MSCHF Collaborates With Crocs To Create Jumbo Yellow Boots

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July 26, 2023

Art collective MSCHF has collaborated with footwear brand Crocs to design a pair of oversized yellow boots with “distinctive” holes.

Called Big Red Boots (Yellow), the shoes are the latest iteration of jumbo boots by MSCHF, which previously designed a similar pair of red boots modelled on those worn by the manga character Astro Boy.

The yellow boots feature the same cartoony shape, characterised by a chunky upper section that extends to the mid-calf. However, they are also punctuated by the recognisable holes that define Crocs’ Classic Clogs.

A heel strap emblazoned with the Crocs logo is also attached to the back of the boots.

“We’re mixing two samples to create something totally transformed and instantly recognisable,” said MSCHF, which will make the footwear available in a limited drop next month.

“Crocs’ distinctive hole pattern and strap get transposed onto the big red boot silhouette,” added the art collective.

The yellow boots were debuted by Estonian rapper Tommy Cash during the Rick Owens runway show at Paris Fashion Week in June, while he was playfully dressed and performing as a mime artist in the front row.

MSCHF has also released imagery of American media personality Paris Hilton wearing the shoes combined with a bright yellow and black motorcycle-style outfit.

Known for its alternative creations, MSCHF has previously collaborated with musician Lil Nas X to create Nike trainers customised with human blood – a move that resulted in Nike suing the art collective.

Recently, MSCHF designed a replica of a Louis Vuitton bag that is “smaller than a grain of salt” as a critique of the world of luxury fashion.

Other footwear projects that have sparked conversation include a chunky, bristly running shoe outsole by Central Saint Martins graduate Kiki Grammatopoulos, who created the footwear to help spread plants and seeds in cities as part of a project she’s titled Rewild the Run.

Pepper-Eating Couple Lock Lips To Break World Record For Hottest Kiss

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John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

A Canada couple ate spicy peppers and then locked lips for more than 15 minutes to break the Guinness World Record for the longest habanero pepper kiss.

London couple Mike and Jamie Jack ate a habanero each and then had to start kissing within 30 seconds to comply with Guinness World Records rules.

They held their kiss for 15 minutes, 6.5 seconds, earning the record. The couple set their goal at 15 minutes because they will be celebrating their 15th anniversary this year.

Mike Jack has several world records for eating spicy peppers. Jamie Jack said she practiced for the record by eating a habanero every day for about a month.

The couple said practice is an extremely important part of setting the record.

“Make sure you can handle the heat of the peppers before attempting a record like this,” Mike Jack told Guinness World Records. “You don’t want to throw up into someone else’s mouth.”

Wandayi To Ruto: Inviting Baba For Talks Via Twitter Is Disrespectful

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John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

In a tweet, minority leader Opiyo Wandayi expressed his disappointment with President William Ruto’s invitation to opposition leader Raila Odinga.

On Tuesday, President Ruto took to Twitter to say that he is willing to meet with the opposition chief once he returns from Tanzania, where he will attend a human capital meeting.

“My friend Raila Odinga, I’m off to Tanzania for a human capital meeting to harmonise the expansion of employment opportunities on our continent. I’ll be back tomorrow evening, and as you have always known, I am available to meet one-on-one with you anytime at your convenience,” Ruto tweeted.

Wandayi responded to Ruto’s olive branch by saying it was impolite for the president to invite the opposition leader through a social media statement.

“Ruto must respect Baba, inviting him via a tweet is disrespectful,” said Wandayi speaking on Ramogi radio Wednesday morning.

The Ugunja MP also stated that the Azimio la Umoja coalition is willing to engage in dialogue with the government.

Wandayi also revealed that Azimio will express condolences to the victims of last week’s protests, following the three-day anti-government protests’ suspension.

He also stated that a restitution fund for victims of police brutality will be established, which will be used to compensate those who lost property during the protests.

“This week is dedicated for prayers; we’ll have interdenominational prayers in Nairobi, Kisumu and major towns,” he said.

