New, February 2012

Members of the Mascho-Piro tribe photographed through a telescope by Spanish explorer Diego Cortijo

Peru has called on exploers to stay away from an isolated Amazon basin rainforest tribe after pictures of "untouched" members were published online. The pictures show a family of Mascho-Piro people in the Manu National Park, in remote southeastern Peru on the border with Brazil.

They were taken at the end of last year by an archaeologist and tribe supporter and published on the website of pro-native group Survival International.

But Mariela Huacchillo, from the office for Natural Protected Areas, warned even indirect contact with the indigenous people could bring in deadly viruses that do not already exist in the region - and the natives could be hostile. Many blame illegal logging in and around the park and low flying helicopters from nearby oil and gas projects, for forcibly displacing the indigenous people from their forest homes.

Ms Huacchillo called on outsiders "to never attempt to enter in contact with these (isolated) communities", whose people "are trying to remain apart from the outside world". She also urged people to not leave food, clothing or other gifts like locals or tourists sometimes do "with the goal of starting a contact with the isolated natives". Last October, a park ranger was lightly wounded by a blunt arrow fired by a Mascho-Piro native after getting too close to the tribe. "It was a warning," Ms Huacchillo said.

A similar incident was recorded in 2010, when a teenager was wounded by a spear. On their website, Survival International mentioned the death late last year of Nicolas "Shaco" Flores, a local resident who had been leaving food and gifts for a small group of Mashco-Piro natives for 20 years. Flores was "shot by an uncontacted tribe's arrow", the group said. The incident was never confirmed. There are some 15 uncontacted native groups in Peru's Amazon rainforest, according to government officials, with Survival International saying there are 100 uncontacted native groups around the world. Sightings of the Mashco-Piro have increased in recent months.

"Many blame illegal logging in and around the park and low-flying helicopters from nearby oil and gas projects, for forcibly displacing the indigenous people from their forest homes," the activist group said

Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU/NATION Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka (left ) and Saboti MP Eugine Wamalwa (right) during a prayer meeting at Tononoka grounds on February 5, 2012.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has challenged Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the General Election date, saying it is not the preserve of an individual. (READ: Raila: Election date will be known soon)

Speaking at Tononoka grounds in Mombasa on Sunday, Mr Musyoka said only Kenyans can decide when the elections will be held.

“I was surprised when the PM hinted that the forthcoming polls could be held this year.

“That decision is not an individual one. It is the right of Kenyans to make it because they are the stakeholders,” he told a G7 Alliance prayer rally.

Mr Musyoka nevertheless led the gathering to declare December 17, 2012 as the date for the polls.

Mr Odinga on Saturday said in Machakos that he would like the polls to be held this year.

“I have an idea when the elections will be held but I will not say (it) today. We will announce very soon. Personally, I would like to see elections held this year,” he said.

Mr Odinga and President Kibaki were handed the task of deciding the General Election date after the High Court declined to point to a definite date. (READ: Early polls up to you, judges tell Kibaki and Raila)

At the Tononoka rally, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta told Mombasa residents to join the G7 Alliance saying its leadership would form the next government.

“Kenya’s next president is here (at the rally) and I believe you will make a wise decision to pick him among us in a free, fair and democratic process,” he said.

According to Mr Kenyatta, only a government of the people by the people and for the people would ensure food security, employment and development of every county in the country.

He warned that divisive politics and tribalism were threatening the stability of the country in terms of security, political and economical fabric.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto called on politicians to avoid using their leadership positions and tribes to intimidate others in the election year.

“Political competition calls for fairness, freedom of expression association and assembly that should be done democratically.”

Deep freeze (left): A car in Versoix near Geneva is encased in ice and (right) Freezing: A hiker marvels as ice builds at England’s highest single drop waterfall in Hardraw, North Yorkshire (Picture: PA)

Five people have died in France including a 12-year old boy who succumbed to hypothermia after falling into a frozen pond. Rome saw its heaviest snowfall in 25 years and 86,000 Italians were left without power after trees downed power lines.Pope Benedict XVI donned a white overcoat as he blessed a small gathering of pilgrims huddled in St Peter’s Square.‘The snow is beautiful but let’s hope spring comes soon,’ he said.

In Poland, prime minister Donald Tusk asked local authorities to waive the ban on admitting drunks to homeless shelters after eight people died, taking the death toll to 53The extreme cold also caused three deaths in Hungary and at least five people froze to death in Lithuania over the weekend as the temperature fell below -30C (-22F).

Daredevil skaters tested the ice on the frozen Keizersgracht canal in Amsterdam, Holland, after temperatures dropped below -10C (14F) overnight and remained at -5C (23F) during the day. The memory of Germany’s warm January has been obliterated by freezing days and nights. For the first time in many years people were able to walk across ice sheets on the river Elbe in Dresden. -And it could get worse, with heavy snow expected across parts of Spain and the Pyrenees. Low pressure in the Mediterranean will cause high winds and torrential rain this week.

First the snow, now the big FREEZE: Treacherous travel conditions set to continue thanks to sub-zero nighttime temperatures

It's a slippery slope: People enjoying the snow on Primrose Hill in London this morning (left) while (centre) 10-year-old schoolgirls Hannah Docherty (left) and Mayra Vila build a snow Queen in the grounds of Windsor Great park, with the castle in the background, to mark the Monarch's 60th jubilee and right, Moo-ving sight: As snow begins to fall and temperatures plummet, cattle huddle together for shelter, near Buxton, Derbyshire

We've had the big snowfall, now it's the turn of the big freeze, with parts of the UK set to endure bitterly cold nights until Thursday, which could lead to dangerously icy travelling conditions. The mercury will hover between 0 and -3C for large parts of eastern and southeastern England and Scotland, with a thaw not likely to come until later in the week, according to the Met Office. It warns that outbreaks of showery rain will 'heighten the risk of ice' in these areas. More than six inches of snow fell yesterday and throughout the night bringing travel chaos to parts of Britain, with 100 vehicles stranded on the M40, huge tailbacks on the M25, hundreds of flights cancelled and severe disruption to train and Tube services. Flurries fell over Scotland, northern England and the Midlands yesterday before moving down to London and East Anglia. A spokesman for the Met Office said that an amber warning of icy conditions which was in force for many areas of England earlier today had been replaced by a 'less significant' yellow warning.

People are being warned to 'be aware' that there could be icy stretches of road. Much of England remains under a cold weather alert of level 3, which warns of '100 per cent probability' of severe cold weather and icy conditions. The south experienced the worst travel misery with around 100 vehicles stuck on the M40 for several hours between junction four at High Wycombe and junction nine at Bicester. They only got moving again after snow ploughs came to the rescue. Motorists Katie Jones told BBC News: ‘We were stationary for about seven and a half hours. We passed cars abandoned in the side of the road, having crashed off. We passed lorries jack knifed across two, three lanes of the motorway and it's been impassable in large part.’ Nine hours delay on the M25, trains cancelled and airports in chaos: Just why was Britain so unprepared for snow (again)?. Read more.....

FOUR-DAY FORECAST
Tonight (Sunday) : Across much of the UK there will be plenty of low cloud, mist and fog around overnight with some patchy light rain and drizzle at times. Most of the rain and drizzle should fall across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while much of Scotland should be dry with the best of the clear breaks. Cold with the risk of ice in many places, especially across the east.

Tomorrow (Monday) : An icy start for many with some mist and fog expected. Across Wales, Northern Ireland and the southern half of England it then looks set to be rather cloudy with some patchy light rain and drizzle. Much of this should die away during the afternoon with the chance of some brighter spells developing in places. Scotland and remaining parts of England should stay largely dry with sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud.

Tuesday and Wednesday: A widespread frosty, icy start again on Tuesday. It will then be cold but largely dry with sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud. However, there will be the risk of some patchy light rain or drizzle edging into Northern Ireland and western Scotland. After a sharp overnight frost, it will another largely dry day with some sunshine. However, there may also be a fair amount of cloud around at times, particularly across southern and eastern England where the odd wintry shower is possible.
Source: Meteogroup UK

A member of the Ugandan gay community carries a picture of murdered gay activist David Kato during his funeral near Mataba, on January 28, 2011. Although the police claimed it was most likely a petty crime, most members of the gay and the human rights community hold the Ugandan government responsible for not battling the growing resentments against homosexuals in the Ugandan society. Homosexuality is illegal in many African countries and is punishable by a prison sentence. Photo/AFP. Read more....

US President Barack Obama’s grandmother, Mama Sarah Obama, sustained bruises during a road accident at Otonglo on the Kisumu-Busia highway at the weekend. The accident, which took place on Saturday around 9pm, is reported to have occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle she was in while trying to overtake another. According to a witness, Mr Dennis Owuor, some residents rushed to the scene after hearing a loud bang at night. “When we came to find out what had happened, we discovered that a car had rolled and soon there were a number of police officers at the scene,” he said.

Mr Owuor said that the quick response to a “minor accident” made them suspect that a prominent person had been involved.

Kisumu police boss Musa Kongoli said that Mama Obama was travelling to her home in Siaya when the accident occurred. “The vehicle was travelling from Kisumu to Siaya. The occupants were taken to hospital for treatment,” said Mr Kongoli. Mama Obama was in the company of four other people, two of whom were said to be her bodyguards. Aga Khan Hospital Nursing director Vinodh Krishnankutty said Mama Obama had sustained bruises and was in shock when brought to the hospital. She said the five accident victims were then treated and discharged.

Deep-freeze Britain: Waterfalls halt in freeflow, fountains at a standstill and four inches of snow forecast as mercury hits -10C

London ice: (left), the fountain next to the Westminister Bridge demostrates how low the temperature have dropped in London, and centre, Frozen cascade: Fell walker Mr Campbell at the bottom of the Fisher Gill waterfall in Cumbria. Freezing weather has been sweeping towards us from eastern Europe where temperatures plummeted to -30c this week. Freezing weather has been sweeping towards us from eastern Europe where temperatures plummeted to -30c this week and right, sub-arctic temperatures: Snow falling and freezing on wire fences and walls in the Pennines yesterday make ice sculptures as the whole landscape turns white.

Snow will sweep the country this weekend as the Arctic freeze tightens its grip. Forecasters issued a nationwide cold weather alert, with temperatures expected to plunge as low as -10c (14f) from tonight. Around two inches of snow covered Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in white, while in the Pennines, fences and phone masts resembled ice sculptures. The east of the country will again be covered in snow today and the South-East, Midlands and North will be hit tomorrow afternoon.

The Met Office said up to four inches of snow could fall over the weekend across much of England and Wales, with southern and central areas likely to see the worst of it. Freezing weather has been sweeping towards us from eastern Europe where temperatures plummeted to -30c (-22f) this week and up to 150 have died. A level three ‘amber’ cold weather alert - the second most serious - was issued, which warns of health risks to the elderly and vulnerable, and the likelihood of disruption to transport.

Level four 4 would mean a 'major cold weather incident', in which normally healthy people are at risk from the cold. The alerts are tied in to the Government’s Cold Weather Plan and are relayed to organisations such as Age UK, which help the elderly through winter. The military have been put on alert should conditions deteriorate to a level four. When freezing conditions struck in 2010, members of the armed forces were called in to help clear snow from the roads and assist residents in particularly hard-hit areas and help clear special locations such as hospitals and care homes.

Paul Gundersen, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: ‘We are expecting an area of snow to develop across a good part of England and perhaps east Wales late on Saturday and into Sunday, although the timing and extent is still rather uncertain. ‘Milder air moving in from the west on Saturday will come up against the cold air from the east, and this battleground is likely to see rain, sleet and snow across the UK.’ Temperatures are unlikely to go above 2c (36f) today and will plunge to -5c (23f) at night in cities and -10c in rural areas, with the same happening tomorrow night. Milder weather coming in from the Atlantic will see a thaw in the South-West and Wales on Sunday when daytime temperatures could reach 9c (48f). But freezing conditions will persist in the East into next week.

Photo/FILE In preparation for what is billed to become one of the largest and most costly General Election, key aspirants have intensified efforts to raise finances, with one said to have already put away Sh3 billion.

Aspiring presidential candidates have raised billions of shillings ahead of what promises to be the most expensive race in Kenya’s history.

The head of communication for Mr Raphael Tuju’s 2012 campaign said he had raised nearly Sh3 billion.

Mr Tuju was also planning to order three helicopters in the first phase of his campaign strategy to complement his Tuju 2012 Bus, said Mr Zach Mutuma.

Another candidate, Mr Peter Kenneth, is said to have raised Sh2.5 billion for his bid.

Internal Security minister George Saitoti has a Sh2 billion kitty set aside for his bid, according to one insider, though one analyst, Mr Moses Kuria, said the amount is not adequate.

