Month: October 2016

In a rare piece of good news seized on by embattled President Francois Hollande, France recorded its sharpest drop in unemployment for 20 years in September, the labour ministry said Tuesday.
It said 66,300 fewer people were looking for work last month, bringing the jobless total to 3.49 million in mainland France and more than erasing August’s increase in job seekers of over 50,000.
The total sneaked under 3.5 million for the first time since January 2015
Hollande, who has said he will not stand for re-election in April if he has not made a “credible” dent in unemployment, hailed the figures, saying they reflected a “general trend”.
“These results are the fruit of the government’s efforts through the Responsibility Pact,” he said on his Facebook page, referring to a 2004 accord with business under which the government cut payroll taxes in return for commitments from employers on job creation.
It was the largest monthly drop since 1996 when the government started its current method of tracking unemployment.
In percentage terms, September’s 1.9 percent drop was the largest since November 2000.
“The battle is not over,” said Hollande, who will announce in December whether he will seek a second term.
“Unemployment remains too high and job insecurity remains a daily reality for too many of our citizens,” the Socialist leader said, adding that his aim is to strengthen economic growth “without calling into question the principles of our social model.”
France’s unemployment rate is stuck at around double that of Germany or Britain, hovering around 10 per cent.
September’s jobs surge followed a bleak August, when unemployment registered its biggest monthly increase since January 2013.
The government said the jihadist attacks in Nice and Normandy in July, which led to a significant fall in tourism, were partly to blame for August’s jobless increase,

Carlos Alberto, the revered captain of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning side, considered one of the greatest of all time, died on Tuesday aged 72.
The right-back starred alongside Pele, Tostao, Jairzinho and Rivelino in the legendary Brazil team that beat Italy 4-1 in the 1970 final.
He scored one of the best World Cup goals in the Mexico City final, running onto a Pele pass and smashing in a thunderous right-footed shot.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of my friend and brother @capita70. Dear God, please take care of our ‘Capitao’ (captain). Rest In Peace,” said Pele in an emotionally-charged Twitter post alongside a black and white picture of Carlos Alberto comforting him as he cries.
Carlos Alberto died of a heart attack in Rio de Janeiro, according to Sportv, for whom he worked as a pundit. Tributes immediately poured in from around the world.
“An example of leadership both on and off the field, a great friend who always treated me with great affection,” said former Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain star Ronaldinho, a World Cup winner in 2002.
“Rest in peace eternal captain.”
Stars from the time such as Germany’s World Cup-winning captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer and clubs around the world from Manchester City and Arsenal in the Premier League to Brazil’s top sides all expressed sadness.
Beckenbauer said he was “profoundly shocked” by the news of the death of someone he described as “like a brother for me, one of my best friends”.
Born in Rio in 1944 “Capitao”, as he was known in Brazil, played alongside Pele at Santos from 1966 to 1974 and at the New York Cosmos from 1977 to 1980 after beginning his career with Fluminense.
“Santos mourns the death of idol Carlos Alberto Torres,” the Brazilian club said in a statement that decreed three days of mourning.
The Cosmos tweeted: “We’re deeply saddened by the loss of Carlos Alberto, a legendary player and wonderful person.”
“Goodbye, eternal captain,” said the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) in a statement, which announced the death with “great sadness”.
The CBF also joined the mourning and lowered flags at its headquarters in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood of Rio.
Carlos Alberto won more than 50 caps for his country — missing the ill-fated 1974 World Cup trophy defence due to injury — and was later named by FIFA in a list of the 100 greatest living players in 2004.
“He was my brother. More than a friend,” said Clodoaldo, a midfielder in the Brazil 1970 side who also starred for Santos.
“We spoke to each other all the time. When I heard the news, I was paralysed.”
Another team-mate from that 1970 side, Gerson, said it was the players who had chosen Carlos Alberto as their captain.
“He was hugely important for us, both on and off the pitch,” he said. “There will never be another leader like him.”
Carlos Alberto hung up his boots in 1982 and started his coaching career with Rio giants Flamengo, winning a Brazilian title before working in the United States, Colombia, Mexico, Oman and Azerbaijan.
After giving up coaching, Carlos Alberto became a television pundit for Sportv.
He was frequently asked about the World Cup final goal — the culmination of a sublime nine-pass move — which earned him a special FIFA trophy in 2006.
“I remember everything about that goal. We knew before the game it could happen because we knew how the Italian team played. They played man-to-man on the central line. They followed our forwards,” he said in 2006.
“We only realised how beautiful the goal was after the game.
“The emotion, of course, when I scored that goal was incredible, but after the game, and still today, I realise how beautiful and how important that goal was because everybody is still talking about it.”

A nurse has been arrested and charged with murdering eight elderly residents under her care at retirement homes in Canada’s Ontario province, police said Tuesday.
The alleged killings occurred between 2007 and 2014 at two private facilities where Elizabeth Wettlaufer worked, authorities said.
The 49-year-old faces eight counts of first-degree murder.
The male and female victims aged 75 to 96 “were administered a drug,” Ontario Provincial Police detective superintendent Dave Truax told a nationally-televised press conference.
“We’re not in a position at this time to comment further on the specifics of the drug as it forms part of the evidence that is now before the courts,” he said.
An investigation was triggered in September by a tip that “a nurse had involvement in the murder of eight elderly patients while she worked at several long-term care facilities in Woodstock and London,” said Woodstock police chief William Renton.

Pep Guardiola has reassured Sergio Aguero that he has a future at Manchester City.
Aguero has been through a tricky October, with his early-season run of goalscoring form grinding to a halt and his place in City?s starting line-up called into question.
Guardiola dropped the forward to the bench for recent games against Everton and Barcelona, although he did start Sunday?s 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Southampton — a result that left City top of the table on goal difference.
The manager seemed to suggest last Friday that Aguero was free to leave the club if he wanted to, saying that ?when he decides to leave City, it will be his decision?.
However, Guardiola — whose side visit Manchester United in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday — has insisted the Argentina international remains a significant part of his plans.
“Sergio played really well in the last games,” Guardiola said Tuesday. “I am so happy with Sergio and hopefully he can stay for a long time.
“When I said it depends on Sergio, I was not saying I don?t want him. I want from deep in my heart for him to can stay here.”
Aguero has acknowledged he has been struggling for form of late, both for club and country.
He suffered a calf injury while playing for Argentina in a 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw in Peru on October 6, and then declared himself fit for their next qualifier at home to Paraguay five days later, only to have a penalty saved as his side lost 1-0.
To compound his frustrations, Aguero had another penalty saved after coming on as a substitute as City drew 1-1 at home to Everton in the Premier League on October 15.
Guardiola has refused to give any credence to reports that there have been tensions between him and Aguero this season, instead choosing to talk up the striker?s qualities.
“He is a special player,” the Spanish boss said. “He is a striker who has scored millions of goals in his career. We cannot forget how many goals he scores for us.
“I am here to help him. When a team does not win, for a short time, I always think about what I can do to help them individually and collectively.”
City are in the midst of a demanding run of fixtures, which includes a Champions League Group C home match against Barcelona, the club where Guardiola made his name as a manager and player, on November 2.
Guardiola is hopeful Kevin De Bruyne will be fit to play in that match after suffering a calf injury against Southampton on Sunday.
The winger is not fit to face United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, but could be ready for Saturday?s league trip to West Bromwich Albion.
City won their first 10 matches of the season under Guardiola but have failed to win any of the following five.
But Guardiola said: “I knew from the beginning how difficult it would be. We play a lot of games and we have not too many times to make a correction during the training session because we cannot train. So I knew the process would be a little bit longer than I expected.
“We cannot forget how well we have played, even in the last few games, when we didn’t win.
“We were better than our opponents and we created many chances, but we missed the last pass. We conceded few chances. The only problem is that when we did, we gave clear chances to them. But I am so optimistic we are going to have a very good season.”

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says he deserves the same respect he gives others and described himself as “a passionate man”, after he appeared to upset Jose Mourinho with his touchline antics.
The Italian urged Chelsea fans to ramp up the volume following the fourth goal in the 4-0 win over former Blues boss Mourinho’s Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Following the full-time whistle, Mourinho spoke at length to Conte, with reports in the Italian media suggesting the Portuguese said: “You don’t celebrate like that at 4-0, you can do it at 1-0, otherwise it’s humiliating for us.”
But Conte, 47, speaking on the eve of Chelsea’s EFL Cup fourth-round tie away to London rivals West Ham on Wednesday, said: “I think that everyone must show respect for me, for my work, for my job.
“In every game I show myself. I have a history and you can see my history, my past and my behaviours on the bench.
“I’m a passionate man, I show this in the past (and) now. I want to stay very close to my players, also to play with them, to help.
“I always show respect for the opponent, for the other teams, for the other club, and my history speaks for me.”
Conte, still hoarse from his repeated shouting at the weekend, added he was looking forward to managing a team at the London Stadium, where the large technical area is in marked contrast to the relatively small space in which he operates at Stamford Bridge.
“I know that these two teams are big rivals, but in England it’s fantastic the atmosphere during the game, during a match and I hope to see this tomorrow,” he said.
“If I have to compare the technical area to Stamford Bridge, I’m happy.
“For me, it’s very difficult. I have to ask my club to try to change the technical area. My area and also for the other coach.”
Chelsea captain John Terry was an unused substitute in the recent wins over Leicester and United, but he could start for the first time in six weeks on Wednesday following an ankle injury.
“John is fit,” Conte said. “He’s fit to start, he’s in good shape, but tomorrow I decide the starting XI.”

