Iko Nini Bwana Seed?

WHAT UK NEWSPAPERS SAY - EXCHANGE RATE AGAINST THE POUND TODAY IS KSHS. 110.48

Nairobi, Wednesday 18th February, 2009. Ikolomani Member Of Parliament Dr. Bonny Khalwale will Wednesday afternoon move a censure motion against Agriculture Minister William Ruto over the maize scam. Khalwale says the censure motion has been prompted by the Minister's conduct, with regard to the manner he has allegedly mishandled the purchase, storage, sale and distribution of maize from the National Cereals and Produce Board. The Ikolomani MP says the mismanagement has led to the scarcity of maize meal and current high cost of the commodity. Khalwale argues that the situation has resulted in a national disaster, with some Kenyans succumbing to death as ten million face starvation. Consequently, the Ikolomani MP wants parliament to censure the Agriculture Minister by endorsing a vote of no confidence in him to force him to resign. Khalwale is best remembered for successfully moving a censure motion against former Finance Minister Amos Kimunya in regard to the controversial sale of the Grand Regency Hotel (Now Laico Regency) and forcing the minister to resign to pave way for an investigation into the scandal.

Ruto has come under intense pressure over the maize shortage in the country

The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture says it needs more time to complete investigations into the maize scandal. Committee Chairman John Mututho says they have received adequate information from Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and the Bulk Grain Handlers, adding that investigations involve the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture and the intelligence department. Meanwhile live parliamentary proceedings of an adjournment motion to discuss alleged extra judicial police executions were abruptly halted Wednesday morning after House Speaker Kenneth Marende ruled that the matter be debated in camera. This followed a point of order by Defense Assistant Minister Joseph Nkaissery proposing that live proceedings on the motion be withdrawn. Nkaissery had argued that some legislators were implicated in the formation of some of the outlawed gangs in the country and discussing such matters in public would intimidate security organs. In moving the motion, Limuru MP Peter Mwathi had presented documents including a Kenya National Commission on human rights report on the floor of the house documenting several alleged extra-judicial executions by the police.

The first time Kenyans heard of Kibaki’s ill health was an announcement, in late January 2003, that the President had been admitted to Nairobi Hospital to have a blood clot – the after-effect of his car accident – removed from his leg. Kibaki would continue to carry out his official functions from hospital, his personal doctor, Dan Gikonyo, assured the public, as long as he did not get overstressed. He suffered from high blood pressure and had been advised, amongst other things, not to wave his arms around. The statement failed to reassure. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

3.8 MILLION UK JOBS GO TO MIGRANTS

A total of 3.8million people born overseas are working in the UK, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics. The figure is equivalent to 13 per cent of the workforce. More than one in seven jobs in Britain is being filled by a foreign-born worker. The overwhelming majority of the workers – more than 2.6 million of them – are from outside the European Union. Overall, the proportion of overseas workers in the UK workforce has almost doubled over the past 10 years. The shocking figures, released to the Conservatives at Westminster yesterday, are being seen as the final death knell for Gordon Brown’s much-derided promise of “British jobs for British workers”. Last night there were growing concerns about further damage to community relation as the unemployment rate soared over two million in the recession. Demonstrations and wildcat strikes protesting at overseas workers allegedly getting preferential job opportunities in a series of major construction projects have swept Britain in recent weeks. Shadow Work and Pensions Minister James Clappison, who obtained the figures, said: “This is yet more evidence that Labour has failed to bring migration from outside the EU under control despite repeated promises to do so. He accused ministers of trying to bully statisticians in a bid to cover up the Government’s blunders over immigration.

Protestors demonstrate against British jobs going to foreign workers

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Between October and December 2007, before the crisis took hold, there were 25,860,000 UK-born people in employment. A year later, with the UK officially in recession, the figure had shrunk to 25,582,000. Over the same period the number of non-UK born workers leapt from 3,605,000 to 3,819,000.

Museveni appoints First Lady Janet State Minister. President Yoweri Museveni announced the long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle late last night, with big surprises.  In the shake-up, Museveni dropped ministers Dr. Ezra Suruma for finance, Gen Salim Saleh (micro-finance), Ham Muliira (ICT), Maj. James Kinobe (youth), Dr. Atwooki Kasirivu (lands), Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka (investment) and Kagimu Kiwanuka for economic monitoring.  The big new comers are First Lady Janet Museveni who is now state minister for Karamoja, Gen Jeje Odongo bounced back as state minister for defence, replacing Ruth Nankabirwa who takes over from Saleh. - MORE

NI WAKATI WETU WA KUKULA

Githongo's new book

Regional and ethnic balancing, as well as the Kibaki succession jumped to the fore in heart-rending intrigues before the chairman of the interim electoral body was picked, The Standard can reveal. City lawyer Cecil Guyana Miller, 39, was the compromise to win the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review’s nomination, and which could be tabled in Parliament today for ratification. The transitional electoral body Miller is expected to head — the Independent Interim Electoral Commission (IIEC) — replaces the Samuel Kivuitu-led defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya that was disgraced for mishandling the 2007 presidential election. If ratified, IIEC shall last two years from its inception, with its major tasks being laying the structures for the future electoral body and handling electoral disputes. "I want to make Kenyans have faith in our electoral body and ensure that electoral reforms that have for a long time been talked about are addressed," a delighted Miller said, in an interview with The Standard.

Should Parliament fail to endorse Miller, they would have former House Speaker Francis ole Kaparo and Institute of Education and Democracy boss Koki Muli to fall back to, the two having made it to the final shortlist of three out of a strong cast of eight. Two Cabinet ministers and an Assistant Minister kept their horse-trading tricks, rooting for candidates from their regions. A source at the meeting told The Standard how one Cabinet minister mobilised the panel against former Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) chairman Maina Kiai, earlier seen as a frontrunner for the seat. Kiai was among the heavyweights that fell by the wayside. His tough stance against the Government and certain ministers may have put paid his chances for IIEC chairmanship. Moreover, some PSC members said they were not keen on picking someone from a region whose leaders are already focused on the 2012 General Election. "There was consensus that persons affiliated to various political camps be dropped at a certain stage. It made work easier for Miller whose political affairs with the country’s leadership could not be traced," said a reliable source on the panel. Each candidate was discussed in detail, leaving only an Assistant Minister from the Rift Valley rooting for the former Speaker and a Cabinet Minister from Eastern Province vouching for Koki as the rest voted for Miller. Koki’s name was deleted on the final stretch on grounds she was from the same community as former ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu. "It would have been a travesty of natural justice for Kenyans if we were to appoint an IIEC chair from the same region as the previous chair of ECK," said an insider. - The Standard.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution has picked lawyer Cecil Miller as chairman of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission. Miller was among seven other candidates shortlisted for the job by a human resource firm, Manpower Limited.

Airline crew arrested at Heathrow Airport after drugs seized.

17 February 2009

For the second time in four weeks, 15 members of an airline crew were arrested today at Heathrow Airport after officers from the UK Border Agency seized approximately five kilos of cocaine with an estimated street value of £250,000. The crew were arrested after our officers discovered the drugs in a piece of baggage that had arrived on a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg. Following the detection, the case was passed to HM Revenue & Customs and enquiries are continuing.

A spokesman said:

"Crew members are subject to the same customs checks as any other person when entering the UK. Those arrested are now being held in custody and will be interviewed by investigation officers. HM Revenue & Customs together with the UK Border Agency play a vital role in the fight to prevent illegal drugs from entering the UK and in protecting our communities from the violence and corruption that always accompany this hideous trade.

"Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to drugs s muggling should call our 24 hour Customs Hotline - 0800 59 5000."

Although Kenya's tourism industry is in trouble, there is one wealthy visitor the country has been glad to see the back off. Al Saadi Gaddafi's brief holiday in the East African nation brought chaos from the slopes of Mt Kenya to the skies above Nairobi. Al Saadi, right, the third-eldest son of the Libyan President, arrived at the end of January with a modest entourage of 50 businessmen in a private jet. The party then hired helicopters to take them to their hotel to avoid Nairobi's notorious traffic.  But the Libyans are also said to have brought in firearms. An official told The Standard, that they were not allowed to examine the plane. Al Saadi, who had a one-match career as a footballer with Italian side Perugia, had at least one hunting rifle with him and demanded to use it to hunt in the Maasai Mara game reserve. A member of Kenya's Wildlife Service told him hunting has been banned in the reserve since 1977. Al Saadi is said to have thrown a "tantrum". Libyan involvement in Kenya has been causing unease since the surprise sale of a Nairobi hotel last year. A Libyan state company bought the Grand Regency for a fraction of its commercial value, prompting an investigation which dragged in the central bank governor and the finance minister, Amos Kimunya. Last year, Al Saadi's younger brother Hannibal caused a diplomatic row with Switzerland after being accused of assaulting his staff at a hotel in Geneva. He was charged with assault but left the country after posting bail.  - Source-The independent

Labour braced for defeat as Tories take 20-point lead in poll

GORDON BROWN'S poll ratings sank to a new low today amid signs that ministers and civil servants are preparing for a Labour defeat. A new Mori survey found that the Conservative lead increased over the past month from 14 points to 20. It put David Cameron on course for victory with a clear mandate, with the Tory vote up four to 48 per cent, compared with a two-point decline for Labour to 28 per cent. Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats were said to be unchanged on 17 per cent. But Mr Brown's personal ratings are heading down among both the general public and Labour supporters. Out of all adults, just a quarter are satisfied with his performance while two thirds are dissatisfied - a satisfaction index of -38 per cent. That compares with +9 for both Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg. Among Labour supporters, Mr Brown enjoys a rating of +21, markedly down from +29 a month ago. Mr Cameron has a healthy +60 rating among Tories.

LEFT: The Daily Express leads on "shock figures" which show that more than one in seven jobs in Britain is being filled by a foreign-born worker. The paper also carries a picture of Jade Goody's two sons as they went to visit their terminally ill mother in hospital. CENTRE: The Daily Mail also focuses on foreign workers, saying that they now hold more than 13% of the total jobs compared to 7.5% when Labour came to power. RIGHT: Workers are being warned to expect pay freezes as the cost of living rises at its slowest rate for almost 50 years, experts have told the Daily Telegraph. Businessman and cricket entrepreneur Sir Allen Stanford makes the front page after being charged with fraud.

Cell phone makers Tuesday pledged to end one of modern life's chief frustrations --- and introduce a universal charger for handsets by 2012. An estimated 1.2 billion cell phones were sold in 2008, at least half of which were replacement handsets.

Nairobi, Tuesday 17th February, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki has declined to assent the Fiscal Management Bill 2008 into law.  The proposed law sought to make MPs a key part of the Government's budget-making, and increase their scrutiny of the process.  The Bill if signed would have compelled Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta to table the budget policy statement by March 21 for scrutiny ahead of the budget day sometime in June this year. House speaker Kenneth Marende said that out of the 17 bills the 10th parliament has passed, the president has declined to sign one of the most crucial proposed law, the fiscal management bill 2008. Parliament passed the Bill on December 10 last year effectively increasing it's oversight function over the country's collection of funds and expenditure.  The Bill was expected to anchor the Parliamentary Budget Office and strengthen the internal capacity of the House to lay bare the National Budget, and ensure equitable distribution of public funds.  Under the new rules included in the Standing Orders of Parliament, the finance minister is expected to table the 2009-2010-budget policy statement by March 21 to the House. But with this latest development, that may not happen and treasury will continue to enjoy the monopoly of allocating the country's resources.

President Kibaki (foreground - right) chairs a past Grand Coalition Cabinet meeting.  - The Standard

Karua and Ruto tore into each other at a Cabinet meeting

The two ministers on Thursday tore into each other at a Cabinet meeting described as “chaotic, hot and eruptive”. The emotional confrontation between Agriculture minister William Ruto and Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs’ Martha Karua ended with her ominous warning to the besieged minister: “We’ll meet tomorrow (Wednesday) at the censure motion.” Cabinet meetings are not open to the Press and the Nation relies on interviews with those in attendance. During the argument, the President watched quietly, his only intervention to signal to those who wished to speak to do so. The meeting approved a send-off package for the sacked Electoral Commission of Kenya commissioners. But it was the quarrel between Mr Ruto and Ms Karua that many were talking about afterwards.  Those who spoke to the Nation said that it was Mr Ruto, under pressure over the disappearance of thousands of bags of maize from the national stores even as the nation starves, who started it all when he accused Ms Karua of fighting him politically in public. “The Hon Martha Karua has been fighting me publicly over matters that can be easily sorted out within the Cabinet,” he is reported to have said. In his own defence, Mr Ruto alleged that the maize issue had been blown out of proportion. - Daily Nation.

UK inflation falls to 3%

Inflation has dropped to its lowest level since last April thanks to fuel prices falling at the fastest pace on record, official figures show. The key Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation dropped to 3 per cent from 3.1 per cent in December, with falling car and transport prices also acting as a drag, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. But the fall was far lower than expected by economists as January sales on the high street failed to see the same level of heavy discounting as last year. The underlying rate of Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation fell to 2.4 per cent in January from 2.8 per cent in December. The headline rate of RPI inflation, which includes mortgage interest payments, fell to 0.1 per cent in January from 0.9 per cent in December.

A married Chinese businessman who could no longer afford five mistresses held a competition to decide which one to keep.  But the contest took a fatal turn when one of the women, eliminated for her looks, drove the man and the four other competitors off a cliff, Chinese media reported. The spurned mistress died and the other passengers were injured, the reports said. Police initially thought the car had plummeted off a mountain road in eastern China on December 6 by accident. Then they learned of the contest through a letter the dead woman had left behind, the Shanghai Daily newspaper said. The 29-year-old woman, identified only as Yu, was a waitress when she met the businessman at a restaurant in the coastal city of Qingdao in 2000.

Housing Slump: Prices Fall By 10.2% In 2008

UK homes lost 10.2% of their value during 2008, the first time the Department for Communities and Local Government has recorded a double-digit drop since it began collecting the data in 2003. The steep fall reported during December contrasts with more recent figures on the property market, which suggest buyers may be beginning to return. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) earlier reported falling prices had prompted people to seek out bargains - with enquiries rising for the third month in a row. The Halifax and Nationwide house price indexes show how property has been hit hard by the economic slump, with prices dropping by 20% since their peak in the summer of 2007. According to Nationwide, prices had reached a high of about £186,000. The Halifax said it was even more, peaking at just under £200,000. Since then, prices have almost continually fallen. In October, 2008, the Halifax said house prices fell by 13% in 12 months - the biggest drop since records began 25 years ago. But the market may be turning around - the Halifax recorded a 1.9% increase in prices for January, bringing an end to 10 consecutive months of falls. And nearly half of chartered surveyors believe that the bottom of the market is now in sight. Existing homeowners are the main source of the increased interest in the housing market, according to the RICS. But first-time buyers are continuing to be frozen out of the market as lenders demand high deposits. Only 23% of surveyors reported a rise in interest from people taking their first step on to the property ladder. There are now just three mortgages available for people with a 5% deposit, and 88 for those with a 10% one. Instead people now need at least a 40% deposit for nearly one in four mortgages on offer, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk.

The latest national house price figures are to be released this morning - and they could show some tentative signs of recovery in the housing market. A new survey claims there have been signs of a small upturn in recent weeks. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said falling prices have prompted potential buyers to seek out bargains - and enquiries have risen for the third month in a row. The Halifax and Nationwide house price indexes show how property has been hit hard by the economic slump, with prices dropping by 20% since their peak in the summer of 2007.

Mortgage Lending At 35-Year Low

The number of mortgages taken out by house hunters fell to its lowest level since 1974 during 2008, the Council of Mortgage Lenders says. Just 516,000 mortgages were taken out for house purchase last year. That is 49% fewer than during 2007, according to the council. Net lending, which strips out redemptions and repayments, for all types of mortgage also dived sharply, dropping to £39.7bn in 2008, from £108.2bn a year earlier. There was also steep fall in the number of first-time buyers getting on to the ladder. Just 194,200 people bought their first home in 2008, 46% fewer than in 2007. That slump in first time purchases continued in December, with just 12,100 people taking out loans collectively worth £1.4bn - the lowest levels since the CML's monthly records began in 2002. First-time buyers have been hit hard by banks and building societies tightening their lending criteria. They now put down an average deposit of 22% of their property's value. The credit crunch and fears over jobs have also forced house hunters to delay purchases. CML director general Michael Coogan said: "The shortage of mortgage funding and reduction in the number of active lenders has reshaped the mortgage landscape in the space of a year." The CML has warned that net mortgage lending will turn negative this year. 

Nine members of the Metropolitan Police's crime squad in Enfield, north London, have been suspended from duty in an anti-corruption investigation. The force said two more officers have been placed on restrictive duties for the duration of the inquiry. The investigation centres on the alleged mishandling of property. No arrests have been made. In a brief statement, the Met said it "demands the highest levels of honesty and integrity from its officers." A spokesman would not confirm any more details but said the suspensions would not affect day-to-day policing.

HARRODS owner Mohamed Fayed launched an attack on Scotland Yard today as he was cleared of claims he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl. The billionaire said he had been "victimised" in the course of a nine-month investigation by specialist sex crimes detectives. The 76-year-old said it was wrong he had been named before any proceedings had been brought. Mr Fayed was interviewed by police about the alleged assault at his Knightsbridge store but never charged. Today the Crown Prosecution Service, which has been assessing a file on the case submitted by Met detectives, said there was no prospect of securing a conviction and that no charges would be brought. Mr Fayed immediately spoke of his anger. "The investigation has reached an obvious and proper conclusion," he said. "But I have to ask why it took so long and why it was handled in such a way as to cause me and my businesses the maximum degree of damage. "This should never be permitted in a democratic society. The leaks, the false stories, the innuendo all make a bad situation worse. "I am shocked the system can be manipulated in such a way. It cannot be right an accused person is publicly named before proceedings are brought.

Fayed: I was victimised over false sex attack claim

"Now I know how distressing it is to be victimised in this way I intend to fight to ensure others on the receiving end of false allegations are properly protected." His spokeswoman added: "The first Mr al Fayed knew of any allegation, let alone a complaint to the police, was when a story appeared on the front page of a newspaper. That story was almost certainly deliberately leaked to the press. "At the precise time of the alleged offence, which Mr al Fayed learned was supposed to have taken place at Harrods, he was at Fulham Football Club, in full view of television cameras, enjoying a match. "Mr al Fayed has been shocked by the way this has been handled by the police. He believes it cannot be right that an accused person is publicly named before proceedings are brought." Rene Barclay, the CPS's director of complex casework for London, said in a statement: "During the course of a thorough investigation, extensive enquiries were made and statements were taken from a number of people. "Having reviewed those statements and other material submitted to us we concluded that, in the light of the conflicting evidence and the absence of sufficiently reliable accounts of crucial events, there was no realistic prospect of conviction." Police questioned Mr Fayed, who has always strongly denied the allegation, in October.

Nairobi, Tuesday 17th February, 2009. Security apparatus are on alert over possible terror attack from Somali extremists linked to al-Qaeda. They are reportedly unhappy with the co-operation between Kenya, US and European countries in the war against piracy, a major source of revenue for terrorists and other criminal gangs in Somalia Internal Security Minister George Saitoti said on Monday they are taking measures to ensure the attack does not occur. "We are aware and monitoring whatever is going on especially in Somalia. I am not dreaming because the threat is real and we have been victims," he said. Prof Saitoti said "things are not normal" especially along the Kenya-Somali border. He made the remarks when he met PPOs at the CID Training School, Nairobi. PPOs run intelligence and security matters. The minister said foreign militias at the Mandera border were a security threat.  The extremists were especially unhappy with the agreements Kenya has signed with foreign partners to arrest and charge pirates who terrorise ships off the Somalia coast. "They plan a revolt because they think Americans are helping us to tame them," said an officer who did not want to be named. Saitoti also cited a US report by a spy agent, who warned that Kenya was likely to face terror attacks as extremists plot to hit US targets. Saitoti termed the remarks serious.  "We judge the terrorist threat to US interests in East Africa, primarily from al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda-affiliated extremists in Somalia and Kenya, will increase in the next year," Mr Dennis Blair, overseer of US spy agencies, was reported telling the Senate last week. Blair said al-Qaeda network in East Africa was planning operations against American, European and local targets. Kenya has been a victim of terror attacks. In the most serious in 1998, more than 200 people were killed. The security apparatus are also concerned by threats from some of the terrorists against Prime Minister Raila Odinga. - The Standard.

The race for the chair of the new Interim Independent Electoral Commission has narrowed down to eight. Former National Assembly Speaker Francis Kaparo and former Kenya  National Commission on Human Rights Chairman Maina Kiai are among those shortlisted for Tuesday’s final interview.

Agriculture minister William Samoei Ruto is expected to face a trying week in his political career when a motion of censure filed by Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale comes before the House Business Committee (HBC) on Tuesday evening. Sources close to the HBC confirmed that the motion by Dr Bonny Khalwale would be given priority. Should the HBC sanction the motion, it could come up for debate as early as next Wednesday afternoon.

Agriculture minister William Ruto arrives at Continental House, Nairobi, on Monday to meet the parliamentary committee on Agriculture.

Some of his colleagues in the Cabinet have been asking for his resignation and corruption investigators have been called to investigate NCPB. Also summoned by the MPs were top officials of Kebs and Kephis as well as Agriculture PS Romano Kiome. The Kephis team, however, was not grilled on Monday but their interviews were pushed to another day. NCPB was represented by lawyers, their technocrats. The maize, imported from South Africa late last year, has been lying at the port even as 10 million people suffer food shortages. The price of a two-kilogramme packet of maize flour is retailing at a high of Sh120 in most parts of the country. Kephis, the Government Chemist and Kebs were on Monday still not in agreement on whether the maize should be released to the consumer, three months later. Two private companies have certified the maize, part of an 8,100-tonne consignment bought by the cereals board, as fit to eat. The Nation learnt that NCPB, on the advise of Kebs, had declined to have the maize off-loaded and wanted it shipped back to South Africa “based on the level of discoloration.’’ An MP who was at the meeting said of the fresh twist: “We believe the maize is good for human consumption but somebody somewhere is trying to be clever.’’ The chairman of the committee, Mr John Mututho, declined to give details of the meeting, saying only that Mr Ruto had shed a lot of light on the matter. He said: “We are investigating the actual trigger of price wars...we now have the hypothesis and it is the one we are testing and will only disclose it in our final report,’’ said the Naivasha MP. - Daily Nation.

Fresh from recording a massive pretax profit of Sh5.02 billion, Equity Bank is now widening its reach in Nyanza Province. The bank at the weekend unveiled four more branches in the province as it moved to consolidate its growth and expansion across the country. Equity — currently Kenya’s  fastest growing banking institution — opened branches in Siaya, Mbita Point, Kisumu and Homa Bay districts on February 14.  All events were officiated by Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Equity has based its strategy on services for the poor and its profits have doubled every year for the past five years as it expanded and targeted Kenyans who previously held no formal bank accounts.  The highlight of the weekend events was a consultative meeting in Siaya and a dinner hosted by the bank for the business community from the region at the Tom Mboya Labour grounds in Kisumu. And as part of the launch activities in the region, the bank will simultaneously conduct financial literacy campaigns to encourage people to seek credit in the bank. Last Thursday, Equity Bank announced a Sh5 billion profit for the year ending December 2008, which is a 111 per cent rise compared to Sh2.378 billion posted in the previous year (2007). Equity's profits have grown despite tough times last year, when the local economy saw a bout of political unrest that hit key sectors.  - The Standard.

Mystery 'Fireballs' Fall From The Texas Sky

Authorities in Texas are baffled after being flooded with reports of burning debris falling from the sky. Terrified onlookers were heard screaming when the mysterious "fireballs" were filmed mid-morning on Sunday. They were captured by television cameras recording a marathon in the state capital Austin. No one has explained where the debris has come from, amid numerous reports of sightings to the Federal Aviation Administration. The city's Sheriff's Office sent up a helicopter to investigate but it returned with no hard evidence. There were initial concerns the fireballs originated from a collision of two space satellites last week. A US and a Russian communication satellite smashed together 500 miles above Earth. But US Strategic Command has since said the two incidents are unrelated. The Federal Aviation Administration said it had warned pilots to be aware of possible space debris following the satellite collision. Russia's Mission Control chief said clouds of debris will circle the planet for thousands of years and threaten numerous satellites. The debris field from the collision is described as huge but scientists are still trying to determine the full scope of the crash.

A further multi-billion bail-out for Lloyds Banking Group was not being ruled out today as shares fell again. After a beating on the markets, the merged bank was worth just £10 billion at lunchtime — despite having had £17 billion of taxpayer funds poured in last year. Ministers remained open to another taxpayer-funded injection of cash and, although it was being played down hard, the last resort option of full nationalisation was not being dismissed, a year after Northern Rock was taken into public ownership. Treasury minister Stephen Timms said neither a bail-out nor nationalisation was on the cards but, equally, the Government would not shrink from taking action to safeguard the newly created superbank, formed from the merger of Lloyds and stricken HBOS.

UK recession to be 'worse than expected'

The CBI said the Government will also have to borrow around a £100 billion on top of their expectations. Spokeswoman Lai Co said ministers had spent heavily to bail out the banks and cut VAT but there was now less money coming in. In its latest dire warning on the economy, the CBI said the economy will shrink by 3.3 per in 2009, compared with its November forecast of a 1.7 per cent contraction. Ian McCafferty, CBI chief economic adviser, said many countries had been forced to revise their projections down in recent months as the severity of the recession became apparent. "I think circumstances have changed. The Pre Budget Report was done in October, November and we have seen a dramatic and global change in conditions, literally in the last six to eight weeks," he said. "Given the rapid contraction in global economic activity and the continuing credit squeeze, we believe the UK will be mired in a deep recession for the whole of 2009, lasting six quarters in total and accompanied by a significant rise in unemployment." The CBI revised its joblessness forecast upwards to a peak of just over three million in 2010. Average earnings growth is expected to drop in the first three quarters of this year to a low of 1.1 per cent, as people become increasingly prepared to accept pay freezes and cuts. Wages are only predicted to return to the current level of growth - 2.5 per cent - in the last quarter of 2010. Businesses, which have been battered by the credit crunch and an increasingly savage recession, have already made painful cutbacks on staff and costs. The CBI said it anticipates firms will scale back investment throughout the forecast period, with a 9.2 per cent drop in 2009 and a 1.7 per cent fall in 2010. Consumers worried about losing their jobs are forecast to slash spending as they try and build up their savings. As a result household spending is predicted to fall 2.7 per cent in 2009, remaining in negative territory in 2010 with a 1.2 contraction.

"Let me warn you my friend!! I just came back from US a few days ago and believe you me, the amount of security that is involved at the airport! I would advice anyone who has anything to hide not to bother going there, they take your finger prints and you iris, and not forgetting we had a British passport and within the 1 hour we were there 10 black people had been pulled to one side even those who had European PP, so be very careful whatever you do." - Twiggy
 

Nairobi's Eastleigh residents on Monday protested against the alleged illegal sale of Eastleigh Health Centre and Clinic to a private developer. Police used teargas to disperse them and on right police arrest a man who was said to be among the protesters at Nairobi's Eastleigh estate on Monday. Residents claimed that Eastleigh Health Centre and Clinic had been illegally sold to a private developer. Police used teargas to disperse them.

Docklands homes fall by £72,000, but prices elsewhere are on rise

Asking prices for homes around Canary Wharf have plummeted by more than 16 per cent in the last month as the banking crisis continues to hit prices near London's financial centres. Almost £72,000 was wiped off the average asking price in the area in a matter of weeks. New figures released today show that the average in Tower Hamlets fell from £448,071 in mid January to £376,103 by the middle of this month. Experts said the fall was caused by fewer expensive homes coming up for sale in the east London borough. But sellers in many other parts of London reacted to the economic gloom differently to help push average asking prices higher during the same period. Kensington and Chelsea saw a sharp rise in the number of people wanting to sell top-end homes. The average asking price in the west London borough was up by more than £200,000 in February to nearly £2million - a rise of almost 12 per cent. In Richmond-upon-Thames it rose by nearly six per cent (£30,000) from £517,661 to £547,911.  Average asking prices rose in 18 London boroughs, fell in 14 and stayed the same in Brent.  Across London as a whole asking prices were almost unchanged over the month, in spite of sale prices falling sharply, the figures from property website Rightmove showed. But there were massive local variations, reflecting the differing fortunes of owners in different parts of the capital.

A spokesman for property search website Rightmove said: "The London picture has been distorted in recent months by a dramatic shift in the mix of property coming to market, indicating external influences are forcing some sellers to act differently. "In Canary Wharf, the number of properties marketed above the average price in the last month has decreased. With the area being recently developed and greatly dependent on the health of the financial services sector, it will be prone to more volatility." He continued: "In January we saw a large increase in average asking prices, with over double the number of £750,000 to £1million properties coming to the market compared with the end of 2008. These sellers were forced to market quickly after the turmoil affecting some City institutions in the autumn.  "Now the number of properties above £750,000 has dropped substantially, to be replaced by lower value properties as the impact of the downturn forces sales further down the ladder." The opposite has happened in Kensington and Chelsea, though the troubles of the City are the common cause. There has been an unseasonal surge in properties in excess of £5million pounds coming onto the market in the last month. Inquiries to Rightmove have doubled since last year, showing growing interest by buyers keen to spot bargains Director Miles Shipside said: "This is a new record for us and indicates a pent-up demand. Buying opportunities on the way to the bottom of the market are traditionally more plentiful than those on the way up, and sellers are more open to low offers. "Agents are reporting greater activity, though prospective buyers are being cautious."

Two London teenagers were shot repeatedly in a mugging by a gang of boys as young as 13 who demanded their iPods and phones. The victims, brothers aged 18 and 19, were left writhing in agony outside a McDonald's in Neasden. One was hit in the stomach, leg, groin and arm and the other was wounded in the chest and stomach. The brothers, believed to be eastern European, had been challenged by the gang, some of whom were on bicycles, who asked them what they were doing there and then told them to hand over their valuables.

A Kenyan man has passed away in the UK. The late Peterson Ngunjiri Ritho, 60, passed away in Birmingham City Hospital, UK on Wednesday 11th February, 2009 after a short illness. Husband to Lucy Ngunjiri of London. Father to Harrison Theuri, UK and Timothy Munyua  of Swindon, UK.  He comes from Muruguru, Nyeri, Kenya.  The deceased was living in Coventry before moving to Birmingham where he lived until his death. He was said to be suffering from Cancer. More information later.

"Business as usual is not business." - Dr. Albert Odulele, Glory Bible, London

London, Monday 16th February. 2009. All the 33 Russian-made tanks aboard the MV Faina have finally been offloaded. The tanks are now being mounted on rail wagons for onward transfer to the Kahawa Barracks in Nairobi. According to Colonel George Kabugi, the team leader in charge of the offloading of the military hardware at the Port of Mombasa, much of the cargo was offloaded on Sunday night.  The exercise was interrupted several times due to tidal waves on the ocean and other logistical hiccups. Speaking to Kenya News Agency at Berth Number 5 Monday, Col. Kabugi said that only a few military ordinance were remaining, but added that he was optimistic that the exercise would be completed by this evening as the offloading will resume at high times after 6:00 pm.

Offloading of the equipment got underway on Saturday evening, two days after the Ukrainian freighter docked at the Kilindini Harbour, a scenario port and military officials attributed to vagaries of the weather. By this morning, dozens of military pellets were able to be offloaded while the rest of the equipment will have to wait until high tide since the angle of the exit ramp of the vessel remains awkward for any offloading. Col. Kabugi said that already, most of the tanks that had been offloaded had mounted on the rails. He however said that upon completion on Tuesday, logistics of movement of the same would depend on the capacity of the Rift Valley Railways (RVR) to ship them to the final destination. Security in and around the port area remains tight with several armed military officers patrolling the precincts alongside port security personnel. The controversy cargo surrounding the MV Faina, which was held in captivity by Somali pirates for about five month ended after the payment of about US$3.2 million about a week ago to the buccaneers. The Kenya Government Spokesman, Dr Alfred Mutua, said that the cargo is meant for its army while some quarters claim that the consignment was destined for Southern Sudan that is currently under a UN arms embargo.

The MV faina ship became the center of the world attention when it was captured by Somalia pirates in September last year.

Joseph Munio Mucheru of Edmonton, North London has lost his mother back in Kenya the late Mrs. Teresia Wairimu Mucheru on Monday 16th February, 2009 in Gathangari, Githunguri, Kiambu, Kenya. Wife of Paul Mucheru. Family and friends are meeting at Woodhouse Pub, Friern Barnet, Woodhouse Road, N12 9BD. For more information please contact Joseph on 07958911034.

UN Investigator Starts Probe of Kenya's extrajudicial killings

The UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial executions is in Kenya on a mission to establish the extent of reports of increased arbitrary killings bylaw enforcers. A statement from the UN Human Rights Council said Philip Alston arrived Sunday. He will undertake a 10-day visit to the country at the invitation of the Kenya government. "He is scheduled to hold meetings with government officials at both the federal and provincial levels and with members of the legislature," a statement from his office said. "His visit will also include meetings with human rights survivors of and witnesses to killings, NGOs, academics and other civil society. His responsibilities include reporting on alleged killings and the underlying causes that might have prevented effective legal action to prosecute and punish those responsible," said the statement. According to the statement, based on the information obtained during the visit, the special rapporteur will present a report containing his conclusions and recommendations at a forthcoming session of the Human Rights Council. Alston will visit Nairobi, the Rift Valley, Central, Western and Nyanza provinces and probe reports of similar executions by police and military personnel in the Mt Elgon region in early 2007when an operation to end attacks by a militia group the Sabaot Land Defense Force began and in an ongoing campaign against the Mungiki terror group launched in 2006. Alston was appointed special rapporteur in 2004 by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. As a special rapporteur, he is independent from any government and serves in his individual capacity. The commission first decided to appoint a special rapporteur to examine questions relevant to summary or arbitrary executions in 1982. The mandate, since assumed under the UN Human Rights Council, covers all countries.

Fears for Lloyds bank as shares plunge.  Shares in Lloyds slumped again today as fears increased that the Government could be forced to nationalise the bank to save it from collapse. Within minutes of the stock market opening, the share price, which fell 30 per cent on Friday, tumbled by a further 11 per cent to 54.5p. The shares are worth an eighth of their £4.50 price of 12 months ago.  Last week Lloyds Banking Group announced £10 billion losses from its takeover of HBOS. The Government already owns 43 per of the group after pumping £17 billion into the merged bank. It now faces losses on paper of about £2.5billion because of the tumbling share price. Chancellor Alistair Darling continues to insist that the Government's decision to push through the merger was justified, despite increasing criticism from opposition politicians and shareholders. Some City analysts believe the scale of the losses inherited by Lloyds from HBOS mean that the bank will soon need a further injection of taxpayers' cash or full-scale nationalisation.

London, Monday 16th February, 2009. BMW has confirmed that 850 jobs are to go at the Cowley plant in Oxford, which makes the Mini, and that weekend working has been scrapped. All agency workers who did the weekend shift at the factory have lost their jobs, with immediate effect. The site is closing for a week after a fall in sales as a result of the economic downturn. The carmaker also said it had identified 150 surplus workers at its Mini plant in Swindon. The workers will be offered a transfer to work in Oxford, it added. Work at the Cowley plant will not restart until 23 February. The changing shift patterns, and the resulting job losses, will come into force on 2 March. "Mini plant Oxford will be bringing in a new shift pattern in response to continuing volatile market conditions," a BMW statement said. "As of Monday 2 March, the plant will go from a three-shift to a two-shift pattern, operating five days per week instead of the current seven."  "The company regrets that this change will result in the release of around 850 agency workers from the business," it added.  BMW had said that all staff at the factory, including remaining agency workers, would be paid their basic wages during the closure.  However, many agency workers said they were unclear what the future held after being told the weekend shift had been axed. Javid Najibi said he had been told to leave after four years at the plant and that he was likely to get no payout. "It's bad news for everybody. There's no work any more for the weekend shift. No-one knows about the future plans," he said. Another agency worker told the BBC that he felt like a "second class" employee compared to the permanent staff. "It's a disgrace," he said.