“On Saturday all denominations that observe the day as their worship day too will be engaged.”

Tupac Shakur Ring Sells For Record Ksh.14 Million

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John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

A gold, ruby and diamond crown ring worn by rap legend Tupac Shakur during his last public appearance sold for $1 million at auction in New York Tuesday.

The winning bid was well above Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate of between $200,000 and $300,000 and becomes the most valuable hip-hop artifact ever sold, the auction house said.

The New York-born rapper wore the ring during his final public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1996.

He was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas just days later on September 13. He was 25.

Shakur, whose hits included “California Love,” designed the ring over the course of a few months, Sotheby’s said.

He did so through his godmother Yaasmyn Fula, who put the ring up for sale.

Shakur was influenced by 16th century Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli’s political manifesto “The Prince” which he read while in prison on sex abuse charges.

He modeled the design on the crowns of the medieval kings of Europe, Sotheby’s added.

The ring is engraved “Pac & Dada 1996,” a reference to his girlfriend Kidada Jones.

A gold circulet studded with a central cabochon ruby flanked by two pave-cut diamonds sits atop a diamond-encrusted gold band.

The sale was part of a dedicated hip-hop auction to mark 50 years of the genre which falls in August this year.

Shakur is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, selling 75 million records.

He was a central figure in the Los Angeles-based West Coast hip-hop scene, which feuded with rival East Coast rappers in New York.

His killers have never been caught and theories about who was responsible have long abounded.

Shakur’s murder was followed six months later by the gunning down of East Coast rapper Christopher “The Notorious BIG” Wallace.

Many believe they were slain as part of a rivalry between their music labels, LA-based Death Row and New York’s Bad Boy Entertainment.

But some music historians say the coastal rift was exaggerated for commercial reasons.

Last week, Las Vegas police searched a home as part of their investigation into the murder of Shakur.

Ghana Parliament Votes To Abolish The Death Penalty

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John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

Ghana’s parliament on Tuesday voted to abolish the death penalty, making the country the latest of several African nations that have moved to repeal capital punishment in recent years.

No one has been executed in Ghana since 1993, although 176 people were on death row as of last year, according to the Ghana prisons service.

The new bill will amend the state’s Criminal Offences Act to substitute life imprisonment for the death penalty, according to a parliamentary committee report. President Nana Akufo-Addo still has to assent for the law to take effect.

“This is a great advancement of the human rights record of Ghana,” said Francis-Xavier Sosu, the parliamentarian who tabled the bill.

“We have conducted research, from the constitutional review to opinion polls, and they all show that majority of Ghanaians want the death penalty removed,” he told Reuters.

Ghana is the 29th country to abolish the death penalty in Africa and the 124th globally, according to The Death Penalty Project, a London-based NGO which said it worked alongside partners in Ghana to help get the law changed.

Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Zambia are among the latest African states to have ended capital punishment in the last two years.

Stop Going For DNA Tests, Uganda Gov’t Advises Men

By

John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

The Ugandan government has advised men in Kenya’s western neighbour not to undergo DNA paternity testing, claiming that it is harmful to the country’s well-being.

Margaret Muhanga, the country’s minister for Primary Health Care, says it doesn’t matter whether men raising children are their biological fathers, and that paternity tests are just a recipe for chaos.

“It is not really important. If you have raised your child, that is your child. Biology doesn’t matter. No one is looking for him after all. So, stay with your child in order to keep harmony,” Muhanga was quoted by the Daily Monitor newspaper as having said on Tuesday.

“If you hear people killing each other because of DNA, why are you even going for it? Anything that you don’t know can’t kill you. If you don’t know that that is not your child, it won’t break your heart. But when you find out, your heart will be broken,” she added.

Uganda has reported cases of family violence as a result of DNA paternity test results, some of which have resulted in death.

Just last week, an Israeli national allegedly murdered his Ugandan wife and buried her body in a septic tank after DNA results from their 6-month-old son came back negative.

