Somali refugees and had not registered with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Kimani said those arrested were 31 adults and 17 children. The police boss further warned that the government action will be taken on those assisting illegal immigrants to gain entry into the country. More than 1,200 people have been rounded up in a countrywide swoop on illegal immigrants' dens.

A young Kenyan man has passed away in Maryland, USA. Mr. King Wilson Mungai, 25 years old of La plata Maryland, U.S.A died in a road accident which occurred on Friday, January 22, 2010. According his best friend James Mwangi of Alabama, who has received a police report on the accident, King was making a left turn when a truck coming from another direction crashed on his car. He was taken to the hospital in a coma and never recovered. He died later as the doctors tried to revive him. King came to the US in 2002 and lived in North Carolina until 2006 when he moved to Maryland. He was husband to Joyce Wilson-Mungai of La Plata, MD, beloved first and only son of Rev. Pastor Samuel Mungai & Rose Bella Mungai of Naivasha in Kenya. Brother to Sharon Mungai & Purity Wanjiku, Uncle to Beatrice Lewa, all of Kenya. Memorial Service will be held from 5-7pm (With service beginning at 7pm) at: Thornton Funeral Home Chapel, 3439 Livingston Road Indian Head, Maryland 20640 Rev. Lowell H. Hancock, Officiating on Tuesday, 2/2/2010. The family needs prayers and financial assistance. Contributions may be deposited to Name: Joyce Wilson Mungai/ King Wilson Mungai, Bank: B B & T, Account #: 0005156120539 and Routing #: 055003308. For those Kenyans who would like to make donations, monetary contributions may be sent to: -Dorcas Marekia: 404-944-5017 dmarekia@yahoo.com Georgia, -Lillian Njoroge (Iddie): 832-455-9639 \n Linjoro-05@yahoo.com - Texas, -Timona: 612-217-3115 \n Dtimona@gmail.com - Minnesota - Michael Wanjogo: 616-589-3057 \n mwanjogo@yahoo.com  -  Michigan - James Mwangi: 205-916-0009 \n mwangiwagura@gmail.com  -  Alabama or Purity Wanjiku Mungai 254-721-558-167 Kenya. Details for the funeral will be communicated later, for further information please contact: James Mwangi 205-916-0009 or Dorcas Marekia 404-944-5017. - Source: Diasporamessenger.

The late King Wilson Mungai

Pictured: Three cheetahs spare tiny antelope's life... and play with him instead

Hello little antelope, would you like to play with us?  Coming from three deadly cheetahs, it's the kind of invitation that's best refused - but amazingly, this impala escaped unscathed from its encounter. Luckily for the youngster, it seems these three male cheetahs simply weren't hungry. That's because unlike other big cats, the cheetah hunts in the daytime, either in the early morning or late afternoon. The bursts of speed needed to catch their prey tire them out - meaning they need to rest after a kill. And that seems to be the secret to the antelope's survival, as it's likely it fell into the cheetahs' clutches when they were already full - and tired out - from an earlier hunt. Photographer Michel Denis-Huot, who captured these amazing pictures on safari in Kenya's Masai Mara in October last year, said he was astounded by what he saw.

TOP LEFT: No claws for alarm: Astonishingly, these cheetahs, whose instinct is to hunt for food, decide to play with this baby impala - TOP RIGHT: Sticking your neck out: Oblivious to the danger, the impala appears to return the affection to the cheetahs
 

ABOVE LEFT: New found friends: The new-found friends part with a farewell lick - ABOVE RIGHT: Sprint finish: Impala is off the menu as the youngster makes its exit

'These three brothers have been living together since they left their mother at about 18 months old,' he said. 'On the morning we saw them, they seemed not to be hungry, walking quickly but stopping sometimes to play together.  'At one point, they met a group of impala who ran away. But one youngster was not quick enough and the brothers caught it easily.' These extraordinary scenes followed, as the cheetahs played with the young impala the way a domestic cat might play with a ball of string. 'They knocked it down, but then they lost interest,' said Michel. 'For more than 15 minutes, they remained with the young antelope without doing anything other than licking it or putting their paws on the impala's head.' Even more extraordinarily, this story has a happy ending - after one tense moment when it looked as though one cheetah would bite the impala on the neck, the youngster ran away. Let's hope it didn't tell all its friends how nice those big, scarylooking cheetahs really are when you get to know them.

Prison Officer Jailed Over Inmate Affair

A prison officer has been jailed over an affair she had with an inmate awaiting trial for arranging an acid attack on his ex-girlfriend. Lisa Harris was sentenced to 21 months behind bars after pleading guilty to three counts of misconduct in a public office. The 28-year-old had a fling with "notorious" inmate Daniel Lynch while working at Pentonville prison in north London. He was later convicted over a plot in which sulphuric acid was thrown over his ex-girlfriend by another man. Lynch was also found guilty of raping aspiring TV presenter Katie Piper, who featured in a documentary about the acid incident. He is now serving a life sentence for the crimes. Harris, of Romford in Essex, smuggled two mobile phones into the prison for Lynch. She made 210 calls and text messages to the inmate between January 31 and February 27 last year. The prison officer claimed Lynch intimidated her into doing what he wanted - but Judge Aidan Marron QC rejected her argument. "You were a prison officer and as such you occupied a position of real responsibility in the proper supervision of prisoners," he said. "Against all the rules you began an intimate relationship with a notorious prisoner who was at the time on remand awaiting trial for raping a girl and arranging an acid attack upon her. "You knew he was in possession of a mobile phone which could have been used for a variety of criminal purposes.  "You not only failed to report that but engaged in hundreds of calls with him." Blackfriars Crown Court heard one of the text messages read: "I know and do care about you too despite what you may think."

Kenyan MPs have agreed to scrap the position of prime minister in a draft constitution being drawn up as part of a power-sharing deal. The role was created following post-election riots in 2007 to allow coalition partners to share power. But analysts say the hybrid system - with a president and prime minister at the helm - has proved unwieldy. Instead a parliamentary committee has opted for parliamentary checks on the president and to devolve government. Following Kenya's general elections in December 2007 there were bloody riots across Kenya between supporters of President Mwai Kibaki and his rival, the current Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The violence left 1,300 people dead and 300,000 homeless. As part of of a power-sharing deal they signed to end the riots, the pair agreed to come up with a new constitution. The latest process to come up with a draft was concluded by a parliamentary committee representing all political parties after two weeks of talks in a retreat outside the capital, Nairobi."We had to work towards a consensus and we did that, and we are confident that we have really crossed the largest hurdles so far," said Mohamed Abdi Kadir, the chairman of the parliamentary committee. The draft constitution will be submitted to parliament for debate before being put to a national referendum. The BBC's Peter Greste, in Nairobi, says Kenya has been bruised by a series of imperial presidents, which is why the new constitution creates parliamentary checks to the president's authority. The draft document also recommends:

• Power be devolved to a senate and a network of local counties

• The president should no longer be able to appoint judges

• MPs appointed to a cabinet position would have to give up their parliamentary seat. There is still a long way to go before the draft becomes law, but Mr Kadir believes it is a major step forward. "We think we have really crossed a major threshold," he said.

Finally, brethren, Wainaina weds in Kenya

A colourful wedding took place on Saturday 19th December, 2009 in Kenya between Mr. Samuel Wainaina Njogu and Miss Caroline Wanjiku at Brook Hill School Riara Ridge, Kenya. A reception followed thereafter at the same venue. The ceremony was conducted by Pastor Julius Kamau of Community Church in Kanyariri. The bridegroom Mr. Wainaina is a resident in London while the bride lives in Kenya. Several Kenyans living in UK attended the ceremony while the bestman and bestmaid were Mr. & Mrs. Kamau Kahara of CCBC Swahili Service, London. Both the wedding and reception took place in a garden. You can congratulate the couples through samuelnjoguu@yahoo.co.uk or on 07946379081. - CLICK HERE ALL THE PHOTOS

KIKUYU AGE GROUPS

1888 - Rika rîa Ûhere - Skin disease.

How to Have A Super Strong Immune System

It can be said that everyone needs about forty different nutrients each day to stay healthy.  This is scientific fact.  What can't be said is that we all need the same amount of these nutrients, and we all differ greatly in our ability to absorb them due to genetic background, current health problems, etc.  This needs to be assessed on an individual basis, taking account of one's personal biochemistry.  What most people do not realise is how difficult it is to obtain these vitally important factors, which amplify our immune systems in a positive manner, from foodstuffs we consume on a daily basis. - MORE

It cost $2bn, has two courses, a 290 room-with-a-view luxury hotel, a marina and a racing museum... Welcome to Dubai's brand new Meydan racecourse which stages its first meeting on Thursday and on right The gulf state has struggled to pay the bills for its boom time excess but its ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is a long-time racing enthusiast and is in no mood to cut costs.

Kenyans abroad want to elect MP

Kenyans in the diaspora are demanding an opportunity to elect a representative to Parliament. They have consequently asked the Committee of Experts to include a clause in the harmonised draft constitution allowing for the creation of an “Abroad Constituency”. Speaking on behalf of the Kenyan Community Abroad, Mr John Maina, said it was impractical to ask those in the diaspora to travel to their rural areas to vote. “It is physically impossible to have more than a million people to travel to Kenya once every five years to vote,” said Mr Maina.  “If we contribute so much to our gross domestic product, and we keep Kenya going when donors are pulling out, we certainly need to be represented in the August House.” According to Central Bank of Kenya statistics, Kenyans in the diaspora channelled close to Sh47 billion back home in 2008 alone, while between January and March, last year, they sent close to Sh12 billion. Mr Maina said several countries had implemented the idea, including Britain, India and Nigeria. – Daily Nation.

India Republic Day Parade

A float carrying a tableau from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is displayed. RIGHT: An Indian policeman performs a stunt.

Gap between poor-rich widening

The urban poor are fast being pushed from accessing basic services. A draft report by the government shows that the gap between the rich and poor urban residents is widening at an alarming rate. The inequality is widespread in the provision of essential services like water, electricity, sewer systems and good roads in residential areas. In the poor neighbourhoods, taps run dry for many days, coupled with power outages and dusty roads. The reverse is true in affluent residential zones. The inequality is rife in the major urban centres such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret and Nakuru. This is the gist of the account by the officials who have been mandated to write on the state of the country’s towns ahead of the World Urbanisation Forum in Brazil. The researchers from the ministries of Housing and Local Government were on Thursday putting the final touches to their report as the global meeting in Rio de Janeiro in March draws near. The conference under the aegis of the UN Habitat comes at a time when the nation’s urban areas are further tested by a population growing at an unparalleled rate, with poverty and proliferation of slums taking their toll. – Daily Nation.

Three former State officials charged with corruption

Businessman Joshua Kulei has been charged with obtaining a total of Sh17.9 million from East African Gas Ltd by false pretences. Mr Kulei and Ashar Ltd are alleged to have jointly obtained Sh12 million from the gas company on May 19, 1999 by falsely pretending Ashar had rendered engineering and foundation laying services on its behalf. He faces an additional count together with Sian Ltd, where they allegedly obtained Sh5,999,890 on June 17, 1999, from the same company by falsely pretending that Sian Ltd had paid land rent, rates and assessment fees on behalf of Gas Company Ltd. And Former Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) MD Ezekiel Komen is charged with breach of trust. It is alleged that between May 18, 1999 and June 9, 2003 in Nairobi, being KPC MD and signatory to the bank account of East African Gas Company Ltd breached trust affecting the public by irregularly authorising payments out of the bank account of the said gas company occasioning misappropriation of the equity of Sh65.2 million contributed to the said company by KPC.  – The Standard.

A woman was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as she allegedly collected a consignment of heroin packaged as leather jackets. The suspect, Scola Namunyu Mwangi, 40, a businesswoman had arrived at the airport to collect the consignment that originated from Tehran, Iran, when anti-narcotics detectives arrested her. Police and intelligence officials said the 45 jackets that contained the drug were part of a bigger consignment of the narcotics that was to pass through Kenya to other parts of Europe, whose value they estimated to be Sh80 million. The powder was dried up and sewed on the jackets as an in coat to avoid detection and were to be removed on arrival in Nairobi and sent to Europe, police said. "Kenya is a transit point. We know they were testing waters before they could bring in more, but our officers intercepted them," said airport CID boss Joseph Ngisa. Anti-narcotics officers were yet to remove the sewed drugs, weigh and test them by on Wednesday. Two other people who cleared the consignment have been questioned and released as investigation continues.  Police said they were looking for another woman identified as Mama Lela, whom they argued was the owner of the intercepted haul. The package was sent from Tehran last week and it arrived on Friday aboard a Qatari Airways flight.  But Scola, who sells clothes, arrived on Tuesday to claim the package after it was cleared by her agents. A team of detectives was on Wednesday sent to search her house. Mr Ngisa said her passport showed she is a frequent traveller to Europe and West African countries.  The woman refused to have her picture taken and hid under a table. Officials in Tehran have also been contacted to establish the source of the drug. Cases of drug trafficking have declined at JKIA. On Wednesday, Ngisa said the latest seizure was achieved out of extra vigilance and employment of intelligence-led tactics. - Daily Nation.

Maina wa Njenga's wife burial on Saturday 23rd January 2010

ABOVE: The ceremony took place at Kitengela, Kenya and was conducted by  Bishop Wanjiru with several dignitaries attending among them Hon. Muite and Hon. Waitutu. BELOW: Over 25,000 youths attended the burial and a convoy of over 1000 matatus ever seen at Kitengela town is the fastest growing town in East and Central Africa.

Kenyans to get new IDs by December

The Government will by the end of this year introduce the third generation identity cards, Minister for Immigration Otieno Kajwang said on Tuesday. Addressing members of the public at the Kirinyaga County Hall, the Minister said the electronic chips which will contain detailed personal information of the holder will have enhanced security features to avoid forgery. The minister further revealed that his Ministry had established an Integrated Population Registration Service at the Nyayo House to serve as a National data base. He said that soon every other data agencies such as NHIF, NSSF, KRA among others will be linked to the National data base for easy accessibility of personal data. The Minister who is on an extensive tour of the Central and Eastern Province further pointed out that the Government is decentralizing passport issuance centers adding that centers to issue E-passports will be opened in all Provincial Headquarters. On illegal immigrants, the Minister said that with the introduction of electronic-improved boarder management systems, it will now be possible to scan visitors at the borders. The Minister called on the Provincial Administration to assist in identifying illegal immigrants who have infiltrated the rural towns and were now accessing identification documents.

The Great Mara River escape

Looking quite literally into the jaws of death, the future appeared bleak for this juvenile wildebeest. As it crossed a crocodile-infested river with dozens of others in search of food it was picked off by one huge predator. With its huge jaws wide open the large crocodile jumped out of the water to attack its hapless prey. But timing is everything - and luckily for the young wildebeest, the reptile miscalculated its jump by a fraction of a second. Instead of lunch, it ended up with just a mouthful of  water as it slid off the back of the hooved creature. The wildebeest survived the scrape and managed to wade across to the other side of the Mara River in Kenya.

Children's bodies found in car in Heathfield

A 43-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of two children's bodies in a car in Heathfield, East Sussex. The bodies of a boy and a girl, both aged under five, were discovered when officers broke into a car parked in Mill Close shortly before noon. A woman was arrested after reporting an "incident" to police and was taken to hospital with "self-harm injuries". Sussex Police said the woman and two children were known to each other. Post-mortem examinations are due to take place on Thursday when the children's identities are expected to be released. The woman, who is believed to have connections with Surrey, was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital with injuries, where she is said to be in a stable condition. Police are yet to interview her. The car has been towed away for forensic examination and a police cordon has been put up around a three-storey detached house in Sheepsetting Lane which has a "Sold" sign outside. Jill Radford, 61, who lives in Sheepsetting Lane, said: "I think there used to be a couple living there until they separated. The house went up for sale sometime before Christmas. "I think there were some young children living there. I could see there were often toys in the front garden." Ms Radford said she did not know the family and did not think other neighbours were close to them. Ch Insp Julia Pope said: "This is a very tragic incident, but I would like to reassure people that it is fully contained and there is no threat to anyone in the area. "We will move to restore normality and access to Mill Close as quickly as possible." Sussex Police have informed family members of the deaths.

Dazzling: Amanda wowed the crowd as she took to the stage
 

Cheeky Amanda: The Britain's Got Talent judge's daring costume will have surprised viewers familiar with her girl-next-door image
 

Crashed Ethiopia plane 'flew into Beirut storm'

The Ethiopian jet that crashed into the sea off Beirut on Monday did not fly in the direction suggested by Beirut's control tower, Lebanese officials say. Ministers said the pilot of the Ethiopian Airlines jet was asked to correct his course, but turned in the opposite direction. It is not clear why this happened, or if it was beyond the pilot's control. The authorities continue to search for the bodies of the 90 people on board the plane, who are all feared dead. At least 24 bodies have been pulled from the sea so far. The authorities are also looking for the plane's flight recorders.

Apple unveils iPad tablet device

Apple has put an end to weeks of speculation by unveiling its tablet device, which it has called the iPad. Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive unveiled the touchscreen device at an event in San Francisco. Mr Jobs described the tablet, which will cost between $499 and $829 in the US, as a "third category" between smartphones and laptops. The device, which looks like a large iPhone, can be used to watch films, play games and browse the web. The firm has also done a deal with publishers including Penguin, Macmillian and Harper Collins to allow e-books to be downloaded directly to the device through a new iBook Store. "You can download right onto your iPad," said Mr Jobs. He also showed off magazines and newspapers on the device.  He told an audience of journalists, analysts and industry peers that the device lets people "hold the whole web in your hands". "What this device does is extraordinary. It is the best browsing experience you have ever had," he said. The device has a 9.7-inch multi-touch display, allowing people to type directly on to the screen, as well as manipulate pictures and move control the action in games with their fingers. However, users can also plug in a keyboard. Apple claim it has a battery life of 10 hours. It comes preloaded with twelve applications - essentially multi-touch versions of existing Mac software such as iPhoto. However, owners can also download third party apps - both specially designed for the iPad and those already available for the iPhone. People with both can synchronise their apps between the two devices. "We think it's going to be a whole other gold rush for developers," said Scott Forstall, who runs Apple's app division. Apple revealed that more than 3bn apps have been downloaded from its App store.