Mr Mutuma and Mr Kuria are among a host of campaign insiders interviewed for a major report on election financing that appears in the upcoming issue of The EastAfrican out on Saturday.

“Sh2 billion is too little for a campaign,” said Mr Kuria, who works with the Party of National Unity, putting the tag of a “serious campaign” at least Sh8 billion.

A political strategist who worked in President Kibaki’s 2007 campaign team said each of the candidates would require at least Sh11 billion for the entire campaign lasting at least one year, a huge chunk going into bankrolling candidates seeking to become MPs, governors and senators using their party.

These are individuals the presidential candidates would expect to spread their influence at the grassroots. The biggest spend, the estimates show, would be on logistics and publicity.

A study by the Coalition for Accountable Political Financing, a Nairobi-based think-tank, estimates that President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga spent Sh6 billion in their presidential bids in 2007. (READ: When it cost Sh4,000 to run for Parliament)

Campaign insiders said they expect that a well-run presidential bid — targeting to attract a sizeable number of senators and Members of Parliament that would allow a candidate to rule comfortably without getting into messy coalitions, could cost between Sh8 billion million and Sh11 billion.

Political strategists and pollsters are estimating that top presidential contenders such as Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr William Ruto, Mr Odinga, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, Mr George Saitoti, Mr Kenneth, Mr Tuju and Ms Martha Karua could spend such amounts each if they were to launch serious national presidential campaigns.

At this level of spending by top contenders, this election might inject close to Sh40 billion to the Kenyan economy, a financial stimulus that could spark inflation.

This money is likely to end up in the pockets of small and big business owners as well as well-placed consultants in the media and politics as candidates splash cash on publicity, merchandise, travel and operating campaign secretariats.

Raising campaign money will not be easy, however, after two recent laws — the Elections and Political Parties Act and Campaign Finance Bill — banned candidates from raising money from foreigners and imposed a maximum limit of Sh5 million that a single donor can contribute.

This means that seeking donations from millions of supporters through social networks to be paid through mobile money micro-payments solutions is going to be the next big thing in Kenyan politics.

Kenyan politics could also see a rise in the so-called independent political action committees that can raise money freely and support their causes and candidates.

New election rules could see the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission seek more transparency and frequent public disclosure of campaign finances in addition to what the new laws are demanding.

Money goes to setting up expensive campaign machinery ranging from high-tech operational offices to high profile campaign think-tank groups made up of professionals, technocrats, business people and academicians.

Several are said to have bought helicopters to aid their movements. Sources said Mr Kenneth has, for example, bought two helicopters at an estimated cost of Sh250 million.

LAUNCH WEEKEND

3rd - 5th FEBRUARY 2012
Behold I have put before you an open door that no one can shut!
Revelation 3:8
The Aim of our weekend is to mobilize and
equip the local church to be part of the
Stratford Ultimate Gold Festival
during the Olympic & Paralympic Games

PART OF THE PROGRAMME

Saturday 4th February 2.30 - 4.00 pm Practical Seminars - putting it into action - various venues
9.00 am - Registration at Highway Church
9.30 am - Welcome and Worship
• Street Conversation (part 2) -practical based at St John’s Church
10.00 am - 11.00 am - The heart of Ultimate Gold - Roger Murphy and Simon Clinton
• Prayer Ministry (part 2) - Home team - in St John’s Churchyard
11.00 - 11.30 am Coffee Break
• Prophetic Evangelism (part 2) - Away team - start at St Johns out onto the streets.
11.30 - 12.30 Workshops/seminars • Reaching those on the Fringe (part 2) - ministering to the homeless - taking out
teas and coffees
• Street Conversation (part 1) Beginning a dialogue through the use of Surveys, the
God test and some other tricks of the trade from Open Air campaigners - Roger
Murphy (TFM), Andrew Holmes (Every Nation), Peter Kennely (OAC)
• Children and the Ultimate Gold - communicating with children, making use of
puppets etc - based at Highway Church - Claire Clinton
• Prayer Ministry (part 1) - Praying for people in the Power of the Holy Spirit - Healing
on the Streets - Peter Adams (TFM), Dr Olufemi Daramola (Sanctuary) and
Sheva Williams (St Johns)
• Worship and the Ultimate Gold - exploring the use of praise and worship in the
open air during the Olympics - venue Highway Church
• Prophetic Evangelism (part 1) - Following the Divine initiatives - Treasure Hunting -
Mark Waterfield (Hope Church), Dr Chinedu Udonsi (Joy of the Nations) and
Pastor Rex Akpojaro (Chapel of Praise)
• Drama and the Ultimate Gold - exploring the setting up of a local drama team
for Open Air presentations - venue Central Baptist
• Reaching those on the Fringe (Part 1) - Working with the Homeless, Women involved
in Prostitution and disaffected Young People - Dave Crisp (Street Pastors), Lucy
Barnsdale (YWAM) and Charles Oham (All Nations)
• Sports Ministry - discussing the possibilities of using sports to build bridges into the
community throughout 2012 - at Highway Church - Nick Hanover
• Hospitality and the Ultimate Gold - creating an extravagant welcome - Don Price
(Doxa Deo), Nick Hanover (Salvation Army) and Jeanette Meadway (St James)
• Prayer and the Ultimate Gold - the importance of prayer - interceding for the
outreach - based at St Johns - Edwin Kibathi (Presbyterian Church of East Africa)
• Talking with People from other Faiths - How to be sensitive but confident in engaging
with people from other religions - Simon and Claire Clinton (Highway) and Tom Ward
(Asian Friendship Centre)
4.00 - 4.30 pm Feedback at St Johns Church
12.30 - 1.15 pm Lunch - Bring Your Own

PAUL WAWERU | NATION Mr Martin Kinoti Mkibiti in a Nairobi court on February 2, 2012. He denied inciting the public to violence at the bus park for Meru public vehicles on Accra Road in Nairobi on February 1, 2012 .

The cells at Nairobi’s Central Police Station have been turned into brothels with women and men sharing lockups and police supplying condoms for a fee.

A remand prisoner, who begged the court to reject police request that he be remanded at the station, claimed the police had also been beaten and tortured him.

“All inmates are locked up together. There are no male cells nor female cells at Central Police Station,” said Mr Martin Kinoti Mkibiti, a suspect facing incitement charges.

Mr Mkibiti bluntly told chief magistrate Esther Maina that men and women were held in a common cell.

“Men are openly invited by police to have good time with women inmates in the cell,” he said, adding “I declined the offer. I did not do it. How could I do that?”.

He said the practice has been made official “with police officers supplying male inmates with condoms and asking them to pay Sh100 for the illicit service.”

Mr Mkibiti surprised everyone by saying, “That is not a police station. It is a sex zone. It is a torture chamber too. Police have drifted this country to the dark colonial age. They beat suspects as if they are not human beings.”

Mr Mkibiti, who gave a harrowing experience, told Ms Maina: “I was shocked when I was asked to sleep with a woman after being beaten thoroughly. We were held together in the same cell with her.”

And as if he was being punished for refusing to engage in the illicit affair, he alleged that he was locked up in another room which looked like a boardroom where he was tortured more.

“The officer commanding Central Police Station came into the room where he directed that I be worked,” he claimed.

The suspect, who is facing an incitement to violence charge, objected to being taken back to Central Police Station for at least two days to help police conclude investigations.

“Please your honour do not direct that I be remanded again in that police station. I will be killed there. See my hands, they are already swollen. My fingers are equally hurt. I can’t hold anything,” he told the magistrate.

He lamented: “The law enforcers have taken back this country to the dark era when suspects were thoroughly thrashed and information milked out of them.”

The suspect requested that he be remanded either in prison or another police station.

USA300: The deadly MRSA strain can cause large boils on the skin (left), centre, different danger: MRSA bacteria in hospitals have a different kind of cell wall to community-acquired MRSA strands which have evolved further, and an HPA spokesman played down the danger of USA 300, saying: 'In England we have seen sporadic cases of this type of MRSA most often causing boils and abscesses, but it has not emerged as a major public health issue' (right).

Dr Ruth Massey, from the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Bath, said extra vigilance was required around this and similar MRSA bugs known as PVL-positive community acquired strains. USA300 is resistant to treatment by several front-line antibiotics and can cause large boils on the skin. In severe cases, USA300 can lead to fatal blood poisoning or a form of pneumonia that can eat away at lung tissue. Dr Massey said there were 1,000 cases of PVL-positive community acquired MRSA in England in the last year, of which 200 were USA300 strains. 'These community-acquired strains seem to be good at affecting healthy people - they seem to be much better than the hospital ones at causing disease. 'They don't rely on healthcare workers moving them around, which the hospital ones seem to.' Dr Massey said USA300 is 'a really big issue in the U.S. and it's starting to emerge here. 'But hopefully because we are aware of it and are working to understand it, it won't become as big of a problem (in the UK).' In a new research paper published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Dr Massey and colleagues analyse the way community-acquired MRSAs are able to adapt and fine tune themselves to spread outside of hospitals.

MRSA bacteria in hospitals has not been able to migrate into the community in the same way.
Dr Massey said: 'Our research found that the composition of the cell wall of the bacteria is critical to the community-acquired bacteria being more toxic. 'The ability of the MRSA bacteria to secrete toxins is one of the main ways it causes disease. 'Using a sensing system, it carefully controls when it switches on its ability to do this, so as not to cause disease until it is firmly established within the human.
'Many antibiotics target the cell walls of harmful bacteria, and to resist this, the bacteria have to make changes to their cell wall.'
Community-acquired MRSA strains have cell walls that are different to those seen in hospitals, allowing them to sense their environment and switch toxin expression on at the right time.

Justine Rudkin, a PhD student working on the project, said: 'The community-acquired bacteria has evolved further, and is able to maintain a higher level of toxicity while also resisting treatment from antibiotics, making it a much larger problem.' She added: 'While we are constantly learning more about MRSA, there is a serious threat posed by this newer strain of bacteria capable of causing disease and even death in perfectly healthy people.

'We need to respond seriously to this threat as it reaches Britain from the United States.' Chris Thomas, professor of molecular genetics at the University of Birmingham, said: 'The key message is that strains of MRSA that are spreading in the community are better able to infect the young and healthy, precisely because they are not actually trying so hard to be resistant as the bugs that have been encountered in hospitals for many years.'

He said there was now a 'need to worry about community super bugs that are fine tuned to spreading outside of hospitals and we all need to be extra vigilant about hygiene and unnecessary use of antibiotics.' A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said: 'The paper highlights some important observations which helps us understand at the molecular level why hospital strains of MRSA are less virulent than the so-called community MRSA strains. 'We have known about community MRSA for over a decade and, whilst they are responsible for a high burden of disease in North America, this is not the case in the rest of the world.

'In England we have seen sporadic cases of this type of MRSA most often causing boils and abscesses, but it has not emerged as a major public health issue in this country. 'The HPA are carrying out active surveillance of this type of bacteria and advise healthcare professionals on correct infection control procedures to reduce the likelihood of spread.'

Her father told police they first noticed the Staffordshire bull terrier when it charged at them

THE parents of a girl of six who lost most of an ear when she was savaged by a dog said it “circled her like a shark” and then launched its attack. The girl was attacked on a family outing with her parents and three-year-old brother in Chingford, north-east London. Her father told police they first noticed the Staffordshire bull terrier when it charged at them, attacking his wife. He said: “The children were very frightened and tried to run to safety. This was an unprovoked and savage attack. “I hit the dog a number of times, trying to make it let go of my beautiful little girl and wife. “The dog was not on a lead.” Jobless builder Gary Hindley, 56, of Chingford, appeared at Thames magistrates’ court yesterday, where he admitted allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place and causing injury. He was bailed for sentencing by the court on February 13. " I hit the dog a number of times, trying to make it let go of my beautiful little girl and wife.", the girl's father, said.

A January 19 image provided by NASA shows an M3.2 solar flare captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory. A potent solar flare has unleashed the biggest radiation storm since 2005 and could disrupt some satellite communications in the polar regions, US space weather monitors said Monday

A potent solar flare has unleashed the biggest radiation storm since 2005 and could disrupt some satellite communications in the polar regions, US space weather monitors said Monday. The event started late Sunday with a moderate-sized solar flare that erupted right near the center of the Sun, said Doug Biesecker, a physicist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center. "The flare itself was nothing spectacular, but it sent off a very fast coronal mass ejection traveling four million miles per hour (6.4 million kilometers per hour)," he told AFP.

A rush of radiation in the form of solar protons already has begun bombarding the Earth and is likely to continue through Wednesday.

