It is now emerging that wrangles within the leadership of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) could be derailing the signing of a return-to-work formula as directed by the courts. In the ruling given on Thursday, the courts directed the warring parties to sign the return-to-work formula presented before it and thus the government side stuck to it. However, according to the union, their document is the same, but now contains timelines, which it wants the government to honour, insisting they had no different document. The doctors had asked for a 10 AM meeting on Monday, but the court’s directive says the return-to-work formula should be deposited in court by 9:30 AM Monday. Government also accuses the doctors of insincerity in dealing with the talks as every time they agree, the doctors council seems to negate the talks.

And, while agribusiness has been encouraged to tackle both poverty and land rehabilitation, cutting down trees for cocoa farming violates EU laws on environment and business. The group calls for the existing mechanisms to be replaced with robust and transparent national traceability system in place in Côte d'Ivoire. Read: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana demand higher cocoa pricesThe EU Deforestation Regulation adopted in June 2023 seeks to discourage importation of products from deforested and degraded lands. High global demand for cocoa has seen large tracts of land put under cultivation, often at the detriment of the environment in developing countries. Due to lack of infrastructure in Liberia, the harvested cocoa beans are transported across the border to Côte d'Ivoire for processing, prior to importation.

Current observations indicate that Tropical Cyclone Hidaya has hit the Tanzanian coast, triggering a high alert by the Kenyan authorities. The effects of the cyclones are already being felt offshore, with strong winds exceeding 40 knots (20.6 m/s) and large waves surpassing two metres. “Over the past 6 hours, periods of heavy rain and strong winds have continued to occur. This amount of rainfall within 12 hours is very high, considering that the average rainfall for May at the Mtwara station is only 54 millimetres. Therefore, the amount of rain that fell within 12 hours at the Mtwara station is approximately 140% of the average rainfall for May at the Mtwara station,” read the statement.

[Stafford Ondego, Standard]Opposition leader Raila Odinga wants President William Ruto to declare the ongoing flood crisis a national disaster to enhance the level of response. “Declare the flooding a national disaster so that emergency steps can kick in in the entire nation. Foreign nations cannot offer help without us declaring it a national disaster,” Raila said during a food donation drive organised by his Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party in Mukuru, Nairobi Friday. Former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said the extent of the floods crisis warranted its declaration as a national disaster. The time has come for the Kenya Kwanza government to declare this flood crisis a national disaster,” said Wamalwa.

Efforts to resolve the protracted doctors' strike hit another snag on Friday, May 3, as talks between government officials and the doctors union collapsed again, prolonging a healthcare crisis that has gripped the nation for over seven weeks now. The breakdown threatens to extend the strike, potentially mirroring the severity of the 2017 healthcare standoff that endured for a daunting 100 days. However, efforts proved futile as the doctors' union remained unyielding. Despite the emergence of a proposed agreement outlining the terms for ending the strike, including the immediate suspension of the strike and the return to work of union members, the doctors' union remained steadfast in their stance. According to Davji, the proposal have timelines that the doctor’s union is uncomfortable with.

President Ruto expressed his deep sorrow over the demise of Sheikh Tahnoon. He extended his condolences to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and to the Al Nahyan family, as well as to the entire nation of the United Arab Emirates.

The Kenya Meteorological Department announced that Tropical Cyclone Hidaya has made landfall on the coast of Tanzania. Earlier forecasts had suggested that Cyclone Hidaya might potentially affect the coastal areas of Kenya at any time. In response to the situation in the Tanzanian coastal region, the Kenya Met stated that they are closely monitoring the situation. "Current observations indicate that Tropical Cyclone Hidaya has reached the coast of Tanzania. Nevertheless, there is another depression forming behind it, and the Department is closely monitoring its progress," Kenya Met reported.

Her new album, This Is Me...Now, debuted at a disappointing number 38 on the Billboard 200, despite decent physical sales. This marks a sharp decline from her early 2000s peak, when she sold over 80 million records and headlined global tours. A companion Amazon Prime documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, promised an intimate look at the couple's romance. However, its choice of title, given the couple's first cancelled wedding due to "excessive media attention," raises questions about Lopez's judgement. Far from warming fans' hearts, the documentary fueled backlash, with some viewers dubbing the star "out of touch" and "delusional."