"I've worked here for three-and-a-half years and now I'm being sacked for no reason. I've been used." A Mini spokesperson had confirmed at the weekend that the company was in discussions with Unite union representatives over changes to shift patterns at the plant. "Our first priority is to communicate with the workforce," the spokesperson had said. However, staff were angry about the way in which they were told about their job losses. Bernard Moss, from the union Unite said: "[The workers] obviously weren't very happy and the biggest issue was being told one hour from the end of the shift that they hadn't got a job." Worker Silvia Fernandes said: "I've been here for four years and I've never been sick, I've never missed work and they tell me one hour before that I've been sacked. That's not on. "That's why people are angry and so upset with BMW and the union." The company's 4,500 staff had returned to work on 5 January after an extended four-week Christmas holiday. In December, 300 agency staff were told there would be no more work for them at the plant after the Christmas holiday. BMW, like most carmakers across the world, has been struggling in the face of falling sales during the economic downturn. Overall, BMW sales fell by 4.3% in 2008, to 1.4 million vehicles, although Mini sales actually rose by 4.3% last year, to 232,425 cars. The carmaker is the latest in a long line of car manufacturers in the UK to announce plant closures and redundancies. For example, Honda has closed its plant in Swindon for four months between February and May.

CUTTING BACK  

Aston Martin: Extended Christmas shutdown and 600 redundancies. Temporary three-day week began in January

Bentley: Worked a three-day week in October and longer Christmas break. Closing Crewe plant for seven weeks from the beginning of March

GM (Vauxhall): Extended Christmas closure and 40-day shutdown

Honda: Four-month shutdown between February and May

Jaguar Land Rover: Series of one-day shutdowns and production cuts late 2008 plus 450 redundancies planned

Nissan: Two-week shutdown late last year and 1,200 redundancies

Toyota: One of the night shifts suspended

Source: SMMT

A Mombasa-based firm has been contracted to clean and remove marine growth from MV Faina. Marine experts told Standard on Sunday that the vessel’s long stay in the sea following pirate hijack led to massive growth of marine algae. "The algae reduce the speed of the vessel and leads to high fuel consumption," said Mr Hamid Haq, managing director of Under Water Engineering. The firm has dispatched 12 divers to take pictures of the vessel’s bottom. Offloading of the military cargo aboard the vessel was delayed again yesterday afternoon due to low water tide. The vessel could not be positioned properly for the offload if the tide is low. It is carrying 33 T72 tanks, rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns. Two senior military officers, a Colonel Kabugi (expert in tank artillery) and Brigadier Otieno from Defence headquarters, have been overseeing operations since the docking of the ship at the harbour. Journalists were on Friday evening allowed to take pictures of the tanks by peeping through the vessel’s lower deck. It has also emerged that the Somali pirates who hijacked the vessel vandalised accommodation cabins in the ship. Mombasa Port International Transport Federation (ITF) Inspector Juma Khamis said in an interview that he had information that pirates took away valuable goods. "They vandalised the cabins and defecated in the accommodation blocks. The vessel will have undergo a major facelift before it becomes habitable," he said. And 17 crewmembers that had been released together with the ship left Mombasa for Europe on Friday to reunite with their families. Another crew has already joined the ship ready for its next mission. The body of the ship’s captain, who died soon after the hijack, is lying at a Mombasa hospital morgue but arrangements are under way to airlift it to Russia. - The Sunday Standard.

A YOUNG UP&COMING KENYAN IMMIGRATION LAWYER IN LONDON

Douglas Wamburu is a solicitor of Aaskells Solicitors & Advocates. He deals with immigration and asylum matters and has represented in Asylum & Immigration Tribunals as well as in Mental Health Review Tribunals. He has overturned a high number of refusals of visas by the ECOs at the British High Commission Nairobi, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mauritius, Nigeria, USA etc. Dealt with Removals, Deportations, Detention, Bails and assisted in Judicial Reviews. You can contact him through on 0208 920 2400 Mob 07949664202 Fax 0208 920 2450 or email info@aaskellsolicitors.com - Aaskells Solicitors & Advocates, 43-45 Chase Side, London, Southgate, N14 5BP.

Kenya’s rulers plundered their country to enrich themselves and preserve an ethnic clique’s hold on power while Western donors turned a blind eye and kept the aid flowing, according to a new book. In It’s Our Turn to Eat, journalist Michela Wrong delves into the corruption that has poisoned African societies, put a brake on development and discouraged investment. It is certain to stir controversy in Kenya, where a power-sharing government, formed less than a year ago after post-election bloodshed in East Africa’s biggest economy, has been embroiled in a new series of corruption scandals. "These are not merely Kenyan issues. Ethno-nationalism is emerging as Africa’s most toxic problem, challenging the continent’s very post-colonial structure," the author writes. The book centres on the struggle of Kenyan anti-corruption whistleblower John Githongo, who turns up on Wrong’s London doorstep with stacks of evidence of graft and afraid of potential retribution by those he stands to expose. Suspense-filled passages track Githongo’s efforts, which start in 2002 with his appointment by President Kibaki to help lead the fight against corruption -- which had been at the centre of Kibaki’s election campaign. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

LEFT: The Mail on Sunday claims Britain's most powerful police body is netting around £18m by selling police checks for £70. CENTRE: An HBOS official who was sacked for warning that the bank's lending culture was reckless tells The Independent on Sunday that Gordon Brown will have to quit as Prime Minister. RIGHT: The Observer reports a row has erupted over how organ donations are allocated because heavy drinkers are receiving nearly one in four of the country's liver transplants.

Doughnut-loving police have solved a church burglary through analysing DNA found on a half-eaten doughnut. As Homer Simpson said: "Donuts - is there anything they can't do?" In the case Indiana police were called to a church burglary where a number of musical instruments were taken. They initially struggled for leads but hungry, and frankly stereotypical, officers found a box of doughnuts in the church's kitchen. Preparing for a well-earned snack, Police chief Wigham-style, they noticed a bite had been taken from one of the doughnuts. Furious that one of the tasty donuts had been spoiled, officers redoubled their efforts to track the perpetrator. Deputies sent the half-eaten doughnut to the Indiana State Police lab for testing. It found that DNA left on the treat matched the man, who is serving a prison sentence at the Branchville Correctional Facility for an unrelated home burglary.  A 22-year-old man was charged with burglary and the police had a deserved snack.

Doughnut-loving police have solved a church burglary through analysing DNA found on a half-eaten doughnut

"Money is a unit of information and not a measure of wealth". Money and wealth are two different things. Many people are struggling to get money little do they know that money is not wealth - Dr. Albert Odulele, Glory Bible, London

Kenyans mark Valentine day

The streets of Nairobi were Saturday donned in red, a color associated with love, as couples came out in number to celebrate Saint Valentines Day.  The festival has gained recognition and has become one of the most celebrated unofficial and non-religious holidays.  With love in the air, flower traders were up early with bouquets packaged in appealing ways for enthusiastic couples.  Kenyans had mixed views about the day. "For me this day is about sharing love with your loved ones although I did not send her flowers," one person said. "Well I think we should celebrate love everyday," some said. However, the traders registered decreased sales this year despite them overstocking in anticipation. At the City Market in Nairobi, traders leveled their anger at the Kenya Flower Council for unfairly competing with flower retailers despite being a leading wholesale supplier of flowers.  The Saint Valentines Day as a tradition is marked with lovers expressing their love for each other by sending cards, presenting flowers and confectionery.The run up to St. Valentine's Day, the most important sales day in the cut flower calendar was fairly busy across the country as usual. Hamish Ker, the Production Manager of Oserian Farm said the global economic crisis had hit the flower industry, adding that the earnings outlook this year were hard to forecast. Ker said the demand in the United Kingdom had dropped drastically, adding that the European Union was the main destination for Kenyan blooms.  Valentines Day was originally a pagan festival that was renamed Valentine by two early Christian martyrs. - VIDEO

These images show for the first time the true scale of the devast­ation wrought by the worst wildfires to hit Australia. One shows a dirt track running through bushland that was once dense but is now reduced to a blackened ruin. Another shows a neighbourhood in Marysville that was reduced to ash by the fires. Victoria Police yesterday released an e-fit of a man thought to be beh­ind an arson attempt in the Melbourne suburb of Ivanhoe East. It shows a man with a dark complexion, in his early to mid-20s and about 1.8m (5ft 11in). Police yesterday separately rel­eased two male suspects without charge. Last weekend's fires began in six places but only four started natur­ally, experts believe. The death toll could exceed 200, say officials, up from 181 confirmed fatalities so far. But the disaster gave new imp­etus yesterday to stalled plans for a national fire warning system. A way to aut­omatically call every telephone number in a danger area has been debated for five years, said attorney-general Robert McClelland. Telstra – Australia's largest telec­ommunications company – said it could install the system but had been blocked by privacy laws. Thousands of firefighters are still battling more than a dozen fires.

A regional official in Tanzania has been sacked for ordering police to whip primary school teachers as a punishment for arriving at school late. In a statement, the government said the official had broken public service rules and humiliated the teachers. Nineteen teachers were caned in front of their pupils after an inquiry into poor exam results at three schools. The inquiry blamed teachers for being late or not showing up for work and not teaching the official syllabus. The official who ordered the canings in the northern town of Bukoba, district commissioner Albert Mnali, told AFP news agency that it had been the right way to treat the teachers. "These teachers often report late for duty and some of them are fond of being absent for several days," he told the agency on Friday. "They deserved to get corporal punishment." But Deputy Education Minister Mwantumu Bakari Mahiza called the incident "unfortunate and utterly absurd". The government asked Mr Mnali to explain his actions and later issued a statement confirming the commissioner had been sacked. "The government has followed up the issue and heard the explanation from the commissioner," the statement said. "It has been concluded that Mnali's decision is unacceptable and humiliating to teachers, contrary to public-service regulations." One of the caned teachers, Ativus Leonard, 33, told the BBC he was now too ashamed to meet his pupils. Mr Leonard said he had been kicked by a police officer to make him lie down before being beaten. "He hit me everywhere - my legs, my chest, my arms, my hands. When it was over, I went to the hospital for treatment. I was given medicine but I still have a lot of pain in my chest," he said. The case comes at a time when parents and human-rights groups in Tanzania have been calling for a ban on flogging of schoolchildren throughout the country. Before Mr Mnali was sacked, the Tanzania Teachers' Union said it intended to sue him. "The caning of our teachers is shameful. It's intolerable and it's time the teachers take action against Mr Mnali through the judiciary," Kagera union chairman Dauda Bilikesi told the BBC. Union officials say the caning happened amid an ongoing row between the union and the government. Teachers complain that their salaries are often delayed and that they are a denied transfer allowance when they move to a new school.
 

"Money is not wealth - Adam, Noah and Abraham had no money but they were wealthy people." - Dr. Albert Odulele, Glory Bible, London

Russians capture Somali pirates

The Russian navy says one of its warships has captured three pirate vessels off the coast of Somalia. Ten pirates aboard the vessels were also detained, according to a statement given by the navy to news agencies. A spokesman for the Russian navy said all those captured by the nuclear-powered warship, Peter the Great, were Somali nationals. Pirates from Somalia target merchant ships sailing through the busy Gulf of Aden, which connects Europe and Asia. Russian navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said the pirate boats were spotted by the warship's helicopter south-east of the Yemeni island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean. "It was visually established how weapons were being dumped from the boats into the sea," Mr Dygalo said in a statement. He said the navy seized weapons including grenade launchers and automatic rifles as well as a quantity of a "narcotic substance". A multi-national task force including the United States, the UK, India and Russia currently patrol the sea off the unstable Horn of Africa to deter pirates. On Thursday, the US navy said it had detained nine pirates. The report of the Russian detentions came as the International Maritime Bureau issued a warning to shipping that the risk from piracy off the coast of Somalia was rising again. The bureau's reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur says six ships were attacked this week alone, but all managed to escape. The bureau blamed the heightened risk on more favourable weather and the temptation for pirates to target more ships for ransom, after recently releasing a number of hijacked vessels. News of the Somali pirates' detention came on the same day the crew of a Ukrainian ship captured by Somali pirates arrived home at Kiev airport after a 19-week hijacking ordeal. The MV Faina, released last week, docked on Thursday in Mombasa with its crew of 17 Ukrainians, two Russians and one Latvian, with a cargo of tanks and munitions.

The Tanzania Teachers' Union is taking legal action after 19 primary school teachers were given the cane. The teachers were caned by a police officer in front of their pupils after an investigation into poor exam results at three schools. The report blamed teachers for being late or not showing up for work and not teaching the official syllabus. One of the caned teachers, Ativus Leonard, 33, told the BBC he was now too ashamed to meet his pupils. The deputy education minister has said those responsible for the caning "should have their heads examined". The union is planning a large demonstration next week in protest at the incident. The case comes at a time when parents and human rights groups in Tanzania have been calling for a ban on flogging of schoolchildren throughout the country. The union says it will sue District Commissioner (DC) Albert Mnali, who ordered the caning in the northern region of Kagera. "The caning of our teachers is shameful. It's intolerable and it's time the teachers take action against Mr Mnali through the judiciary," Kagera teachers' union chairman Dauda Bilikesi told the BBC. "We have informed the police in Bukoba [capital of Kagera region] that we will be marching through the town to demand the government takes disciplinary measures against Mr Mnali. We want him to leave, he is not fit for his job", he said.

"The fact that you are driving a big car is not fact you are wealth. It matters which direction you are going. It could be that you are driving to more debt." - Dr. Albert Odulele, Glory Bible, London

Girl marries dog to ward off evil

A nine-year-old tribal girl in eastern India has married a stray dog as part of a ritual to ward off an “evil spell” on her. In India’s eastern Jharkhand, locals in the Munda Dhanda village have ‘married off’ one of its children to a stray dog because they believed her family was endangered by a malevolent spirit that could be assuaged in no other way.The ceremony was performed to the beating of many drums in the belief that it would help to overcome any curse that might fall upon the unfortunate family. Superstitions are widespread in India, especially in rural areas where literacy is scarce.

Nairobi, Saturday 14th February, 2009. Police in Molo moved swiftly Friday morning to cordon off the scene where another oil tanker overturned a mere kilometers from Sachang'wan, the scene of the deadly tanker fire that killed 133 people two weeks ago. Security officers arrived at the scene ten minutes after the tanker loaded with 28 tonnes of crude oil crashed and kept curious residents at bay.  The driver of the tanker said he was trying to overtake other vehicles on a section of the road under construction when he lost control of the vehicle. Molo DC Julius Kavita and OCPD Achesa Litabalia said the driver of the tanker, who was slightly injured, was rushed to the Molo District Hospital for treatment.  They said he would be arrested and charged with careless driving. The two urged residents along the accident prone area to restrain themselves from rushing to accident scenes that are regular along the road. The tanker's turn boy, Jacob Njenga, said they found the road blocked as they were overtaking but when the driver tried to use the road shoulder to overtake it collapsed, making the tanker to overturn.  The oil, destined for Oilibya refinery in Kampala, Uganda oozed out of the tanker slowly but Nakuru Municipal firefighters who arrived at the scene spread anti-fire foam to prevent any outbreak. Two weeks ago a tanker that had overturned near the same site exploded, burning to death over 130 people, most of who were scooping oil. The source of the blaze is yet to be determined amid conflicting reports that it was deliberately lit by an enraged man who had been stopped by security officers from siphoning oil.

Westminster Chapel where the Global Day of Prayer London 2009 held their last day of 'Seven Nights of Prayer For London'

The Global Day Of Prayer London 2009 7th night of the 'Seven Nights of Prayers For London', which started on Wednesday 28th January 2009, was held at Westminster Chapel, Buckingham Gate in the very heart of London on Friday 13th february, 2009. The prayers were attended by many people from all walks of life. Representatives from  different nations, France, Italy, China, Filipines, Israel, Iran, and Great Britai, were invited to pray in their native tongues. MORE

A hippopotamus and her young at rest in their enclosure at Berlin zoo. The young, born on 22 January and at the end of November, were the first to be born there for a number of years and on right a man stands over bundles of cargo at a railway station in Mumbai, India. The Indian Rail System is one of the largest in the world, with 11,000 trains a day serving 80m people.

A British Airways jet from Amsterdam has been involved in an incident at London City Airport on Friday 13th February, 2009. Eyewitnesses say the front wheels by the aircraft's nose collapsed when the plane made a hard landing. The aircraft skidded to a halt on the runway and its 67 passengers and five crew were evacuated using the plane's emergency chutes. Six ambulances were called to the scene but there have been no reports of any major injuries. Passenger Justin Fletcher told the BBC: "There was obviously quite a loud bang as the plane scratched in, the stewards and stewardesses were quick to evacuate everyone off, there was a few scrapes and cuts due to hitting the asphalt, all in all everyone seems to be doing quite well now." A British Airways statement said: "Unfortunately one passenger sustained a minor injury and is currently on the way to hospital. There was one other minor injury. "We don't know the nature of the injury or how it was caused yet. Our priority at the moment is to ensure all the passengers involved in the incident are well cared for by our ground staff." The airport has been closed and flights have been diverted to other airports. The airport is mainly used for UK and European flights.

The plane was carrying 67 passengers and five crew

Couples are less likely to get married than any time in history, figures show. Fewer than one in 50 women get married each year

They strove to own the world but ended up clinging on disgraced names, dodging policemen and finally killing time in police cells along with the city’s pickpockets, rapists, robbers and murderers. They cheated their way into big money, captured the imagination of the poor and dazzled the fellow rich who had earned their wealth the hard way, but ended up as State guests in prison. It is the story of the life and times of Ketan Somaia (now rotting away in police cells in India), Mr Kamlesh Pattni (the modern day Paul of Tarsus) who has lost all and ‘turned’ to God, Ibrahim Akasha (the drug baron who is six-feet under), and Yagnesh Devani, the Triton Oil Company super-con who is on the run over a Sh7.6 billion scandal. - MORE

Chief Kenya mediator Kofi Annan has suggested that he might send a list of suspected election violence ringleaders to the International Criminal Court. He said he would obey the "spirit, letter and intent" of a commission of inquiry into the violence. The commission delivered a sealed list of suspects to Mr Annan and said it should be sent to the ICC if a local tribunal was not set up by 1 March. Parliament on Thursday rejected a bill to establish the special court. Some 1,500 people were killed after political and ethnic rivalries caused clashes around the country following the disputed December 2007 elections. - Daily Nation

Boy, 13 in UK: 'I'll Be A Good Dad'

Alfie Patten has just become a father aged just 13 in UK - and he insists he will be a good dad. Alfie's girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, 15, gave birth to Maisie Roxanne in Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex, four days ago, reports The Sun. The boy, who is just 4ft and looks young for his age, told the newspaper: "I thought it would be good to have a baby." But he admitted he did not think about how he would afford it. "I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10," he said. Alfie, who lives with his mother Nicola, 43, in Eastbourne, was 12 when Maisie was conceived. The pair, who have the support of their parents, kept the pregnancy secret until Chantelle's mother Penny noticed her daughter's swollen stomach. Alfie said: "When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react. "I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it." Alfie's father Dennis said his son wanted to be a devoted and responsible father, but did not fully appreciate what he had taken on by having a child. He said Alfie had wanted to be the first to hold his child. "He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day," he said. Chantelle and Maisie have been released from hospital and are living with her family in a council house in Eastbourne. Reacting to the birth of Maisie Roxanne, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, head of the Conservatives' Centre for Social Justice think tank, said he was outraged. The case was a "tragic example" of Britain's social decline, Mr Duncan Smith said later. "I don't know about these particular families but too many dysfunctional families in Britain today have children growing up where anything goes. "It exemplifies the point we have been making about broken Britain," he added. "It's not being accusatory, it's about pointing out the complete collapse in some parts of society of any sense of what's right and wrong. "There is no opprobrium any more about behaviour and quite often children witness behaviour that's aggressive, violent, rude and sexual. It's as if no one is saying this is wrong."

In the books of records it is recorded that a Kenyan air passenger flying home from China in 2007 was found to be wearing more than 100 items of men's and women's clothing. He told officials that he had been worried about being charged for carrying excess luggage. Source: Believe it or Not, 2009 Edition

Dad, 13, reflects 'broken Britain'

A 13-year-old boy who fathered a child provoked a fierce political debate about whether Britain's schools need better sex education. The case of baby-faced Alfie Patten - who was aged just 12 when the baby was conceived - exemplified the "complete collapse" of parts of society, it was claimed. The news also added to the UK's reputation as Europe's capital for teenage pregnancies. The debate was sparked after Alfie and 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman brought little Maisie Roxanne into the world at the Eastbourne District General Hospital, East Sussex. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who runs the Centre for Social Justice think tank, said the birth highlighted another case of "broken Britain" where "anything goes". Tory leader David Cameron said children having children was "worrying" and that parenthood should not be something they should even be contemplating. Prime Minister Gordon Brown did not comment directly on the case but said "all of us would want to avoid teenage pregnancies". Eastbourne Tory MP Nigel Waterson said the birth raised "huge" questions about sex education and the sexualisation of British society. And Tony Kerridge, of the sexual health specialist Marie Stopes International, said children needed better education to develop aspirations and avoid a life of poverty. Chantelle left hospital to return to her family's council house in Eastbourne on Thursday. She was being kept hidden from the media glare, while friends and relatives of Alfie left their detached home in Hailsham without comment. Sussex Police said no action would be taken, with it "not in anyone's interests" to prosecute. And East Sussex County Council said the teenage parents would be supported with intensive monitoring and health visitor support.

Architects of the violence in which more than 1,300 were killed last year will pay for their crimes in a process kicked off by Mr Kofi Annan on Friday. The chief mediator signalled clearly that he would be faithful to the “spirit, letter and intent” of the Waki Commission report which states that perpetrators of the post-election violence must be punished. In a tough statement a day after 93 MPs voted to defeat the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2009, Mr Annan described it as major setback and a blow to the efforts to end the culture of impunity. The Waki Commission had given the government up to March 1 to set up the special tribunal and ensure that it was operational. But the failure to push through the Bill to entrench the tribunal in the Constitution, wrote off efforts to proceed with another to establish the tribunal whose time line lapsed two weeks ago — January 30.

Sexual dysfunction in women

Men are not the only ones who experience challenges in the bedroom women too. They could suffer from Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD), which includes loss of libido, a diminishing sex drive or even pain during intercourse, thus disrupting her sex life.

FSD is a very common medical condition that occurs mainly among women between the ages of 25 to 50. But due to cultural, religious and social factors that view sex a taboo topic and where many women are socialised to believe that sex is not something they should enjoy, many still find it difficult to discuss. Many sexual problems, therefore, go untreated for even a lifetime.

There are different types of FSD, which could occur, alone or together:

Disorders of desire: Lack of sexual desire is the most commonly experienced challenge in women. It is caused by several factors which include boredom due to a repeated sex routine, a bad relationship or experience like rape or stress due to a demanding job and family. Nothing kills the libido faster than fatigue.

Arousal disorders: It could result from inadequate stimulation and is more prevalent in older women who require more stimulation to reach a similar level of arousal that they easily attained at a younger age. Anxiety too may inhibit arousal. Estrogen and Testosterone, the male sex hormone produced in small quantities in women by the ovary also drops significantly after menopause causing a decline in genital sensation and libido.

Orgasmic disorders: The inability to achieve orgasm can stem from negative feelings about sex due to childhood sexual abuse or rape, anger, depression, and use of drugs or alcohol. Focusing too much on technique and having an orgasm and not mutual pleasure diminishes sexual excitement because it creates anxiety and distractions.
 

Sexual pain disorders: They include vaginismus or dyspareunia. Vaginismus is the involuntary spasm of the vaginal muscles that makes penetration painful and can be caused by a womans fear of losing control, fear of pregnancy, past rape or sexual abuse, painful scars in the vaginal opening from injury during childbirth, surgery or circumcision; irritation from douches, spermicides or latex condoms and pelvic infections. Dyspareunia or pain during intercourse may be caused by poor vaginal lubrication, infections, vaginal irritation due to the use of spermicides, douches or latex condoms and pelvic infections.

Contrary to popular belief that FSD is psychological in nature something in her head it results from psychological, physical and relationship problems, which are intertwined and are influenced by ones health, environment and the behaviour of our partner and others.

The common causes of FSD are:
 

Physical causes: Fatigue due to stress, physical work or even sleep deficit or hot flashes; muscle or joint pain, pain with intercourse and urinary incontinence may interfere with sexual relations.
 

Pregnancy: Sexual activity does not have to change during pregnancy because intercourse does not harm the baby unless other conditions are present. But a decrease in sexual desire often prolonged by breastfeeding may occur immediately after birth. A combination of fatigue, fluctuating hormone levels and an episiotomy that is still healing may prevent couples from having sex after birth.
 

Drugs: Antidepressant medicines could decrease sexual desire above and beyond the effect that the depression itself has. Pain relievers like opiate block testosterone synthesis and decrease sexual response.

Menopause: Declining levels of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone cause a gradual loss of desire; difficulty getting aroused and painful intercourse because the vagina is dry due to a lack of lubrication and the tissues are thin and friable making sexual activity uncomfortable. Hot flushes can make women feel unattractive and many experience mood swings that leave them depressed and tearful.

Cancer: Loss of the uterus or breast due to disease removes physical symbols of femininity that may result in feelings of decreased sexuality for the woman. The treatment on the other hand can be painful, sap the womans energy as well as cause premature menopause. She may struggle with fears of death, disfigurement, or the partners rejection.

Chronic illness: Terminal diseases like diabetes can have a major impact on a womans self-image and her sexuality. Diabetes can cause a reduction in lubrication and blood flow to the genitals. Some medication can also affect her libido. Male factor: If a male partner is having sexual difficulties like erectile dysfunction or is being unfaithful.  Psychosocial factors: Issues like self-esteem, body image, and her relationship with her partner all have an impact on sexual arousal. Anger with ones sexual partner, anxiety, guilt like a widow with a new partner, sexual, verbal or physical abuse, sexual inexperience, financial, family or job problems, family illness or death, depression and drugs used to treat it can also cause FSD and just plain boredom with the same sexual script. Remember that humans are the only primates whose sexual desire is not solely meant for reproduction but for pleasure as well. So women should not miss out on what nature has gifted us with.  - The Standard.

London, Friday 13th February, 2009. Shares in Lloyds Banking Group, the company formed after its merger with HBOS, have tumbled after it said HBOS losses would be worse than expected. Lloyds announced that it expected HBOS to report a pre-tax loss for the whole of 2008 of £10bn, which is £1.6bn more than it predicted in November. Shares in Lloyds - 43% owned by the government - closed down 32.5% after the surprise announcement. The Lloyds side of the business is expected to make a profit of £1.3bn. Lloyds Banking Group shares ended the day at 61.4 pence, having earlier fallen as low as 54.9 pence, down as much as 40%. Most of the HBOS losses are blamed on a £7bn write-down at its corporate division, which is heavily exposed to the housing and commercial property sectors. In 2007, HBOS made a profit of £5.7bn. "HBOS's 2008 results have been adversely affected by the impact of market dislocation, which accelerated significantly in the last quarter of 2008, and the additional impairments required on the HBOS corporate lending portfolios," Eric Daniels, its chief executive, added. HBOS, which lent heavily to property investors and homeowners, was particularly vulnerable to the slowdown. But he stressed that the longer term prospects were brighter. "Whilst we recognise that the short term outlook is more challenging, Lloyds Banking Group has the largest UK financial services franchise, with excellent long-term earnings potential," he said. Analysts voiced their shock at the update. "The market doesn't like the fact that in a period of of a month, the corporate losses (at HBOS) are twice what they had announced," said Mamoun Tazi, analyst at MF Global.

On the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, BBC News asks one of Africa's pioneering scientists, Dr Ave Kludze, of the US space agency Nasa what inspired his stellar career and what he thinks of the standard of science teaching in Africa today.

Dr Kludze has "flown" Calipso from a Nasa control centre and on right Awe Kludze never imagined he would command a Nasa spacecraft

"As a young boy I was always very curious. My parents didn't like to leave me at home alone, because they knew I would dismantle the radio. Even at my friends' houses, I would try to take the television apart, to find out how it worked. But my life changed the first time I went to the airport in Accra. I saw an aeroplane landing and taking off. I knew then that I wanted to be pilot. From that day, everything I read was scientific. At school, I read science subjects. My father wanted me to be a lawyer. But he supported my ambitions. So I was lucky. But then, when I was 17, I found out that I could not fulfil my dream. I could not become a pilot. The reason was that my brother, my father and my mother all wore glasses. This implied that, one day, I would wear glasses too. And indeed I do.  I was very disappointed. I decided to channel my energy elsewhere - into engineering. I studied electrical engineering in the US, at Rutgers University, New Jersey. My intention was to return to Ghana, so I started to focus my mind on using solar energy to power appliances: Solar fridges, solar fans, solar freezers - solar everything. The sun is for free, so I believe we have to use it in Africa. We have to work with the resources we have. But instead of working on solar panels in Ghana, I got a job with Nasa, developing and flying spacecraft.

I never imagined I would have the opportunity to work for Nasa. Not with my background. I remember watching the Challenger incident - when the shuttle disintegrated. I visited the "American Centre", in Ghana, where I watched the tragedy on the news. Afterwards I wrote to Nasa and they replied to me. They sent me pictures and documents on some of their spacecraft and I put them on my wall. I still have these pictures today. Now many years later, I have worked at Nasa headquarters, in Washington, as a requirements manager. I help Nasa to take strategic decisions. President [George] Bush outlined his vision that Nasa would go back to the Moon by 2020, so the agency is working towards that. I am working on the communication systems the astronauts will use on the Moon, and on Mars. They will send back pictures live. I have to make sure we don't leave out any requirements. Things have moved on a long way from Apollo. I have flown several spacecraft - including the Calipso satellite. But I was not in orbit - I flew them from the ground, using robotic controls at the Nasa control centre.

People ask me: What has Nasa done for Africans? But many of them have cell phones - which were developed with Nasa technology. The cars they drive and the glasses they wear - all of these have benefited from Nasa technology. It trickles down to the ordinary man. Nasa is not only concerned with space. We develop technologies for aeroplanes. And our way of developing systems applies to all kinds of engineering projects. If you had a water project, for agriculture, Nasa technology could make your project more efficient. I think the younger generation in Ghana today have more opportunities than I did to become scientists. I first saw a computer in the USA. Today, the younger generation have access to the internet - they can get any information they want. The education I received in Ghana was very sound - it served me remarkably well at Rutgers. But where African schools have a problem, is that they focus heavily on theory, whereas [universities] focus on the practical - solving real world problems. If we can bring that practical element into African schools, then we have a lot of brilliant young minds who will benefit. When I was growing up it was difficult for science drop-outs and those students who were unable to further their education. There were few avenues for them to become useful members of society using their acquired scientific knowledge. They ended up doing other jobs.

But times have changed. In Ghana, I understand they are encouraging pupils to pursue science. But the question is: After you graduate, do you have the necessary resources to go further? When I grew up in Ghana, we ploughed the fields using cattle and hoes. The last time I went home, we were still using them. So where are our engineers? We need the governments to invest in technology. Then the educational institutes can follow. When I grew up, my scientific role models were not Africans. I admired people like Albert Einstein. I was amazed that he could be on our planet and yet he could tell us about different planets. But today I know many successful African scientists. People like my friend Dr Ohene Frempong, of the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP). He works on sickle cell anaemia. There are others who have done very well. What are my remaining ambitions? Well, I don't plan to go into space. I will leave that to the younger generation. I will continue contributing to President Bush's vision - to go to the Moon, to Mars, and beyond. "

Kenya: A faulty legislative process to combat impunity

NAIROBI/ NEW YORK , Feb. 13, 2009 – Kenya ’s Ministry of Justice should hold public hearings as it drafts new legislation to create a Special Tribunal, in order to avoid the deeply flawed process the government used that lead to parliamentary defeat of the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Feb. 12, the International Center for Transitional Justice said today.

“The government took the wrong approach, and the results are a major setback for justice and accountability in Kenya ,” said Juan E. Méndez, president of ICTJ.  “Parliament left no time for consultations or genuine debate on a Constitutional Amendment Bill.”

The bill would have protected the proposed Special Tribunal law from constitutional challenges. However, the bill was poorly drafted and itself susceptible to constitutional challenge. Early versions of the bill were classified secret and not distributed for comment. Both the Constitutional Amendment and Special Tribunal Bills were only published on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 29. The Constitutional Amendment Bill was then tabled the same afternoon for debate.

Government and parliament ignored the call by Kenyan civil society to slow down the process so that public consultations and redrafting or amendment of the legislation could take place. The process chosen excluded public participation, flouted parliamentary procedure and ultimately undermines the rule of law.

The parliamentary defeat means that the government is required to wait six months, as stipulated by Kenya ’s parliamentary Standing Orders, before reintroducing the bill to amend the constitution.

ICTJ urges the Kenyan Government to use the next few months to work closely with civil society and the Annan Mediation Team to address the critical weaknesses in the Constitutional Amendment and Special Tribunal Bills to ensure that justice is done on Kenyan soil.

A tribunal involving both domestic and international investigators, prosecutors and judges would be the best placed to end impunity and restore faith in the Kenyan judicial system. Parliament should be afforded the necessary time for debate and further public consultations. If, however, parliament does not rise to the occasion, Kenyan society will be entitled to look to the International Criminal Court to see that justice is done.

The ICTJ calls upon the Kenyan government to take seriously the concerns of civil society in relation to the two bills. It is important to avoid a repeat of the legislative process for the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, during which the government ignored civil society submissions. As a result, the law on the commission is ill-suited to Kenya ’s needs, promotes impunity and even facilitates amnesty for corruption.

About ICTJ

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) assists countries pursuing accountability for past mass atrocity or human rights abuse. The Center works in societies emerging from repressive rule or armed conflict, as well as in established democracies where historical injustices or systemic abuse remain unresolved. For more information, visit www.ictj.org

Contact

Stephen Boykewich

Communications Associate

International Center for Transitional Justice

5 Hanover Square, 24th floor

New York, NY 10004

+1.917.637.3847 (office)

www.ictj.org

Mr.  Seed have you got any information on an alleged new budget airline to be introduced back home Kenya shortly known as onejetone?

The UK government have increased the fees for ALL applications made in the UK or outside the UK. Fees For visa application made outside the UK. Visitor visa short term from £65 to £ 67. Visitor visa long term (up to 2 yr) is now £215. Visitor visa long term (2 to 5 yr) is now £400. Visitor visa long term (5 to 10 yr) from £205 to £500. Settlement visa from £515 to £585. Visa fees for applications made inside the UK. Indefinite Leave to Remain - Postal from £750 to £820. Indefinite Leave to Remain - application made at a Public Enquiry Office (PEO) (taking for yourself) up from £950 to £1020. Leave to Remain Non Student – Postal £395 to £465. Leave to Remain Non Student - PEO from £595 to £665. CLICK BELOW FOR FULL LIST.