The radiation storm is the largest of its kind since 2005 but still ranks only a three on the scale of one to five, enough to be considered "strong" but not "severe," he added.

NOAA said its website the S3 ranking means "it could, e.g., cause isolated reboots of computers onboard Earth-orbiting satellites and interfere with polar radio communications." Biesecker said that when it comes to radiation storms, the polar regions are affected most.

For instance, the storm could spell disruptions to airline flights, oil operations, Arctic exploration and space satellites.

Night-sky viewers in Asia and Europe may be able to witness the aurora, or Northern Lights, late Tuesday as a result of the storm.

"We don't expect major impacts from an event like this," Biesecker said. "It's the people who need GPS (global positioning system) accuracy of centimeters who have to worry, not people who want to know if you're going to turn the car 30 meters (100 feet) ahead."

Left, the Building of the International Criminal Court in the hague and right, outgoing International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo. The ICC ruling on whether Uhuru, Muthaura, Ali, Ruto and Sang stand trial is expected on or before January, 23, 2012

The much-awaited verdict by the Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court on the six Kenyans is expected to permanently alter the political landscape as the country prepares for the next General Election. (READ: ICC Judges to decide fate of Ocampo six on Monday).

If the charges are confirmed on Monday, it is likely Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Civil Service Chief Francis Muthaura and Postmaster General Hussein Ali may be found unsuitable or unable to discharge their official functions.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga may also have to fire suspended Industrialisation minister and ODM chairman Henry Kosgey if the charges against him are confirmed.

The departure of Mr Kenyatta and Mr Muthaura from the Kibaki court would mean that the Head of State, who retires later in the year, would have to appoint new faces to these key government positions.

Mr Muthaura is Kenya’s highest ranking civil servant and is perceived to be the powerful fulcrum around which the presidency operates.

Mr Kenyatta, Mr Muthaura, Maj-Gen (rtd) Ali and Mr Kosgey were named alongside Eldoret North MP William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua arap Sang on suspicion of bearing the greatest responsibility for the most serious crimes committed during the post-election violence.

They have all protested their innocence and assembled top-notch legal defence teams to fight the charges.

On Saturday, the suspects were guarded about how they would prepare for and where they would receive the court’s ruling.

The International Crisis Group, a global anti-conflict watchdog, says in a report on the Kenyan case that the ICC verdict would have a direct bearing on Kenya’s political landscape.

“The ICC’s action is now an inescapable element of the political process as Kenya heads to elections.

Even if an early confirmation of charges may not legally prevent the suspects from running for office, the risk of conviction would affect supporters and allies. The timing and framing of proceedings and decisions can lower or increase volatile tensions,” the International Crisis Group says.

On the other hand, the crisis group estimates, if all the charges are dropped, it is likely that the alliance between Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto would not hold and each would run their own presidential campaign.

On the other hand, at the hearing in The Hague, Mr Kenyatta told the judges that Mr Odinga bore political responsibility for the iolence. The message that the case was politically motivated would be repeated at the campaigns.

It remains the discretion of the ICC whether, if charges are confirmed, the suspects will remain free men or be taken into custody if they are found, for instance, to be interfering with witnesses or demeaning the court.

Since their return from the confirmation of charges hearing, the suspects have avoided speaking ill of the court in public rallies or news conferences. Read more...... and Video.

School Education Secretary Michael Gove's £377,000 plan to send a King James Bible to every school 'founders over funding'

Michael Gove(left) said the King James Bible is 'has helped shape and define the English language'. Mr Gove's plan would see 20,000 schools receive a copy of the King James Bible (right).

The Education Secretary has run into his second public funding row in a week after he was today forced to deny that his plan to send every school in Britain a copy of the King James Bible - at a cost of £377,000 - has run into trouble over funding.

The Prime Minister had reportedly told Michael Gove that while he supported the idea, he should avoid using taxpayers' money, according to sources.

It follows Mr Gove's suggestion that a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia should be commissioned using taxpayers' money to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The Education Secretary has yet to find a private sponsor for his project, with some Whitehall sources reported as saying he has been told he cannot distribute the book until he does so. But Mr Gove said talks were under way with a number of individuals and organisations that might 'share some of the burden' - but the taxpayer would underwrite the cost.

'The taxpayer is there to underwrite the costs but we are in conversation with a number of individuals and organisations that may share some of the burden,' he said.

Mr Gove said the Bible was the most 'important book written in the English language' and had major cultural and historical significance.

He said a 'low cost' deal had been struck with the publisher to provide the Bible - a move he described as a 'powerful and potent' way of highlighting the historical significance of the anniversary.

The Bibles will be sent out to more than 20,000 schools to mark the 400th anniversary of it translation. It has been claimed thousands of copies may already have been printed and will be left in a warehouse without the funding, but Department for Education said it did not know if the copies had yet been printed, or where the copies might currently be stored.

And they said the aim was to distribute the Bibles to schools at Easter, so the timetable had not been affected by the lack of a sponsor and they would be distributed even if no sponsor is found.

A senior education department source told the Guardian enough public money was available for the scheme to go ahead, but No 10 had merely indicated that 'sponsorship was desirable'.

But Whitehall sources said Mr Gove was told that it would be wrong to spend nearly £400,000 on the project at a time when the government was in negotiations with teaching unions over cuts to their pensions. A Department for Education official said in a statement: 'The Prime Minister was clear in his speech in December about the importance of the King James Bible, and marking this important anniversary.

‘The Prime Minister supports the plan to send a copy to every school. We continue to seek philanthropic sponsorship.'
The 400th anniversary of the publication of the Bible was in 2011.
In a speech in December, Mr Cameron celebrated the importance of the King James Bible giving three reasons for its relevance.

He said: 'The King James Bible has bequeathed a body of language that permeates every aspect of our culture and heritage.

'Second, just as our language and culture is steeped in the Bible, so too is our politics.

'Third, we are a Christian country. And we should not be afraid to say so. Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have

Government ministers have always been careful to avoid controversies surrounding religion with Tony Blair's former communications chief Alastair Campbell famously once declaring: 'We don't do God'.

But Mr Gove said: 'It's a thing of beauty, and it's also an incredibly important historical artefact. It has helped shape and define the English language and is one of the keystones of our shared culture. And it is a work that has had international significance'.

When the scheme was announced the National Secular Society suggested that the Department for Education could put a message on its website and save 'tens of thousands of pounds'.

NSS president Terry Sanderson said: 'It's not as if Bibles are in short supply in schools. But if Mr Gove intends to go ahead with this, will he also please ensure that a copy of On the Origin of Species is sent out on Darwin Day?

'This book is much harder to find in schools and would be in line with his policy of promoting science and evidence-based education. I'm sure that he could write an excellent foreword to this too.'

Richy Thompson, campaigns officer at the British Humanist Association, added: 'Either the Government is funding this initiative itself at a time when it is making severe cuts elsewhere, or the Church is finding it but using the Government as a vehicle through which to promote Christianity - both are unacceptable.'

In the small hilly Indian state of Meghalaya (left), a matrilineal system operates with property names and wealth passing from mother to daughter (right) rather than father to son - but some men are campaigning for change.

When early European settlers first arrived here they nicknamed it "the Scotland of the East" on account of its evocative rolling hills. Coincidentally, today the bustling market in the state capital, Shillong, is awash with tartan in the form of the traditional handloom shawls worn ubiquitously since the autumn chill arrived. Not far from here the village of Cherrapunji once measured an astonishing 26.5m (87ft) of rain in one year, a fact still acknowledged by the Guinness book as a world record. But the rainy season is over for the time being and it is Meghalaya's other major claim to fame that I am here to investigate.

It appears that some age-old traditions have been ruffling a few feathers of late, causing the views of a small band of male suffragettes to gain in popularity, reviving some rather outspoken opinions originally started by a small group of intellectuals in the 1960s.

I am sitting across a table from Keith Pariat, President of Syngkhong-Rympei-Thymmai, Meghalaya's very own men's rights movement.

He is quick to assure me that he and his colleagues "do not want to bring women down," as he puts it. "We just want to bring the men up to where the women are." Mr Pariat, who ignored age-old customs by taking his father's surname is adamant that matriliny is breeding generations of Khasi men who fall short of their inherent potential, citing alcoholism and drug abuse among its negative side-effects.

"If you want to know how much the Khasis favour women just take a trip to the labour ward at the hospital," he says.

"If it's a girl, there will be great cheers from the family outside. If it's a boy, you will hear them mutter politely that, 'Whatever God gives us is quite all right.'" Mr Pariat, who ignored age-old customs by taking his father's surname is adamant that matriliny is breeding generations of Khasi men who fall short of their inherent potential, citing alcoholism and drug abuse among its negative side-effects.

"If you want to know how much the Khasis favour women just take a trip to the labour ward at the hospital," he says.

"If it's a girl, there will be great cheers from the family outside. If it's a boy, you will hear them mutter politely that, 'Whatever God gives us is quite all right.'"

Mr Pariat cites numerous examples of how his fellow brethren are being demoralised. These include a fascinating theory involving the way that gender in the local Khasi language reflects these basic cultural assumptions.

"A tree is masculine, but when it is turned into wood, it becomes feminine," he begins.

"The same is true of many of the nouns in our language. When something becomes useful, its gender becomes female.

I talk to Patricia Mukkum, the well-respected editor of Shillong's daily newspaper. She assures me that her heritage is only one of the reasons why she has risen to the level she has and points out that the tradition of excluding women from the political decision making process is still very strong in their culture.

As a mother of children by three different Khasi fathers however, she is the first to admit that their societal anomaly has afforded her ample opportunities to be both a mother and a successful career woman.

Making reference to the routine problems facing women just over the border in West Bengal, Miss Mukkum is resolute.

I decide to see for myself in a remote village in the East Khasi Hills. After two hours walking through thick jungle I meet 42-year-old Mary.

She is a "Ka Khadduh", the youngest daughter in her family and consequently, the one destined to live with her parents until she inherits the family house. Her husband, 36-year-old Alfred, lives with them.

When I talk to her inside their home, Mary tells me that women do not trust men to look after their money so they take control of it themselves. I glance at Alfred for a response but he musters only a smile.

Mary goes on: "Most men in our village leave school early to help their fathers in the fields. This is a great detriment to their education." I turn to Alfred once more. He responds with another shy smile.

What should we make of recent news reports speculating about whether mobile phones cause cancer? It's all about how we deal with uncertainty, says Michael Blastland in his regular column.

How risky is it if you don't know the risks? Daft question? Possibly. But perhaps it helps define who we are. Here is an exercise which invites you to a little self-diagnosis of your attitudes towards risk. M obile phones may cause brain cancer. "Shock warning!" said one newspaper when it reported this last week. "Shock U-turn" said another. Others seemed more sanguine. Why the difference? Because all were reacting in their own way to ignorance. As this BBC report and others, like the Guardian's Ben Goldacre, pointed out, we simply don't know how risky mobile phone are. So the word "may", as in the BBC headline "may cause cancer", is everything. Is it scary? Or reassuring? What if we turned it round and said "may not cause cancer"?

Risk often isn't about hard numbers - often there are no hard numbers - it's about how we react to uncertainty, given how the uncertainty is presented to us. The graphic below is based on an illustration famously used by Prof John Adams, a writer about risk, for the cover of a book - called Risk, naturally. As this graphic suggests, what we know is negligible. The rest, as Prof Adams puts it, is darkness. The data he cited - about five million known chemicals (the whole area of the graphic), 7,000 tested for carcinogenicity (the yellow rectangle), 30 known to cause cancer in humans (the tiny orange area at the top left) - is a little old now. But his argument stands. Scroll down. Mobile phones may cause brain cancer. "Shock warning!" said one newspaper when it reported this last week. "Shock U-turn" said another. Others seemed more sanguine. Why the difference? Because all were reacting in their own way to ignorance. As this BBC report and others, like the Guardian's Ben Goldacre, pointed out, we simply don't know how risky mobile phone are.

So the word "may", as in the BBC headline "may cause cancer", is everything. Is it scary? Or reassuring? What if we turned it round and said "may not cause cancer"?

Risk often isn't about hard numbers - often there are no hard numbers - it's about how we react to uncertainty, given how the uncertainty is presented to us.

The graphic below is based on an illustration famously used by Prof John Adams, a writer about risk, for the cover of a book - called Risk, naturally.

As this graphic suggests, what we know is negligible. The rest, as Prof Adams puts it, is darkness.

The data he cited - about five million known chemicals (the whole area of the graphic), 7,000 tested for carcinogenicity (the yellow rectangle), 30 known to cause cancer in humans (the tiny orange area at the top left) - is a little old now. But his argument stands. Scroll down.

