Details of the Duchess of Edinburgh’s Visit to Kenya

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February 25, 2026

The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie Helen, is in Kenya to champion the role women play in preventing and resolving conflicts.

Sophie, who flew into the country after a two-day visit to Somalia, will also be celebrating Kenyan women leaders across various sectors, including security, peacebuilding, and business.

According to her itinerary released by the British High Commission in Nairobi, Her Royal Highness will meet President William Ruto to discuss ongoing cooperation under the UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership.

”Discussions will include support for women building peace and stability, the importance of women in decision making and the Government of Kenya’s efforts to implement the Women, Peace and Security agenda through its National Action Plan. In addition, the Duchess will engage senior women leaders in the Kenyan Government”, the statement said.

Speaking on the arrival of The Duchess, UK Chargé d’Affaires, Dr Ed Barnett said: “The United Kingdom is proud to stand alongside Kenya in advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Women are driving peace, stability and economic progress in every part of this country, and their leadership is essential to resilient communities and inclusive growth. This visit reflects our shared commitment to making women central to the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership – we’re going far, together.”

The Duchess will also engage with women business leaders and entrepreneurs and will see how Kenyan businesswomen are breaking the glass ceiling in the business sector.

The Duchess will meet women peacebuilders working at the heart of community resilience to understand the central role women play in preventing and resolving conflict, bridging community divides, and strengthening local stability.

This will include Sudanese women peace builders to highlight the impact of conflict-related sexual violence on women and girls, as well as advocating for better protections, justice and accountability.

“The visit provides an important platform to champion the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Kenya as well as to recognise women’s leadership in all aspects of the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership”, the British High Commission added.

Sophie completed a two-day visit to Somalia, at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to draw attention to the ongoing issue of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in the region and highlight the voices of survivors.

Senegal PM proposes tougher anti-LGBT law, doubling prison terms

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February 25, 2026

Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has introduced legislation that could double the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, making them punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The proposal was sent to parliament on Tuesday after cabinet approval last week, after a wave of arrests over alleged same-sex relationships, already banned under Senegal law.

Addressing lawmakers, Sonko said the bill would punish what it describes as “acts against nature” with prison sentences ranging from five to 10 years, compared with the current one- to five-year terms.

“If an act is committed with a minor, it will attract the maximum penalty,” he said, drawing criticism from rights advocates.

Debate over LGBT rights has long generated tension in Senegal, a conservative country where some groups portray pro-LGBT activism as foreign interference.

Religious organisations have held demonstrations in recent years calling for harsher punishments.

Earlier this month, police detained 12 men, among them two public figures and a prominent journalist, under anti-LGBT laws. Local media outlets say around 30 people have been arrested in total this month.

Sonko explained that the draft law defines any sexual conduct between two people of the same sex as an “act against nature”.

The bill proposes prison terms of three to seven years for anyone found to be promoting or advocating same-sex relations.

It also prescribes separate punishment for those who accuse others of homosexuality “without proof”.

Those found guilty of crimes in the bill could also face fines up to 10 million CFA (about $18,000; £13,000), Sonko added.

Sonko said the revised law would keep the offence at its current misdemeanour level.

By Anthony Solly

Japan to deploy missiles on island near Taiwan by 2031

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February 25, 2026

Japan plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles to its remote western island near Taiwan by March 2031, its defence minister said, as regional tensions simmer.

It is the first time that Japan specified a timeline for the missile deployment to Yonaguni island since it was announced in 2022.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to “reunify” with it. Yonaguni is visible from Taiwan’s shores on a clear day, located just 110km (68 miles) away.

Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have run high since November when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appeared to suggest that Japan would activate its self-defence force in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

The worry has long been that any attack on Taiwan, which counts the US as an ally, could result in a direct military conflict between Washington and Beijing, then widen to include other US allies in the region such as Japan.

Takaichi’s remarks to parliament plunged ties with China to their lowest level in years and Beijing has been piling on the pressure in a wide range of ways – sending warships, throttling rare earth exports, curbing Chinese tourism, cancelling concerts and even reclaiming its pandas.

Japanese defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the timeline for the missiles on Tuesday, a day after China imposed export curbs on 20 Japanese companies and entities, citing national security concerns.

Koizumi said the Yonaguni unit will be equipped with medium-range surface-to-air missiles able to intercept incoming aircraft and missiles.

With a range of about 50km and 360-degree capability, the Japanese-made missile system can track up to 100 targets simultaneously and engage up to 12 at once.

