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Kenya’s top court suspends judgment nullifying 2023 finance law

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Kenya’s top court on Tuesday suspended a lower court’s ruling that the 2023 finance law was unconstitutional, saying it was important to preserve stability in the budget until the merits of the government’s appeal are heard next month.

The finance bills, presented to parliament at the start of every financial year, are the main vehicle for the government to set out its revenue-raising measures including tax hikes.

The Court of Appeal’s judgment late last month that last year’s Finance Act was unconstitutional was a blow to the government of President William Ruto, who withdrew this year’s finance bill in June in the face of youth-led protests, the biggest challenge of his two-year presidency.

Ruto has been caught between the competing demands of Kenya’s hard-pressed citizens and lenders such as the International Monetary Fund.

He has argued that tax increases are necessary to help fund development programmes and pay off a heavy public debt load.

“We find that public interest tilts in favour of granting conservatory and stay orders to … maintain stability in the budget and appropriation process pending the determination of this appeal,” Kenya’s Supreme Court said in its ruling.

The Supreme Court will hold hearings on Sept. 10 and 11 on whether the 2023 law is constitutional.

The government, which has been relying on the 2023 finance law to continue collecting taxes after Ruto withdrew this year’s bill, did not immediately comment.

The 2023 version was challenged in court following a round of violent street protests last year led by opposition parties.

Ruto’s government used the 2023 law to double the value-added tax on fuel, introduce a housing tax and raise the top personal income tax rate.

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US tags 10 Nigerians ” worst of worst criminal aliens” for deportation

The  10 Nigerians listed in the latest update are:

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The United States Department of Homeland Security has added 10 Nigerians to its “Worst of the Worst” register, a database highlighting immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over alleged criminal offences.

The latest names were published on the official DHS website and include individuals linked to cases involving fraud, identity theft, drug offences, assault, conspiracy and offences involving children.

The  10 Nigerians listed in the latest update are:

Temitope Bashua — Wire fraud, identity theft and fraud — Allenwood, Pennsylvania

Ojehoro Lewis — Cruelty towards a child — Conroe, Texas.

Osemudiamen Kingsley Oziegbe — Wire fraud — Louisville, Kentucky

Daniel Oworen — Dangerous drugs — Conroe, Texas

Raymond H. Ekevwo — Wire fraud — Oxford, Wisconsin

Franklin Dikeocha — Sex offence against a child – fondling — Dallas, Texas.

Johnson Ogunlana — Fraud and identity theft — White Deer, Pennsylvania.Wire fraud, dangerous drugs, possession of a weapon and aggravated assault involving a non-family gun — Allenwood, Pennsylvania

Tunde Korede — Conspiracy — Allenwood, Pennsylvania.

Chukwuemeka Chinye — Larceny from a banking-type institution, fraud, larceny, identity theft and conspiracy — Pollock, Louisiana.

DHS said the register was established to draw attention to immigrants it describes as the “worst of worst criminal aliens” arrested by ICE.

” Every day, the patriots of ICE are working to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our country. Just yesterday, ICE arrested murderers, pedophiles, kidnappers, and other violent criminals to make America safe again,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.

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BREAKING: No Survivors in Kenya Safari Helicopter Crash

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All seven people on board a tourist helicopter were killed when the aircraft crashed in a remote area of northern Kenya on Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed.

The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was flying on a safari route from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area in Samburu County when it went down at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time near Mount Ololokwe. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said the helicopter was carrying six passengers and one pilot. Police later confirmed there were no survivors.

Five of the victims were American citizens, according to the U.S. State Department. Among those killed were José Alberto Suárez, a senior executive with Telemundo (NBCUniversal), and Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center, who was travelling with his wife, Stephany Hollihan. Both she and her husband died in the crash.

The aircraft was operated by Lady Lori Helicopters and was carrying guests of the luxury safari company &Beyond. Rescue teams, including the Kenya Red Cross, faced difficult terrain and a fire at the crash site during recovery operations.

An official investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi said it is providing consular assistance to the families of the American victims.

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Trump Annex Strait of Hormuz “New US Territory” 

The development follows Trump’s recent comments that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after defeating Iran.

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US President Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz a “new US territory.”

Trump on Tuesday shared a map graphic on Truth Social, a social media platform he owns, labelling the Strait of Hormuz a “NEW U.S. Territory”.

The same graphic was also posted by the official White House account on X.

The image shows a blue-highlighted map of the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with a circle around the narrow passage and the words “NEW U.S. Territory” displayed prominently.

The development follows Trump’s recent comments that he would declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory after defeating Iran.

Speaking at a political rally in New York State on Friday, Trump said,

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”

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