You’re not only thrown into a cage crowded with feral male rappers who will do anything and spit anything to remain at the top of the food chain,you’re surrounded by all manner of walls – From a hostile media to marauding male producers to unscrupulous promoters, shoddy managers, gluttonous handlers and very steep recording fees.
It’s a ride that’s never easy –  not just for the female but also the male rappers.
Kenya’s music industry is still crawling and lumbering up the path as it lacks an element of professionalism and proper channeling that is required of an industry that rakes in billions of Shillings annually.
Here, most artists edge it out on their own ; it’s pretty much a one man show that means that the artist gets to handle their own publicity, pay their own recording fees, book their own studio time, hassle around for their own performances and carry around their little schedules with them – even to bed
Faced with such arduous artistic hostility, the final musical output can either be brilliant masterpieces or third-rate, studio regurgitation.
And that’s where most of our female rappers end up – worn out, beat, lacking in content, sloppy and forgotten.
 
On one hand we have Wangechi, a supremely gifted rapper whose mastery of the flow and microphone prowess is as outstanding – if not awe-inspiring- as that of Lauryn Hill, one of the world’s most esteemed lyricist and rappers that ever loved.
On the other hand, we have Noti Flow, an edgy, controversial character that has learned to push the boundaries, shock audiences, capitalize on social media and bank on notoriety to advance her rap career.
It’s just that, she has no business being a rapper. At all. At all.
 
But in an industry that’s so lacking in female emcees, Noti Flow seems like a godsend. And a necessary evil if only to fill up the echoing void created by the severe scarcity of notable rappers of the female gender.
Trouble is,the best and the most skilled in the arena don’t always stick around long enough, release more material and remain as active and as hungry as they need to be.
The worst we have in the pool tend to be the most active in all sectors – releasing song after song, hitting up the bloggers, getting news features and remaining very active and visible across all social platforms.
Rappers like STL and Wangechi are obviously the baddest we have in the game right now. Sadly,none of the two seems to have a vibrancy and prolific output of material month after month.
 
And even when STL does drop a new song,it’s always downright horrendous.
I don’t know when is the last time Wangechi released anything new. And buzzworthy.
Another downside to her is that, despite her massive skills and unmatchable adeptness at rap , Wangechi remains very unenamored by the mainstream and tends to always want to do stuff aimed at the underground audience – and we all know that doesn’t pay here. It never will.
says Kamah Burnz, a music producer and talent scout at Burnz Entertainment.
Rappers like Petra too offered huge promise after she wowed Kenyans with her fantastic rap in the Ligi Soo mega remix.
But today, Petra’s talent has been gobbled up by senseless blog stories, love scandals and probably her romantic commitment to a music video producer.
 
And even when she raps, it’s not in her own songs –  but in some mish-mash sort of thing that lumps her in the same clubby beat with her more ferocious and popular male colleagues.
Burnz adds.
Unfortunately, Nazizi,who many have considered the mother of rap, seems to have found other callings too and ditched her first love,too.
Once a ferocious rapper, with an undisputed excellence at the booth and credited with some of the hottest and most outstanding rap verses of all time, Nazizi was swallowed up by marriage and motherhood.
And then,by reggae and dancehall vibes.
says a fan.
Enter Kush Tracey and Noti Flow and the rest of the pop ilk that just yells into the mic and puts on an outrageous flamboyance for show.
What’s sad is that, the likes of Wangechi doesn’t posses the kind of media mastery, blog mentions, mad exposure and headline-grabbing antics normally found with these other less than stellar rappers.
Also, the media seems to not readily embrace new female rappers preferring to instead shine a light more on the singers than the femcees.
Irari, an editor at Ghafla and also an events organizer says.
Femi One’s case is even sadder.
Despite the fact that she’s young and upcoming, her style and sound on stuck in the past,in the old eras of Kalamashaka and in the dark dungeons of Dandora.
Her sound is more at home with the Ghetto Radio late night listeners as she breezes around with a hardcore, more wordplay-oriented slumdog vibe.
No matter what is done, the Female rapdom in Kenya will never expand and the players in it will never branch out to bigger things – or emerge as huge stars of their particular arena.
Daily,the field keeps dying. And the girls scattered in it keep burning out, losing, lacking lustre, giving up and bowing out.

US President Barack Obama will head to Greece, Germany and Peru next month for what could be his final trip abroad before leaving the White House in January, his office said Tuesday.
Obama will arrive in Greece on November 15 for talks focused on the country’s efforts to right its struggling economy and to hail the “remarkable generosity” shown by Athens towards the thousands of migrants arriving on its shores, the White House said.

The US-led coalition is “laying the groundwork” for the “isolation” of Raqa, the Islamic State group stronghold in Syria, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Tuesday.
“We have already begun laying the groundwork for our partners to commence the isolation of Raqa,” Carter said after meeting coalition defence ministers in Paris to discuss the aftermath of the planned capture of Mosul from IS in Iraq.
“Today we resolved to follow through with that same sense of urgency and focus on enveloping and collapsing ISIL’s control of Raqa,” he added, using another acronym for IS.
Carter said the coalition would rely on “capable and motivated local forces that we identify and then enable” to wrest the city from the Sunni extremists.
“That is our general strategic approach. We are seeking a lasting defeat of ISIL and a lasting defeat can’t be achieved by outside.
“It can only be achieved by those who live there,” he said, adding: “These will be Syrians enabled by us.”
Carter was among a dozen ministers from coalition members attending the talks, which come a week after Iraqi forces backed by Kurdish fighters launched a major operation to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second-biggest city.
Addressing the gathering French President Francois Hollande reiterated warnings about IS fighters in Mosul fleeing across the border to Raqa.
He also urged vigilance over the risk of foreign jihadists returning home from the battlefield.

Regular and Administration Police contribute to nearly 75 percent of torture perpetrators in the country.
According to a report by the , the Regular Police contributes to 61.4 percent while 13 percent of torture perpetrators are Administration Police.
The report, which covers a five-year period from 2011, indicates that most of the incidents of torture and ill treatment occur within the context of law enforcement.
Nearly 40 percent of the 727 respondents who indicated that they had been tortured or suffered ill treatment said that these acts had taken place in police cells with 21.6 percent being on the way to the police station and  19.6 percent being at the time of the arrest.
The report indicates a rise in such cases with at least 30 per cent of Kenyans have been victims of torture once since 2011.
This is an increase from the last survey carried out in 2011 where one out of four Kenyans had indicated that they were tortured at one point by the police or other agencies.
 
Other agencies cited as torture perpetrators were county government security officers at 4.9 percent, local chiefs at 4.8 percent, the army at 4.6 percent, prison warders at 2.9 percent and special police squads at 2.4 percent.
Nairobi recorded the highest incidences of torture at 41.3 percent followed by Nyanza and Western at 39.4 and 36.6 percent respectively.
Police Spokesman Charles Owino welcomed the report and reassured Kenyans that modalities have been put in place to ensure that such torture cases are dealt with.
He said such reports are helpful and that was why they wanted the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) formed to investigating such cases and help weed out rogue police officers.

As exciting as it sounds for the young students, most parents are still wondering how they will manage their children while they are at work. November and December is usually the month where our teenage brothers and sisters what to explore what most adults do.
So shall we keep them on a leash to avoid them getting carried away by drugs, parties and sexual activities? Well no…below are a few tips that most parents and guardians use to ensure they keep these young children in check.
Having idle teenagers in the house is quite challenging. However this does not mean that you give out your powers when they challenge you. This is why it is important to set boundaries which will help maintain a good relationship between you. Apply ground rules that are sensible and reasonable to work with.
Communication is key! It is important to listen to your teenagers whenever they speak. By paying attention this will show them how much you care. It also creates room for you to say “No” diplomatically but firmly
 
 
As a parent or guardian it is import to establish who is the “boss”. When you allow your teenagers to sit on your thrown then it means more trouble on your side. Therefore, set the rules and ensure they are followed.
Doing the fun filled events with your kids will make them more interested in doing what is right. You may think it is a way of bribing them to be good, but hey it is pretty much effective. Also this exposes you to understand your teenager/child from a different angle.
Just because you want to monitor them does not mean you have to crowd their space. It is important to allow them to think they are in control while you monitor them on the low. It is also advisable to let them establish what is right from what is wrong.     

