Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Organisers of the Paris Olympics said Sunday they were “really sorry” for any offence caused by their daring and quirky opening ceremony but denied “any intention to show disrespect to any religious group.” Some Catholic groups and French bishops have condemned what they saw as “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity” in the parade on Friday choreographed by theatre director Thomas Jolly. Criticism has focused on a scene involving dancers, drag queens and a DJ in poses that recalled depictions of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus is said to have taken with his apostles. “Clearly there was…

Simone Biles dazzled on her Olympics return as the world’s most decorated gymnast showed she was back to her best three years after suffering the ‘twisties’.  The American, who has 37 world and Olympic medals, pulled out of several events at the Tokyo Games with the disorientating mental block, and many wondered if she would compete again. But after a two-year break she came back and set her sights on Paris. She had won more world medals since Tokyo, introduced a new skill and looked sharp in training, but no-one really knew what to expect when she entered the Bercy…

At least 19 people drowned when their boat sank in a river in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region on Saturday, the region’s official media said on Sunday. “Seven people including a child were saved in difficult circumstances,” the Amhara Media Corporation (AMC) added, quoting a local administrator. The boat was taking passengers across the Tekeze river, which runs along Ethiopia’s border with Eritrea before it crosses into Sudan at the point where the three countries meet. At least 26 people were estimated to have been on board at the time of the accident at around noon (0900 GMT) on Saturday, officials said.…

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) rejected an application to register 10 names of Gen Z political parties citing a lack of inclusivity. The registrar Ann Nderitu said the application is in violation of Article 91 (1) (a) (e) of the Constitution hence cannot be approved. Chapter 91 of the Constitution cites that a political party must have, (a), “a national character as prescribed by an Act of Parliament” and (e), “respect the right of all persons to participate in the political process, including minorities and marginalised groups”. One Simon Maina Mwangi had sought to reserve 10 names of…

The Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel that will recruit the electoral body’s Commissioners is taking shape following the selection and forwarding of nine nominees by the five bodies mandated by the newly signed electoral law.  The selection panel has three months from the day it will be gazetted to finalize its recruitment exercise and forward the names of the nominees to the president and shall thereafter stand dissolved unless its mandate is extended by Parliament. Plans are that the names will be gazetted by Tuesday July 30. The three persons nominated by the Political Parties Liaison Committee…

There are concerns after the Defence Council promoted a record 18 colonels to the rank of Brigadier. Insiders say the move was unusual and raises concerns. This came even as the Defence Council, which advises the Commander in Chief on promotions and appointments, generally meets twice a year- in March and November met last Wednesday July 24. This was seen as unusual and abrupt. “The announcements are usually therefore done between March to May, and between November to January. Two retirements and promotions sessions a year are more than enough,” an insider says. The Defence Council and the Commander in…

The UFC has a new welterweight champion after Belal Muhammad defeated Leon Edwards by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 304. Muhammad brought a relentless pressure that was simply too much for Edwards to handle from the opening bell, overwhelming the champion to take the belt. Muhammad immediately set the template for the fight, coming out in the opening seconds of the fight and immediately getting in Edwards’ face and forcing him onto the back foot. As Edwards’ back met the cage, Muhammad shifted from busy hands to a powerful double-leg takedown. Edwards, as he was able to…

Striker Rasmus Hojlund and £52m new-boy Leny Yoro both suffered first-half injuries as Manchester United lost their opening US tour game against Premier League rivals Arsenal in Los Angeles. Hojlund had given his side a 10th-minute lead when he burst onto Marcus Rashford’s first-time pass, outmuscled young defender Ayden Heaven, then beat Karl Hein with a shot through his legs. The Dane then turned a low Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross wide from close range before seeming to experience a muscle injury after 15 minutes that meant he could not continue. Yoro’s exit was equally innocuous. The 18-year-old, who only joined United…

Donald Trump told one of the largest cryptocurrency events of the year that if he is re-elected president he will fire the chairperson of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the first day. Trump was the keynote speaker at Bitcoin 2024 on Saturday, a gathering of industry heavyweights in Nashville, Tennessee. The Republican presidential candidate used the event to court voters and encourage campaign donations from the tech community. Cryptocurrency has emerged as a political battleground for Republicans, with Trump claiming the Democratic Party and Vice-President Kamala Harris were “against crypto”. The audience was at its most animated…

Israel’s air force says it hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, after 12 children and young adults were killed in a rocket attack while playing football in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel has blamed the Lebanese militant group for Saturday’s attack on the Druze town of Majdal Shams, but Hezbollah has strongly denied any involvement. Early on Sunday, the IDF said it had conducted air strikes against seven Hezbollah targets “deep inside Lebanese territory”. It is unclear whether there were any casualties. The rising tensions have the potential to trigger an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, whose forces have regularly…

Samoa’s boxing coach died at the Paris Olympics village after the 60-year-old had a cardiac arrest, officials said on Saturday. Governing body the IBA sent its “heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues” of Lionel Elika Fatupaito following his sudden death on Friday, the day of the opening ceremony. He was treated by emergency services but they were unable to save him, according to the local prosecutor’s office, which said he died of “natural causes”. “Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on the boxing community,” the International Boxing Association (IBA) said in a…

The Historic Town and Archaeological Site of Gedi in Watamu, Kilifi County, has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking a significant cultural and historical milestone for Kenya. The announcement was made at the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India. The event, which began on July 21 and will continue until July 31, 2024, will evaluate 27 sites for potential inclusion in the World Heritage List. A Kenyan delegation led by Professor Peter Ngure, Kenya’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO and Ambassador to India, graced the event, which underscored the country’s rich cultural…

Divers Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen won Team GB’s first medal on the opening day of the Olympics since 2004 with a dramatic bronze in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard in Paris. The pair were in tears at the end of the competition as they snatched Britain’s first female diving medal at an Olympics for 64 years behind China and the United States. They were sixth with two dives to go and fourth before the final dive but an excellent final effort moved them into third. Australia still looked set for bronze at worst, but a horrible mistake on…

Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is the only country left in Africa that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province. Eswatini is nevertheless a growing trade partner with China, which means the country has to be careful as it reaches out to other nations in Asia for new economic opportunities. Eswatini’s recent efforts to build stronger ties with South Korea, Singapore and Bhutan could be interpreted as a move away from China, its biggest trading partner in Asia. The kingdom imported more than $109 million in goods from China in 2022. But government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo said such…

Panama has accused the Venezuelan government of blocking a flight carrying former Latin American leaders who were due to observe presidential elections on Sunday.  Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said on social media that Venezuela had denied the plane permission to take off as long as the former leaders were aboard. The Venezuelan government has rejected the allegations. Among those on the plane were the ex-presidents of Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Bolivia – all critics of the current Venezuelan government who said they were hoping for an opposition victory. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is seeking a third consecutive…