China has yet to react to Koizumi’s announcement. But when Koizumi visited Yonaguni in November, Beijing said Japan was moving to “create regional tension and provoke military confrontation”.

Within days, China flew drones near the island to express its anger, prompting Japan to scramble aircraft jets in response.

The latest developments come after Takaichi secured a landslide victory in parliamentary elections earlier this month. That victory gave Takaichi political space to double down on boosting Japan’s defence capabilities.

By Anthony Solly

Officials from the DCI and Communications Authority are scheduled to testify in the Ahmed Rashid trial

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February 25, 2026

In the ongoing murder trial of former police officer Ahmed Rashid, officials from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Communications Authority (CA) are scheduled to testify as the prosecution continues to present its case.

The case, which revolves around the 2017 shooting of two teenagers in Eastleigh, Nairobi, has entered a critical stage at the Kibera Law Courts:

As of February 2026, the prosecution has already called several witnesses, including former colleagues of Rashid and ballistic experts.
A senior DCI ballistic expert recently testified that a bullet recovered from the scene could not be definitively linked to Rashid’s issued firearm due to deformation.

DCI detective Joseph Omwenga informed the court that of four firearms requested for investigation, one remained unaccounted for, which the defense argues creates reasonable doubt.

A Safaricom representative previously testified that mobile data records did not definitively place Rashid at the exact scene of the crime at the time of the shooting.

Officials are expected to provide further technical details regarding the viral video of the shooting and potentially other communication records used by the specialized “Pangani Six” unit.

More forensic and scene-of-crime investigators from the DCI are slated to take the stand to clarify gaps in the firearms movement register.

By Anthony Solly

The Duchess of Edinburgh travels to Kenya to advocate for women’s involvement in peace and security

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February 25, 2026

On February 25, 2026, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, arrived in Kenya for a two-day visit to champion the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Her visit follows a two-day trip to Somalia and comes ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.

The visit, conducted at the request of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, focuses on several strategic goals:
Strengthening Collaboration by enhancing UK–Kenya cooperation on the WPS agenda, specifically supporting the implementation of Kenya’s National Action Plan.

Highlighting Female Leadership by recognizing the role of Kenyan women in leadership, decision-making, and regional stability, particularly in areas impacted by climate change and border instability.

Championing Peacebuilders by meeting with women peacebuilders to understand their role in preventing and resolving conflict and bridging community divides.

According to the itinerary released by the British High Commission in Nairobi, the Duchess will participate in the following:
Meeting with President William Ruto to discuss the ongoing cooperation under the UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership regarding support for women in peacebuilding.

Roundtable with Peacebuilders by engaging with women working at the heart of community resilience, including Sudanese women peacebuilders, to discuss conflict-related sexual violence and advocate for justice and accountability.

Support for Entrepreneurs by meeting with Kenyan women business leaders and entrepreneurs who are excelling in the private sector.
Government Engagement by meeting with senior women leaders within the Kenyan government.

The visit underscores the UK’s commitment to making women’s leadership central to the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership.

By Anthony Solly

Shame as Inter Milan bundled out of UEFA Champions League by Minnow’s Bodo/Glimt of Norway

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February 25, 2026

What a difference a year makes. Or nine months to be precise. Last season, Inter Milan reached the Champions League final and did so in style, with thrilling victories over Bayern Munich and Barcelona. On Tuesday, the Italian giant limped out of the competition with a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Bodo/Glimt — knocked out in the playoff round 5-2 on aggregate — in what is being labeled as one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history.

It wasn’t the first major upset the tiny Norwegian team has pulled off this season after wins over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid and a draw against Borussia Dortmund.

“We know there’s a lot of competitiveness in the Champions League. If teams get to this stage it means they have something,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu said.

“And they have proved that. They showed it against Dortmund, against Madrid, against City, against us twice.

“It’s a team which has energy. We could have done better in Norway, we could have done better today, too, but unfortunately it didn’t go how we wanted. We gave everything to try to advance, that’s football.”

The signs were there last season that not all was right at Inter. The club reached the Champions League final but was crushed 5-0 by Paris Saint Germain. It also lost to AC Milan in the Italian Cup semifinals and finished runner-up to Napoli in Serie A.

Coach Simone Inzaghi was replaced by Chivu, whose only previous senior managerial position had been a few months in charge at Parma.

The expected overhaul of an aging squad didn’t happen, with Inter making no serious outlay in the transfer market as it brought only Ange-Yoan Bonny, Luis Henrique, Petar Sucic and Manuel Akanji.

This season, Inter is 10 points clear at the top of Serie A and appears to be closing in on the domestic title but it has struggled in the Champions League.