On December 13 last year, Ms Caroline Maina lost Sh124,755 within six minutes to conmen who tricked her into sending them the money through Safaricom’s mobile money transfer system M-Pesa. Ms Maina, the proprietor of Generations Electronics Mobile Outlet Ltd, had received a call from a person who claimed to be an employee of Safaricom before being swindled. She is among many unsuspecting Kenyans who are losing millions of shillings through mobile cash transfer-related frauds and thefts.

Police investigations have revealed that mostmobile phone cash fraud is mostly conceptualised and executed in prisons. Police are now warning the public to be careful when they receive calls from people pretending to be officials or agents of mobile phone firms.

Customers, for example, have been defrauded of a lot of money by people who call to inform them that they are ‘winners’ of an ongoing promotion. The fraudsters are then able to access one’s details and even withdraw money by ask ing simple questions about the account holder. Some of the questions the fraudsters ask their targets include, for example, how much their last top-up was, when they last used M-Pesa to send or receive money, and the account balance. Central Investigations Department director Ndegwa Muhoro on Wednesday warned the public against receiving calls from suspcious people, who advise them to enter the numbers 555 555, pretending that it is a procedure of getting the money they have won. “This supposedly winning number is actually the number used when one wants to make an M-Pesa withdrawal through any ATM,” he said.

According to Mr Muhoro, the fraudsters are target clients of all mobile phone service providers that operate the money transfer services. He urged Kenyans not to entertain strangers nor divulge any personal information on phone. “Let no one take any unsolicited instruction especially regardingcompetitions that they never participated in,” added the CID boss. Safaricom’s director of corporate Affairs, Mr Nzioka Waita, says the surge in crime targetting M-Pesa clients is not as a result of a lapse in the integrity of their system but the conmen were taking advantage of the gullibility of some customers. Read more..

Britannia CAN rule the waves! Cameron and senior royals back the Mail's campaign to replace Queen's yacht in honour of Diamond Jubilee - at no cost to taxpayers

Left,how the Royal Yatch Britannia will look. Centre, Monarch's transportation: The yacht will be a fitting tribute for the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee this year Grand history and right, the original Royal Britannia sails under Tower Bridge in London in its full glory

The Mail’s campaign for a new privately funded royal yacht to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee won the backing of David Cameron yesterday. The plan is also being privately ‘supported’ by Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

Mr Cameron and senior Conservatives have swung behind the idea of a replacement for Britannia – scrapped as Labour came to power in 1997 – as a ‘fitting way’ to mark the Queen’s six decades of service to her country. The Prime Minister has pledged his ‘full support’ for the ‘truly inspiring’ and ‘splendid’ initiative. The backing from Mr Cameron and senior royals represents a major boost for the Mail’s campaign for the national flagship, which started last October.

The £80million, 600ft royal yacht, funded by private donors and individual donations, would be among the largest sailing ships in the world. The four-masted vessel would have state apartments for use by the monarch, but there would also be an exhibition hall and room for 220 youngsters because the vessel would also be used for trade and business events and by disadvantaged young people for science education and training. Last night’s rousing words of support from Downing Street represent a major step forward for the trustees of the plan who have been quietly developing the idea of a UK flagship for several years. Then, last year the Daily Mail gave its full support to the project and announced a campaign to bring the idea to life. Many readers responded with letters of support and even donations, although no fundraising scheme has even been formalised.

Last night’s dramatic developments followed a day in which it first appeared that Education Secretary Michael Gove had advocated public funding for a new royal yacht. The story was based on a ‘leaked’ letter to The Guardian. This soon backfired after it emerged that Mr Gove had said no such thing, a point he underlined in the Commons yesterday afternoon. The ship has been designed by the internationally renowned British naval architect Colin Mudie, whose designs have included sail-training ships for several navies. It has been codenamed FSP21 (Future Ship Project for the 21st Century) or ‘University of the Oceans’, underlining its educational role.

It is also understood that cross-party support will be forthcoming for any project which does not involve public funds. As a carbon-neutral project which would be built in modular form all over the United Kingdom, there is little scope for controversy provided that the taxpayer is not involved. Mr Cameron has ruled out using taxpayers’ money for the new yacht, saying it would be inappropriate in the current economic climate. But he has written privately to the charitable trust behind the national flagship scheme: ‘This is a truly inspiring initiative. I am always keen on projects that look to inspire people from all backgrounds, tapping the skills and energies that Britain needs for future growth and prosperity. Read more....

Farmers clean and package carrots at Wanjohi trading centre in Nyandarua county. The region is one of Kenya’s biggest producer of fresh produce. Photo/SULEIMAN MBATIAH

Nyandarua lags behind other counties simply because it lacks the means to realise the potential of its vast fertile soils, favourable climate and rivers that never run dry.If only its massive resources could be properly exploited it could feed the entire country with its Irish potatoes, cabbages and other vegetables that grow in plenty. Presently most of the fresh produce eaten in Nairobi is grown in Nyandarua.

Nyandarua is surrounded by the Aberdares, one of the country’s water towers. And several major rivers originating from the mountains cut across the county making it one of the best watered lands in Kenya. And since rains are received all the year round, dairy farming also flourishes. But without the right infrastructure — power and roads — most of these resources remain unexploited.

Improvements have been seen in the last two years following completion of the 100-kilometre Dundori-Ol-Kalou-Njabini highway that has opened up the agriculture-rich southern part of the county to Nairobi and other towns. However, transporting food and milk to the highway is still a problem and county leaders have been under pressure to have the smaller feeder roads rebuilt. For years Nyandarua has experienced slow growth compared to other counties in Central Kenya because of what some people claim is poor leadership.

But others blame the state of affairs on the fact the county was deliberately ignored by successive regimes because its leaders, starting from Josiah Mwangi Kariuki, who was assassinated in 1975, were government critics. Then there is the fact being a settlement region, most of its early elected leaders had divided loyalties with their places of origin. Nyandarua was created in 1963 by President Kenyatta who carved it out of Laikipia and Naivasha, which are in the Rift Valley province. He positioned it in Central Province.

Before Independence, Nyandarua was occupied mainly by European settlers and their workers. The first leaders who were born and brought up in the county started seeking elective positions only in the late 1980s. Perhaps the most influential politician from the area was JM. MP for Nyandarua North, he had the motivation to champion the interests of the people in the county but was killed at the height of his political career. Read more

Eastman Kodak, the US-based company which brought photography to the masses over a century ago, has filed for bankruptcy protection after years of failing to become a profitable seller of modern consumer products. The 130-year-old photographic film pioneer said it had also obtained a $950m loan from Citigroup, the US financial firm, to help keep it going. "The board of directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Antonio Perez, the chairman and chief executive of Kodak, said in a statement. The company said that it, and its US subsidiaries, had filed for Chapter 11 business reorganisation in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Non-US subsidiaries were not covered by the filing, it added.

Kodak once dominated its industry, but it failed to quickly embrace more modern technologies such as the digital camera - ironically, a product it even invented. The company's downfall has already hit its hometown of Rochester, New York, with employment there falling to about 7,000 from more than 60,000 in Kodak's heydays. In recent years, Perez has steered Kodak's focus more towards consumer and commercial printers. But that failed to restore annual profitability, something the company has not seen since 2007. Perez said bankruptcy protection would enable Kodak to continue to work to maximize the value of its technology assets, such as digital-imaging patents it licences for use in mobile and other devices, and its printing technology. The company said it was being advised by US investment bank Lazard, which has been helping Kodak look for a buyer for its 1,100 digital patents. Other advisers included business-turnaround specialist FTI Consulting, whose vice chairman, Dominic DiNapoli, would serve as chief restructuring officer for Kodak, supporting existing management.

Webuye based Pan Paper Mills has been closed following disconnection of power after failing to settle the electricity bill. The firm's managing receiver Munialo Wafula says although the factory has been manufacturing and selling paper, proceeds are deposited at the Central Bank and bureaucracy in accessing the funds to settle bills are behind the latest closure. The Paper mill has a power bill of 73 million shillings. Last year, the government injected 1.6 billion shillings to revive Pan Paper mills after more than two years of closure. The firm's managing receiver Munialo Wafula says there is a high demand for paper. Following the closure, over a 1,000 workers of the firm have been sent home. "All operations have been stopped but we will resume as soon as power is restored. The bill was supposed to be settled any time this week but this has not been done due to government bureaucracy," Wafula said. The managing receiver is confident that the paper mill can sustain its operations and is calling for the lifting of the receivership. The factory's monthly bill increased to 73 million shillings up from the 9 million it had been paying since revival.

The Kenya Cabinet has approved two bills critical for the operationalisation of county governments. The two bills approved after a meeting chaired by President Mwai Kibaki at State House Nairobi Wednesday will create the legislative framework for the successful devolution of government to the county level. The bills approved are the transition to Devolved Government Bill 2012. The bill deals with a three year transitional period from the day of enactment until full implementation of the county governments. It creates a Transitional Authority that will deal with all matters that will see a smooth transition to devolved government. The authority will undertake the preparatory work before the general elections and will assist county governments to full take-off soon after the elections and for the three year transition period. The Inter-Government Relations Bill 2012 outlines the relations between the national and county governments and the inter relations between the various county governments. It proposes the creation of a summit that brings together the President, Vice President and the 47 county governors in a bi-annual meeting. It also outlines the relations between the 47 governors and the dispute resolution mechanisms among the counties. The bill also creates the County Governments Council that will create the framework for relations among the 47 county governors. The Cabinet meeting also approved the Pharmaceutical Industry Sessional Paper. The policy paper provides the institutional framework for the administration of the local pharmaceutical industry.

A 57-year-old man stunned villagers of Toloso in Bungoma West when he ate a venomous snake in revenge for biting him. Yoham Simiyu Mwatili ate the snake halfway through as family members watched in disbelief and failed to develop any complication. Anticipating the worst, the family members wanted to rush him to Sirisia health centre but he declined. Instead, Simiyu went on with his duties as if nothing had happened. Eyewitnesses said the man was seated near the fence of his compound when he was beaten by the snake locally known in kibukusu as "ekhanga". Simiyu vented his anger on the serpent and killed it. He then cut it into pieces and started eating it while still raw. Dangling a head of what was once a live snake; Simiyu boasted that he was a total man to devour the serpent. Asked why he opted to eat a poisonous snake, the man said he was irked by its move to bite him. Relatives said the man had no history of mental illness and wondered the implications of his actions of eating a dead snake.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is cautioning Kenyans to remain calm after the fate of the six prominent Kenyans is announced by the Pre-Trial Chamber. In a video interview, ICC Spokesman Fadi el Abdallah said the Pre-Trial Chamber led by Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova has asked Kenyans to accept the court’s decision and restrain their actions or utterances likely to provoke tension in the country. “The judges reiterated their appeal to all Kenyans to refrain from engaging in any actions that may endanger the security, the property or the safety of any victim or witness, and to also refrain from engaging in actions likely to raise tensions in the country,” Abdallah said. In case the charges are confirmed, the spokesman stressed that the suspects would remain innocent until conclusion of their trial. The Head of the ICC’s Public Affairs Unit explained; “The defendant is and continues to be presumed innocent until guilt is proven after a trial beyond any reasonable doubt.” Not confirming the charges also doesn’t mean the end of the case, Abdallah explained, saying the prosecutor can ask the Pre-Trial Chamber to allow him to appeal against their decision.

Abdallah also said the suspects will not be under the custody of the ICC but they will have to be present during the trials. He also said the ICC had no stake in determining if the suspects should run for political office or not. “The question of elections and conditions for eligibility of candidates is a matter for the Kenyan Constitution and is not governed by the Rome Statute. It is up to the Kenyan authorities to give interpretation of the law,” he maintained. If the charges are confirmed, the court may request the government of Kenya to assist in identifying assets belonging to the suspects. He said one of the reasons is to ensure their property will be used to compensate the victims if they are convicted. “It is a protective measure that prohibits the suspect from disposing the property and assets to ensure reparations to victims if the person is found guilty,” he clarified.

The City of London Corporation has won its High Court bid to evict protesters from outside St Paul's Cathedral. The demonstrators, who are campaigning against corporate greed, have been occupying the central London site since 15 October 2011. The corporation sought a possession order after the Occupy London group ignored an order to clear its tents from the public highway. Occupy London will appeal in the Court of Appeal on Thursday. The protesters will approach the appeal court after the High Court judge refused them permission to appeal but accepted they can renew their applications directly to the court.

