Tanzania Media Silent On National Killed In Ukraine

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January 18, 2023

Leading Tanzanian newspapers have largely ignored a video circulating on Twitter of a memorial for a national who was allegedly killed in Bakhmut, Ukraine, last October while fighting for Russia’s Wagner Group.

Tarimo Neves Raymond was a student in Russia and was reportedly recruited by Wagner from a prison in Moscow.

The video shows men in military fatigues holding candles around a casket.

A portrait picture of Raymond, two medals and a certificate are placed on the casket draped with a Wagner flag.

None of the major Tanzanian news outlets have so far carried the story and there has been no comment from the government’s official channels.

Last September a Zambian national died in Ukraine while fighting for Wagner, while several “Black Russians” from the Central African Republic are believed to have been recruited by the paramilitary company.

On 1 January, Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin purportedly flaunted a mercenary from Cote d’Ivoire who had joined fighting in Ukraine.

Cremonese Reach Italian Cup Quarters With Stunning Shootout Win At Napoli

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John Mutiso

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January 18, 2023

Cremonese will play Roma in the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup after Serie A’s bottom side battled to a stunning 5-4 penalty shootout win over league leaders Napoli on Tuesday.

Felix Afena-Gyan struck the winning spot-kick under a torrential downpour in Naples to send Cremonese through after the former Roma forward had taken the match to extra time with a late looping header.

Napoli had been leading 2-1 with three minutes remaining of normal time thanks to headers in three first-half minutes from Juan Jesus and Giovanni Simeone after Charles Pickel gave the away side an 18th-minute lead.

But Cremonese fought back against an initially second-string Napoli and Luciano Spalletti was forced to bring on star striker Victor Osimhen just after Leonardo Sernicola was sent off in a bid to win the tie.

The Nigeria forward drew a superb save from Marco Carnesecchi late in the first half of extra time before Simeone smashed his rebound effort off the post and bar with an open goal at his mercy.

But Cremonese, under new coach Davide Ballardini after Massimiliano Alvini was sacked on Sunday with the team winless after 18 league matches, held off a Napoli onslaught in soaking conditions and held their nerve in the shootout.

Ballardini’s team netted all five of their spot-kicks while Stanislav Lobotka missed his for Napoli, who exit the competition early.

Tuesday’s match was also the first time an all-female on-pitch team of officials took charge of a match featuring two Serie A clubs.

Referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi, who was promoted to the top rung of Italian football’s match officials in the summer, was flanked by assistants Francesca Di Monte and Tiziana Trasciatti.

Ferrieri Caputi made history in October as the first woman to referee a Serie A match when she officiated Sassuolo’s 5-0 thumping of Salernitana.

Quake Shakes East Indonesia, South Philippines; No Tsunami

By

John Mutiso

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January 18, 2023

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook eastern Indonesia and southern Philippines on Wednesday, with no damage immediately reported and no tsunami warning issued.

Some residents tried to escape from houses in the Indonesian town of Tobelo in North Maluku province.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred 48 kilometers (30 miles) deep under the sea, centered 154 kilometers (94 miles) northwest of Tobelo.

Resident Pius Ohoiwutun said some people ran from houses when the quake shook. “I felt a little swaying as the lamps also swayed,” Ohoiwutun said.

The undersea quake was also felt in several provinces and cities across the southern Philippines, but there was no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

No tsunami warning was issued by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Both archipelago nations lie on the “Ring of Fire,” the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Basin where most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

A magnitude 6.1 quake also shook eastern Indonesia earlier Wednesday morning. No damage was reported.

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake on Nov. 21 killed at least 331 people in Indonesia’s West Java province. It was the deadliest quake in Indonesia since 2018.

In 2004, an extremely powerful Indian Ocean quake set off a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

Who Wanted Chebukati Dead At Bomas?

By

John Mutiso

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January 18, 2023

So who wanted Wafula Wanyonyi Chebukati dead? President William Ruto says some people wanted the IEBC chair dead….attempted to abduct him but were stopped in their trucks.

The President is on oath to protect the lives of the people of Kenya and therefore cannot make a careless statement.

But neither can he be summoned by security agencies to verify his statement…by virtue of his status as the Commander in Chief of the Armed forces.

Since the President is categorical that Chebukati should have met God on or around the 9th of August, he must be having some hard facts.

