Syria conflict: World powers to intensify quest for peace

The Vienna talks involved Iran, a key Assad ally, for the first time.
The ministers agreed to ask the United Nations to start a process that could lead to a ceasefire and new elections. But they disagreed over Mr Assad's future. New talks are due in two weeks.

Ahead of the talks, a Syrian government attack on a Damascus suburb left at least 57 people dead.

Transgender prisoner Tara Hudson MOVED to women's jail after 'unrelenting' sexist abuse from other inmates

A transgender woman suffering sexist abuse in a men's prison has been moved to a female-only jail.
Tara Hudson, 26, was transferred to HMP Eastwood Park, a women's closed prison around 15 miles from Bristol in South Gloucestershire with approximately 350 prisoners.

It holds both remand and sentenced prisoners, including young women from 16 upwards and has a mother and baby unit for up to 12 mothers.

In Burundi, despite the political turmoil, solar power plants projects are started

The hen contractors and members of the government signed an agreement on the first solar power station in Burundi, the future of this nation full of energy seemed very promising.The next day, shots were heard in the streets and buildings caught fire - a rebel general was trying to take power.

These are the challenges of the use of renewable energy in one of the most unstable countries in Africa. "We were so excited," recalls Sebitereko Lazarus, Program Director for Burundi enterprise specialized in development and social Solar Gigawatt Global. "It has upset us because we wanted to start our project. It does not stop the progression but is slow compared to what we expected. "

Ebola orphans face life of hardship as education and jobs remain out of reach

Going without food for two or three days is “like being in hell”, says Dauda Fullah, 25, who has been left to look after eight children and young adults since his parents died of Ebola.

“It’s been tough. It’s not easy with me because of financial problems, solving all the problems of the family and at the same time hoping to go back to college,” Fullah says. “I have been looking for a job in health for two years now. Even if you are qualified, it is hard to get a job, it’s not easy.”

South Sudan civil war inquiry details torture and forced cannibalism

A new report has laid bare the scale of the atrocities committed during South Sudan’s 22-month civil war, detailing cases of rape, torture, mutilation and instances of forced cannibalism.

The report, from the African Union (AU), also disputes the government’s claim that the conflict began after the country’s former vice-president, Riek Machar, attempted a coup against President Salva Kiir in December 2013. The resulting violence has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 2 million, and prompted fears of a famine.

Kenya police fear serial killer targeting sex workers after 10 deaths in one month

Kenyan police are investigating the murders of 10 women working as prostitutes, a record number of attacks in one month that has led to fears of a serial killer targeting sex workers.

Concerned about the safety of women working on the streets, campaigners have called on the government to legalise prostitution and offer proper protection to vulnerable women.

The police commander in the town of Nakuru, where four bodies were found, said an intense manhunt was under way for a “short adult male” in central Kenya.

Dear Jacob Zuma, this time white people haven’t made us angry. You have

South Africa’s student movement scored an historic victory on Friday when President Jacob Zuma finally announced he was scrapping plans to raise university fees after a week of protests rocked the nation.

More than 10,000 people gathered in front of the Union Buildings in Pretoria – the largest single student protest since the 1976 Soweto uprising – awaiting an appearance from Zuma to confirm his decision to the #FeesMustFall movement.

Nigeria imposes record $5.2bn fine on South African phone company

Nigeria has imposed a record $5.2bn fine on a South African mobile phone company for failing to register users, raising concerns that regulations are being tightened to compensate for a budget shortfall. The unprecedented fine has already caused a 16% drop in the share price of MTN, Africa’s largest mobile phone company, and threatens the firm’s future in Nigeria, its biggest and most profitable market. There are fears that the fine, which came on the same day that regulators acted against another South African company, could deter foreign businesses from investing in Nigeria.

Ugandans losing faith in electoral system as apathy and scepticism prevail

On a Tuesday morning, the rally on the streets of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, is full of verve. Its diversity – religious leaders, civil society groups, donors, musicians, comedians and ordinary Ugandans are all represented – only adds to the appeal.