Seven suspected Al shabaab militia men were on Wednesday sentenced to two years in prison for being in the country illegally. The accused persons were arrested on the 31st of December 2011 at Mvundeni village in Lamu county as they attempted to enter the county. Chief Prosecutor I.Kiptum told the court the men of Somalia origin, were armed with firearms and explosives indicating they they were armed to commit a crime. The court heard that the suspects were found with six AK47 rifles,one rocket luancher,501 rounds of ammunition and 21 AK47 magazines. Principal Magistrate Richard Kirui sentenced them to two years and set 2nd February 2012 as the next hearing for other charges brought against the seven including illegal possession of firearms, illegal possession of ammunition without firearm certificate and engaging in criminal activities which they denied. Meanwhile CID officers in Mombasa paraded weapons seized from suspected Al Shabaab militia men who were arrested on the new year's eve. Ambrose Munyasi, Provincial CID officer said the suspects were armed with six AK 47 rifles, five hundred and one rounds of ammunition (501 ) and 21 AK 47 magazines at the time of arrest. Speaking to the press on Wednesday at the provincial CID office in Mombasa, the senior security officer said a rocket launcher was also among the weapons confiscated from the seven. The provincial CID officer said seven men of Somalia origin have already been arraigned in a court of law to answer to charges of being in the country unlawful as well as being in possession illegal of firearms, possession of ammunition without firearm certificate and engaging in criminal activities . He called on residents in the Coastal region to be vigilant and report any suspicious characters along the Coast as the Kenya Defense Forces ( K.D.F) continues its fight against the outlawed group in Somalia.

Public Health and Sanitation minister Beth Mugo left the country last Friday to seek preventive cancer treatment in the United States. The medical care is meant to hinder recurrence of breast cancer that she was diagnosed with last year. The minister was accompanied by her personal assistant Rossalind Murimi, and two close relatives. Mrs Mugo’s physician, Dr Robert Mathenge, told the Nation that the disease was diagnosed at an early stage and that she had since undergone further evaluation. The heart specialist at the Equatorial Heart and Blood Vessel Clinic confirmed that his patient would be away for several weeks. “I would, however, appeal to Kenyans, especially the media, to let her have treatment peacefully,” he said. The ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr Mark Bor, said that the minister’s visit to the US was private and could not comment on the issue.

Sources within his docket alleged that the trip cost the ministry Sh27.5 million, which Mr Bor also refused to comment on. One of the people who accompanied Mrs Mugo is said to be her bodyguard but police headquarters said that they were not aware of that. Deputy police spokesman Charles Owino said that so long as the officer had acquired the necessary clearance from the Office of the President, he was free to accompany the minister. In 2005, MPs reviewed their medical cover to include two spouses and eight children, implying that they could be admitted to any hospital in the world recommended by their doctors. The government recently opened cancer management centres at Homa Bay and Webuye district hospitals. The Cancer Prevention and Control Bill, if passed will decentralise cancer treatment facilities further so that Kenyans throughout the country can access proper care. – Daily Nation.

China's economy, the world's second-largest, grew at its slowest pace in more than two years, latest government figures show. Gross domestic product expanded by 8.9% in the three months to the end of December, from a year earlier. That is down from 9.1% in the previous quarter. The statistics bureau data showed that growth for the full year was 9.2%, down from 10.3% in 2010. Analysts said they expect the economy to slow further this year. "Looking at the rest of 2012, you are going to see an even sharper slowdown in the first quarter because of the effect of monetary tightening," said Arjuna Mahendran, chief Asia strategist at HSBC Private Bank. "It will pick up later in the year."

China has previously been one of the fastest-growing economies in recent years. However, stimulus measures implemented by the government have created the risk of asset bubbles developing and China is looking at ways of gently slowing growth to what it sees as more sustainable levels. These measures have included a curb on lending to prevent overheating in the property and investment markets, and tightened monetary supply. Tuesday's data showed that real estate investment in China rose 27.9% in 2011, down from an annual growth rate of 29.9% between January and November, the National Bureau of Statistics said. However, it is not just domestic factors influencing growth. Another reason for the slide is the slowdown in exports because of weakening demand from Europe and the US. Data showed output from factories and workshops in the country rose 13.9% for all of 2011, which is a slower pace than in 2010. Some analysts are now calling for China to alter its growth strategy towards more sustainable levels, even if it is slower. "If you look at the composition of the growth, it is overwhelmingly delivered by an investment boom," said Patrick Chovanec, associate professor at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management in Beijing. "They have to focus on a sustainable development path, away from investment and more focussed on domestic markets here in China". Chinese authorities have been trying to boost levels of domestic consumption to reduce the country's reliance on exports.

UK unemployment rose by 118,000 in the three months to November to 2.685 million, official figures show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the unemployment rate also rose to 8.4% from 8.3%, the highest since January 1996. The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in December rose by 1,200 to 1.6 million. The number of young people looking for work hit a new record of 1.043m, taking the rate for 16-24 year-olds to 22.3%. The number of people in employment rose slightly in the three months to November by 18,000 to 29.119 million. The figures support the picture of a flat UK economy, with other data released on Wednesday showing average weekly earnings, including bonuses, grew at just 1.9%. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said the figures were not good news: "Any increase in unemployment is disappointing and obviously a tragedy for the person who becomes unemployed - that is why we are taking action to get people back to work". He pointed to an increase in the number of people in work, to new private sector jobs and a small fall in the long-term unemployed.

'REMEMBER TODAY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE LORD THROUGH YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH HIM...' DEUTERONOMY 11:2

A woman was recently in a local newspaper announcing with immense pride that after years of study and hard work she had achieved a Phd in her greatest passion; air guitar. There was nothing she didn't know about the history, the various stances and how to identify a truly great air guitarist. Most people reading that article had identical reactions; what a tremendous waste of time! Sadly, for many Christians the same can be said of their Bible study. You see in churches we love Bible Studies. They are less effort than prayer meetings and certainly easier than making any attempt to meet people outside of church. You sit, you listen, you drink tea, you go home. Now of course Bible study is absolutely essential to our faith! Without gaining God's wisdom from his word we're absolutely stuffed. But, if we take His word and don't act upon it, it's as useless as a Phd in air guitar. In fact it's worse because we can become judgmental and very proud. By taking a scripture we know from the Bible, applying it to our lives then living an experience, the Word comes alive! We can relate to the characters, we can understand the tests of faith. James writes 'Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to His word; instead put it into practise' (James 1:22 TEV). You wouldn't read a holiday guide and think 'I've read the book, now I don't need to go', you read the guide to get the best possible experience from your adventure! The Bible is exactly the same - a guide book to living life to the max, not a substitute for it!

Detectives investigating the deaths of two warring neighbours are trying to establish whether one man killed the other and then suffered a heart attack following a row over parking.

The Green house was the home of Alan Taylor, and the other body was found in number 7 next door Photo: Peter Lawson/Eastnews Press Agen

The bodies of Alan Taylor, 59, and Richard Wight, 55, were discovered in their adjoining bungalows on Sunday afternoon.

Neighbours said the pair had been “at war” in recent weeks over a parking dispute on the tiny lane where they lived in Braintree, Essex. Mr Taylor was discovered by family members who called an ambulance to say he was having a heart attack.

When police arrived, he was dead. Mr Wight’s body was discovered more than an hour and a half later by a police officer doing house-to-house enquiries.

It is believed the pair had an altercation but police last night refused to confirm the extent of any injuries sustained by the two men.

It is thought officers are investigating the suggestion that Mr Taylor killed Mr Wight before returning to his own home where he later died. Ch Supt Michelle Dunn of Essex Police confirmed a murder inquiry had been started. She said: “Both deaths are being treated as suspicious at this time. A full forensic examination is taking place at the properties of both deceased men. Inquiries are continuing to establish the sequence of events leading to the both deaths.”

Last night a post mortem examination of Mr Taylor was under way. Mr Wight’s post mortem is expected to take place today. Neighbours said the two men had been involved in an ongoing dispute. One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “Something had been going on between the pair of them. We said it looked like they had been rowing, it was as though they were at war over something. “There was definitely tension there when I saw them.”

Another former resident of the lane said that Mr Wight, who is understood to have been a lorry driver, had previously complained about parking issues in the street. The neighbour said: “Richard did not have any family and I believe there was only one person who used to come and visit him. “He was something of a loner and when we lived there he would come out and shout at delivery drivers when they dropped takeaways off.

“Somebody bumped into his van once down the lane and he put a big note in his window, stating the date and time that the accident happened, which me and my partner thought was quite odd at the time. “He was always worrying about his van which was parked in the lane.” Mr Wight’s white Fiesta van was removed from the scene and placed on a police low-loader for forensic examination.

On the vehicle’s dashboard a bright red notice, measuring 12in by 9in, states: “Concealed CCTV cameras operate on these premises.”

Ed Miliband and Ed Balls are both under fire in the latest attack: but will there be change at the top?

Unite leaders Len McCluskey doesn't pull any punches in his critismof two Eds at the helm of the party - Mr. Miliband and Mr.Balls.

In Mr McCluskey's view, Labour's refusal to reverse cuts - including the controversial public-sector pay freeze - has Blairite fingerprints all over it. It is "a victory for discredited Blairites at the expense of the party's core supporters" and as a consequence "we will be fighting the Labour frontbench as well as the Government".

But - I feel - the spectre of a credible Blairite challenge to Ed Miliband is unlikely to become a reality in the short term. Consider Labour's record of getting rid of leaders. In addition, there is no credible Blairite candidate. Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, is the favourite to take over but she can't be described as New Labour. There are no signs that David Miliband is ready to mount a leadership challenge - particularly if it involves stabbing his brother in the back.

That said, it is clear that the split within Labour on economic policy - the subject of many discussions around the shadow cabinet table - is proving corrosive. There will be some in the party who agree entirely with what Mr McCluskey says. Others will disagree just as vehemently. One Labour MP articulated this view to me this morning, when he said that taking on the unions would improve Ed Miliband's standing with the public. After years of Blairite/Brownite divisions, the party is still struggling to unite.

Ed Miliband is spending too much time trying to convince people in his own party about the merits of his policies - rather than the electorate. And that will be a problem if Labour is to have a chance in 2015.

Britannia CAN rule the waves! Cameron and senior royals back the Mail's campaign to replace Queen's yacht in honour of Diamond Jubilee - at no cost to taxpayers

Left, how the Royal Yatch Britannia will look. Centre, Monarch's transportation: The yacht will be a fitting tribute for the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee this year Grand history and right, the original Royal Britannia sails under Tower Bridge in London in its full glory

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were on Sunday under pressure to resolve the general election date issue following Friday’s court ruling that polls can only be held this year if the two agree to dissolve the grand coalition government. Leaders from different parts of the country were of the view that although the High Court did not give a definite date for the polls, it had given the two principals powers to resolve the issue.
Constitutional Court judges Isaac Lenaola, David Majanja and Mumbi Ngugi gave two options on when the elections can be held. If they are to be held this year, it will only be “within sixty days from the date on which the National Coalition is dissolved by written agreement between the President and Prime Minister” according to the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.
The second option is “within sixty days from the expiry of the term of the National Assembly on 15th January 2013.” That would push the election date to mid-March next year. (DOWNLOAD: Election Date Ruling). While agreeing with the court ruling, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said that the next elections could still be held in December as the government had proposed in a constitutional amendment Bill that was pending before the court gave its verdict.
Mr Musyoka was speaking at St Emmanuel Cathedral grounds in Kajiado town where he witnessed the consecration and enthronement of the Rev Gaddiel Katanga Lenini as the second ACK Bishop of Kajiado Diocese. The ceremony was conducted by the head of Anglican Church of Kenya, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala. Others who attended the ceremony included ministers George Saitoti (Internal Security), William ole Ntimama (National Heritage), area MP Joseph Nkaissery, Masinga MP Itwiku Mbai, Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko and Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni.
Elsewhere, Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli warned of a national uprising if the General Electionsis not held by December, describing the court ruling as dangerous. Mr Atwoli warned that if elections are not held by the end of this year, Cotu will on January 1, 2013 lead Kenyans in an uprising to take over power. Speaking at the weekend in Kobala in Rachuonyo North District during the burial of the secretary-general of the Kenya Shoe and Leather Workers Union, Mr Joseph Bolo Awach, Mr Atwoli termed the ruling as an illegality against natural justice which can plunge the country into chaos.
Bishop Beneah Salala of the Anglican Church, Mumias Diocese said President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga must read the mood of the nation. “The court’s ruling was just but an interpretation of the law and it is now up to the two to show statesmanship by ensuring that Kenyans cast ballots this year and not 2013 since that is what the electorate wants,” Bishop Salala told the Nation. His sentiments were echoed by Bishop Rashid Nanjira of the Prayer Warrior Centre Churches who said it is time the president and the PM rose to the occasion. “The ball is in their court and the pair must act sparingly because any deviation from the expectations of the electorate may not be received well by the people,” he said. Read more...