Written Ministerial Statement - Charging for immigration and nationality services 2009/10

25 ORPHANS CHILDREN FROM NEW HOPE ORPHAN'S HOME JOINS HIGH SCHOOL IN 2009

These are some of our kids who joined High School in 2009 from New Hope Orphans Home of Mrs. Chege in Kenya. They have 25 in total, including the non-resident ones whom they assist with food. You assist these children through Mrs. Ann Chege on 00254-720240585 or newhopechildren@mail.com

Her comes good drivers. They deserve a medal - CLICK HER

Mr Seed,  

REF: MR. ANDERSON KAMANGA IN LUTON AND DUNSTABLE HOSPITAL

I am writing with regards to Mr. Anderson Kamanga who was admitted late last year in Newcastle hospital. he has now been transferred and has been admitted now in the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. He was diagnosed with cancer and is now receiving treatment there.   I would request our fellow Kenyans to please visit him, call him or pray for him. He does not know people here and it would be good to encourage him and stand with him even at this time. His number is 07903515878.

Proposed fee levels for visas and sponsor licences in 2009/10

Home Office, UK - 12 February 2009

The Government has today announced its proposed fee levels for all visa, immigration and nationality applications and services in 2009/10. The revenue from these fees will enable the UK Border Agency to continue providing a world-class immigration service while reducing the burden on United Kingdom taxpayers. The Government is currently delivering the biggest shake-up of the immigration system for 45 years, including:

• fingerprint checks before people come to the United Kingdom;
• a strong new force at the border;
• counting people in and out of the United Kingdom; and
• introducing identity cards for foreign nationals.

These important improvements cost money to deliver, and the Government's policy is that United Kingdom taxpayers should not bear the full cost of them. In 2009/10 the UK Border Agency plans to spend over £2.2 billion on securing our border and managing the immigration system. Approximately 30% of this spending will be recovered through fees from applications and the services we offer. This will allow the UK to continue reaping the benefits of migration while also preventing abuse of the system. Fees for visa, immigration and nationality services are reviewed regularly, with changes made when necessary. In setting the fees for 2009/10, the Government has continued to take into account the United Kingdom's international competitiveness at a challenging time for the global economy.

UK visas will now be required for visitors from Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Venezuela

New Snow Storm Alert For Britain

Snow is falling on London again after the winter weather brought chaos to the north of Britain. The Met Office has issued a flash warning of heavy snow in the East Midlands, east of England and London and South East England. Sky News weather presenter Francis Wilson said London and East Anglia could expect about an inch of snow. Further north, motorists have been warned about widespread icy roads across Scotland, North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber. Roads have been closed and flights disrupted at Newcastle International Airport as police warned motorists in the North East to stay out of their cars. The A68 at Carter Bar, Northumberland, was shut because of the weather. Scotland is also badly hit with dozens of schools closed because of blizzards.

Nationality applications - delay in processing

Home Office, UK - 11 February 2009

The nationality team is currently experiencing an increase in applications. There may be a delay in processing your application.

We are working to reduce backlogs and minimise delays. To help us provide the best possible service and reduce backlogs as quickly as possible, please do not contact us to check the progress of your application within the average processing times.

We will continue to update you of the current position. The waiting times page within the citizenship section of this site will be reviewed on a regular basis to provide you with the latest information.

Jomo Kenyatta Kenya Funeral Book Pictorial. Jomo Kenyatta spent most of his life campaigning for Kenya's independence. His efforts cost him seven years in prison when he was convicted - in a trial now generally regarded as rigged - of being a member of the rebel Mau Mau group by the British colonists in Kenya. But the African Union leader kept up his fight on his release in 1960 and finally led his country to independence in 1963. He was made president and remained in office until his death on 22 August 1978.  Kenyatta - the name he adopted in the 1920s - is Swahili for "the light of Kenya" and he is widely seen as the founding father of the nation - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

"Being willing makes you able."

New countries face tough visa rules

Home Office, UK - 09 February 2009

Visa checks are to be introduced for five countries after they failed to pass the United Kingdom's strict new Visa Waiver Test. Following the Government's first global review of who needs a visa to come to the United Kingdom, visas will now be required for visitors from Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Venezuela. Already, three-quarters of the world's population need to apply for a visa if they want to visit the United Kingdom. Widening the visa net is part of the Government's action to tighten border security. There is now a triple ring of security protecting the United Kingdom: fingerprint visas that lock people to one identity, a high-tech electronic borders system which checks people against watchlists, and identity cards for foreign nationals. The Visa Waiver Test reviewed all non-European countries and regions to determine the risk their citizens potentially posed to the United Kingdom - in terms of illegal immigration, crime and security - by not having to apply for a visa before they travelled. In July 2008 the UK Border Agency found that 11 countries fell short of the required standard. Over the past six months, the Agency and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have worked closely with those countries to improve their passport and border control systems. It has now been decided that visa checks are required for five of them in order to stop fraudulent attempts to enter the United Kingdom. Nationals of Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Venezuela already need a visa to work or settle in the United Kingdom, as do all nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area. Now they will need to apply for a visa even if they are visiting the United Kingdom for less than six months. In the case of Venezuela, visitors who have new secure fingerprint passports issued since 2007 will be allowed to enter the United Kingdom without applying for a visa.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

"The Government said it would get tough and we meant it. Already our shake-up of border security is delivering results, with three million fingerprints taken from visa applicants and 3,000 people caught trying to hide their identity.

"Today's announcement sees these tough checks extended to a further five countries.

"The message is clear - we will not shy away from widening the visa net further wherever we think there's a risk to the UK."

Additionally, anyone wishing to travel from Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland or Venezuela to another country via the United Kingdom will now need a transit visa. The same transit visa requirements have been extended to Jamaican nationals wanting to pass through the United Kingdom. Everyone applying for a visa to enter the United Kingdom is now fingerprinted, locking them to one identity, and checked against Government watchlists. They are then screened and counted in and out of the United Kingdom using the UK Border Agency's e-Borders system. First-time visitors to the United Kingdom from South Africa will need to apply for visas from 3 March 2009, with the full visa regime there and in the other countries coming into effect by mid-2009. The visa regime for Taiwanese passport holders wil be lifted as a result of the Visa Waiver Test. This will take effect from 3 March 2009.

Kenyans in Kisumu celebrate after the inauguration ceremony of US President Barack Obama. Thousands of Kenyans and tourists paused in rapturous devotion today in the African village where Barack Obama's father was born as he took his oath.

Body Drag Horror On Streets of New York

A motorist drove for nearly 20 miles around New York city before he realised he had been dragging a man's body in his van's wheels for almost an hour. The dead man was knocked under delivery driver Manuel Lituma Sanchez's van after being hit by an SUV. Police said the incident was accidental and have no plans to charge the drivers of either vehicle. Mr Sanchez had no idea the victim had become caught underneath his Chevrolet van until the end of his trip that took him on some of the city's busiest streets. It was only when a pedestrian flagged him down and told him something was dragging underneath his van that he got out and made the grim discovery. Investigators are still working to identify the man's horribly battered body. Detectives believe he was first hit as he crossed the road in the Corona section of Queens by the driver of a black Ford Expedition. The Ford's driver, Gustavo Acosta, immediately called 911 but when police arrived the victim was gone and no damage was found on the SUV. Mr Sanchez, about two vehicles behind, said he had noticed cars swerving but assumed the drivers were simply avoiding a pothole. He drove over the victim who became hooked by a steel skid plate under the van. He said: "I didn't feel anything and I didn't hear anything. I don't know what happened." Mr Sanchez drove on the Grand Central Parkway, the Van Wyck Expressway and the Belt Parkway, winding from Queens to Brooklyn, ending up in Brighton Beach. He told officers he had stopped twice on his route believing something was wrong with the engine but did not look underneath the vehicle. He said: "You can't imagine the shock I felt. I'm just so nervous and very sad."

Body Drag Horror On Streets of New York

Lets stand up and be counted says John Howard

Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians'.

'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'. 'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!'

'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'

'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'

'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,

'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'

'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths.

An armed security officer stands guard as the Ukrainian ship MV Faina is anchored at the port of Mombasa, 500 km (310 miles) from Nairobi on Thursday. The Ukrainian ship laden with tanks and freed by Somali pirates after a five-month seizure, approached port in Kenya with debate still ranging over ownership of the sensitive military cargo. Photo/REUTERS 

A nice Kenyan episode - CLICK HERE

Identity cards for foreign nationals to extend

to further immigration categories

Home Office, UK - 09 February 2009

Regulations laid before Parliament today mean that even more successful applicants for leave to remain from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are expected to receive identity cards for foreign nationals. The cards replace the stickers or vignettes in passports. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the regulations, those applying for further leave to remain in the United Kingdom in the following categories will be required to provide their biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) as part of their application from 31 March 2009:

In addition, those applying while in the United Kingdom for a transfer of existing conditions from a passport or other such document will also receive an identity card instead of a stamp or vignette, if their application is successful.These categories are expected to join students and spouses or civil or unmarried partners, and their dependents who were granted further leave to remain and were the first to receive the card from 25 November 2008. Foreign nationals seeking indefinite leave to remain and the settled population remain unaffected by the changes.

Recording biometrics before deciding whether to grant leave has already proved successful, with three prosecutions for leave to remain by deception since the UK Border Agency went live with cards in November. These add to the six prosecutions resulting from the pilot that took place last year to test the processes and technology behind biometric enrolment. There are several other cases currently under investigation where we expect similar results, as well as refusals of leave where matches have revealed a failure to disclose information. These successes demonstrate the effectiveness of biometric checks in tackling immigration abuses and reducing illegal working, misuse of public funds and identity fraud. For people who are here legally, the card safeguards their identity and provides a convenient and extremely secure way to prove their right to live and work here, making it easier for employers and public service providers to understand their entitlements.

A fierce fire on Thursday consumed hundreds of acres of grazing land belonging to President Kibaki’s family, at Gingalili Farm in Rift Valley province. Police officers, however, drove hundreds of dairy cattle and goats to safety as the fire raged. The officers mobilised villagers from the neighbourhood to help them drive the animals to safer grounds. Firefighters from Nakuru responded promptly but their efforts to put out the blaze were hampered by strong wind which fanned the fire. The fire engine could also not drive close enough to the fire due to several disused quarries which made movement of the machinery difficult.  Among those at the scene was the Nakuru North District Commissioner, Mr Francis Mutie and the officer in charge of the Administration Police in the district, Mr E. Amukoye. Also present were intelligence officers who kept on communicating through the mobile phones, briefing their seniors about the situation. Workers at the expansive farm on the Nakuru/Nyahururu road said the fire started from one of the valleys on the slopes of Menengai Crater at about 11am. - Daily Nation.

Nairobi, Thursday 12th February, 2009. The Kenyan parliament has voted against a bill to establish a special tribunal to try those implicated in the 2008 post-election violence. This could pave the way for a list of suspects to be handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). A judge asked to investigate the violence gave a 1 March deadline for the tribunal to be set up. Some 1,500 people were killed after political and ethnic rivalries caused clashes around the country. President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga attended the session of parliament to lead the vote in favour of the bill. A growing number of MPs had opposed the bill, saying they did not have faith in Kenya's justice system and that those involved in the violence should be tried at The Hague. The tribunal was a recommendation of a commission of inquiry into the violence, chaired by Justice Philip Waki, which was established during mediation talks chaired by former UN chief Kofi Annan. Justice Waki handed a sealed list of suspects to Mr Annan, which would be forwarded to the ICC if the Kenyan government did not implement the probe team's recommendations.

Mr Annan had previously expressed satisfaction with the government's efforts but correspondents say his position may change if the government fails to meet the March deadline. The BBC's Anne Mawathe in Nairobi says the government could possibly ask for more time to establish the local tribunal. The bill required the support of 145 MPs to be passed, but only 101 MPs voted for the bill. The bill cannot be re-introduced to parliament until six months have elapsed. The vote was initially set to be held on Tuesday, but the government delayed it to marshal support. One MP who was opposed to the bill accused the government of using threats, blackmail and bribes to coerce MPs into voting for the bill. Gitobu Imanyara, the Chama Cha Umma (CCU) party leader, said that the creation of a special local tribunal would entrench the culture of impunity. He added that the government could not be trusted to try the ringleaders. "This is the first time we stand a real chance, a real opportunity of arresting the culture of impunity. Let it be one person or two who go to The Hague," he said. Widespread clashes broke out after Mr Odinga said the results of the December 2007 election had been rigged in favour of the president. After weeks of talks led by Mr Annan, in February 2008 the rivals agreed to share power to bring an end to the violence. In December 2008, the Electoral Commission of Kenya, which presided over the controversial poll, was disbanded by parliament following recommendations by another inquiry into the voting process.

LEFT: These astonishing 'light sculptures' were made by Michael Bosanto. They are shot using a long exposure and a torch to create the outline. CENTRE: Is this the real culprit behind the crop circles? RIGHT: Electric man was knackered.

Standard Chartered Bank customers will now check their bank balances, transfer funds between personal accounts and nominated accounts and pay utility bills on their cellular phones. The bank announced said it had launched into the local market a new mobile-phone banking (mBanking) facility based on the new Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) platform.  Chief Executive Richard Etemesi, said the new facility would provide the customers with access to banking at all times - anywhere in the world, at any time - through mobile phones. "The new development is part of the bank’s efforts to provide alternative delivery channels for their customers," he said during the launch of the product in Nairobi. The launch of the mBanking solution, he added, consolidates the bank’s position as market leader in the provision of IT-based financial services.  "This new development compliments our bank’s philosophy of striving to meet customer needs and lifestyles by offering not only products and services but also delivery channels that are in line with current and anticipated future needs," said Etemesi. Regional Head of Consumer Banking, Africa Raheel Ahmed, described mobile banking service as a very exciting initiative. - The Standard.

SNOW, SNOW EVERYWHERE ONE WEEK LATER

It is like a white sheets everywhere in the midlands, UK. A week after the snow fell in the midlands it has refused to melt because of the freezing temperatures in the area. A visit to Luton by the Seeds on Wednesday 11th February, 2009 took them by surprise to find snow everyone. Mrs. Seed posed near Luton airport and said: "Mr. Seed I want a photo with you -  it is white, white everywhere. No smile, I will reserve the smile for Valentine's Day on Saturday - where are you taking me?" she asked avoiding a smile.

Nairobi, Thursday 12th February, 2009. A ship packed with military cargo, freed after being held by Somali pirates since September, has arrived at the Kenyan port of Mombasa. The MV Faina, released for a ransom of $3.2m (£2.2m), was met by Kenyan and Ukrainian government officials. Controversy still surrounds the freight on the Ukrainian-registered vessel. Kenya maintains the combat tanks and ammunition on the ship are new supplies for the Kenyan army. But experts say the cargo was for South Sudan. A parliamentary committee is investigating the issue. BBC East Africa correspondent Karen Allen says if the allegations about Sudan are true, it would be a huge embarrassment for the Kenyan government, which helped broker a peace deal between the north and south of Sudan four years ago. The MV Faina was brought into port by two tugs, along with a military escort. Its arrival has become a huge public spectacle, with the media invited to witness the event. This is in sharp contrast to the secrecy that has surrounded the ship and its cargo since it was hijacked off the coast of Somalia back in September. The Kenyan authorities insist that the cargo of 33 T-72 combat tanks and thousands of rounds of ammunition are destined for the Kenyan military. But international security experts say all the signs are that the cargo was bound for southern Sudan. Kenya's military spokesman Bogita Ongeri told AFP news agency on Wednesday: "Those who had doubts about the contents and its destination should be there to witness. "We will all be there to receive the Faina and our military cargo which will be offloaded and taken in for safety in our respective military camps." Embassy officials have turned up to meet the crew of 17 Ukrainians, two Russians and one Latvian. The captain of the ship died two days after it was seized by the pirates but the cause of his death is not yet clear and his body still needs to be repatriated. Ukrainian television channel ICTV reported on Wednesday that special services sources have suggested the captain may have been poisoned to conceal the cargo's destination.

Nairobi, Thursday 12th February, 2009. Kenya Election violence - Violence suspects may now head to The Hague after MPs reject Bill on Special Tribunal. 101 MPs voted for and 93 against the proposed law. Source: Daily Nation.

London, Thursday 12th February, 2009. A Dutch MP who called the Koran a "fascist book" has arrived at Heathrow Airport despite being banned from the UK on public security grounds. Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders was invited to show his controversial film - which links the Islamic holy book to terrorism - in the UK's House of Lords. But Mr Wilders, who faces trial in his own country for inciting hatred, has been denied entry by the Home Office. It is possible the MP could be sent straight back to the Netherlands. The Dutch Ambassador is also at Heathrow to make clear Dutch government's opposition to the ban on Mr Wilders entering the UK. Before boarding his plane, Mr Wilders told reporters at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam he wanted to see a "stronger response" from the Dutch government to the UK's move. The MP was invited to the House of Lords by the UK Independence Party's Lord Pearson. The peer said he disagreed with Mr Wilders' call to ban the Koran, but accused the Home Office of "appeasing violent Islam". "We're coming to this from the angle of freedom of speech," he said. "This man must be allowed to say what he wants, he must answer questions and then everyone can make up their minds. "I think this man is raising one of the most important issues of our time. I think it should be discussed more, particularly by the vast majority of the mild Muslim community. They should talk about what the Koran really means. "These people are using verses in one of the great religious tracts in history to blow up innocent people. That's what we want to talk about... whether these acts of violence can be rooted in the Koran."

Mr Wilders has threatened to defy the ban on him

KPC MD on corruption charges

Embattled Kenya Pipeline Managing director George Okungu and Company Secretary Marie Kiptui have been charged with seven corruption counts.  However Kiptui  did not plead to the charges as she is ailing and is admitted at the Nairobi Hospital.  Okungu is accused of disposing of houses valued at over 68 million shillings belonging to the Kenya Pipeline Company to himself, Absolom Peter Monono Mecha and Focus Mwawasi Mwagoka.  He together with Mary Kiptui are alleged to have committed the offenses between October 6 2006 and February 5 2007 at Nairobi.  The magistrate ordered Kiptui to appear in court on February 17 to take the plea.  Kiptui faces two separate counts of abuse of office by conferring a benefit to his boss Okungu by selling him property valued at 16 million shillings belonging to Kenya Pipeline without obtaining current valuation.   Okungu was released on a cash bail of one million shillings.  The case will be mentioned on February 17. Okungu has been at the centre of a major oil scandal at the Kenya Pipeline and was early this year sent on compulsory leave to pave way for investigations into the matter. The government is said to have lost billions of shillings after KPC entered into a fraudulent deal with Triton Kenya Limited. Triton, now under receivership is alleged to have collaborated with officials from KPC to release oil to its company while allegedly keeping records that showed the released stock was still available. Reports by the KPC top management on the audit of stock showed that most of the oil in the trust had been released to Triton between November 2007 and 2008. The dealings caused a major fuel shortage in the country and also affected neighbouring countries which rely on the pipeline for oil transportation.

*** Life is like a coin.  You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.... spend it wisely!! ***

Parliament kept up the pressure on Agriculture Minister William Ruto over the maize scam with an MP demanding a statement on the crippling food crisis. Mathira MP Ephraim Maina said while the Government had promised affordable maize flour, the commodity had disappeared from the shelves with a packet now retailing for over Sh100. "We are playing with a serious matter. If the country cannot feed its people we have a big problem," Maina said. The pressure piled on the embattled minister on a day two more MPs defended themselves from accusations they influenced allocation of maize at the troubled National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). Local Government Assistant Minister Robinson Githae and Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto admitted writing letters to the management of NCPB to assist constituents, but denied any wrongdoing. Githae conceded he assisted a former local MP, whom he described as the "biggest maize miller in Kirinyaga District", to obtain 3,000 bags of maize to benefit his constituents. The Ndia MP, however, claimed the miller was never issued a single bag. "This is a smear campaign to divert attention from real maize thieves," Githae said. In his defence, Ruto said he intervened amid spiralling prices of maize in his region, urging NCPB to distribute maize to deserving people. He railed at Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC) Director Aaron Ringera for grilling MPs over the correspondences to NCPB.

"He (Ringera) cannot purport to summon MPs as they do their work," Ruto said. KACC has summoned nearly 15 MPs alleged to have written letters to influence allocation of maize in the wake of a multi-million shillings scam that has rocked NCPB. In the scandal, brokers obtained about one million bags of maize from the country’s strategic grain reserve, at the expense of licensed millers. This created an artificial shortage at a time a crippling food crisis began to bite. The brokers subsequently sold the maize to millers at a profit, pushing up its price. Yesterday, Maina said Kenyan’s relief at the introduction of subsidised maize flour seemed short-lived.  "Where is the Sh52 and Sh72 flour that the Government promised? The price of the commodity has risen to Sh100 and in some cases over Sh150," he said. The MP wants a Government commitment that the food insecurity is being addressed. Agriculture Assistant Minister Kareke Mbiuki promised to issue a statement next Wednesday. And pressure mounted for Mr Ruto to resign following a formal notification to censure him over his handling of the maize crisis. Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale yesterday formally notified the House Business Committee of a censure Motion against Ruto, citing his alleged mishandling of the distribution of maize from the NCPB. A notification to the Leader of Government Business, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, states that the minister would face censure for alleged disregard of the provisions of the Public Officer Ethics Act. The Notice of Motion refers to deep concerns about the conduct of the minister in the purchase, storage, sale and distribution of maize.  - The Standard.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga moved swiftly to redeem ODM’s image by forming a five-member committee to investigate the maize scam. The members are (clockwise): Paul Otuoma Minister for Fisheries; Hellen Sambili Minister for Sports; Bonaya Dhadho Godana Assistant Minister Communication; James Gesami Assistant Minister Public Health; James Orengo Minister for Lands and Settlement. - The Standard.

A new scheme that distributes simple tasks via text messages is being used to target a potential untapped work force in developing countries. Txteagle is making it possible for many people in countries like Kenya to earn small amounts of money by completing simple tasks like translations or transcriptions. Amazon's 'Mechanical Turk' similarly divides up tasks but Txteagle differs in that it distributes them via text messages over mobile phones, which have a higher penetration rate - particularly in the developing world. The service was founded by Nathan Eagle, a researcher at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico. "What we typically focus on is words and phrases, and at the moment most of our clients are interested in software localisation," Dr Eagle told BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme. "They approach us and say look, we have this whole slew of text-based tasks, things like translations and transcriptions." According to Txteagle, the total amount of idle time that literate, English-speaking mobile phone subscribers have within the developing world is estimated to be more than 250 million hours every day. He feels that texting tasks like simple translations to participants in developing countries is economical not only in a business sense but also provides participants with an additional source of income. "In Kenya there are 60 different unique languages, and companies - whether they are Microsoft, Google or Nokia - would love to put their software in each of these languages. "But they really have no idea what these particular words would translate to," said Dr Eagle. "For example, the word 'address book' is very common on almost all Nokia handsets and where I was living in this small village called Kilifi in Kenya, the mother tongue is a language called Giriama.

"An individual in Kilifi receives the text message saying, please translate the word 'address book'. "They type in that particular word and it gets sent back to our server, which is collecting a lot of responses from that same task until we are confident we have the right answer. "Once we get the right answer we push it back to - in this case - Nokia. "This system enables companies like Nokia to build-up a corpus of these translations, so that they can do software localisation," he said. Although the concept seems like an ideal way of helping the developing world, Txteagle could also be seen as a means of profiteering. Dr Eagle disagrees and feels that given the high rates of unemployment and marginal income sources, much of this population would greatly benefit from even an extra dollar per day. "One of the things that we would like to see happen is to have lots and lots of tasks and have individuals potentially doing this full-time," he said. "For the moment this is something that would be a system that enables people to augment their existing income stream and not for them to quit their job and do this full time. "If you just look at the business of outsourcing industry, we're talking about hundreds of billions of dollars a year. "If we could get a small fraction of a percent of these types of tasks going into rural villages in Africa, not only can we affect the lives of a lot of people, we can impact the GDP of the nation," he added. All payments for completed tasks are received by mobile phones, using M-PESA, a popular mobile banking service. "I would love to be able to come up with a way that we can do much larger scale translations, but remember we are constrained by this 160 character text message limit," said Dr Eagle. He is hoping to expand the service to enable a single phone to have multiple user accounts, so that family members could each use a shared phone to create their own individual savings accounts. Txteagle is set to be rolled out in the Dominican Republic and South America later this year.

Txteagle is changing the dynamics of outsourcing labour and the scheme could possibly lift many from poverty

Evangelist Theresa Wairimu of Faith Evangelistic Ministry concluded her two weeks of gospel crusade in UK with a big crusade in London on Sunday 8th February, 2009. The four-day conference started on Thursday with partners meeting, Friday, Saturday and concluding it on Sunday. Previous weekend the evangelist had been a guest speaker at Emmanuel Celebrant Centre, in Slough, Berks jointly with Bishop JB Masinde. Bishop JB Masinde also attended Evangelist Wairimu's crusade in London. A number of preachers attended the conference among them Dr. Albert Odulele of Glory House, London. The preacher of the day was Pastor Alan Kiuna and his wife Cathy Kiuna from Nairobi. Pastor Kiuna was introduced by the Evangelist. Pastor Kiuna started by expressing his gratitude to Evangelist Wairimu whom recognised his talents 23 years ago from the slums of Nairobi and  explained that he always call her "mum". The preacher who took the crowd to storm right from the word go - he took his reading from Philemon 1:6 " That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

The preacher at the FEM conference on Sunday Pastor Alan Kiuna (left) and Evangelist Theresa Wairimu (right) welcoming Dr. Albert Odulele of Glory House at the conference - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

He explained that God's blessing is already released on everyone that believes in him and it is only awaiting you to downloads the blessings. "I have come to London to activate you to move to another level. You don't walk in the Streets of London with what the UK newspapers says - you walk by the Word of God. It is not what is happening on the outside but what is happening inside hat matters. We have bigger problems that credit crunch in Africa but we do not allow the situations to dictate our lives. I know something. "Ninjui". My parents did not make it in married, but for me I know it. I know the secret and I will make it through my marriage. You might not be favoured by the the environment, but you know the secret. There is hunger, scandals and corruption in Kenya but I know the secret." Pastor Kiuna concluded among appraisals from the congregation. Pastor Kiuna and his wife will be preaching in Oxford next weekend at Revival House Oxford, Victory Revival Christian Centre, Legal Community Centre on Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th February, 2009. Bishop JB Masinde will also be the guest preacher at Interdenominational World Revival Church in East London, 524 High Street North, Manor Park on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February, 2009. Saturday will be couples meeting (Valentine) as from 4.00 p.m. winding it up early to allow couples to take their partners to

"karumaindo".

Dr. Jonathan Oloyede addressing participants during the Global Day of Prayers London 2009 events/meeting at Glory House, Plaistow, East London.

'We need a Chuchill in the Church', this was said by  the Global Day of Prayer London 2009 Convenor, Dr. Jonathan Oloyede, during the GDOP London 2009 events/meeting at Glory House, Plaistow in East London on Friday, 7th February 2009. Dr. Oloyede said this when he was trying to emphasised the need for all the Christians to be fully 'active' and committed in prayers in their Churches. MORE

The Philippines -  Hundreds of dolphins may become stranded after swimming into shallow waters. Three wounded ones have come ashore at Manila Bay. Boats were being used to scare the rest into deeper waters. An underwater earthquake may have confused the animals.

Nairobi, Wednesday 11th February, 2009. MPs defy Kibaki and Raila on the Hague. Parliament could not get enough MPs to take a vote on Tuesday on the Tribunal Bill as there were only 119 MPs in the House, 29 short of the quorum required for a vote on a proposal to change the Constitution.  MPs defied efforts by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to rally Cabinet ministers, their assistants and MPs to support the Bill establishing a special tribunal to try post-election violence suspects. The two leaders presided over a two-hour meeting of ministers and assistant ministers after which they asked Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka to withdraw the Bill from Parliament. But deputy Speaker Farah Maalim refused to grant the request, saying the government should have asked the House Business Committee, which determines which Bills and motions are to be discussed, to remove it from the list of parliamentary business.  - MORE

"The reason why I don't go broke is because I have so much seeds in the ground - last December I gave £20,000 to the poor from my own account. All what matters in this world is to know where to take your seeds." - Dr. Albert Odulele, FEM conference, London

Wonders of the east: the Mayor’s 2040 vision for the Olympic site at Stratford after the 2012 Games. The plans include seven schools, 10,000 homes and creation of 10,000 jobs Olympics chiefs released images  of how they hope a regenerated Stratford will look in 2040. Mayor Boris Johnson published the futuristic proposals as he seeks planning permission for the 500-acre site. Locals will be consulted over the next six weeks on plans to add schools and housing to the sports venues which will remain after the Games. The plans were devised by the London Development Agency and are a response to the Mayor's criticism - after his election - of the lack of legacy planning. The "legacy masterplan" promises seven new schools, 10,000 new homes and the creation of 10,000 new jobs. The £547million Olympic stadium will be reduced in capacity to 27,000 from 80,000 after the Games and will primarily operate as an athletics venue. Its undercroft will house a sports academy for about 400 secondary school pupils, and several public sports bodies are being lined up as co-tenants.

Two suspected Tanzanian drug traffickers have in the last two weeks died in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa of overdose.  The two, Yahya Abdulkadir and Yosuf Said had been arrested by Ethiopian police after they collapsed while on board two separate Ethiopian airline flights from Tanzania to China and China to Tanzania via Addis Ababa. Some of the heroin pellets ingested by the suspects burst in their stomachs resulting in their deaths.  They collapsed in the air planes and were rushed to different hospitals in Addis Ababa where they were in admitted.  Hospital sources told the Nation in Addis Ababa that more than 109 drug capsules were found in the stomach of one of the suspected drug traffickers travelling from Tanzania to China on an Ethiopian Airlines plane two weeks ago. He died last week after intensive medical care in Addis Ababa. Dr Behailu Haile, medical Director of Hayat hospital in Addis said doctors found a bunch of capsules containing around 15 grammes of heroin each in the suspect’s stomach. The other Tanzanian also arrested during his trip from China to Tanzania via Addis Ababa died yesterday while trying to smuggle drug pellets. They burst in his stomach. Doctors said more than 42 drug capsules were found in his stomach. Seventeen pellets were surgically removed before he died on Monday. - Daily nation.

London, Wednesday 11th February, 2009. Parts of southern Britain have been hit by flooding in the wake of a severe storm which unleashed heavy rain, strong winds and snow. The Environment Agency has 65 flood warnings in place, mostly in southern England, while police and firefighters have handled hundreds of 999 calls. Hundreds of homes in Gloucestershire remain without electricity after heavy snow hit the Midlands and east Wales. Weather forecasters say the worst of the storm has now passed. Liam Dutton from the BBC weather centre said: "The trend for the next few days will be quieter weather - sunshine and cold by day and patchy ice and fog by night." Craig Woolhouse, head of flood defences at the Environment Agency, told the BBC a combination of weather conditions - including heavy rain, snow melt and "tide-locking" of rivers caused by high tides - had caused the flooding in southern England. But he added: "We are not going to see severe flooding like we saw in summer 2007. We have seen a number of isolated properties flooding and standing water on roads, but nowhere near the number of properties we had back in [2007]."

Aerial footage taken by an Essex Police helicopter shows severe flooding over parts of the county. - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Kenyans who invested in the stock market through Nyaga Stockbrokers could lose up to Sh1.3 billion, a forensic audit shows. The audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) questions the role of the Capital Markets Authority, two key investment banks and a former NSE Chairman in the collapse of the securities firm in 2008. It shows how the CMA watched on the sidelines and sometimes even became a player in the loss of billions of investors’ funds.  Under the current legal framework, investors can only be compensated to a maximum of Sh50,000. By 2007, the Investor Compensation Fund of the CMA had only Sh165 million, meaning that most investors in Nyaga Stockbrokers are unlikely to see any money. The report is so explosive, that the CMA board has refused to release it because it names several powerful investment bankers, stockbrokers and former custodians of the CMA and NSE, whom it says were central figures in the scandal, and whose roles should be investigated further. - MORE

The agency issued more than 300 flood warnings or lesser alerts as the threat peaked. It also closed London's Thames Barrier for several hours - for the first time since last March - to protect the city from a rising tide. It warned the barrier may have to be closed again on Wednesday morning but said that in general the problems around the country were easing. Electricity supplies to up to 3,000 homes in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire were cut off at one stage, largely because of the weather. Energy company Central Networks said on its website that at 2000 GMT 150 homes remained without power. Engineers are working to restore supplies. The firm's Emily Highmore said: "What we're seeing is very large amounts of snow that are either landing on major bits of kit and giving us problems there, or it's actually weighing down tree branches and then bringing down overhead lines." As heavy rain swept across southern England, some areas recorded close to their monthly average rainfall for February in just 24 hours. Shoreham, in West Sussex, saw 1.6in (4.1cm) of rain between 0600 GMT on Monday and 0600 GMT on Tuesday - the average monthly rainfall in Sussex is 2.2in (5.7cm).

The original Boeing 747 was so big that airports had to be adapted to accommodate it. Hangars were enlarged to fit the tail-fin, while tow-trucks and stairs on the taxiway had to be changed. The turbofan engines were more powerful and quieter than jet engines. There were 16 wheels – twice the normal - to spread the weight. Passengers in economy class had a greater sense of space because there were twin aisles and higher storage cabins. Travellers in first class had access to a cocktail bar up a spiral staircase. Pilots (two plus a flight engineer) had to be retrained in new simulators because the cockpit was so high off the ground.

The US Senate has passed an economic stimulus plan expected to cost some $838bn (£573bn). The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 61-37 to approve the measure, with few Republicans opting to back it. Tough negotiations are now expected in order to reconcile the Senate bill with the House of Representatives's version. President Barack Obama welcomed the vote as a good start. It came as the US Treasury Secretary unveiled a bank bail-out plan worth some $1.5 trillion.

A police officer has told a jury that a motorway crash was so horrific a doctor could not identify how many people had been travelling in the vehicle. The remains of David and Michelle Statham, of Llandudno, north Wales, and their four children had to be removed from the wreckage by specialist teams. They died instantly in a crash on the M6 in Sandbach, Cheshire, in October. Portuguese lorry driver Paulo Jorge Nogueira da Silva, 46, denies causing death by dangerous driving.

Parliament was thrown into panic Tuesday night (10/02/09) after the Speaker called MPs to vote on the crucial Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2009. This caught the Government flat-footed, as it is understood President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga had failed to marshal all ministers to their side, leading to the adjournment of the vote to Thursday. But Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim ruled that a supplementary order to defer the vote had not been filed appropriately by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, so there was nothing to bar the House from proceeding. Lack of quorum saved the day as only 119 MPs were present instead of the requisite 145 needed for such constitutional amendments. Earlier in the day, a meeting to rally the ministers and their assistants behind the Government was characterised by arm-twisting and threats of sacking. Some threatened to resign as one minister, angered by the open defiance, urged Kibaki and Raila to sack the rebels. "Those not speaking the Government language should be sacked,’’ said the minister. Kibaki and Raila bowed to pressure and agreed to allow amendments to the Bill setting up a local tribunal to try post-election violence offenders. The amendments proposed by the Law Society of Kenya, civil society and private individuals would also be included when the Bill is tabled in Parliament on Thursday. - The Standard.