A US judge on Tuesday granted final approval for a $14.7 billion class action settlement in Volkswagen’s diesel emissions cheating scandal.
The settlement offers compensation to nearly a half-million owners of polluting Volkswagen and Audi diesel-powered vehicles in the US which the German automaker has admitted configuring to deceive emissions tests.
“The settlement adequately and fairly compensates class members,” US District Judge Charles Breyer wrote in an opinion approving the deal.
Owners of 2.0-liter diesel-powered cars will be eligible for buybacks, penalty-free lease terminations or free modifications to fix the vehicles’ emissions. All participants will also receive cash payments.
In addition to $10 billion for compensation to owners, Volkswagen will create a $2.7 billion fund for environmental remediation, and provide $2 billion to promote the use of “zero emissions” vehicles within the United States.
The ruling was a major step in the German automaker’s efforts to move past the scandal and revive sagging sales. However, Volkswagen still needs to conclude a separate settlement concerning about 80,000 Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche cars with 3.0 liter engines equipped with the emissions cheat devices.
“Final approval of the 2.0-liter TDI settlement is an important milestone in our journey to making things right in the United States and we appreciate the efforts of all parties involved in this process,” Hinrich Woebcken, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said in a statement.

The Portugal superstar has scored four times in nine appearances for the Spanish league leaders since returning from the knee injury that forced him off in his country’s Euro 2016 final win over France.
He failed to find the net in Madrid’s last two games and there were boos from sections of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd after the three-time world player of the year missed a chance in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao.
“Personally, it’s not that I am indifferent to it, I would prefer him to score two or three goals in every match, but I am not worried because I know it will pass,” Zidane said ahead of Wednesday’s trip to third-tier Cultural Leonesa in the last 32, first leg of the Copa del Rey.
“He is still getting lots of chances and soon he will put them away. I was also booed when I was a player, it can happen and it means the crowd expect a lot of the player.
“The Bernabeu is special. But he knows it, he is used to it and he is not worried.”
Ronaldo is rested for Wednesday’s game along with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Marcelo and goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
They should all return for Saturday’s trip to Alaves.

A well-known fashion stylist and fashion writer with The Pulse has been exposed online accused of husband snatching and posing as a mother to the woman’s child.
Crystal Okusa who has built a name in the fashion industry and even hosted the KTN show Style Lab.
However, another lady a former wife to her current husband has made a lot of disparaging remarks throwing her reputation into question.
In what has become the most divisive topic on the internet today, a lady going by the name Winnie Nyarsuba has narrated how Crystal Okusa used to be her husband’s side dish.
When she could no longer stomach the affair and seeing it was not going to end, Winnie decided to leave the man Aloo Stephen. Crystal Okusa moved in with the husband in just under the week.
 
Winnie left the marriage with her daughter though Stephen usually picks her over the weekend.  Her bone of contention with Crystal is however not about the man but rather her daughter.
According to Winnie, Crystal has been taking photos of her daughter and Winnie’s daughter despite previous warnings to desist. She has even taken to calling the two girls who look quite similar as her twins.
 
The revelation has caused quite a storm online as people from different circles contributed on the topic. For most, both crystal and Stephen had pushed the boundaries too far.
While some felt she was a caring step mother, many felt she was being disrespectful of the other lady especially since it was only the father allowed access the kid.
For many hers was a fronting act seeking to earn the man’s love while trying to steal even what is not hers. Here are some reaction from people online

“We can say with certainty that the construction is moving along according to our deadlines and ahead of schedule in certain cases,” Sheremetyevo’s CEO Mikhail Vasilenko told reporters.
“This will allow us to have all the necessary infrastructure for the World Cup so that the country’s guests feel at ease.”
Sheremetyevo’s expansion, which is mostly funded by private money, is expected to raise the airport’s capacity from 35 million to 55 million passengers per year.
The upgrade will allow the airport to handle 90 takeoffs or landings per hour, as opposed to the current 55.
As part of the investment Sheremetyevo, which serves as the hub of Russia’s flagship carrier Aeroflot, will be building a $305-million terminal for domestic flights.
The new terminal will be linked to the existing ones by a railway tunnel worth $245 million, which is being built below the runways without affecting air traffic.
A third runway, as well as a cargo facility, will also be constructed in the expansion.
Inaugurated in 1957, Sheremetyevo is set to carry more than 33 million passengers this year.
Its capacity is expected to reach 80 million passengers per year in 2026, Vasilenko said.
Russia will host the 2018 World Cup in 11 cities including Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Sochi.

Spain’s king on Tuesday tasked Mariano Rajoy with forming a new government, taking the acting conservative prime minister a step closer to power again after a 10-month political deadlock.
“I accepted the task,” Rajoy told reporters, saying he would now submit himself to a parliamentary vote of confidence which he is almost certain to win after the Socialists opted to abstain — giving him enough traction to get through.
This means Spain should finally get a government next week, capping a rollercoaster 10 months that saw the country go through two inconclusive elections which Rajoy’s Popular Party (PP) won both times, but without enough seats to rule alone.
Now that the 61-year-old is almost certain to take power again, all eyes are turning to his future government.
With just 137 of the 350 seats in parliament, he will be faced with unprecedented opposition and all other parties have promised to be tough on him.
Rajoy himself acknowledged how hard his new mandate would be compared to when he took power in 2011 with an absolute majority.
“I am aware of the difficulties that a minority government entails,” he said.
First and foremost on his list will be to get the 2017 budget approved, under EU scrutiny as Spain seeks to reduce its deficit.
Acting Economy Minister Luis de Guindos has said at least five billion euros ($5.4 billion) in budget cuts will be needed — a measure that is unlikely to gain the approval of opposition parties who blast the austerity imposed during Spain’s devastating economic crisis.
In line with post-election protocol, a first confidence vote will be held on Thursday, parliamentary speaker Ana Pastor announced soon after Rajoy’s press conference.
The Socialists, who do not support the acting prime minister but say they want to see an end to Spain’s political blockage, have decided to vote against him in this vote.
But they will then abstain in a second and final vote, expected on Saturday.
The decision to help a conservative government get to power has caused huge divisions among the Socialists — so much so that party chief Pedro Sanchez, a fierce opponent of Rajoy, was forced out earlier this month after a rebellion.
The Socialists accuse Rajoy of turning a blind eye to corruption scandals affecting his party, and fostering inequality in Spain through austerity.
Rajoy, in retaliation, says he implemented anti-corruption measures and points to Spain’s return to growth and drop in unemployment — which at 20 percent is still the second highest in the eurozone.
The return to government will cap an unstable period that saw Spain go from jubilant hope, after December 2015 elections ended the traditional two-party system, to disillusion following repeat polls in June.
Back in December, millions of voters had cast their ballot for new arrivals far-left Podemos and centrists Ciudadanos.
This resulted in a fragmented parliament where no grouping had enough lawmakers to govern alone, even if Rajoy’s PP remained the biggest single party.
Party leaders subsequently failed to reach any kind of viable coalition deal, prompting the repeat elections in June which resulted in a similar result.
Until the Socialists decided to allow Rajoy to rule, Spain had been faced with the prospect of an unprecedented third election in less than a year.
Rajoy said Tuesday he would try and ensure that his term lasted four years, despite the fierce opposition in parliament.
But analysts have speculated he may call early elections.

Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to overturn President Barack Obama’s signature health insurance program after the government announced Americans will see costs jump an average of 25 percent next year.
“Obamacare has to be repealed and replaced and it has to be replaced with something much less expensive for the people, otherwise this country is in even bigger trouble than everybody thought,” the Republican presidential candidate said in at his golf course in Doral, Florida.
“We’re going to repeal and replace Obamacare.”
The Department of Health and Human Services said in a new report that the big increase in insurance costs will be seen in the 38 states with federally-managed health care exchanges.
It is the largest jump in premiums for the program, now entering its fourth year, and stoked the tense battle between Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to replace Obama in the White House.
Since the start of the officially-named Affordable Care Act, Republicans have repeatedly tried to overturn it.
It has allowed millions of uninsured people to get health insurance, with no limits based on “pre-existing conditions.” The effect has been to reduce the number of individuals across the country without insurance to 8.6 percent from 16 percent in 2010, HHS said.
Despite the sharp increase, the HHS report said most consumers will see rate hikes below the average rate due to premium caps and subsidies for those with lower incomes.
Trump quickly lashed out on Twitter following the report: “#Obamacare premiums are about to SKYROCKET — again. Crooked H will only make it worse. We will repeal & replace!”
Speaking in Florida, he also disputed the government’s figures, saying costs are rising much higher.
“Obamacare is just blowing up and even the White House, our president, announced 25 or 26 percent (increases). That number is so wrong. That is such a phony number. You’re talking about 60, 70, 80 percent in increases, not 25 percent,” Trump said, without explaining where he got his numbers.
Trump said the increase for Texas is 60 percent, but the HHS report said premiums there are expected to increase by an average of just 18 percent.
However, Arizona — which has not voted for a Democrat for president since Bill Clinton in 1996 — will see eye-popping 116 percent increases.
Arizona Senator John McCain, a Republican, said: “As I have long warned, Obamacare is an unsustainable system that places an unfair financial burden on families and small businesses.”
McCain noted that the state’s largest county has only one insurance provider under Obamacare, when the health care exchanges were supposed to create competition among providers.
Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan compared Obama’s healthcare program to ill-fated and now-discontinued Samsung phones that were catching fire.
“The president recently compared Obamacare to a Samsung Galaxy Note 7, and he’s right: this disastrous law is blowing up. But at least you can return the phone,” Ryan said in a statement.