The New York Times showed off its app for the iPad, which recreates the look and feel of the newspaper but allows it to have new features, such as video. "We're pioneering the next version of digital journalism," said Martin Nisenholtz, a senior executive at the newspaper. It also includes the firm's iTunes software built in, allowing people to purchase songs and movies straight to the device.  It is not the first touchscreen tablet computer on the market. Earlier this month, manufactures such as Dell and HP showed off devices at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Some industry experts have questioned the need for another category of device, alongside laptops, smartphones and netbooks. Analyst firm CCSInsight said that it remained "sceptical" of the market. It described the iPad as "a supersize iPod Touch that would get little interest if not from Apple". Mr Jobs dismissed netbooks as "just cheap laptops". "Netbooks aren't better at anything - they're slow and have low quality displays," he told the audience. "They're not a third category device, but we have something that we think is." The cheapest iPad, which will come with 16GB of flash memory and wi-fi will cost $499. The most expensive version, with 64GB of storage and the ability to connect via a mobile 3G signal, will cost $829. Users will also need a monthly subscription for 3G connectivity, but in the US owners will not have to sign a yearly contract. CCSInsight said the high cost would put it "beyond most consumers". Mr Jobs said that he hoped to have international prices in place in June or July. However, all the 3G models are unlocked, meaning they will work with any network. The launch puts to rest months of speculation and rumour in the blogosphere. Apple - famous for its secrecy - had remained silent in the run up to the launch, unwilling to release any details publicly.

Wedding photographer asked to refund the money

Worst Wedding Pictures Ever? A wedding photographer has been ordered to reimburse a couple after a judge described photos of their big day as "woefully inadequate".  Marc and Sylvia Day paid Gareth Bowers, from Fresh Images, £1,450 for these pictures. Do you think they are worth the money?

Tiger Woods’ wife halts divorce plans

Tiger Woods’ wife Elin Nordegren is hoping to save her marriage because she doesn’t want to raise their two kids alone. Elin Nordegren, 30, visited her husband at the Gentle Path sexual addiction clinic in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he has been getting treatment. Nordegren’s parents divorced when she was a child and she wants to avoid having her children, two-year-old daughter Sam and 50-week-old son Charlie, face the same difficulty. People magazine and RadarOnline reported Nordegren wants to avoid divorce, citing unnamed sources, after spending five days with the golf star as part of his rehabilitation treatment, last week. US weekly reported that she stayed at the estate of American football star Brett Favre while in Hattiesburg and that she and Woods’ management team pressured Woods into taking part in the six-week programme.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said on Tuesday 26th January, 2010 that it would be challenging the decision by the British government to strike out claims by Kenyan victims of British colonial torture on grounds of State succession. The Commission’s Executive Director Muthoni Wanyeki told reporters that the position taken by the British government on the matter is “legally challengeable and morally repugnant.” “We are afraid that by seeking to invoke a legal technicality in its defence as opposed to relying on substance of the Mau Mau suit, the British Government is either knowingly or unknowingly waging a war of attrition on the Mau Mau torture survivors,” Ms Wanyeki said at a press conference.

“Most of these survivors are now quite advanced in age and don’t have a long time to live. In fact, one of the lead claimants, Susan Ngondi passed away. We contend that the Mau Mau torture survivors have waited for too long for justice and the time to get justice is now,” she added. “A group of leading human rights organisations, politicians and international lawyers will be writing to David Miliband (UK Foreign Secretary) to protest at the position his Government has adopted.” “Another group of international legal experts is planning to meet at a specially convened conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies next month to establish a clear legal strategy for defeating the Government’s strike out application,” she said.  Court documents provided to us by the Commission showed that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had applied to strike out the case on grounds that the Kenya government is the one supposed to pay for the torture claims because the British government had passed on the responsibility.

Ms Wanyeki said: “That is absolutely not acceptable; torture has never been a core duty of the State. So it is crazy to imply that it is the core duty passed on to our government.” She said the claims are on behalf of men and women from different Kenyan communities who are representative of the wider community of thousands of Kenyans who were detained and tortured during the Kenya Emergency period. “Detainees suspected of being members of, or sympathising with the Mau Mau rebellion were subjected to unspeakable abuses including arbitrary killings, castrations, sexual abuse, forced labour, starvation and the systematic use of violence,” she said. On June 23, 2009, she said: “The victims travelled 4,000 miles to London from rural Kenya in order to issue the claims at the High Court in person and to deliver a letter to the Prime Minister.” They were represented by Leigh, Day & Co which was instructed by the Kenya Human Rights Commission.

One of the claimants, Ndiku Mutua, is quoted in documents given to journalists saying: “I was castrated and tortured whilst I was detained by British prison guards. It devastated my life. To be told that the British Government are claiming this is somehow Kenya’s responsibility is beyond belief. I am not asking for much, I just want an acknowledgement of the torture I was subjected to so that some of my dignity is restored before I die.” Martyn Day, a Senior Partner at Leigh, Day and Company is quoted in the statement read by Wanyeki saying: “It is deeply disappointing that the British Government is refusing to deal with the substance of this case. To seek to pin the liability for British Government torture onto the Kenyan government is an appalling stance for the Government to take and I fear it will seriously affect Britain’s reputation as a champion of human rights.” He adds: “Our concern is that many of these elderly victims will die while this arcane legal point is being argued in the courts.”

Five dead in city accident

Five people died and seven others were injured in an accident involving two lorries on Waiyaki Way, Westlands in Nairobi Tuesday morning.  Eyewitnesses and a policeman who had been directing traffic on the road said the bigger lorry, a Mitsubishi Fuso, was on the Nairobi-bound side of the busy road and appeared to lose control before ramming the smaller Canter.  The Canter had been hired by PowerGen Technologies, a company installing overhead fibre optic cables on power transmission lines, and had 11 workers and their equipment in it.  The traffic policeman said he had seen the bigger truck hurtling down the highway before careering out of control and plunging past the ditch between the two lanes and onto the other side of the busy highway.  He said a 14-seater matatu and a 25-seater minibus successfully avoided colliding with the lorry head-on, but the slow and loaded Canter was not that lucky. It was reduced to a shell and none of its 11 passengers was spared.  The five dead were in the Canter while the Fuso’s driver and turn-boy escaped with injuries. The 9.30 a.m. accident resulted in a huge traffic jam on the road, which is one of the major entry and exit routes into the capital.  - VIDIO - Daily Nation.

Hi Mr. Seed,

You may have noticed a young  Kenya Airways  Pilot in the Obituaries this past week..  His , is a sad tale but one worth narrating because it could save your life:

Martin went for a drink with his buddies last Saturday in some joint in Langata.  At around 11pm, like all young people do, they decided to change the venue and go to Westlands.  Since the other guys had drinks to finish up, Martin decided to proceed to Westlands and jumped into his car- a new Mercedes hardly 6 months old.  As he approached the NIC/Bunyala road roundabout, he noticed his car was losing momentum and it finally stalled in the middle of the road.

He quickly called the buddies he had left in Langata and told them that his car had stalled.  These guys arrived in less than 10 minutes only to find Martin brutally attacked and robbed.  They rushed him to Nairobi Hospital and he underwent emergency operation but unfortunately he died a few hours later.  A senseless loss of young life.

I share this with you so that you may be informed that Uhuru highway is a den of murderous robbers. It is the second time I have heard of such an incident.  The last one was a few months ago when my former colleague was leaving a gym just near the NIC bank. On the same roundabout, a ladies car had stalled at about 9:00pm.  The goons attacked her and were now dragging the kicking and screaming woman into the bush to possibly rape her.  Ken was brave enough to hoot like mad and flash his lights at the guys and they let go of the woman.  He opened his passenger door and she jumped in and they fled to the central police station......
 
May be Martin may still be alive if only he had abandoned his car and run towards Nakumat Uhuru highway where there guards - but this is just a may be! He definitely was not aware that he was in grave danger as he sat in his car to make the call to his friends.

Clearly,  Uhuru Highway  is not a place for your car to stall at night.

Be warned and take!!!!!!!!!  

Rich-poor divide 'wider than 40 years ago'

The gap between rich and poor in the UK is wider now than 40 years ago, a government-commissioned report says. "Deep-seated and systemic differences" remain between men and women and minority groups in pay and employment, the National Equality Panel found. It said in areas such as neighbourhood renewal, taxes and education, policy action was needed to limit inequality. The issues raised would need "sustained and focused action", Equalities Minister Harriet Harman said. "But for the sake of the right of every individual to reach their full potential, for the sake of a strong and meritocratic economy and to achieve a peaceful and cohesive society, that is the challenge that must be met," she added.  Apparent discrimination against people from ethnic minorities was revealed in the report, with those from nearly every minority group less likely to be in paid work than white British men and women. The panel - set up by the government in 2008 - found that despite women up to the age of 44 having better qualifications than men, men were still paid up to 21% more per hour. But the authors pointed out that some of the greatest differences come within social groups. Among women, many work part-time, earning less than £7.20 an hour, much less than the median pay of £9.90 across the country.

"Most political parties and people subscribe to the ideal of 'equality of opportunity'," panel chair Professor John Hills, of the London School of Economics, told the BBC.  "The challenge that our report puts down to all political parties is how do you create a level playing field when there are such large differences between the resources that different people have available to them. "Things that allow you to buy a house in the catchment area of a good school or allow you to help your children get on the housing ladder. These are very big differences." The study said that the type of job and pay a parent had could have a cumulative effect throughout a person's life, setting them on "tracks that make all sorts of differences". By retirement, the difference between rich and poor can be "colossal", the report added. The panel pointed out that half of those who have worked in the top professions have net assets worth more than £900,000, while a 10th of those who have had unskilled jobs have property, savings and possessions worth less than £8,000.

"Vengeance is having a videotape planted in your soul that cannot be turned off. It plays the painful scene over and over again inside your mind...And each time it plays you feel the clap of pain again...Forgiving turns off the videotape of pained memory Forgiving sets you free." - Lewis Smedes - Forgiveness: The Power To Change The Past (article, Christianity Today, January 7, 1983)

Changes to student applications from next month

Home Office, 25 January 2010

From 22 February 2010, any student who applies by post or at one of our public enquiry offices, to study in the UK under Tier 4 of the points-based system must possess a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) from their prospective sponsor. You will not be able to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter from that date, even if the visa letter was issued before 22 February 2010. Until 21 February 2010, you can continue to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter, even if your course of study will start after 22 February 2010. For more information about applying to study under Tier 4 of the points-based system, see the Studying in the UK section of this website.

Hungry puffin holds on in epic food fight

Amazing pictures of seagull stealing a puffin's food from its mouth. We're always first with the big swoops... check out these amazing pictures of a cheeky seagull ruffling the feathers of a puffin as it steals its catch. The photo was taken by amateur snapper Lee Davis on the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast, which is evidently a hotspot for mid-air muggings. The loot in this case was a beakful of sand eels that the puffin had worked hard to catch. But the bird hadn't counted on the crafty seagull, which used the element of surprise and its sheer muscle power to grab most of the eels. It was a totally uneven fight and the puffin flopped disappointedly to the ground once the seagull had made good its escape. Talk about a cliffhanger!

New responsibilities for education providers who sponsor migrants

Home Office, 25 January 2010

The procedure for sponsoring students under Tier 4 of the points-based system will change next month, when phase 4 of Tier 4 begins. From 22 February 2010, visa letters will be obsolete. Tier 4 sponsors will need to use our sponsorship management system to issue confirmations of acceptance for studies (CASs) to all potential students, whether they are applying from inside or outside the UK. From the same date, we will refuse any student applications under Tier 4 that do not contain a CAS number. If you issue a visa letter before 22 February to a student who intends to apply to us on or after that date, you must also issue them with a CAS. If a student has used a CAS in their application to us, their sponsor must use the sponsorship management system to report on that student in any of the circumstances listed on the Reporting page of this website. For more information about Tier 4 sponsors' responsibilities, download the Tier 4 sponsor guidance from the right side of this page. For more information about the implementation of Tier 4, download the Tier 4 implementation plan from the right side of this page.

Chinese proverb: Wise Saying
 "If you want to know your past - look into your present conditions. If you want to know your future - look into your present actions."

Enhancements to the sponsorship management system

Home Office, 25 January 2010

The next scheduled release of enhancements to the UK Border Agency's sponsorship management system will take place on Monday 22 February 2010. The sponsorship management system is a secure IT system, enabling licensed sponsors to bring overseas workers and students to the UK and manage their stay here. Next month's changes have been influenced by consultation with sponsors and feedback from key stakeholder groups. As a result of the changes:

Tier 2 sponsors only

• an A-rated sponsor will be able to confirm that it will support an overseas worker, so that they will not claim public funds;

Tier 2 and Tier 5 sponsors only

• a sponsor will be able to create, assign and pay for certificates in batches (a facility that already exists for Tier 4 sponsors) - this includes e-payment, manual payment, and deferring payment where applicable;
• a sponsor will be able to input an overseas worker's details into a single certificate, based on the worker's previous certificate assigned by that sponsor - some data will be automatically carried over from the previous certificate;
• a sponsor's level 1 user will be able to transfer single, group or batch certificates between the sponsor's users (a facility that already exists for Tier 4 sponsors);

Tier 2, Tier 4 and Tier 5 sponsors

• a sponsor will be able to send a 'sponsor note' telling us about minor changes to a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) or a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) before the overseas worker or student uses it - our staff will be able to view this information when assessing their application to us;
• a sponsor will be able to input the details of a group or batch CoS or CAS, based on the previous CoS or CAS within the group or batch - by carrying over some CoS or CAS data, this will reduce the need to re-input data that are not specific to each overseas worker or student.

These changes and others will be reflected in the sponsor management system user guides and the points-based system policy guidance, which will be updated and published on this website before the changes come into effect.

ANNOUNCEMENT !

NEW EAST LONDON OFFICE LOCATION

Kesom Freight International Limited are pleased to announce the opening of their OWN office in East London. Our Promotion Rates is £3.00 Per Kilo Plus £20 Handling only. Please note that we have ceased our co-operation with Salama international in Forest Gate and can now be found at:

Kesom Freight International Ltd, 380 Ripple Rd, Barking, IG11 9RS

Ayan Mobile. 07946742254,

Jimmy Mobile.  079 4674 2227

Office Tel: 020 8507 9093   

This office replaces the Forest Gate location and can offer a full Freight forwarding service, including Mpesa, Imports, Exports  by air & sea worldwide plus receiving & handling of cargo for our KENYAN consolidation service

 www.kesomfreight.com

Lemon: Benefits & Uses

Cut a lemon in half and use it, with a little salt sprinkled on it, to dean brass and copper items, and stainless steel kitchen sinks.

The UK economy has come out of recession, after figures showed the economy had grown by 0.1% in the last three months of 2009. The economy had previously contracted for six consecutive quarters - the longest period since quarterly figures were first recorded in 1955. There have been recent recovery signs - last week UK unemployment fell for the first time in 18 months. The UK's had been one of the last major economies still in recession. Europe's two biggest economies - Germany and France - came out of recession last summer. Japan and the US also exited recession last year.

Children as young as seven will learn about puberty and sexual intercourse in compulsory sex education lessons, according to official guidance. Pupils will be taught about how boys and girls develop – including the production of sperm and eggs – before they leave primary school, it was disclosed. New-style lessons between the age of seven and 11 will also focus on the importance of strong relationships and marriage – as well as the risks of abuse and domestic violence in the home.

The Daily Express warns that French judges have released 124 illegal immigrants from custody, despite knowing that most would be on their way to Britain. The Daily Mail also leads with Kay Gilderdale's case, and repeats the judge's question over why she was put on trial in the first place. The Metro leads on the care home manager accused of murdering two patients whose medication she had been stealing to feed her addiction.

Five people have been killed after a lorry lost control and rammed into another truck on the opposite side of the dual carriageway in Westlands. Eye witnesses said the accident occurred shortly before 10am. They told reporters at the scene that the driver of the lorry which was ferrying electricity poles from Eldoret lost control and veered into traffic on the other carriageway. A light truck that was carrying about 11 staff from a multi-media company was hit leaving five people dead on the spot. Another five were said to have been wounded and taken to hospital. Gigiri police Chief David Kerina said the driver of the lorry that was ferrying poles fled the scene.

THE WORLD UGLIEST CREATURES.

Left, this is the world's most unattractive creature.  Blobfish grow up to lengths of 12 inches, live at depths of 900m. Because they live so far from the sea surface they're not often seen by humans. Middle, naked mole rats (above) spend most of their lives underground, so looking good luckily doesn't need to be a priority for these pink eyesores. Right, demonic looking Canadian Sphinx cats, meanwhile, but are said to be very affectionate.

Ethiopian Airlines Tuesday said it was "very unlikely" that any survivors would be found among the 90 people flying on one of its jets which crashed into the sea shortly after leaving Beirut. Spokeswoman Wogayehu Tefere also told AFP that 25 bodies had been recovered by foreign military off Lebanon's coast since the Boeing plunged flaming into the Mediterranean, the worst disaster in the airline's long history. "It is very unlikely that we can still recover some survivors. But the search and rescue operations are going on," she said. "So far 25 bodies have been recovered and, according to the first report of our team there, there are six Ethiopian bodies among them, and eight Lebanese. But it has to be confirmed," Wogayehu added. Ethiopian Airlines, which was established in 1946 and operates an all-Boeing fleet, is considered one of Africa's best carriers.