London, Tuesday 10th February, 2009. The former bosses of the two biggest UK casualties of the banking crisis have apologised "profoundly and unreservedly" for their banks' failure. Former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin told MPs on the Treasury Committee he "could not be more sorry" for what had happened. The former bank chiefs also said the bonus culture had contributed to the crisis and needed to be reviewed. But Sir Fred said if bankers felt they were not paid enough, they would leave. Sir Tom McKillop, former RBS chairman, also admitted that his bank's much-criticised purchase of Dutch rival ABN Amro had been a "big mistake".The former bosses, along with other bankers, have been criticised for taking huge bonuses from banks that later had to rely on taxpayer money to survive. The MPs began by asking the former bosses about the bonuses they received in 2008. Sir Fred Goodwin said he had taken no bonus that year, but that he had taken home a salary of £1.46m. Andy Hornby, former chief executive of HBOS, said he had also not taken a a bonus last year, and that he had never taken any bonus in the form of cash. "I have never received one single penny in cash bonus," he said, referring to his time not only as boss of HBOS but also his time on the board. Instead, he said, he had taken his bonuses in the form of shares. "I have lost considerably more money than I have been paid," he said, referring to falls in the value of shares that he had been given as bonuses. Sir Fred Goodwin added he had lost around £5m on the value of his shares in 2007, although he stressed that he was not complaining.

The General Synod of the Church of England has voted overwhelmingly in favour of measures to stop clergy being members of the British National Party. The proposal, from a lay synod member who works for the police, was passed by 322 votes to 13, with 20 abstentions. Plans to ban clergy from the BNP are modelled on a policy adopted by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Previously, Church of England leaders have explicitly called for voters to shun the BNP during recent elections. However, banning clergy from joining political parties had not been possible under current rules. The proposer of the motion, Vasantha Gnanadoss, who works for the Metropolitan Police, said the measure was necessary to prevent parties such as the BNP from associating themselves with the Church. She said a membership ban would send a clear message against racial prejudice to the public at large. It received support from the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu and the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams. Previously, the synod - the Church's parliament - passed a resolution deploring what it has called the "sin of racial prejudice".

Nairobi, Tuesday 10th February, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki Monday joined Kenyans in bidding farewell to the 78 of the 130 Kenyans who perished in a horrific fire tragedy at Sachang'wan in Molo District.Speaking during a special funeral service for the departed souls at Nguzu Primary School, President Kibaki commended Kenyans for giving one another a helping hand without any ethnic, social or economic consideration when the tragedy occurred.  He said the Ministry of Special Programmes and other relevant agencies should conduct training for local leaders, NGOs, Civil Servants including provincial administrators on disaster management who should in turn conduct civic education to sensitize wananchi on how to ensure their own safety and how to conduct themselves when disasters occur. "Let us all take steps to ensure that every citizen has a basic understanding of safety issues as well as disaster preparedness, prevention, rescue and recovery as the Sachangwan tragedy may not be the last one to occur," President Kibaki said. "As Kenyans, we should therefore always live together harmoniously to enable us overcome any challenges that may come our way," President Kibaki said. The Head of State once again comforted and encouraged the bereaved families, relatives and their friends to take heart in the knowledge that the entire country is sharing in their pain. He also wished those recuperating in hospital quick recovery. Said the President: "It is saddening to note that among the departed were parents who had a service to render to their families, the community and the country.  Others were young people who held much promise for their families and our country.  Among these were security personnel who died here in the line of duty." 

President Mwai Kibaki pays his last respects to the the Sachang'wan fire tragedy after laying a wreath during the mass burial in Molo district, Rift Valley - Daily Nation

The President observed that the double fire tragedies of Nakumatt Downtown and Molo have amplified the need for a comprehensive strategy of dealing with disasters in the country. "As a nation, we are pained to the core by this tragedy that has left so many families mourning just so soon after another fire razed down Nakumatt Downtown killing 27 people and injuring several," President Kibaki said. President Kibaki said such a strategy will ensure that Government agencies and even wananchi themselves are better prepared to deal with disasters. In this regard, President Kibaki directed the Ministry of State for Special Programmes to improve and hasten implementation of the National Disaster Management Strategy. The President said the Ministry of Special Programmes should also formulate and forward to the Ministry of Education a manual on safety, disaster preparedness and response that can be incorporated in the school curriculum.  Recalling that 10 years ago the country suffered a similar loss at Sindindi in Siaya district where 32 people lost their lives, President Kibaki stressed the need for Kenyans to resolve that similar tragedies will not befall the country in future. Said President Kibaki: "Above all, let us pray to God to help us overcome the challenges we are facing and to save us from such calamities."   

Former President of Kenya Daniel Arap Moi lays a wreath on the grave of the victims of the Molo fire tragedy - Daily Nation

Following the Molo tragedy, President Kibaki said many families have been severely affected, noting that some children have been left to fend for themselves while other families have lost as many as 10 members, a loss which is too enormous to comprehend. In this connection, the President said the country has a duty to help members of bereaved families by providing the support they need including caring for those who are still hospitalized." Wanainchi should avoid risky activities that expose them to death and other dangers and instead engage in lawful activities", he added. "We must bear in mind that some of the victims will be in hospital for long. Others will need specialized medical attention long after they are discharged from the hospital," President Kibaki said. Saying in spite of all the problems Kenya is still a caring nation, the Head of State emphasized that Kenyans must ensure that the victims of the fire tragedy receive the best possible medical care.  He said it is in this connection that his Government launched a special fund, the Nakumatt/Molo Fire Victims Fund, which will cater for the needs of the citizens affected by the fire tragedies. The President said the assistance will go towards settlement of hospital bills, provision of related humanitarian assistance, provision of social and psychological assistance to ensure that those who need counseling are able to receive it and provision of food, healthcare and education for orphans.

Victims of the tanker explosion in Molo, 80km west of the capital Nairobi, were buried at a mass grave burial site on Monday - Daily Nation

The Head of State, therefore, appealed to Kenyans from all walks of life and from all corners of the country to come forward in large numbers and donate generously towards assisting those affected by the fire tragedies. Touching on a seven point memorandum presented by the Molo MP Joseph Kiuna, President Kibaki said the Government will support Wananchi in all parts of the Country to realize priority development projects. He however challenged legislators to mobilize their constituents to raise funds required for the community projects saying the Government would augment their efforts. The President assured citizens experiencing food shortages that the Government would provide them with relief food supplies until they produce their own to sustain themselves. President Kibaki later visited Nakuru General Hospital to console some of the survivors of the Sachangwan fuel tanker tragedy where he wished them quick recovery. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka in his speech appealed to fellow leaders to shun unnecessary squabbles that may scare international investors saying the world was in competition for available resources. Mr. Kalonzo said in the last one year, the Country has experienced calamities including post election violence, the birth of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Famine, Fires and even rising unemployment among youth which require a collective sober approach to address.

The Vice President challenged religious leaders to rise above the partisan positions they took during the electioneering and post elections periods and preach peace among wanaichi. The Prime Minister Raila Odinga on his part advised wanaichi to stop the practice of rushing to overturned fuel tankers to siphon petrol oblivious of the dangers. Mr. Raila said the Government through the Ministry of Roads was planning establishment of special parking areas for fuel tankers along the main highways to reduce possible accidents. Mr. Raila said peace had been restored in most parts of the Country and the remaining IDPs should leave the camps and go back to their farms. The Prime Minister said idlers masquardering as victims of last year's post election violence had invaded the camps with the hope of benefiting from the humanitarian assistance offered by the Government and partner relief agencies but added that all genuine IDPs would be settled in their farms. Mr. Raila thanked India, Italy, France, America and the European Union for responding to the Government appeal for assistance in specialized treatment of the fire victims. The mass burial ceremony was attended by over 15 cabinet Ministers, several Assistant Ministers and Members of Parliament, Head of Public Service and Secretary to cabinet Amb.Muthaura,Rift Valley PC Noor Hassan Noor and retired President Daniel Moi among others. 

Red Cross officials assist a mother who was overcome by grief while attending the funeral service for victims of the Molo fire tragedy and on right Victims of the tanker explosion in Molo, 80km west of the capital Nairobi, were on Monday buried at mass grave burial site. President Kibaki, Former President Daniel Arap Moi and other government leaders attended the funeral service - Daily Nation.

Mother introduces her eight miracle babies to the world

Lucky number eight: from top left, Nariah and Maliah, Josiah and Jeremiah, Jonah and Noah, Isaiah and McCai Nadya Suleman showed off her octuplets to the world for the first time on Monday 9th February, 2009. In an interview with NBC's Today programme, Miss Suleman, 33, is shown walking from incubator to incubator introducing her children. “Hi, Maliah, your eyes are open,” she said, putting her hand on the head of the baby before moving to the next infant. “This is Noah and he's doing well. He's blond, the only one with blond hair. “Hiya, Jonah ... this tiniest one was the troublemaker,” she said gently stroking the child. “This is Isaiah, he's getting bigger, he's starting to recognise my voice.” Next was Nariah. “I wish I could be here all day,” Miss Suleman told the infant.

Engineered Hunger is Crime Against Humanity

Mama Ethuuko Nangole has become the sad face of a starving Kenya. The grim pictures from other part of the country epitomize the VALUELESSNESS that singularly defines our national leadership.  The guilty are VERY AFRAID running scared and shadow boxing. Following Kimunya’s steps, besieged Ruto has retreated to drumming ethnic support from his political backyard to ward off culpability in the maize scandal. The adage of those refusing to learn from history being condemned to repeat has never been apt. Caught with pants dangling below the knee Bill still shamelessly still borrows Kiraitu’s hitherto sturdy noose in declaring the maize fraud as THE SCANDAL THAT NEVER WAS.

Well, it is true every Kenyan has a right and freedom to buy cereals from NCPB. But you don’t con Kenyans by reverting to painful old corrupt ways of offloading to brokers subsidized grain meant for millers. Samoei should have upped his game to the league of REAL GATE KEEPERS who milk us dry without pedestrian trace of evidence. Also true is Kiraitu’s neck deep involvement in the Triton oil scandal. But Ruto must know better than poorly mutating the SECURITY IN NUMBERS gimmick. Kibaki and his cronies may have perfected that vice it to an extent nobody in the GGC is left is with any scent, but Ruto’s cheap shots just fell below par. You don’t run after the second thief before dealing with the one already caught.  And Ababu Namwamba’s juvenile jibe of detraction was the last straw that must disabuse us of the deceptive and hollow pride anchored in generation change. Bony Khalwale the bull fighter permuting his political price till the right bidder comes calling but so far he is the only one MP in the company of Imanyara left standing.
 

Eyes on 2012
The maize scandal may be the eye opener to gullible Kenyans who recycle scoundrels to parliament after every five years. Now they are smarting and earning at individual level the wages of national corruption. The big problem lies in cheap politicization of such grave crimes just like Jimmy Kibaki is doing with thinly-veiled campaign to succeed his father in 2012. If Jimmy thinks Nithi MP deserves full cabinet post, he is better placed to canvass for him from his own dad.  Corruption is what feeds impunity that is presently chocking Kenya. What part of its anatomy can be uprooted that must start from somewhere with somebody. Even Martha Karua’s sermons atop hills is hollow knowing that hers is premised on expediency and self-preservation both disguised to mask her political tantrum. We live in politically volatile and interesting times. The pangs may be painful but the future is promising. Source: Kumekucha

MPs admit buying maize from board

Wananchi protest at the shortage of maize in Kenya. Fresh evidence have emerged indicating that maize shortage in the country could have been precipitated by a collusion between legislators and millers to purchase maize stocks reserved in NCPB depots across the country. Millers were desperate as early as October last year over the shortage of maize and turned to their MPs for assistance to procure grain for their regions. Some of the MPs intervened by writing to the National Cereals and Produce Board bosses. Some senior Government officers also made similar requests. Some of the notes to NCPB officials followed telephone conversations. It was not clear whether the beneficiaries were allocated the maize or not and the list of notes seen by the Nation was not complete. - Daily Nation.

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were under immense pressure last night to deliver their troops to Parliament, where a crucial vote to decide whether post-election offenders are tried locally or at the International Criminal Court sitting at The Hague, Netherlands, was deferred for one more day. It was do or die as lobbying went a notch higher on Monday when senior politicians met MPs to rally them to support the Government-sponsored Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2009, which seeks to entrench the Special Tribunal Bill in the Constitution. A coalition parliamentary group, at which both the President and PM had confirmed participation, was called off at the eleventh hour and a full Cabinet meeting called (96 ministers and their assistants) hinting at the panic of the day. - The Standard.

Angry UK PM urges bankers to give up their bonuses

London, Monday 9th February. 2009. Gordon Brown and David Cameron both heaped pressure on City bankers to tear up their contractual rights to pocket big bonuses this year. But although the Prime Minister and the Opposition leader claimed the moral high ground, both were accused of failing to spell out what they would do if the City refused to oblige. Mr Brown was said to be “very angry” about reports that Royal Bank of Scotland, recently bailed out by the taxpayer, was set to hand out a billion pounds' worth of bonuses to staff. He said executives should “consider whether they actually receive” bonuses even if legally entitled to them.  Earlier he declared there must be “no rewards for failure” and told an audience of economists in London that he wanted to “sweep aside” the short-term bonus culture in financial institutions. “We should not in any way condone, but should punish, irresponsible and excessive risk-taking,” he said. Mr Cameron said RBS bankers, in light of the bailout, should not feel entitled to bonuses even if they were specified in contracts.

Chelsea have sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. A statement on the club's official website revealed the move had been made 'to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for'. Brazilian Scolari was appointed last summer as the replacement for Avram Grant. The statement added: 'Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined, and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon. 'Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season. 'In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for, we felt the only option was to make the change now. The search for a new manager has already started - Chelsea. 'The search for a new manager has already started, and we hope to have someone in place as soon as possible.' Scolari's final game in charge was a goalless draw at home to Hull City on Saturday, a result which was met with boos at the final whistle. Assistant coach Ray Wilkins has been placed in temporary charge. Former Chelsea manager John Hollins believes Scolari paid with his job for failing to make the impression on the club scene that he did as an international manager.Scolari, who coached Brazil to World Cup glory, was this afternoon sacked with the Stamford Bridge club fourth in the Barclays Premier League - seven points behind leaders Manchester United having played a game more. And former Blues midfielder Hollins, who was himself manager of the club from 1985-88, believes his failure to adapt to club management proved his downfall. He told Sky Sports News: "You can't knock him for what he's done internationally but club football is a different ball game. "I feel he couldn't adapt to the every day thing (of club management). Internationally he's had time to look at a game and pick a team but (Chelsea) is instant."

Fired: Luiz Felipe Scolari has been axed as Chelsea manager

Rescuers are resuming the search for victims of Australia's bushfires amid fears the death toll will rise futher. The blazes, which have swept across parts of Victoria state, have claimed 173 lives. Hundreds of people have been injured, some critically. Residents in many areas are still on alert as more than a dozen fires continue to burn uncontrolled. Some fires are being treated as arson, which Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said amounted to "mass murder". Detectives have sealed off a number of sites, including the devastated small town of Maryville, as possible crime scenes. Victoria State Premier John Brumby has announced that a royal commission will examine all policies on dealing with fires. Visiting affected areas on Monday, he said: "We have had whole communities just completely wiped out, completely obliterated, by what people would describe as literally a fireball that just came over the hills and devoured everything before them. "It's the largest natural disaster in our state's history and Australia's history." Mr Brumby warned that the death toll would rise as fires continued to rage in some areas. "There is a huge effort to get them under control (but) tragically we will have more deaths later this week," he said. Several communities are on alert, with residents warned to watch out for embers blowing in from bush fires. Rescue teams are expected to find more victims as they scour isolated communities where residents were trapped - some in their cars.

Adams shocked by Portsmouth sacking

Former Portsmouth manager Tony Adams admits he is surprised to have been sacked by the Premier League strugglers.  The former England and Arsenal defender was axed on Sunday night, 24 hours after defeat to Liverpool left Portsmouth with just two points from nine matches and on the verge of falling into the Premier League relegation zone. Adams had wanted longer to build his team, having only taken charge at Fratton Park in October, and seen star men Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe sold in January.

Rescue teams are resuming the grim search for victims of Australia's bushfires amid fears the death toll will continue to rise.

Nairobi, Monday 9th February, 2009. A requiem mass for the victims who were burnt beyond recognition in the Sachangw'an oil tanker tragedy is currently underway at at Nguzu primary school in Molo district.The remains of the victims will be buried in a mass grave near the scene of the accident. The truck tragedy claimed over 130 people and left scores nursing serious injuries making it the worse fire tragedy in the country's history. Some family members have protested against the decision to bury their kin in a mass grave, saying this is against their traditional beliefs. The victims will be buried in a mass grave less than 100m from the spot where the tanker caught fire. About 200 people were injured during the tanker fire and at least 148 are still undergoing treatment. The government has pledged to pay the hospital bills for those injured, including covering fees for specialised surgery. President Kibaki is to preside over a fund-raising service for victims of the two fires on Tuesday. The causes of the two fires have not been established and investigations are underway. Reports say the tanker fire was either caused by a lit cigarette or started deliberately by people who had been prevented from collecting spilt fuel. Prime Minister Odinga blamed the accident on prevalent poverty, saying it was "pushing our people into doing desperate things". On Sunday, mass prayers cum fund raising aid of the victims were conducted at Afraha stadium in Nakuru. More than One million shillings was raised with several leaders led by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta calling for unity among Kenyans. President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and former President Daniel Arap Moi are among the leaders in attendance.

SAIDIA MZEE...HATA IKIWA NI KIBARUA .... SIKU MBILI KWA WIKI

Pls help an IDP child update

February 8 2009 at 6:29 PM                           Joyce

Special thanks to everyone who has sponsored a poor IDP child to secondary school. So far 27 kids have been sponsored from here and another say 35 have been sponsored by well wishers back home. It is a pity that these children still don't have anywhere to call home and things have been made worse by the big men back home by demolishing their tents. The Camp in Naivasha was destroyed last fri sending the IDPs to the one in Gilgil and by today some children were still trying to locate their parents as they were away working on friday when they got moved.

My dear Kenyans the situation is pathetic and we need to get together somehow and help these families.

I have the following kids who have been admitted to sec sch but cannot afford. If anyone would like to sponsor a child please get in touch with me soon.

1.Mburu Gathoni Joyce Index 507184-095scored,234/500,IDP sch Eldoret(dad died of car accident last yr)
2.Mburu Mwangi Willy index 507184-062 scored 319/500,IDP sch Eldoret
3.Maina Chege Joseph index 507184059, scored288/500 IDp Sch Eldoret
4.Mbugua Njoki Jane 220/500 index 507184134, IDP Sch Eldoret

Please get in contact with me and I will give you their contacts, Sch of admission incl. tel no and account number where you will pay sch fees direct. Also, have a look at their pictures in the link below and the official KCPE results website where you can compare and confirm the details above.

Tel:07532-358061, email joymachaa55@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.misterseed.com/LondonLatestNewsFebruary2009.htm

http://www.examscouncil.or.ke/

Barclays makes profit of £6.1bn

Barclays Bank has reported profits before tax of £6.08bn ($9bn) for the full year of 2008, down 14% on its profits taken in 2007. Chairman Marcus Agius said the bank had been "solidly profitable despite strong headwinds" experienced during the year. The bank's charges on bad debt, including US sub-prime mortgages, almost doubled to £5.4bn. Last month, the bank wrote an open letter to investors, forecasting profits of more than £5.3bn.

Parliament set to vote on Special Tribunal

Written By:Daniel Waitere   , Posted: Mon, Feb 09, 2009

A showdown is looming in parliament over the proposed setting up of a special tribunal to try suspects of the post election violence as prescribed by the Waki Commission of Inquiry.  There has been fierce debate as to whether the Constitution of Kenya Amendment bill that seeks to entrench the special tribunal in the constitution should be passed.  Parliament needs two thirds majority to pass the bill barring which the International Criminal Court will come calling.  The debate stems from the realisation that those who committed crimes against humanity at the height of the post election violence will have to be held to account sooner than they can begin to wish.  Parliament is expected to vote Tuesday on the entrenchment of the special tribunal in the constitution but garnering enough votes might be hard to come by.  Even before the special tribunal bill for Kenya comes up for debate, members have already anticipated its contents and set upon it and tore it asunder. Those opposed to a special tribunal are emphatic about one thing, it's independence to conduct free and impartial trials cannot be guaranteed due to political interference and manipulation and so The Hague is the better option. The government has put up a solid defense in favour of a special tribunal, arguing that it presents the best opportunity to bring culprits to book and that the ICC will only prosecute those accused of huge atrocities and leave petty offenders to walk scot free.

The issue of the country's sovereignty has also come up from proponents of a special tribunal arguing that sending the suspects to The Hague would be an admission that Kenya is a failed state. But still the question remains why the apparent hostility towards a special tribunal? The answer may lie in what the civil society termed as extraordinary and questionable process that was adopted by the Ministry of Justice And Constitutional Affairs in preparing the Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Special Tribunal Bill. In a paid petition through the media the civil society is asking President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister to withdraw the bills and allow consultations for the publication of fresh ones. The civil society recommends that interested parties submit their proposals to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs in a week's time which will in turn hold public consultations, redraft the bills and circulate the amendments. Interested parties should submit their feedback on the revised bills in another week and the bills be tabled in parliament for a vote by the end of March. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga are expected to hold an informal session with MPs Tuesday morning in a bid to convince them to pass the amendment bill. Should it not be passed, it will have to wait for another six months to be reintroduced a situation that could either mean that The Hague will prevail or justice will be delayed and ultimately denied.

The death toll from Australia's rampaging wildfires has risen to 131 as police began investigating claims that some were started deliberately. An emotional prime minister Kevin Rudd said if arson was proved it was "mass murder". Mr Rudd, visibly upset during a television interview, reflected the country's disgust. "What do you say about anyone like that?" he said. "There's no words to describe it, other than it's mass murder."

The head of Barclays today defended the bank's decision to pay hundreds of millions of pounds in bonuses. Chief executive John Varley said they were entitled to reward top staff because Barclays “made a profit” of £6.1 billion. He spoke out as Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper told bankers, many of them held responsible for the financial meltdown, to examine their consciences on bonuses. “Senior executives need to take responsibility and consider whether they should be taking bonuses,” she said. In a clear swipe at loss-making rival Royal Bank of Scotland, Mr Varley said: “It is important to make the distinction between those banks which have made a profit and those which have not when it comes to bonuses.”

Further disruption is expected across the UK later with the arrival of a winter storm bringing rain and snow. Heavy rain is falling over southern and south-western England, while more snow is due to arrive in Wales and the Midlands, creating blizzard conditions. It follows a week which saw the heaviest snowfall in the UK for 18 years, closing schools and crippling transport networks. Some councils have begun to run out of supplies of salt for gritting. Overnight, some snow fell in Northern Ireland, southern and central Scotland, and parts of the Midlands and the north west of England. In Aviemore, Inverness-shire, the temperature dropped to -18C (-0.4F) overnight, which the Met Office said was the lowest temperature since January 2003. The storm will spread from southern England and Wales to the Midlands and continue overnight into Tuesday, the BBC Weather Centre said. It could bring up to six inches of snow (15cm) in some areas, and up to an inch-and-a-half of rain in others. Gale force winds will cause drifting where snow is falling and exacerbate already freezing temperatures. Rain falling on areas that have already seen snow will add to the potential for flooding. BBC forecaster Matt Taylor said heaviest rain was falling over England's southern counties.

Nissan is to cut 20,000 jobs worldwide, 8.5% of its workforce, over the next year because of a sharp fall in sales. The Japanese carmaker made the announcement as it said it expected to make a loss of 265bn yen ($2.9bn; £2bn) for its current financial year. Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn said the the firm's "worst assumptions on the state of the global economy have been met or exceeded". "The global auto industry is in turmoil. Nissan is no exception." Nissan said the 20,000 job cuts would be made between March 2009 and March 2010. The reduction will see the size of its global workforce fall to 215,000 from 235,000, although Nissan has yet to say which plants will be affected, and by how much. It added that it would also be talking to unions about cutting working hours. The company had already announced job cuts last month, including 1,200 at its UK plant in Sunderland. Nissan also said on Monday that it sold 731,000 vehicles worldwide between October and December, down 18.6% from a year before. This resulted in a net loss of 83.2bn yen, compared with a 132.2bn profit a year earlier. Car industry analyst Mamoru Katou said the job losses would make Nissan unpopular in its home country. "The job cuts will hurt Japanese parts-makers, too, and in the long run diminish the Nissan brand value in Japan," he said. Most of the world's other main carmakers have also seen sales and profits slump as a result of the global economic slowdown. As a result, there is a growing trend of cutting production and jobs. Since the start of the year, Honda has announced 3,100 redundancies, while General Motors is reducing its workforce by 2,000. Other car firms, such as Toyota, Porsche, Honda and BMW, have announced reductions in output as fewer people buy new cars.

The death toll from bush fires in southern Australia has reached at least 93, the worst in the country's history. Thousands of firefighters, aided by the army, are battling several major fires, and the number of dead is expected to rise as fires are put out. Arsonists responsible for lighting the fires could be charged with murder, police have said. Entire towns in Victoria state were destroyed as fires were fanned by extreme temperatures and wind. Temperatures are dropping now, but officials fear they will not be able to get the fires under control until there is substantial rain. "We could still have a lot worse," said Sharon Smee of Victoria's Country Fire Authority. "There's still hot spots out there and there's a lot of people who are really exhausted and tired." Firefighters have been battling against what are described as the worst conditions in Victoria's history. Witnesses described seeing walls of flames four storeys high, trees exploding and the skies raining ash, as fires tore across 30,000 hectares (115 sq miles) of forests, farmland and towns. John Coleridge from the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne said most of those rescued from the fires had suffered burns. "They range from minor, just the soles of their feet running away through embers, to people who've got major, life-threatening burns," he said. "And unfortunately there are some people who will not survive." The BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney said police suspect that in at least one case fires have been restarted by arsonists after being extinguished by firefighters. New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees said arsonists faced a maximum 25 years' jail. "We will throw the book at you if you are caught," he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. "Some of these fires have started in localities that could only be by hand, it could not be natural causes," Victoria state Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe was quoted as saying by AFP.

Bush fires in southern Australia wipe out whole towns and kill at least 84 people, the worst fire death toll in the country's history - MORE FOR VIDEO

He said there would be a "full, thorough investigation". At least 700 homes have been destroyed in Victoria and about 14,000 homes are without power. Most of the people who died came from a cluster of small towns to the north of Melbourne. The BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney said many charred bodies had been found in cars. It is thought they were trying to escape the fires but were overtaken by their "sheer speed and ferocity". Some cars appeared to have crashed into one another as people tried to flee the flames. Police said 96 people had died in all, but then revised that toll downwards to 93, saying there had been double counting. At least 18 people were reported to have died in the town of Kinglake, four at Wandong, four at St Andrews and three at Strathewen. One Strathewen resident told ABC local radio how people had witnessed "absolutely horrific" scenes as they had helped battle the flames. "The school's gone, the hall's gone... some people left it too late. We've lost friends, and we're just waiting for more - children, loved ones," she said. The town of Marysville, with about 500 residents, was said to have been burned to the ground, though most residents managed to shelter from the blaze in a local park. In Kinglake, where witnesses said most of the town was destroyed, one woman quoted by the Melbourne Age described the arrival of a badly burnt man and his daughter seeking shelter on a patch of open ground. "He had skin hanging off him everywhere and his little girl was burnt, but not as badly as her dad, and he just came down and he said 'Look, I've lost my wife, I've lost my other kid, I just need you to save [my daughter],'" she said.

Tens of thousands of firefighters have been trying to contain blazes in two other states - New South Wales and South Australia - but the fires there were largely contained or burning away from residential areas. The fire service is using water-bombing aircraft to contain fires and thousands of volunteers are using water hoses. "It's obviously a tragic day and a tragic week in our history," Victorian state Premier John Brumby said. Late on Sunday, he said he had accepted an offer from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to send in troops to relieve overstretched emergency crews. "Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours," said Mr Rudd. Bush fires are common in Australia, but the current blazes have eclipsed the death toll from what had been the previous worst fire in 1983, when 75 people died on a day that became known as Ash Wednesday. The leader of the Green party, Bob Brown said summer fires would get worse unless Australia and other nations showed more leadership on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "It's a sobering reminder of the need for this nation and the whole world to act and put at a priority our need to tackle climate change," he said.

"Oh my, you are from Kenya. That is good. But you know what, Kenyans have allowed Somialians into Kenya, Somalians are trouble makers. One day Kenya will pay for this. In this world, nobody else can beat Somalians - only Ethiopians - if you would like to see a Somalian running, tell him that an Ethiopian is coming. Even the Americans were unable to beat them - but Ethiopians - oh, my they all start shaking when they hear of Ethiopians." - An Ethiopian Taxi driver in Washington, PJ Plaza

A former French aircraft carrier - rejected by India and Egypt as being too toxic to be broken up - has arrived at its final resting place in Teesside. The Clemenceau is to be dismantled and recycled at Graythorp, Hartlepool. Campaigners say asbestos on board will damage the environment and the health of workers, but the Environment Agency says it has rigorous controls in place. Last year, a local firm won a long legal battle to scrap four former US naval vessels, dubbed "ghost ships". Able UK says the project to dismantle the 32,700-tonne Clemenceau is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Kenyan Couple to bury their son

The Police finally released the body of the late Master Ricardo Albert Munio to the family (James & Sophie) for burial.  Leeds Police have however opened an inquest into the death of Master Munio who passed on at the family home on December 11th 2008.  The body of Ricardo Munio was taken to the Sheffield children’s hospital in Yorkshire for a post-mortem to verify the exact circumstances of his death. Sounding tired but relieved, the father James Munio popularly known as ‘Crucial’ among friends, said he and wife Sophie with the help of a very supportive Leeds Kenyan Community are now meeting to finalise the burial arrangements.  The burial date has been set for February 10th 2009 at the Hare hills Cemetery in Leeds. On the day, the Casket will arrive home at 68 North Farm Road, Gipton at 9.00am, and after viewing it proceeds to the Epiphany Church, Gipton opposite LIDL at 10am.The burial ceremony will commence at 11am. The Police interest in the case comes in the wake of headline cases involving parental abuse of children like that of Baby P in Hackney, London, and the stage managed abduction of Sharon Mathews in Yorkshire. Meanwhile James Munio and Sophie George have announced the untimely death of their beloved son Ricardo Albert Munto on the 11th December 2008.  He was brother to Shaquille George, grandson to Albert and Nancy Njoki Munto Kirutho of Limuru, Kenya. He was also grandson to Miriam Kwamboka of Kisii Kenya.  Nephew to Caroline Mweru, Elizabeth Njoki, Pamela, Samuel Gitau, Peter Wokabi, Kepta Nyarangi and Julius Mayaka. - KLN News

Master Ricardo Munio will be laid to rest on 10th February 09 in Leeds, UK.

Nairobi, Sunday 8th February, 2009. The late Ambassador Pamela Arwa Mboya, the widow of the late Thomas Joseph Mboya was Saturday laid to rest at her family home in Lambwe valley, Suba district. Thousands of mourners thronged the village to witness her final journey that was also attended by several dignitaries that included the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, several Cabinet Ministers, sitting and former legislators and several diplomats among other mourners. In a condolence message read on his behalf by the Vice President, President Mwai Kibaki said he learned of the demise of the late Pamela with regrets and deep sorrows. He said the death of the late Ambassador was not only a great loss for the immediate family but also for the nation and also those who came to know her. President Kibaki described the late Pamela as an amicable person with warm personality and nationalist who held the interests of the Christianity deep in her heart. On his part, Mr. Musyoka said having had an opportunity to work with her in various fields, noted that she was a dedicated and committed servant of the people. He said the late Pamela always stood for peace and national unity and that the formation of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) would be of great tribute to her.

Illegal migrants huddle under survival blankets on Tuesday on the Canary Island of La Gomera after making a dangerous crossing from Africa on a small open boat to reach the Spanish territory and on right on  Thursday, Moroccan villagers try to rescue their animals from knee-deep waters flooding the streets of Sidi Slimane following heavy rains across the country.

EAC to introduce a common currency

Written By:Claire Wanja/KNA    , Posted: Sun, Feb 08, 2009
 

President Mwai Kibaki poses for a photograpgh with the East African Legislative Assembly members after holding a consultative meeting at State House, Nairobi last year.

Partner states of the East African Community (EAC) have agreed in principle to introduce a common currency by 2015 subject to the enactment of a Common Market Protocol for the region. EAC Minister Amason Kingi said plans to introduce the common currency were on track and at an advanced stage and downplayed claims by some skeptics that since some countries view others with suspicion the realization of such a goal was not possible. Kingi urged the partner states of the five member country community to stop imputing improper motive on their neighbors as this might derail the integration process. The minister who was responding to a challenge by the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Commerce Prof.Philip Kaloki that the EAC was headed for collapse like its predecessor in 1977 due to the mutual suspicion held by Tanzanians on Kenyans and on account of corruption scandals bogging down the grand coalition government, said the cancer of corruption is not isolated on Kenya alone as it affects all the regional member states. Kingi who was speaking at Whitesands Hotel while officially closing the Parliamentary workshop on Trade said no country in the EA region had the moral authority to pontificate and point an accusing finger on another country especially when it comes to issues pertaining to corruption. He told Prof.Kaloki that the collapse of the EAC in 1977 was occasioned by bilateral reasons between the partner states and not by mutual suspicion among the same countries. This time around, Kingi said those in the driving seat in the integration process of the region had resolved to legislate and enact water tight legal frameworks to govern the EAC so that it does not suffer the same fate as its predecessor. He told members of the East African Community to create an enabling environment to attract new investors into the region. He said contrary to views held by detractors of the integration process the increase in the number of trade agreements witnessed in the last couple of years in the EA region indicate that the partners tastes were committed to teaming up to enhance inter regional trade. Elsewhere, East African Community (EAC) legislative assembly MP Otieno Karan has urged the Government to facilitate programs deliberately targeting youths, lest they open a battle field pitting them against elderly people in society. Speaking at Kamrongo, Nyando, Karan called for the full exploitation of Lake Victoria waters, a common resource to five member states.

He singled out programs touching on transport, fishing and environmental issues, adding that EAC legislative assembly will soon pass a transport bill seeking to govern such concerns through established legal structures. Subsequently, Karan urged Members of Parliament representing constituencies bordering the lake to conduct effective civic education, targeting the fishing community to stop them from being in conflict with the laws. He said preservation of fish in Lake Victoria was a priority, pointing out that poor methods of fishing using illegal gears would not be condoned, to ensure farmers reap maximum benefit without depleting the resource. The EAC legislator warned that if not checked, such fishermen would destabilize fish breeding areas as they catch both young fingerlings and the eggs, wondering how they expect to sustain the resource. Karan called for re-introduction of fish farming in ponds as a viable alternative to ease pressure on Lake Victoria, as security measures regarding transport in the waters of EAC member states; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi takes effect. He explained that laws of the EAC legislative assembly takes precedence of member states and no fisherman should be allowed into the lake without security jackets in a move aimed at pre-empting calamities. Karan said the African Union (AU) donated 100 patrol boats to the community at Jinja for distribution to Musoma, Mwanza, Kisumu and all landing ports around the lake to stop illegal methods of fishing. "This makes it necessary for MPs to create awareness for the electorate in collaboration with Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) to avoid being arrested", he explained. Karan said a recent survey following EAC assembly in Kampala, Uganda  confirmed that Migingo island belong to Kenya and the community's conflict resolution committee set for a plenary session in Rwanda (Feb 25-28th) would be informed accordingly.