The Nerazzurri got off to a great start in the continental tournament, winning their first three matches, but then lost four on the bounce to finish the league phase in 10th, one point off automatic advancement to the round of 16.

“Bodo won both the matches, so they deserved to go through,” Inter midfielder Nicolò Barella said off the playoff defeat. “They didn’t put us in great difficulty today … the most difficult thing was to score and we couldn’t.

“Of course, there is disappointment because our desire is to fight on all fronts. We tried, they were better. With one more point we would have advanced and would have saved ourselves this playoff but this is the new Champions League.”

Inter needed at least two goals on Tuesday to advance, having lost the first leg 3-1, and it pushed from the start. It had a number of chances but was prevented from scoring by some solid defending and great reflexes from Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin.

Indeed, most of the statistics barring the scoreline point to Inter dominating the contest. It had an 32 attempts compared with seven for its opponents and also completed 552 passes compared with 192.

“We have to give credit and congratulate our opponents because they did what they had to do and they did it very well,” Chivu said. “You know the level is high in the champions league and if you can’t be clinical and aware in front of goal, then opponents will punish you.”

Atlético de Madrid propels into round of 16 of Champions League after defeating Club Brugge 4-1

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February 25, 2026

Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth scored a hat-trick ‌as the Spanish side saw off Belgium’s Club Brugge on Tuesday to win the second leg of their ⁠Champions League playoff 4-1 and advance to the last 16 with a 7-4 aggregate triumph.

Johnny Cardoso scored the other goal for the home side ‌while Joel Ordonez netted for Brugge in the 36th minute.

Atletico opened the scoring after Brugge’s Hugo Vetlesen had ‌two good chances blocked in the early stages as the ‌Belgians ⁠came out of the blocks with attacking intent and ⁠a high-pressing game despite being unfancied after a 3-3 draw in the first leg last week.

But Atletico’s quality triumphed after a dominant second half and it goes into Friday’s round-of-16 draw ‌to determine whether it will play either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur.

Sorloth cracked home a shot that squeezed under the body of Brugge’s veteran goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in the 23rd minute after ‌he cleverly held up a long kick out by home goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

The Norwegian striker took a couple of touches before firing in a left-footed effort that ⁠Mignolet allowed to slip under his body.

Brugge, however, netted a deserved equaliser from a set-piece. Brandon Mechele flicked on Christos Tzolis’s corner from ‌the left leaving Ordonez with a simple close-range header.

Soon after, Oblak made a superb one-handed save on the line to deny Vetlesen.

But while Brugge was competitive in the first half, it faded after the break.

The home lead was restored two minutes into the second half when Cardoso hit home an effort from the ‌edge of the penalty box. Mechele cleared Giuliano Simeone’s cross from the left, but his header fell for Cardoso who controlled with his chest before converting with his right foot.

Sorloth’s second ⁠came in the 76th minute, sidefooting home with his left after ⁠passes between substitutes Ademola Lookman and Antoine Griezmann set him up for an easy finish.

The Norway international then converted ‌Matteo Ruggeri’s cross from the left at the back post with another side-footed finish in the 87th minute to complete his hat-trick and emphasise Atletico’s second-half dominance.

Man kills his granddaughter, takes own life in Laikipia

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February 25, 2026

A 68-year-old man tragically killed his granddaughter before he died by suicide in a village in Ngobit, Laikipia county.

The man had been left at home to take care of the three-year-old girl when the incident happened on February 23, 2026, police said. This is the latest case of murder-suicide amid concerns of the menace.

The motive of the murder and suicide was not immediately known, police added.

According to the police, the body of Titus Wamae was found hanging on a truss of his house with a rope tied around his neck.

The body of the girl was found on the floor and rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police suspect the man strangled the girl and hit her with a blunt object, killing her.

He then proceeded to die by suicide.

The bodies were moved to the mortuary pending an autopsy and investigations, police said.

This is the latest such incident to happen amid concerns of the rise of the suicide and murder trend.

Police investigations have linked them to depression, which is on the rise.

The majority of those who commit the incidents are men, police investigations show, amid government efforts to address the menace.

Source -The star

Woman scalds boyfriend with hot water, flees with Ksh.318K on Valentine’s eve.

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February 25, 2026

A young man is fighting for his life at a city hospital after his girlfriend allegedly attacked him, scalding him with hot water and leaving him with severe burn injuries that nearly cost him his life.

Steve Godia says the attack happened on the eve of Valentine’s Day at his rented house in Umoja 1 Estate, Nairobi. Steve alleged that his irate girlfriend confronted him over suspicions that he was involved with an ex-girlfriend.