Kevin now takes on a different role as an armed criminal in K24’s new show K.E.R.U which is an acronym for The K24 show delves into espionage and secret operations using its riveting story line.
Produced by Zamaradi Productions, K.E.R.U ropes in the talents of Kevin, Mama Baha and some few other famous faces for a look into what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to fighting one of Kenya’s biggest problems, terrorism.
 
According to a promotional poster, the show is “a drama series that take you inside the lives of those tasked with defending us against terrorists”
Check out the trailer below:

French investigators said Tuesday they were searching for clues into the abduction of a 76-year-old luxury hotel owner a day after she was snatched near her Riviera home.
Prosecutor Jean-Michael Pretre said Jacqueline Veyrac was getting into her SUV when the abductors grabbed her, covered her head and forced her into a waiting van that sped off.
“A woman of that age abducted in these conditions makes us all very worried,” Pretre said.
Veyrac, whose husband died five years ago, co-owns the five-star Grand Hotel in nearby Cannes with one of her sons and the pair run a gourmet restaurant in Nice called La Reserve.
She was the victim of a kidnapping attempt three years ago whose motive was never discovered.
Investigators are examining Veyrac’s black sports utility vehicle for possible fingerprints or other evidence. But a source close to the probe told AFP there was “no information at this stage.”
The freesheet French daily 20 Minutes quoted the family’s lawyer Sophie Jonquet as saying the kidnappers contacted one of Veyrac’s sons on Monday afternoon.
“The family is very upset and won’t make any statements at this stage. Too much has already been said and I don’t want to put my client in danger,” she told 20 minutes.
The seafront Grand Hotel, bought by the Veyrac family in 1963 and refurbished, is close to the Palais des Festivals where the Cannes Film Festival is held each May.

The two young men have been trying to keep a positive vibe for the past few months and judging from their social media posts, things are getting quite serious between them.
On Monday 24 October, 2016 Bahati posted a photo of Willy Paul as his MCM (man crush Monday) and got a bit emotional in the caption.
Bahati thanked Willy Pozee for teaching him how the industry works and for always supporting his music. He went on to ask the hit maker whether he would share/teach him some of the tips he uses to get the Nairobi ladies.
 
 
He wrote to say,
This is quite impressive as we have seen these two blast each other on social media in the past years, but now they are buddies ready to share dating tips.

Angelique Kerber was presented with the end-of-year trophy as the world?s number one player after all but booking her place in the knockout stage of the WTA Finals with a clinical 6-4 6-2 win over Romania?s Simona Halep on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old was already assured of finishing 2016 at the top of the rankings after Serena Williams withdrew from the WTA Finals with a shoulder injury but it was officially recognised when she was handed the trophy and a sparkling Tiffany ring.
Kerber, looking sharper and more focussed than she was in her opening round-robin victory over Slovakia?s Dominika Cibulkova, was all smiles after she posted a surprisingly lop-sided victory over the combative Halep, who had looked in ominous touch during her opening match win over American Madison Keys.
?I was feeling very well today. I think that I was moving good and I was going for it when I had the chance. I think that was the key,? Kerber said.
?For me, I think it’s always good when I start a tournament with tight and close matches where I get my confidence.?
A finalist at the end-of-season championship two years ago, Halep was brimming with confidence ahead of her clash with Kerber but found the lefthander too good on Singapore?s slow indoor hardcourts.
Kerber, electing to receive first, broke Halep?s opening service game and despite later dropping her serve and falling 4-3 behind, the German reeled off the last three games in a row to take the opening set after just 43 minutes.
Kerber was even more dominant in the second set as Halep, one of the best returners in the game, struggled to impose her own game on the in-form German, who reached the top of the world rankings when she won the US Open last month.
Two service breaks gave Kerber the advantage she needed and although Halep saved the first two break points she faces with two spectacular winners, it was too little late as Kerber wrapped up the win.
?I had the opportunity to get that first set. I was coming back very well. But, maybe I didn’t finish the important points,? Halep said.
?But she played a great tennis. She’s very strong and on her legs she’s moving great. She deserved to win.?
Despite winning her first two matches, Kerber still has a mathematical chance of missing out on the semi-finals of the elite $7 million tournament after Keys beat Cibulkova 6-1 6-4 in Tuesday?s other Red Group match.
?That was a little bit better than the first round,? said Keys. ?I?m definitely really happy with how I kind of turned things around.”
Although she has lost her two opening matches, Cibulkova still has a chance of advancing if she beats Halep in their final group match on Thursday.
?It?s frustrating of course because I lost two matches that I wished I could win, but I still have a third chance,? Cibulkova said.
?It’s a big challenge for me. It?s my first time playing here. But I can still go into the semifinals.?

The 2016 Samsung Colours of Kenya competition which was inspired by the new Samsung SUHD TV with Quantum Dot display that reproduces the purest and most accurate colours, attracted over fifty photography enthusiasts from all over the country in an August InstaMeet held at the Nairobi Railway Station.
“This year’s Samsung Colours of Kenya competition is founded on encouraging Kenyan photographers and Instagrammers to come up with one picture which brings out colours and elements that from their opinion, represents Kenya and its attractions,” says Samuel Odhiambo, Product Manager for Visual Display at Samsung Electronics East Africa.
 
Through the competition, the participants not only had an opportunity to interact and engage with like-minded people in a relaxed environment, they were also rewarded for doing something they love.
“The owner of the winning photo gets to walk away with a Samsung Smart TV while the Top 10 most liked photos will be put in a digital gallery for display on Samsung SUHD TV sets in Samsung retail stores across the country” adds Mr. Odhiambo.
According to Makenna, who won a 48 inch Samsung Smart LED TV, having Nairobi Railway Station as the location for the Instameet was an easy pick as it presents various elements of Kenya’s culture.
 “The Nairobi Railways Station is a hub of creativity marked by graffiti as well as being a host to various arts and culture organisations,” says Ms. Wanjiku.
 
Lyra Aoko, photographer and lifestyle blogger, who was also the judge for the #SamsungColoursOfKE competition, attributed Makenna’s win to her strategy to bring out Kenyans’ warm and colorful nature.
“The winning photo stood out because of the creativity that was linked to it. To create an illusion of someone being kicked by a graffiti shoe was brilliant on Makenna’s part. That is the kind of creativity that differentiates photographers,” says, Ms. Aoko.
Photographs that were entered for the competition were evaluated on a number of fronts including subject matter, colour composition, picture quality as well as originality.
The Samsung new SUHD TV is available in all leading electronic consumer outlets in the country.

EU lawmakers on Tuesday lifted the parliamentary immunity of former French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, a move sought by French prosecutors who want to try him for allegedly inciting race hate.
MEPs endorsed the decision by a show of hands after reviewing a 2014 clip the former National Front leader posted on the party website.
In it, Le Pen vowed to put his critics in their place — including French singer Patrick Bruel, who is Jewish — and used a pun suggesting Nazi gas chambers.
The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee said earlier the 88-year-old’s remarks were not in line with his work as an MEP.
The committee also stressed parliamentary immunity “does not allow for slandering, libelling, inciting hatred or pronouncing statements attacking a person’s honour.”
The 2014 video was also condemned by Le Pen’s daughter Marine, who took over the FN’s leadership in 2011, as a “political error.”
It was the first time she had criticised her father in public. The senior Le Pen has had multiple convictions for inciting racial hatred and denying crimes against humanity.
On Monday, the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, said he had received a request to also end Marine Le Pen’s immunity, and this had been handed to the legal affairs committee.
A source at the parliament, in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, said Schulz’s request is linked to an investigation opened after Marine Le Pen tweeted graphic images in December of Islamic State atrocities, including the beheading of US reporter James Foley.
She said she was responding to a journalist whom she had accused of having compared her party to the Islamic State group.
Marine Le Pen, who is aiming to run in the 2017 French presidential election, has sought to make the FN an alternative to the conservative Republicans party for mainstream voters.
She has been locked in a vicious feud with her father, who was booted out of the party after rehashing familiar comments about Nazi gas chambers being a “detail” of history and saying France should improve ties with Russia to save the “white world.”