Lebanese soldiers stand next to debris and personal belongings from the plane

Young people in London will be able to apply for a National Identity Card from 8 February. The cards, costing £30, could be used in place of a passport by 16 to 24-year-olds while travelling in Europe, but not outside.

The cards have been rolled out to 2,700 in England

They could also be used as proof of age in UK retail outlets, supporters say. Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said the cost of the card was a "pretty good deal", but Conservative Damian Green described the scheme as "pointless". A study by the Identity and Passport Service showed that more than half of lost and stolen passports were reported by people under the age of 30.

Agriculture Minister William Ruto has blamed Prime Minister Raila Odinga for their differences. Mr Ruto accused the PM of turning his back on him especially after the bungled 2007 General Election. The Eldoret North MP said he sacrificed a lot of his time at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre where the presidential vote-tallying was done and went ahead to negotiate for coalition Government where Raila later became the PM. Ruto was speaking at Kokwet Secondary School in Kipkelion constituency during a funds drive. "I do not have any grudge against the PM whom I fought very hard for to become the Prime Minister. I am surprised he turned his back on me and those who struggled for him following the flawed elections," he said. "If I was selfish and despised the PM then I should not have fought for Raila to become the country’s premier. I was not hungry for power or position, but I wanted the country to have peace," he added.

Peruvian doctors amputated the healthy leg of an 86-year-old man - and then amputated the other leg when they realized their mistake. 'I was shocked when I lifted the sheets and saw they had taken his left leg,' the man's daughter, Carmen Villanueva, told Peruvian radio station RPP. 'The ulcer was on his right leg and they had to amputate that one too to keep the infection from spreading,' she said. The Alberto Sabogal Hospital in the coastal district of Callao just north of Lima said it had suspended the doctors involved in the botched surgery, for a life-threatening ulcer, pending an investigation.

The threat of a terrorist attack has been raised to “severe” amid fears that al-Qaeda is planning a wave of attacks following the Detroit bombings. The decision follows analysis by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), a unit within MI5, and indicates an attack is now "highly likely.” It was made following briefings to the Prime Minister by the heads of the security services MI5, MI6 and GCHQ and a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee.

KENYA HIGH COMMISSION SERVICE CHARTER 2010

It is with great pleasure that I present the Kenya High Commission, London’s Service Charter. The Kenya High Commission, London, was established to promote and enhance Kenya’s bilateral relations with the United Kingdom, Switzerland and our multilateral engagements within the Commonwealth and the International Maritime Organisation. Today, the Kenya High Commission is a product of a paradigm shift in Kenya’s Foreign Policy re-orientation toward Economic Diplomacy as captured in our national development strategy - ‘Vision 2030’ and is based on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Strategic Plan and Foreign Policy. - CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT

Kenyan taxpayers will cough out Sh3.7 billion per year to pay their lawmakers if a proposal by the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution to increase the number of MPs to 356 is accepted. The number includes 54 senators and 12 nominated MPs. If effected, the payment for the MPs would be an extra burden on taxpayers who also cater for the legislators’ continental offices with recreational facilities such as gyms. In a month, the MPs would consume Sh306.5 million in salaries and allowances. The amount would be higher if Parliament adopts the Akiwumi report which recommends a raise of an MP’s pay from the current Sh861,000 to Sh896,000 per month. With the increased pay the leaders would earn about Sh318 million totalling Sh3.8 billion per year. The House team which has been on retreat in Naivasha since Monday, agreed that the Senators will meet four times a year to address regional issues.

The Independent claims a bogus bomb detector used in Iraq and Afghanistan has made its manufacturers millions of pounds at the expense of hundreds of lives. The Daily Mail proclaims the parents of the brothers who attacked the nine-year-old and 11-year-old boys should be brought to justice. The Daily Telegraph leads with the same story, saying Conservative party leader David Cameron is claiming the case is evidence of Britain's 'broken society'.

David Cameron insisted yesterday that the Doncaster torture case where two boys aged just 11 and 12 subjected two kids to a horrific 90-minute torture ordeal, was not an “isolated incident of evil” as he warned that Britain was in danger of becoming an “irresponsible society”. The Conservative leader said that the “truly awful” incident meant people must ask “deep questions” about social breakdown. He was criticised for choosing yesterday, when it was known that sentencing in the Edlington case would happen, to speak about the “broken society” and publish that part of his election manifesto. He delivered an impassioned defence of the Tories’ promise to recognise marriage in the tax system. Saying marriage was not “something we should say quietly, but something we should say loudly and proudly”.

The mother of the victims gestures towards the two boys as they are sentenced for the attack

 US officials will fly to London next week to discuss with ministers how sweeping changes to the banking system outlined by Barack Obama to fight Wall Street's excesses might be implemented in the City. Top Wall Street banks are to face tough limits on their size and will be ordered to dismantle lucrative chunks of their business after the US president responded to a series of political setbacks by turning his fire on a "binge of irresponsibility" by financiers. Just a day after his administration suffered a disastrous defeat in a key Senate byelection, Obama shocked the financial industry by announcing that he intended to prohibit some of banks' most lucrative, yet speculative, activities.

Kenya is to have a powerful president whose authority will be checked by Parliament, the Judiciary and regional governments, a parliamentary team resolved on Thursday. And to deepen the separation between Parliament and the Executive, Cabinet ministers will not be MPs. The agreement on the system of government was reached on Wednesday night by the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution meeting at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha. No formal announcement of the decision was made and the information about the agreement was obtained from interviews with many of the MPs attending the sessions. The meeting is covered by parliamentary rules and members are barred from revealing the discussions. The agreement could be a significant turning point in the country’s failed attempts to write a new constitution in the last two decades.

If your child comes back from the shops with a lamb chop instead of the breakfast rashers you requested, don’t be too surprised. More than a quarter of teenagers believe bacon comes from sheep, not pigs. Almost a third thinks oats grow on trees rather than in fields and just under a fifth believe eggs are a vital ingredient in making bread. ‘It shows how important it is to teach the adults of tomorrow about the food they eat,’ said Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers’ Union. ‘Everyone should know where primary foods like cereals are grown and the role they play as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Republican Scott Brown has won a shock victory in the race for the US Senate seat in Massachusetts left vacant by Democrat Edward Kennedy's death. The result is a huge blow to President Barrack Obama, whose healthcare reform programme is now in doubt. Democrat Martha Coakley conceded she had lost the race after early results gave Mr Brown a healthy lead. The Republican win has robbed the Democrats of their filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate.

This will make it much harder for Mr Obama to pass a healthcare reform bill - the most important domestic policy objective of his first year as president.

Republican Scott Brown's shock victory

 At least 200 people have been killed in violence between Christians and Muslims in the Nigerian city of Jos, says the monitoring group, Human Rights Watch. Troops ordered by Nigeria's vice-president to help police restore order have arrived and are patrolling the streets, enforcing a 24-hour curfew. The fighting, which broke out on Sunday, has prompted thousands of people to flee the city. Houses, mosques and churches have been burnt down and many people arrested. It is believed to be the first time Goodluck Jonathan has used executive powers since President Umaru Yar'Adua left Nigeria for hospital treatment in Saudi Arabia in November.

Nigerian city of Jos

 Microsoft will patch a hole in its Internet Explorer browser which allowed Chinese hackers access to human rights activists' e-mail accounts. The firm normally issues patches at a set time each month but said that the attention the problem had received forced it to move more quickly. It follows the French and German government decision to advise citizens to use other browsers. The bad publicity has allowed rivals such as Firefox to gain market share.

The Daily Telegraph leads on the governor of the Bank of England's warning that families must steel themselves for years of hardship, even though the recession is all but over. The Times says Mervyn King has warned the Chancellor to specify sharp spending cuts in his March Budget or face a backlash from the financial markets.The Daily Express claims that a nationwide revolt against the sale of Cadbury is gathering pace.

A bread maker has been fined after a woman discovered part of an oven glove baked into her slice of bread - and she didn't even notice it until she began eating it.

The Hovis bread in question, complete with bits of 'hessian-type' oven glove

Herefordshire-based Hovis makers Premier Foods were fined £750 after the woman in Northern Ireland discovered the hairy white bread. She had toasted a slice, and had begun to eat it, when she noticed the material. 'We go to great lengths to assure the quality of our great British brands but on this isolated occasion we have fallen short of our usual high standards and apologise for any distress caused to the customer.'

Tot Winnie found alive after 68 hours under rubble

AMAZING - The moment Winnie is plucked from the rubble, left, and ''This is the angel-faced tot being hailed as a miracle of the Haiti earthquake disaster-''Álive'' and clean Winnie, right.

Little Winnie Tilin - just 16 months old - was pulled alive from the rubble of her family's home after 68 HOURS. Her faint moans were heard by chance by a TV crew filming the devastation which has already claimed 50,000 lives. Tragically, among them are Winnie's parents, crushed to death by the falling masonry which amazingly missed her. A further 150,000 are feared dead - and the tot joins the tens of thousands of children orphaned by Tuesday's massive quake in the country's capital Port-au-Prince. Millions more are injured or homeless.

Kenya will have one draft constitution to choose from when they vote in a referendum later in the year.The Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution on Tuesday rejected suggestions that the public be presented with two drafts — one on a parliamentary system of government and another presidential — and vote yes to the one they preferred. In a parliamentary system, the government is led by an executive prime minister while in the presidential system the president is powerful. The chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution, Mr Abdikadir Mohammed, on Tuesday dismissed reports that his team had two drafts as inaccurate. “We have to come out with one draft,” he said. Sources told the Daily Nation that during a meeting to set the rules of procedure in the morning, the MPs ruled out the possibility of a ‘Yes-Yes’ referendum.

London Underground Passengers "Deserve Refund''for Jubilee Closures. A petition has been launched demanding Transport for London provide refunds to commuters because of closures on the Jubilee line.

Jubilee Underground Line

MP Sarah Teather (Lib Dem Brent East) claimed the shutdowns were a result of “basic mistakes” by the capital’s transport authority. The Jubilee Line, which runs from north-west London through to Stratford in the east, has been fully or partially closed every weekend this year as Transport for London carries out upgrades. Ms Teather launched the petition to try to get compensation for ticket-holders who are receiving a service on five days a week instead of seven. She claimed delays completing the work were caused partly by errors, such as laying the wrong type of cable. Ms Teather said: "As a local resident, I am utterly frustrated by these closures. The disruption to the tube is making it impossible for local residents to plan their weekend, and is causing devastation to small businesses that rely on passing trade. "I am furious frankly that local residents are paying the price for tube bosses' incompetence. How on earth did they manage to lay nearly half the length of the Jubilee line with the wrong type of cable without anybody noticing?” The petition can be signed at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/page1329.

Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the review process also refused to cushion the civil society and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights in the new constitution. Clauses referring to religious groups under this chapter, which they described as bulky, were also struck out. The MPs, on the second day of their meeting, were debating the chapter on the Bill of Rights which they were unable to conclude on Monday. They agreed to eliminate from the draft constitution a clause that was likely to pave the way for gay marriages. The 26-member team, which is navigating through the draft constitution, felt the chapter was too detailed with some of the lawmakers describing some of the provisions as redundant and inherently activist. “We overwhelmingly feel that the CoE was overly influenced by NGOs in drafting the chapter. It is not logical to have issues such as rights to water, housing and food,” said a member who sought anonymity. Among other proposals, the chapter proposes that every person has a right to social security, health, founding a family, housing, food, clean water, safe environment, access to quality goods and services, and efficient administrative action. On Tuesday, MPs who debated the chapter for more than five hours, voted to delete sub-clause 42(4) which sought to guarantee women and men equal rights at the onset, during and at the dissolution of a marriage. The decision was reached in spite of protests from women members of the PSC. The committee comprises five women members and 21 men.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua and nominated MP Millie Odhiambo leave the conference room at Great Rift Valley Lodge, Naivasha, on the left,where the Parliamentary Select Committee is discussing the draft constitution, and on the right are Parliamentary Select Committee members, from left, Isaac Ruto, William Ruto and vice-chairman Ababu Namwamba during a break. On Tuesday. Members said only one draft would be put to the vote.

Regarding the same sex, the clause states: “Parties to a marriage are entitled to equal rights at the time of the marriage, during the marriage and at the dissolution of the marriage.” They rejected another sub-clause which sought to guarantee every adult the right to start a marriage. Members argued the clause was a loophole that could be exploited by proponents of same sex marriages. Sub-clause 42 (3) says: “Every adult has the right to found a family.” It is ironical that this open-ended sub-clause comes after one that outlaws gay marriages. Other losers on day two of the six-day retreat were civil society organisations, religious groups and the KNCHR. The MPs are said to have decided that all references to the civil society should be removed and that a provision anchoring the KNCHR in the constitution be removed. “There was consensus that there was no need to have the commission in the constitution since it was already established under an Act of Parliament,” one of PSC members said.

Cadbury will be taken over by US food maker Kraft ending more than 150 years of independence for the British chocolate company. The £11.7bn deal with the maker of Dairy Milk will mark the biggest British takeover since the credit crunch began and one of the most significant in the world. The two companies confirmed that their boards were "finalising the terms of a recommended offer".

Supermarket staff turned their hands to midwifery when a woman gave birth in their store in West Yorkshire. The workers at an Asda store in Wakefield heard a woman in distress in the customer toilets last Thursday. It turned out the mother-to-be, who did not wish to be named, had gone into labour and was in need of medical attention to help deliver her baby. Staff member Les Hepworth, a trained first aider, was guided through the delivery by paramedics over the phone.

Kenya may have new boundaries by March next year, the chairman of a boundary review team said Monday. The chairman of the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission Mr Andrew Ligale said that Kenyans will have access to preliminary maps of constituencies, wards, districts and other administrative units after handing over the report to Parliament. Mr Ligale further unveiled a schedule for public hearings where the general public can present their views on the boundaries they want.

The Financial Times says the Chancellor has asked ministers to identify areas suitable for spending cuts, with the objective of halving the country's deficit "non-negotiable". The Independent claims taxpayers may have to foot the multi-billion pound bill from "fundamentally flawed" IT projects spearheaded by Labour. The Daily Mail says British Airways customers face the threat of a crippling strike which could disrupt Easter holiday plans

Inflation jumped at a record rate in December, official figures show. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) hit 2.9% last month - much higher than expected by the City - compared with just 1.9% in November. The increase is the biggest ever rise in the annual rate of CPI inflation in a single month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The surge was because VAT was unchanged last month compared with the previous December when the Government temporary cut VAT to 15%, the ONS said. Adding to the inflationary pressure was far less discounting from retailers in the run-up to Christmas and unchanged fuel prices, compared with sharp falls a year earlier.

Police have released bizarre CCTV footage of a man repeatedly creeping up behind a supermarket shelf-stacker – to smell his bottom. Officers are treating the incident as sexual assault and are appealing for help in tracking down the mystery man, who has struck at least twice at a Co-op store in Plymouth. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was shocked when he saw the surveillance tape. ‘I had no idea what was going on. I thought it was all a bit strange,’ he said.

CCTV grabs showing a man performing a 'bizarre' sexual assualt on shop workers

 A urologist has been indefinitely barred from inpatient surgery for removing the wrong kidney of one patient and taking a biopsy from another's patient's pancreas instead of a kidney. Dr. Erol Uke has signed the disciplinary ruling from the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, agreeing that his actions justify the board's discipline. The ruling said Uke could regain surgical privileges if the board later determines he's competent to do so. The Star Tribune reported the ruling did not say where the errors happened; just that Uke removed the wrong kidney in March 2008 and performed the erroneous biopsy about four months later. Uke declined comment when reached at home by The Associated Press.

Elderly motorists might face tougher restrictions in order to drive on motorways and busy dual carriageways, a road safety charity has said. The Institute of Advanced Motorists want older drivers to potentially be banned in areas with speed limits over 70 mph to prevent accidents.The proposal comes after analysis of police crash data over seven years showed that elderly drivers were at an increased risk of accidents on motorways or where traffic was moving quickly, the Daily Mail reported.

Elderly drivers to be banned from motorways?

Research from the same study also showed that older drivers were safer than younger ones on 'local' roads, where speed limits are lower. The IAM's director of policy, Neil Greig,told told The daily Telegraph,"'We do not think this should be a blanket ban. "But where there is medical evidence that a motorist could pose a risk to themselves and others, this could be a sensible compromise". They have suggested decisions be made on a case-by-case basis and following medicaladvice and it is expected that drivers would have to prove their fitness to be on the road. Currently, a driving licence is valid until 70 years, at which point it has to be renewed every three years.

The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.

It will take "years" for some UK cities and towns to recover from the recession, a report by the independent think-tank Centre for Cities has said. Areas with highly-educated workforces, including Cambridge and Edinburgh, are well-placed to bounce back, it claimed. But locations including Stoke-on-Trent, Burnley and Newport are suffering because people there are less qualified and there are fewer business start-ups. The gap grew between the top and bottom of the economics rankings, it added. Hull had the highest percentage of people claiming jobseeker's allowance while Cambridge had the lowest - but the gap between the two places nearly doubled in that time.

Patience is the weapon that forces deception to reveal itself. – Dr Mike Murdock

Annual caps on immigration are unnecessary and could exclude people with valuable skills, the Communities Secretary has said. Conservative leader David Cameron has proposed limiting the net number of people who are able to live and work in Britain to the "tens of thousands" a year. He predicted the population would rise to 70 million and put a strain on resources. But John Denham has said the Government does not support the idea as applicants with something to contribute should get the chance to come to Britain. "Suppose the first person after the cap was an international heart specialist?" the Communities Secretary told Sunday Live with Adam Boulton. "We don't think population is going to go to 70 million, so there is a bit of a straw man there," he said.

The Independent devotes its front page to the Haiti earthquake, showing a picture of one of the survivors being pulled from the rubble. Law and order was breaking down in Haiti's capital, the Metro says. "Looting, Shooting and Lynching" is the Daily Telegraph's lead story about events in Haiti.