The Soweto Gospel Choir - made up of untrained singers from South Africa's most famous township - is up for its third Grammy award on Sunday. During a rehearsal in Johannesburg, musical director Beverly Bryer and conductor Shimmy Jiyane tell the BBC the secret of their success. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

It has been the UK’s biggest and most widespread snowfall for 18 years, but where did it come from?  The UK sits between a huge ocean to the north and west (the Atlantic), and a large continent to the south and east (Europe). As a rule, the Atlantic normally brings us mild and wet weather, something we have experienced over recent winters. In contrast, the east brings us the colder weather  we have been having this winter.

  Jet stream   Why is that air from the east colder? Because land cools quicker than the sea. Conversely, it means that in the summer the same eastern weather front will bring us warmer weather. Our weather is also strongly influenced by the jet stream, a fast moving stream of air at 30,000ft that pushes weather systems around the world. It normally brings mild Atlantic weather across the UK. However, this winter, the jet stream has not been blowing over the UK.  Without it the cold weather has been free to move in from the east.  

Snowfall from Russia   According to the Met Office, this week’s severe weather developed as a cold mass of air that moved across Europe from Russia. As it passed over the North Sea it picked up moisture that led to the heavy snowfall, firstly in eastern England on Sunday morning and soon after, the rest of the UK. Later on Monday a second patch of heavy snow moved across England from France. The double impact led to some of the heaviest snowfall seen in Britain since February 1991, with depths of 31cm or 12 inches recorded in Epsom, Surrey. This movement of cold weather from eastern Europe in addition to some bitterly cold conditions from the arctic continued during the week bringing more snowfall to parts of the UK and Ireland.

The Ugandan government is selling off dozens of animals donated as gifts to President Yoweri Museveni. The money raised from the auction of the cattle, sheep and goats will be spent on government projects. Some Ugandans are concerned that animals given as gifts to the president are being sold in this way. But the sale is appropriate because they belong to the state, not the president himself, says the presidential spokesman. The 117 cattle, 26 sheep and 10 goats are to be sold at an auction planned for Thursday 19 February.

UK 'has 50,000 gang members'

As many as 50,000 teenagers are involved in gangs in the UK, a think-tank will warn this week. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) wants to see US-style zero tolerance policy towards ringleaders and "Gang Prevention Zones" set up in the worst areas. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who heads the CSJ, said: "The tragic murder of Rhys Jones in Liverpool has brought home the casual savagery of gang crime in Britain today. "Half the 27 teenagers murdered in London last year were the victims of gang crime. That should bring home the brutal truth that street gangs are a nasty and shocking symptom of the broken society. "We need emergency action in stemming the rise of gang culture which is devastating our most disadvantaged communities. "Our report is a practical solution which doesn't just deal with the narrow issue of knives but the vital issue of the people who are most likely to be using knives or any weapon and is founded on the best practice in the Western world." The report calls on the Government to adopt projects used in American cities like Boston, where gang leaders are told to mend their ways and receive training and education, or face constant attention from the authorities. It estimates gang membership in this country at between 20,000 to 50,000 teenagers. The CSJ said Boston Gun Project's Operation Ceasefire had cut youth homicides by 63 per cent and highlighted the early success of similar models in the UK such as Merseyside's Matrix Gun Crime Team and Scotland's Violence Reduction Unit.

Somalia's new president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has arrived in Mogadishu for the first time since his election by MPs a week ago. Crowds lined the route as Sheikh Sharif, viewed as a moderate Islamist, headed to the presidential palace. Later, mortars were fired at the palace but no casualties were reported. Sheikh Sharif aims to form an inclusive government and extend a hand to armed groups still opposed to UN-sponsored efforts to end civil war and turmoil. Somalia has had no effective central government for nearly 20 years. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in successive waves of violence over the years.

A Kenyan lady has passed away in the UK. Pauline Evans well known as (Mama Karanja) fell down in Gloucester on Tuesday 3rd February, 2008. Reliable sources says she arrived in the UK in the late 1980s. She is married to a British Mr. Evans. Family and friends have been unable to contacted his only son in Tanzania. The same source suggested that she will be buried in the UK. Memorial service of late Mrs Pauline Evans (mama Karanja) on Sunday 8th February at live/bar 266-264 Romford road, forest gate E7 9HZ from 4.00pm. For for information  please call 07958495947.

The late Pauline Evans well known as Mama Karanja

Australian emergency crews are stepping up their efforts to tackle wildfires in the state of Victoria, as the death toll rises to 65. Thousands of firefighters are battling several major fires, and the number of dead is expected to rise. Victoria Premier John Brumby said he had accepted an offer from the federal government to send in the army. Entire towns have been destroyed in the fires, fanned by extremely high temperatures and unpredictable winds. Temperatures are dropping now, but officials fear they will not be able to get the fires under control until there is substantial rain.

Githongo: Kibaki lacks the will and Raila’s hands tied behind his back. President Kibaki’s first and only advisor on war against corruption, Mr John Githongo, argues it is the honey badger season in Kenya and all the badgers have their snouts in the honey... He concludes ruling coalition lacks the will to fight graft. - FULL STORY

Justice Waki and his team were obviously right in not leaving any ambiguities or uncertainties that the Government could use as justification for not implementing their recommendations. In the event of 45 days lapsing without a local tribunal, the default would automatically trigger off the next stage. That is why the Government attempted to ambush Members of Parliament by rushing in a Bill that was deeply flawed. MP’s rightly refused to be used as a rubberstamp and employed a perfectly lawful technicality to pave the way for suspects to face the International Criminal Court at The Hague. We now have a real opportunity to arrest the culture of impunity. The sad thing is that Prime Minister Raila Odinga appears hell-bent on joining that rank after a distinguished and heroic track record as a pro-democracy and human rights activist.

A very successful crusade took place last weekend in Slough, Berks in UK. The conference was hosted by Pastor Peter and Pouline Kamau and the guest speakers were Bishop JB Masinde and Evangelist Theresa Wairimu among others. The conference took place as from 28th January, 2009 to 1st March, 2009. Among the choirs who performed on Saturday 31st January was a choir from Victory Revival Christian Centre, Oxford (above) and their Pastor, Pastor Francis Maina (right) was caught smiling after an excellent performance by his choir at the conference.

Nairobi, Saturday 7th February, 2009. A Chinese national was Saturday morning seized with four bangles of ivory at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.Mr Zhang Zhong, 37, who was on transit from Guinea to Uganda's Entebbe Airport, was arrested at 8am by Customs and Kenya Wildlife Service officials. The suspect is being held at the JKIA police station and is expected to be charged with possession of wildlife trophy without a permit at Makadara Law Court on Monday morning. Although the backstreet value of the bangles is estimated at Sh1500, the actual value is incalculable since an elephant was killed for the ivory to be extracted. Kenya Wildlife Service in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies including the Kenya Airports Authority, the police and Customs have stepped up efforts to curb illegal trade in wildlife products. KWS has stationed sniffer dogs at key entry and exit points to detect contraband elephant tusks, rhino horns and weapons. Last month, three Chinese men were charged with illegal possession of government trophies at Makadara law courts. The suspects were seized with the illegal ivory at same airport. Yu Zhong, Zhngle Chen and Liu Songlu, who were all travelling to different destinations in China, were also found with lion teeth, ivory bracelets and necklaces.  The sniffer dogs stationed at the international airport detected two processed ivory carvings weighing 2.5 kg and one necklace concealed in a bag. The second suspect was seized by Customs officials at 2.30pm with two necklaces, four lion teeth and four bracelets while the third one was arrested at 10 pm with 380g of carved ivory. Two of the suspects were travelling from Kenya while the third was from Uganda.

A man was arrested for an alleged breach of quarantine rules after getting off a flight to Australia with two live pigeons in his trousers and on right many councils in England and Wales had to ration supplies of the salt used to keep the roads clear of snow and ice as the cold spell continued through the week.

Relatives of the Sachang'wan tanker inferno victims are opposing the mass burial planned by the government on Monday.  The relatives say they were not consulted and are opposing the prayer service scheduled to take place at Afraha stadium on Sunday and want the prayers to be held at the scene of the tragedy which claimed 130 lives. The move comes as personnel from the ministry of works moved in to clear the site for the burial. Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Agriculture minister William Ruto and his Education counterpart Sam Ongeri will preside over a funds drive for the victims' families.  At the same time, the six police officers who were burnt in the tragedy will not get the customary 21-gun salute for members of the uniformed forces. Instead, their bodies will be lowered into a mass grave together with 79 others. Several families have not identified the remains of their loved ones. Results of the DNA test will be concluded in two weeks. On Friday, Roads minister Franklin Bett  said he grave will be at the scene of the accident. The tragedy has so far claimed 130 lives after some of the injured died in hospital. 

A total of 178 people were injured. Meanwhile, police in Molo continue to grill the crew tanker. Criminal Investigations officers interrogated the driver, Mohammed Salim, 31, and his co-driver Justus Mwangangi Mutunga, 21.  The pair was first summoned to the Nakuru traffic police headquarters before they were transferred to Molo. Molo DCIO Mwenda Ethaiba said the driver was recalled to clarify some issues in his statement on Thursday. The co-driver recorded a statement for the first time on Thursday and gave an account of events similar to that of his colleague. Three Burn Specialists from Gujarat, India arrived in the country on Saturday morning to assist Kenyan medical personnel in treating the victims of the Molo fire tragedy.  Elsewhere, three plastic surgeons Dr Mohmed Sheikha, Dr Manav Suri and Dr Nitin Parmar arrived with 120kg of antibiotics, following an appeal by Prime Minister Raila Odinga to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, for medical assistance. Director of Medical Services Dr Francis Kimani, who was at hand to receive them, thanked the Indian government for extending the much needed assistance. He said the specialists would be posted to the hospitals hosting the worst affected victims. The trio joins another two specialists who arrived in the country last Wednesday.

Mass sacking as firms downsize in Kenya

An estimated 1,300 companies plan to lay off an unspecified number of workers this year as the effects of last year’s post-election violence sink in, and the ripples from the spiralling global economic crisis hit Kenya.  A preliminary assessment by the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) of labour turnover also cites the enactment of new labour laws as an additional factor that has contributed to the downturn in various companies in the last fiscal year.  In addition to retrenching staff, several companies are planning to freeze business projects, renegotiate salaries of top management and put off hiring new workers until conditions improve, the Sunday Nation has learnt. The sector worst affected is the building and construction industry that has reported massive redundancies as early as mid last year. Other hard-hit sub-sectors include manufacturing, agriculture and finance. The layoffs will be an additional burden to bear for Kenyans already struggling with double-digit inflation that has seen prices of the national staple foods -- maize and maize flour -- go through the roof over the past year. They will also confound efforts by the government to grapple with a growing food shortage that threatens millions of Kenyans across the country. Given that every working Kenyan has several dependants, it means that the layoffs could set off a ripple effect that could see the number of people seeking relief food from the government and donor agencies skyrocket. - MORE

Uhuru sues over poll violence report

Deputy Prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta: He is seeking to expunge his name from a report on post poll violence. Deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday filed a case that is likely to have serious implications on the Waki Report on post-election violence. Mr Kenyatta, who is also the Finance minister is seeking to expunge his name from a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights which named people who financed and organised the violence in which more than 1,000 people were killed and 350,000 made homeless. Sought too is an order to have the findings in the report on Mr Kenyatta quashed. The commission’s report was presented by its chairperson, Ms Florence Simbiri-Jaoko, to Mr Justice Philip Waki as he chaired an inquiry into the violence that erupted following presidential election. On Friday Lady Justice Roselyn Wendoh allowed the minister to institute proceedings that might see his name deleted from the report. Through lawyer Desterio Oyatsi, Mr Kenyatta told the court that the report had been made public, and that it was within public knowledge.

BA suffers worst winter as City flyers go economy

British Airways is having its worst-ever winter, losing up to £3million a day - nearly £20million a week - as passengers refuse to pay its high fares to fly first or business class. Latest figures also reveal that the troubled UK flag carrier's debt is rising at £100million a month and since last spring it has burnt through cash at a rate of £1 million a day. BA today revealed pre-tax losses of £70million for the first nine months of its financial year up to the end of December. However, the rate of losses is accelerating. The airline said at the underlying operating profit level it made £89million in the nine months. Despite this, it has signalled it expects to see an operating loss of £150million for the full year to the end of March. That means operating losses in January, February and March are set to come in at £239million - BA's worst winter trading quarter on record. What is hurting BA is the lack of passengers prepared to pay the prices to fly at the front of its aircraft - the lucrative business and first class flyers who are key to BA's profitability. January passenger statistics reveal BA's so-called premium traffic has crashed by nearly 14 per cent. That is its worst month yet in the current recession, following falls of 12 per cent in December, 11 per cent in November and 9 per cent in October. The collapse in passenger sentiment in the last month was such that BA went from indicating a small, full-year profit in a trading statement on 6 January to a warning of £150million losses in a statement to the Stock Exchange on 26 January.

"We are seeing our worst fourth quarter by some way," said finance director Keith Williams. "We are seeing a steady decline in premium traffic, the effect of what has happened in the financial services industry since September." He declined to comment on claims by easyJet and Ryanair that BA passengers and business class flyers in particular are trading down to the budget airlines. "We are seeing a fall in the volume of bankers flying," he said. "There are fewer of them." Chief executive Willie Walsh blamed the poor financial performance on the airline's fuel bill despite the 70 per cent collapse in the price of crude oil over the last six months. He said over its first three trading quarters, the fuel bill increased 50 per cent to £2.2billion. Walsh was feted last year when he delivered profits of £875million, hitting the airline's long-wished-for target of a profit margin of 10 per cent. But the forecast results for this year indicate a turnaround in BA's fortunes of more than £1billion in a year. Infamous for his cost-slashing both at BA and his previous airline, Aer Lingus, Walsh indicated there may be more on the way. BA's debts rose 70 per cent between the end of March to the end of December to £2.2billion. Williams said much of that was due to foreign exchange movements resulting from the fall in value of the pound. Over the same period, the airline's cash levels have fallen £278million to £1.6billion.

A Tibetan Buddhist monk blows his horn during celebrations marking the Great Prayer Festival at a monastery in Repkong, in China's Qinghai province and on right a boot factory worker in Belarus makes boots known as "valenky" to keep the wearers warm during the cold weather.

Can the world feed nine billion people?

The world’s population is set to reach 9.5 billion by 2050. Millions are undernourished, the world’s resources are already overstretched and increases in food production appear to have reached a plateau. So how can we possibly expect to feed an extra 3.5 billion people over the next 40 years? Dr Tom MacMillan attempts to provide an answer. We can feed more people, but only if we go about solving the real problem. The challenge isn’t simply to grow more food with scarcer resources. After all, the world has had plenty to go around for the past few decades, but hundreds of millions have still gone hungry. The real problem is to share the world’s food and resources more fairly, so it is about what people consume, not just about what we can produce. Most of the world’s 923 million hungry people live in rural areas. Many produce food, but the reason they are hungry isn’t just that they can’t grow enough to eat. It is that they are so poor they can’t afford what food there is – some even have to sell what little food they’ve grown to pay off debts. So tackling poverty is fundamental to beating hunger.  This makes it more important to achieve modest increases in productivity for millions of small-scale farmers – driven by things like better access to local markets, which provide some income and an incentive to look after crops – than to invent new technologies that double yields on the biggest farms. In fact, if bigger farmers crowd out the marketplace then smaller producers, who depend on farming for a livelihood, stay poor and hungry however much more food gets produced.  Hunger is a problem in cities too. More than half the world’s people live in cities now and still more are expected to by 2050.

But in the city, as in the rural areas, the prime target in feeding people must be to tackle poverty, not simply produce more.  Feeding 9.5 billion people calls for social safety nets:  a living income for all in rich countries like the UK and, in poorer countries, well-aimed social protection programmes.  A focus on fair shares also shows us that feeding the world isn’t somebody else’s business. While poor people go hungry because they consume too little, rich people consume too much. When food prices went up earlier this year, the pundits blamed China and India’s growing appetite for meat and dairy, diverting grain from direct human consumption to feed animals.Yet in the USA and Europe we eat much more meat and dairy. Not only that, but our per-person demand for grain is rising faster than anywhere else, including China and India, driven by the growth in biofuels. Filling our fuel tanks emptied other people’s bellies. The economy is driven by scarcity – when food prices go up, farmers respond by growing more. The challenge facing governments around the world is twofold: firstly, to make sure that if food costs more that’s because we’re paying fair prices and sharing the cost of protecting the environment, not because we’ve frittered away our natural resources. Secondly, to make sure the poorest people in the world can afford to eat well, by listening to their needs, putting in place social safety nets and making marginal farmers the top priority for public spending on agricultural research and development.

NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided by the United State Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service. Caption by Holli Riebeek. This image of vegetation cover shows part of the reason for the recent poor harvest in Kenya.  Areas in which plants were growing less vigorously than average are brown, while areas in which plants were growing well are green.

Why employers in Kenya are interested in where you got your degree

Graduands follow proceedings at a past graduation ceremony at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Karen, Nairobi. - MORE

Woman Fails Driving Test 771 Times

An elderly woman in South Korea has failed her driving test a staggering 771 times, according to police. But the 68 year old has apparently told the local media she has no intention of giving up. The woman, who lives in the southwestern city of Jeonju, has taken the test almost every working day since 2005. She failed it again this week, setting a new record for the country. The Korea Times said the woman, identified only by her last name Cha, plans to make another attempt. Her problem is that she cannot pass the written section of the test. The pass mark is 60 out of 100 but she only averages 30-50. Cha sells food and household items at apartment complexes, carrying the items in a handcart. She says getting a driviing licence would enable her to buy a car and expand the business. Police estimate she has spent almost £2,500 taking the written tests in addition to other expenses. "I feel sorry every time I see Cha fail," one officer said. "If she ever passes, I'll make a commemorative tablet and give it to her."

Gaddafi defends Somali pirates

AU chairman Muammar Gaddafi has said that his priority will be to claim colonial compensation and to limit the power of Western nations  The Libyan leader further said he believed that piracy was a way of counter defence against the greedy Western nations.  Col Gaddafi expressed the sentiments Thursday morning when he paid his first day official visit to African Union head quarter in Addis Ababa. He addressed AU officials and staff.  Col Gaddafi wore a colourful shirt decorated with Africa Union founding fathers portraits including Tanzanian Julius Nyerere, Ethiopian Haile Selassie, Kenyan Jomo Kenyatta, and Ghanaian Kwame Nkrumah. - Daily Nation.

London, Saturday 7th February, 2009. UK prepares for freezing weekend. Forecasters have warned of very low temperatures overnight, after snow brought a fifth day of chaos to the UK.  Road, rail and air transport was again badly affected, while hundreds of schools were again closed.  The West Country and south Wales were worst-hit, with Okehampton in west Devon seeing 22in (55cm) of snow. The Weather Centre said snow would start dying out overnight, but temperatures in rural areas would drop as low as -10C. Susan Powell from the BBC Weather Centre said overnight conditions would be very icy, with temperatures in towns and cities dropping to as low as -5C. The front which brought heavy snow to the West Country would peter out as it moved east, though there would still some snowfall in eastern areas such as Kent. She said Saturday would include sunny periods, but overnight conditions would be even colder, with thawed snow turning icy. The Severn crossings were closed after ice began falling onto cars and smashing windscreens, but the M48 crossing has since reopened. Five windscreens were smashed on the second Severn Crossing - the M4 - on Friday morning, the Highways Agency said. Jim Clune, general manager of Severn River Crossing PLC, said sheets of ice measuring up to a square metre had fallen from overhead sign gantries. He said: "It's very much a safety hazard and, of course, these gantries span all carriageways on the motorways." Heavy snow, some of it a foot (30cm) deep, cut off some villages in Devon and Somerset and snow continued into Friday. The bad weather left 21,000 homes across the West Country without power. Western Power Distribution (WPD) said 12,000 residents in Devon were without electricity. Another 8,000 homes in the Taunton area were also without power. "We have everyone available working on this. We hope to restore power to as many people as we can today," a WPD spokeswoman said. - VIDEO

Vicky Weston found one way of keeping her dog warm in the Forest of Dean and on right Nicole Strickland-Grant took this photo near Newbridge at 0800 Friday morning. She says many people had trouble getting to work.

A Kenyan lady has passed away in Gloucester, UK. His son is said to be in Tanzania where friends are unable to trace him. More information later.

Seven-year-old twins set up three Maths records

London, Jan 16: A pair of seven-year-old twins has entered record books by becoming the youngest ever children to pass an A-level maths exam. Paula and Peter Imafidon have broken three records with the youngest candidates ever to pass an A-level maths paper, the youngest ever school pupils to pass the A-level maths paper as previous title holders have been home schooled and the youngest ever twins to achieve this level in mathematics anywhere in the world. The brainy twins achieved a Grade D in AS-level maths alongside candidates more than twice their age. "The children enjoy learning and see maths and science as a challenge and game rather than hard work," Sky News quoted a spokesman for the Imafidon family, Kizzi Nkwocha, as saying. The twins are from a gifted family of five siblings who are all high academic achievers. And when they grow up, Paul wants to become a "successful" prime minister, and Paula wants to be a maths teacher.

Corruption is high in Kenya. Have a look at the story below:

We got maize through clean deal, Ruto associates say

Agriculture Minister William Ruto’s political allies in the North Rift region were this week caught up in the maize scandal. It has emerged that some of them might have secured maize from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) for a song. They were allocated thousands of bags of maize, which they claim to have bought but actually never left the NCPB depots. Investigations by The Sunday Standard revealed that they secured authorisation letters to NCPB depots countrywide, allowing them access to different quantities of maize. They purportedly bought the maize from NCPB at Sh1,750 a 90kg bag then resold the produce at Sh2,600 to millers for the same quantity.  The millers collected the maize from NCPB depots, hence the sellers did not incur transport costs. The millers would later process the maize to flour and sell it at high prices, reflecting the cost they incurred in buying the maize from the brokers. Those who spoke to The Standard on Sunday pleaded innocence. They maintained they are hardworking businessmen who just happen to be Ruto's associates. Uasin Gishu politician Jackson Kibor admitted that he was allocated 100,000 bags but denied he got help from Ruto to get the maize. He is among those named in Parliament last week as having been allocated the maize to mill through his Mafuta farm. Kibor’s farm has however no milling capacities but insisted he was allocated the maize in his capacity as a businessman.  "I bought them because NCPB was selling maize. There were no restrictions as to who qualified to buy the maize," he said. Another Ruto ally, Mr Oscar Sudi, also defended himself from claims he used his influence to get allocations from NCPB. "I have always had a contract with Unga Limited to supply them with maize. So when I bought maize from NCPB, I was simply meeting my obligations," he said.

Kibor and Sudi denied they exported the maize to Southern Sudan where a 90Kg bag of maize is said to be fetching a minimum of Sh3,000. "As far as I am concerned, I am not guilty of any offence because I bought the maize with my money and did not break into NCPB stores to steal it. I also did not sneak the maize outside the country," said Sudi. Kibor showed journalists a copy of a letter he wrote to the NCPB depot manager in Moi’s Bridge directing him to allow Mombasa Maize Millers to collect his 100,000 bags. But he was hard pressed to explain why the maize remained at the depot after buying it. "I bought it and immediately sold it because the millers were offering a good price. So it did not have to leave the depot," he said.  Mr Silas Simotwo, the managing director of an Insurance firm associated with Ruto, is another man on the spot over the maize scam. He is alleged to have used his influence as a close aide of Ruto to push through a deal to supply NCPB with gunny bags worth Sh153 million to pave way for the selling of the maize by the board. Simotwo admitted having expressed his interest to supply the gunny bags but denied using African Merchant Assurance Company (Amaco) to secure the deal. "I came across a tender for the supply of the bags advertised by NCPB and I got interested," he said. Added Simotwo: "Acting in my personal capacity, I made inquiries about the tender including asking for prices of gunny bags which I intended to import cheaply from India."

Simotwo said he never got to deliver the gunny bags as he learnt the Government later cancelled the tender and bought the bags for NCPB. "I did not intend to use Amaco’s money to buy the gunny bags. This was purely a personal initiative," he reiterated. Simotwo denied he authored letters authorising NCPB to allocate maize to companies linked to prominent personalities.  "I am not the minister’s personal assistant, neither am I a Government employee. So how could I have had the authority to write letters bearing Ruto’s official letterhead?" he posed. Kibor and Simotwo accused Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale of witch-hunt when he implicated them in the scam in Parliament on Wednesday. "Khalwale is abusing the privileges he has in Parliament to tarnish the names of innocent and hardworking Kenyans who just happen to be Ruto’s associates," said Simotwo. Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny has also been fighting off claims that he is among those who got a share of maize allocations by virtue of his close relations with Ruto. The MP insists he is "a principled man who can never betray the interests of Kenyans for individual ends". Ruto hosted the MP and Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba in his Eldoret North constituency last week. The two denied involvement in the maize scam. "If I will be found to have been part of this alleged scam, I will be the first MP in a long time to resign from Parliament," declared Namwamba. - The Standard.

For the third time, police in Molo have grilled the crew of the fuel tanker that exploded in Sachangwany killing 130 people. Criminal Investigations officers interrogated the driver, Mohammed Salim, 31, and his co-driver Justus Mwangangi Mutunga, 21. The pair was first summoned to the Nakuru traffic police headquarters before they were transferred to Molo. Molo DCIO Mwenda Ethaiba said the driver was recalled to clarify some issues in his statement on Thursday. We are still investigating the incident with our focus being the cause of the fire, he said. The co-driver recorded a statement for the first time on Thursday and gave an account of events similar to that of his colleague. The driver said he parked the tanker to answer a call of nature but it overturned, landing in a ditch. The co-driver said the soil where they stopped was loose causing the tanker to overturn due to its heavy weight last Saturday. The two said they had collected 50,000 litres of petrol from the Kenya Pipeline Nakuru depot, and were transporting it to Juba, Southern Sudan. After the tanker overturned, Salim rushed to the nearby GSU camp to seek security and left Mutunga guarding it.

Mutunga recounted how villagers arrived at the scene and started vandalising the tanker to siphon fuel. Mutunga claimed the mob almost turned rowdy and he took off after he was assaulted. Salim returned with four GSU officers and were later joined by two Administration Police officers. He warned the villagers to move away from the inflammable product, but they refused. Mutunga said the tanker exploded shortly after they had left the scene. And a shortage of staff and lack of supplies has undermined treatment of victims of the explosion admitted at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital with severe burns. So far 28 victims referred to the hospital have died.  Although the Ministry of Medical Services mobilised doctors and burns specialists to help save lives, lack of facilities hampered their efforts.  Three military doctors and four specialists from Kenyatta National Hospital left the hospital, on Friday. Sources said the doctors were frustrated because the hospital lacked facilities and supplies. Meanwhile, the Church has urged Kenyans to use the national mourning period to reflect and change. We should ask what have we not done that we ought to have done to prevent future tragedies?Ó said All Saints CathedralÕs the Reverend Julius Wanyoike at a memorial Mass for victims of the Nakumatt and Molo tragedies, on Friday. - The Standard.

Pilot Steve Bolle (L) and a passenger walk towards the shore. A pilot guided a light plane and his five passengers to a safe landing in shallow waters in northern Australia on Friday - and walked away with his baggage. The dual-propeller Piper Chieftain experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff from the frontier city of Darwin. It quickly descended as pilot Steve Bolle sought a place on a nearby beach to make an emergency landing reminiscent of the dramatic splashdown of an Airbus 320 in New York's Hudson River last month. The plane came to rest on a sand bar in Darwin Harbour in about two feet of water at low tide. All six people were able to wade the 200m to the beach.

Dr. Benson M. Karanja of Beulah Heights University has been awarded with a Head of State's Commendation (H.S.C.) Award by His Excellency President Mwa Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya for his distinguished service rendered to the nation of Kenya . He received the news from Kenyan Embassy in Washington DC. This commendation that Dr. Karanja has received from the President of Kenya is the highest honor bestowed to any civilian by the President. The prestigious award is reserved for people who make contributions by various means to the government in support of community. There are only five people in the world who have received this distinguished award. Dr. Karanja will receive this prestigious award from the US Ambassador of Kenya on Sunday, March 1st, 2009 at 10:30 AM at New Birth Cathedral, 6400 Woodrow Road , Lithonia , GA 30038 . Bishop Eddie Long , Chairman of BHU Board of Trustees and Dr. Karanja are two of the five recipients receiving such an honor in the world. You are cordially invited to New Birth to witness this momentous celebration. Limited reserved seating will be available until 10:35 AM for friends and family. Source- kimmediagroup.com - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Dr Karanja of BHU honored by President Kibaki

Dr Benson Karanja remembers how he once worked as a janitor at Beulah Bible

College in Atlanta,US, to pay for his tuition and upkeep.   Dr Benson Karanja

As a janitor he was responsible for cleaning offices and bathrooms at the college and cutting grass. That was in 1988. Sixteen years later he became president of the same college. Karanja, who hails from Njoro in Nakuru District, became the first African immigrant in the US to hold such a coveted position. Beulah Bible College is a private not-for-profit institution and one of the fastest growing in southeastern US. Before he got a work permit, Karanja says, raising fees was difficult and he had to work for 60 hours every week to make ends meet. His wife, Esther, did her best to help by working as a house-help. Today, at 50, Karanja is a busy man who jets around the world making decisions at very high levels. "Working as a janitor trained me to appreciate everybody. Even those people who clean offices are very important in any organisation," he says. He was the only student janitor at the college then and though he was skilled in other jobs, they were not readily available for immigrants, he says. "People come to my office and are amazed at how big it is, but they donít know how many times I came to the same office to collect garbage," he says. Karanja says he takes a lot of interest in whatever he does, adding: "I am a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of man." As a student, he completed his first degree in Biblical Education in two-and-a-half-years and enrolled at Emory University for a masterís course. He then got a job with a large organisation as managing director for the Middle East and Europe region. Later, Beulah offered him a job as a teacher and librarian. He applied and got a permanent residence status in the US, which allowed him to apply for loans and scholarships. He successfully pursued a doctorate degree and later rose to the vice-presidentís post in charge of student services. After excelling in the position, he was appointed executive vice-president and finally president of the college, he says. He invited Kenyan Government officials to attend his inauguration.

Currently, Beulah has students from 32 countries, out of which 70 are Kenyans. More than 500 Kenyans have gone through the college. Karanja says the college has invested more than Sh1.4 billion in various projects in Kenya. "My objective is to continue investing in the lives of young people. That is why I come back year after year," he says. The college, he adds, is currently building a hospital in Nakuru and funding the setting up of the Presbyterian University of East Africa. The college also sponsors ten local scholars to train in church leadership in the US yearly, he says. The scholars spend a week in the country, in a programme that has gone on for eight years. Karanja says he is organising a meeting between business people from the US and their Kenyan counterparts, to be held in Nairobi. The meeting, he says, would seek to promote investment in Kenya. Beulah offers degrees in Biblical education, urban ministries and leadership studies. It also offers courses in Christian counselling and inter-cultural studies. The State of Georgia Non-Public Secondary Education Commission approved the college. It is an accredited member of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS). It is also an accredited member of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). The college has more than 650 students from over 400 different churches across the globe, representing more than 45 denominations. It specialises in reaching out to adult students. The average student age is 38 years, while the male to female ratio is 50 to 50. Beulahís mission is to be a centre of academic excellence, a resource centre for the church and other ministries and an agent for change. Source- East African Standard

The Molo fire tragedy continues to claim more lives with two more police officers succumbing to their injuries Friday The death of the two police officers brings the number of fatalities from the oil truck fire to over 120. So far the number of uniformed officers who have died from the fire has now risen to ten.

One homeowner defies £300m development

A stubborn homeowner is holding up a £300 million development scheme by refusing to quit his home. Jin Chang's tiny two-storey home, in China, is the last house in the area and stands in the centre of a construction site. He is insisting on seeking more compensation before agreeing to the demolition of their home, local media reported. But builders got so fed up with trying to persuade him to move they started work on the project around him.

London, Friday 6th February, 2009. Heavy snow has brought a fifth day of chaos to the UK, with severe weather warnings issued to much of the country. Road, rail and air transport is again badly affected, while hundreds of schools have again been closed. The West Country and south Wales were worst-hit overnight. Up to eight inches (20cm) of snow is forecast in places. The Severn Crossings have been closed after ice began falling onto cars and smashing windscreens, while about 200 people were rescued from cars in Devon. Five windscreens were smashed on the second Severn crossing - the M4 - on Friday morning, the Highways Agency said. Jim Clune, general manager of Severn River Crossing PLC, said sheets of ice measuring up to a square metre had fallen from overhead sign gantries. He said: "It's very much a safety hazard and, of course, these gantries span all carriageways on the motorways." The AA had received more than 3,000 callouts by 0930 GMT on Friday, double its normal workload, and it warned that shortages of road salt had created a "road safety crisis". Emergency services had spent Thursday night rescuing stranded motorists from the A38 at Haldon Hill, near Exeter, after the weather deteriorated suddenly. A few miles west, the Army was called in to pick up about 60 people stuck on the A386. Many drivers spent the night in emergency centres. The Met Office warned that heavy snow was likely on high ground in Bath, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Plymouth, Swindon, Torbay and Wiltshire.

• Chiltern Railways, First Great Western, London Midland, Scotrail, Stansted Express and Virgin Trains are all subject to cancellations and alterations.
• Flights at Bristol airport are suspended until 1230 GMT, with no arrivals or departures at Luton before 1200 GMT.
• In Northamptonshire, bus operator Stagecoach recalled all its vehicles to its depot, while Arriva suspended all its services in Hertfordshire.
• Airports operator BAA is warning travellers to allow extra time for their journeys to other airports in case of adverse weather.
• The Highways Agency is warning against travel across much of south western England.
• The main route between north and south Wales - the A470 - is closed just south of Brecon.

More than 3,000 schools have closed across southern England and Wales. BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said the heaviest snow was falling between Oxfordshire and Berkshire, and the Bristol channel area. "It's really heavy at the moment but this band of wintry weather is going to move through the south-east of England but it will get lighter. "Drifting snow could make the roads more difficult to clear in parts of the west country." The far north of Scotland would be affected by snow showers all day, he added. Around 70 schools were closed in that area, where temperatures fell as low as -9C overnight. Grampian Police said some roads were closed or passable only with care due to heavy snow and fallen trees. Northern Ireland escaped snowfall overnight but it began snowing heavily on Friday morning, making conditions on minor roads treacherous. Some councils in England say they are running out of road salt. Authorities in Wiltshire are hoping to get 500 tonnes of salt from Devon County Council. Stocks in West Berkshire are at 20% of normal levels and are expected to last only another two or three days.

Cheshire-based Salt Union said staff were working around the clock but still could not meet demand. Meanwhile, the Irish Salt Mining and Exploration in Carrickfergus, Antrim, is digging up to 6,000 tonnes of salt a day, having been inundated by calls from councils across the UK. Paul Bettison, chairman of the Local Government Association Environment Board, said eight councils had to prioritise what they had left to focus on the most important roads. He said: "If that fails to deal with any issue, then councils will talk to the Highways Agency to look for further supplies." Many travellers in Cornwall were forced to cut short their journeys, spending Thursday night in town halls or community centres. Mary Judson, from Bude, was among 50 people on a coach trip which had to divert to Launceston Town Hall after it was unable to negotiate the roads. "Everybody's fine. We've had lovely cups of tea from a lady who had been in bed and got up to make us tea, which was wonderful," she said. In Devon, cars were gradually towed away from the A38 through the night and waiting motorists were given hot drinks. Lorries were left on the road because it was too difficult to move them. The Highways Agency is continuing to clear up to 12 inches (30cm) of snow from the southbound carriageway so traffic on that side can be moved. An emergency relief centre was set up at Exeter Race Course, which is at the top of Haldon Hill. People were also taken to the town hall in the nearby village of Chudleigh. Devon and Cornwall Police planned to bus people back to their cars from rescue centres once the roads are clear.