President Ruto has since August 10th described Chebukati as Kenya’s biggest hero, in the frame of the Kapenguria 7, Mau Mau and other freedom fighters. He repeated this during his swearing-in and also when he conferred him with the highest state honour below the President….EGH.

so who would have wanted Chebukati dead? As the chair of IEBC, he was presiding over a decisive election pitting Ruto and Raila Odinga.

So the interested person in this is Raila and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. So is President Ruto accusing Kenyatta of plotting murder, with Raila as an accomplice?

That the plot was thwarted by security forces presumably speaks volumes of the ping pong in the Government on or around election time. Never mind that Ruto himself was allegedly a target of elimination by the Hotel Lamada group. Or so the public was sold.

During the IEBC split at the height of the Bomas vote tallying, and the walkout by Cherera and Co, there was an attempt to derail the announcement of the election results by some Raila sympathisers.

There were reports that the then National Security Advisory Council attempted to interfere with the results announcement.

Is the President suggesting these were hired to kill Chebukati? This is a major reposit by the President. And it will be discussed to the highest echelons of Government.

Three Tanzanian Fishermen Rescued In Mombasa After 3 Days At Sea

By

John Mutiso

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January 18, 2023

Three Tanzanian fishermen who were rescued by a cargo ship after getting stranded at sea for 3days and two nights, arrived safely at the port of Mombasa last evening.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Hafith Abdalla, 17, Musa Silima, 18 and Silimani Zidini, from Tanagani area in Pemba survived without food or water after their dugout canoe that was on a fishing expedition, capsized following a heavy storm.

“Their hopes to return to their families with a handsome catch were turned into a nightmare, as the three spent over 55-hours in the high seas playing hide and seek games with sharks and other deadly sea creatures to save their lives,” the DCI said.

The three had set sail for the high seas early Saturday morning at around 4 am, on a non-motorized canoe.

But mid-through their voyage, their canoe came under a torrential storm accompanied by strong tidal waves that swept it off, tossing the fishermen into the raging waters.

“Miraculously, the trio fought through the storm and strong winds spawned by a surge of the northeast monsoon and managed to get hold of the vessel, which they floated on the water once again and hopped aboard,” the DCI added.

But with their paddles gone with the tides, the fishermen lost control over the canoe and with the shore being tens of nautical miles away, they resigned to their fate drifting deep into the sea by wind and tide.

“All this while, sharks crisscrossed daringly inches from the canoe as if marking time for the slightest provocation, before tearing the ill-fated vessel apart and devouring the terrified occupants in a single bite! But the fishermen knew better. They remained calm and clung on to hope for survival.”

Luckily on Monday evening, the captain of a bulk ship MV Ince Atlantic spotted the canoe with stranded occupants within the Kenyan territorial waters. The Captain reported to the Kenya Ports Authority control tower and was advised to assist the three and disembark them in Mombasa.

“The ship’s crew members rescued the panic-stricken trio and gave them food, water, clothing and a place to sleep before ferrying them up to the outer Port limits of the Mombasa port yesterday,” the DCI further narrated.

The Tanzanian consular was immediately notified and after interviewing the three, he established that they were Tanzanian nationals.

Plans are currently underway to ensure that they are repatriated back home and reunited with their families.

Detectives Arrest Six Manufacturers Of Fake Kenya Revenue Stamps

By

John Mutiso

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January 18, 2023

Following the ongoing crackdown on counterfeit products in the market dubbed ‘Operation Uchumi,’ detectives have escalated the crackdown to suspects manufacturing fake counterfeited Kenya Revenue Authority stamps and arrested six suspects.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Peter Mburu, James Kigera, Frankline M’Mburia, Mary Wanjiku, Titus Ndegwa and Jane Muthoni were rounded up yesterday in different parts of the city and counterfeit stamps including those from Tanzania Revenue Authority and Uganda Revenue Authority recovered.

“One of the suspects Titus Ndegwa who was arrested at his residence in Thindigua was found to be a civilian firearm holder whose firearm a Glock pistol, loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition was confiscated,” the DCI noted.

The suspects are currently in custody at Muthaiga Police Station being processed for arraignment.

Eldoret: Nema Unearths Plastic Bag Cartel

By

John Mutiso

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January 18, 2023

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) unearthed a syndicate of major suppliers of the banned plastic bags in various parts of the country including Nairobi.