The procession is led by the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda, an umbrella group of more than 600 NGOs working to encourage the populace to vote.

Syria peace talks pin hopes for end to war on Iran and Saudi Arabia

The broadest peace talks since the start of the Syrian war are getting under way in Vienna, with Iran joining arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and the US to try to orchestrate an end to one of the most dangerous global conflicts in decades.

While all regional stakeholders appear set to take a seat at the table, neither the Syrian government nor opposition have been invited, with any hope of a solution riding mainly on their respective regional patrons: Iran for the Assad regime and Saudi Arabia for those who oppose him.

Tanzania election winner declared despite vote-rigging claims

Tanzania’s ruling party candidate has been declared the winner of a controversial presidential election marred by claims of vote rigging and fears of violence.

John Magufuli, nicknamed “the bulldozer” for his track record as works minister, won 58.46% of the vote, compared with 39.97% for his main rival, Edward Lowassa.

Shaker Aamer released from Guantánamo Bay after 14-year detention

Shaker Aamer has been released after 14 years of incarceration at Guantánamo Bay, where he was beaten by his US military jailers but never tried for any offence, the UK’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has confirmed.

“The Americans announced some weeks ago that they were going to release Shaker Aamer from Guantánamo and I can confirm that he is on his way back to the UK now and he will arrive in Britain later today,” he said.

Khloe Kardashian Focusing on Lamar Odom’s Health Over a Relationship With Him

Khloe Kardashian says she is not getting back together with Lamar Odom, even though they have put their divorce on hold. Right now, the sole focus is getting him better.

In her first interview since Lamar's hospitalization, Khloe recalls her reaction to learning that the former NBA pro was found unresponsive at a Nevada brothel on Oct. 13. "All I knew was I had to get there," she told People. "I had to get to him and make sure he was OK. I hate that he was in that situation. I wouldn't want anybody in that situation, especially someone I love and care about."

Five-month-old boy left orphaned after parents killed in honeymoon quad bike accident

Jonathan and Emma Gray, both 25, died when they quad bike they were given a lift home on from a party crashed into a tree.

A five-month-old boy was left orphaned after his parents couple were killed on honeymoon in the Maldives in a quad bike crash, an inquest heard.

Jonathan and Emma Gray, both 25, were at a private party on the Kuredu Island Resort when at the end of the night the party host, Filip Petre, offered to drive them and two other couples back to their villas on a quad bike.

Africa puts security hopes in foreign-funded, home-grown strike force

Backed by tanks, armored vehicles and plenty of EU cash, thousands of African soldiers took on an imaginary enemy in the arid heart of South Africa this week, the last joint exercises before a homegrown continental strike force goes live.

Standing on far-away hilltops, commanders peered through night vision goggles and issued orders through helmet-mounted radios to the 5,400 troops simulating a dawn assault on rebels in the fictitious city of Kalasi marked out in the bush.

The orderly maneuvers and high-tech kit elicited purrs of approval from military chiefs who tout the rapid-reaction battalion - a key part of a long-awaited African Standby Force (ASF) - as the antidote to insurrections spiraling into civil war or even genocide. 

Kanye west's fans queue for hours to buy his $636 Yeezy boots and $235 T-shirts

Kanye West fans splurged up to $4,000 each after waiting for five hours to get their hands on his Yeezy fashion range - and claimed it was a 'blessing' handed down by the rapper.

Fashionistas as young as 15 spent $636 on a single pair of boots with one man grabbing one for him and one for his girlfriend.

Waiting to get Kanye's gear made them late for work and late for school but they said that it was 'worth it' - even at such a high price.

At Barney's on Madison Avenue in New York customers had to line up in the pouring rain on Wednesday night to get a wristband to let them queue again today. 

China ends decades-Long one child policy

China will ease family planning restrictions to allow all couples to have two children after decades of a strict one-child policy, the ruling Communist Party said on Thursday, a move aimed at alleviating demographic strains on the economy.

The policy is a major liberalization of the country's family planning restrictions, already eased in late 2013 when Beijing said it would allow more families to have two children when the parents met certain conditions.