Minor explosion reported in generator room of Hotel Intercontinental, Nairobi. Guests and staff evacuated as police seal off the area. - Daily Nation, 6th Feb. 2009 12.00 noon

HOW CAN BISHOPS SEEK A HUMAN AS A SOLUTION THAN TO ASK GOD

Leaders of the Anglican Communion are to employ professional mediators in an attempt to resolve their ongoing dispute over sexuality. The announcement came at the close of a five-day meeting of senior bishops held in Alexandria, Egypt. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said there was "deep division" among member churches. But he added that "the willingness to find reconciliation has been very much in evidence". The meeting was significant simply for bringing all the national leaders together - after several large African churches boycotted last summer's Lambeth Conference.

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'Registration time extended to Wednesday 11th February 2009'

32ND INTERNATIONAL GERMAN PROTESTANT KIRCHENTAG 2009

The Kenyans in Diaspora Kirchentag Group wish to inform you about the 32nd International German Protestant Kirchentag Conference which will be held from 20th to 24th May 2009 in Bremen, Germany.

This is a Biannual International Christian Conference for all Protestant Christians World-wide. The Theme for the Conference is: ‘Mortal, where are you?”.....’ (Genesis 3:9).

Christians, Pastors, Evangelists, Church Elders, Youth, Christian Families including Children can attend regardless of their Denominational affiliations. The participants are expected to pay for their return air tickets and personal expenses while accommodation, Visa, conference tickets and local transport might be subsidized. Over 100,000 Christians are expected to attend.

All those, Kenyans in Diaspora, who would be interested, are requested to send their personal details to this e-mail; kenyansindiaspora4kirchentag@ymail.com,  in the following order:

Surname…, Other names…, Date of Birth…, Nationality…, Passport No…, Place of Birth…, Address…, E-mail…, Contacts/Tel/Mble No…, to reach the GPK-UK Co-ordinator/Secretary, by latest, 11th, February 2009. For registration purposes, you are required to pay £40.00 on or before 11th February 2009.  

For more information about the 32nd German Protestant Kirchentag in Bremen 2009 you can go to http://www.beluga-group.com/Deutscher-Evangelischer-Kirchentag.808.0.html; www.kirchentag.de, or http://www.kirchentag.org.uk/welcome.html, or  contact 07903042253/07949459376 .

May the Almighty God bless you abundantly.

Yours in His Peace,

Venerable  Kenneth 

GPK - Kenyans in Diaspora Group Co-ordinator

C.C.  

GPK- UK Co-ordinator/Facilitator & Secretary 

GPK - Bishop Moses, Kenya Team Co-ordinator

"Keep your eyes on the Lord, He never takes His eyes off you"

A Group Photograph of some of the Kenyan Christians who attended German Christian Kirchentag 2007 in Cologne,

Germany. The Kirchentag VIP Lounge Manager, Edzard Albers is 7th and Bishop Moses Nthuka, (by then Reverend), and Mrs Nthuka are 9th and 11th, respectively, from left (standing). Bishop Nthuka is the Kenya Team Co-ordinator. MORE

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Snow brings another day of chaos

Hundreds of stranded motorists had to spend the night away from home

Both Severn Crossings were closed when ice began falling from the top of bridge structures onto cars and smashing windscreens.

Heavy snow has brought a fifth day of chaos to the UK, with severe weather warnings issued to much of the country

The gritting salt keeping Britain's roads clear of snow and ice is running out amid a warning from the AA that some roads are becoming "death traps"

A teenage girl has died after suffering serious head injuries when a makeshift sledge crashed in South Yorkshire

Travel disruption and school closures are continuing for a fifth day following more heavy snowfall across the country

Motorists have been warned to make journeys only if necessary and to take precautions against a breakdown or delays as snow continues to fall

About 200 people have been rescued by emergency crews in Devon after spending several hours stranded in their vehicles in heavy snow

All flights at Bristol airport were suspended. Officials are to review the situation at 12.30. Bus services were suspended in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North Somerset

Cardiff airport is open. Arriva Trains Wales reported no disruptions to its services

Bankruptcies Hit New Record High

A record number of people in England and Wales were declared bankrupt during the final quarter of 2008, new figures show.The Insolvency Service said 19,100 people were made bankrupt on a seasonally-adjusted basis during the three months to the end of December. The figure is 22% higher than for the same period of 2007 and overtook the record set during the previous quarter. At the same time, 4,607 companies went into liquidation - 52% more than a year earlier - as the economic downturn continued to take its toll. Overall, a total of 67,428 people were declared bankrupt during the whole of 2008 - also a new high. Economists warned the level of bankruptcies is set to increase as unemployment rises and tightened credit means people are no longer able to borrow their way out of trouble. Overall, 29,444 people were declared insolvent during the final quarter of last year, 18.5% more than a year earlier. Within this total, 10,334 people took out individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) - under which interest on debt is frozen in exchange for a set amount being repaid each month - with the rest declared bankrupt. During 2008 as a whole, 106,544 people were declared insolvent, broadly unchanged from 2007's figure. Alan Tomlinson, partner at licensed insolvency practitioners Tomlinsons, said: "The appalling economic conditions are claiming more and more victims, as companies in all sectors make redundancies or simply fail. "What is especially interesting is that more people have gone down the bankruptcy rather than the IVA route, which is a reflection of the fact that lenders have tightened up the criteria for the acceptance of IVAs."

A fifth day of heavy snow causes school closures and travel problems across the UK, with hundreds of drivers rescued.

LEFT: Many savings accounts will pay no interest at all after the Bank of England cut the base rate of interest to 1%, the Daily Mail reports. CENTRE: The Daily Telegraph has learned that all NHS employees risk losing their job if they discuss their religious beliefs with colleagues or patients. Tony Blair and Michelle Obama are pictured as the former Prime Minister met the new US President and First Lady "to the undoubted irritation of 10 Downing Street", the paper claims. RIGHT: The Daily Express leads on house prices after they increased by 1.9% last month following 10 consecutive monthly falls.

Stranded Drivers Rescued By Army

Hundreds of stranded motorists have been rescued from their cars as snow returns to wreak havoc across England. Snow is falling across parts of London, southern and central England, bringing rush hour problems for many. The M4 corridor, along with south and west England is particularly hard hit, said Sky News weather forecaster Isobel Lang.  In Devon, more than 200 people were picked up by teams of police, soldiers and civilian volunteers and taken to a series of shelters after 1ft of snow fell. About 200 vehicles were trapped on the A38 and A380 south of Exeter, with several dozen more further west on the A386 near Tavistock. Motorists spent several hours in their cars waiting for police to reach them, with others choosing to abandon their vehicles and walk through snow drifts to safety. Devon and Cornwall Police used a fleet of 4x4s to try to reach the passengers on the A38 and A380 near Haldon Hill, with the civilian Dartmoor Rescue Group also helping. A woman in labour with twins was taken to hospital in a fire engine after an ambulance and a Sea King helicopter could not get through the snow in North Tawton, Devon. Elsewhere, the southbound M5 in the Exeter area was closed to keep motorists away from the rescue operation. Locals at the scene in Telegraph Hill said around 2ft of snow had settled and all roads in the area had been closed off. One driver stuck on the A38 at Haldon Hill told how 3ins of snow fell in an hour. She said: "The cars just skidded all over the place." Katie Stallard, Sky's west of England correspondent, said the speed of the snowfall caught motorists out. "People said they were setting out and the road looked fine but it then quickly became impassable," she said. "I came up behind two snow ploughs weaving in and out of abandoned cars.  "My car got stuck and the Sky satellite truck had to be towed by the Dartmoor Search and Rescue team." Stallard said rescue teams had been checking on motorists who had opted to stay in their cars overnight.

Snow hit the West Country, Midlands and some southern counties. Isobel Lang said London was being hit by snow, and thunder, but the weather should not be severe enough to cause disruption. She said the heaviest snow would stay to the north and west of London with the M4 corridor experiencing "atrocious conditions". The M4 was reduced to one lane all night following an accident. Wiltshire County Council urged drivers not to venture out unless absolutely necessary. And parts of Wales suffered blizzards. John Sullivan in Ebbw Vale, Gwent, said: "We've got blizzards and they've been going on since yesterday evening. "The wind has been picking up and the snow is starting to drift now - it's bad in the Valleys." Rail passengers face disruption in several areas including Wales, the Midlands, the South West and Yorkshire. Around 200 schools are closed in Buckinghamshire and about 100 shut in Berkshire. Children were also turned away from at least 50 schools in Oxfordshire. There is also growing concern over dwindling supplies of salt and grit to treat icy roads, with the AA claiming the shortage is putting lives at risk. "This is a very serious situation with some roads becoming death traps," Edmund King, president of the AA, said. Some local authorities said stocks of salt are running low because gritters have been working constantly since the beginning of the week. West Berkshire only has stocks for two or three days and is awaiting deliveries. Eight councils have had to "prioritise" their remaining stocks in order to focus on the most important roads, said Councillor Paul Bettison, chairman of the Local Government Association Environment Board.

A doctor in UK has been convicted of manslaughter after she killed an intensive care patient with an injection of adrenaline. Indian-born Priya Ramnath had ignored the advice of colleagues before carrying out the procedure on Patricia Leighton in 1998. She was given a suspended six-month jail sentence after being found guilty of the killing following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

Nairobi, Thursday 5th February, 2009. A Police officer accused of killing former Gatundu North MP's son was Thursday 5th February, 2009 arraigned in court and charged with murder. 29 year old inspector of police who is also an Engineer graduate at University of Nairobi Dickson Mwangi Munene was arraigned before Justice Muga Apondi to answer to charges of murder. It is alleged that on January 24 this year, he killed James Nganga Muiruri son to former Gatundu MP Patrick Muiruri at Nairobi's Wetlands estate following an altercation between the two.  The defense lawyer Cliff Ombeta applied for Munene's transfer to Industrial Area remand prison arguing that he is a witness in several murder cases and so risked being attacked by fellow prisoners at Kamiti Prison. However the judge declined to grant orders of transfer him from Kamiti Maximum Prison and Munene will remain at the facility until March 23 of when the case against him will be heard. The accused was attached to the quick response team at Kilimani police station. And former labor minister Eliud Ngala Mwendwa was arraigned at the Co-operative tribunal accused of contempt of court. But his lawyer Joel Mbaluka opposed the application to have the former MP for Kitui West committed to civil jail over a dispute of  a 33 000 acre ranch at  Yatta. The lawyer argued that the application by Yatta Ranching Cooperative lacked necessary procedural requirement.  Mwendwa was accused of defying orders that had been issued by the tribunal not to interfere with the status quo of the ranch. The ranch is in the middle of an ownership wrangle between the former MP and Yatta Ranching Company. Meanwhile 96 students of Busara Academy will have to wait a little longer to know whether they will join Secondary Schools after the High Court granted an application to the Attorney General to adjourn the matter until February 18.   Justice Roslyn Wendo told the parties to prepare for the hearing of the case.  The school administration and parents moved to court to seek orders to compel the Kenya National examinations council to release results for the English paper for the students. The Kenya National Examination Council had cancelled the results citing irregularities.

Mama Sarah Obama, the grandmother of US president Barack Obama still wishes she were in America. In an interview at her Kogelo home on Wednesday, the 87-year-old woman talked of her experience in the US where she had gone to attend her grandson’s inauguration.Nostalgically, she reveals, the US Government booked her in a five-star hotel, the eighth floor to be precise. She had State security agents guarding her round the clock, and visitors to her room were thoroughly vetted. Besides, she rode in a government vehicle, enjoying privileges accorded to the president’s close family members. And on inauguration day, she sat a couple of rows behind the president. “I was given the warmest reception, much like a government representative,” she said. And she is full of praise for Kenyans in US who treated her like a queen. And she ate all manner of food, although she missed her favourite plate of ugali. “There was no ugali, but I even ate some vegetables that were served raw.” The 86-year old grandmother left the country for the US on January 18 for the ceremony that took place two days later. She was back in Kisumu on the evening of February 2 before proceeding to Kogelo.  At the airport, she was ushered into the VIP lounge by airport manager Joseph Okumu. On hand to receive her were Finance assistant minister Oburu Oginga and MPs Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu Town East) and Pollyns Ochieng (Nyakach). Apart from Mama Sarah, other family members of President Obama who travelled to the US for the ceremony included Mama Keziah Obama, Mr Malik Abong’o, Dr Auma Obama, Mr Abo Obama and Mark and Bernard Obama. More than 15 clan members also travelled. “America is very good but extremely cold. I had to wear very heavy clothing,” she said and in amusement added that for the first time in her life she wore trousers to keep herself warm.

President Barack Obama’s grandmother Sarah Hussein Obama in a jovial mood at her home in Kogelo on Wednesday after she returned from the US. Right: US President Barack Obama's letter written to his K’Obama family and K’Ogelo clan.

During her stay, she met the president twice, first at the church where he attended a prayer service before inauguration. She chatted happily with her grandson, through an interpreter. “I did not have much to tell him though because he is aware of the task I placed on him to ensure Kogelo, Kenya and the whole world live in peace and development,” she said. Mama Sarah concedes she never discussed visiting his ancestral home soon. “My son, there was no time for that kind of talk, but I believe he will come some day to be with us.” Before their return, President Obama inscribed two separate notes for the people of Kogelo and K’Obama village in Rachuonyo District. The notes, on a White House letterhead read: “To the people of Kogelo (K’Obama), thank you for the prayers and support” and signed Barack Obama. Mama Sarah did not visit Mr Obama in the White House, but other family members were all there. She is amazed at the level of organisation exhibited by Americans. There were badges for family and other guests. The family got another card to attend the other functions and parties the new president had after the inauguration. “There was no pushing around or fights with the police. It was so good and unbelievably exciting,” she remarked. Said Malik Abong’o, the elder son of Barack Obama Senior: “He wanted us to see where he would be staying for the next four years.” - Daily Nation.

A Picture You Didn't See on Molo people burning - BE CAREFUL THE PHOTO IS SCARING - CLICK HERE

The world's smallest car, the Peel 50, nestled between vans in central London on Thursday. The vehicle, built in the 1960s, is going on display at Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum in the capital.

Coca Cola East and Central Africa has won the naming rights to Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium which will now be known as the Coca Cola National Stadium. This follows the signing of a sponsorship deal yesterday between the beverage company and the Sports Stadia Management Board, a parastatal in charge of government-owned sports facilities.

Those in Kenya says: "Kenya We Want" and those abroad are now saying: "The Kenya We Don't Want"

First lady Lucy Kibaki was on Thursday cleared of any wrongdoing in the maize scandal. Her accuser, Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba (ODM), beat a hasty retreat, offered an apology to Mrs Kibaki and the documents he produced to support his claims were ruled to be fakes. However, Agriculture minister William Ruto was not cleared of all the allegations directed at him by Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale (New Ford Kenya) and all the documents bearing the National Cereals and Produce Board seal that linked Mr Ruto to the sale of maize were upheld by Parliament’s deputy speaker. They included those from managers of the board allocating maize to some individuals allegedly on the strength of a call by Mr Ruto. Others included tables showing that the cereals board had in store 2.6 million bags of maize in June last year and those that allocated maize to companies and individuals that Dr Khalwale described as undeserving. - MORE

Abducted children found alive 20 years on

A US couple are hoping to be reunited with their son and daughter who were kidnapped 20 years ago. According to police, Christi and Bobby Baskin were snatched by their grandparents, Marvin and Sandra Maple, in 1989 when the girl was eight and her brother seven. The siblings have been living in San Jose, California, under the names Jennifer and Jonathan Bunting. She is now an ad executive in the city while her brother is believed to be married with children. Their parents, Debbie and Mark Baskin, are now flying to the city in the hope of being reunited with them for the first time in two decades. Mr Baskin said: "I'm a little bit fearful of what they think about us, because they have been brainwashed for 20 years." His tearful wife added: "It's a blessing to know that they were alive and well." Police closed in on Marvin Maple, 73, on Monday after a conversation about the abduction was overheard in a San Jose restaurant. His wife, the victims' grandmother, died in March 2006. Tennessee police Lieutenant Bill Sharp said: "He was angry about a news report about the kidnapping and how it portrayed him." Mrs Baskin added: "I can't imagine ever hurting my children, so what they've done to me has just been... I've never been able to understand it." Speaking about her father, she said: "I'm concerned about him. I know he's not a nice person, but he's still my father, and my heart is breaking. I think he is demented for what he did." Carl Avery, a friend of Maple, said he was shocked at the news. "The whole story is totally unlike the person I know. He's very nice, went to dinner, breakfast with him very often," he said.

The Hague edged closer for perpetrators of post-election violence as the Kenya Government suffered the latest setback in its bid to set up a local special tribunal. Most MPs stayed away from the Chamber humming their new clarion call: "Let us not be vague, let’s go to The Hague." Consequently, Parliament postponed the vote on the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2009 to next week, because there was no quorum. Some of them expressed skepticism on the independence of the local tribunal while others were reported to be settling political scores. A constitutional amendment requires two-thirds of the vote, which is about 148 of 222 MPs. Sensing the Bill would be shot down, Justice Minister Martha Karua appealed to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to come to the House next Tuesday to marshal their troops. - The Standard.

More snow on its way. Fun for some: Karen Webb enjoys her sledge trip at Warmley, near Bristol, on another day of wintry weather in Britain. Britain's coldest winter in almost two decades will tighten its grip on Friday with further snowfalls adding to Thursday's blizzards. Central and southern England were bracing for another 10cm (4in) of the white stuff during the morning rush-hour – on top of falls of up to 25cm (10in) Thursday.  'London could see up to 5cm and parts of the Midlands as well as Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Hampshire can expect up to 10cm,' the Met Office said on Thursday night and the young Elephant did not understand what is all this .... "get me out of here... I am from Africa..."

Police in UK are being stripped of powers to enforce minor traffic offences, campaigners claimed on Thursday. Officers have been sent a list of 18 violations such as driving the wrong way up a one-way street which they are told to deal with by giving the driver a ticking off. Fines may still be issued but only if the incident is caught on CCTV. Campaigners say the changes could compromise road safety because drivers are safe from prosecution if they break the law at places where they know there are no cameras. Kathy Keeler, of road safety charity Brake, said: 'This sends out a very confusing message both to the public and police. It could be disastrous if drivers were encouraged to take more risks as a result.' The new guidelines are contained in a Metropolitan police memo leaked to Metro on Thursday. It says: 'Where officers witness offences in circumstances that amount to minor errors of judgement, drivers may continue to be stopped and words of advice given. 'However, no formal warning may be given or reporting action taken.' Offences include ignoring a 'no U-turn' or 'no entry' sign. The Met, whose practices are often followed by other forces throughout the country, confirmed police 'no longer have legal power to enforce certain moving traffic offences invol­ving non-compliance with signs'. However, it insisted where diving was blatantly of a poor standard' officers could still investigate a charge of dangerous driving. Transport for London can prosecute but has no officers on patrol, while only two-thirds of London councils have agreed to get involved. Anti-camera campaigner Captain Gatso said: 'Traffic officers are up in arms about this.'

Fines may be issued if the incident is caught on CCTV

London, Friday 5th February, 2009. Retailers are like farmers. They are never really happy. Even in the good times, rents are too high, the weather too hot or staff too costly. But now they really have a reason to moan. The high street is staring into the abyss. This week about 20 chains — ranging from Oasis to Wyevale Garden Centres — were effectively put up for sale when Icelandic investment group Baugur filed for bankruptcy protection.  A relatively bustling Christmas already seems an aeon ago. Just to add to the misery, a day's trading will have been effectively wiped out this week by the snow. At Westfield, London's biggest shopping centre, only about half the shops managed to open and most of those were shut by lunch. The next great spending binge in the retail calendar is Valentine's Day, now little more than a week away. Beyond that lies a bleak landscape before further lifelines from Mother's Day and Easter. It is a certainty that some retailers will not be able to hold on that long. Interest rate cuts will help a bit, although consumers, who are also nervous employees, are hoarding their cash, just in case. For every borrower who gains there are more savers who feel worse off because their income from investments has been hit.  The deep freeze in the property market does not help. One estimate suggests that each move generates an average of £4,000 of high street spending on the new home. Britain's retail architecture is still essentially the product of a near 20-year boom that allowed consumers to accumulate almost £1.5 trillion of debt. Now the day of reckoning has arrived. Some experts predict that more than 400 major retailers could go down this year. A year that started with the death of Woolies is certain to be marked by a succession of retail wakes, leaving ever more high street sites in darkness.

Know how you're getting home? Get the latest travel news

Some roads are becoming "death traps" due to dwindling salt and grit supplies for Britain's treacherous roads, rescue services have said.

UK blames Kenya over Anglo Leasing

The Kenya Government failed to cooperate with the British in investigations of the Anglo Leasing scandal leading to the termination of the probe. The Serious Fraud Office on Wednesday suspended the probe due to a lack of evidence. British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Macaire described the termination of the investigations as a sad day and called on the government to act on all senior officials named in graft. He said the SFO has been investigating the Anglo Leasing scandal for more than a year and that the probe hit a snag after the Kenyan Government failed to provide the agency with evidence that could result to prosecution of the culprits. The SFO, he said, was in constant communication with Attorney General Amos Wako in a bid to get the evidence but in vain. “SFO has been extensively dealing with the Attorney General and asked for evidence so that it could be taken for prosecution in the UK. The evidence has not been forthcoming....Without evidence from Kenya the investigations could not go on,” he said. The envoy said the SFO had searched premises and seized documents as part of its investigations in Switzerland, France and Spain and that it regretted the stoppage of the investigations. A statement from the SFO on Wednesday, in part, read: “ The director of the SFO has exercised his discretion to terminate the  investigations as there is currently no reasonable prospect of conviction without the evidence from Kenya.” The investigations into the scandal began on July 2007. The scandal started when the government set out to replace its passport printing system. The tender was originally quoted at Sh588 million from a French firm. It was eventually awarded to a British firm, Anglo Leasing, at Sh2.9 billion.

British High Commissioner Rob Macaire during a press conference at the UK Embassy in Nairobi on Thursday.

London, Thursday 5th February, 2009. The Bank of England has reduced interest rates to a record low of 1% from 1.5% in an attempt to boost the slowing economy, as widely expected. This marks the fifth interest rate cut since October, as the Bank seeks to encourage more lending. The decision comes after official data showed the UK had entered a recession in December, after two quarters of shrinking economic growth. But some business groups argue rate cuts will not ease the economic crisis. Following the rate cute Paul Broadhead of the Building Societies Association (BSA) told the BBC "savers are being punished" and the move could hinder the funds available to societies to lend as mortgages. Base rates have now come down from 5% in October. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) was one of the business groups that had favoured rates to be kept on hold. It argued that what was needed was improved access to capital. It said that a survey of its members found that 63% wanted rates to remain at their current level, compared with only 24% who wanted a further cut. "These figures suggest that the recent interest rate cuts are not having the desired effect and other means of economic stimulus are required," said FSB national chairman John Wright. The BSA warned that a cut would have a "severe impact on savers", and might threaten the availability of funds available to societies to lend as mortgages.

Others welcomed the cut, with the Institute of Director's chief economist Graeme Leach saying: "The half-point cut means we're getting close to the last hurrah for interest rates, before the quantitative easing begins." "The interest rate transmission mechanism is clearly impaired but it is not yet kaput". The Ernst & Young Item Club had also favoured the 50 basis point cut, but added that the economy was in "deep recession" and believed that interest rates should drop further - "possibly to zero". The Bank defended its stance saying that at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting in February it noted that: "Although the transmission mechanism of monetary policy was impaired, the past cuts in the Bank Rate would in due course have a significant impact". But the move come against a backdrop of gloomy economic data. The economy contracted by 0.6% between July and September, and by 1.5% from October to December, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed. And the ONS also said UK unemployment had risen to 1.92 million in the last quarter of 2008 - the highest level since 1997. Figures from the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) released earlier this week showed manufacturing remained weak last month, despite a slight improvement on December.

Swindon city in UK was not spared by snow either. It was snow, snow everywhere and many business and schools did not open today Thursday 5th February, 2009. Mr. Timothy Kinyanjui a businessman in Swindon stayed inside but he had to catch up with his son as he made a snowman in their garden. On right the children making the snowman and on right Tim and his wife posing with the snowman. There is now snow in London but Londoners got their share on Monday and Tuesday.

The price of UK homes rose by 1.9% in January, compared to December, according to the Halifax. However it warned that one month's figures did not indicate an end to the downward trend in prices, which it says have dropped 17.2% in the past year. The average house price has now reached £163,966, according to the Halifax. Last week, a survey by Nationwide suggested house prices fell by 1.3% in January, and they said job worries were putting off people buying homes. Martin Ellis, chief economist at the Halifax, said his bank's latest survey did not mean the property market had reached a turning point, after last year's dramatic slump in mortgage lending, completed sales and prices. "It's far too early to make any conclusion," he said. "The figures are going against the trend and our survey shows that if you compare the last three months to the previous three [months] then prices are still down significantly, by about 5%," he added.

Snowfalls of up to five inches across a large swathe of Britain cause further disruption and create dangerous driving conditions.

MAN OF GOD COMING UP WITH TWO MORE BOOKS

Pastor Joseph (centre) is back from US. The man who was a homeless in the streets of London addicted to cocaine and heroin the most dangerous drugs in every civilized country on the planet has come back from his USA. He has written a book “Jesus defeats heroin” and now he has two new books coming up. The second book “The Hidden Traps of Drugs” and the third book entitled “The woman who prayed.” In his first book on page 54 he says: "I was told I had the HIV/AIDS virus, which I got from one of the prostitutes whom I had shared drugs with who had been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. She would later die.”  If you would like to hear from him, you can  invite Rev. Joe through missions@manofgod.co.uk or to order your Books, CDS and DVDS visit www.manofgod.co.uk

London, Thursday 5th February, 2009. More snowfall across parts of the UK has brought fresh travel disruption and school closures to thousands. There are several severe weather warnings in place and councils say they are running low on gritting salt. The AA warned shortages of salt have created a "road safety crisis", but the government said it was difficult to prepare for such unusual weather. The M4, the M5 and the M1 have all been badly affected, while 623 schools across Wales have closed their doors. The Met Office has issued a number of severe weather warnings for heavy snow in much of southern and central England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Some 20cm (7.9in) of snow has been reported in Aberdeenshire and in parts of the Cotswolds. The heaviest snow was reportedly falling in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, while large snowfall has been reported in Northern Ireland, which has seen 3.9in (10cm) in some parts, and Greater Manchester. Matt Taylor of the BBC Weather Centre said snow could affect almost anywhere in the UK outside of the country's south-eastern tip, and warned that icy conditions would be widespread on Friday. Snow is forecast to gradually become lighter during Thursday as the band of bad weather moves north, but very little of the existing snow cover is expected to melt. Some councils have just three days' worth of grit left after supplies were "massively" depleted by the heavy snow, the Local Government Association (LGA) admitted. Worcestershire County Council is not gritting roads but sending out snow ploughs. Country Councils in Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Ceredigion as well as Swindon borough council have confirmed that they are running low on salt and are only salting main routes.

Hertfordshire County Council said it was seeking additional supplies from abroad, while Cumbria County Council said it could over-spend its winter maintenance budget by £1.3m. Derek Turner, Director of Networks Operations at the Highways Agency, said it had "three, four days of salt supplies remaining". Paul Bettison of the LGA told the BBC's Today programme that the UK should look to importing fresh supplies of salt. "That requires government to actually work with us all, and then we can do it as one - rather than, as we've seen, having this scrapping for what limited supplies are available." AA President Edmund King called on the government to co-ordinate the situation and ensure salt stocks were maintained so that Britain's roads did not become "death traps". Rosie Cooper, the Labour MP for Lancashire West, said preparations had been "woefully inadequate" and accused councils of gritting fewer roads each year. But Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said storing snow ploughs and extra gritting salt would be expensive, when the snowy weather is so unusual. A spokesman for the Highways Agency has advised drivers to take extreme care and not to travel in the worst affected areas unless it is essential. The Great Western Ambulance Service has brought in 4x4 vehicles to try to maintain their services. The East of England Ambulance Service has asked people to call 999 only in an emergency. Travel disruption across the country has included:

• The M4 was the worst-affected route with much of the snow lying and lanes closed. Conditions on the M5 around Birmingham are reported to be deteriorating, and the M1, M3, M11 and M40 are also affected. Lorry drivers have been urged to stay off the roads in Northamptonshire
• A convoy system is being operated on the A9 between Aviemore and Inverness, and Grampian Police advised drivers they should only venture out on essential journeys in the Moray area
• The National Rail Enquiries website is reporting disruption to First Great Western and London Midland services
• There are at least 10 cancellations on the National Express East Coast line and more on Virgin Trains between London Euston and Birmingham
• Trains are not running on the Severn Beach line near Bristol and First, Wessex and South Gloucestershire bus services are also currently suspended around the city
• Arriva bus services are suspended in Aylesbury, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes and Luton
• The runways at Aberdeen, Luton, East Midlands and Robin Hood International airports have been closed. Birmingham, Cardiff Wales and George Best Belfast City airports have reopened, but flights have been delayed.
• At Luton, check-in has been suspended and flights are subject to delay and cancellation. Bristol Airport is open but experiencing delays.

School closures

Thousands of pupils will again stay at home as schools across the UK closed their doors on Thursday. Some 623 in Wales have shut, while other closures have been reported in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Birmingham, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Sheffield, Rotherham, Coventry, Warwickshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire. Devon, Bristol, Shropshire, Somerset, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Solihull, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Norfolk have also reported school closures. A walker has died after falling over 100 feet in icy conditions in the Lake District. The man is believed to have slipped on ice on Pavey Ark in the Langdales near Ambleside. His body has been recovered by an RAF helicopter. Two missing climbers in the Cairngorms have been found safe and well. The two men - who are thought to be from the Highland area and aged 22 and 29 - were spotted by a rescue helicopter from RAF Kinloss and are now being flown to Glenmore Lodge outdoor centre.

Snow-covered car in Northampton and a friend of Mr. Seed Bwana Murage was caught stuck in snow as some good Samaritans pushed him out of snow

Fresh snow brings travel problems in UK

Snow still causes chaos across the UK, bringing fresh travel disruption and school closures

Travel disruption and school closures have returned following a second round of heavy snowfall across UK. The latest disruption has affected Wales, western, central and northern England as well as parts of Scotland. This was the picture as of 10:00 GMT on Thursday.

In Wales more than 600 schools are staying shut

National Express East Anglia warned of delays of up to an hour in the Norwich, Peterborough and Cambridge areas because of snow

Fresh Snow Brings Travel Havoc

More snowfall has brought fresh travel disruption and school closures across South Yorkshire

Driving on the M4, from junctions 32 to 36 is "hazardous" and rail services from south Wales are disrupted

Luton Airport, north of London was closed but Stansted airport was open though airport operator BAA, said there are cancellations and delays.

In Northern Ireland there was heavy snowfall and roads were closed in parts of counties Down and Antrim

In Northern Ireland there was heavy snowfall and roads were closed in parts of counties Down and Antrim

Also badly affected is Oxfordshire, where 285 schools have reported closures, while across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, hundreds are closed after heavy snow falls overnight

Snow is still falling heavily across the East Midlands. More than 100 schools are closed in Shropshire, and 170 schools are closed in Lincolnshire, where it is also continuing to snow.

In the Bristol area, where snow and ice has badly affected roads and public transport

A walker has died and another is missing in icy conditions in the Lake District, rescue teams have said

Having seized up earlier in the week, London was largely unscathed. London's buses and tube trains were running normally though there were problems with train services to the west

A woman lays across seats in the departure lounge of the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport, in southern England February 3, 2009. Commuters faced more disruption after the heaviest snowfalls in 18 years hit parts of the UK on Monday, and forcasters predicted the snow is expected  - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Pyramid schemes- Pesanet investment be WARNED

Equity Bank froze a customers account over suspicious deals linked to the infamous pyramid schemes, a Nairobi court was told on Tuesday. The bank told Justice Joyce Khaminwa, on Tuesday, that it froze the account of Perminus Njoroge Muiruri trading as Pesanet Investment to facilitate proper investigation into suspicious transactions. The bank was making submissions in an application in which the customer has sued it for withholding Sh4.9 million in an account at its Mombasa branch. The banks advocate said investigation was underway to determine the depositors of the account and urged the court not to issue orders for the release of the money. The lawyer said the dispute should instead proceed to full hearing. If there was fraud, then the plaintiff should not be allowed to benefit from wrong doing, but the matter should proceed to full hearing,said the banks advocate. The bank maintained that the account which had Sh4.9 million as of February last year when it was frozen, should remain closed until the bank gets a full report on whether it was being operated by members of a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes were outlawed. The court heard that all the deposit slips in relation to the Pesanet Investment account were in multiples of Sh3, 500, a trend that raised suspicions that it was being run as a pyramid scheme. The court also heard that the amount in the account steadily rose to Sh10 million within a period of one year when it was in operation, which also raised suspicions. The court further heard that the account was frozen after the Central Bank of Kenya and the bank issued an alert on fraudulent deals by promoters of pyramid schemes. But Pesanet maintains that it was wrong for the bank to continue holding the funds. The firm, however, argues that any illegalities in the manner and trend of deposits should have been reported to the anti- banking fraud unit instead of freezing the account. Pesanet claims the account was for operations of network marketing and not a pyramid scheme. The firm is seeking a summary judgement against the bank for grounding its business and loss of interest earnings.  The judge will make a ruling on September 16.

This is classic.  Please put on your speakers as you watch & listen. - CLICK HERE

Pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian ship loaded with weapons have received a ransom and have freed the vessel. Ukraine's president confirmed that the  ship held by pirates off the coast of Somalia since September has been freed.  The brief statement by the office of President Viktor Yushchenko came a day after reports that a ransom had been paid to the pirates holding the MV Faina. The statement did not refer to a ransom, but said the ship was freed as the result of an operation involving special-services agents from Ukraine. The Faina is loaded with military tanks and weapons. The pirates seized the Kenya-bound MV Faina and its crew in September 2008. It was the highest profile vessel in pirate custody, and there has been controversy over its cargo. The Kenyan government says the tanks, rocket launchers and small arms are theirs, but the manifest suggests the arms were intended for South Sudan. Gunmen took control of the MV Faina and its crew of 20 on 24 September 2008 as it headed for the Kenyan port of Mombasa. It has since been moored off the town of Harardhere, along with a number of other vessels seized by the pirates. Pirates had initially demanded a ransom of $20m, but reports suggest that a figure of $3.2m (£2.2m) was agreed. The US navy said that a ransom appeared to have been dispatched on Wednesday and Mikhail Voitenko, said to be a spokesman for ship owner Vadim Alperin, later said that the pirates were "counting the haul". Early on Thursday groups of pirates began leaving the vessel, reports from Haradhere said. Representatives of the pirates then told journalists that the ship had been freed. "We have released MV Faina. There were only three boys remaining and they delayed the release for one hour, but now the ship is free," one of the pirate leaders, Sugule Ali, told AFP by phone. A number of warships from foreign navies had been diverted to the area to monitor the situation, in part to ensure that the cargo of weaponry did not get into the hands of Somali insurgents. Once the ship is under way, the focus is likely to shift to its cargo of weapons and its final destination.