The High Court on Friday declined to give a definite date for the next elections, placing the task in the hands of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. A three-judge bench of the Constitutional Court, in a landmark ruling, declared that unless President Kibaki and Mr Odinga dissolved the government by the end of October, the next elections could be held in early 2013. Should the President and the PM opt not to bring to an end their mediated political marriage, the judges ruled that the elections date would be hinged on the term of the current Parliament, which comes to an end on January 14 next year.

The ruling by Justices Isaac Lenaola, David Majanja and Mumbi Ngugi added more uncertainty to the date of the next elections which has been a subject of heated debate, with the Cabinet seeking to move it permanently to the third Monday of December in the fifth year after last General Election. The Constitution fixes it on the second Tuesday of August. (DOWNLOAD: Election Date Ruling)

Aware of the impact of their ruling, they said: “We are conscious that our findings may be unpopular with a section of Kenyans who have preconceived notions about the elections but we hasten to remind Kenyans that our undertaking is not to write or re-write the Constitution to suit popular opinion. Our responsibility is to interpret the Constitution in a manner that remains faithful to its letter and spirit and give effect to its objectives.”

Litigants John Harun Mwau, Mugambi Imanyara, Lawrence Gumbe and Martin Gitonga had separately placed before the judges two options for the elections date — August 14, 2012 and March 2013.

But in their ruling, the judges were categorical that the dissolution of the coalition government established by the National Accord on February 28, 2008 was a key determinant. The accord states that the coalition government stands dissolved when either of the coalition parties agree in writing or one coalition partner withdraws from the mediated arrangement. “If the elections are to be held in 2012, it must be done within 60 days upon the dissolution of the National Coalition Government by written agreement between the president and the PM in accordance with Section 6 of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act,” ruled the judges. If the two principals do not dissolve the government, it is likely that Kenyans will go into the polls next year, after the term of the current Parliament ends on January 14.

“The 5th anniversary of the day the 10th Parliament first sat is designated by a legal notice as January 15, 2008. The term therefore expires on January 14, 2013 and the elections shall be held within 60 days from January 15, 2013,” the judges said. But even this interpretation drew mixed reactions with Gichugu MP Martha Karua, a former Justice minister, and her successor, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, differing over the matter. While Ms Karua felt that the ruling did not push the election date beyond January 14 next year, Mr Kilonzo was of the view that the elections date could be pushed to March next year. Another point of contention was whether this utomatically pushed President Kibaki’s term to March next year. Read more... Video...

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Incorporate these six principles into your life: 1) don't worry, when you're doing your best. God accepts no less, but He demands no more. 'Trust in the Lord, and do good...and He shall give you the desires of your heart!' (Psalm 37:3-4 NKJV) 2) don't hurry, when success depends on accuracy. 'Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty' (Proverbs 21:5 NLT) 3) don't form conclusions until you have all the facts. Everyone you meet has unmet needs, unhealed wounds and unfulfilled hopes. If you want people to evaluate you by your best qualities, rather than your worst, 'Do to others as you would like them to do to you' (Luke 6:31 NLT) 4) don't believe a thing is impossible without trying it. When you are in God's will, doing things God's way, sensitive to His timing and willing to persevere, your problems are just a platform for Him to work on your behalf '...we must wait patiently and confidently.' (Romans 8:28 NLT) 5) don't waste your time on trivial matters. In order to put first things first, you must ask yourself, 'What is it that only I can do, or do best?' Only when you've answered that question will you know what you should do 6) don't think that good intentions are an acceptable excuse for doing nothing. Examine your life; are you a 'talker' or a 'doer?' Get specific about your diet and your devotions, your finances and your family, etc. Write these words on a card and read them regularly: 'If it's to be, it's up to me.' James writes: '...faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead' (James 2:17 NKJV).

Samuel Muturi (Died 9th January 2012) and Lucy Muturi (Died 21st Nov 2011)

We regret to announce the death of Mr Samuel Muturi who died on Monday 9th January 2012 after a long battle with Kidney problems. He is from Murang’a in Kenya.
He was the loving husband to late Lucy Muturi, dad to Helen, William and Mark Muturi, brother to many and cousin to Benson Mutuota Mwangi from Swindon (UK), Julius Maina Ndirangu from Oxford (UK) and many more and a friend to many.
Samuel Muturi will be laid to rest on the Tuesday 17th January 2007 in Murang’a.
Lucy Muturi died after a short battle with cervical cancer on 21st Nov 2011 and was laid to rest on the 29th Nov 2011 in Murang’a.
Mr. Samuel Muturi (Ndugu) and Lucy Muturi who were in their forties previously lived in East London (Plaistow) and thereafter Swindon, Wiltshire before returning to Kenya (Office: Ruprani House- Nairobi) in 1998.

We the organising committee of Mr Samuel Muturi Kidney transplant fundraiser would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the family, friends & people of goodwill who helped him raise funds on 30th July 2011 In Swindon or supported the family in any other way. Your support was not in vain. It is man who proposes but God disposes.

For more information please contact : Benson Mwangi (Swindon-UK)-07584026099; Julius Maina (Oxford-UK) - 07789295687, George Kiboro (Luton-UK) – 07824835066

Members of the United Republican Party (URP) William Ruto (left), Chirau Ali Mwakwere (centre) and Omigo Magara during a press conference on January 12, 2012. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI/NATION

Eldoret North MP William Ruto on Thursday launched the party he will use to vie for the presidency after he ditched United Democratic Movement on Monday. The United Republican Party (URP), whose slogan is ‘Sema na Utende’ (Say and Do) was unveiled at Serena Hotel in Nairobi. The party, whose headquarters will be at the former UDM offices in Lavington, Nairobi, brings together rebel ODM MPs and other leaders including Trade Minister Chirau Mwakwere, Turkana Central MP Ekwee Ethuro, his Wajir South MP Mohammed Sirat and Mr Cyrus Jirongo of Lugari. “From today henceforth we shall be distinguished from all others by our unique identity as Republicans of Kenya,” they declared in a statement read by Mr Ethuro.

“The changes were necessitated by challenges we faced as we tried to join the UDM. A few of the UDM officials were unwilling to accommodate the changes that came with the apparent interest by our supporters,” he said. The MP said it became apparent that UDM was infiltrated by external forces that “were out to cripple the party by all means by refusing our suggestion to have a democratically elected governing body.” (READ: Ruto blames ‘external forces’ for UDM woes) And they had a message for their former party and their perceived backers: “although our competitors intended to harm us, we have today established a vibrant and people-centred political party that denotes a fresh start that we yearn for.” In what echoes what the ‘No’ campaign stood for during the 2010 referendum on the Constitution, Mr Ethuro said the party respects the family as the basic unit of the nation.

“We subscribe to the family values based on African principles, especially marriage being between man and woman and the sanctity of life from conception,” said Mr Ethuro. The nascent party is set to hold a launch-cum-recruitment drive on Sunday at the Bomas of Kenya. Mr Ruto, who sat between Mr Ethuro and Mr Mwakwere, did not speak to the press and questions addressed to him were answered by Mr Duale, the party spokesman. Mr Ruto rushed to register the new party which has been issued with a provisional certificate, after it emerged that time was running out for him to put his house in order in his quest for presidency. Video

Pirates managed only four hijacks off the Somali coast but were prepared to travel much further afield

A suspected pirate ship with pirates and hostages that was stopped by the Danish navy. Photograph: JENS DAMHOJ / HANDOUT/EPA

Somali pirates managed only four successful hijacks off the coast of the country last year as a crackdown involving the Royal Navy forced the criminals to travel much further afield to target merchant ships. In one failed attack, the pirates went to within 200 miles of India – a trip of more than 1,500 miles each way. Their willingness to take more risks is a concern for Nato, which is helping to co-ordinate international efforts to push back against activity that has caused havoc on major sea routes in recent years. The pirates have also secured hundreds of millions of dollars from private companies that have often defied government advice by paying substantial ransom demands to free hostages.

However, newly aggressive anti-piracy tactics appear to be having an effect, with the latest Nato figures showing there was a sharp drop-off in successful attacks in 2011. Pirates captured only four vessels off the coast of Somalia last year, compared to 26 in 2010, and the same number in 2009. They launched failed attacks against 52 other ships, 16 fewer than the year before. The pirates managed just one hijack further north in the Gulf of Aden, compared to 12 in 2010. Instead, the criminals appear to have focused to the east and the distant waters of the Arabian Sea, where they successfully captured 19 ships last year, and attempted to take 48 others. But even when they have taken ships, the pirates are struggling to keep hold of them; Nato believes there are only six vessels being held at the moment, with a total of 175 hostages. More than 1,100 suspected pirates are now in custody, mostly in the Seychelles or Kenya awaiting trial.

The Royal Navy has been helping to spearhead the effort – including a dramatic chase last month that ended when a sniper on a navy helicopter began firing at pirates who had attacked a Spanish fishing vessel. Seven Somalis were arrested. A small number of British special forces have been operating from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Fort Victoria, which has also helped give more bite to anti-piracy efforts. Defence sources said there were three main reasons why the pirates were less successful last year. "Ships are protecting themselves more effectively, by putting up barbed wire to make it more difficult for the pirates to get on board," said one defence source. "Nations like China and Russia are also protecting some vessels by making them travel together in convoys. Thirdly, the taskforce has also been targeting the so-called mother ships. These are the bigger vessels the pirates use to launch smaller skiffs for the attacks."

A Nato official added: "Our trend lines are improving because our allies and partners are getting better at disrupting attacks. But the piracy threat remains a persistent one." That sentiment was echoed in a report by the foreign affairs select committee. It noted average ransoms had risen from $600,000 (£390,000) to $4.7m per vessel over the last four years. In all, $135m was paid to the pirates in 2011. The report said this was "an alarming [figure] which should be a matter of deep concern to the British government and to the entire international maritime community". Despite the rise in the number of people in custody, MPs said an estimated 90% of suspected pirates were released without charge. It urged the British government to start prosecutions in the UK if necessary. A number of Britons have been taken hostage by pirates, including Paul and Rachel Chandler, who were freed in 2010 after being held for a year.

Last September, pirates murdered a British businessman, David Tebbutt, and kidnapped his wife, Judith. The couple were on holiday at a beach resort in Kenya. Tebbutt, 58, died from a single gunshot wound to his chest. His wife has not been seen since.

Judges Mumbi Ngugi (left) Isaac Lenaola (centre) and David Majanja (right) when they delivered their ruling on the elections date case at the High Court, Nairobi January 13, 2012. BILLY MUTAI

The date when Kenyans will vote in their next president is yet to be known after a court ruling on a case seeking interpretation of the first General Election under the new Constitution gave two options. Judges Isaac Lenaola, David Majanja and Mumbi Ngugi, sitting as a Constitutional Court, delivered the landmark ruling Friday.

They ruled that the General Election can only be held in 2012 if President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga agree, in writing, to dissolve the Grand Coalition Government. This would be 60 days after the Principals agree to terminate the National Accord that holds the coalition parties, PNU and ODM, together.

The other option would see Kenya go to the polls in 2013 after the expiry of the Tenth Parliament. This would be 60 days after the House first sat on January 15, 2008. The judges also ruled that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will be the body to determine the exact date. The Constitution envisages that elections be held on the second Tuesday every fifth year, which translates to August 14, 2012.

The Chairman of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) Charles Nyachae welcomed the ruling saying that only the courts are mandated to interpret the contentious issue and not individuals. However, Gichugu MP Martha Karua disagreed with the ruling. "I totally disagree with the court ruling. Term of office must include the election period and that's the interpretation world over," she said on her Twitter account.

The three-judge bench gave its judgment on two cases which were filed separately but were heard together because they all sought to have the court’s interpretation on the right date of the polls. When the dispute over the date of the next General Election was argued before the three judges in December last year, parties in the petition proposed three different dates. Whereas Attorney General Githu Muigai rooted for December, Kilome MP Harun Mwau proposed March 2013 while lawyer Mugambi Imanyara, Prof Lawrence Gumbe and Martin Gitonga submitted that the elections should be held in August 2012.The The Commission on the Implementation of the Commission (CIC) also supported the August date

The AG asked the judges to consider precedents from other jurisdictions in similar situations, maintaining that December was the most practical date. He submitted that the court’s final decision should not be arbitrary but balanced to incorporate the views of bodies mandated to organise the next elections. His position was supported by the IEBC which submitted that they require time to prepare and organise the elections, which cannot happen before December. Mr Imanyara and his co-petitioners said the polls should be held on the second Tuesday in August of every fifth year in accordance with Article 101 of the Constitution.