A growing number of scholars had urged the government to reform the rules, introduced in the late 1970s to prevent population growth spiraling out of control, but now regarded as outdated and responsible for shrinking China's labor pool. 

Robert Mugabe wins China's version of the Nobel Peace Prize

China has awarded its own version of the Nobel Peace Prize to Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe on Thursday for what the committee termed as “support for pan Africanism and inspired national leadership”.

The Confucius peace prize was established in 2010 in response to the Norwegian Nobel committee’s decision to hand its annual prize to jail dissident writer Liu Xiaobo. He remains in prison for co-writing a pro-democracy manifesto called charter 08.

The 91-year old controversial president apparently beat out a number of other candidates for the award, including Bill Gates and South Korean president Park Geun-hye.

Jay-z and Beyonce separated for a year... New tell-all book claims

According to an unauthorized new tell all book titled Becoming Beyoncé; The untold story, released by celebrity journalist J. Randy Taraborelli, Beyoncé and Jay-z had secretly broken up three years prior to their wedding in 2008.

The book goes on to reveal that queen Bey wanted to focus on her career and her husband was feeling neglected. Eventually the couple agreed to take a break from the relationship.

It was during the supposed one-year break that Jay-z is alleged to have had an affair with his protégé 27-year-old Rihanna. It was also during this time that Jay-z signed Rihanna to his label Def Jam.

DPP orders probe into Aladwa's utterance

The director of public prosecution, Keriako Tobiko has directed DCI director Ndegwa Muhoro and National cohesion Integration commission (NCIC) to investigate current ODM’s Nairobi county branch chairman George Aladwa over hate speech remarks.

This is in response to a video that emerged on Wednesday, October 21 of him inciting a charged crowd during Mashujaa day celebrations in Kibera.

In the video that has been doing rounds on social media, Aladwa allegedly said that if the 2017 election will be rigged, a few people must die for Raila to become President.

Oscar Pistorius released from prison into house arrest

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was on Monday released from prison into house arrest, where he will serve the remainder of his five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013.

Pistorius had been in prison since October last year after a judge found him guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced him to five years in jail.

The former athlete, in his defense said that he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder.

Steenkamp, who was a model and law school graduate, was found dead at Oscar’s home and he acknowledged to firing the fatal shots through a locked bathroom door.

Pistorius, 28, had been expected to leave prison on Tuesday but was released a day earlier to avoid media glare.

Photos: See Betty Kyalo and Dennis Okari's honeymoon tour

TV newlyweds Betty Kyalo and Dennis Okari who exchanged vows on 2^nd October at an exclusive wedding ceremony at the Marula Manor, continue to enjoy their luxurious honeymoon. From Diani to Mauritius and now Dubai.

The couple kicked off their honeymoon in Diani where they spent two nights reminiscing on their romantic engagement.

Betty posted on her Instagram page to say “phase one of the honeymoon was beautiful!!!! Spent first 2 days of it at the beautiful Kenyan South Coast, Diani…. candle lit dinners and cozy warm nights in the exclusive gorgeous at Swahili Beach (The place it all started with the engagement.) 

Pope Francis to visit Kenya, Uganda and Central African Republic On his first Papal trip to Africa

The Vatican on Saturday released the official itinerary for Pope Francis’ Apostolic voyage to Africa.

According to the programme the Papal visit to Africa will kick-off on 25^th November and end on 30^th November.

The journey will be Pope Francis’ first to Africa since he took leadership of the Catholic Church in 2013.

The five-day visit to Africa will begin in Nairobi. He is expected to visit the St Joseph the worker parish on Friday 8:30 am, where he will conduct meetings with residents and faithful for one and a half hours.

Photo of the day!

 Black woman wearing a light skinned leggings making people think she's naked! Lol!

Lamar Odom regains conciousness

Former NBA star Lamar Odom's health has shown great signs of improvement four days after he was found unconscious at a legal brothel in Nevada.

