iyebiye olawuyi

<h1>Kenya’s economy is expected to rebound to 5.8 per cent growth in 2018 after slow growth in 2017, Finance Minister Henry Rotich said on Wednesday.</h1>

Rotich said at the launch of the annual economic survey in Nairobi that the economy would benefit from increased investment in key areas like manufacturing, farming, housing and healthcare.

“Despite the slowdown in 2017, our outlook is bright,’’ Rotich said.

“We expect growth to recover to 5.8 per cent in 2018 and over the medium term the growth is projected to increase by more than seven per cent.’’

The statistics office had reported that growth slowed to 4.9 per cent last year from a revised 5.9 per cent in 2016.

Electoral uncertainty and drought cut last year’s expansion to the lowest level in more than five years.

President Uhuru Kenyatta won re-election in November 2017 in a second vote after the first in August was annulled by the Supreme Court citing irregularities.

Around 100 people, mainly opposition supporters, were killed by police during the prolonged election season.

Kenya’s diversified economy is better able to withstand shocks like the commodity price drop that started in 2014 and hit oil-producing African countries such as Nigeria and Angola.

Production of cement, sugar and processed milk slid as firms reeled from the impact of the election and high costs.

Rotich said the projected economic rebound was supported by favourable economic fundamentals, including inflation, which had dropped to about four per cent this year.

“The ongoing investments in infrastructure, improved business and factory confidence and strong private consumption are expected to support growth,’’ he said.

Rotich said at the launch of the annual economic survey in Nairobi that the economy would benefit from increased investment in key areas like manufacturing, farming, housing and healthcare.

Economy rebounds after election slowdown

<h1>Msgr. Gabriel Osu, the Director of Social Communications in Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, on Wednesday urged security agencies to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians, particularly those in the middle belt.</h1>

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that gunmen on Tuesday invaded Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, Ayar-Mbalom in GwerEast Local Government area of Benue State, killing 15 worshippers and two Catholic priests.

The killed Catholic priests are Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha.

Osu, in a statement, said that the killings were not only abominable, but a slap on the entire Christendom and a calculated effort to instigate hatred and create fear in the hearts of Christians.

“Those sponsoring these atrocities are being emboldened daily by the inability of the government and the law enforcement agencies to do the needful.

“The inability of the authorities to take drastic actions against the perpetrators, the country is gradually drifting to a state of anarchy where anything goes.

“Let those in authority beware of a gathering storm. Things are not as they should be. You cannot expect people to fold their arms and watch all they hold sacred being wiped away.

“It is true that Christianity abhors violence, but when a people have been pushed to the wall, the only option left for them is to bounce back.

“They must be reassured that there is no need for them to resort to self-help in order to stay alive. No one has any right to take the lives of others for no just reason,” Osu said.

The cleric wondered why on earth would some people attack a group of worshipers in a church in an early morning and hacked them to death.

“What manner of insanity and sadism would make some people open fire on priests celebrating mass in the house of God? What is there offence? Of what use is their death to the perpetrators?

“This is the height of evil and human callousness that should be condemned in its entirety. This is not, and can never be acceptable in any sane society.

“We have lost touch with all that we once considered sacred and divine, for many, their consciences are no more active, they have been polluted and disfigured.

“We all know how Operation Python Dance was swiftly executed in the East, one wonders why the military cannot channel equal zeal to root out these callous killings?

“If they are foreigners, why not unleash all our military arsenals on them, coupled with swift intelligence gathering? Is it that the lives of Nigerians no longer matter?, ” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that gunmen on Tuesday invaded Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, Ayar-Mbalom in Gwer East Local Government area of Benue State, killing 15 worshippers and two Catholic priests.

Catholic cleric urges security agencies to protect lives of Nigerians

<h1>A housewife, Maimuna Mohammed , on Wednesday begged a Mararaba Upper Area Court, in Nasarawa State, to dissolve her marriage to Saidu for alleged violence and irresponsible behaviour.</h1>

She said that she married Saidu under the Islamic rights  in Mambila, Taraba and the union was blessed with three children.