Five Moroccan Migrants Drown Off Western Sahara: NGO

By

John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

At least five Moroccans drowned when their boat sank off Western Sahara, a rights group said on Tuesday, as crossing attempts by migrants hoping to reach Europe multiply from the area.

On Saturday authorities said six migrants drowned off northern Morocco trying to reach Spain.

Mohamed Zendour, of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), told AFP a boat went down near Dakhla, in the disputed Western Sahara, on Monday, resulting in the latest fatalities.

“The vessel, which carried about 60 migrants, capsized not far from the coast due to waves,” Zendour said, adding the death toll could rise.

There was no immediate comment from Moroccan authorities on the incident.

Morocco in northwest Africa is a transit country for many migrants trying to get to Europe via Spain’s mainland or its Canary Islands in the Atlantic.

The Canaries are only about 150 kilometres (93 miles) off southern Morocco.

The Spanish islands have long been a draw for migrants seeking a better life in Europe, with many boats setting off from the coastline of Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal.

Atlantic crossings began surging in late 2019 after increased patrols along Europe’s southern coast dramatically reduced Mediterranean crossings.

Between July 10 and 17, the Moroccan navy said it rescued nearly 900 migrants, most of them from sub-Saharan African countries.

Spain’s coastguard on Tuesday said it had rescued a migrant boat off the Canary Islands, pulling 84 people to safety but also finding the body of a man who had died en route.

Malindi Court Destroy Bhang, Heroin Worth Sh25 Million

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John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

The Malindi law courts have destroyed narcotic drugs worth Sh. 25 million at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Kilifi centre.

After the court cases were completed and the files closed, the narcotics, which included one tonne of bhang and hundreds of kilogrammes of heroin, were destroyed.

The exercise was overseen by a court users committee led by Malindi Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Usui, who escorted the consignment from Malindi to Kilifi town, which is 67 kilometres away.

“Today we have the exercise of transporting narcotics to Kilifi and they are exhibits on various court cases and we decided to take them at the KEMRI center because they have an incinerator that can destroy large amounts of drugs without polluting the environment as advised by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA),” she said.

She added that the bulk of narcotics were bhang that were nabbed from various offenders including a container of the same that was arrested along the Mariakani- Kilifi highway last year.

“In Malindi we have seen how our youth have been wasted by drugs and we want to show the world that the Malindi law courts are hell bent on eradicating narcotics in our jurisdiction and we are destroying the drugs so that they don’t find their way back to the streets,” she said.

Microsoft, Google Beat Earnings Expectations Amid AI Frenzy

By

John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

Tech titans Google and Microsoft announced better-than-expected earnings on Tuesday as the frenzy over artificial intelligence stokes investor excitement and breathes a new life into the sector.

The release of ChatGPT last year landed as technology giants were embarking on major layoffs and cost-cutting plans, with share prices hammered after flying high during the coronavirus pandemic.

For the second consecutive quarter, Microsoft has more than reversed the trend, seeing profits and sales soaring to the highest levels ever for the 48-year-old company co-founded by Bill Gates.

An earnings statement reported that net profit for Microsoft was $20.1 billion in the April to June period, up 20 percent year-on-year and above expectations.

The company posted $56.2 billion in sales, which also beat expectations, though the growth slowed from the previous quarter.

And even though its share price slipped in after-hours trading, the Windows-maker remains the world’s second most valuable company after Apple, with a market capitalization of $2.6 trillion.

Once again, business in the latest quarter was driven by the cloud, which relies heavily on artificial intelligence and accounts for more than half of the company’s sales.

Cloud sales grew by 21 percent year-on-year.

Microsoft shares lifted off last week when the company said it would charge $30 extra per user to turbocharge its Microsoft 365 product — which includes Word, Excel and Teams — with AI powers.

“Every customer I speak with is asking not only how, but how fast they can apply next generation AI to address the biggest opportunities and challenges they face and to do so safely and responsibly,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

Google parent Alphabet on Tuesday also reported profits that beat market forecasts as digital advertising revenue revived and its cloud business grew.

The search engine giant reported net income of $18.7 billion on revenue of $74.6 billion in the recently ended quarter.