After the melodious tribute to weavers of Bengal in Tati, Coke Studio Bangla has dropped the second song of their ongoing third season. Titled Ma Lo Ma, the vibrant track delves deep into life's journey and self-discovery, offering an exploration of existential themes. Pritom Hasan, serving as the music producer, adds his unique touch to the composition along with Shagor Dewan and Arif Dewan, whose family has a historical connection to the original writer of Ma Lo Ma Jhi Lo Jhi. ADVERTISEMENTProduced by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob and Pritom Hasan, Ma Lo Ma, penned by Md Khalek Dewan, lyrically explores the complexities of adulthood and nostalgia, prompting introspection about one's purpose in life. They are joined by instrumentalists Md Jalal Ahammad on flute, Pradyut Chatterjea on keyboards and Nafius Salam Yani on guitar.

The County government of Kilifi has threatened to dump hundreds of the Shakahola bodies at the Malindi Sub-county Hospital at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. Governor Gideon Mung’aro issued a one-week ultimatum to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to remove the bodies, and failure he would pull the containers with a truck to Nairobi. A total of 429 Shakahola bodies have been preserved in two containers at the Kilifi facility for over one year now. In the past year, we lost many people in the Shakahola massacre, and I have two containers at the Malindi Sub-county hospital with 429 bodies. He added that there was no budgetary allocation for the Shakahola bodies and therefore he could not account to the auditors on utilisation of money meant for the people of Kilifi.

Buy your World Snooker Championship publication! Get your ultimate World Snooker Championship companion now. A mere 15-minute drive away from the blessed Crucible, Liam Davies had made history, becoming the youngest-ever player to taste victory at the World Snooker Championship. It depends how the game goes, but I think snooker, there are a lot of different parts to the game. "[Some] people think he's very negative and this and that, but I think it's quite disrespectful in a way.

The Ministry of Interior, following the advice of the Kenya Meteorological Department, has listed 33 counties set to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall across the country this Saturday. The heavy rainfall will be accompanied by thunderstorms. Kenya's capital Nairobi is listed among those that will have heavy to very heavy rainfall. Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties in the Western part of Kenya will also experience heavy to very heavy rainfall. Machakos, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru and Marsabit, counties in the Eastern region, will also experience heavy to heavy rainfall.

Two suspects involved in the violent robbery and murder of a 23-year-old businesswoman in Kondele in January 2024 have been apprehended. Their arrest follows thorough investigations conducted by the Kondele police, which have led to the recovery of an AK47 rifle used in the murder and 36 rounds of live ammunition. The perpetrators, believed to be part of a larger criminal group, fled the scene on an unmarked motorcycle, regrouping with their accomplices at a hideout in Kasagam, Kisumu county. Upon inspection, an AK47 rifle (without a magazine) and a homemade pistol were discovered, along with four mobile phones. Months later, on April 18, one of the suspects, a 26-year-old former footballer for the Kisumu Allstars Club, was apprehended in Obunga, Kasarani, Kisumu Central, by Kondele-based police.

President William Ruto has appointed High Commissioners, Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives and Consuls-General who will serve in Kenya’s Foreign Missions. A High Commissioner is the chief diplomat in a high commission. The position is equivalent to an ambassador save that the latter is the chief diplomat in an embassy. All nominated were vetted by the National Assembly save for former West Mugirango MP Kemosi Mogaka who declined the position. Mogaka did not appear before the National Assembly committee for vetting.

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala leads Team Kenya to the World Athletics Relays that start tonight in the North American nation of Bahamas. The top 14 teams in each event at the World Athletics Relays will automatically qualify for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Mark Otieno, who is also in the 4x100m team, said: “We have speed, and our baton exchange technique has been smooth. Kenya will face sprints superpower USA who struck gold in the 4x100m at the World Championships in Budapest last year. Jamaica, who collected bronze in Budapest, have world indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, world finalist Ryiem Forde and World University Games champion Kadrian Goldson.