Britain's big freeze looks set to continue with more snow showers on the way within days, forecasters have said. Milder weather and widespread rain have helped thaw much of the recent snowfall that has caused major travel disruptions across the UK. But the mercury is expected to plummet again, with more of the white stuff sweeping over some parts. Meteorologist Paul Mott said: "It looks like it will turn colder in the mid-part of the week and there is a risk of some wet snow looking ahead to Tuesday night and Wednesday. “There is rain coming from the west and we are expecting that to be preceded by snow in central England and North Wales." He also warned that, despite daylight hours getting warmer, nights will remain frosty, creating hazardous conditions for motorists.

A Kenyan man has died in Houston. 34 year old George Mburu Mwangi, was found dead at home on Saturday morning. According to the deceased’s sister in law, Martha Njuguna who spoke to Jambonewspot from Houston, the late Mburu was living with her as he prepared to join his wife, Rose Njuguna and his 2 year old son, Dylan Mwangi in Canada where they had immigrated to. The late Mburu was in the final stages in his immigration process.

Early that Saturday morning, after Martha did not see or hear from Mburu, she tried waking him up by knocking on his bedroom door. After knocking for a while and the knocks going unanswered, she opened the door only to find the deceased lying on the floor. The deceased had on Friday night, mentioned that he was suffering from some indigestion. The initial reports from the coroner’s office indicate that the late Mburu may have suffered from a heart attack. Family, friends and well-wishers are meeting daily weekdays in the evenings 6pm-10pm for prayers, fund raising and funeral arrangements A bank account for his funeral arrangements has been setup and the details are as follows:

Bank name: Wells fargo

Account name: Martha Njuguna (Sister inlaw) and Mary Kiarie (Inlaw).

Account  # 2503585271

More funeral arrangement and fundraising details will be posted as they become available. For more information contact any of the following: Martha Njuguna- 832-221-2973, Mary Kiarie- 832-887-4805,

Kamau Mutonya-281-235-7773, Caroline Ngugi-281-772-9749

Clifford Oluoch-713-834-2192, Hannah Muthoni-713-264-2925

Clare Wahinya-832-921-9046, Rose Nyanjui-832-660-8482

The Late George Mburu Mwangi

The Kenyan government now says members of Somalia’s militant Al-Shabaab group were involved in Friday afternoon’s protest that left at least five people dead. Internal Security Minister George Saitoti said there were people waving placards belonging to the group and they may have taken advantage of the situation to cause mayhem. He said that an inquiry will be set up “to thoroughly investigate the violence and stern action taken against those involved.” He added: “We know that there are elements sympathetic to the Al-Shabaab and there may be some of them around here. We were watching very carefully since we knew that they wanted to create problems.” “They wanted to create problems but our own people were on the alert and did the best they could. Those elements had planned much bigger mayhem than what you saw yesterday,” Prof Saitoti pointed out.

'Hope' is the headline for The Independent, which shows the distribution of much needed water supplies in Haiti. The Mail on Sunday leads on the 59-year-old British woman who has been offered fertility treatment. In The Observer, the desperate race to get aid to people affected by the quake.

Sultan Kosen, recently officially crowned the tallest man in the world, has met the man who currently holds the title of the world's smallest man - He Pingping. 8ft 1in Turkish farm labourer Kosen took the title of worlds tallest from Metro's long-standing hero Bao Xishun back in September, beating out his Chinese rival by an incredible 10cm. He met He Pingping at an event in Istanbul to mark the launch of the Guinness World Records live road show.

He Pinping, holds onto the hand of Sultan Kosen, the world's tallest man. Kosen and He stand next to each other.

Detectives are investigating the circumstances under which a bomb found its way inside a matatu on transit to Nakuru. The 120 millimeters ordinance bomb was discovered on Thursday afternoon by police during a routine check at Nairobi Central police station. According to central police boss Richard Muguai, the 120 millimeters ordinance bomb was lethal and a security threat to the passengers. Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect as they strive to probe his intentions. Experts from the Bomb Disposal Unit were later called to the scene where they examined the device and described it as a "dangerous mortar propelled bomb.A similar bomb was on Tuesday discovered outside a supermarket in Maua town, occurrences that are bound to raise security concerns over the frequency of such deadly recoveries.

Thousands of people are feared dead after a powerful earthquake struck Haiti's capital, leaving tens of thousands homeless and buried beneath rubble. Dead and injured lay in the streets of Port-au-Prince after the earthquake hit the impoverished Caribbean country on Tuesday, toppling a range of structures including the United Nations building - where everyone in the building at the time is feared dead - and the presidential palace. The tremor, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, struck at 4.53pm (2153 GMT) about 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince at a depth of five miles and is said to be the most powerful to hit the country in more than 200 years, having a force 35 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. Journalists based in Port-au-Prince said the damage from the quake - the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years - was staggering even in a country accustomed to tragedy and disaster.  The scope of the disaster remained unclear early on Wednesday, and even a rough estimate of the number of casualties was impossible. But it was clear from a tour of the capital that tens of thousands of people had lost their homes and that many had perished. Many buildings in Haiti are flimsy and dangerous even under normal conditions.

Even the shanty towns on the outskirts of the city were not spared. [Photo: Matt Marek/American Red Cross]. RIGHT: Haitians walk past destroyed buildings on one side of a street in the capital, while on the other side structures appear relatively undamaged.

The headquarters of the 9,000-member Haiti peacekeeping mission and other UN installations were seriously damaged, according to Alain Le Roy, the UN peacekeeping chief in New York. "Contacts with the UN on the ground have been severely hampered," Mr Le Roy said in a statement, adding: "For the moment, a large number of personnel remain unaccounted for."  President Rene Preval and his wife survived the earthquake, according to Robert Manuel, Haiti's ambassador to Mexico. He said he had no other details.  Karel Zelenka, a Roman Catholic Relief Services representative in Port-au-Prince, told US colleagues before the phone service failed that "there must be thousands of people dead," according to a spokeswoman for the aid group, Sara Fajardo. "He reported that it was just total disaster and chaos, that there were clouds of dust surrounding Port-au-Prince," Ms Fajardo said from the group's offices in Maryland.  US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said in Washington that US Embassy personnel were "literally in the dark" after power failed. "They reported structures down. They reported a lot of walls down. They did see a number of bodies in the street and on the sidewalk that had been hit by debris. So clearly, there's going to be serious loss of life in this," he said.  The International Federation of the Red Cross later estimated that up to three million people have been affected by the earthquake. Spokesman Paul Conneally said the fact that the quake occurred very close to Port-au-Prince was "not a good indicator".

'Thousands dead' in Haiti quake

Thousands of people are feared to have died in the disaster. Civilians, as well as UN workers there to help them, were caught without warning. RIGHT: These before and after pictures of the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince show the earthquake's destructive power.

IMMIGRATION

Have you been in the UK with Temporary Admission within Section 11 of the 1971 Act (IS96) and you have subsequently been granted leave to enter or remain ( discretionary/Humanitarian leave) in the UK and completed 10 years or 14 years?.

 If so seek legal advice. For more information contact: Martyns & Rose Solicitors on, 0208 538 1397/8, 07931 116 124 www.martynsrosesolicitors.co.uk

New York  Taxi Driver Returns $21,000 Left In Cab

A cab driver who spent Christmas Eve driving miles to find an elderly woman who left thousands of dollars in his taxi has refused any reward. Mohammad "Mukal" Asaduzzaman travelled nearly 80km (50 miles) to return more than $21,000 (£13,000) to a forgetful Italian grandmother. Felicia Lettieri, 72, was in New York to visit relatives when she left the cash in his taxi outside the city’s Penn Station. Police had told Ms Lettieri not to get her hopes up that she would be reunited with her money, which was the travelling fund for her and six relatives, as well as passports and jewellery. But while a lesser man might have been tempted to keep such riches, Mr Asaduzzaman, 28, took the high road. The Bangladeshi driver, who is a pre-medical student living in Queens, spent hours searching for his errant passenger. When he found no-one in at the Long Island address he found in her purse, he left his phone number and returned later with the money. Lettieri said of his actions: "It was so beautiful, so kind." Mr Asaduzzaman, an observant Muslim, told the New York Post his philosophy: "When I was five years old, my mother told me, 'Be honest, work hard and you will raise your station.'"

Haiti appears to have had more than its fair share of chaos, poverty and natural disasters. And, as has happened so often in the nation's past, just when the situation was getting better, a fresh catastrophe struck, writes Nick Caistor.Until it was destroyed in the earthquake on Tuesday, Haiti's presidential palace was the most beautiful building in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Gleaming white, its imposing, harmonious structure was a symbol of the promise that has so often been dashed in this country of 10 million inhabitants. The palace is situated on the Champ de Mars, the huge open square down near the port area of Port-au-Prince. This is the centre of the city, where all the main administrative and community buildings are clustered. Many of them, including the cathedral, the main hospital, and the UN peacekeeping headquarters are reported to have been crushed in the worst earthquake to hit the country in more than 200 years. Hundreds may have died here, but the death toll is likely to be even higher in the nearby squalid slums such as Cite Soleil, where tens of thousands of the poorest Haitians live in wooden or tin shacks, with no running water, no sewage systems, and no electricity. Many of these slum dwellers have been forced to come into Port-au-Prince because, if anything, conditions in the countryside are even harsher. Serious malnutrition, Aids, and other chronic diseases are widespread. Haiti occupies the mountainous western third of the island of Hispaniola. When the Europeans first arrived more than 500 years ago, they were amazed at how wooded the country was. Now only some 3% of those original forests remain. The rest have been chopped down for lumber or for charcoal, which is still the most widely used fuel in the countryside.

The couple who share their bed with a deer

Dillie the friendly deer really is one of the family. She knows how to turn lights on and off, gets ice from the fridge dispenser and uses the swimming pool. Oh, and she also likes to share her owners’ bed at night. Four-year-old Dillie was abandoned by her mother and weighed just 1.8kg (4lb) when 48-year-old vet Dr Melanie Butera, from Ohio, rescued her. Dillie is a very quick learner as Dr Butera and husband Steve discovered. ‘This became apparent to us when we came home one day and couldn’t find her downstairs,’ she said. ‘We walked upstairs and found her standing on our bed with our dog.’ Dillie started sharing the Buteras’ bed with their dog Lady. ‘It was quite a cute get-together,’ said Dr Butera. ‘Steve liked the way Dillie warmed his feet up when she lay on them.’ The deer has the run of their estate but is too domesticated to return to the wild and wears a GPS collar. Dillie’s favourite treat is pasta followed by ice cream and coffee, topped off with frozen ice shavings. ‘We just love her to bits,’ said Dr Butera.

A 36 year old Kenyan man was found dead in his apartment in Finlay, Ohio. The body of Mr Francis Peter Mungao was discovered in his apartment on Wednesday, January 6th 2010. According to Mr. Samuel Ng’anga, the younger brother to the deceased, Francis had a day earlier (Tuesday) complained of feeling unwell in a phone conversation with his girlfriend while he was at work. He however continued working until he left work at around 11pm. He is said to have passed through a fast food restaurant where he took home a food order. Francis did not show up at his place of work the following morning where he was scheduled to attend a meeting at around 8am. This was a cause for concern for his manager as it was unlike him. When he did not show up later on, his manager went to look for him at his place of residence. After knocking the door with no answer, the manager sought to enquire from a neighbor on whether he had been seen on that day. The neighbor had not seen him and so they called the apartment manager so that they could have access to the apartment. At around 4.30 pm, the manager arrived and was able to get access to the apartment. It is at this point that they found the deceased on the floor. The police were called in and arrived at the scene at around 6pm. Initial ruling from the coroner’s office is that Francis suffered a seizure considering the position he lay when his body was found. According to Mr. Ng’ang’a, the deceased had a history of seizures for the past one and a half years. Prior to coming over to the US, Mr.Mungao was in Britain until 1999. He graduated from the University of Finlay with a master’s degree. He was the son of Grace Wanjiru Gachungi of Magiwa Estate Nairobi, Brother to Samuel Mwaura of Cincinnati Ohio, brother in-law to Jane Nyakio Mwaura (USA) and brother to Christine Wairimu London (UK). Friends and family are meeting daily for prayers at Samuel Mwaura’s residence at 4820 Crosskey Dr. South Lebanon Ohio Apt 101 45065. The account is Wachovia bank: Samuel Mwaura 061000227 1010075530332. For more information, please contact: Samuel Mwaura- 513-376-5554, Jen Mwaura- 513-3288270, Jammy Kitanga-937-825-4698 and Nelly njoki-513-886-7691. - Jambonewspot

The late Francis Peter Mungao

London, Wednesday 13th January, 2010. Fresh blanket of snow covers London bringing more travel chaos. Motorists, air and rail passengers were plunged into more travel misery today as fresh snowfalls wrecked journey plans. Gatwick, Southampton, Birmingham, Cardiff and London City Airports' runways were shut, commuter train services were badly affected and major roads were closed. For the first time this winter, snow settled in central London, although the capital's Tube and bus services were running almost normally. The big hope was that the early-morning snow would turn to rain so transport services could get back to a semblance of normality. The Gatwick runway was closed at 3am and staff at the West Sussex airport were busy clearing snow. A spokesman for the airport said: "We are making good progress but there could be further snowfall." All Tube lines were running at a normal service or with minor delays. On the roads, the A66 was closed in both directions between the A685 near Brough in Cumbria and the A67 at Bowes in County Durham. A section of the A628 in Derbyshire's Peak District was also shut, while snow also caused the closure of the M48 Severn Bridge. A number of roads in the Scottish Highlands were closed, while in Oxfordshire farmers joined in the snow-clearing operation on the roads. There was a spate of accidents on icy roads in West Yorkshire. One person was taken to hospital after a car went down an embankment and ended up on the roof of a factory in Meltham, near Huddersfield. On the railways, some passengers caught in a five-hour delay on services run by the Southern train company last week were again involved in a big hold-up today due to a broken-down train near Oxted in Surrey.

Another broken-down train led to delays of up to 90 minutes for passengers on South West Trains services, while buses had to replace trains between Effingham Junction and Guildford in Surrey. On the East Coast Main Line, buses replaced trains between Inverness and Perth in Scotland, while trains were not running between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central. A reduced service ran between Leeds and London. On First TransPennine Express, there were no services between York and Newcastle. London Overground was unable to run services between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, Richmond and Willesden Junction and Camden Road and Stratford. On Southeastern, buses replaced trains between Paddock Wood and Strood, while there were delays of up to 40 minutes on some Kent services. Southern reported disruption on all routes, including services between Three Bridges and Brighton and between Selhurst and West Croydon. Heathrow Airport reported the cancellation of 84 flights today, both arrivals and departures. Delays on other services were also expected, with passengers advised to check with their airline before setting out. A Heathrow spokesman said the airport had been hit with a "fair amount of snow" which was continuing to fall this morning. He said the majority of the cancellations were short-haul and domestic flights. He added: "The airport remains open. We have a team of 50 people, with 69 different vehicles, who have been clearing the runways, taxiways and parking stands."

Thousands feared dead in Haiti earthquake

Survivor: a woman is pulled from rubble after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit HaitiSurvivor: a woman is pulled from rubble after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti.

Presidential palace has not been spared

Nairobi, Wednesday 13th January, 2010. PNU rejects hybrid system The Party of National Unity is now accusing the Committee of Experts of ignoring the views submitted by Kenyans in the revised draft constitution.  The Party members who met on Wednesday at a Nairobi hotel maintained that they supported a presidential system with effective and sufficient checks and balances that safeguard against abuse of power.  Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said the party was against the hybrid system proposed by CoE. "It is very clear that Kenyans have stated that they want to directly elect their leaders. At no time have Kenyans contemplated that their right to elect their leader would be taken away and bequeathed to parliamentarians" the VP said. He added" we reject the mongrel hybrid proposed in the draft which would be a recipe for conflict and chaos" Kalonzo wondered why the CoE had not shared with members of public the Hansard record on deliberations as required by the law. "The PNU coalition has instructed its secretariat to write  to the draft experts demanding to receive copies of the 1.7 million views as well as the Hansard record" said Kalonzo The party also faulted the revised draft law saying it was inconsistent and would perpetuate conflicts. "The draft still remains a critique of the current constitution and not a viable replacement and at times downright contradictory " The VP said they still supported a devolved system that guarantees Kenyans equitable resources fo development. Kalonzo who was flanked by Ministers Beth Mugo, Uhuru Kenyatta, George Saitoti said they will continue with negotiations with the grand coalition management team as well the parliamentary select committee to build consensus to realize a new constitution.  PNU and ODM have sharply differed over the system of government. ODM is pushing for a parliamentary system. PSC retreats to Naivasha this weekend to iron out contentious and sticky issues in the Harmonized Draft presented to it last Friday.

The Management Committee on Grand Coalition Affairs is yet to agree on a common position.

Well-covered bum and big hips 'good for health'

Having a well-covered behind, big hips and solid thighs "is good for you", experts said on Tuesday in a new finding likely to delight women the world over. Carrying fat on the hips, thighs and bum, rather than around the waist, has a range of health benefits and actively protects against diabetes and heart disease, researchers at Oxford University said. "Fat around the hips and thighs is good for you but around the tummy is bad," said Dr Konstantinos Manolopoulos, one of three scientists behind the research which has been published in the International Journal of Obesity. A big bottom is much better than carrying fat around the waist, which tends to release more harmful fatty acids into the body, the research shows. Belly fat also releases molecules called cytokines which trigger inflammation - raising the risk of diabetes and heart disease. But fat carried on the thighs traps these harmful fatty acids and stops them from latching on to the liver and muscles and causing range of health problems, including insulin resistance. Although fat around the thighs and backside tends to burn slower and be harder to shift, it can release beneficial hormones which protect the arteries and help blood sugar control, the research showed. "The idea that body fat distribution is important to health has been known for some time," said Manolopoulos, who is a researcher at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM). "However is it only very recently that thigh fat and a larger hip circumference have been shown to promote health, that lower body fat is protective by itself." It is shape that matters - and as far as health is concerned, being 'pear-shaped' is much preferable to being 'apple-shaped'. In an ideal world, the more fat around the thighs the better - as long as the tummy stays slim, Manolopoulos said. "Unfortunately, you tend not to get one without the other," he said.