“There’s exciting momentum across our products and the company, which drove strong results this quarter,” Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai said in an earnings release.

Alphabet shares jumped more than six percent to $129.57 in after-market trades following the results.

Microsoft saw its share price slip more than three percent to $337.99 as earnings showed it will take a bit of time and investment to fulfil its AI visions.

“I think people got overly excited by AI, but now the reality is that it is not going to be instant,” said independent analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group.

“We are talking a few years before the full benefit starts to materialise.”

– Brin is back –

While the latest talk has surrounded AI, what matters most for Google earnings currently is digital advertising — where it gets the bulk of its revenue.

The company said that advertising revenue hit $58.1 billion, which outshined analysts’ expectations of $57.45 billion.

Google is also a player in the cloud computing industry, where revenue came in at $8 billion, compared with $6.3 billion the unit took in during the same period a year earlier.

“Our continued leadership in AI and our excellence in engineering and innovation are driving the next evolution of Search, and improving all our services,” Pichai said.

Google has played a close second to the partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI in rolling out its AI products following the release of ChatGPT.

The company has largely been seen as playing catch up with Microsoft, with questions over whether the mighty Google search engine will withstand developments in AI.

Microsoft was quick to beef up its Bing search engine with AI powers, but Google’s search has yet to see a real threat to its dominance — which remains about 90 percent of the market worldwide.

Google, though not as dramatically as Microsoft, has seen its share price rise steeply in 2023 as investors expect AI to generate new revenue and open new markets.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Google co-founder Sergey Brin is back at the company headquarters in California helping teams develop even more AI products.

He and co-founder Larry Page stepped down from active roles at Google in 2019 when Pichai was chosen to replace them as chief executive.

Fulham Sign Wolves Striker Jimenez For £5m

By

John Mutiso

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July 26, 2023

Fulham have signed Mexico striker Raul Jimenez from fellow Premier League side Wolves for a fee of about £5m.

The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal with Fulham, with the club having the option for a third year.

Jimenez scored 57 goals in 166 games during his five seasons at Molineux following a club record £30m move from Benfica.

The Cottagers moved for Jimenez with the future of their star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in doubt.

The Serbia international is pushing for a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal after Fulham rejected a £25m bid.

Jimenez said: “It’s really important for me to arrive here. I will try to do my best for the team, one of the most iconic teams in the Premier League.

“I’m happy to be here and to play in this stadium, it’s a really good stadium, I like it here. I’m going to give my best to keep scoring goals in the Premier League.”

The Mexican never rediscovered his goalscoring touch after a nine-month spell out that resulted from a fractured skull suffered in a horrific clash with Arsenal defender David Luiz in 2020.

Before then, he had scored 34 goals in 86 Premier League games for Wolves, but after then only netted six in 49 games.

His only three goals last season were in the Carabao Cup.

Jimenez becomes Fulham’s first summer signing after finishing 10th last season under Marco Silva.

Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “Raul has been an incredible servant to the football club, both on and off the pitch.

“Because of his goals and overall selfless performances, particularly during those first two years at the club, he’ll rightly go down as one of the greatest number nines to ever represent Wolves.

“We all know what Raul went through with his injury and his journey to full recovery was an inspiration to everyone, particularly when he stepped back on the pitch for the first time – we all have the ultimate respect for Raul.”

Wolves have sold several first-team players this season, including captain Ruben Neves, former skipper Conor Coady and centre-back Nathan Collins.

Financial Fair Play rules mean boss Julen Lopetegui is unable to execute even what were initially his back-up plans for the summer.

“Unfortunately, the situation was reality, it was bad news for me of course,” he said earlier on Tuesday. “I’m trying in the summer; this is the plan A that we have and after that we have to adapt to the situation to the plan B, trying to think about the players that are cost effective signings in this situation.

“It is true that in this moment, we can’t develop the plan B either. We lost a lot of players, and it is true that we think the club want to sell more players. This situation, we need players to balance the squad and be competitive in the Premier League for sure.”

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