She alleged that Saidu always threatened her life and in the habit of beating her.

“He does not care for me and the children to the extent that he no longer feed us.

“There is no peace and love in the marriage. In fact, I always tried to endure him with the hope that he would change his behaviour.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t, rather he threatens my life at the slight provocation.

“He has no regards for me and disrespects me, so I can no longer continue with this marriage,” she said.

The petitioner also informed the court that the respondent was not her choice of husband, rather her family’s choice.

“The marriage between me and my husband was never my intention, because we were joined under the family rights.

”My family never allowed me to bring a man of my choice, but I had no option but to accept,” she added.

The respondent, Saidu, however, denied the allegations.

The judge, Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, adjourned the case until May 2 to allow the parties settle out of court.

Maimuna told the court that Saidu was never her choice of husband, because she never loved him.

My husband is violent, not my choice, wife tells court

<h1>Donald Trumps White House was hit with a fresh resignation Tuesday as his top homeland security advisor, Tom Bossert -- once a presidential favorite -- announced his departure from the West Wing.</h1>

The announcement came a day after John Bolton took over as Trump's fourth national security advisor.

Bossert had been Trump's pointman on issues from counterterror to national disasters to cyberattacks.

His polished appearance and articulate TV style had made him a Trump favorite.

During a visit to hurricane-struck Puerto Rico last October, Trump singled out the 43-year-old for glowing praise: "Great job. Great job."

As recently as last weekend, Bossert had represented the administration on television to talk about the the White House response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria.

"The president is grateful for Tom's commitment to the safety and security of our great country," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said of the top aide's departure.

Trump's top homeland security advisor resigns

<h1>Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, in German custody pending possible extradition to Spain to face "rebellion" charges, vows to "never surrender" in his fight for regional independence, his lawyer said Tuesday.</h1>

"He has said we will never surrender and that is his message to the Catalan people and also that they have the right to express their willingness for independence and a republic in Catalonia," attorney Gonzalo Boye said after visiting Puigdemont in jail following his arrest Sunday on a European warrant.

Boye said Puigdemont wanted to "pass the message" to the Catalan people that "he will continue fighting and this is going to be a long fight but it will be a fight that he will" win.

A court in the German town of Neumuenster ordered Puigdemont to remain in custody pending possible extradition to Spain.

His arrest came five months after he went on the run as Spanish prosecutors sought to charge him with sedition and rebellion in the wake of Catalonia's failed independence bid in October.

A ruling on extradition based on a European arrest warrant must normally be made within 60 days.

A spokeswoman for the German prosecutor's office told AFP it would "probably not come this week" ahead of the four-day Easter holiday.

"And he has expressed his full trust in the German legal system," Boye added, pending a German court decision on Spain's bid to have him extradited.

Puigdemont vows to 'never surrender', 'continue fight': lawyer

<h1>A white man suspected of carrying out a series of deadly parcel bombings in the Texas state capital Austin blew himself up early Wednesday as police closed in -- easing tensions in a city that has been on edge for weeks.</h1>

The suspect detonated a device in his car and later died, Austin police chief Brian Manley told an early morning news conference after the dramatic end to the massive manhunt involving hundreds of federal agents and local police.

Police zeroed in on the suspect -- believed responsible for five explosions -- over the past 24 to 36 hours as evidence came in from video footage and witness accounts, Manley said.

"The suspect is deceased," the police chief said. "It has been a long almost three weeks for the community of Austin."

Police said the suspect was 24, but some reports citing public records said he was 23.

While the search for the bomber is now at an end, authorities warned that he may have planted other explosives before his death. And the motive behind the attacks remains unknown.

"The investigation continues because there's still outstanding questions," city Mayor Steve Adler told CNN. "We don't know where the suspect has been the last 24 hours."

Manley noted it was still unclear whether the man was acting alone or with accomplices.

Fred Milanowski, a senior officer at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), warned that the danger was not yet over.

"We want to make sure that if people see suspicious packages or bags, that they continue to call 911 so that we can respond and deal with them," Milanowski said.