The identity of Churchill’s wife is only known by a few within his clique. A while back, the comedian was seen in church with a kid said to be his. A lady who was standing close to the boy was thought to be Churchill’s wife.
 
Then came the moment when Churchill himself said he would finally introduce his wife to the public during the Laugh Festival; he even posted some teaser photos of his wife and him hanging out at Nakumatt Junction.
Laugh Festival came and it turned out Churchill had pulled a prank on Kenyans; the woman he introduced as his wife was a beautiful actress by the name Serah Ndanu.
 
Well, Churchill was recently put to task by Willy Paul to unveil his wife; he had hosted the gospel singer on his eponymous show.
Willy Paul asked Churchill who his wife was as he was singing, and Churchill responded as he sung as well.
Na mi nashindwa wako Churchill ni nani. Atueleze sindio? (Translation: I wonder who Churchill’s wife is. He should tell us?
Na mi nashindwa kwa nini mwataka kujua ye? (Translation: I wonder why you want to know who my wife is.)
Ni vizuri wafwasi wako wakijua, ama vipi?(Translation:It’s good for your fans to know who your wife is.)
Hakuna haja kutangaza mambo ya private ikuwe public (Translation: There is no reason to make private matters public.)
 

Photos supposedly taken in a remote village in Uganda show images of how a corpse is transported from a morgue to the burial grounds.
In photos doing rounds online, a dead person is seen lying on the box spring of a bed where the transporters wrap his torso with cling film and sticks to make sure that his body does not wobble and fall when riding on the boda boda.
 
A black paper bag is then taped over the dead persons head and his limp body is straddled on a boda boda and secured with some plastic wrap usually used to cover cupboard surfaces.
Its unclear why the man was being transported this way but many suspect it was due to financial constaraints.

Inspired by the eponymous movie, the 167-episode telenovela presents Mexican singer and actress Litzy, who steps into the figurative glass shoes of Marisa Luján Villa in the lead role.
Before she becomes a maid in Manhattan, Marisa Lujan is a mom in Michoacan, Mexico, where things are starting to get dangerous. Fearing for the welfare of her son, Lalo, she packs their bags for the U.S., and they make their way from California to New York. Then Marisa lands a job as a maid at a luxurious Manhattan hotel, where she works hard to build a life for her and her son while dreaming of a brighter future. But she couldn’t have ever dreamed up what happens next…
Marisa has a chance encounter with a high-profile guest at the hotel, Cristobal Parker – played by the enigmatic Eugenio Siller (). Luckily, she just so happens to be dressed in a guest’s glamourous garb at the time, and she must keep her true identity as a hotel maid a secret from him. But it’s going to be harder than she thought, as Cristobal has fallen deeply in love with her and is desperate to see her again.
 
 Expect a captivating tale of the labyrinth that leads to love, fraught with omissions, misgivings, doubt, and hard choices. It will have you in fits of laughter one moment, and dabbing at your eyes with a tissue the next. Follow the steps of the fated couple, while getting to know the other exciting characters, including Marisa’s mother (Ana Sobero), ex-husband (Paulo César Quevedo), her highly intelligent son (Jorge Eduardo García) and Sara Montero (Vanessa Villela), who will do anything to win Cristobal’s affections.  premieres on Monday 7 November 2016 at 4.20 pm CAT on Telemundo (DStv Channel 118).

French workers escorted by riot police on Tuesday began tearing down shacks and tents in the Calais “Jungle” vacated by migrants who have been bussed to shelters around the country.
The demolition work began on the second day of a massive operation to clear the squalid camp in northern France, where an estimated 6,000-8,000 migrants, mostly Afghans, Sudanese and Eritreans, have been living.
“The start of the clean-up operations sends a sign that La Lande camp is really over,” said Fabienne Buccio, head of security in the region, using the official name for a camp that has become one of the most notorious symbols of Europe’s migrant crisis.
Workers in hard hats and orange overalls used electric saws to reduce shacks to piles of wood and plastic that were removed by diggers. Mattresses, blankets, clothes, pots and suitcases left behind by the migrants were also carted away.
Situated next to the port of Calais, the Jungle has for years been a launchpad for migrants attempting to make it to Britain by sneaking onto lorries of jumping onto trains heading across the Channel.
As part of the camp’s clearance, 3,182 adults have been transferred to centres around France since Monday and 772 unaccompanied minors have been moved to a container park in the Jungle serving as a temporary shelter, the interior ministry said.
The numbers represent around half the camp’s estimated population before the operation began, according to official figures.
After an initial stampede for the buses on Monday, the pace of departures slowed Tuesday with 1,264 people being driven away, down from 1,918.
The authorities have said those who agree to be moved can seek asylum in France. Those who refuse risk deportation.
Fire trucks were dispatched into the camp on Tuesday evening after a handful of shacks were set alight, apparently by migrants resisting the Jungle’s closure.
A number of migrants are waiting until Wednesday to leave.
Ali Othman, a Sudanese 18-year-old, vowed he would not go quietly.
“They can detain me, jail me, throw me out on the street. I still want to go to Britain,” he said.
The Jungle’s thousand-plus unaccompanied minors have been the main focus of charities’ concerns, and hundreds of anxious youths queued at a hangar Tuesday for interviews with French and British officials who will decide their fate.
Britain took in around 200 teenagers in the week before the clearance began as an eleventh-hour gesture, with the transfers resuming Tuesday after a hiatus on Monday.
An AFP reporter saw a coach carrying around 30 child refugees arrive at an immigration office in the London district of Croydon.
The curtains on the bus were drawn after pictures of some teenagers reunited with family in Britain sparked accusations that they had lied about being children.
Cazeneuve said Tuesday that all unaccompanied minors “with proven family links in Britain” would eventually be transferred and that London had committed to reviewing all other cases where it was “in the child’s interest” to settle across the Channel.
British Interior Minister Amber Rudd on Monday pledged to bring eligible children from France to Britain “as quickly and as safely as possible”, without specifying numbers.
Police in Calais have battled near-nightly attempts by migrants to climb onto trucks bound for England over the past year.
The town’s Mayor Natacha Bouchart said seeing people queue to leave the camp was “a great relief.”
But many locals fear more settlements will sprout up in the area once the Jungle is razed.
Around France, the resettlement of asylum-seekers has met with a mix of hostility and solidarity.
Villagers in the wine-making hamlet of Chardonnay gave two dozen Sudanese youths a chilly reception on Monday, while Paris and Nantes saw small pro-migrant rallies.
Back in the Jungle, Arbat, a 25-year-old Sudanese migrant, said he was ready to move on.
“I know my future is no longer here,” he said in good French, adding that he wants to marry a French woman.
“They tell me they are all beautiful. Is it true?” he joked.

“The recapture is not an end in itself. We must already anticipate the consequences of the fall of Mosul,” he told a meeting of coalition defence chiefs in Paris.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and ministers from 12 other countries attended the talks, which come a week after Iraqi forces backed by Kurdish fighters launched a major operation to retake Iraq’s second-biggest city.
“What is at stake is the political future of the city, the region and Iraq,” Hollande said, calling for “all ethnic and religious groups” to have a say in the future running of the predominantly Sunni city.
He also appealed for measures to shield civilians trapped in Mosul by the fighting and for “vigilance” faced with the prospect of return foreign jihadists returning home from the Iraqi battlefield.
Of the estimated 4,000-5,000 jihadists fighting in Mosul, around 300 are French, according to French officials.
Hollande reiterated French warnings about IS fighters in Mosul fleeing across the border to Raqa, the group’s stronghold in Syria.
“We must clearly identify them,” he said.
The French leader also called on the ministers to set out “the stages of the next operations” against IS, namely retaking Raqa.
“If Mosul falls, Raqa will be Daesh’s last bastion,” he said, using another name for IS, which is also known by the acronyms of ISIS or ISIL.
“We must see to it that Daesh is destroyed and eradicated everywhere.”