They said this was the only date stated clearly in the Constitution, adding that it could only be changed through a referendum.

The Commission on the Implementation of the Commission (CIC) supported the August date, saying that Parliament alone cannot change the election date unless there is a referendum.

Mr Mwau based his argument on the transitional clauses in the Constitution which provides for election 60 days after the expiry of the term of the current Parliament.

The Kilome MP said he was sworn in on January 15, 2008, therefore, his term should end on January 14, 2013.

Section 9 of the Sixth Schedule states that the first elections for the President, National Assembly, Senate, County Assemblies and Governors shall be held within 60 days after the dissolution of Parliament at the end of its term.

The ruling will not only impact on the political scene but also affect the civil service which has several of its top officials declaring that they will run on the forthcoming elections. Electoral laws require any public officer who intends to contest an election to resign from public office at least seven months before the date of election.

Some of the UK Newspaper front news from left, Evening Standard with Olympic rush to rent out homes, Daily Express with its heading Morgages are cheapest ever, Daily Mail with the heading Oxford Don is quized over the death of Professor and Daily Mirror with its heading as Our hearts are broken forever.

Old age officially begins when people reach the age of 54 and youthends when people turn 32, a Government survey has found.

According to the DWP’s research, one in three people have experienced some form of prejudice in the last year because of their age Photo: Alamy

People under the age of 25 believe old age starts sooner than those over the age of 50, a survey of British attitudes by the Department for Work and Pensions has found. On average, Britons believe that old age starts at 59 while youth ends at 41.It found that people over 80 believe that youth ends at 52 while old age starts at 68. Steve Webb, the Pensions Minister, said that attitudes towards age must change due to Britain’s rapidly ageing population. With the retirement age for men and women reaching 66 by 2020, the minister said that people must alter their perceptions of when people become ‘old’.

“The idea that we are ‘old’ at 59 belongs in the era of Downton Abbey – not in 2012,” said Mr Webb. He said that the country is “on the brink of a new world”. “People today are living longer, working longer and contributing more in their later lives. This is great news and it is important that our perceptions of age keep up with the reality of our increasing longevity,” the minister said. The DWP report, called Attitudes to Age in Britain, found that old people have the opposite attitude towards young people. The DWP based its analysis on an Office for National Statistic survey of almost 2,200 people. The report concluded that "age-related stereotypes are rooted in British society”.

According to the DWP’s research, one in three people have experienced some form of prejudice in the last year because of their age.

One in seven people said that having a boss in their 70s is “completely unacceptable”, while just one in 20 were unwilling to accept a boss in their 30s. Despite this, the survey found that people over 70 are viewed as more friendly, more competent and as having higher moral standards than people in their 20s. The DWP said that the ageing population presents a number of challenges to society.

These include social exclusion, whereby older people are left feeling “isolated and excluded from opportunities”. The DWP also said that the economy could suffer due to lost productivity if older workers are not given jobs that they are willing and able to perform.

“It is imperative that a fuller understanding of attitudes to age is sought if the Government is to successfully develop and implement strategies to ensure social inclusion of older people,” the report said. The report found that young people also suffer age discrimination.

Under-25s were found to be twice as likely to have experienced age discrimination as other age groups. As well as different age groups having different ideas of what constitutes old and young, differences in attitudes were found between genders. Men think that people stop being young earlier than females do, the DWP found. Men also believe that old age starts sooner than women do.

Britonseat less fruit and vegetables than people in any other major European country, a study found

Britons eat too much of this and not enough fruit and veg, found the report comparing European diets Photo: PA

Only those in Finland, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Iceland eat less, found the report by the European Food Information Council.

On average, Britons eat 258 grams, or 9.1 ounces, of fruit and vegetables a day - significantly short of the 400g (14.1oz) minimum recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). That figure - and those measured in the report - excludes potatoes and other starchy vegetables. The study suggests successive attempts to get people to eat 'five-a-day' items of fruit and veg have had limited impact - although consumption has increased since the 1970s.

Only four of 19 countries surveyed reached the WHO target, with Poland (577g) coming top of the class, The Grocer reported. It was followed by Italy (452g), Germany (442g) and Austria (413g). High consumption of fruit and vegetables has been associated with lower risk of developing a range of chronic diseases, including a range of cancers such as those of the bowel and throat, and cardiovascular disease, the report noted. It also identified a 'north-south divide' when it came to consumption, with northern European nations tending to eat less than those in the south - feted by public health experts for its "Mediterranean diet". "Consumption varies, with higher intakes in southern compared to the northern regions," according to the report. However, it also discovered that people in northern nations such as the UK were more likely to eat their vegetables raw, which tends to conserve their nutritional value, while those in the south tended to consume them more in soups. Tam Fry, a spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, commented: "It is disastrous that we eat so little fruit and veg. "It is hugely important in terms of nutrition, and they are also foodstuffs that don't tend to have lots of calories."

The cost of household gas has soared

Pressure is mounting on energy companies to cut household bills after new researc shows that the price of gas and electricity on world markets has tumled in recent months.

Household bills should fall by as much as £135 a year as a result of falling prices on the so-called wholesale market, according to Energyhelpline.com. Last year, the average household dual fuel bill stood at around £1,200 after big energy firms increased prices due to the rising cost of gas and electricity. The increase put a squeeze on household budgets and saw a large rise in the number of families living in fuel poverty. However Energyhelpline.com said that the UK’s ‘big six’ energy companies – British Gas, Npower, EDF, Scottish Power, Eon and SSE – should now be in a position to start cutting bills due to the fall in wholesale prices. “Residential price cuts of between 5 and 10 per cent could be just around the corner,” said Mark Todd, a director at the price comparison website.

Energyhelpline.com said that the current cost of gas on the wholesale market is 53p a therm, a fall of a third from 78p a therm in September. As the wholesale gas price makes up just under half of an energy company’s cost of supplying gas to a home, it said that the fall should shave 15 per cent off a household bill.

Meanwhile wholesale electricity prices have fallen by 27 per cent since the summer. The wholesale price makes up 40 per cent of the cost of supplying electricity to a home, meaning that the fall should reduce bills by around 11 per cent, Energyhelpline.com said. “Gas price drops of up to 15 per cent and electricity price drops of up to 11 per cent do not look unaffordable to energy suppliers, though whether they will materialise is another question entirely,” said Mr Todd. Recently The Co-op and Ovo, which are both small suppliers, have announces price cuts. The large energy companies said that they have no immediate plans to cut prices. Many of them buy their wholesale energy months in advance at fixed prices, meaning that short-term changes in the wholesale price do not affect their tariffs. An Npower spokesman said that there are “no plans” to change prices, although it “constantly monitors” long and short term wholesale energy prices.

A spokesman for EDF said that the company has had the lowest dual fuel prices for two winters in a row and that it was the last of the major suppliers to increase its prices last year. “Our prices are continually under review and we will continue to provide competitive prices,” the spokesman said. British Gas said: “Wholesale price movements are clearly a matter of public record, however we do not comment on – or speculate about – future retail pricing movements.” Meanwhile an Eon spokesman said: "We have no current plans to change our prices but continue to monitor the wholesale market. The unfortunate reality is that, over the longer term, global wholesale energy prices are expected to rise."

Hebrew 11:6

What God Expects from You-Faith

The Bible says, 'But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.' Do you know what God expects of you? Faith! He wants you to trust His Word, His character and His track record of faithfulness. It is impossible to please Him if you don't. The difficulty you're dealing with right now may have to do with where you are in your faith walk with God. That doesn't mean if you're going through trouble, you don't have faith. But while it may not be a lack of faith that got you into trouble, it's the strength of your faith that will bring you through it. You say, 'But shouldn't I be rational?' Yes, but don't be so rational that you fail to leave room for the supernatural. Narcissism is the worship of our own intellect. We say, 'If I don't understand it, I don't believe it.' Then, in essence, you are your own god! You don't really believe in God, you believe in you. What are you going to do when life hands you a problem you can't solve? Before Christ raised Lazarus from the dead He asked Mary and Martha to take Him back to the grave, the place where they stopped believing, the point at which they gave up because of human limitation. Why? Because only when you reach that point, do you discover that God '...is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that [you] ask or think...' (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV).

Our Guest Singer today is Mr. Dennis Mutara from the Republic of Kenya - CLICK HERE

Isaac Wale | NATION Nabongo Japheth Wambani Rapando’s son, Japhath William Wambani (right), inspects the coffin at a workshop in Kisumu on January 11, 2012. Nabongo Wambani will be buried on Saturday.

When Nabongo Japheth Wambani Rapando, the departed king of the Wanga, is laid to rest on Saturday, he will have made history not because of his short reign but because he will be the first to break the community’s traditional burial rites. According to Wanga customs, kings are buried while seated, wrapped in animal skin with a stool, the symbol power, placed on their head. Wambani’s burial will be done in the modern way but still uphold the tradition. The coffin that will be used to bury the king has been built like a chair to comply with the tradition. Its design was drawn even before the king died. One of the royal’s sons, Mr James Wambani, says he gave instructions on the design last November when he realised his father’s health was deteriorating. “I knew the old man was not going to live long and started the preparations of having his coffin made,” explains Mr Wambani. He went on: “I constantly kept checking the progress and reminded the designer that he had to make something unique.” Mr Wambani, who is the fifth of Nabongo Rapando’s 11 sons, says his father left a will spelling out how he wanted to be buried.

According to the coffin designer, Mr Christopher Omondi, it is one of a kind. “I was amazed at the design since I have never made such a coffin before,” says Mr Omondi. Mr Wambani says it took him time to think of a design. “I had a picture in mind and this is it,” he says. The coffin is 6.3 feet and comes with a trolley.

“I will give them (the family) two of my aides to help them handle the coffin when they come for it,” says Mr Omondi. He says it took him two weeks to make it. The coffin cost Sh40,000 and the trolley Sh5,000, bringing the total price tag to Sh45,000. “I am impressed with the work and I think it is good value for money. It is a coffin befitting a king,” says Mr Wambani. Mr Wambani explains that he had to travel all the way to Kisumu to have it made. “It is said that if you want something nice or a great piece of art, go to Kisumu,” he says.

Noble Laureate Wangari Maathai’s hyacinth casket was also made in Kisumu. The coffin drew a huge crowd at Kibuye market.

Mr Wambani says the Wanga elders were opposed to the coffin initially as they wanted tradition to be followed to the letter. They wanted Nabongo Wambani’s body to be wrapped in animal skin instead of being buried in a coffin. This, according to Mr Wambani, was not possible because of health reasons. He explains that the family also imported a suit and shoes worth Sh20,000 to dress the king’s body. The coffin will be picked tomorrow morning and taken to St Mary’s Hospital mortuary in Mumias, where the king’s body lies, before they embark on the funeral procession to his home in Emulambo village, Mumias District.

According to Mr Wambani, viewing of the body will be at his home on Friday. Only immediate family members will be allowed to view the body. In a break with the Wanga tradition, the church is expected to lead the funeral service before the burial rites are performed. About 6,000 people are expected to attend the burial, including politicians. The successor of Nabongo Wambani will be decided before the burial. Community elders will lead the succession rites.

According to the Wanga traditions, the elders will anoint the successor from among the sons, who will then be expected to spear an animal. The animal is supposed to fall next to the body, confirming that the king has approved his successor. Failure means the elders have to make another choice. Nabongo Wambani, 88, died on January 1 at his home after a long battle with sickness.

A Fire Station in Yorkshire just big enough to fit a single 4x4 fire truck is due to be named the world's smallest.

Little alarming...Goathland is only big enough for a Land Rover and a filing cabinet

The nine volunteers who work from the 13ft by 20ft stone garage in Goathland, near Whitby, have applied to Guinness World Records to have their tiny station recognised. The brave men and women — who include a youth worker, a farmer and a salesman — can man the mini-station within four minutes of an alarm being raised. There they find their fire-fighting Land Rover equipped with tools. Engineer Chris Barker, 41, said: "The station was built by the people in the village and the land was given by a local resident. It's just a garage with a double door.

"There is a filing cabinet in the back and that's the stop point for the Land Rover. "Our gear is hanging up on the sides and there is a desk but we have no running water or toliet. "We don't have the snooker table or big kitchen that you find at other stations but we do have a kettle." The hardworking team — aged in their 20s and 30s — is equipped and trained to deal with most emergencies, from house fires, to car crashes and blazes on the moors. And they deal with an average of 25 to 50 call-outs a year. Chris said: "It's a real passion this. We take it very seriously.