President Donald Trump offered his congratulations to police, writing on Twitter: "AUSTIN BOMBING SUSPECT IS DEAD. Great job by law enforcement and all concerned!"

CBS affiliate KEYE in Austin published what it said were photos taken from security cameras of the suspect, wearing a blue baseball cap, gloves and possibly a wig of long, straw-blond hair as he dropped off packages Sunday at a FedEx office in Austin.

One of the bombs went off early Tuesday at a FedEx sorting facility in Schertz, south of Austin.

On Wednesday, a contingent of law enforcement officers were seen Wednesday morning at a home in the Austin suburb of Pflugerville. Television station KXAN reported that the property may be the residence of the suspected bomber.

Residents of Austin have lived under siege for three weeks. They placed more than 1,200 calls to police to report suspicious activities and items since investigators first realized last week that they were dealing with a serial bomber.

"I think everybody is taking a deep breath this morning. It's a little tempered by the fact that the investigation is not over yet," Adler said.

Miguel Alvarado, who was heading to a park with his son in Austin, told AFP: "People are a little shaken up."

Ben Burroughs, who lives near the FedEx store where the suspect mailed the last two explosive packages, said he was concerned about what police may yet find.

"I'm also nervous about the devices that may still be out there," he told AFP.

As life in Austin, a city of nearly one million people, was likely to return to normal in the coming days, some families and neighborhoods have been permanently altered.

The first explosion on March 2 killed Anthony Stephan House -- a 39-year-old who grew up in the city and the father of an eight-year-old girl.

House had started a money management company and worked as a project manager for two Texas-based firms.

The second blast on March 12 killed 17-year-old Draylen Mason and critically injured his 41-year-old mother. Mason was a high school senior and a young musician, who played in a youth orchestra and was headed to college.

"There's a sense of grief about what happened," said one Austin resident who did not want to be identified. "It changes your sense of safety."

As the investigation proceeded, police said that the bombs were growing increasingly sophisticated.

The first three were hand-delivered to the doorsteps of people's houses. The fourth featured a trip wire, and the fifth was sent via the FedEx delivery chain.

In the end, police had offered a reward of $115,000 for information leading to an arrest.

Trump had weighed in on the "terrible" wave of bombings for the first time on Tuesday, saying "a very, very sick individual or maybe individuals" were behind the explosions.

Police surrounded the man -- identified by US media as Mark Anthony Conditt -- outside a hotel in the suburbs of Austin, where two people were killed and several others injured in the bombings that began on March 2.

Bomb suspect blows himself up after police move in

<h1>A shooting erupted at a high school in the eastern US state of Maryland on Tuesday, but the event was quickly "contained," officials said.</h1>

St. Mary's County Public Schools said on its website that the school was on lockdown and the incident had been "contained" but provided no further details.

It said law enforcement was on the scene.

"It happened really quickly, right after school started" after 8:00 am (1200 GMT), Jonathan Freese, a student at the school, told CNN.

"The police came and responded really quickly," Freese said. "They had a lot of officers respond."

"Right now, the police are going through classrooms," he said. "Soon we are going to be escorted from the school."

The Great Mills incident comes about five weeks after a shooting at a Florida high school left 14 students and three adult staff members dead.

There were no immediate official reports of casualties in the shooting at Great Mills High School, located about a 90-minute drive southeast of the US capital Washington.

Shooting at Maryland high school, facility on lockdown: officials

<h1>Nepals divisive Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli was sacked Wednesday for faking his date of birth in order to remain in office longer.</h1>

The controversy over Parajuli's date of birth has been brewing for months after he charged a prominent activist and Nepal's largest newspaper with contempt of court for raising concerns about his multiple birthdays.

"He has been removed from the post after the age of retirement was found to have been crossed last August in our investigation," the council's secretary Nripdhoj Niraula told AFP.

The decision came just moments before Parajuli administered the oath of office to Nepal's President Bidya Bhandari, who was reelected for a second term on Tuesday.

He administered the oath nonetheless. It is not clear if Bhandari will have to be sworn in again.