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday said Turkey’s state of emergency amounted to giving “a blank cheque” for police to torture, abuse or threaten people detained after the failed coup.
The US-based watchdog cited 13 cases of alleged abuse, including torture, sleep deprivation, severe beatings, sexual abuse and rape threats among people arrested after the July 15 attempted putsch.
“By removing safeguards against torture, the Turkish government effectively wrote a blank cheque to law enforcement agencies to torture and mistreat detainees as they like,” Hugh Williamson, HRW’s Europe and Central Asia director, said in a statement.
Its report detailed several examples of detainees with bruises and marks on their body and said some lawyers were too scared to record evidence that their clients had been tortured.
A forensic specialist told HRW: “There was not a part of (a detainee’s) body that was not covered in bruises.”
In one alleged incident, an Istanbul-based lawyer told the rights group that her client said officers “threatened to rape them and their wives.”
The report is based on interviews with 40 people between August and September including lawyers, human rights activists and those who had been detained, HRW said.
The emergency was first imposed a few days after the coup bid then extended for another 12 weeks earlier this month.
It extended detention without judicial review from four to 30 days, and authorised a detainee to be denied access to a lawyer for up to five days, HRW said.
The group also said the authorities restricted access to attorneys, and often only allowed legal aid lawyers to those arrested.
The Turkish government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
But two days before the report was published, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag insisted “there is no bad treatment or torture” in Turkish prisons and detention centres.
In a series of Twitter posts on Sunday, Bozdag demanded those making such accusations provided further details on where and when the abuse took place, who the victims were and who the perpetrators were.
He did not name the HRW or any other group as the accuser.
“They do not give information or a chance for Turkey to investigate; they do not accept Turkey’s explanations, they only blame Turkey,” he said in one tweet.
In another, he said Turkish prisons and detention centres were open to international, civil, judicial and administrative checks. “These checks have been made completely,” he added.
More than 35,000 people have been placed under arrest since a rogue military faction tried to remove President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.
The Turkish government argues it is dealing with an extraordinary threat to the country, but its allies in the West have expressed concern and urged it to act in line with the rule of law.

The Saudi-led coalition denied on Tuesday it had imposed a “blockade” on Yemen, saying instead that it was controlling access to the country to prevent pro-Iran rebels from obtaining arms.
“No, there is no blockade,” coalition spokesman Major General Ahmed Assiri told AFP.
“There is control based on international law… Control is different from blockade, which means that nobody can enter or leave” the country, he said.
Assiri also spoke of “restriction” and “controlled freedom of movement”.
“If a boat leaves from Djibouti, before reaching Hodeida (port in western Yemen), our forces board the vessel to ensure the cargo is legal and complies with Resolution 2216,” adopted by the UN Security Council in April 2015 and prohibiting the delivery of arms to the rebels in Yemen, he said.
The coalition, which began its bombing campaign against rebels in Yemen in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government, accuses Iran of arming the Huthi insurgents and their allies.
The United States has made similar accusations, but Tehran denies the charges.
Saying that Yemen has been under blockade since March 2015 “gives the wrong impression”, Assiri said.
Ships carrying food and medical aid as well as people and goods have reached “all ports, including those controlled by the Huthis” such as Hodeida, he said.
But he acknowledged that only “aircraft from humanitarian organisations and the United Nations” can land or take off from rebel-controlled capital Sanaa.
“They are the only aircraft that do not undergo inspection,” he said.
Asked why commercial aircraft from national carrier Yemenia can no longer operate in Sanaa, stranding thousands of civilians, Assiri said this was to ensure passenger safety and that the airline was not used by the rebels to transfer arms.
He said that planes can use the airport in second city Aden which pro-government forces recaptured with the help of the coalition in July 2015.
If the road between Sanaa and Aden is too risky for civilian use, “it’s because of the Huthis”, he said.
“We are not angels,” he said. “But this is an exceptional period that requires exceptional measures.”
“We understand the difficulties facing the population in Yemen, but the situation has changed” because of the war.
On humanitarian aid, Assiri said the “problem is not that it is not coming to Yemen, but who controls it” once it enters.
He accused the rebels of blocking aid outside the government-held city of Taez, which the insurgents have besieged for months, or at Hodeida.
They “sell it for prices three to 10 times higher, or use it to feed their troops or pressure tribes that do not work with them”, he charged.
Nearly 6,900 people have been killed in the Yemen conflict, more than half of them civilians, an additional three million have been displaced and millions more need food aid.

A man claiming to be William Ole Ntimama’s son now wants the former cabinet minister’s body exhumed.
George Kariuki, 60, through amended court documents filed at the Milimani High Court in Nairobi, wants Ntimama’s body to be disinterred for extraction of DNA samples to prove his claims.
Kariuki has maintained that Ntimama was his biological father and said he only knew of the paternity in 1998.
The case will be mentioned on December 20.
Last month, Kariuki went to court to try and stop Ntimama’s burial, but his attempt proved unsuccessful.
Justice Joseph Onguto in his ruling said Njoroge should have done the tests before the former Heritage minster died an instructed that the burial of the respected Maasai leader proceed as planned.
 
He was later barred from attending both the funeral and burial ceremonies in Nairobi and Narok by security officers who were under strict orders not to grant him access to the venues.
Ntimama was buried at his rural home in Narok county at a ceremony attended by thousands among them President Uhuru Kenyatta, Cord leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula and former President Daniel Moi among other Kenyan leaders.

Three men disguised as “horror clowns” assaulted a 19-year-old man with a baseball bat at the weekend in the western state of Tirol, local police said Tuesday. The suspects fled the scene.
In another incident, a 16-year-old jogger was seriously injured on Sunday when she fell down a steep hill after being scared by a creepy clown who had jumped in her path in the Carinthian city of Villach.
The teenager was hospitalised while the suspect manage to escape, police said.
Another 16-year-old girl twisted her ankle on Monday evening when she ran away from a man wearing a clown mask in a parking lot and fell down some stairs in central Styria state. Authorities said they were still searching for leads regarding the suspect.
People have been reporting numerous other sightings across Austria on special Facebook pages dedicated to creepy clown spotting.
Police have issued several warnings in recent days against wearing a clown mask.
“If you scare someone, you could be already committing an offence,” Carinthian police spokesman Michael Masaniger said last week.

At least 60 people were killed after three gunmen burst into the sprawling academy, targeting sleeping quarters for about 700 recruits in the deadliest attack on a security installation in the country’s history.
Young cadets who fled the gun and suicide bomb assault told of their terror as citizens from the provincial capital of Quetta, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Balochistan Police College where the violence unfolded, rushed to donate blood.
Speaking from his hospital bed where he was recovering from a bullet wound to his left shoulder, cadet Hikmatullah, aged 22, told AFP: “They entered the rooms one by one. They went in one room and fired inside it, then they went in another.
“They also knocked at the locked rooms and told the cadets that they were from the army, and when the opened the doors, they fired at them. They came in by jumping over the walls of the academy which are very small. I ran away from my room and was hit by a bullet, I still managed to flee.”
Pakistan has once again been forced to come to terms with another devastating attack at the hands of Islamist militants even as security overall has improved in recent years.
Witnesses recounted the men were dressed in camouflage and had covered their faces, but could not say for certain whether they had disguised themselves in military uniforms.
Zubair Ahmed another recruit, said: “We were sitting in a group of three or four people relaxing at around 10:15pm in the night and thinking of going to bed.
“Suddenly there was firing and people started running around, screaming, there was chaos. Some people were jumping out of windows, others were trying to climb out onto trees.
“I also jumped out of a window via a tree and injured my shoulder and foot. I lay on the ground injured for one hour till I was rescued.”
The compound remained sealed to journalists but mobile video footage shot by an intelligence official showed the hollowed remains of a large dormitory hall covered in thick black soot.
All the bedding and belongings in the room had apparently burnt and been reduced to ashes, while a deep crater in the floor showed where one of the three attackers had detonated his suicide vest.
The attack was the third biggest in Pakistan this year and a grim reminder that for all its gains in its long battle against a homegrown Islamist insurgency, militants are still able to strike serious blows against top state institutions.
“So many young men, light of their parents’ eyes, hope for old age and future, snuffed out in the prime of their lives #Quetta #RIP”, tweeted writer Beena Sarwar, while others turned their ire on the government for failing to do enough to crackdown on Islamist ideology.
“The ideological brothers of the Quetta attackers run Islamabad’s Red Mosque & had tea w the Interior Minister last week,” said analyst Mosharraf Zaidi — referencing Pakistan’s lack of action against extremist groups deemed friendly by the state.