We are a professional unit, if we go to the pub after a drill it is never with uniforms on and none of the drivers would drink when they are on call. We absolutely do this for the village." Despite the vast area that makes up North Yorkshire, the county's fire service is unique due to its rural economy and low population and is the only one in the country to use volunteer fire stations. A spokesperson for Guinness World Records said: "I can confirm that Guinness World Records did indeed receive an application from Goathland Volunteer Fire Crew to be recognised as the world's smallest fire station. "Guinness World Records does not currently hold the title. As this is a new category we are researching the claim and will respond in due course."

According to new research half of all foreign professionals would consider immigrating to London if they ever looked to work overseas. Next on the list of popular destination cities was New York at 28 percent, Singapore at 16 percent, Paris at 15 percent and Sydney at 10 percent. Dubai, Tokyo, and Shanghai were also in the top destination Cities for foreign professionals. 160,000 job-seekers in a range of sectors from banking to telecommunications participated in the survey. The survey findings revealed that London with its banking, legal and creative industries is still a major attraction to workers from all over the world. According to the statistics, the majority of the professionals immigrating to London are foreign workers from countries facing economic difficulties - particularly from Portugal, Ireland and Greece. Additionally, nearly half of survey participants also cited the higher standard of living in the UK as the main reason to move to and work in London.
"Jobseekers have become more flexible on where they'll work, and with English as their first language they have a advantage," said Mike Booker of totaljobs.com, which conducted the survey. Interestingly the report also found that 63 percent of UK professionals would be happy to work abroad, up from 47 percent from two years ago; Many are looking for higher living standards abroad.

The DoomsdayClock has beenmoved one minute closer to mid-night - meaning that the world is theoretically onestep closer toa huge globaldisaster. This week, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists (BAS) moved the hands of the symbolic clock from six to five minutes before midnight to reflect the world’s lack of progress on battling climate change, and new states pursuing nuclear weapons that could spell Armageddon.Japan’s Fukushima accident last year was also a deciding factor in the clock’s change. In a formal statement issued at the time of Tuesday's announcement, the BAS noted: “It is five minutes to midnight. Two years ago, it appeared that world leaders might address the truly global threats that we face. In many cases, that trend has not continued or been reversed. For that reason, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is moving the clock hand one minute closer to midnight, back to its time in 2007.”

The tower block in Hathaway Crescent Manor Park (left) and it is the same block where 15-year-old Kristy Bamu (right) was found dead just over a year ago. Picture: Steve Poston

Manor Park residents have told of their horror as they watched a man fall to his death from a high rise block of flats. The dead man, identified as Abdul Hakim Abubakar, fell from the 14th floor of a tower block in Hathaway Crescent last Wednesday. Incredibly, it is the same block where 15-year-old Kristy Bamu was found dead just over a year ago. And 24 hours after this latest tragedy at Old Bailey jury heard how he was tortured and drowned in a tale of horror. A sister and her partner are on trial for murder.

Last week paramedics from the ambulance and air ambulance services failed to revive Mr Abubakar, 34, and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.16am.

Tracy Beadle, who lives in low rise flats next to the tower block, said: “At first we thought it was a coat falling out because it was flapping about. “But then we realised it was a man. He fell such a long way, you could really see how far he fell, it was from really high up. “He was clearly still alive when he hit the floor. The police said that he was still alive when he landed when they came knocking afterwards.” Tracy added: “There’s something about those flats, everything happens in them. Last year, there was a murder on Christmas Day and this year it’s this. It’s always something. It’s just so sad.” Bernadette Mulhurn, who lives on the floor Mr Abubakar fell from, said she was also saddened by the death. She said: “We don’t know him because he wasn’t from here, he didn’t live in the Crescent.

“But it’s still just awful, really sad to have that happen.” Even Mukid Mir, who lives in a block on the other side of the Crescent, said it caused a scene. He said: “I didn’t see it, my sister came in and said there were loads of police cars outside, about three or four of them. “I thought someone must have been getting arrested for something but then an ambulance turned up and we heard what had happened. “I heard it was a man who fell from that tower block over there, it’s the tallest one around here as well so it must have been pretty bad.” The post-mortem examination will take place in due course and the police are not treating the incident as suspicious.

The 2012 Olympic Games are fast approaching; It is expected that there will be a huge increase in the number of visitors travelling to London to watch the games and take part in the festivities. Beginning 1 January 2012 UK immigration will start processing visitor visas for those coming from outside the UK to watch the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Not everyone will need a visit visa. Normally, this is only required for nationals of Countries who already require a visit visa to visit the UK. The press release from UK Border Agency noted that the Games are expected to be the biggest event that the UK has ever hosted and that many extra visitors will arrive during the busy summer period in 2012.
We advise you to apply as soon as possible so UK immigration officials can process your application in a timely manner. If you meet the requirements, you will be issued a UK visitor visa with a start date that will cover you for the whole Olympic and Paralympic Games period. Once you receive your UK visitor visa, you can then travel to the UK for the Games from the beginning of 2012.

The family of a young mother killed by an express train after she apparently jumped onto the track to retrieve her mobile phone have said their "world has been shattered". Charlene Pickering, 23, mother to four-year-old Toby, was hit by the 7.15pm Waterloo to Exeter service at around 7.30pm on Sunday. She is believed to have dropped her phone on to the tracks at Wimbledon station and jumped down to retrieve it, British Transport Police said.

In a statement issued by police, her family said: "Our world has been shattered by the tragedy that occurred on Sunday.

"Charlene was the light of our lives and with her infectious smile she brightened the world of all who knew her. "She is survived by her four-year-old son Toby, who will fortunately have the support of his loving father Owen and his many family and friends to help him through this traumatic time." I really am not looking forward 2 spending my life without you... we had made so many plans and they have been so cruelly taken. I am so lucky to (have) had you in my life. Daniel Pickett, Charlene Pickering's boyfriend

Miss Pickering's boyfriend Daniel Pickett also paid tribute to his partner on Facebook, posting a message which read: "If only heaven had a phone babygirl I would love to hear your voice just once more.

"I really am not looking forward 2 spending my life without you we had made so many plans and they have been so cruelly taken. I am so lucky to (have) had you in my life even though it was only nearly 4 months." He added that he would never forget her and that her son Toby was lucky to have her as a mother. "He will be so proud of you and he will also make you proud," he wrote. "Love you beautiful sleep well xx." Earlier in the day he had written on the social networking site that he was "on the way to Stamford Bridge with my gorgeous gf to watch Chelsea vs Pompey." A spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP) said: "Officers were called to Wimbledon railway station on Sunday January 8 after a woman was struck by a train.

"London Ambulance Service paramedics also attended but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is being treated as non-suspicious." Chief Inspector Alison Evans said: "We believe at this stage that the woman went on to the tracks to retrieve her mobile phone before being struck by the train. "This appears to have been a tragic accident and our thoughts remain with the woman's family at this very difficult and sad time for them." Police investigators are preparing a report for the coroner, the spokesman said.

It is with humble acceptance to the Lord, as we announce the promotion to Glory of our beloved father Mr Joseph Ndereva Gichuki on Wednesday 11th January 2012. He is from Ngorano, Mathira in Nyeri. He was the loving father to Mrs Lucy Githinji and father-in-law to Mr. Francis Githinji. The memorial service, in London, will take place on Sunday 15th January 2012 at PCEA UK Church, Stratford, Brickfields Christian Centre, Welfare Road, Stratford, London E15 4HT from 2.00 p.m.

Family and friends are meeting for prayers from today, Thursday 12th January, 2012 at:

For more information please contact Mr Githinji 07838 912 852 or Mrs Githinji 07949 238 898.

A FATHER of two dropped dead - minutes after proposing to his girlfriend of 20 years. antony Bentley finally proposed to long-term lover Tracy Sellers, 45, at a pre-Christmas family gathering. but after she agreed to many the 46-year-old, he suffered a suspected heart attack and paramedics were unable to revive him. Miss sellers, who lived with her print assistant boyfriend in Cheadle, Staffrdshire, said,:'Mybrother had been teasing him into making an honest woman out of me that night. 'He asked me to marry him and I said ''yes''. Then he just sat down and passed away.' He leaves two daughters, aged 17 and ten.

The pony seems settled and contented for the moment (left) and Ms Noble accepts the situation is not ideal (right).

A woman has adapted her home to make way for a new stable mate - her pony, Grey Lady Too. Stephanie Noble had the idea to put up her beloved pony in her house on the Isle of Lewis after a fallout with the people who were originally stabling the animal. The row fell on Christmas Eve and, because of the holiday period, Grey Lady Too's Irish-born owner could not find replacement accommodation. Ms Noble wrapped the animal in blankets to protect her against the cold for the night and tried to find alternative lodgings on Christmas Day. After unsuccessful efforts, the animal lover instead decided to clear some furniture and convert part of her sitting room into a stable for the three-year-old pony. To the consternation of her neighbours, she converted her front room by nailing planks in place to make a pen, bracing the ceiling tand using four dining room chairs as railings. "This was the safest option," said Ms Noble. "No one else will allow me to use their sheds or barns and I don't want her roaming free where she could damage property or hurt someone.

"I am hoping it's a temporary arrangement but who knows? "I had arranged boarding for her a few miles along the road but they let me down." She explained how she protected the property from the potential difficulties of having a pony in the house. "Under the hay on the floor, I have put thick rubber mats and boards help spread her weight. They protect the floor. "There is also a lot of cat litter to absorb any urine and other spillages. I do change the straw and disinfect every day." However, one neighbour said: "We are all shocked in the street that the environmental health or animal cruelty people have not intervened, even if it is Ms Noble's own home."

Another said: "There are potentially serious health issues. I believe Western Isles Council is wrong to play softly-softly and is completely failing in its duty to the rest of us by allowing this farce to continue. "She has been here for eight or nine years and has upset many people in that time." Western Isles Council said it believed it was limited in what it could do because the property was rivately owned. A spokesman said: "The council cannot comment on an individual case. However, the council would not advise anyone to keep a horse in a domestic property." The authority has promised, though, that it will investigate any concerns regarding animal welfare or public health nuisance and act accordingly.

New police officers mount a parade during the passout at Kiganjo Training College. Photo/FILE

As the country waits for the establishment of the Police Service Commission, debate has already started on the direction the Kenya olice will take once the new body starts rolling out much-awaited reforms in the force. Many believe that a spruced-up Vigilance House would usher in an era of civility, professionalism and responsiveness within the force, and that this new epoch would complement other reform initiatives across various arms of the government in the spirit of the new Constitution. What many do not ause to think about, however, is the current status of the Kenya Police, a force that has served this country for decades with minimal support from the government. While the new Inspector General would work with a top command that is completely different from the current one, there are indications that, unless more effort goes into equipping, retraining and generally professionalising the force, little will be achieved in terms of reforms.

Writing in the Sunday Nation this week, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe rightly argued that “professional policing is more about reducing opportunities for crime and securing freedom for the majority”, but unless the squalid conditions in which officers live and work are looked into, it is unlikely that the envisaged security will be achieved. For the force to “secure freedom for the majority”, imely response to criminal incidents is core. But within the Kenya Police, lack of transport and other equipment has, in most cases, prevented this much-needed response. In November last year, Internal Security minister George Saitoti identified transport as the major hindrance to police operations as he revealed that the Ministry had a shortfall of 7,203 vehicles against the required 9,779. A total of 100 District Commissioners, 438 Divisional District officers, 480 OCPDs and OCSs, and 220 District AP commanders have no official vehicles. During that same month, 69 vehicles valued at Sh170 million were handed out to provincial administrators and the AP, while another 19 lorries were distributed to the police.

Though, in the last financial year, the Ministry was allocated Sh1.449 billion for the purchase of motor vehicles for use by the two police services — Sh1 billion for police, Sh400 million for the AP, and Sh49 million for the Provincial administration — Saitoti said the money was not adequate to properly equip his officers. The challenges faced by the police in this regard are inadequate budget allocations and irregular and unpredictable funding that prevents effective planning and development. Prof Saitoti says the existing rocurement procedures are cumbersome, bureaucratic and too slow.

Because of the bottlenecks created in the funding of police work, some stations are forced to hire taxis to take their prisoners to court, while traffic officers use breakdown trucks within their station areas for transport. Housing has also been a major problem area for the force. Across the country, officers are housed in leaky hovels and, even though there has been a spirited clamour to improve this situation since 2009, progress has been snail-paced. In the late 2000s, for instance, the Government approved the construction of 27,000 housing units for the force. Read more..

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The cost of household gas has soared

Pressure is mounting on energy companies to cut household bills after new researc shows that the price of gas and electricity on world markets has tumled in recent months.

Hebrew 11:6

What God Expects from You-Faith

Our Guest Singer today is Mr. Dennis Mutara from the Republic of Kenya - CLICK HERE