The MV Faina was captured in September with its 20-man crew and a cargo of Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons.

MPs demand for Bill scrutiny

Written By:Nelly Moraa    , Posted: Wed, Feb 04, 2009

Resistance to the formation of a special tribunal to try post election suspects is now gaining momentum as MPs opposed to it continue to increase. MPs including several assistant ministers opposed attempts to amend the constitution to allow for the entrenchment of the special tribunal. Those opposed expressed fears that the country's development agenda may be hijacked by the operations of the tribunal. It was also feared that a local tribunal may entrench negative ethnicity as communities try to protect any of their own under trial.  Fears that the process may not be transparent and fair were also advanced as many felt the Hague was the better option.  Debate on the bill that is in its second day Thursday, saw MPs demand that the amendment to the constitution be postponed to allow MPs first debate and pass the special tribunal bill with amendments.  They were apprehensive that the executive may draft the special tribunal bill that favors the political class insisting that MPs scrutinize the bill first before embarking on attempting to amend the constitution.  The bill will require 145Mps to pass.  Its debate may conclude on Friday to allow for its passage. At the same time, a heated debate over the maize scandal dominated Parliament's afternoon proceedings The House was debating a ministerial statement from the Agriculture ministry on details of the scandal that has hit the country. Bonny Khalwale (Ikolomani ) led the onslaught on Agriculture minister William Ruto. She asked why Mr Ruto had only sacked junior officers in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and spared the managing director, marketing manager and other senior officials.

A CLASSROOM CAN BE ANYWHERE PROVIDED THERE ARE TABLES AND CHAIRS

London, Thursday 5th February, 2009. Fifteen illegal immigrants were arrested in Slough, Berks on Wednesday 4th February, 2009. The chocolate-covered stowaways were arrested  after they were found in more than 20 tonnes of cocoa powder destined for a Mars Bar factory. The illegal immigrants coughed and spluttered as they climbed out of a tanker at the plant in Slough.  One Mars worker said: "The driver got on top to open the hatches on the roof. When the driver looked down he saw lots of men in brown-coloured clothes - all saturated with the powder. Goodness knows how they managed to breathe because it is very fine and would have been in the air. The tanker was about half full - the usual maximum load - so there would have been room for 15 men to ride on top of it." Paramedics were called to the scene but none of the stowaways needed treatment. A police spokesman said the men, all believed to be from the Middle East and aged between 20 and 40, were unhurt but coughing from the effects of the cocoa powder "crumb" as they were put into police vans.  He said: "Police received a call to go to the Slough Trading Estate, where they searched the lorry and found the men on board."  The Hungarian driver, who had driven the cargo from Amsterdam, was also arrested and taken to Slough police station. The spokesman said that it was not yet known whether he had been aware of his illegal cargo. The men were due to be interviewed by immigration service staff later today. The cocoa was to be turned into Mars Bars, Twix, Snickers and M & Ms.

The Independent carries a report on the recession ravaging Britain, telling how 20 famous high street names are up for grabs as doubts grow over the future of Icelandic retail investor Baugur and on right The troubled Royal Bank of Scotland, rescued with £20bn of public money, is planning large bonuses for thousands of its City traders and senior bankers, says The Times.

A London restaurant has decided to do away with bills for the next month, asking customers to pay only what they want for meals. In an unorthodox attempt to beat the credit crunch, the Little Bay restaurant in central London will present diners with absolutely nothing when they ask for the bill during February. Instead it will leave it up to them to decide what the meal was worth. "Anything between a penny and £50 will make me happy, it's entirely up to the customer to decide," said owner Peter Ilic. "It just seemed the right thing to do with everyone under the cosh and feeling pretty miserable." The Little Bay is known for its bistro-style Mediterranean cuisine but times have not been easy for London restaurants as the credit crisis bites. Mr Ilic, who owns four restaurants, said the idea was similar to that used by major bands like Radiohead to sell their CDs. And he reckons it is working. "Customers have already paid 20% more than the original price," he said, confident that he will more than cover his expenses for the month. "People want to be polite and would be embarrassed not to pay enough." Starters include crab tartelette, foie gras terrine and goat cheese souffle, while main courses range from duck breast to steamed butterfish and filet steak. The only thing customers definitely have to pay for are their drinks.

What you pay for the food is up to you - but not the drink

Kenya is in the grips of a food shortage that could see 10 million people go hungry, and has already seen the price of maize, the staple food, triple. But that doesn't mean Kenyans are willing to sacrifice the quality of their food. In Kibera slum in Nairobi, a group of local young men are finding willing buyers for their organic produce, grown right in the middle of Africa's biggest slum. Farm leader Moha Mohamed showed the BBC's World Today programme around. - CLICK HERE

Maize: Accusations fly as House turns into war zone

Showdown in Parliament as Ruto and First Lady’s name is dragged into the murk of the grain scam.  It came fast and furious. And by the time ‘The Bullfighter’ was through, several heavyweights were reeling. The House literally became a war theatre as Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale charged that Agriculture Minister William Ruto was culpable in the maize scam.  But the Eldoret North MP was emphatic that he was innocent, even as Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba sensationally dragged the First Lady Lucy Kibaki’s name into the murk. Later in the evening, the Presidential Press Service was on the quick to defend the First Lady, saying she had never traded in maize. It added that the allegations were careless and meant to divert attention from "a serious matter of availability and affordability of food". - The Standard.

Reliable sources have confirmed that Rose Muigai has left RC Hall Solicitors in London. She is proceeding for a maternity leave and she will not be going back RC Hall. A friend of Rose hinted that she might be starting her own firm after qualifying as a solicitor last year. More later.

First Lady caught up in maize row

First Lady Lucy Kibaki was on Wednesday sensationally caught up in the controversy over the sale of maize from government stores. Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba produced documents which claimed to show that the First Lady is one of the directors of Gingalili (1968) Ltd, which bought maize on October 22, last year, from the national stores. The Speaker of the National Assembly will decide whether the documents are authentic. In reply, the First Family, through the President’s press service described the allegations as “false” and “meant to deflect public attention from a serious matter of availability and affordability of food”. In the House, Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim said: “The chair will verify their authenticity at a later moment and communicate to this House,” he said. Mr Namwamba dropped the bombshell during a session of stormy debate regarding the sale of maize, bought at taxpayers’ expense, from the national grain store managed by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). The law allows Kenyans to buy maize from the board, just as it allows the board to sell all the grain it deals in. However, maize bought from farmers with public money is meant to be kept in reserve and released during famine or when prices rise. The mismanagement of the stores by selling discounted maize to brokers has created an artificial shortage, pushing up the price of maize meal, the country’s staple. State House accused Mr Namwamba of abusing parliamentary privilege. “The First Lady has never engaged in any acts that may compromise the public good and has the option of seeking redress against wild and unfounded allegations of Hon Namwamba,” said the statement. MPs cannot be sued for anything they say on the floor of the House though parliamentary rules bind them to be fair and protect the reputations of those who can’t defend themselves on the floor. On Wednesday, Agriculture minister William Ruto was required to explain to the House why the country has no maize at a time when 10 million Kenyans are faced with starvation and the government is issuing international food appeals.

Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale presented documents which sought to link top officials of the Agriculture ministry with the alleged disappearance of maize from the national store, known as the Strategic Reserve. Amid points of order and other interruptions, which saw Mr Maalim threaten to throw out some members, Mr Khalwale for the second time in as many weeks repeated claims that Mr Ruto misled the House over the sale of maize. Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Martha Karua and assistant minister Charles Keter had urged the deputy Speaker to make a ruling on the authenticity of the documents presented by Mr Namwamba. He presented documents which he claimed proved that NCPB managers sold maize to some companies following telephone instructions by the minister and that Mr Ruto’s personal assistant wrote notes using the minister’s letterhead asking that some companies be allocated maize. He produced documents he said were from an Indian company supplying gunny bags to NCPB linking it to a company in which Mr Ruto has an interest.  “The minister should clear the air that he is not involved in the syndicate with a multiplicity of players,” he said. Mr Khalwale also tabled documents which he said showed that two MPs were beneficiaries of maize allocations. He also gave other documents which he said showed that NCPB bosses gave maize to companies which he said did not have the capacity to mill it. During a maize shortage, the board is supposed to release maize only to millers depending on their capacity to make maize flour. “Can this minister tell us if all the companies that were allocated maize by NCPB were deserving? His duty is to jealously safeguard maize stocks at the cereals board,” said the MP. - Daily Nation.

The popular Kenyan joined - Thatched House is coming back soon. The repair is in progress and is expected to be back in business by Easter this year. Many Kenyans have missed the joint as it is the only Kenyan venue in London. Full information later.

The discovery of fossilised remains belonging to the world's largest snake has been reported in Nature journal. Titanoboa was 13m (42ft) long - about the length of a bus - and lived in the rainforest of north-east Colombia 58-60 million years ago. The snake was so wide it would have reached up to a person's hips, say researchers, who have estimated that it weighed more than a tonne. Green anacondas - the world's heaviest snakes - reach a mere 250kg (550lbs). Reticulated pythons - the world's longest snakes - can reach up to 10m (32ft). The team of researchers led by Jason Head, from the University of Toronto at Mississauga, Canada, used a known mathematical relationship between the size of vertebrae and the length of the body in living snakes to estimate the size of the ancient animal. Named Titanoboa cerrejonensis by its discoverers, the beast's 13m-long body and 1,140kg (2,500lb) weight make it the largest snake on record.

UK stops probe on Anglo Leasing

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office has discontinued investigations into the multi-billion Anglo Leasing Finance scandal. In a statement, SFO’s press and publicity officer Jina Roes said investigations into the contracts secured by the Kenyan Government through Anglo Leasing and related businesses were stopped due to lack of evidence. The investigations which began in July 2007, would resume if “evidence is received from Kenya.” “The director of the SFO has exercised his discretion to terminate the investigation as there is currently no reasonable prospect of conviction without the evidence from Kenya,” the statement received by the Nation, last evening, said. It continued: “If evidence is received from Kenya in the future, the director will consider reopening the investigation.” The fraud unit opened criminal investigations into a number of contracts between the Kenyan Government and business entities collectively known as the Anglo Leasing matter in July 2007. The investigations were conducted with the assistance of the City of London Police (Overseas anti-corruption unit).

However, the SFO said the case depended on mutual legal assistance from the Kenyan Government. The Serious Fraud Office is an independent government department that investigates and prosecutes serious or complex fraud. It is part of the UK criminal justice system. Coming at a time when the country is facing scandals in the maize and oil sectors, halting the Anglo Leasing probe could also dampen Kenyan’s hopes of bringing to book fat cats implicated in graft. The Anglo Leasing scandal is alleged to have started when the Kenyan government wanted to replace its passport printing system in 2002.  The tender was originally quoted at Sh588 million from a French firm, but was awarded to a British firm, Anglo Leasing Finance, at Sh2.9 billion. The firm would have sub-contracted the same French firm to do the work.  In January 2006, Former Ethics PS, John Githongo named the then Vice-President Moody Awori as one of four top politicians, with Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi, then former Justice minister, former finance minister David Mwiraria and former transport minister Chris Murungaru as being involved. Efforts by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission and other government agencies that investigated the scandal to bring the culprits to book have been futile. - Daily Nation.

What Causes Cervical Cancer?

We don't know exactly what causes cervical cancer, but certain risk factors are believed to have an effect. Medical history and lifestyle - especially sexual habits - play a role in a woman's chances of developing cervical cancer. HPV has nothing to do with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. There are 46 genetic types of HPV, but not all are dangerous. Only certain types of HPV, which can be transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact, increase the risk of cell dysplasia (abnormal cell growth) and/or progression to cervical cancer. - MORE

President Mwai Kibaki meets former President Daniel Moi on arrival for the opening of One Kenya, One Dream: The Kenya We want conference at KICC, Nairobi. Looking on is Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

UK faces further snow disruption

Parts of the UK face more disruption due to snow, but forecasters said it would not be as serious as recent days. More heavy falls are forecast in central and northern Scotland, with snow also due in the West Country, the Midlands and parts of Wales. But London and south-east England are expected to escape further heavy snow, days after road networks and the transport system were badly affected. Thousands of schools are having to decide whether to open on Thursday. Most of the 6,000 schools closed on Tuesday reopened on Wednesday in the wake of criticism of the scale of the closures. About 200 remained shut in Wales, while smaller numbers of pupils in areas including Cornwall and the West Midlands also stayed at home. The Met Office said snowfalls would move up from the south during the early hours of Thursday, continuing through the day and disrupting travel. Many areas could expect a dusting of between an inch and two inches (2 to 5cm) overnight, but in some hilly areas in the Midlands and Wales there could be as much as 12in (30cm) of snow, the BBC Weather Centre said. Meanwhile a 16-year-old girl died after a sledging accident near Sheffield on Tuesday. Francesca Anobile, of Mosborough, Sheffield, was among four girls hurt at Rother Valley Country Park on Tuesday afternoon. They had been using an improvised metal sledge which is understood to have gone through a barbed wire fence. Thursday will see more rain, sleet and snow heading south, the BBC Weather Centre's Matt Taylor said. He said wintry weather would continue into the weekend, but there was still uncertainty about how much would fall and where.

The Highways Agency is continuing to advise drivers to take extreme care and not to travel in the worst affected areas unless it is essential. Wiltshire County Council warned that it may have to restrict gritting to its main roads, as it was running out of salt. The authority said it had used 7,000 tonnes so far, and needed to preserve its remaining 7,000 for the weekend. On Tuesday, 578 schools were closed in Wales, 450 in Hampshire, 428 in Birmingham and 400 in Essex. Other authorities including East Sussex, West Sussex, Somerset, East Staffordshire, Dudley, and Kent also told children to stay away. Schools Secretary Ed Balls said decisions to shut schools had been taken based on the forecast conditions. Mr Balls said he understood the frustration of working parents but believed many would have welcomed an early decision on school closures. The Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc)had said all operators should be running a normal, full-time service by Wednesday. Most bus routes in London are also now operating as normal, although a few routes remain curtailed because of icy roads. A Transport for London spokeswoman said gritters had been out in a bid to keep the city's major roads moving. However, three MPs have tabled a Commons motion accusing London Mayor Boris Johnson of "shamefully" allowing the capital to be "shut down so easily" after buses were taken off the roads on Monday. - MORE PHOTOS

Some hilly areas will see up to 12in (30cm) snow overnight

MPs demand for Bill scrutiny

Written By:Nelly Moraa    , Posted: Wed, Feb 04, 2009
 

Resistance to the formation of a special tribunal to try post election suspects is now gaining momentum as MPs opposed to it continue to increase.  MPs including several assistant ministers opposed attempts to amend the constitution to allow for the entrenchment of the special tribunal.  Those opposed expressed fears that the country's development agenda may be hijacked by the operations of the tribunal.  It was also feared that a local tribunal may entrench negative ethnicity as communities try to protect any of their own under trial.  Fears that the process may not be transparent and fair were also advanced as many felt the Hague was the better option.  Debate on the bill that is in its second day Thursday, saw MPs demand that the amendment to the constitution be postponed to allow MPs first debate and pass the special tribunal bill with amendments.  They were apprehensive that the executive may draft the special tribunal bill that favors the political class insisting that MPs scrutinize the bill first before embarking on attempting to amend the constitution.  The bill will require 145Mps to pass.  Its debate may conclude on Friday to allow for its passage. At the same time, a heated debate over the maize scandal dominated Parliament's afternoon proceedings The House was debating a ministerial statement from the Agriculture ministry on details of the scandal that has hit the country. Bonny Khalwale (Ikolomani ) led the onslaught on Agriculture minister William Ruto. She asked why Mr Ruto had only sacked junior officers in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and spared the managing director, marketing manager and other senior officials.

Nakumatt Managers to report daily on whereabouts

Written By:Collins Anampiu   , Posted: Wed, Feb 04, 2009

Two senior managers of Nakumatt holdings have been ordered to report daily at Central police station to report on their whereabouts as investigations to the cause of the Nakumatt down town fire intensifies. Operations manager Thiagarajan Ramamurthy and other senior managers were Tuesday evening grilled at the Central police station for over three hours over allegations of locking exit doors during the Nakumatt inferno last week in which at least 29 people died. The words from the director of police operations Peter Kavila  seemed to have stirred the waters as two senior managers of  Nakumatt holdings, were grilled at the Central police station for over three hours, over allegations .Police spokesman Erick Kiraithe said they recorded statements to assist with the investigations. The police said they are still studying statements though he declined to reveal contents of the statements recorded by the two senior managers. Police have asked anyone with information relate to the allegations to forward the same to the station to help in investigations. At the same time, Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company has defended itself against claims that its water hydrants in the city centre were not in working condition during the Nakumatt Downtown fire. The company's Corporate Affairs Manager Mbaruku Vyakweli insisted on Wednesday that most of its hydrants are in good working order, and that the two main ones in the Central Business District (CBD) were even used to help extinguish the blaze last week.  He however said that their main challenge regarding the hydrants was vandalism. Meanwhile at the City Mortuary sample collection to facilitate DNA testing to help families identify the remains of their loved ones from the Nakumatt fire tragedy Wednesday morning at 10am. The family of the victims will now wait for two weeks to collect the remains of their loved ones when the results are expected to be out.   At the fire scene recovery efforts are still on to retrieve any more remaining bodies. No further remains have been retrieved from the debris since  Tuesday, with the exercise seemingly coming to an end. The  number of bodies recovered so far stands  at 29 with  47 people still missing.

Nairobi, Wednesday 4th February, 2009. A Comoros-registered cargo ship is missing off Somalia with 14 Indian crew aboard. Kenyan maritime official Andrew Mwangura says he feared it had been seized by pirates. Mwangura, East Africa's Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP), said the MV Jaikur II, owned by Al Rashid Shipping Dubai went missing while sailing on Somali waters from Kenya. "The vessel left Mombasa a week ago with 14 Indians headed for Somalia but its missing on Somali waters. We fear the pirates might have seized it," Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone. If confirmed, the MV Jaikur II would be the fourth vessel being held by pirates this year in one of the world's most dangerous waterways. The surge in attacks has prompted Western warships to establish a security corridor in the gulf patrolled by an international coalition of warships.

President Mwai Kibaki makes a statement on the establishment of the Nakumatt/Molo fire victims fund at Harambee House, Nairobi.

'The Kenya We Want' conference opens in Nairobi

Written By:Emmanuel Kola/ Judy Maina    , Posted: Wed, Feb 04, 2009

President Mwai Kibaki this morning officially opened a three-day conference dubbed 'The Kenya We Want' at Kenyatta International Conference Center'-KICC- in Nairobi, with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, retired President Daniel Arap Moi among other leaders in attendance. Cabinet Ministers, Members of parliament, the diplomatic core and members of the public also attended the opening of the landmark conference, which aims to reflect on the state of the nation and collectively determine how to steer the country on the path to prosperity during the three day conference. During the conference, Kenyans and other development partners will discuss the progress of the national reconciliation efforts and deliberate on necessary reforms to the country's legal, economic, social and political systems. Stakeholders at the meeting also intend to review the grand coalition's performance over the last ten months and propose ways of fast-tracking reforms to the country's electoral, judicial, governance and economic systems.

Among the foreign participants expected to address the conference are former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Malaysia's former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohammed, President of Senegal Dr. Abdoulaye Wade, Mozambique's former President Joachim Chissano and former South African First Lady Graca Machel.Others are Cyril Ramaphosa, a respected South African business executive, Dr. Salim Salim, former OAU Secretary General, Geraldine Fraser Moleketi, South Africa's Minister for Public Service and Administration and Tharcisse Karugarama, Rwanda's Minister for Justice. Former Botswana President Ketumile Masire and former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda will also attend.  Speaking in the same meeting, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said  that negative ethnicity is a major drawback to the development of this country. Emphasizing that the country's ethnic diversity should be a source of strength, Mr. Odinga pointed out that Kenyans cannot achieve the vision of a better country if they do not find a way of dealing with negative ethnicity. Said he, "We have a common destiny, and we have often said our ethnic diversity is our greatest strength. We have yet to prove the value of those words." Noting that the Kenya must aspire to attain the status of successful nations of the world, the PM said it was defeatist to compare herself favourably with failed and non-competitive states.   The PM was who speaking at the opening session of the ‘Kenya we want' conference noted that though the country's potential was enormous national life is characterized by broken promises, missed opportunities and unfulfilled ambitions.

Said the Premier, "We have had many false starts. We have managed to achieve very little that is fresh and new. Although our potential remains enormous, we have always played in the minor, not the premier, league in matters of development." Noting that it was time to resolve that the worst days were behind and the best ahead, Mr. Odinga said Kenyans must no longer cling to history to justify the country's poverty and deficiency, bad politics, injustice and failure to live up to the dreams and expectations of the nation's founding fathers He called for the implementation of the vision 2030 regardless of political and ethnic affiliation saying it provided the framework which the country can have a robust economy and be a beacon of good governance in Africa and beyond. Noting that political independence must be matched by a resolve to find a long term solution to the country's challenges the PM observed that the government was dealing with the spin-off of the global economic crisis, spiraling inflation and runaway food prices as well as the unfinished business of constitutional review and matters arising from the turbulence of last year. The PM noted that Kenya must use her strategic position in East Africa to become a hub in the region, adding the country must develop her infrastructure -air and maritime ports, roads and railways to support industrialization. Saying Kenyans must be optimistic about their future, the Premier stated that there was need to discard cynicism that the conference was business as usual. He said, "I urge all Kenyans to do their best. What matters is not how much you have in terms of skill and material endowment, but what you can achieve with the resources available to you. What matters is not only what your country can do for you, but also what you can do for your country. "Moi urged Kenyans not to loose sight and reject leaders misguiding them. Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka says at the same time said it was time for Kenyans to enjoy a wealth living and therefore called on the president to deal with corruption right from the top following the ongoing scandals.  Minister for planning and development 2030 said Kenyans must work in unity if they have to achieve the Kenya they want.

Jade Goody's Cancer 'Nightmare'

Big Brother reality show star Jade Goody is expecting to hear what her options are today after doctors told her her cancer has spread. Doctors diagnosed the former Big Brother contestant with cervical cancer last August and she has been receiving chemotherapy since. Medics have now told Goody that cancer has been found in her liver, bowel and groin. The 27-year-old told The Sun newspaper: "I am frightened and I am angry. I don't want to die because I have so much to live for." "It's awful. The doctors have confirmed the worst," Goody told the Sun. "To try and remain positive, I am hoping a new type of treatment will suppress and control the cancer, which is very aggressive. I'm in a nightmare." A previous estimate of 40% chance of cure has been scrapped, and Goody will now be treated purely to prolong her life rather than to get rid of the disease. Goody had discharged herself from hospital to spend time with of two young sons, Bobby and Freddie, in their Essex home. But she was taken back to London's Royal Marsden hospital on Sunday after becoming violently ill and collapsing. Her 21-year-old boyfriend Jack Tweed is said to be "numb" over the news.

The death of a 16-year-old girl who crashed through a barbed wire fence on a makeshift metal sledge was described by police as "tragic".  Francesca Anobile was injured along with three other girls during the accident in Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Tuesday afternoon. It is thought the sled they were on was made from part of a car roof. The girls went through a fence containing barbed wire before hitting another fence, which stopped them from falling into a river.

London, Tuesday 3rd February, 2009. Thousands of passengers were facing another day of delays at London's airports because of snow. Scores of travellers were forced to spend the night trying to sleep on terminal floors after heavy snow forced the cancellation of 850 flights at Heathrow yesterday. Gatwick axed 47 flights and Stansted cancelled 170. Angry passengers at Heathrow were held in queues for up to six hours as they re-booked flights. Many had to stay at the airport as nearby hotels, charging up to £315 a night, quickly filled up. Some passengers will have been stuck at Heathrow for more than 60 hours by the time they fly out tomorrow.  Nearly all short-haul British Airways flights were cancelled, with BA and BAA staff providing bottles of water and sandwiches for those stuck at the terminals. BA put up about 2,500 passengers in hotels across London, but some were unable to leave the airport because of visa restrictions. Some passengers decided to stay in the airport overnight to beat this morning's queues to re-book flights.  Stuart Searle, 24, and his girlfriend Barbara Korell had been stuck at Heathrow's Terminal 5 building since 11pm on Sunday, and were unable to get a flight to Los Angeles until noon tomorrow. The pair were to catch a BA flight to Los Angeles before flying on to their new home in New Zealand. Mr Searle, 24, a physicist from Weymouth, said they had no choice but to stay put, adding: "We arrived for our flight and were told it had been cancelled and have been waiting ever since. We called the helpline number and were told the first flight we could get is tomorrow lunchtime.

Frustration: growing check-in queues while others slept at the airport

"We decided not to risk going to Barbara's home in Croydon because the public transport is not working and we're worried we won't be able to get back. There are no hotels around here that have room, so we're stuck." Ms Korell said: "We have our laptops and some crisps, so it looks like we're going to have to stay here for a while. There's nothing else we can do." Milica Vujadinovic, 16, was travelling back to Serbia after a month-long holiday in Sydney to visit her older sister when she got caught up in delays at Heathrow. She said: "I have no visa so I can't leave the airport. I've had to sit on the plane for three hours because of the snow, then I spent hours queuing. I'm tired and nervous. I don't know when I'll get home." Also caught up in the disruption was the Mariinsky Orchestra of St Petersburg which was travelling to Moscow for a performance after a three-night engagement at the Barbican. Bassoonist Alexander Sharykin said: "There are about 100 of us who are stuck. For us this is perfectly normal weather, we can't understand why there is all this chaos. "We've been waiting for eight hours. Having played in the Barbican we are now heading to Moscow to play there. I hope we get there in time for our performance later this week." A spokesman for airport operator BAA said passengers should check with their airline before setting off. He said teams were working throughout the night to clear runways using snow ploughs, snow blowers and other specialist vehicles. The spokesman added: "They're working around the clock to clear snow and ice. We'll be continuing to do that." BA, which was worst affected by the weather, said it was anticipating more delays today due to the snow and because crews were in the wrong places because of delayed flights. "We expect to have some knock-on disruption but we are doing all we can," said a spokesman. "We are offering refunds, re-booking customers where flights have been cancelled, and put 2,500 people in hotels overnight. Unfortunately there may be some people stuck airside because they do not have the right visa requirements. We have had numerous staff in the terminals to help customers as much as possible."

Snow brought London to a standstill for many but these City bankers from Berkeley Sqaure managed to get into work AND enjoy the severe weather with a snowball fight and Members of The Life Guards - a regiment of the Household Cavalry - ride through central London on their way to the ceremonial Changing of the Guard on Horse Guards Parade

Hotels in London reported a surge in bookings as commuters gave up the battle to get home - Central London hotels saw last- minute reservations double and some had to turn people away or place them on standby lists

Motorists are being warned to take extra care after snow on the roads turned to ice, making driving conditions treacherous.

Thousands of schoolchildren are facing a second day off classes as the UK struggles to get back to normal after the worst snowfall in 18 years.

Motorists are being warned to be careful on icy roads after temperatures fell to -8C (18F) overnight.

THIS has been the worst weather-related transport chaos in living memory

Two military rescue helicopters are assisting ambulance services in parts of Devon and Cornwall

Heavy snow is bringing delays and disruption to road users across much of Wales and about 500 schools are closed

The snow has been moving northwards, with up to 12 inches (30cm) possible in the Pennines and eight inches in north-east England

Flights out of Luton Airport in Bedfordshire are subject to delays or cancellations, but Stansted Airport is operating normally

Birmingham City Council said all its 428 schools would be closed due to the "inclement weather conditions".

Disruption caused by the heavy snowfall could cost UK businesses about £3bn, business groups have estimated.

NONE of the rail routes into London escaped delays and cancellations today as operators dealt with a combination of more bad weather and trains in the wrong place

THE number of 999 calls doubled as emergency services were called to deal with traffic collisions, falls and snowball fights

London has looked glorious these past two days. Sunday night found me crossing Westminster Bridge as heavy snow began to fall

CENTRAL London resembled a ghost-town as nearly 20 West End shows were cancelled and bars, restaurants and cafes shut early

After 24 hours of snow, many commuters faced an icy walk into work on Tuesday and on right many flights were cancelled at Heathrow Airport leaving passengers facing severe delays

As part of a series looking at religious festivals around the world, photographer Karoki Lewis recorded the the all night ceremony at Bet Maryam (Church of the Virgin Mary) in Lalibela, Ethiopia, as they celebrated Orthodox Christmas in early January. - MORE

Kenya Parliament has brought into force new ownership rules that would see the end of domination of family brokerages and investment banks at the bourse by the end of the year, leaving nearly 90 per cent of the players with 11 months to comply. The new rules, contained in the Finance Act 2008 that Parliament passed late last year; limit individual ownership of stock brokerages and investment banks to a maximum of 25 per cent with December this year as the deadline.  This means that owners of stock brokerages have to sell large stakes in their firms at a time when business has hit rock bottom and valuation of the companies is lowest. This planned shift in the structure of ownership was part of reform measures announced by former Finance minister Amos Kimunya in his June 12, 2008 Budget. Together with the new capital requirements, the change in ownership structure of investment banks and stock brokerages was to be undertaken in a span of three years. But Parliament, acting on public outrage over illegal transactions in the capital markets and loss of investor funds, decided to cut down the implementation period leaving brokers with only 12 months to comply. “Any person, who, at the commencement of this section, does not meet any of the requirements, shall comply with such requirements by December 31, 2009,” reads the Act. Members of Parliament reckon that the law is aimed at accelerating the professionalism and stability of the stock-broking industry and protect investor funds. It is a move that now threatens to bring to an abrupt end the domination of the Nairobi Stock Exchange by a handful of stock brokerage barons. Nearly all the 25 licensed stockbrokers and investment banks are still family-owned businesses. With commercial banks and pension funds exempted from the ownership limitations, analysts said the new rules are aimed at driving the poorly managed enterprises into the arms of the relatively more stable and professionally run financial institutions.

British Airways planes wait in the snow outside Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport after the snow closed both the runways for a short time and soldiers on guard duty outside Buckingham Palace march through the snow

Hospital appeals for more blood donations

Written By:John Muoki   , Posted: Tue, Feb 03, 2009

The Management of the Kenyatta National Hospital KNH- has called on members of the public to continue donating blood to help the victims of the Sachang'wan Petrol Tanker tragedy. Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jotham Muchemi has urged those who had already volunteered and availed themselves at the hospital to be patient, saying collecting blood is a process that requires time. Dr. Muchemi was responding to complaints raised by members of the public who have been queuing at the hospital to donate blood that the process was too long. So far, 123 people have been confirmed dead following Saturday's tragedy in Molo after one of the police officers flown to Nairobi succumbed to injuries on Tuesday morning.Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe said the officer died at the Mater Hospital at about 5am.This brings to eight the number of police officers who have died after the oil tank explosion in Sachangwan, Molo.Three other police officers are still admitted to the Mater Hospital and another to the Aga Khan Hospital with serious burns sustained as they tried to control a surging crowd from siphoning fuel from the tanker before the blast.Five of the officers were burnt to death when the explosion occurred while three others have since died while undergoing treatment in hospitalForeign doctors called in by the government from India and the United States of America to help in the treatment of the survivors are expected in the country on Tuesday. Speaking at Kenyatta National Hospital on Sunday where he had gone to console the survivors of the tragedy, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the doctors would help in reconstructive operations on the patients recovering in various hospitals in Nakuru, Molo and Nairobi.

At the same time, thirty six civilians and ten civilians who sustained serious injuries were transported on Sunday to the  Aga Khan and Kenyatta National Hospitals to ease pressure on health facilities in nakuru and Molo. According to the Kenya Red Cross Society Public Relations and Communications Manager Titus Mung'ou, the official death toll stands at 107. He said that at least 89 bodies have already been collected from the scene of the accident. He said that 98 persons believed to be residents of Molo were still missing and 70 others from Nakuru have not also been accounted for.The Red Cross Oficial said more than 34 counselors drawn from various institutions including the Ministry of Special Programs, Kabarak University and Kenya School of Professional Counselors have been mobilized to provide psychosocial support to victims in Molo.Mung'ou said that the transportation of dead bodies from the scene was meant to avoid traumatizing the affected families who are still at the site. Meanwhile, Kuresoi Member of Parilament Zackayo Cheruiyot and the New Vision Party Leader Nicholas Biwott have urged the Government to urgently ban the transportation of oil products by road following the Sachang'wan tanker fire that left over 100 dead. The two, who spoke at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital where they had gone to console the survivors of the Saturday evening fire, said fuel tankers, especially long distance haulers continue to pose a threat especially to the residents of small towns where they park during their rest stops. They added that the initial intention of the Government's investment in the oil pipeline from Mombasa to Malaba was to minimize the distances petroleum products were transported by tankers. The two leaders said there was need for more investments in the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital to enable it handle disasters and highlighted the need for a fully equipped Intensive Care Unit.

LILIAN MUGECHI LONDON

Lilian Mugechi has lost her brother Wilson Mukunga Mwangi in Kenya. Please support her if you can. She is well known in East and South London. For your finacial support you can use , Nationwide Building Society Account no. 10867477, Sort Code 070116, Account name: Lilian Mugechi Chauh. For more information contact  07903368351.

London, Tuesday 3rd February, 2009. Britain's Big Freeze is gripping the north with conditions so bad in places that the Met Office has issued an emergency weather warning. Weathermen have warned that more than a foot of snow could fall in northern England and in Scotland. The blizzards are thought to have cost the economy as much as £3 billion as London and other major cities ground to a halt. Children across Britain are getting another day off school after thousands of schools and colleges remain closed for a second day. Air passengers face a second day of flight cancellations and delays as more snow fell overnight and travellers are advised by airport operator BAA to check with their airlines before setting off. A limited train service resumed today for commuters in Kent and East Sussex coming into London.

Operator Southeastern advised travellers to expect some delays and allow extra time to complete their journeys. Passengers were also warned of slippery conditions underfoot, particularly at smaller unstaffed stations. A Southeastern spokeswoman said: "We're aiming to run a limited service today, mostly half-hourly for the majority of routes, with some more remote locations operating an hourly service, so if people want to travel they can travel." Forecaster Claire Austin said: "Northern England and Scotland will be having lots of snow, mainly on higher ground, with sleet and rain elsewhere." She added: "The snow will also come to west Wales and south-west England. As the day goes on northern England will get drier but the rain will stay in Scotland and fall as snow over higher ground. Northern Ireland will stay wet. "Wales and south-west England will have wintry showers with a mixture of sleet, snow and a bit of hail. The rest of the country will stay pretty much dry." Low temperatures are expected to continue across parts of the UK, with highs of just 1C (34F) in some areas of northern England, rising to a maximum of 5C (41F) in London and Kent, where it is expected to become drier through the day. - MORE

Passengers slipping on steps outside Waterloo Station and on right a deserted Frith Street illustrates how the bad weather forced many businesses, restaurants and theatres to close across London

Snow hits schools and transport

Hundreds of schools across the country have been closed for a second day as the wintry weather continues. Places as far apart as Bradford, Birmingham and Surrey were all affected - with local authorities in all three areas deciding to close their schools. Chief executive of Bradford Council, Tony Reeves, said the decision to close the city's schools was taken on Monday because of the "very severe weather forecast". He said: "This decision has not been taken lightly, but it is in the best interests of both children and parents to ensure their safety and to allow parents to make child care arrangements, including informing their employers where necessary. It is schools being closed at short notice which causes most disruption to residents and the economy." All schools in Birmingham and Solihull were closed and a notice on Surrey County Council's website stated it had advised all 403 schools in the county to close. Closures also continued for a second day in London. Meanwhile, air passengers have continued to face delays after the planes they were due to board were diverted because of the extreme weather. A British Airways (BA) spokesman said: "We're doing all we can. We're offering refunds or rebooking customers and 2,500 hotel rooms were booked for people stuck. "Every airline operating from Heathrow will have some disruption. We're very dependent on what happens with the weather and with heavy weather forecast it puts us in a very difficult position." Train operators have predicted services will start to recover as the heavy snow moves away from the South East. Maintenance teams equipped with ice breakers and snow ploughs worked through the night in a bid to get the crippled rail network working again. Snow ploughs have been made ready in the Pennines, Yorkshire and Northumberland, amid fears those areas would suffer from the extreme weather.