According to TMZ the 35-year-old's heart is reportedly responding for the first time. Besides his heart, three other major organs were reportedly failing after his alleged drug overdose on Oct. 13. It is also suspected he may have brain damage after he suffered multiple strokes.

Khloe Kardashians' estranged husband emerged from the coma on Friday and had his breathing tube that was assisting his breathing removed.

Lamar's Las Vegas doctors are reportedly working with specialists from LA who were flown in by the Kardashian family. 

Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet wins 2015 Nobel Peace Prize

The Norwegian Nobel committee on Friday, awarded the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet the 2015 Nobel peace prize.

The quartet which is comprised of workers, employers’ human rights activists and lawyers was awarded to the group for its "decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in the country in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011."

The various organizations that make up the Tunisian Dialogue Quartet "represent different sectors and values in the Tunisian society, working life and welfare, principles of rule of law and human rights" the Nobel committee said.

The National Dialogue Quartet, was formed in 2013 after the Arab spring began in Tunisia, with protests that forced President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali to step down in January 2011, after 23 years in power. 

Joshua Waiganjo Jailed for five years

Police impostor Joshua Waiganjo was on Wednesday handed a five year jail term by a Naivasha court.

Waiganjo was found guilty of disguising as an assistant commissioner for five years, illegal possession of government equipment and wearing police uniform.

Senior Magistrate, Shadrack Mwinzi said Waiganjo failed to prove he was a police officer and did not defend his decision to wear police uniform.

Kylie Jenner denies wearing 'butt Pads' as she poses in spanx

Kylie Jenner who recently turned 18 posted a snapchat on Monday showing off her new pair of spanx.

The conversation turned cynical when one of her fans accused her of wearing fake butt pads.

"LMAO Kylie just posted a picture on snapchat and you can see her butt pads!"

Jenner quickly responded saying 'They are Spanx…here's the link if you want some ;)'.

Baby born with one eye in the middle of forehead after his mother was exposed to radiation during pregnancy

A woman in Egypt recently gave birth to a baby  boy with only one eye and no nose at a private hospital in the north-eastern town of El Senbellawein.

Doctors believe the newborn boy is suffering from cyclopia - an unusual medical condition named after the one-eyed giants of Greek mythology - caused by radiation exposure in the womb.

The heartbreaking picture of the child has been released by the family, who are receiving counselling.

Milimani Road renamed after Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete

Governor Evans Kidero has today renamed Milimani road Jakaya Kikwete road in honor of Tanzania’s outgoing president.

President Kikwete who is currently in Kenya on a state visit was presented with a key to the city by Dr Evans Kidero who hosted him in Nairobi.

According to Kidero, the relationship between Kenya and Tanzania has continued to grow and has seen increased trade partnerships between the two countries. 

Raila claims Kuria was used by President Kenyatta to Fix Ruto at the Hague

The controversy surrounding deputy President William Ruto's case at the International Criminal court has taken a different turn after cord leader accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of fixing Ruto.

According to Mr. Odinga, Moses Kuria worked as an employee and political assistant for Mr. Kenyatta during the time witnesses in the Ruto case were being procured.

“Moses Kuria was an employee and a political assistant to Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta when he arranged the procuring of witnesses to fix Deputy President William Ruto,” Mr. Odinga stated. 

Kaimenyi asks TSC to challenge court order against recruitment of new teachers

Speaking during the launch of the 2014 basic Educational Statistical Booklet at KICC on Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary advised the Teachers Service Commission to appeal a court order stopping recruitment of teachers.

 He said that an employer should not stop be stopped from hiring other employees.

Kaimenyi said that the move to hire new teachers was a noble idea that was aimed at restoring learning. 

Mutahi Ngunyi files petition to stop his prosecution

Political scientist Mutahi Ngunyi has filed petition to stop his prosecution over hate speech remarks.

Ngunyi who filed the petition on Tuesday asked the court to issue a temporary order to block his prosecution.

Certifying the application as urgent, Justice Onguto directed the case be heard on Thursday 8th October. 

DPP, Keriako Tobiko, on Monday ordered that Mutahi Ngunyi be tried for his controversial posts on his twitter account.