In late February Parajuli subpoenaed the Kantipur Daily -- Nepal's largest newspaper by circulation -- on contempt of court charges for a series of articles that said he had given up to five different dates of birth on various official documents.

The charges were widely condemned as an attack on press freedom, and Parajuli attracted further outrage when he said he would preside over the case himself.

In January, Parajuli also ordered the arrest of anti-corruption activist Dr Govinda KC, an orthopedic surgeon well-loved in Nepal for his philanthropic work, for raising questions about his date of birth.

Parajuli became chief justice last June after his predecessor Sushila Karki -- the first woman to hold the position -- turned 65.

A judicial council concluded that Parajuli should have retired seven months ago when he turned 65, the age of retirement for official positions in Nepal.

Nepal Chief Justice sacked for faked date of birth

<h1>US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the departure of his top diplomat Rex Tillerson, to be succeeded by the current CIA chief Mike Pompeo.</h1>

A senior US official said the president wanted to reshuffle his team ahead of talks with North Korea.

"Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job!" Trump tweeted.

"Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service!" he added.

The US president announced the appointment of Gina Haspel, a career intelligence officer, to head the Central Intelligence Agency -- the first woman tapped for the post.

Trump praised Pompeo, a former US army officer and congressman who led the CIA for nearly 14 months, as "the right person for the job at this critical juncture."

"He will continue our program of restoring America's standing in the world, strengthening our alliances, confronting our adversaries, and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Trump added.

The reshuffle comes days after the spectacular announcement of a meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whose date and details have yet to be determined.

Trump called for Pompeo to be swiftly confirmed in the role -- as his administration heads into the high-stakes talks.

He had scant words of praise for Tillerson, who was traveling in Africa when Trump made the snap decision last week to accept an invitation to meet Kim.

After the announcement, Tillerson suspended his schedule on grounds he was "unwell" and eventually cut short his trip to fly back to Washington.

"I want to thank Rex Tillerson for his service," Trump said. "A great deal has been accomplished over the last fourteen months, and I wish him and his family well."

The former Exxon CEO has had a rocky tenure as the top US diplomat, and had long been rumored to be about to be pushed out.

Tillerson was repeatedly forced to deny he had fallen out with Trump -- vowing to remain in post despite a sensational report that he once dubbed the president a "moron."

A respected figure in the oil business, the 65-year-old Texan's tenure at the State Department drew scorn from Trump's opponents, from former diplomats and from the Washington policy elite.

During his time in post, he was faced with an extraordinary array of foreign policy challenges, from North Korean nuclear threats to Russian subversion to attacks on US diplomats in Cuba.

But his efforts were often overshadowed by Trump's un-diplomatic style and his streams of taunting tweets stirring international tensions.

The US president announced the appointment of Gina Haspel to head the Central Intelligence Agency -- the first woman tapped for the post.

Trump says top diplomat out, names Pompeo successor

<h1>Hubert de Givenchy, the aristocratic French fashion designer famous for the "Little black dress" and styling Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy, has died aged 91, his partner said Monday.</h1>

His longtime partner, the former haute couture designer Philippe Venet, announced his death through the Givenchy fashion house, saying he had died in his sleep on Saturday.

"It is with huge sadness that we inform you that Hubert Taffin de Givenchy has died," it said in a statement to AFP.

It was Givenchy's 40-year friendship with Hepburn, who he met on the set of the Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning comedy "Sabrina" in 1953, that helped make him a fashion legend.

The narrow-collared suits and slim woollen dresses Givenchy designed for the gamine actress for "Funny Face" and "How to Steal a Million" made both of them style icons.

The black sheath dress he made for the opening scenes of the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was perhaps the most famous "little black dress" of all time -- although fellow Paris fashion legend Coco Chanel is credited with inventing the garment.

It was also the Givenchy look that former US first lady Jacqueline Kennedy adopted for her White House years, sticking to a uniform of shifts dresses, pillbox hats and low-heeled pumps.

The red coat she wore on the campaign trail for the 1960 presidential election was a Givenchy copy.

On a state visit to France the following year, Kennedy made a famously grand entrance in a Givenchy white silk faille dress at a state dinner at the Palace of Versailles, looking as regal as any European monarch's consort.