The matter was reported to police, but ten days on, the suspect remains at large, leaving Steve and his family anxious for justice.

Love turned into horror on the eve of Valentine’s Day. In what police are investigating as attempted murder and grievous assault, allegedly at the hands of a jilted lover, Steve Godia is now counting the cost. Writhing in pain, he is struggling to process how a day meant to celebrate love became a fight for his life.

Admitted to a city hospital, Steve says he was attacked by his girlfriend, scalded with hot water during what he believed would be a calm meeting to iron out differences in their relationship.

Instead, that conversation allegedly erupted into violence, leaving him with severe injuries and a Valentine’s he may never forget.

“It was my girlfriend who burnt me because she felt that like my explanation about my ex-girlfriend was not enough and maybe when I spoke she felt I was being disrespectful,” Godia noted.

Steve alleges the suspect, a woman he has known for the past three years, visited him that night but with a very different mission.

According to Steve, what began as a tense confrontation quickly escalated. She allegedly demanded to know whether he was involved with an ex-girlfriend. Then, in the dead of night, he claims she boiled water and poured it onto his face. Moments later, she fled the scene.

“The water was superheated to high temperatures. The next morning, my eyes were swollen, my entire face was swollen, I could not see anything. The wounds were aching,” he pointed out.

CCTV cameras captured the suspect moments after the alleged attack, hurriedly leaving the premises shortly after the incident. Steve has identified the woman as Gladwell Kagai, someone he says he trusted and had known for three years.

But the alleged assault was not the only blow. As he lay helpless and in excruciating pain, Steve claims she took two of his mobile phones and transferred more than Ksh.300,000 from his account.

“I realised she had stolen my two phones and transferred all the money I had. I had Ksh.318,000 and she left me with Ksh.7 only. Though police say they are on the case, I feel like they are slow. I want the suspect to be arrested and presented in court,” Godia added.

Steve, a third-year student at Multimedia University, says the ordeal has forced him to miss his exams, adding academic disruption to his physical and emotional pain. His hope is that the suspect will be apprehended.

Ruth Odinga, Caroli Omondi among ODM rebels removed from powerful committees

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February 25, 2026

ODM rebels opposed to the broad-based government were on Tuesday kicked out of powerful committees in the National Assembly and moved to less lucrative ones, as the government-leaning team of the party moved in to crack the whip.

Suba South MP Caroli Omondi was ejected from the powerful Constitution Implementation and Oversight Committee, with his position in the committee taken by the latter-day convert of the broad-based government, Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba.

The changes were bound to happen, as the ODM wing in the broad-based political arrangement drew the first blood.

In the changes, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, who was recently declared the secretary general of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, was kicked out of his plum Constitution Implementation and Oversight Committee where he served as chairperson.

The house leaders sent a statement that dissidents will not be spared.

“I wish I go back as a whip, I used to be dangerous. Those people playing with the party, ningenyoa hao bila maji,” stated Junet Mohammed, Minority Leader, National Assembly.

“Caroli Omondi went on national TV and threatened this house that we wanted to remove him. I have no interest in ODM,” stated Kimani Ichung’wah, majority leader, National Assembly.

Other ODM members affected in the latest purge include Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, who was moved from the Agriculture Committee to the less lucrative Committee on Members’ Services and Facilities.

Ruth, who is the sister of the former ODM party leader, the late Raila Odinga, has been a key critic of the broad-based government, coming out guns blazing in support of the embattled SG Edwin Sifuna.

Others affected in the house “fumigation” exercise include Kitutu Chache South MP Antony Kibagendi, who was removed from the powerful Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education and replaced by a greenhorn, Kasipul MP Boyd Were. The leaders said that was just the beginning.

“I am serving a warning. Anyone who will not adhere to party position will relinquish their committee positions to lesser ones, so that they know that it is parties which reward people to positions,” Junet noted.

Several allies of the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were also affected in the changes, with Naivasha legislator Jayne Kihara moved to the Committee on Members’ Services and Facilities.

However, it was a happy day for the MPs who came back to UDA, as they were reinstated to lucrative committees from those considered punishment dockets.

They include Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, who was moved back to the Constitution Implementation Committee (CIOC) from the Committee on Members’ Services and Facilities.

Marakwet MP Timothy Kipchumba was also moved to the Justice Legal Affairs Committee from the Members’ Services and Facilities Committee.

Juja MP George Koimburi, who recently ditched Gachagua, was also handed two equally powerful dockets. More changes are expected at the Senate.

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