According to the agency, this was done through one of the suspects who was arrested in possession of the bags inside a mini-supermarket.

The suspect then volunteered to take the officers to the supplier in exchange of his freedom.

The supplier goes by the name Akley Bakers.

“Our environmental inspectors backed by the local police and NEMA’s police laid a dragnet for the suspect,” Nema said.

However, the suspect got wind of the plan from sympathetic neighbours where she is believed to have a major store.

Some of her accomplices were arrested as the officers are in pursuit of the supplier who remains at large.

Billionaire INEOS Owner Enters Race To Buy Man United

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 18, 2023

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s firm Ineos has officially entered the race to buy Manchester United.

United’s owners the Glazer family said in November that they were considering selling the club as they “explore strategic alternatives”.

Ineos said the company had “formally put ourselves into the process”.

Ratcliffe made an unsuccessful late £4.25bn offer to buy Chelsea last year after owner Roman Abramovich put the London club up for sale.

Born the son of a joiner in Failsworth, in Greater Manchester, Ratcliffe is a boyhood fan of United and one of the UK’s richest men.

He said he would have tried to buy the Old Trafford side following the failure to acquire Chelsea but, after meeting with brothers Joel and Avram Glazer, stated that they did not want to sell.

However, since then the Glazers have changed their stance and he has now joined the bidding process.

Ineos group owns Nice in France and Swiss club Lausanne.

United have been owned by the Glazer family since 2005.

They are fourth in the Premier League after an improvement in form under manager Erik ten Hag, who took over in the summer.

They beat local rivals Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday and are nine points off leaders Arsenal.

American investment firm Raine Group, who handled Chelsea’s £4.25bn sale in May, is exclusively advising United. A consortium led by Todd Boehly paid £2.5bn for the Stamford Bridge club’s shares, while saying it would provide £1.75bn to invest in the Premier League club.

Usain Bolt’s Sh1.2 billion Investment Wiped Out By A Fraudster

By

Cyrus Kimanga

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January 18, 2023

Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprint legend, is said to have lost his retirement investments worth over Sh1.2 billion after a fraudster wiped his account clean.

According to the Jamaica Observer, Bolt is one of more than 30 people whose assets at Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) are suspected to have been duped by a wealth advisor.

The investment firm allegedly became aware of the fraud in August 2022, but it didn’t realize the Olympian was one of those impacted until it was too late.

According to reports, Bolt requested a meeting with the firm in December after seeing the mismatch in his financial portfolio during the yearly review.

According to the Jamaica Observer, the intelligence of the big theft was sent to Bolt’s management team last week before the firm went public about it.

According to the Jamaica Observer, Bolt opened the account in 2012 and never made a withdrawal.

Pursuant to the newspaper, the retired runner worries he would never be able to recover his retirement funds.

Elliot Fires Gives Liverpool A First Victory In Four Matches

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 18, 2023

Harvey Elliott’s sublime strike put troubled Liverpool back on track with a 1-0 win at Wolves in Tuesday’s FA Cup third-round replay, according to Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp’s side came in for scathing criticism after losing their last two Premier League games in desultory fashion at Brighton and Brentford.

But Elliott’s brilliant long-range effort in the first half at Molineux secured a much-needed first victory in four games in all competitions.

Ironically, Liverpool’s reward for seeing off Wolves is a return trip to Brighton in the fourth round.

The Reds’ dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday left them languishing in ninth place in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of the top four.

“It feels like ages ago that we had that feeling that we win and play well,” Klopp said.

“We played a really good first half and in the end it was just passion to block the shots. It’s the reaction we wanted to see from ourselves and the boys delivered.

“The goal was exceptional. I don’t want to make Harvey’s performance smaller, but I had a few men of the match today, just the others didn’t score.”

In the bout of soul-searching that followed that embarrassment, Klopp said his struggling team needed to go “back to basics”.

Amid mounting questions about Klopp’s own future at Anfield, the German claimed this week that he will not leave the club unless he is forced to and hinted at changes in his squad during the summer.

Hamstrung by injuries to a host of key players including Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz, Klopp made eight changes after the Brighton debacle, with only Cody Gakpo, Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate retaining their places.

Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker were among those left out, but Liverpool’s understudies rose to the challenge.