England wing Chris Ashton is to leave Saracens for French side Toulon at the end of the season, the English Premiership and European champions announced Tuesday, in a move that could end his Test career.
A club statement said Ashton, currently suspended for biting, would join the star-studded Toulon squad for the 2017/18 campaign after five seasons with the London side where he became the team’s leading try scorer and won two Premiership titles and a European Champions Cup.
The move appears to end the 29-year-old’s hopes of an international recall given England’s refusal to select overseas-based players for Test duty save in “exceptional circumstances”.
“We would like to thank Chris for his contribution to Saracens over the last five seasons and the role he played in helping us create some incredible memories during that period,” said Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall in the club’s statement.
In September, Ashton, famous for his ‘Ash Splash’ try celebration, was given a 13-week ban by England’s Rugby Football Union for biting Northampton’s Alex Waller.
That suspension came after former Northampton flyer Ashton blew his bid for a Six Nations recall earlier this year due to a 10-week ban for making contact with the eye/eye area of Ulster centre Luke Marshall in January.
In both cases Ashton felt he had had been treated unfairly and there have been reports he had become disillusioned with the English game as a result.
Ashton has scored 19 tries in 39 Tests, including a stunning length of the field effort against Australia at Twickenham in 2010.
But the former rugby league star has not played England under Eddie Jones, following the Australian coach’s appointment last year, with his most recent international appearance in June 2014.
He had indicated a desire to resume his England career but this now appears to have been scuppered by his decision to move to France’s Top 14.
“I’d like to put on record my thanks to Mark McCall, our chairman Nigel Wray and the whole team at Saracens for the manner in which they have dealt with my request to join Toulon next season. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Allianz Park and I have made so many special memories on and off the field,” said Ashton.
“I have developed as a player during my time with Sarries but more importantly I have developed as a person, and I will always be indebted to the club for that.
“My focus now is helping the squad prepare for Leicester Tigers on Saturday, contribute to the side when I return to action later this year and hopefully make a few more memories together in a black and red shirt.”
Ashton will be leaving a year before his current Saracens contract is due to expire. He will join Toulon on a deal that is set to keep him at the southeast club until 2020.
In moving to France, Ashton is following in the footsteps of his former Saracens team-mate and ex-England wing David Strettle, now at Toulon’s Top 14 rivals Clermont.
Ashton is due to return from his latest ban on December 19 and, had he avoided suspension, he might have been in England’s squad for their end-of-year Tests at Twickenham following injuries to fellow wings Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson.
“Chris will still have an important role to play this season and we?ll look forward to seeing him back in action after his suspension,? said McCall.
Toulon, themselves three-times European champions, were defeated by Saracens 31-23 in the first round of group matches in this season’s European Champions Cup.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has said that Cord leader Raila Odinga is among prominent politicians currently under investigations for alleged incitement.
Speaking in Marsabit County, NCIC chairman Francis Ole Kaparo confirmed that Raila  and Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago are under their watch list.
“Both of them are under investigations and once we have enough evidence, we will take the necessary action,” Kaparo said.
Kaparo said that the country is heading into an election period and warned politicians that they will be taken to court regardless of their positions.
He announced that the commission will put in place proper mechanisms, including cameras that are tamper-proof which will directly send video clips of hate speeches directly to them to be used as evidence in court.
by Kenyans should the government try and eject Auditor General Edward Ouko from office over alleged procurement malpractices.
Raila defended Ouko terming the allegations as attempts aimed at masking massive corruption dealings within government.
 
Governor Mandago has already been interrogated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and NCIC over incitement claims regarding the appointment of Prof Laban Ayiro as acting Moi University Vice Chancellor.
Mandago has opposed the appointment in favour of Prof Isaac Kosgey that has seen him clash with Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i and Joseph Nkaiserry.
The Governor earlier this month accused Kaparo of selective investigations and challenged him to resign and join politics.
“If Kaparo wants to join politics, let him resign, but if he wants to remain as the chairman of this commission, he should follow due process,” Mandago said after being grilled at the NCIC offices.

Hawaii’s John John Florence became world surfing champion for the first time on Tuesday after South Africa’s Jordy Smith was eliminated in the semi-finals in Portugal.
“My whole life has gone toward this. I can’t believe I’m the world champion. That was my goal. This is my dream. I’m so stoked,” he said.
The 24-year-old had advanced to the finals of the Portugal Pro event held off the coast of Peniche in central Portugal with a win over California’s Kolohe Andino.
He was able to claim the title before the final stage in Hawaii in December after Smith — the only rival with enough points to beat him — was defeated by Conner Coffin of the United States.
Florence won the final of the Portugal competition against Coffin, scoring 16.67 points to his rival’s 9.93.
He finished in first in the overall classification with 56,400 points, followed by Brazil’s Gabriel Medina who had 45,450 points and Smith with 41,700 points.
Florence will now head to his home event, the Pipe Masters in Oahu, with the world title safely in tow.
“To win it here and not have the stress of taking it to Pipe, it’s pretty good. I get to relax and surf my favourite wave in the world.”
He is the fourth Hawaiian ever to win a world title after Derek Ho in 1993, Sunny Garcia in 2000 and Andy Irons in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

For a country that is predominantly conservative especially on reproductive matters, Kenya is about to witness an event that could shape opinions for ages.
The world vasectomy day is coming to Kenya and with it a number of experts ready to perform free vasectomy procedures to volunteers. Part of the team is already in Kenya and they are carrying out a number of awareness campaigns across the city and today they will be in Kayole.
Kenya is the first country they have been to in Africa. Previous events have been held in the US, Australia, Finland and Indonesia. 
While a normal procedure usually costs about Kshs.35,000 the specialists coming along with local counterparts will be doing it for free.
 
The event will be held on November 18th at the Kenya National Theatre. Here are a couple of quick facts on vasectomy as provided by World Vasectomy Day organization
Vasectomy is simply a form of contraception for men that involves surgically cutting or blocking the tubes that transport sperm from the testicles to the shaft o the male organ.
Though a vasectomy should be considered a permanent form of contraception, it’s often possible to reverse it-With a vasovasostomy or vasoepididymostomy if you decide you want to father a child.
How successful the procedure is depends on several factors—in particular, the length of time since the vasectomy was done (the longer the interval, the more difficult the procedure is, possibly due to scarring that increases over time).
Men who have had a vasectomy do not report more sexual difficulties; such as a decrease in desire, difficulty maintaining an erection or problems with orgasm
Major side effects from the procedure are unusual;
A little swelling and bruising at the incision area is to be expected. A pain reliever can help with any short-term pain or discomfort. But if you experience an increase in pain or swelling, or develop a fever— indications of possible infection —see your doctor.
Vasectomy does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). You can still transmit or acquire them when you have unprotected sex. If you or your partner has an STI or you’re not sure of your STI status or your partner’s, you should always use a condom.
A vasectomy will NOT increase men’s risk for diseases, including prostate cancer, heart disease, stroke, hypertension or testicular cancer, according to a guideline paper from the American Urological Association, published in the Journal of Urology in 2012.
It does not result in immediate sterility- You may still have viable sperm in your system for several weeks after. To avoid unintended pregnancy, use an alternative birth control method until a semen analysis confirms no detectable motile sperm.
Here is a video of the experiences of men who have done it already.
 
 

Addressing Kenyans during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kenyatta stadium in Machakos, President Uhuru Kenyatta pointed out that there was enough space to jail those found culpable of engaging in corruption as he was pardoning 7000 inmates.
 
A prisoner who was recently pardoned by President Uhuru has been arrested again after he stole a neighbor’s sheep.
The jailbird, George Kimani, was arrested on Sunday October 23 in his Iria-ini home in Othaya after he was found in possession of the sheep which had gone missing.
Kimani was hiding the sheep in his bathroom; he was also found in possession of bhang when police raided his compound.
 
That same Sunday October 23, another jailbird who had been pardoned by President Uhuru was arrested after he was caught stealing from a church.
26-year-old Lucas Ngugi Njoroge was caught by worshippers stealing church offering during a Sunday service at Ol Jabet African Independent Pentecostal Church.
Area assistant chief, Charles Ngunjiri, rescued Njoroge from angry worshippers who wanted to beat him. The suspect was arrested and taken to Ol Jabet Police Post.
 

Europe must delay a summit this week when EU leaders hoped to sign the hotly-contested CETA free-trade deal with Canada, European Parliament President Martin Schulz told German radio on Tuesday.
“I don’t think we’ll have a solution this week,” Schulz said in an interview on Deutschlandfunk radio. “That seems to me to be very, very difficult.”
But the German centre-left politician insisted that delaying the summit would not mean the deal had failed.
“A transatlantic trade agreement isn’t any old contract about buying a second-hand car. It’s a first-of-its-kind, really huge trade agreement of global importance that should set rules for globalisation,” Schulz said.
“If you need 14 more days then you just push back the summit.”
Schulz’s words run counter to European Union President Donald Tusk, who on Monday said “Thursday’s summit is still possible”.
French-speaking Wallonia had earlier refused to give consent for Belgium’s federal government to join other EU member states in signing, casting doubts over whether Canadian premier Justin Trudeau would make the Thursday trip to Brussels at all.
All 28 EU governments must endorse the pact to link the EU’s single market of 500 million people with Canada, the 10th-largest economy in the world, if it is to go ahead.
“Canada is ready to sign CETA, but the ball is in Europe’s court and it’s time for Europe to do its job,” Canadian trade minister Chrystia Freeland said on Monday.
Europe’s institutions are divided on how to proceed, with the European Council — the gathering of heads of state and government — still pushing for an agreement this week, while the European Commission is ready to offer Belgium more time, an EU source told AFP.
Fears that the CETA deal will fizzle out after seven years of negotiations have been a fresh blow to the European Union, still digesting Britain’s June vote to quit the bloc and yet to fully come to grips with its worst migration crisis since World War II.
Freeland labelled the EU “incapable” of reaching international agreements after talks with the Belgian region of Wallonia failed last week.