One of 35 works by Chinese artist Cai Quo-qiang is displayed at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, which begins on 14 February. RIGHT: Residents in the south of the Somali capital Mogadishu extinguish a fire that engulfed a camp for displaced people and left hundreds without shelter.

Some people are misusing the message board - see below:

It is very sad to see some crazy people trying to misuse the Message Board.  The message below was posted in our message board and we wanted to trace who has posted this message because he had left his telephone number. When we contacted the number we found it is a person from Zaire. We did not waste time arguing with him but it seems that a Kenyan has introduced him to the website - how did a Zairean came know that there was Kibiru Mugo Kibiru - a Kenyan has guided him to the message board. We will not let anyone misuse the message board and we have hence blocked this person.

THE MOST RIGHTEOUS ,TRUTHFUL AFRICAN SPIRITUAL HEALER

January 13 2010 at 11:05 AM                                                        Kibiru Mugo Kibiru

My over 30yrs experience have given me ability to help you.
If you are a victim of-:
BUSINESS DIFFICULTIES
FAMILY TROUBLES
WORK EMBARRASSMENT
BLACK MAGIC, WITCHCRAFT OR BAD LUCK
LOVE, MARRIAGE OR ANY RELATION PROBLEMS

I can very easily bring happiness back into your life


CALL ME FOR AN ANSWER ANY TIME ON 079132
Or email me for an appointment

God bless women

Think of this woman and her day's duty: Wake up in the morning feed the children and the man of the house because every house has it's man of the day - wash the children, carry the baby, fetch water with several miles away, cook for the family, wash the house... the list is endless ....after retiring for the day another job awaits her ....God bless the women

London, Tuesday 12th January, 2010. Summer In An Aussie City: 34C At Midnight. While the big freeze hits Britain, Australians are doing all they can to keep cool - after a heatwave pushed midnight temperatures to a record 34C. By 6am on Tuesday the mercury had not moved much, dropping only to 32C.The overnight temperatures equalled the record of February 1, 1902. "It's probably the most uncomfortable night I've ever had Down Under," said British ex-pat Andrew Jefferson, who now lives in Ballarat, west of Melbourne. During the day, temperatures soared to 43C (109F). A cool change was forecast for Wednesday and the summer nights were expected to get down to a balmy 17C. Tennis stars in town preparing for the Australian Open have also been feeling the heat. Andy Murray has been applying much-needed sunscreen at training, after getting sunburnt last week. A message posted on his Twitter page says: "7.30 in the evening here and its 39 degrees. Hitting in 43 degrees is interesting..." Locals experienced the same sort of problems that affected thousands of Britons last week, with rail services disrupted and homes left without power. Electricity companies' equipment failed in the oppressive heat, leaving more than 30,000 customers in the dark and without air conditioning. Sweaty commuters were left stranded after hundreds of trains were delayed or cancelled on Monday. Rail officials blamed faulty air conditioners, train breakdowns and sagging power lines. The heat also means an increased threat of bushfires, with three southern states under "catastrophic" level warnings.

People in Melbourne hit the beach after dark as the southern city experienced its hottest night in more than 100 years.

'Shocked' Woman Drove With Body In Windscreen

A Japanese woman has been arrested after driving for four miles with the body of an 80-year-old pensioner lodged in her car windscreen. Michiko Sato struck the elderly woman in the early hours of Sunday morning, but continued the drive to her home north of Tokyo. Police called at the 23-year-old's home to find the body still sticking out of the car's shattered windscreen. It was only when Sato's boyfriend reported the incident to the police that she was arrested. "The suspect said she was so shocked that she didn't know what to do," a police spokesperson said. The catering school student was charged with causing a traffic accident resulting in death and leaving the scene of an accident. If convicted, Sato faces up to 17 years in prison or a fine of up to £13,500.

Britain braced for more snow

London, Tuesday 12th January, 2010. Agencies responsible for the supply and distribution of grit are due to hold another salt summit as forecasters warn of more snow on the way. Drivers continue to face hazardous conditions on the roads as authorities cut back on gritting as supplies run critically low.Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said the Highways Agency and local authorities agreed to reduce salt use on roads by "at least 25 per cent" with further measures to conserve salt likely to be introduced later this week. But shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said the Government had failed to learn the lessons of the last spell of heavy snow in February 2009. And the wintry weather looks set to continue for the next few days before a slight thaw sets in as the mercury begins to rise later in the week. On Monday, snow and ice continued to cause problems on the trains, with many rail firms operating revised timetables and Eurostar running a restricted service. Britain's airports were open but passengers were warned to check with their airline before leaving home. Teenagers across England managed to sit crucial A-level and GCSE exams as many schools reopened their gates despite facing icy conditions

Kenyans using 15m condoms monthly

Couples and those in stable relations are increasingly under the danger of HIV infection. And as a measure for the success of anti-Aids drive, Kenyans are now using 15 million condoms monthly up from seven million. According to the UNAids Executive Director Michel Sidibe and Public Health Minister Beth Mugo, nearly half of new infections are occurring among couples. "Startlingly, the spread of HIV among men and women in committed relationships now accounts for 44 per cent of new infections. Clearly, a new approach is needed to reach those traditionally considered not at high risk" said the director. He said evidence showed couples in danger to include the gay, drug addicts, sex workers and their partners. He said these groups account for a third of the new infections. "At least 400,000 infants in Kenya are born with the virus. In 2008, more than 32,000 babies started life with mortality hanging over them. There is no reason for another child to be born with HIV when we have the knowledge and resources to eliminate vertical transmission," said Sidibe.  Mugo stunned the audience at KICC with a revelation that Kenyans were consuming a total of 15 million condoms monthly.  "This success is attributed to the involvement of community based groups and networks in condom distribution," said the Minister. She said 320,000 Kenyans are on anti-retrieval treatment including 28,000 children. The minister said between October and December last year, 35,000 men were circumcised in Nyanza. She said her ministry and other stakeholders were targeting 1.2 million men by 2013. Speaking on behalf of People living with Aids, Mr Tom Otuoma said the group appreciates the continued support from the Government and the development partners. He, however, said the implementation of the newly launched plan must have the input of the infected. - The Standard.

An American in London: Gwen Stefani in a Puffa jacket by Comme des Garçons and beanie and on right Shaggy story: Pixie Geldof survives the London cold in a Mulberry Mongolian lamb coat.

China edged past Germany in 2009 to become the top exporter, yet another sign of its rapid rise and the spread of economic power from West to East. China is on track to overtake Germany as the world's biggest exporter after the latest figures showed a sharp rebound in exports last month. China on Monday unveiled a 17.7pc rise in exports in December compared with a year earlier, the first monthly increase in 14 months. The figures provided some cheer to Chinese factories, which have been struggling against the global downturn. The key markets of the United States and Europe, which together form the destination for more than half of China's exports, both picked up strongly. Overall, the value of China's exports fell by 16pc in 2009 to $1.2 trillion (£746bn), official figures showed. Germany exported goods worth 734.6bn euros (£660bn) in the first 11 months of 2009 - down a steep 19.9pc on the same period in 2008. Monday's data echoes figures released last week from Global Trade Information Services which showed that China shipped products worth $957.7bn in the first 10 months of 2009, while Germany sold goods worth $917.7bn. "One thing is for sure, China is the leading exporter globally," said Zhang Yansheng, director of the Institute of Foreign Trade of the National Development and Reform Commission, to the state media.

However, analysts cautioned that the strong year-on-year growth in Chinese exports should be put into context: the comparison month of December 2008 was a dire one for trade, as the economic crisis brought factories and shipping companies to a standstill. Stephen Green, an economist at Standard Chartered, said that strong month-on-month growth in China's exports were a better measure of the health of the economy, but had not yet been published by the authorities. He estimates that exports grew by 14.7pc between November and December, with "processing exports", or exports made with imported materials, strengthening strongly. "We expect continued improvement in trade on the back of a revival in global demand," he said. The seemingly strong trade figures are likely to increase calls for China to revalue the yuan upwards, although the central leadership has made it clear that it does not intend to do so in the near future.  Meanwhile, an official confirmation has arrived that China is now the world's largest car market, overtaking the United States in annual vehicle sales for the first time. Vehicle sales in China rose by 46pc in 2009 to 13.6m units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. In the US, sales slumped 21pc to 10.4m units, the lowest total since 1982.

Thousands stranded as ‘knock-on effect’ hits Heathrow and Gatwick airports

Thousands of passengers remained stranded at London's airports today as more than 100 flights were cancelled. At least 112 cancellations of flights in and out of Heathrow were announced while 13 more were axed at Gatwick. The majority of cancelled flights were short-haul and domestic. British Airways was among the airlines affected, with departing flights including those to Madrid and Toulouse cancelled. Arrivals including those from Dallas, Basel, Zurich and Rome were axed. A spokesman for Heathrow said the disruption was due to “a knock-on effect” from last week's extreme weather.  Robert Percy. 48, his wife and two children from Twickenham have been stranded in Spain for five days after their flight to Gatwick was cancelled. He said: “This trip has cost us £800 extra so far and easyJet are no help whatsoever. My wife and daughter have been tears. We just want to get home.” With an overnight low for London expected to reach minus 1C, the Met Office warned drivers to beware of ice. Councils across the capital continued to spread grit as “thinly as possible” to preserve stocks, while one council said the shortage is so extreme that thieves have been stealing the contents of grit bins to sell at inflated prices. Bosses at Bexley council have now ordered workers to stop refilling the grit bins, which are used by staff to treat pavements in busy shopping areas and outside key locations.

They were all filled more than a week ago, but a high proportion were reported to be empty even before the latest snowfalls. Grit thieves are also suspected to have struck in Sutton where many of the 150 public bins are now empty.  On the trains, thousands of rail commuters face a further week of disruption and overcrowding — this time caused by fewer carriages. Many carriages were damaged by last week's conditions so rail companies are now running services with four cars instead of eight or eight instead of 12. Southeastern, the busiest commuter operator, confirmed “some trains will have fewer carriages than they usually do over the next week or so” and warned of possible delays and cancellations. Problems are either electrical, when motors overheat as trains struggle to get a grip on the icy rails, or due to problems with the wheels as they slide along the track. Southern, which includes the Brighton line, said cancellations and delays continued for longer distance services from the Sussex coast with the reduced timetable still in force. South West Trains, Chiltern, East Coast, First Capital Connect (Thameslink,) and National Express East Anglia/Stansted Express also reported short notice delays and cancellations. Passengers with tickets for Eurostar were advised to cancel or postpone their journeys. The company operated a reduced service today with late evening services cancelled. Goldhawk Road Tube station was closed this morning due to ice damage on the platform.

A student has been found guilty of murdering his classmate's wife with a meat cleaver

Roshan Dantis and the victim Khusbu Shah

A student has been found guilty of murdering his classmate's wife with a meat cleaver and chopping up her body. Roshan Dantis, 30, was convicted of killing 23-year-old Khusbu Shah by the High Court in Glasgow. The Nepalese student's body was found on June 1 last year dumped near her home in the city. Dantis, who studied business and technology at Strathclyde University with Mrs Shah's husband Nagendra, was also found guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice for trying to cover up the crime. And he was convicted of attempting to extort £120,000 and a television set from Mr Shah. The jury took less than two hours to return unanimous guilty verdicts on all three charges. Dantis moved to the UK with his wife Astrid in September 2008 to further his studies. The Indian engineering graduate enrolled on a business and technology course where he met Mr Shah. He had previously worked in the banking industry in his home country and in Dubai. The pair became friends and through him Dantis met Khusbu Shah. The trial heard how he got a taxi to the couple's home in Coventry Drive, Dennistoun, on the morning of June 1, giving the driver the false name Abdul. He is then thought to have launched his assault, strangling her, before cutting her head and hands off. Dantis put his victim's body in a blue holdall which he had bought from Argos the week before and which was later found dumped in bushes behind the flat. Plastic bags containing Mrs Shah's head and hands, the cleaver, a towel, disposable gloves and a blood-stained hooded top were concealed in a railway embankment at a footpath between Whitevale Street and Bathgate Street. Mr Shah tried contacting his wife at 11.55am as he was supposed to be meeting her at lunchtime. Later that day he received a text message from Mrs Shah's phone which read: "We have ur wife. Don't call police. We are watchin u. "If anyone is told we will kill her and u."

Saudi throws Kenyan maid out of top floor window

A Kenyan woman is accusing her Saudi employer of throwing her out of a third floor window, breaking her legs and hands. Another maid, just rescued by relatives, said she had to live on dog food because her employers neither fed her nor allowed her out of the house. Ms Fatma Athman, of Kisauni, Mombasa, returned to the country last week with broken limbs and stories of near-slavery in Saudi Arabia where she was employed as a maid last May. She was lucky, she said, she landed in a swimming pool and not on the pavement. Now she is dependent on others to help her even with the simplest of chores.  “I and one of my friends were asked by Saudis who visited Kenya eight months ago to go with them. We organised everything through the Kenyan embassy — our agent — and we got documents to travel to the Middle East on May 2 last year,” she said. On arrival, she said, she was discriminated against and required to work 22 hours a day.  She also says she would be subjected to a torrent of abuse for the slightest mistake. “I used to sleep for only two hours and I ate left-overs. That was really slavery,” she said in tears. Susan Wanjiku, 29, has a story of similar mistreatment. The mother of two was promised a salary of Sh16,000 to work as a maid in Jeddah. “I thought I would make money and come back home when I had enough to sustain me and my children,” she said during an interview at Nation Centre at the weekend. - Daily Nation.

Passengers remove trousers for No Pants Subway Ride

Despite a cold snap across much of the northern world, users of public transit systems in a number of cities took off their trousers for No Pants Day.  The event, which began in New York City in 2002, sees participants with bare legs mingling with other passengers. Organisers Improv Everywhere say 3,000 people took part in New York with more in 43 other cities in 16 countries. The group says its mission is to cause "scenes of chaos and joy in public places". Participants were told to meet at a designated train station fully clothed before boarding and removing their trousers. People are urged to keep a straight face, act normally and not acknowledge other people without trousers. One of the organisers in Washington, DC, said "there's not really any point or any cause" to the event. "We're just trying to put smiles on people's faces," Bruce Witzenburg told the Washington Post. With temperatures hovering around freezing in Edmonton, Canada, participant Sarah Jackson said she felt liberated by the event. "People you know look around, they're curious and interested and for some reason I feel incredibly comfortable in my underwear on the LRT," she told CTV News. On its website, Improv Everywhere said groups from Adelaide, Australia, to Zurich, Switzerland had organised their own No Pants Subway Rides. - VIDEO

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON TUESDAY 12TH JANUARY 2010

LEFT: The Guardian says top universities believe Government spending cuts could bring them to their knees. CENTRE: The Daily Express reports that workers from the EU are coming to Britain so they can claim UK pensions. RIGHT: The Herald reports a student has been found guilty of murdering his university classmate's wife, chopping off her head and hands and trying to extort £120,000 from her husband.

London, Monday 11th January, 2010. UK thaws, but weather fight remains. A slight thaw was seen in some areas on Monday morning but forecasters predicted below-freezing temperatures and show showers would continue until the middle of the week. Snow and ice continued to cause problems on the trains, with many rail firms operating revised timetables and warning passengers to expect last-minute cancellations. Eurostar was also running a restricted service and recommended passengers cancel or postpone their journey if it was not essential. Britain's airports were open but passengers were warned to check with their airline before leaving home as there was still some knock-on disruption to flights. The Met Office warned of widespread icy roads across most of England on Monday morning, snow showers in the South West and possible heavy snow in Northern Ireland. It also warned of "treacherous" conditions in Wales after snow and sleet fell on to already frozen roads. Gritting was limited to major roads in most areas as grit stocks fell after daily usage reached around 60,000 tonnes. Local authorities were being forced to cut their use by a quarter while the Highways Agency was not gritting the hard shoulder of motorways. The Highways Agency has placed large orders for imports of salt which should start arriving towards the end of the month. A fleet of lorries has already started delivering 12,000 extra tonnes of de-icing salt made available by chemicals firm Ineos. The salt, due to be delivered to Wilhelmshaven in Germany, was diverted for use in the UK after emergency requests. Fifty trucks left the firm's depot in Runcorn, Cheshire, on Sunday morning, with another 50 scheduled to deliver more supplies on Monday. The salt will be supplied to some of the worst-hit areas including Pembrokeshire in South Wales, East Yorkshire, Fife, Gloucestershire, Bradford and Sheffield.

Has the prophesy being fulfilled?

Photo taken in 1928 by a British photographer, Mr. Hudson of Box 58, Nairobi

In 1892, when Chief Njiiri wa Karanja was 12 years old, he was sent by his father to go and escort a Kikuyu prophet by the name of Chege wa Kibiru well know by Kikuyus as Mugo wa Kiburu from his Ngabuya Village, Kariara Location near Gatura town. The village was next to the Aberdare's forest at the boundary of Murang'a and Kiambu Districts. When they arrived at Njiiri's Kinyona Village, the prophet asked Njiiri to bring him 13 sticks equivalent to the 13 prophesies he was to deliver. On his eighth prophesy the man said: "Nîgûgaciarwo ciana, itagakorwo na gîtîo na aciari ao ona kana Ngai, makendaga maûndû ma ûgeni gûkîra mao." Meaning - there will come a time when children will be born, who will lack respect with their parents nor with God. Their minds will be brain washed to love foreign culture than their own culture." - All the 13 prophesies are coming up in the book which Mr. Seed is writing.

