French Open bans Hamou over attempts to kiss reporter on live TV

Tennis player Maxime Hamou has been banned by the organisers of the French Open after he tried to kiss a female reporter repeatedly during a live TV interview.

The French player, 21, kissed journalist Maly Thomas while holding her around her neck and shoulders, despite her efforts to duck away.

The French Tennis Federation (FTT) condemned the "reprehensible behaviour" and ordered an investigation.

Hamou has apologised for his actions.

The incident happened after he was knocked out of the first round of the competition on Monday.

It is the latest case to provoke allegations of harassment of female sports reporters.

Several anchors and commentators on the Eurosport programme Avantage Leconte laughed and clapped as it unfolded.

The episode drew ire on social media, including from French politician Cécile Duflot.

"He kisses her by force, she tries to get away, he holds her by the neck and everyone... laughs #tired," the Green MP wrote on Twitter (in French).

Quoted by the Huffington Post France, Ms Thomas described the player's actions as "frankly unpleasant".

"If I hadn't been live on air, I would have punched him."

Campaigning Starts in Kenya

NAIROBI — 

In Kenya, the official campaign period has begun as the electoral body clears candidates to run for the presidency. The commission is calling on the candidates to maintain peace during the August polls.

Kenya’s presidential campaign has begun with 70 days to the August elections. So far the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has cleared seven candidates and rejected three because of logistical issues.

Addressing Jubilee Party supporters Monday in Nairobi, Deputy President William Ruto said he and the president would make a re-election bid.

“As you are aware today President Uhuru Kenyatta is going to present his papers to the IEBC given to him by Jubilee Party so that he can compete for the presidency on August 8th and we thank you for coming to escort him to the commission,” he said.

Kenyatta, who is seeking a second term, was the seventh candidate cleared by the IEBC.

The main opposition coalition led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was one of the presidential hopefuls to be cleared Sunday. Odinga, running for president for the fourth time, is expected to be Kenyatta's main challenger.

Kenya's National Super Alliance and opposition leader Raila Odinga (L) and running mate Kalonzo Musyoka show their clearance certificate, May 28, 2017 in Nairobi, after Odinga has presented his candidacy for the presidential race.

Electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati warned leaders against incitement.

“You have signed the accord of conduct both as political parties as well as candidates and as a commission we shall not hesitate to take any action if you breach that code of conduct. We want this country to be peaceful before, during and after this election,” said Chebukati.

The opposition agreed to hold a peaceful campaign. Odinga called on the commission to deliver an election that represents the will of the people.

“IEBC must leave up to its billing which is not only deliver free and fair but to ensure that those elections are truly free and fair,” he said.

Kenya is still haunted by the 2007 presidential election, won by Mwai Kibaki in a hotly-disputed vote. Post-election violence killed more than 1,100 people and forced the top parties into a power-sharing government.

Kenyatta's election in 2013 was peaceful, but was marred by accusations that he and Ruto had helped to organize the 2007 violence. The International Criminal Court eventually dropped charges of crimes against humanity for both men, citing a lack of evidence.

N Korea fires Scud missile into sea, its third test in three weeks

North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile, the third apparently successful test in as many weeks.

The Scud flew about 450km (280 miles) before landing in Japanese waters, prompting Japan to lodge a protest.

Observers say the tests indicate the North is making progress towards missiles capable of carrying warheads.

The North has repeatedly defied a UN resolution banning all nuclear and missile activity, and has ramped up its tests in recent months.

The US Pacific Command said the missile was launched from Wonsan in North Korea and flew for about six minutes before landing.

Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the missile landed in an area between Japan's Sado and Oki islands, in their exclusive economic zone.

South African Ruling Party Debates Fate of President

 

Ruling party critics of South African President Jacob Zuma pushed for his resignation on Sunday amid concern about alleged corruption at the highest levels of the government, but the president still retained significant support within the divided party.

This weekend, opponents proposed a motion of no confidence against Zuma at a meeting of leaders of the African National Congress party, which has led South Africa since the end of white minority rule in 1994. Many in the party attribute the ANC's poor performance in local elections last year to scandals surrounding the president and want to shore up their popularity ahead of national elections in 2019.

The motion was proposed by party member Joel Netshitenzhe, and it was supported by the health minister and his deputy, as well as the former tourism minister, reported the News24 website. State broadcaster SABC said the chairman of the National Executive Committee meeting did not allow debate on the motion because it was not on the agenda, though the meeting was continuing late Sunday.