Sophisticated NATO surveillance planes have flown their first mission in support of the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday.
NATO leaders agreed in July to commit the AWACS planes after Washington had pressed hard for the alliance to make a concrete gesture to help the fight against IS.
“NATO itself is now offering direct support with our AWACS surveillance aircraft,” Stoltenberg told a press briefing in Brussels, announcing that the first flight took place on October 20.
NATO was “committed to sustaining the coalition’s momentum so that IS can be defeated once and for all,” he said at alliance headquarters ahead of a two-day defence ministers meeting in Brussels.
All 28 NATO members also belong to the anti-IS alliance but some were reluctant to see the coalition directly involved in the Syrian conflict, so the aircraft were limited to flying in international airspace or over NATO member Turkey, from where they can look deep into Syria and Iraq.
Stoltenberg said that while he could not comment on their exact role, the aircraft “will not be part of combat operations.”
The planes are one of the few concrete assets that NATO has, with most of its military hardware belonging to individual member states.
AWACS have powerful radars that allow them to monitor airspace for hundreds of kilometres (miles) around and they can also serve as command posts to coordinate bombing raids and other operations.

It’s one thing to place an order and another to wait for forever before the product is delivered at your door step. Electronic Soko is taking that into consideration with the introduction of FREE delivery in Nairobi, within 24hrs!
We are growing border-less every day as the world-wide-web continues to become part and parcel of every little aspect of everyday life.
When we take a look at Kenya, most vendors have now adapted to selling their merchandise online. Sticking to what their target audience need. But even with the rapid growth of technology systems and functions the rate of being over-charged on products and being conned grows. But still, we have a couple trusted systems that are still genuine and are not in the business of ripping off their clients.
 
Take for instance Esoko, Esoko is an online shop for electronics, they sale phones, laptops and tabs and they have a country wide delivery option in place. You no longer need to save for months to come to Moi Avenue to get your desired gadget, when Esoko are very affordable, all you have to do is buy and chill for it to be delivered plus they have #electronicsokoCRAZYDEAL with discounts of up to 50% off!
Don’t believe me? Check or call 0726122001to confirm for yourself.

The friendship between Wema and Diamond Platnumz is quite complicated. During the time Diamond was seeing Wema, actress Ezekiel is said to have found love in one of Wasafi’s dancers, Moses Iyobo, who is the father of her 1-year-old daughter.
With the drama and misunderstandings Aunty Ezekiel dumped Wema for Diamond’s new wife Zari Hassan. This was no surprise as these actresses are known to have perfected the art of betrayal.
Anyway, at the moment rumor has it that Aunty Ezekiel is no longer interested in friendships as she is focusing on her man and daughter. Lately she has been posting adorable photos and videos of her spending some quality time with her little miss sunshine, Cookie.
 
The toddler is a striking image of her dad with her chocolate complexion that she got from her mama. Cookie now joins the list of the celebrity kids from Tanzania and judging from her recent photos, this little girl might have a bright future when it comes to modeling.
She is friends with Zari Hassan’s daughter, Princess Tiffah and Hamisa Mobetto’s baby girl Fancy. Checkout the mother-daughter moments below.

An island of comfort in the squalid Calais ‘Jungle’, the Khyber Pass Cafe is one of the few still serving customers even as migrants heed an eviction order and camp residents move out.
Open since April, the cafe has been housed in a large dark green tent. Inside, migrants and aid workers sip tea and coffee, and eat succulent-looking traditional Pakistani dishes, including beans soaked in a spicy sauce and saffron rice.
“Our menu is limited today. We are hours from closing down,” said Soheil, its 33-year-old owner, who did not reveal his last name for security reasons.
When Soheil arrived in the Jungle on April 7, he was “shocked” by the state of the camp, which migrants have used as a launchpad for dangerous attempts to reach Britain.
“I decided the only way forward was to set up this cafe. I go to work the very next day,” said the former sales executive, who spent several years in Dubai and speaks good English.
It took Soheil two weeks to build the Khyber Pass Cafe, named after his native region, which borders Afghanistan.
Its flimsy walls are covered in silver and gold paper, with flags of Egypt, Sudan and Syria pinned up, as a welcoming gesture to guests from all over the world.
In some ways it serves as a symbol for the community spirit some see in the Jungle.
In Pakistan, Soheil was an influential member of his tribe. But after an assassination attempt by the Taliban last year, it was the elders of his own tribe who advised him to flee, he says.
Asked whether he dreams of returning to Pakistan, he says his “priorities have changed now. I used to put my tribe first.”
Now, he plans to keep his cafe open for at the most another day, and to evacuate by Wednesday.
“My dream is to end up somewhere in Brittany. I have never been, but I have seen pictures, and it is beautiful. I want to open a restaurant, a proper one this time, and I want to help others who are less fortunate,” he says, sitting back on a green couch.
“I will also call the new restaurant Khyber, just like this one.”
Nearby, Jaan Sina, a 26-year-old from Afghanistan braves the chilly Calais weather as he stands by his stall, looking for buyers for the last of his merchandise.
He sells shoes, cell phone battery packs, plastic cutlery, umbrellas, padlocks, washing up liquid and cigarette filters — an odd mixture of goods that are all vital for day-to-day survival in the Jungle.
But Sina, who used to be a taxi driver before he came to the Jungle, is now advertising discounted rates, as he too gets ready to leave.
“As soon as everything is sold, I am getting out of here,” said the young man, wearing a grey scarf around his head to keep out the cold, but only flip flops on his feet.
“These shoes used to cost 17 euros ($18). Today, I’ll give them to you for 10!” said the keen salesman, holding up a pair of black and fluorescent green trainers.
Like many others in the Jungle, Sina fears being separated from the community he has built here.
“Here in the Jungle, all Afghans are one. But from now on, each of us will go our own way. That is what makes me sad,” he says.
As the end of the first day of the evacuation draws near, most of the shops, restaurants and cafes that were once bustling with life here are already shut.
But even now, music still blasts in the background from a loudspeaker as a group of men sit around a camp fire for a last night in what, for better or worse, has become home for several thousands.
One group of Afghans gather around another stall a short walk away along a muddy alleyway, sharing tea.
“Everything you see here, even the shoes, you can have them at one or two euros,” said Muman, a 23-year-old also from Afghanistan, pointing at all that remains on sale at this bare-looking street stall.
“We’re leaving the Jungle. We don’t want trouble with the police,” said the young man, in a brown leather jacket and grey trousers, who used to work as a farmer.
All he’s waiting for is to sell off a pair of black trainers, two phone covers and a few battery packs.
“It’s over. No more UK for me. I’m staying in France.”

Local reggae fans have already enjoyed a steady stream of formidable musical talent via the usual reggae themed nights flocking Nairobi entertainment scene. ‘Cool Runnings’ a reggae night happening at Tribeka every Thursday and you wouldn’t want to miss out on.
Reggae is a broad musical canvas, stretching from the lightest of pop to the deepest of folk rhythms. From roots, reggae, dancehall and loversrock.
Actually if I was asked, and confidently say local reggae fans are spoilt for choice! They already enjoy steady streams of formidable musical talent via the usual reggae nights lined-up in almost every club in the entertainment scene, from 3 of November, 2016, reggae lovers can go to Club Tribeka for 8hrs of non-stop reggae party.
 
On the decks will be the awesome disk jockey in Kenya, Dj Moh.
Entrance is free of charge.  
Tribeka is located in the CBD next to Nation center.

Police raided apartments across Germany Tuesday in a probe against 14 Chechen asylum seekers over suspected financing of terrorist groups and links to the Islamic State group.
The raids, involving 400 police officers, were part of an investigation which began last year into a 28-year-old Russian of Chechen origin who is suspected of “preparing an act of violence against the state”.
The suspect was believed to have been planning to join IS jihadists in Syria.
Police said no arrests were made Tuesday but that 10 other men and three women — all Chechens aged between 21 and 31 all awaiting decisions on asylum requests — were now under suspicion over their role in “terror financing”.
Several of them were still being interrogated, said Holger Poppenhaeger, interior minister of the state of Thuringia.
The raids targeted 12 apartments and a shelter for asylum seekers in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony, Hamburg in the north, North Rhine-Westphalia in the west and Bavaria in the south.
Potential evidence including laptops, telecommunications equipment, hard-drives and bank statements were seized, said Poppenhaeger, adding that investigators were seeking to establish “if there is direct or indirect financing of the IS group”.
Police said there was “no concrete danger of an attack”.
Germany has so far been spared large-scale jihadist attacks.
But Europe’s biggest economic power has been shaken by two assaults claimed by IS and carried out by asylum seekers — an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg that injured five, and a suicide bombing in Ansbach in which 15 people were hurt.
Police said this month they had foiled an alleged plot by a Syrian refugee to bomb one of Berlin’s airports.
Police said that there were no initial indications that those under investigation Tuesday had any links to those attacks, which have fuelled anxiety over Germany’s record influx of nearly 900,000 asylum seekers in 2015.