'Pet' Siberian Tiger Mauls Owner To Death

An elderly man has died after being mauled by the Siberian tiger he kept at his home in Canada. Norman Buwalda, 66, was attacked by the 295kg animal after entering a cage to feed it on Sunday afternoon, police in the town of Southwold, Ontario, said. Officers were called after his body was found by a member of his family, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported. "We don't know what prompted the attack at this time, because there were no witnesses," police spokesman PC Troy Carlson said. "My officers tell me the tiger was pacing back and forth in his pen. If that means it was agitated, I couldn't tell you." Mr Buwalda, chairman of the Canadian Exotic Animal Owner's Association, was not thought to have been wearing protective clothing. "He was known in the community for having exotic animals. He also had a second tiger for a time," PC Carlson added. It was believed he held the legal permits to keep the exotic animal and may have sold others to zoos. "It is a little strange to keep such wild animals, but everything seems to be in order. I can't say if the tiger will be put down. It's a wild animal, not a pet. "The circumstances are complex to say whose fault it was at this point." Mr Buwalda had also spent several years locked in legal fights with his neighbours who had expressed fears about the animals he kept.

Life at Karahari desert

Labour party "poor" or "terrible" says a survey

UK Prime Minister, Gordon  Brown is dealt a stinging blow today as a massive Sun poll spells out Britain's fury at his government.  In our state of the nation survey - the most definitive since Labour came to power in 1997 - nearly half of voters brand the party "poor" or "terrible". It was savaged on vital general election issues, from the economy to crime. The results come with Mr Brown still reeling from last week's failed leadership coup. Voters blasted the Government on the big issues of the economy, education, welfare, crime, immigration and Afghanistan. Only on the NHS did Labour score positively and then only just. A mere ten per cent thought health care was much better than in 1997, despite the billions pumped into it. Almost half of the 10,344 Britons quizzed believed Labour's rule had been "poor" or "terrible". Just one in six reckoned it had been "good" or "excellent". Worryingly for Gordon Brown, even Labour voters were critical. Barely half gave his party the thumbs up and fewer than one in ten rated it excellent. Our survey, carried out by pollsters YouGov, grilled voters from all regions, age groups and social grades.

It is ten times the size of normal opinion polls and is the biggest political survey since last June's Euro-elections. It comes with Mr Brown having a maximum of 20 weeks in which to go to the country - and it gave the Tories a vital 12 per cent lead. David Cameron's party received 42 per cent support with Labour trailing on 30 and the Lib Dems on 16. Most damaging for the Prime Minister is what the public think of his handling of the ECONOMY. Mr Brown, who took over from Tony Blair in 2007, hopes to persuade voters he has steered Britain safely through the longest recession since records began. But the survey shows that, instead, his government is widely thought to have caused it. Some 44 per cent of Britons feel worse off than when Labour came to power, compared with 28 per cent who felt richer. One in five quizzed said they were currently, or had been, jobless and one in four said UNEMPLOYMENT had hit their immediate family. A third were either "very" or "fairly" worried that they might lose their jobs soon. And a massive 94 per cent thought school, college and university leaders will find it hard this summer to get a job matching their qualifications.

Meanwhile more than half of voters now fear IMMIGRATION will cause problems for them and their family over the next few years. Issues about the three million migrants who have come to Britain during Labour's rule were particularly important to the over-55s and lower social grades. On EDUCATION, a third thought state schools had gone downhill while just a quarter said they had improved. Even parents who were positive gave credit to local teachers rather than the Government. Asked about the NHS, voters complained about postcode lotteries, poor management and superbugs. The only bright spot pinpointed was shorter waiting times. Interestingly, men tended to think care has got better since 1997 while women were more sceptical.

On WELFARE, four out of five people quizzed thought the benefits culture is now a major problem. When the Tories were in power little more than half agreed. Almost half of those asked thought CRIME had soared since 1997, compared with 15 per cent who thought it had dropped. This is despite official figures showing that while violence is up, crime has fallen overall. A major concern was knife crime. One adult in three said it is was unsafe to walk in their nearest town centre at night - including one in four of all men under 35. Four out of five voters thought Asbos have had no effect on crime rates or have even made the problem worse, and three out of four said the police have "far too much unnecessary paperwork". When it came to Iraq and AFGHANISTAN, only 13 per cent said our servicemen and women were being treated in the right way and 70 per cent said much more still needed to be done. The survey - the most wide-reaching in five years, and the most definitive since 1997 - is devastating to Mr Brown, still reeling from a challenge on his leadership last week.

New twist as Muslim preacher Faisal brought back to Kenya. The saga surrounding controversial Jamaican Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal took a new twist after he was deported back from Nigeria. The cleric was transiting through Nigeria to the Gambia where he would have been put on an onward flight to his country Jamaica. Al-Faisal was deported on Thursday morning to Gambia through Nigeria but on reaching Lagos, a flight that was supposed to fly him to Banjul declined to take him. His lawyer in Nairobi Mbugua Mureithi who was on Sunday accompanied by Muslim human rights leaders said he was deported back to Kenya on Saturday morning 9th January, 2010. Al-Faisal spoke to the leaders on the phone from Industrial Area Prisons remand on Sunday evening. Commissioner of Prisons Isaiah Osugo said Al-Faisal was being held in one of the prisons facilities and explained that the Minister of Immigration has powers to commute to jail anyone who has been denied entry to any country, like the case of Faisal.

Other sources said Al-Faisal was taken to Industrial Area on Saturday evening after Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’ ordered so. Al-Faisal confirmed he had agreed to go to Gambia where he was supposed to make his way to Jamaica. He said he had been questioned by immigration and police officers regarding his presence in Kenya. Kajwang’ told the media last Thursday that Al-Faisal had been deported to Gambia. "As I speak now he is in Banjul. He requested to be taken there and after authorities in Gambia agreed to receive him we did what was required," said Kajwang’. The minister said Kenya decided to arrest and deport Al-Faisal after his name appeared on the international terror watch list. It was after negotiations that Kenya Airways agreed to fly him to Nigeria.  Al-Faisal who has called for Americans, Hindus and Jews to be killed, traveled from Nigeria through Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Tanzania by road before coming to Kenya. He served four years in Britain for inciting murder and stirring racial hatred. - The Standard.

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF SNOW

The new Kenya High Commissioner in London, H.E. Ephraim Waweru Ngare and his wife, Mrs. Jane Ngare, posing with Mr. Sam Ochieng of Sahara Communities Abroad (Left), and on the right, posing with the High Commissioner, is Mr. Seed.

DO YOU KNOW?: A quarter million Standard Eight leavers cannot access Form One places due to lack of space in school in Kenya this year

METHALI YA KISWAHILI

Masikini akipata matako hulia mbwata.

When a poor man gets something he boasts of his new wealth.

"The one who pursues revenge should dig two graves." - Allen C. Guelzo - Fear Of Forgiving (article, Christianity Today, February 8, 1993)

Rev Timothy Kamau Nyenjeri buried in Kijabe

Former President Moi (right) seems to have amused Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) and the Nakuru town MP Lee Kinyanjui as he chatted with them at the AIC Kijabe Mission Church in Lari after attending a requiem mass for the late Rev. Timothy Kamau Nyenjeri seen, on the right, with Mr. Duncan K. Kamanu at A.I.C Ziwani, Nairobi where they had attended Pastor & Mrs Nick Andefwa's wedding on 19.12.09. Rev Nyenjeri, who was born on 31st May 1922 and died on 2nd January, 2009, hosted the first Christian ‘Wimbo Niupendao’ programme at KBC. He was the first black radio broadcaster, and for most of you who lived in Kenya, Rev. Kamau was known by many for his program “Wimbo Ni Upendao” a Sunday after show. He was father to Dr. Teddy Kamau chief editor of Kenya Empowerment Newspaper. The late Rev. Timothy Kamau was buried at the Kijabe cemetery on Saturday 9th January 2009. Moi asked the Government to build more secondary schools to absorb all primary school students.

Indian girl cries tears of blood

This is the girl who has baffled top doctors because she spontaneously BLEEDS from her pores up to 50 TIMES a day.  Twinkle Dwivedi, 14, has strange disorder which means she loses blood through her skin without being cut or scratched. Terrified Twinkle has even undergone transfusions after pints of it seeped through her eyes, nose, hairline, neck and soles of her feet. Dr George Buchanan, a leading haematologist who has worked in Britain, travelled to India to look into the startling case. The teenager from Lucknar, Uttar Pradesh, has been suffering the frightening episodes up to 50 times a day for the last three years. She said: "I bleed from my eyes, my hands, my head, from everywhere. From my ears, nose and eyes as well. "It doesn't hurt when the bleeding starts. But it makes me tired and sometimes I have headaches." Dr Buchanan, an American paediatric blood specialist, visited Twinkle's family at the Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai where he observed her bleeding. He said: "I've never seen a case of someone who bleeds spontaneously from their scalp or their palms, or read about it in medical history. "I was interested to see if I could help Twinkle." The doctor was called to the family's hotel room to witness bleeding which began from her hair parting.

He was shocked to find no signs of cuts, bruising or redness. Dr Buchanan said: "It doesn't seem physically possible for blood to seep through intact skin. "But I saw no signs of cuts or bruising anywhere on her body." Dr Buchanan and his team carried out a series of tests including cutting Twinkle's skin to time how quickly the bleeding stops. Tests show she may have a mild form of a clotting disorder, which means her platelets do not stick together properly. But this is not enough to explain the spontaneous bleeding. Dr Buchanan is also investigating whether Twinkle or her mum cause the bleeding themselves. Twinkle, a Hindu, said: "I am not causing this. Why would I want to make myself bleed? "I don't want to be like this. I want to go to school and have a normal life." The unlucky girl has missed at least two years of education after two schools banned her from classes because of the bleeding. The mysterious case of Twinkle's bleeding is fully examined in a new BodyShock documentary next week. It also shows Twinkle's family visiting a local mystic, being examined by a Christian bishop for stigmata, and bathing in the River Ganges. The Girl Who Cries Blood is on Tuesday night at 10pm on Channel 4.

London, Sunday 10th January, 2010. Weather misery continues in the UK as thousands of tonnes of emergency gritting salt are being sent to hard-pressed councils around the UK as the freezing weather continues. Chemical company Ineos has diverted 12,000 tonnes of salt, bound for food and chlorine production in Germany. The first 50 trucks left the firm's Cheshire depot on Sunday. UK councils use about 60,000 tonnes of salt daily. The Met Office has downgraded its severe weather warnings and now has advisories for snow and ice. The first 50 trucks started leaving the Ineos distribution facility in Runcorn, Cheshire, on Sunday morning and a further 50 are scheduled to leave on Monday. Ineos chief executive Harry Deans told the BBC: "We've had numerous requests from local governments and councils over the past couple of weeks. "12,000 tonnes of road salt will not solve the problem but it should make a difference in the places most severely affected."  The initial supplies will go to councils in East Yorkshire, Pembrokeshire, Gloucestershire, Bradford, Sheffield and Fife.

Sheep in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. They've been given a bale of hay because the grass is covered in snow. Photo: Matt Timmins. RIGHT: Startled hares run away in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire.

DO YOU KNOW?: About 135 million cups of tea per day is consumed in the UK while 70 million cups of coffee are consumed

Another disaster hits Kiambu town

Nairobi, Sunday 10th January, 2010. Kiambu town was yet hit again barely three months with another tragedy where two people have been confirmed dead today. The tragedy occurred this morning at 2.15am when the building which had been condemned went down due to the heavy rains being experienced in Kenya. In the morning Red Cross had received information that two people could have been in the rubble. By 1.00pm the body was recovered and taken to Kiambu Mortarty while the other body was recovered early morning.5 people living in houses nearby were also injured when the five storey building went  down and were rushed to Kiambu District hospital which is a stone through away from the scene. Briefing the press at the scene the Central Provincial Police Officer (PPO) John M'Mbijiwe said that the owner of the building was at the court on Friday and ordered to pull the dangerous building down. She also got a fine of KShs. 50,000.Now the police say they are looking for the owner to face fresh death charges.
 

This tragedy happened a few metres from the previous on just behind Kiambu bus station. Luckily all the tenants had moved when the owner got charged. Across the road, several families were given a three hour notice when a wall of their flat went down. This was done to avoid any tragedy. One of the flats is owned by Kamindi family who are connected to Njenga Karume a Kiambu tycoon. The rescue machinery arrived late at 9.30am and most of them were provided by the Chinese construction companies doing the Thika road. A government digger was last to arrive when the job had commenced. Rescue still going on. - Photo by Karaga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya.

Meet the Abrahams at the Kenya High Commission

I had not noticed and an elderly farmer from Kiambu Mr. Kiarie was quick to notice: "Mr. Seed, why are all this people called Abraham?. The immigration attaché we met is Mr. Abraham Mwaura (left), the High Commissioner is H.E. Ephraim Waweru Ngare (centre) and the first man we saw the Agricultural Attache was Abrham Barno (right)." he concluded. "I hear you Mzee, I had not noticed", Mr. Seed explained.

Beautiful offices of Martyns & Rose Solicitors with a free bus ride
 

"What a beautiful office?", Mr. Seed asked Mrs. Rose Mungai of Martyns & Rose Solicitors on Friday 8th January, 2010. A dynamic Law firm with extensive experience in various areas of law based near Heathrow Airport in West London. The Lawyers understand and appreciate the complexity of the legal system thus work towards helping clients achieve their goals by combining the highest standards through practical experience and specialist knowledge. The firm has unrivalled scale and depth of Legal Resources and focuses on the core areas of Immigration law & Asylum law, Point Based System applications- Student and work permit , Family re-union, Employment Law, Criminal & Civil litigation, and Children and Family law. The offices are situated in West London at the Vista Business Centre which is a Landmark building in Hounslow (Tallest Building in Hounslow). The offices are located near Hatton Cross underground station (Piccadilly line) and 10 minutes walk from Hounslow West underground station (Piccadilly Line). The offices are also easily accessible to the M4 jnct 3, A4 and A30 motorways. A free mini bus service to Hounslow West underground station is available from the offices from 7.30 am-10.30am morning and 4.00pm to 7.00pm evening. A free 423 London Transport Bus Service from Hatton Cross underground station to the free Airport Travel Zone near the offices. There is free car parking. Martyns & Rose Solicitors, 2nd floor, Vista Business Centre, 50 Salisbury Road, Hounslow, TW4 6JQ. Tel: 0208 538 1397/8, Fax: 0208 538 1396, Mobile: 07931 116 124 - Web: www.martynsrosesolicitors.co.uk

One Top 10 Deserts

The usual words that one naturally associates with the term – deserts are; sand, heat, dry, utter chaos! Anyway you do not always have to feel dread every time you think of vast stretches of desert land as we have summed up around ten of the best deserts in the world. Here you can take a look at all eth reasons why some of these beautiful, amazing and sometimes downright lovely deserts should not give you the sinking feeling inside. Take a look at what makes these deserts some of the best in the world.

1. Salar de Uyuni:

This desert, located in Bolivia would change your conception of the idea of deserts completely. It happens to be the largest salt desert in the world but the beauty of the place is exceptional. The desert is completely flat and the so large and crystal in its salty nature that the whole sky seems to be reflected in it creating the ground in different shades of blue. Another beautiful aspect of the desert is the numerous lakes that you will find here; these lakes are in multiple colors because of the minerals that make it up. The effect of these soothing colors is remarkable. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

More Snow On Way But Less Than First Feared

Forecasters had warned that up to 20cm of snow could settle today and tomorrow causing a fresh round of travel disruption. But it now seems that the snow showers may not be as heavy as first predicted. The Met Office said revised forecasts showed that only the very highest ground could expect to see such levels. Most areas, including the East of England, the South East, Wales, the Pennines and London should now only expect between 1cm and 5cms. Sky weather presenter Lucy Versamy said: "A few centimetres of snow is likely in some spots - possibly up to 20cm or more over the higher ground, such as the Costwolds, Welsh mountains and Pennines - particularly on windward slopes. "With the stiff winds there will be drifting and blowing snow giving poor visibility. "Across most of southern England there'll be a wintry mixture of rain sleet and snow - mostly light, sporadic snow on and off through the course of the day.

London, Sunday 10th January, 2010. Freezing temperatures and icy conditions have killed at least six people across the country in the past 48 hours in UK. Among those to die were a darts fan who drowned in a freezing country club lake, while a firefighter slipped on ice and cracked his head, an angler fell from a collapsing cliff and a boy was killed in a collision with a lorry Philip Hughes, 45, was at the Lakeside Country Club in Surrey to watch the British Darts Organisation World Championships but his body was found under ice covering a lake at the venue yesterday. A sea fisherman was casting off the Northumberland coast near Newbiggin-by-the-Sea when a section of cliff collapsed, burying him under rocks and rubble 15m (50ft) below. Coastguards described the crumbling cliff as ‘perilous’ and said that frost and ice had further weakened it. A 16-year-old boy was killed and his mother seriously injured after they were involved in a car crash and were then hit by a lorry. The teenager was travelling in a blue Peugeot with his 46-year-old mother when they crashed into the central reservation on the A1 near Richmond, North Yorkshire, at around 10pm on Wednesday.

The pair, from Hebburn in Northumbria, got out of the car following the collision and were thought to be making their way to the hard shoulder when they were struck by an HGV travelling on the road. A 71-year-old woman who died on Wednesday after her car crashed on an icy road in Shetland, Scotland, was yesterday named as Patricia Angela O’Sulliven. Fireman Gareth Wyn Rees, 50, from Wales, fell when walking home with a colleague at 12.30am on Wednesday. ‘We are obviously devastated at what has happened. We live in a close-knit community in Harlech and he was well regarded by all,’ said his son, Iwan. Meanwhile, a man in his 20s is fighting for his life after smashing into a tree while speeding down a steep, icy slope at Alexandra Palace, in north London, on a sledge. And six-year-old Thomas Hudson remained critical yesterday after he fell through the ice of a private lake in Crookham Common, Berkshire.