"Hubert de Givenchy was a symbol of Parisian elegance for more than half a century," his label said Monday.

"He was the first creator to launch a luxury ready-to-wear range. He revolutionised international fashion in creating the timeless looks for Audrey Hepburn, his friend and muse for more than 40 years."

Fashion mogul Bernard Arnault, head of the giant LVMH group which now owns Givenchy, led the tributes, saying that "he was one of the creators who put Paris at the summit of world fashion in the 1950s."

Givenchy set the template for ladylike chic in the 1950s and 1960s, and his restrained style still informs the way Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and older American and Chinese socialites dress.

French fashion designer dies aged 91

<h1>At least 40 people were killed and 23 injured when a Bangladeshi passenger plane crashed near Kathmandu airport Monday, an official said.</h1>

"Thirty-one people died at the spot and nine died at two hospitals in Kathmandu," police spokesman Manoj Neupane told AFP, adding another 23 were injured.

There were 67 passengers and four crew on board the US-Bangla Airlines plane from Dhaka.

At least 40 dead, 23 injured in Nepal plane crash: official

<h1>David Schwimmer, the actor best known as Ross from “Friends,” and Sigal Avin, the director and screenwriter, are on a mission to make sure everybody knows what sexual harassment looks like and what to do about it.</h1>

They teamed up to make a series of short videos called #ThatsHarassment. Beginning Friday, January 26th, edited versions will be shown on TV and digital outlets including Fox, Showtime, CBS, Hulu and Amazon. On Monday, the 29th, they will begin to be shown in New York City taxis.

We asked five experts in combating harassment — two harassment prevention trainers, a civil rights activist, a lawyer and a professor — to annotate one of the scripts, below, with their advice about what victims and bystanders could do and with context for how harassment happens and the tactics that perpetrators use.

The point of the series is to name unacceptable behavior, offer support for victims and call employers to action, Mr. Schwimmer said. He acts in one of the films, and made the series with Ms. Avin, who wrote and directed the films, and Mazdack Rassi, a founder of Milk Studios.

Ms. Avin came up with the idea for the videos, a version of which she first made in Israel, because she wanted to define and visualize what everyday harassment looks like. It was “taking what some consider a gray area and making it clear: That’s harassment,” she said.

Sigal Avin, writer and director, and the actors David Schwimmer and Zazie Beetz filming “The Boss,” one of the short films in the #ThatsHarassment series. Victoria Stevens

The American version of the series, starring actors like Cynthia Nixon and Bobby Cannavale, was released on Facebook in April. Then, six months later, the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke, and Mr. Schwimmer decided the videos needed wider distribution.

Experts say it’s everyone’s responsibility to prevent harassment — not just harassers and victims but also employers and bystanders. Mr. Schwimmer specifically cited men, who he said have not been outspoken enough because of an atmosphere of condemnation for any missteps in talking about it.

“Look, men have a lot to learn, but you’re not going to learn anything without dialogue,” he said. “Men commit the vast majority of rapes, sexual assault and sexual harassment, so men have a special responsibility to do something about it and get involved.”

This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/world/africa/white-house-danger-pay-troops-niger-.html" id="bc36398e-e041-5a8c-b6a6-e10fa2386d34">The New York Times</a>.

The actor worked with the director Sigal Avin to show what sexual harassment looks like. We asked experts to annotate one of the scripts, with ideas on how to prevent it.

David Schwimmer made six short films about sexual harassment. We annotate one of them.

<h1>Shots have reportedly been fired on campus at a university in the US state of Michigan and the suspect is still at large, the school said Friday.</h1>

"There has been a report of shots fired at Campbell Hall on campus. Suspect is still at large, police advise all to take shelter," Central Michigan University said in an alert on its website and on Twitter.

The City of Mount Pleasant, where the campus is located, said the suspect was a black male and considered "armed and dangerous."

The shooting took place on the fourth floor of a campus dormitory, according to WDIV television.

The incident came two weeks after 17 people were shot dead at a Florida high school, sparking a renewed debate over pervasive gun violence.

Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland have made powerful appeals for change to permissive US gun laws in the wake of the shooting. They returned to campus Wednesday amid heavy security.

The Florida gunman, who had a history run-ins with law enforcement, used a semi-automatic assault rifle in the shooting.

President Donald Trump had called for training and arming some teachers, tougher background checks and a potential increase to the minimum age for rifle purchases.

But the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby said that Trump was opposed to gun control after meeting with him on Thursday.

The campus was on lockdown, classes canceled, and students were told to shelter in place, according to US media reports.

Shots reportedly fired at US university, suspect at large

<h1>Four aid workers were killed in a Boko Haram attack in the remote town of Rann, in northeast Nigeria, the UN told AFP on Friday.</h1>

UN spokeswoman Samantha Newport said the attack happened late Thursday. "Four aid workers were killed, one aid worker was injured and one aid worker is missing, feared abducted," she added.

UN spokeswoman Samantha Newport said the attack happened late Thursday.

Four aid workers killed in Boko Haram attack: UN

<h1>The British arm of troubled retailer ToysRUs is winding down its activities, administrators said Wednesday as the US firm faces pressure from rival stores and online giant Amazon.</h1>

Wednesday's announcement puts up to 3,200 jobs at risk and comes as British electricals retailer Maplin joined Toys'R'Us UK in falling Wednesday into administration -- the process whereby a troubled company seeks independent financial advice regarding its future.

Maplin operates out of 217 stores across Britain and Ireland, employing close to 2,500 staff.

"The challenging conditions in the UK retail sector are well documented," said Zelf Hussain at PWC, which is acting as administrators for Maplin.

"Like many other retailers, Maplin has been hit hard by a slowdown in consumer spending and more expensive imports as the pound has weakened" following Britain's vote in favour of exiting the European Union.

Hussain added that the administrators will "engage with parties who may be interested in acquiring all or part of the company".

The British division of Toys'R'Us narrowly avoided entering administration in December after a key creditor embraced its plan to begin shutting stores and plug its pensions deficit.

It was agreed ahead of the New Year that at least 26 of the 105 shops in Britain would close in early 2018.

But the firm was nevertheless forced to enter insolvency proceedings.

Court-appointed administrators Moorfields said in a statement: "Following the failure to attract a buyer for the business... administrators are conducting an orderly wind-down of the company's store portfolio."

While the Toys'R'Us announcement "is likely to affect many... staff, whether some or all of the stores will close remains to be decided", said Moorfields administrator Simon Thomas.

As of late last year, Toys'R'Us in the UK employed more than 3,000 staff across more than 100 mostly warehouse-style stores.

"All is not well on UK (shopping) high streets," said Richard Lim, chief executive of Retail Economics.

Toys'R'US has been "burdened with too many stores and failed to deliver a retail 'experience' good enough to stand out from their competitors".

Toys'R'Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a US court in September, which gives companies temporary protection from creditors while they try to renegotiate their debts and reorganise to continue operations.

The firm's British branch has lost money for seven of the last eight years.

The cost of operating the group's out-of-town stores, opened in the 1980s and 1990s, has become prohibitive in recent times.

"While the narrative about the sad demise of Toys'R'Us focuses on how it was killed by the Internet, data shows that the rise of multichannel player Smyths caused even more damage than Amazon," said Patrick O'Brien, retail research director at consultancy GlobalData.

"Without a deal in sight, more closures are imminent. But it won't be Amazon that benefits the most. According to GlobalData's 'How Britain Shops' survey, frequent Toys'R'Us shoppers are more likely to shop at market leader Argos and Smyths," he added.

The collapse of certain major retailers in the UK comes as Brexit uncertainty appears to be impacting the country's economic growth according to recent official data.

Toys 'R' Us 'winds down' as UK retailers hit hard times

<h1>At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded Wednesday as two trains collided in Egypt, the latest in a string of deadly accidents on the North African countrys railways, the health ministry said.</h1>

The collision between a freight train and a passenger train took place in the northern province of Behaira, it said in a statement.