Zuma survived a similar move to oust him at a committee meeting in November, but unease within the ruling party grew after he fired Pravin Gordhan, the widely respected finance minister, in a Cabinet reshuffle in March.

Another Police officer killed in motor accident

The police fraternity is mourning the death one of their colleague, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Jamil Sebalu following a motor accident along Northern Bypass.
Sebalu was killed yesterday in a hit and run accident.

Mr Charles Ssebambulidde, traffic police spokesperson, said police was yet to arrest the driver who cut short ASP Sebalu’s life.
“We are yet to get particulars of the vehicle that killed our officer since it was a hit and run accident. But we are still hunting for him,” Mr Ssebambulidde said.
ASP Sebalu was the officer in charge of Kasubu-Kibizi police post, a Kampala suburb. He was among Cadet Officers who were passed out in the 2014/2015 intake.

Mr Ssebambulidde said ASP Sebalu’s burial will be held at his ancestral home in Butambala District.
In March this year, OC Bulenga Police station, ASP Moses Ocitia died following a motor accident along Entebbe road close to Lubowa Police station.
Ocitia who was driving a G Touring Reg number-UAD172K had a head on collusion with Super Custom UAT 610S which was heading to Entebbe from Kampala. He died on his way to Mulago Hospital.

11-year-old boy takes care of family

 

A 11-year-old boy Sunday Dradriga should be at school, but is not because he has to perform the roles of parenthood.
His mother and two siblings are blind. His father is not man enough to take care of the family. This leaves Dradriga the only responsible member of the family to take care of the home daily.
“I am now the second head of this home because my mother is blind and my father cannot afford all the basic necessities. I cannot go to school because I fear that my other siblings will stay hungry,” he said. Adding I have to wake up at 7am to fetch water, bathe the children and then start cooking. And this is only if there is something to cook. It is a huge daily task.”

At their home in Olevu Village, Odupi Sub-county, Arua District, Dradriga sorts out vegetables which the blind mother Ms HellenTiko, 41, picks from the compound to feed the family.
“Even when our third born goes to school, he cannot see what the teacher has written on the black board. I don’t have uniform and our father cannot even afford scholastic materials. This is the life we live,” laments the 11-year-old.

A visit to the home of the 62-year-old Marino Ocitia, rocked in poverty reveals a very bleak future for the family.
Eating meat or fish is unheard of for the rest of the year except during Christmas or Easter. The family feeds on boiled vegetables and beans everyday.
Clothing for mother, father and children is a luxury and their dwelling is a shanty mud and wattle grass-thatched hut. There is no toilet and the family has to wait until nightfall to hide behind the hut for a bath.

The children bathe in the open compound or at a nearby stream. The hut was thatched 20 years ago and its leaky roof makes it an undesirable shelter for mankind.
The family only received some new clothes from good Samaritans who were carrying out research in the area for their organisation.
Speaking to Daily Monitor at his home on Tuesday, Mr Marino said the family was in need of urgent medical care.
He said he could not afford taking his blind children and wife for eye checkup in Arua Town for lack of money. 

Two MPs lose seats over bribery

Two independent MPs representing Persons with Disabilities from northern and western regions have been kicked out of Parliament over bribery. 
The Court of Appeal yesterday ordered fresh elections in their respective constituencies. 
The two bring the number of MPs who have lost seats to six, according to Electoral Commission spokesperson, Mr Jotham Taremwa. 
Led by Justice Remmy Kasule, the court ruled that Mr William Wilson Nokrach for northern region and his western region colleague, Mr Hood Katuramu, participated in bribery of voters during the 2011 parliamentary elections. “We have scrutinised the record, evidence, submissions and judgment of the High Court. Our findings are that had the learned trial judge properly scrutinised the evidence before him, he would have probably arrived at different conclusions. This however was not the case,” Assistant registrar of the court Mr Didas Muhumuza read the judgement on behalf of the justices of the Court of Appeal. 
“…..What cuts across all the testimonies of all the witnesses is that they stated that the candidates dished out money and gifts to voters. We find that the 2 respondent (Mr Nokrach) did offer to voters money via mobile phone transfers with the intention of influencing them to vote for him,” he stated. The justices also faulted the trial judge Albert Rugadya Atwoki that he erred in law, particularly when he found that the Mr Norkrach possessed academic qualifications to stand as a MP whereas not.