Yes, it is in Kenya, sasa iko matata

Tens of thousands of Kenyan commuters were left stranded, forced to walk long distances or squeeze onto alternative transport because of a strike by minibus-taxis known as matatus.

Bishop JB Masinde and Eva. Teresia Wairimu for a London crusade

Emmanuel Celebration Centre once again extend a very warm welcome to our 2010 annual conference. Days of Destiny to be held from Wednesday 20th to Sunday 24th January at Langley Community Centre, Langley Road, Slough, SL1 8BY.  All who have since attended these conferences can attest to its changing power of lives, with Gods awesome touch evident. We believe that after the conference, you will surely be ready to face all sorts of setbacks that have stood your way; ready to take up the year with a bright start. We look forward to seeing your lives touched as you join us on these days.  We are privileged once more to have the servants of God, Bishop J.B Masinde from Kenya, Rev. Teresia Wairimu from Kenya, Rev. T.A Ralekholela from South Africa and guest artist Noel Robinson UK.  God richly bless you, as you worship with us.

Evangelist Teresia Wairimu (left), Bishop JB Masinde (centre) coming for the London conference which has been hosted by Pastor Peter Kamau and Pauline Kamau Right). - CLICK HERE FORE MORE

'Dead man' wakes up as autopsy starts

A man declared dead after being hit by a car woke up when coroners began his autopsy. Manas Deo, 44, was injured after being run over on Christmas Day. Doctors signed his death certificate after finding no pulse. "It was a surprise for the hospital staff and family members when he woke up," said poice in eastern Jajpur. He is now recovering.

Landslides triggered by heavy rain in areas around the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have claimed more than 60 lives. In Morro da Carioca at least 12 people died when a section of hillside gave way. RIGHT: Bulgarians took to the icy waters in Sofia in a competition to retrieve a cross thrown into the middle of a lake by an Eastern Orthodox priest on Epiphany Day.

Man stabbed to death chasing muggers in Ilford Lane, Barking

A man has been stabbed to death while chasing thieves who had snatched a woman's handbag in east London. Sukhwinder Singh, 31, was attacked on Friday evening as he pursued two men who had mugged a 28-year-old woman near Barking station. Mr Singh, a builder, had chased the men along Victoria Road, into Uphall Road, where he was stabbed at about 1900 GMT, the Metropolitan Police said. The father-of-one was taken to the Royal London Hospital but died. Police said Mr Singh was an Indian national who had lived in the UK for about 10 years. According to the Met, he had cousins in Barking but his family lived in India. Police have set up a cordon around the murder scene and officers have been searching bins in Victoria Road. Mohammad Jubran, 22, who lives in Victoria Road, said: "I was just coming back from the gym and, when I got home, my mum said she heard someone screaming, calling out 'Don't let them run'. "It's terrible. I've been living here for 16 years and it's the first time I have heard someone has been murdered. "It was a brave thing he did." The two suspects were described as black, aged in their 20s to 30s, and both were about 5ft 7in to 6ft. Detective Inspector John Sandlin said Mr Singh was not connected to the woman whose bag was snatched.

Worms frustrate farmers’ hopes

American ball worms have invaded farms in Machakos district, dashing hopes of food security in the area which suffered severe drought last year. Mike Mulwa Mandela and his wife Margaret, who have a six-acre farm teeming with maize, are the envy of many in Mbooni district.  This is especially because Ukambani is still reeling from the effects of a long drought that decimated livestock and left farms scorched and their owners destitute. So when the rains finally came late last year, the couple began to nurse hopes of being able to feed their children without relying on government relief food.  They tilled the land and sowed their seeds and, this time, the rains did not disappoint. Looking at their healthy maize crop, they beam with pride. But this pride is fading fast after the arrival of worms that are destroying crops. Now, Mr Mulwa and other farmers in the region are alarmed as both army worms and American ball worms advance menacingly through their fields. “The insects don’t sleep. They attack and destroy crops with amazing speed,” Mrs Mulwa said. Their appeals to agricultural extension officers to help them control the worms have been in vain. It is an expensive job, and some farmers have spent up to Sh10,000 on pesticides.

Terror suspect had jumped bail in Kenya

A terror suspect arrested in Denmark for attacking a cartoonist condemned by Muslim extremists jumped bail in Kenya and fled to Europe last September, the Sunday Nation can reveal. The man – identified by Kenyan anti-terrorism officials as Muhidin Gelle – was in intelligence crosshairs while in Kenya and stands accused of planning a terror attack in Nairobi during the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  The anti-terrorism officials traced Mr Gelle to a residence in Eastleigh where he had gone to visit another man who is high on Kenya’s anti-terrorism watch list. The man in whose company he was found, the Sunday Nation learnt, is a one-legged student of Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, who is believed to have been killed last September 14 in a US special forces commando strike south of Mogadishu. As it turned out, Mr Gelle, who was suspected to be an Al Shabaab field commander, did not have any identification documents on him, but under interrogation, he gave his full name and claimed to be a Danish citizen. Kenyan authorities contacted the Danish Embassy which confirmed that there was a passport holder with such a name.

Man dies after Wrexham petrol station 'queue jump row'

A man has died following an alleged row over queue jumping at a supermarket petrol station. The 62-year-old collapsed on the forecourt of the Asda garage in Wrexham while refuelling his car at around 2000 GMT on Friday. He was taken to Wrexham Maelor Hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead. A man, 43, has been bailed on suspicion of committing public order offences after he allegedly verbally abused the older man before he collapsed.

Family sent grandmother's brain in a bag of personal belongings

American family discover brain among personal effects

A family in New Mexico in the United States was mortified when they found their recently deceased grandmother's brain had been sent to them with her personal effects.  The bag, which had been sent to them by the DeVargas Funeral Home in Espanola Valley, New Mexico, was left inside a family member's truck overnight, and when one of the family noticed a 'foul odour', they soon made the gruesome discovery. Opening the bag, they found among their gran's possessions a bag labelled with her name and the word 'Brain', the lawsuit alleges. "No loved one's brain should ever be part of those belongings," said lawyer Richard Valle, representing the family. Johnny DeVargas, owner of the funeral parlour, insisted his company was not at fault and that blame lay with another funeral home in neighbouring Utah. "All I can say is DeVargas did absolutely nothing wrong and that the family was well cared for," DeVargas told the Albuquerque Journal. "The family was very meticulously cared for and they were very pleased with our service."  The woman, identified only by her initials in the lawsuit, was killed in a road accident in Utah last September.

Tiger Woods 'had gay sex', model alleges

An Italian model is trying to sell her book which she says will reveal the whole truth about the golf champion's sex life.

An Italian model has claimed that she witnessed golfer Tiger Woods engaging in gay sexual encounters. Loredana Jolie Ferriolo has been going round to publishers trying to sell her tell-all book about her alleged trysts with the shamed golfer. She recently told Radaronline.com that her book would expose the truth about Tiger's 'healthy appetite for arranged sex, threesomes, girls-next-door, girl-girl, and an answer to all the rumours surrounding Woods' sexuality'. A representative of Ferriolo's also confirmed to the gossip site that she is 'in talks with a number of publishing companies regarding as tell-all book deal'. However, the Sicilian-born model has already tried once to sell her book, but no one was interested in paying $1 million (just over £627,000) for her revelations. She's obviously hoping some one will take up her offer this time round. And anyway, just what are 'girls-next-door'?

A Kenyan young lady has passed away in the UK. Miss Augusta Gathoni of Reading UK passed away on Wednesday 6th January 2010 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading. She hailed from Nakuru  Kenya. Daughter to Mr. Joseph Mbuthi and Ms Assumpta Wangui Niece to Margaret Njoroge and Joseph Njenga of Reading UK. The late Ms Gathoni was visiting UK when she developed serious health complications within 3 months and has since been hospitalised for about 72 days. Daily meetings and Prayers are being held at Mr Njenga’s Residence – 17 Westfield Road, Winnersh, Reading, RG41 5ES, 6-10pm. The main Harambee Fundraising to help with expenses will be held on Sunday 10th January 2010 at 4.00 p.m. at Our Lady of Peace & Blessed Dominic Barberi Catholic Church, 338 Wokingham Road, Earley, Reading, Berkshire. RG6 7DA (Three Tuns off Wokingham Road – Bus No. 17 end). For more information please contact the following: Margaret Njoroge – 07904504344, Joseph Njenga – 07946729319 or Timothy Kanyonji – 07988050703. Friends and well wishers who might not be able to make to the meetings can send their contributions to the following Account: Acc Names: Margaret Muiruri, Sort Code 54-30-33, Acc Number 37515667 and the Bank is Natwest.

The late Miss Augusta Gathoni

A Kenyan lady has passed away in the Maryland, USA. The late Mrs. Rose A.M. Osunga Kodula. Mrs Kodula passed away on Wednesday morning, 6th January 2010 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Rockville, Maryland following a long illness bravely borne. According to her daughter Lillian, she had been having problems with her health since 2007 and come to U.S in May 2009 for medical treatment. Mrs. Osunga Kodula was wife to James O. Kodula and mother to Lillian, Eva and Noreen Kodula all of Maryland USA, Tom, Kenneth and George (Kenya). Our condolences and prayers are with the bereaved family as they grieve the loss of a wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and sister-in-law. Family and friends are meeting daily for prayers and support at: 9309 Taverney Terrace, Gaithersburg, MD 20879. A tentative date of Saturday January 16th, has been set for a fundraiser to assist in costs of taking Mrs. Kodula home (Kenya) to rest. Venue and time to be confirmed later. The account below has also been set up for contributions. James O. Kodula, Bank of America, Routing Number - 540060102, Account Number - 381020081210. For more information, please contact the following people: Kodula’s – 301-519-0773 / 301-537-4479, Grace Mumbi Ngugi – 301-938-6726, Kaka – 301-938-6704, Matilda – 240-994-4679 or Lucy Kihanya-McCoy – 240-432-5829. - Diasporamessenger.

The late Mrs. Rose A.M. Osunga Kodula

DO YOU KNOW?: Kenya coffee commands less than one percent of the coffee used in the UK market, Uganda commands 4 per cent but when it comes to tea Kenya commands 78 per cent of the UK while India commands 22 per cent.

Britain is bracing itself for icy blasts as the freezing weather

London, Saturday 9th January, 2010. Britain is bracing itself for icy blasts as the freezing weather looks set to continue over the weekend. The forecast came as the government stepped in to conserve road-gritting stocks due to dwindling salt supplies. The Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis, said local authorities had agreed to cut salt use by 25%. The Conservatives have said that the government's move is "an admission of utter failure" and plans should have been made earlier. As temperatures remained at sub-zero levels, at least 24 people are believed to have died since before Christmas in weather-related incidents. The latest are two brothers who died in hospital in Leicester after falling through the ice at Watermead Country Park.  Police say members of the public used ropes in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the brothers. Forecasters say it will feel colder overnight because of an "increased wind chill" coming from Germany and Poland. Up to 20cm (7.8in) of snow is forecast for parts of South Yorkshire and the south of London - from Essex to Brighton. Lord Adonis announced the salt cut decision following a meeting of the "Salt Cell" - a body made up of ministers, the Highways Agency and local authorities. Supplies of salt have been close to running out in some areas, with many councils restricting gritting to major roads. The government has ordered salt from abroad but this is not due to arrive until 21 January. Shadow local government and communities secretary Caroline Spelman told BBC Radio 5 live the government had failed to listen to a warning report by councils published last year on the matter. However Lord Adonis rejected these claims. Forecasters have warned that the freezing conditions could last at least another week.

Two of the largest lakes in Cumbria - Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite - have almost frozen over

Travel problems persist, with passengers advised to check their flight's status before going to the airport:

• Easyjet cancelled about 30 flights at airports including Gatwick, Liverpool, Belfast and Stansted. All airports are now open, though suffering from widespread delays
• British Waterways said nearly 90% of its 2,200-mile (3,540-km) river and canal network had frozen solid
• Train companies operating revised timetables include East Coast, ScotRail, First Great Western, South West Trains, Southern and Southeastern, while Eurostar is operating a restricted service until Sunday
• Rail passengers travelling through Birmingham are warned of severe delays because of signalling problems at New Street. This affects some Virgin Trains, Arriva Trains Wales, CrossCountry, London Midland and Wrexham and Shropshire services
• Snow and ice forced the closure of a lane of the M58 near Kirkby, Merseyside, and one in each direction on the M48 Severn Bridge Updates can be found at BBC Travel News
• The weather is causing major disruption to the weekend's sporting programme, with football's Premier League among those affected

The RAC said its patrol teams were receiving about 1,500 calls an hour - more than twice as many as normal.

But nearly 100 businesses were forced to stop using gas by the National Grid as it tried to ration supplies after demand in the UK reached record levels.

Kenya's coffee farmers looking for direct market in UK

Mr. Stephen Kamau Kiarie a farmer from Githunguri visited the offices of the Kenya High Commissioner in the UK on Friday 8th January, 2010 with one thing in mind - how can we sell our coffee without the middle man. Mr. Kiarie (left photo on right) met Mr. Abraham Barno the Agricultural Attache at the mission (left) where Mr. Kiarie explained that the farmers want to sell their coffee directly without using the middle as all the profit is taken by the middle man leaving the farmers with nothing. Mr. Kiarie from Komothai Coffee Cooperative Society Mill explained that they have one of the best processing factories and their coffee was of good quality. He has been sent by the cooperative to see how the commission can help. Mr. Barno explained to Mr. Kiarie that the government is taking up the issue and when the funds becomes available where they will start several coffee shops in London. "This has been our idea to have some Kenya coffee shops where you would get the very fine Kenyan coffee without involving the middle man. The shops would also act as a link between the farmers and buyers". Later Mr. Kiarie met the new Kenya High Commissioner  H.E. Ephraim Waweru Ngare (right photo) who assured him that the commission will help them to pursue their goals. Mr. Kiarie contact in the UK is 07760522699 and in Kenya 0721427015.

African migrants riot over 'racist' attack in Italy

Several people have been injured in rioting that broke out in southern Italy after an attack on immigrant farm workers by local youths. The migrants, mainly Africans, clashed with police after taking to the streets of the Calabrian town of Rosarno. They were protesting after youths in a car used air rifles to shoot and hurt several immigrants returning from working on the farms. Hundreds of illegal immigrants work in the mainly agricultural region. They are often employed as day labourers picking fruit and vegetables. Regional governor Agazio Loeiro described the migrants' actions as "unacceptable" but said there had been strong provocation. The protesters clashed with police in riot gear after taking to the streets on Thursday night. Cars were burned and shop windows smashed. Many shouted "We are not animals" and carried signs saying "Italians here are racist", Reuters news agency reports. Several of the protesters have been arrested. The Corriere della Sera newspaper said 14 Italians and six immigrants had been injured.

Child Sacrifices on the Rise in Uganda as Witch Doctors Expand Their Practices

Human sacrifice is on the increase in Uganda according to a government spokesman. This barbaric crime is directly linked to rising levels of development and prosperity, and an increasing belief that witchcraft can help people get rich quickly. Witch doctors claim they have clients who regularly capture children and bring their blood and body parts to be consumed by spirits. One witch doctor confessed for the first time to having murdered about 70 people, including his own son. According to media reports, the witch doctors revealed that some of their clients capture other people’s children and bring the heart and the blood directly to them to take to the spirits. They are brought in small tins and are placed under a tree from which the voices of the spirits are coming. Clients come on average three times a week, with all that the spirits asks them to bring. The witch-doctors deny any direct involvement in murder or incitement to murder. They claim that spirits speak directly to their clients.

Witch doctors are paid about 500,000 Ugandan shillings, equivalent of about $260 for a consultation. The head of the Anti-Human Sacrifice and Trafficking Task Force in Uganda, assistant commissioner Moses Binoga of the Ugandan police, said that witch doctors operate in a network and have bosses who give instructions and receive the bulk of payment made by clients. The bosses involve in one of five or six witch-doctor protection rackets operating in the country. The Assistant commissioner went on to say that the senior ones extort money from lower people because they deal in illegal things. He said that police had opened 26 murder cases in 2009, in which the victim appeared to have been ritually sacrificed, compared with just three cases in 2007. He also said that they have about 120 children and adults reported missing whose fate they have been unable to trace. They cannot rule out that they may be victims of human sacrifice, he said. Child protection campaigners in the country believe the real number is much higher, as some disappearances are not reported to the police.

Kenya's swimming team photographed at the Moi International Sports Centre in the capital, Nairobi, practising ahead of an African Swimming Confederation (CANA) championship which begins in East African nation on Friday 9th January, 2010.

Skilled migrant workers get identity cards for foreign nationals

Home Office, 06 January 2010

From today, identity cards for foreign nationals are being rolled out to another category of migrant: skilled workers and their dependants. In November 2008, the UK Border Agency started issuing compulsory identity cards to certain categories of non-European foreign nationals when they were granted permission to extend their stay in the UK. Since then we have twice widened the range of categories that require the identity card - for more information about who needs an identity card, download the table from the right side of this page. If a migrant in one of these categories applies to extend their stay in the UK, they must enrol their biometrics (fingerprints and facial image) before we decide whether to give them permission to stay. If their application is successful, they will be given an identity card. The card provides a simple way of confirming the holder's nationality, identity and immigration status in the UK. It shows whether they have the right to work or study legitimately under the UK's points-based system for immigration, and helps them to access public services. The changes do not affect the settled population, foreign nationals who are seeking to settle here, or applicants in other immigration categories (who continue to receive a vignette in their passport when they extend their stay).