LEFT: The Guardian reports that up to 3,000 schools were closed and many non-urgent hospital operations cancelled after huge swathes of Britain were blanketed in the white stuff. CENTRE: Thousands struggled in to work while others just had fun, The Daily Telegraph reports. RIGHT: Some are predicting that the freezing conditions could last into the middle of February, according to the Daily Express.

London, Monday 2nd February, 2009. The snow proved too much for technology yesterday as mobile networks, websites and sat navs froze on frustrated commuters. The Vodafone and Orange mobile networks were jammed as customers tried to call their workplaces bet­ween 6.30am and 9am on Monday, with fears they could be further stretched this morning. 'There have been pockets of congestion due to the sheer call volume, especially around London and the home counties,' said a Vodafone spokeswoman. Those turning to the clogged Transport for London and Highways Agency websites for the latest information fared little better. 'A number of websites were running very slowly which just adds to the chaos,' said Matthew Bath, technol­ogy editor of Which? magazine. Even drivers who managed to free their cars from the snow and negot­iate the icy roads faced a technolog­ical hurdle. Sat-nav systems struggled as snow blocked the link to satellites. Those working outside the office also strained networks, with T-Mobile reporting traffic on mobile broadband devices jumping by a fifth. Both 3 and Orange experienced a jump in the number of people sending each other picture messages. 'People are using phones to upload photos of them messing around in the snow to social networking sites like Facebook,' said a spokesman for Orange. But a technology glitch left some motorists happy. Speed cameras became redundant because snow blocked lenses and the road markings they use to help measure speed. In an added bonus, London mayor Boris Johnson scrapped the C-charge for the day.

Evangelist Theresa Wairimu (left) and Bishop JB Masinde had a successful gospel preaching weekend in Slough, Berks, UK. The conference started on Wednesday 28th January, 2009 and ended up on Sunday 1st February, 2009. Evangelist had a successful ladies meeting on Saturday and the bishop held men's meeting on Saturday morning before joining hands together on Saturday and Sunday evenings crusades. Both preachers are holding in London for the next two weeks. Evangelist Wairimu is having her conference in London next weekend 7th and 8th February at Emmanuel Centre, London. Bishop will be having another meeting in East London on 14th February, 2009. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Snow costs UK's industry £1.2bn

London, Monday 2nd February, 2009. Recession-hit British industry has been landed with a bill for an estimated £1.2 billion after millions of people missed work because of the extreme weather. Around one in five employees were unable to get to work because of the travel chaos caused by the snow and many others were late, or only stayed in work for a few hours. The Federation of Small Businesses said the cost of the bad weather to the UK economy was so high because of "stalled" contracts, cheques not banked, and purchases of small items such as sandwiches suffering as a result of people staying at home. It called for a wide-ranging debate on the UK's infrastructure and the country's ability to respond to bad weather. The Rail Maritime and Transport union said the havoc caused to Britain's transport system underlined the "failings" of a fragmented rail network and the "folly" of cuts in the number of front-line staff. General secretary Bob Crow said: "The snowstorms sweeping Britain have highlighted the importance of having enough front-line staff and how the ability to plan for weather emergencies has been undermined by the fragmentation of rail network. "In decades past, without the benefit of modern forecasting methods, a publicly owned and unified railway network deploying sufficient front-line staff was better able to mitigate some of the worst effects of winter weather. "The efforts of rail staff today have been massive, but with the network fragmented and in the hands of private interests that put profit ahead of service, the response has been erratic - and with fewer front-line staff the weather has gained the upper hand sooner than it should have. "Staffing levels are already pared to the bone, yet today we are fighting plans by train-operating companies to remove even more front-line workers. The time has come to restore railway staffing to sensible levels, and if the private operators' shareholders don't like it they can simply hand back the keys."

Don in Hailsham, East Sussex found this frosty figure at the bus stop "waiting for the bus that will never come."  and Crowds stranded by the snow have made for the hills with sledges, snowboards and mattresses as in this photo of Muswell Hill revellers sent by Nichola Hodges

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has finally broken his long silence over the matter of his salary and now says it should be based on the constitutional partnership between ODM and PNU. Speaking for the first time since the Nation exclusively reported on Monday that the PM has not earned dues in relation to his new office, Mr Odinga said that although he wanted salaries of politicians reduced, his functions were not delegated like those of the Vice-President and therefore their salaries should not be the same. Mr Odinga argued that the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, which established the coalition government, put him at par with President Kibaki. This effectively confirmed that for the nine months Mr Odinga has been PM, he has only been paid as MP for Langata and drawn the allowances of a Cabinet minister. The matter was brought to light after communication from the Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura’s office to the National Assembly Clerk Patrick Gichohi was revealed. Mr Muthaura had written saying the PM’s salary should be the same as that of the Vice-President.

But, speaking to the Sunday Nation, Mr Odinga said: “I am not looking at it in terms of the amount of money ... in fact I want the remuneration reduced. But no impression should be created that one partner is junior.” The PM, however, said he was prepared to wait until the matter was resolved. “I am comfortable earning what I am getting,” he said. In his communication, Mr Muthaura had proposed that the PM and VP earn Sh1.3 million with the deputy prime ministers Musalia Mudavadi and Uhuru Kenyatta getting Sh950,000. However, some ODM MPs rejected this idea saying Mr Odinga’s pay should match that of President Kibaki who gets a Sh2 million basic salary and draws Sh1.2 million monthly in various allowances. And to push for this, the permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s office, Dr Mohamed Isahakia, wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly saying it was unfair for Mr Odinga to perform his official duties without corresponding pay. Mr Odinga is the supervisor and coordinator of government activities, and chairs Cabinet sub-committees. Sources privy to the communication told the Sunday Nation that Dr Isahakia had asked for the issue of the PM’s pay to be discussed, determined and that his due salary be paid to him urgently. To this end, the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) met to deliberate on the issue ODM’s contention is that the Prime Minister is an equal partner with President Kibaki as far as the National Accord and Reconciliation Act that created his office is concerned. In a strong indication that the matter might find its way into Parliament, one legislator proposed that the PSC raise the matter before the House to resolve through the ballot. - Daily Nation.

A police officer watches over the demonstration by workers outside the Lindsey Oil Plant at Killingholme in North Lincolnshire and Arsenal's Emirates Stadium is covered in snow - causing the postponement of Tuesday's FA Cup replay against Cardiff.

Nairobi, Monday 2nd February, 2009. Barely two days after 113 people lost their lives in a blaze after they rushed to an overturned tanker to siphon off petrol, it is reported that a crowd in Naivasha made its way to a derailed cargo train transporting chemicals for making detergents, with the idea of looting it. They succeeded in emptying two containers.  And only 32 kilometres from the tanker accident site, a lorry ferrying maize from Nakuru to Nairobi collided with another vehicle, and some people rushed there with jerricans and proceeded to collect diesel spilling from its tank.  This kind of behaviour after a tragedy of such proportions is hard to explain. It cannot be simply poverty that is driving Kenyans to such extremes. That is simplistic reasoning. At the same time, it cannot be government ineptitude as some platitudinous demagogues seeking the most convenient scapegoat would have it.  

While it is true that this government always uses fire-fighting tactics to get over every problem and does not seem to have a clue as to how to fight real fires like the Nakumatt one last Wednesday and the one at Sachang’wan village on Saturday night, it seems we are all missing the point: It is Kenyans themselves to blame for their seemingly insatiable greed. What is it in the psyche of Kenyans that makes them so ravenous that they will ignore all signs of danger if they can make a quick shilling? What is it in our make-up that will make able-bodied folks think nothing about stealing from road accident victims instead of assisting them? The behaviour of our political leaders and their business associates may be the answer. If someone can sell grain meant to cushion the poor from starvation, then there is no reason why an average Kenya should not seek free fuel for sale. While our rulers loot and steal in the comfort of impunity, ordinary folks seem to have realised that they too must do the same, even if they die in the attempt. Maybe when we start using our laws to punish corruption, the lesson will seep right down to the under-privileged that stolen fuel is not the stuff to die for. - Daily Nation

Kenya is beginning a week of mourning for at least 142 people who died in a petrol tanker blaze and a fire in a Nairobi supermarket. Flags flew at half-mast as rescuers continued to pull charred bodies from both disaster sites and relatives and friends hunt for missing people. In one of Kenya's worst accidents of recent times, at least 115 people died when a crowd scrabbling for free fuel crowded round a tanker that crashed near central Molo town on Saturday. The toll rose by nine overnight from deaths in hospital. A cigarette set off the blaze, engulfing the crowd in flames, and leaving nearly 200 people injured.

Treacherous: A Cyprus Airways plane slid off the runway at Heathrow Airport this morning as it was taxiing before take-off. No one was injured

A lady sacked because of praying for a patient

Last night Mrs Petrie, 45, insisted she was not trying to force her beliefs on others, but was simply offering a little spiritual help. She said: 'I have trouble understanding how offering to pray for someone could be upsetting. I feel it's a nice thing to ask and a way to give hope that circumstances can change.' She made the prayer offer to May Phippen, 79, in December, at the end of a home visit. Mrs Phippen, a widow who lives with relatives, mentioned the offer in passing to another nurse the next day. The great-grandmother told the Mail last night: 'It didn't worry me, it just struck me as a strange thing for a nurse to do. She finished dressing my legs and before she left the last thing she asked was would you like me to say a prayer for you? I said "no thank you" and then she went. 'It was the first time I'd seen her. She was a nice lady, did the job properly and was quietly spoken. Personally I wouldn't want to see her sacked for something like that. I have Christian beliefs myself and maybe she meant well. But it could perhaps be upsetting for some other people if they have different beliefs or thought that she meant they looked in such a bad way that they needed praying for.' Mrs Petrie claims she was confronted the following day, December 16, by a nursing sister who told her the patient had been 'taken aback' by the offer. The next day the mother of two, of Weston-Super-Mare, north Somerset, received a message on her home phone from her co-ordinator telling her that disciplinary action would be taken. She was then suspended.Yesterday Mrs Petrie said that she tried to ask every patient if they would like her to pray for them, except if it seemed they may be of a different faith. 'Many of them want me to pray for them.

I can't believe that I've been suspended over this,' she said. Her husband Stewart Petrie, 48, a telecom engineer said: 'It seems ridiculous to me that it has come to this. I hope commonsense will prevail.'  Mrs Petrie has been a committed Christian since the age of ten, when her mother died of breast cancer. She switched from the Church of England to the Baptist faith nine years ago. She admits she received a previous warning about promoting her faith at work. Last October she offered to give a prayer card to an elderly male patient in Clevedon, Somerset. He accepted it but his carer raised concerns with the Primary Care Trust. Alison Withers, Mrs Petrie's boss at the time, wrote to her at the end of November saying: 'As a nurse you are required to uphold the reputation of your profession. 'Your NMC (Nursing Midwifery Council) code states that "you must demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity" and "you must not use your professional status to promote causes that are not related to health".' As a result Mrs Petrie, who qualified as a nurse in 1985 and has worked part-time for the North Somerset Authority since February 2008, was ordered to attend an equality course. Such courses can include learning to make a judgment on whether your words are likely to offend the person they are directed to. Mrs Petrie had an internal disciplinary hearing last Wednesday. She awaits the outcome. A North Somerset Primary Care Trust spokesman confirmed that the nurse has been suspended pending an investigation.

Mrs Petrie is a bank nurse, which means she is employed by the trust and drafted in when necessary, to be paid by the hour.  The spokesman added: 'She has been told we will not be using her in this capacity until the outcome of our investigation is known. We always take any concerns raised by our patients most seriously and conscientiously investigate any matter of this nature brought to our attention.'  Mrs Petrie has taken legal advice from the Christian Legal Centre. Paul Diamond, a leading religious rights barrister, has been instructed to handle the case.  Mr Diamond represented Miss Eweida and last year appeared for Relate counsellor Gary McFarlane, of Bristol, who was sacked for refusing to give sex counselling to homosexuals.  A source close to the current case told the Daily Mail: 'Caroline Petrie is being disciplined under equal opportunities and "diversity" policies - and there is a growing tendency to use such policies to single out for attack our own Judaeo-Christian customs and culture.  'Christians are now becoming the most discriminated-against group of people in our society. It's getting quite frightening and out of hand.'  The Reverend Prebendery John Andrews, spokesman for the diocese of Bath and Wells, which covers north Somerset, said: 'The simple offer of a prayer is perfectly in keeping with the healing ministry of the church, and for Mrs Petrie to be disciplined purely for that would be extremely regrettable.'

A protester has thrown a shoe at Wen Jiabao during a speech at Cambridge University and called the Chinese prime minister a "dictator". The shoe landed about a metre away from Mr Wen and the protester, a young man, was then removed by security guards. Mr Wen, who earlier signed a series of trade agreements with Gordon Brown on the final day of a three-day UK visit, described the incident as "despicable". Protests have taken place about human rights and Tibet during his visit.

Google has lifted the lid on its first major upgrade to its global mapping software, Google Earth. Google Ocean expands this map to include large swathes of the ocean floor and abyssal plain. Users can dive beneath a dynamic water surface to explore the 3D sea floor terrain. The map also includes 20 content layers, containing information from the world's leading scientists, researchers, and ocean explorers. Al Gore was at the launch event in San Francisco which, Google hopes, will take its mapping software a step closer towards total coverage of the entire globe. In a statement, Mr Gore said that the update would make Google Earth a "magical experience". "You can not only zoom into whatever part of our planet's surface you wish to examine in closer detail, you can now dive into the world's ocean that covers almost three-quarters of the planet and discover new wonders that had not been accessible in previous versions". Approximately 70% of the worlds surface is covered by water and contains nearly 80% of all life, yet less than 5% of it has actually been explored. Google Oceans aims to let users visit some of the more interesting locations, including underwater volcanoes, as well as running videos on marine life, shipwrecks and clips of favourite surf and dive spots. The new features were developed in close collaboration with oceanographer, Sylvia Earle, and an advisory council of more than 25 ocean advocates and scientists. Sylvia Earle, the National Geographic Society's explorer in residence, said the new features would bring the blue planet to life. "I cannot imagine a more effective way to inspire awareness and caring for the blue heart of the planet than the new Ocean in Google Earth." "For the first time, everyone from curious kids to serious researchers can see the world, the whole world, with new eyes," she added. There are also updates on the terrestrial side, including GPS tracking, virtual time travel (where users can observe changes in satellite images, such as the 2006 World Cup stadium or the desertification of Africa's Lake Chad) and narrated tours of imagery and content in Google Earth.  There are also updates to the Mars 3D section, so if users have had enough of the blue planet, they can always look at the red one.
 

No trains, no buses – no wonder some might feel compelled to call on extra horsepower to haul them through the snow. But sadly, this is not a scene of resourceful commuters taking desperate measures to get to work. It is skijoring – where the skier navigates jumps and grabs rings while being towed by a galloping horse – which has become something of a popular hobby in places such as Colorado. There, heavy snow falls a bit more than once in a blue moon. 'You can have the fastest horse and the best skier but, if you miss one ring you aren't going to win,' said Dana Stiles, who took up the sport ten years ago. 'I was hooked. The rush was just incredible.' Skijoring comes from the Norwegian word for ski-driving – but usually involves dogs. The equine variety has gained a strong following in the US with competitions which, Ms Stiles warned, were not for the faint-hearted. 'There is nothing on this planet that will pull you like a horse will. We've had a lot of people who come in kind of cocky and learn that,' she added.

Obama predicts more bank failures

US President Barack Obama has warned that more US banks are likely to fail, as the full extent of their losses in the economic crisis becomes clear. Speaking to NBC News, Mr Obama said "some banks won't make it" but stressed that people's deposits would be safe. He has asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to draw up guidelines for banks receiving taxpayers' money. Meanwhile, he warned of a "difficult next few days" as the Senate begins to debate his $800bn (£567bn) rescue plan. In an interview with NBC, Mr Obama said it was likely the banks had not yet fully acknowledged the extent of their losses. "The banks, because of mismanagement, because of huge risk-taking, are now in a very vulnerable position," he said. "We can expect that we're going to have to do more to shore up the financial system." The president, who has been critical of bank executives receiving bonuses despite taking government bail-outs, also announced there would be new rules for such banks. "If a bank or a financial institution is getting relief then they've got to abide by certain conditions," he said. The president made it clear he was taking responsibility for turning round the US economy before the next presidential election in 2012, saying he could expect only one term in office if it was not fixed in the next three years. The interview was short on details, with the president declining to comment on whether he planned to create a "bad bank" to buy toxic assets from other financial institutions. He said he did not want to pre-empt an announcement planned for next week.

London, Monday 2nd February, 2009. Heavy snow has fallen across large parts of the UK, disrupting travel and closing hundreds of schools. South-east England has the worst snow it has seen for 18 years, causing all London buses to be pulled from service and the closure of Heathrow's runways. In Wales, two climbers have died in the freezing temperatures. The Met Office has issued an extreme weather warning for England, Wales and parts of eastern Scotland. More snow is forecast later and on Tuesday. The BBC Weather Centre said up to 6in (15cm) of snow fell overnight with more falling throughout the day and temperatures unlikely to get above 0C for the rest of the day. Thousands of school children across England and Wales woke up to the news that their school was closed for the day. All Surrey schools are closed, while in Essex, more than 450 shut and 255 Berkshire schools are closed. Leicestershire and Rutland gave pupils at 200 schools the day off. Hundreds more are closed across Wales, London, north-east England, East and West Sussex, Kent, Norfolk Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Suffolk, where snow-ploughs were out on the county's roads for the first time in more than 15 years. Bad weather has also forced the closure of the Old Bailey courts in London and crown courts in Lewes and Hove. In north Wales, two climbers have been killed on Snowdon. The mountain saw heavy snow all weekend. The men were reported missing on Sunday night. A rescue team found their bodies on Monday morning. Air travel has been badly affected. At Heathrow Airport near London, a plane slipped off a taxiway due to the snow and icy conditions. Passengers aboard the Cyprus Airways flight were unharmed. The British Airports Authority said the front wheel of the plane landed in the grass area and they were in the process of removing the plane.

• The northern runway at Heathrow remains closed. All flights from Heathrow Terminal 5 have been cancelled.
• London City, Luton and Southampton airports are closed. Norwich and Leeds Bradford airports have now reopened.
• BAA has warned passengers travelling to and from Heathrow and Stansted airports to expect "significant delays and cancellations".
• BAA Scotland said four flights from Glasgow to Heathrow and London City were cancelled and one to
•  Cardiff.
• BA says it has cancelled 65 flights, while 73 Ryanair flights are grounded.
• Gatwick is open, although fewer aircraft are able to take off. Some 23 flights had to be cancelled and 18 diverted to other airports after Gatwick closed its runway for two hours on Sunday evening.
• There is no service on the Gatwick Express.

"WHERE IS YOUR CAR MR. SEED?"

Snow, snow everywhere, Mr. Seed woke up in London  to find his car fully covered with snow (left) and a roundabout covered with snow

LONDON AT STANDSTILL BECAUSE SNOW

'Today started as a nightmare ... and now it has turned into a farce'

Travel Warning As More Snow Falls

Snow shuts down London - and there's more to come

London was overwhelmed by six inches of snow today with the threat of at least as much again to come in the next 24 hours.

Roads were either impassable or treacherous after the heaviest London snowfall in 18 years.

All but two Tube lines were either totally or partially suspended.

Dozens of motorists on the M25 gave up trying to drive in treacherous conditions and stayed in their cars on the hard shoulder

Both runways at Heathrow airport were closed and passengers were advised to check with their airline before leaving for the airport.

Hundreds of thousands of commuters were forced to stay at home, hitting businesses already suffering from the credit crunch.

Most schools were shut

Network Rail said it had been unable to cope with the sheer volume of snow

Many of London's best known sights were blanketed, affording spectacular views of Parliament and other landmarks

While the whole of the UK was affected, London and the South-East bore the brunt

Transport for London announced on its website that all London buses, which carry five million passengers a day, had been withdrawn from service due to adverse weather and dangerous road conditions

Thousands of train passengers were stranded at Victoria station this morning after services were cancelled

UK hit by worst snow for 18 years

All bus services in London were cancelled, as were dozens of trains, and some airport runways, including both at Heathrow, were temporarily closed

Thousands of people face a travel nightmare as they attempt to make it home during heavy snowstorms forecast for rush hour.

It will get worse before it gets better

James Egerton plays on his sledge with his dog in Bingham, Nottinghamshire as heavy snowfall hit the UK and on right Members of the Scots Guard in King Charles Street, Westminster

Passengers due to fly out during the day are being urged to double-check their flights are not affected before they begin their journeys. On the roads, motorists were being warned of dangerous driving conditions. There have been a string of accidents on many motorways and A roads, causing road closures, long delays and vehicles to become stranded. And there was more bad news for people trying to use public transport.

• All London buses have been withdrawn from service due "to adverse weather and dangerous driving conditions"

A BBC reporter said he saw many people left confused and distressed after waiting for long periods for buses, only to see them drive past without being in service.

There are also problems on the London Underground and rail network.

• Many Tube lines are partially suspended and the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines entirely suspended.

• South West Trains is running a reduced service on most routes and passengers are advised not to travel unless their journey is essential.

Heavy snow has fallen across large parts of England, disrupting travel and closing hundreds of schools and all London buses have been withdrawn from service due "to adverse weather and dangerous driving conditions".

The Highways Agency said there have been too many minor accidents on the roads "to put a number on". The agency recommended people should only make essential journeys. BBC weather presenter Jay Wynne said further snow showers were expected during the morning across much of England, eastern parts of Wales and eastern parts of Scotland. Temperatures in the afternoon would not reach above freezing, he said. In the late afternoon, more heavy snow is forecast to hit the eastern part of England, including East Anglia, London and the Home Counties, accompanied by "strong winds, blizzard conditions". This will work its way up through the Midlands, northern England and eastern Scotland. Evening temperatures will fall to about -1C for many areas of England and eastern Wales, with the weather turning icy by Tuesday morning making road travel treacherous. There will be minor snowfalls and temperatures will reach about 4C in most areas by Tuesday afternoon. One motorist, driving in the Midlands on Monday, told the BBC conditions were much clearer there, but highway officers told him they had responded to 1,735 incidents over a 24-hour period in the East Midlands alone. The Highways Agency said the organisation was well prepared to deal with snowfall over roads after criticism over its reaction to severe weather in 2003.  - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

A snowman greeted BBC website reader David Shipway on his doorstep

One of two runways closed at Heathrow

Passengers stranded at Gatwick

Southampton Airport closed

BAA London City and Luton airports closed

London City Airport

Luton Airport

London buses withdrawn

Transport for London

Train services cancelled

National Rail Enquiries

Hundreds of schools closed

LINKS TO OUR UK COVERAGE
  London: Snow disrupts travel

South: Heavy snow falls

South East: Roads and schools closed

West Midlands: Schools closed

North: School closures

Scotland: Flights disruption

Wales: Braced for snowfall

NI: Flights hit by snow

The big freeze: Heavy snow hits much of Britain

The owner of this bicyle seems to have decided to find an alternative means of transport and South-east England is experiencing the worst snow it has seen for 18 years.

Nairobi, Monday 2nd February, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki has cut short his official visit to Ethiopia, in solidarity with the Kenyans who lost their loved ones in the petrol tanker fire accident at Sachangwan area in Molo district and to condole with those injured in the tragedy. He is attending the 12th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa.President Kibaki who had earlier sent his message of condolences on learning of the accident on Saturday evening is expected in Nairobi Monday afternoon. Meanwhile the African Union and the United Nations have also sent a message of condolences to the families, relatives and friends of the deceased and to the Government of Kenya. The continental body and the UN expressed deep sympathy and affirmed their solidarity with the Government of Kenya during this time of profound loss of many of its citizens through the fire tragedy. The messages were conveyed by African Union Commission Chairman Dr Jean Ping and the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon in their addresses during the opening ceremony of the AU summit Monday.

Near Peebles, Scottish Borders and Barons Court station, West London

Committees to cater for Molo tanker tragedy survivors

Written By:Catherine Achienga   , Posted: Mon, Feb 02, 2009

Two committees have been set up to look into the welfare of the casualties of the tanker tragedy in Molo. One of the committees based at Sachagwan is charged with the responsibility of collecting data on all those affected in the explosion while the second committee coordinated by the Red Cross society will establish the whereabouts of all the survivors and link them up with their relatives. Saturday's explosion of an oil tanker in Molo's Sachagwan trading center goes down in history as one of the worst tragedies involving fuel tankers in Kenya. Over 100 people died and another 138 are hospitalized suffering from first, second and third degree burns. Rift Valley PC Hassan Noor Hassan has appealed to those injured to seek proper treatment and not hide at home in fear of arrest. A national Harambee will be held this Thursday in Nairobi to raise money to assist the families of those affected. Meanwhile retired president Daniel Arap Moi was among those who consoled the injured at the Nakuru General Hospital. Other ministers who toured the hospital include William Ruto, Franklin Bett, and Esther Murungi and Nominated MP Musa Sirma. The government has declared a week of national mourning following the tragedy which came in the wake of another fire incident in a Nairobi supermarket where at least 26 people have been confirmed dead.

Kenyan young man passed away suddenly in Boston on Sunday 25th January, 2009 morning in what friends call a shocking and untimely death. Mr. Isaac Kamau Ngure, 36, of Rockland, Massachusetts, died while undergoing treatment at the Mass General Hospital in Boston, MA center after being admitted at the hospital for only a few days. According to accounts from close friends, Isaac suddenly fell ill on Thursday last week while he was all alone in his car doing rounds in his delivery business. “He pulled over to the side of the road and placed an (911) emergency call for help as he suddenly fell very ill”, said a close friend who did not want to be named. “Emergency crews arrived with minutes and transported him to the Newton Wellesley hospital in Natick MA for emergency treatment, from where he was then transported to the Mass General”, added the close friend. ”Isaac underwent major surgery while in the hospital but fell into a coma from which he never recovered”. According to other close friends, Isaac has been having complications of high blood pressure for a while and used to complain of severe headaches.

The late Isaac Kamau Ngure

The death has sent shock waves in the Kenyan community in Boston who have recently been experiencing losses of members of the relatively small close knit Kenyan community. “But the question is how comes you did not bring me notice that Isaac was gonna die young” , lamented Francis Mwangi , in a poem for the late Isaac posted on facebook He was addressing an imaginary an imaginary post man who was on time to deliver all the bad and good news in his mail box but apparently forgot to notify him of his friends impending death. Many other young Kenyans posted messages on facebook in honor of the departed friend.  Isaac had no relatives in the USA .His mother arrived from Kenya shortly after receiving the news of her son’s illness and was very saddened when her son finally succumbed to the illness. Friends and relatives are currently meeting daily at the Isaac’s apartment which he used to share with a friend at 125 John A Dunn Memorial Dr, Apt 2e, Rockland MA 02370. Friends are requesting help from the Kenyan community in raising funds to help meet the final expenses for the late Isaac. A fundraiser and final prayer meeting has been scheduled to take place on Saturday, Jan, 31 at the Braintree Lodge of Elks starting 5 PM. Well wishers can also send funds to an account that has been set up for this purpose. Click here for more details. A wake has also been set to take place on Friday, Jan, 30, at the Dyer Lake Funeral Home, 161 Commonwealth Avenue Village of Attleboro Falls North Attleboro, MA - Source-Ajabuafrica.com

A group of illegal immigrants have been caught trying to smuggle themselves into the UK inside wheelie bins, it has been revealed. A sniffer dog belonging to the UK Border Agency noticed the ten men hidden inside the bins packed onto a lorry in the French port of Calais. Lois, an 18 month old male springer spaniel, noticed the people hiding in the bins on Friday. A search of the Bulgarian-registered lorry revealed the nine Eritreans and one Afghan hidden in the load of wheelie bins. The lorry was heading for Calderdale, West Yorkshire, but was stopped before it could board a ferry across the Channel. "We have hundreds of UK Border Agency officers based at ports in France and Belgium, working to stop illegal immigrants before they get to the UK," a UK Border Agency spokesman said. "In addition to searches with body detection dogs such as Lois, we also use carbon dioxide detectors and heart beat detectors to find well hidden stowaways." The illegal immigrants were handed over to the French authorities.

It is snowing heavily in the UK (Sunday 1st February, 2009) - See photos below

Daniel Crack, 13, took this picture on Sunday afternoon at Chantry, Ipswich and BBC News  readers have sent in their pictures of the snow falling around the UK. Lee and Linda Turner took this shot outside their home in Crawley, West Sussex.

Success amid the odds

Nelly with her husband, Isaac, and daughter, Cassandra.

Some people will never know the meaning of ‘giving up’. Nothing, not even the greatest of life’s misfortunes are strong enough to make them contemplate quitting. On the contrary, they seem to thrive on the strength of their challenges. And they always win.  Meet Nelly Kennedy Wanjiru, a woman who is soaring up in the sky, despite the fact that one of her limbs is medically written off. Nelly’s life achievements will both inspire and shame. She will shame those who, though blessed with perfect health, have not made efforts to put purpose to their life; and she is an inspiration to the young, who are growing up under unfriendly circumstances and all those who aspire to reach the stars amid challenges — physical or otherwise. Her sharp business acumen has seen her set a business empire both in Kenya and in the UK. Today, Nelly recalls how she would dream about driving a Jaguar, which she has. Mercedes, BMW, name them, have all been at her beck and call. Hers is an example of what one can achieve when they set their minds to a task. But in all this succes, Nelly is disabled. Her restricted mobility meant that she had to use her imagination to succeed — and this she did in style.

"When one is denied certain things in life, it is like God compensates them with something else," she says. For someone who had been given a few months to live by medics, Nelly, 47, believes that her life is nothing short of a miracle. Born and raised in Othaya, Nyeri, she had a normal childhood and teenage before tragedy struck at 21. "I woke up one morning and my legs were numb, prompting my friends to rush me to a clinic in Pangani," she recalls. When her condition worsened, she was taken to MP Shah Hospital and later to Kenyatta National Hospital where she was told that her left leg was permanently disabled. The right leg’s use was, however, restored after much therapy. "It is the one I use to drive," she smiles. Losing the use of her leg in adulthood was a difficult thing. "I lost so many of my friends because they thought that I would be a burden." To make matters worse, she also lost control of her bladder and had to carry extra clothes to change into every now and then.

When this happened, Nelly was working at the Attorney General’s Chambers in the department of Public Trustees. It was at this time that she decided to engage in small businesses to supplement her meagre income. "I started supplying potato crisps and groundnuts to supermarkets," she recalls. This, however, failed and in 1981 she opened up a bureau for househelps known as Kennedy Home Care Services, before she again closed due to stiff competition. In 1990, using her savings, Nelly travelled to the UK for treatment, courtesy of a former client. That was 18 years ago. Fast-forward to this year. Nelly is a businesswoman of repute with investments in technology and real estate in the land she once visited as a needy woman.  First, she changed her name for business reasons. "I needed a name that was easy to pronounce for the UK clientele hence Kennedy became my business name. My husband did not mind, and so I adopted it." In the UK, Nelly used the money that remained after treatment to start a teaching agency. She worked hard at it and the business picked up fast. When profits came, she started a security firm known as Beeline Security Services. "To my delight, this too picked up pretty fast," she offers. And she did not stop there. Nelly thought it wise to give back to her motherland by investing here.

She envisioned a company that would help market Kenya as a tourist destination and the result was a company, Travel Advisory Agency. She also had a string of boutiques and learning institutions. These, however, were not successful. "I was forced to close shop on many of my businesses here because they were making loses as I concentrated on the ones in the UK," she says. To her companies in the UK, she added FairICT in 2007. "It is a network of professionals and we are four directors. Our aim is to share information between Kenyans back home and those in the Diaspora," she explains. The driving force behind this company she says was the need to do more for Kenya from wherever they were. FairICT has many branches, among them a website known as malikwamali.com. She explains: "On this site we market Kenyans and their products in the UK, from music to handicrafts among other things." The challenge, she believes is for Kenyans back home to come with extraordinary products and they will be marketed. Having lived in the UK for almost 18 years, Nelly has seen many children born and raised up without concrete knowledge of their Kenyan heritage. "There always seems to be a gap between those back home and those in the Diaspora and this is what we want to change," she says. She is one of the brains behind Kenya Book of Records, an amazing compilation of positive facts about Kenyans, by Kenyans, for Kenyans, and the world. The book is set to be launched in the UK in the next few weeks.

"It is meant to help those in the Diaspora and especially children to get acquainted with important personalities back home," she asserts. Nelly met her husband Isaac Mwangi in 1999 and together they have formed a formidable team in the last eight years. "He has been my foundation and the rock in our family," she speaks adoringly of the man besides her. She believes that it takes God for a man to see beyond a disability. "He first saw me seated and fell in love with my looks and his feelings never changed even after he learnt of my disability," she says. Nelly’s struggles have not been limited to business alone. As a wife, she has tried to have children without success. "Due to my physical condition and age (47 years) it was difficult and I had also lost two pregnancies before." This forced her to go for InVitro Fertilisation (IVF), which was successful. She had twins before misfortune struck again. "I lost one of the twins after 22 weeks of pregnancy, but it could not be removed," she recalls. So for about 10 more weeks, she lived with the dead child in her womb until she gave birth to her precious daughter, Cassandra. "She has made me feel complete as a woman," she says with eyes full of love for her daughter. It was a success that touched so many people, she recalls as many sent her messages of best wishes from all over. She became a beacon of hope to many other women who had no children. Her successful IVF made her believe that the same can happen to many other women. "The problem is that it is too expensive for poor women in Kenya to afford," she says.

She recalls a visit by some of the leading women personalities to the UK including Idah Odinga, Mrs Murungi (Kiraitu) and Dr Oburu’s wife whom she implored to help women access such facilities.  "I believe that no man is a hill to his wife, and they could influence their husbands one way or the other," she says, quoting Jomo Kenyatta. Given a chance, Nelly believes that disabled women, despite their disadvantage can make a difference in the society. "Disability is after all a small part of the body and should not come between a person and his or her goals in life." Disabled people need to believe in themselves and not depend on handouts. "They should get involved in pursuit of education, and be trained in modern technologies. Gone are the days when the only thing a disabled could do was become a telephone operator," she says. But for this to happen, employers and the Government should extend equal opportunities to the disabled. "They simply need equal opportunities. It is a shame to find a disabled person crawling on all fours. This should not happen in Kenya today. Almost all the building are unfriendly to the disabled, some of them do not even have lifts. How can a disabled person access such places?" she wonders. Nelly believes that her’s is a story that will inspire, and she is currently involved in writing her autobiography. "… and it will be titled And Why Not," she says. Looking at Nelly and what she has been able to do, one gets the feeling that a lot more is still on the way for this tough cookie. - The Standard Weekend Magazine.

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