The police are now using a chopper to beat the traffic in Nairobi

Nairobi, Saturday 9th January, 2010. The police are now using a chopper to beat the traffic in Nairobi. This seems to be the New year's resolution for the police but the question is: For how long are they going to use this chopper to beat the traffic in Nairobi with the credit crunch still biting? Police have now resorted to using a helicopter in clearing traffic jams in Nairobi, which have been overwhelming in the past three days. Nairobi PPO Antony Kibuchi said yesterday use of the chopper would enhance fast response from traffic personnel to where jams are, to open them. He said the city has been experiencing unprecedented traffic jams, which last several hours. The chopper yesterday made several rounds in the city in efforts to clear the problem. To address the problem, traffic personnel have also been mobilised and posted to various junctions to control the flow of the vehicles. Mr Kibuchi said police on the helicopter would be liaising with those on the ground on where they spot traffic snarl-ups in efforts to respond to the scene. "We have also been noticed the situation and have taken various measures to address it. The chopper will also be used in crime detection and fighting," he said.

Muslims protests in Nairobi against preacher's deportation

Muslims have angrily responded to the move to by the Kenya government to arrest and deport a prominent Muslim preacher, Sheikh Abdullah Ibrahim Al Faisal to Gambia. Human rights officials said that Sheikh Faisal could have been deported to Gambia against his own will after Immigration Minister Otieno Kanjwang refused to show them the deportation order as well as KQ Manifest to prove that he has been deported to Gambia at his own will. Al Amin Kimathi said Sheikh Faisal had initially wished to be sent back to Jamaica. Mr Kimathi however said that if the documents are not available on Friday next week then after the prayers all the Muslims will walk to Immigration Minister's office at Nyayo house to get those documents. He was speaking this afternoon outside Jamia mosque after prayers. Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi.

UK set for coldest night of winter with lows of -20C. Snow and ice are set to continue causing problems across the UK with warnings that Thursday night 7th January, 2010 could be the coldest of the winter so far. Temperatures could plummet to -20C (-4F), including in parts of the South, setting new local records. UK-wide severe weather warnings of ice are in place amid freezing temperatures and "nightmare" side road conditions. Thousands of schools have remained shut and travel problems continue, while power cuts have hit thousands of homes. Temperatures barely rose above freezing on Thursday, remaining between -8C and 0C in most parts of the UK after plummeting to nearly -18C on Wednesday night. The icy weather is predicted to continue for days to come, with more snow for eastern England overnight and on Friday. Strong north-easterly winds are forecast for southern England, with warnings this could cause snow to drift. More snow is forecast for central and southern parts of the UK on Sunday. Many councils are restricting gritting to major roads as supplies dwindle, with supplies in some areas close to running out. A survey of councils by the BBC found most had enough supplies to last another two to five days but were unable to meet guidelines brought in after the snowfall of February 2009 that they should have at least six days' supply.  Demand for gas in the UK is believed to have hit a new record on Thursday as people attempt to keep their homes warm through the severely cold weather. The National Grid estimates usage will reach 455.3m cubic metres. The current record is 449m cubic metres, set on 7 January 2003. The National Grid has had to issue its second alert in three days, asking suppliers to provide more gas. Some factories have also been asked to switch from gas to other power sources.

Coldest night of the year today Friday 8th Jan. 2010

The UK is bracing itself for what could be the coldest night of the winter so far, with temperatures set to plummet as low as -20C.

Snow stories from around the UK

Wintry weather has caused problems right across the UK, with schools closing, shops running low on supplies and transport services grinding to a halt. As well as the big headlines, there have also been many tales of personal struggle, and more positive experiences of coping with - and even enjoying - the snow and ice.  Here is a round-up of some of those stories.

• Scott, in Woolwich, told the BBC: "I have been stuck at work since Wednesday. I am on crutches and cannot walk on the snow and ice. I decided last night to spend the night in the office as I felt it was too dangerous to venture out in the city."
• Ricky Cooper, in Edmonton, said: "I couldn't go to the cemetery on Wednesday to visit my dad on what would have been his 49th birthday as there was not a single grain of grit anywhere in sight. Instead I had to stay home feeling guilty while taking down my Christmas decorations."
• Travellers suffered at Heathrow airport when bad weather forced cancellations and long delays. Darragh Cullen waited on the runway for seven hours before finally being told his trip to Los Angeles had been scrapped.
• Carlaparry wrote on Twitter: "Just had a snow break on Hampstead Heath & saw 2 grown men sledging using 2 kids' rubber rings & a plastic sheet. Amazingly it worked."

• An eight-year-old boy had to be rescued by helicopter after his family got stuck in the snow in Nottinghamshire while driving him to hospital for a kidney transplant.
• Two boys who had to be rescued by firefighters after taking a shortcut across a frozen lake were suspended from their Derbyshire school.
• One man told the BBC he could see a very positive side to the snow in Birmingham: "Walking in the snow yesterday, it was very cheering to be called 'Good morning' to and have some banter with nearly everyone else on foot. Shows how isolating cars are and also how the British generally deal with adversity with good humour."
• Another BBC correspondent in Nottingham joked that among the schools closed in his area was Sir Edmund Hillary Primary, Worksop - "What would he have made of it?", he asked.

• At Aylesford School Sports College, in Kent, pupils had their coats confiscated despite freezing temperatures because they did not meet uniform regulations
• While some have been having problems with deliveries, others like Ian, in Lightwater, Surrey, were impressed by their supermarket's perseverance - in his case, Ocado. "The delivery guy arrived early, but I couldn't see his van," he wrote. "He told me he got as far as the end of our road, then pushed a trolley laden with our crates through the snow for half-a-mile!"
• Joseph Kent, in Woking, Surrey, wrote to the BBC about the impact of school and sixth-form closures: "One of the biggest issues is whether January examinations will be taking place. I assume most sixth-form students are using their time off to revise anyway... when they're not building snow forts, of course!"
• In Brighton and Hove, members of the public responded to an appeal by the city council for four-wheel drive vehicles to help deliver meals on wheels to vulnerable people.

Man's penis freed from metal pipe with industrial grinder

A man who got his penis stuck in a steel pipe had to be cut free by firefighters using a metal grinder, after doctors in casualty could not free his genitals from their metal trap. Medics at Southampton General Hospital struggled to get the man's penis out of the stainless steel pipe, because the restricted blood flow had caused it to become erect.  Instead, they resorted called in Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. The fire crew turned up with a special equipment unit from St Mary's station in Southampton and seven firefighters to help, in what a spokesman understatedly described as a 'delicate operation'. The firefighters used the four-and-a-half-inch industrial metal grinder to cut the pipe from around the anaesthetised man's penis. The penis was left bruised and swollen, but otherwise unharmed by its traumatic day. The man, thought to be aged around 40, did not explain to hospital staff how exactly the pipe got stuck around his penis, after he presented himself at the hospital's Accident & Emergency department on Tuesday morning. He was said to be 'quite concerned and anxious'.

Hi mambo gani ya kuuzana

Ina semekana eti wale watu wanarundishwa nyumbani wana pigia mji simu kushitaki wale wako huku chini ama wamejipeana na manjina zingine au nchi zingine. Wanapeana majina zote, pale wanaishi na pale wanafanya kazi. Sasa mji wanapigia watu simu wakiwaita majina zao zote wakiwambia waka report immediately karibu na pale wanaishi.  Sana sana, Leicester na Northampton. Kama uko chini ama umejipeana na majina zingine au na nchi zingine na huna wakili tafuta wakili. Afadhali mkanjiandikishe kwa wakili kwa sababu mambo imeharibika na hivi karibuni hamjui nini itafanyika. Hata kama uko na makaratasi ni vizuri kuwa na wakili.  Mmoja wa wale arikua anakaa North na alirudishwa nyumbani karibu Christmas. Alipofika Nairobi akasema at wengi watamfuata. Wakwasa ni dada ya ambae leo ameitwani Mji mkuu kuhusu majina ya na akabiwa awe analipoti. Inasemka ameuza agencies na homes huko North.  Kaa macho.

Identity crisis - So who do we tell your children we are  

By Macharia wa Gakuru wa Mukunya wa Gacicio wa Kimamo wa Macharia

gakuruma@googlemail.com – Tel: 07947893396.

It was beginning of November last year that I went to see Mr. Karanja – popularly known as Mr. Seed. We sometimes meet just to update ourselves and me being a story teller I find him very interesting to talk to. Peter deals with our community day in day out.  This time round he was telling me of his own identity – who he is and where he came from. All this I am sure he will tell you at his own terms and his time but how interesting to know ourselves.

My writing is not about those who truly know who they are – but those of us who are destroying and killing the identity of our children in the name of being English.

I went to visit a family in Cardiff in Wales In United Kingdom – somewhere in the corridor of M4  travelling west from London .. This family have a son who is about – 14 years old. I like to tease young men as I like knowing if they know themselves. Knowing how Kenyans are religious I will ask you to look in the identity of the Son of God - Jesus. Whist even in the family line of Jesus Mary is not mentioned and Joseph in line with Abraham and Isaac ( Abraham - promised to be a father of great nation) did not biologically contribute to birth of Jesus. So only DNA of Mary was in Jesus. Well I know many Christian are asking who am I to question God. I am questioning theology vs science.  What God says He does.  

Lets look into the issue.  In the bible in the book of Mathews 16:16 Jesus wanted to know if his fellow Jews knew who he actually was. The bible records:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.."

 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.." Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Back on earth  I would like to remind you of the most powerful man in the world.  I want to say we have the same heritage I will call him the Kenyan African American the first ever black man to be the president of the United states of America – Barrack Obama. To be more precise this man hails from the tribe of Luo in the village of   Kogelo , which is in Siaya District, Nyanza district, Kenya in East Africa .

According to his book ‘the dreams of my father’  he is a son of Barack Hussein Obama. In his analysis American writer Jack Cashill who analyzed Obama’s book to the letter writes, ‘if it were not for Obama’s finding his own roots it would have been very difficult to force his way to Whitehouse’.  If the boy with a ‘ funny name’  (as he describes himself  in his book ) would have found  impossible to convince the highly sceptical white majority Americans that he is not a Muslim and was a product of one of their own white family of Irish decent and convince the children of former slaves – the African American – that he was one of them. To fully convince them to vote for him as the most powerful man in the world and that he was a total American who would guard their constitution and not a Kenyan or a Muslim as many opponents wanted them to believe.

Obama was able to convince majority of Americans  because he went to Kenya and found his own roots.  He connected himself with his own blood, his real relatives by blood, his soil where his dad, his forefathers were born, the food of his people, the air and environment his native culture, he heard his people talking and he was accepted as one of them – a Luo.

The credit to Obamas identity goes to his mother Ann Dunham An anthropologist from Wichita , Kansas - Why?. This white woman well educated and from a middle class background never took ‘Obama’s identity’ from him. She knew there was a lot in a name. Despite Obama’s father – Obama just depositing ‘the special seed’ and left she never denied the soon his true identity an African and told Obama of his father and how she met him. Obama senior  did not take responsibility of raising the current president of United states of America . All credit goes to Ann and Obamas grandmother Madelyn Dunham  known as Tutu – Cucu to Obama.

Going to the roots - Obama and his grandmother in Kenya when he went to search for his roots

The identity is much more solidified by Sarah Anyango Obama, step-grandmother of Barack Obama. When Obama visited his native homeland she received his grandchild with both hands, cooked Kwon and Buta for him, took him to till the land, carry cow grass and all the things that most of you immigrant parents did. This made the American president identify himself fully - he belonged here - Luoland. He was loved, his identity was complete.

This is not the case  with many or some of our children. After the parents acquire the British passport they forget their roots. The other day I met a child. He is 12 years old British born of Kenyan parents.

Hallo, I called in greetings – well I said

‘Habari- Niatia?’, - I enquired as I held the boys hand.

‘What,’ asked the boy

‘He is asking you how are you,’ the father intervened

‘Fine,’ replied the boy now feeling uncomfortable.

‘Witagwo atia?,’ I continued.

‘What,?’ the boy replied ‘I don’t understand your language!’, as the boy tried to pull his hand away from me.

Again the father intervened – ‘He is asking you what is your name.’

‘Ohh’, replied the boy in surprise

‘Edwin Moses,’ replied the boy

‘What is your Kenyan name?’, I now asked in English knowing that the boy does not understand anything that I said in Kikuyu or Kiswahili.

‘I don’t have any’ – replied the boy as he pulled himself away from me.

‘Children of today’, commented the dad noting that I was very uncomfortable, ‘they don’t want to know.’

It is from here I realized that these parents despite being in Britain for over fifteen years with British passport they had never taken their children to their roots. I also realized that all they talk in their house is English despite the fact that they both come from the same tribe and region – well what is wrong with that?. People raise their children the way they want – true true!!

If our children do not learn who they are then they will get lost in the crowd. As Peter will tell you he will take you to fourteenth century in his line of birth. So who do you tell your children you are?

This is who I identify myself and tell my children - I am Macharia wa Gakuru wa Mukunya wa Gacicio wa Kimamo wa Macharia – which takes me to late 1700’s. My Great grandfathers come from the tribe of Kikuyu who lives in Central Kenya in Nyeri District between Mount Kenya and at the slopes of Nyandarua Mountains – Othaya division, chinga Location in a place called Muirungi at the boarder of  today Muranga.  I am told that my great great grand parents ‘drunk the waters ’  of Gikira river that drains its water finally to Tana River.

Today the African Americans are flocking to Kogelo – Siaya District, Nyanza Province to  identify themselves with their African heritage -  the home of American president Barack Hussein Obama. Who do you tell your children you are?.

Happy new year.

Now M-Pesa in Bedford

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TEL. 07868 704 959 / 01234 269 037

• Send Goods to Kenya on weekly basis for great rates.

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CUSTOM HOMES HOLDINGS LIMITED

200 Plots (1 acre each) for sale in Ruai - Embakasi

One (1) Acres @ KShs. 950,000 until 15th November. Price increase to KShs. 1.4 million from 16thNovember, 2009 with 10% discount

Plots and houses with approved plan for sale in Ruai - Embakasi, Kenya.

The construction is controlled with Runda type of construction in mind.

Features: The land  is ideally located in a hub of economic activity, just 11 km from Jomo Kenyatta Airport and close to the new site of Wilson Airport and the new highway - the Eastern Bypass.  (15 minutes drive from airport through new Eastern Bypass).  

The Estate will benefit from social amenities which include:

• 3 commercial centres (Malls)

• Anglican University

• Hotel

• Hospital

• Primary school

• Police post,

• Own power station - enabling piped gas and electricity (Western Style).

• Communal park.  

The land consists of 1,600 acres but only 200 (one acre) plots are being sold.  The remainder is being developed by a UK developer for a CITY within CITY town. Nairobi Metropolitan City has been extended to Machakos and that means the land will be in the city centre in a few years time.

To reserve your plot, a deposit of KShs. 100,000 is payable with balance to be completed within 6 months. Conveyance fee is KShs. 20,000 to be paid at the offices of Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates while presenting your receipt.

To safeguard the interest of the Kenyans in the Diaspora and to avoid the land scandals, a reportable lawyer, Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates have been appointed.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR LAWYER - NYIHA, MUKOMA & CO. ADVOCATES TO SEE THAT EVERYONE GETS HIS OR HER TITLE DEEDS AFTER COMPLETING THE PAYMENTS:

WHERE TO PAY -  KENYA, UK OR USA

GBP ACCOUNT DETAILS - THOSE IN UK

Intermediary Bank Name: CITIBANK N.A,

CITIBANK HOUSE, 336 STRAND, LONDON, WC2R 1HB - ENGLAND.             

Swift:                                      CITIGB2L

Sort Code:                             18-50-08

GBP A/C No:                         10280984

Account with Institution:  Chase Bank (K) Ltd.

P.O Box 28987, Nairobi

                                                WABERA STREET.

A/C WITH INSTITUTION SWIFT CODE:            CKENKENA

Beneficiary Name:                               Nyiha Mukoma and Co Advocates   

Beneficiary Account:                          3384055               

US DOLLARS ACCOUNT DETAILS - THOSE IN THE USA

INTERMEDIARY BANK:   CITIBANK N.A,

                                                111 WALL STREET 19TH FLOOR ZONE 1,

                                                NEW YORK, NY 10043.                          

SWIFT:                                                   CITIUS33

ABA No:                                                 021000089

USD A/C NO:                                        36157333

ACCOUNT WITH INSTITUTION:        CHASE BANK (K) LTD.

A/C WITH INSTITUTION SWIFT CODE:            CKENKENA

BENEFICIARY NAME:             Nyiha Mukoma and Co Advocates   

BENEFICIARY ACCOUNT:    3384039               

For Kenya Shillings Deposits - THOSE IN KENYA

                                                                Chase Bank

Swift Code:              

Bank & Branch Code          :               030

Branch                                    :               001

Branch Name                        :               City Square

Account Name                      :               Nyiha, Mukoma & Company Advocates

A/c  Number                           :               0003384004

WHERE TO TAKE YOUR RECEIPT AND SELECTING YOUR PLOT:

Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates, 3rd Floor, Old Mutual Building, Kimathi Street

P.O Box 28491 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya, Tel: +254-020-249247/8

Fax: +254-020-249373, email: jnyiha@nyihamukoma.com

VIEWING THE LAND:

There is a free transport to view the land on TUESDAYS, THURSDAY AND SATURDAYS

To book an appointment to view the land contact 0722720436.

UK CONTACTS

Maggy Thuku - 07536497907 - email thukumeg@yahoo.co.uk

or

Mr. Seed on 07951220695 - email - misterseed@hotmail.co.uk

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IKO NINI BWANA SEED ARCHIVE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JANUARY 2010 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? DECEMBER, 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? DECEMBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? DECEMBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? NOVEMBER 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? NOVEMBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? OCTOBER 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? OCTOBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? OCTOBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? SEPTEMBER 2009 PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? SEPTEMBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? AUGUST 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JULY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JULY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JUNE 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NIN BWANA SEED? JUNE 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? MAY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? APRIL 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? APRIL 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - MARCH 2009

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - THREE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - JANUARY 2009 - ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - JANUARY 2009  - TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - DECEMBER, 2008 ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - DECEMBER TWO, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - NOVEMBER ONE, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - OCTOBER, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - SEPTEMBER 2008