OZIL THE ASSIST KING

Some football "experts" still try to measure Mesut Ozil 's contribution in terms of the amount of sweat he produces in a match, or the number of blades of grass he's covered.

The truth is, if you want to know exactly how much the German playmaker does for Arsenal , you just need to look at one thing: ASSISTS.

The World Cup winner - the languid genius who is supposedly lazy - had just become officially the greatest provider of assists in Premier League history, replacing Eric Cantona at the top of the list . 

By Kelvin Kuria

IMF WARNS OVER HIGH LOAN RATES

The International Monetary Fund has warned that recent increase in credit rates could lead to financial risks in the region.

In the latest edition of the Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa launched in Nairobi on Thursday, the global institution said lending by financial institutions has risen considerably over the last 12 years attributed to increased household incomes.

“Most sub-Saharan African countries have experienced a decade-long rapid increase in private credit. Real credit to the private sector grew five fold over the period 2003-2014 an average annual progression of 16 per cent over 10 years leading to a doubling of the credit-to-GDP ratio for the region as a whole,” says the report.

According to the IMF, though other factors that commonly affect debt such as high interest rates may also play a role, numerous studies have credited episodes of unusually high credit growth with poor economic performance.

By Dennis Ndeleko

MVITA MP QUESTIONS INTEGRITY OF KCPE EXAMINATIONS

Mr Nassir also expressed concerns over the security of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations that are due to start tomorrow.

 He said they are worried about the integrity of the KCPE exams following the leakage of KCSE examinations this year at Tudor Primary School during a prayer meeting for Standard Eight candidates

He said  the  current  team  at  Knec  will  not  survive  the  MPs’  purge  aimed  at  redeeming the  credibility  of  the  national  examinations.  Two  MPs  have  come  up  with  a  bil l  seeking to  have Knec  disbanded for  failing  to  perform  its  duties.

By James Taiti
 

HOW TO STOP USERS FROM READING YOUR MESSAGES ONLINE

The old adage goes that if you don't want something public, don't put it on the internet .But a new messaging service promises complete anonymity from prying eyes.

The Tor Project has launched a beta version of its long-promised Tor Messenger, an encrypted messaging service that offers to hide your conversations.

The non-profit organization built the messaging app on top of its secure Tor browser - which has become a well-known shielded gateway to the depths of the internet . It works by hiding your location through a series of randomly-selected servers in its encrypted network, making it harder for authorities, companies or hackers to track your location or what you're talking about. Although there are already ways to talk discreetly over the internet, Tor is likely to prove more popular due to its simplicity.

 The Tor messenger uses the same protocol as many popular chat tools, meaning it can be used "out of the box" in conjunction with the likes of Facebook Chat, Twitter Messages and Google Talk. 

Edna Karugo

BOXING NYAWADE FINE-TUNES AHEAD OF BOUT WITH ABDUL MAJEED

The 36-year-old Police corporal says he has upped his game to self-contentment ahead of the fight that will see his ratings increase, should he win.

It has taken the father of two more than one month to prepare for the fight organized by Skipper Boxing Promotions and sanctioned by the Kenya Professional Boxing Commission. In order to shape up for the fight, Nyawade had to relocate to the TKO Gymnasium at Nyayo National Stadium, under supervision of three instructors, who include his head coach Julius Odhiambo.

Nyawade’s training has been in and out of the gym. He has hit the road with morning runs just to gain endurance. He has also concentrated on his gym training with heavy loads and aerobics to give his punches strength and power.

 Nyawade has fought only once this year, in January, where he beat Joseph Akhahonya on points. Skipper Boxing Promotions proprietor Steve Sijenyi said Nyawade’s opponent, Abdul Majeed, is expected in the country on Thursday. 

By Dennis Ndeleko

GOVERNMENT PLEDGES MEDIA FREEDOM AT UNESCO FORUM

Dr Kipsang has reiterated the government's pledge to have Internet connectivity in all parts of the country by next year.

He said it will promote digital literacy for schools and special emphasis will go to people living with disabilities.

Dr Kipsang was alluding to the completion of the second phase of the multibillion-shilling, China-funded National Optic Fibre Backbone, which is being implemented by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Authority for the Ministry of ICT to serve all 47 counties.

He said the government has reviewed funding for science, technology and innovation (STI) as the foundation for socio-economic development. It has been reviewed to address the challenges facing the sector, adding that its funding had increased from 0.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product to two per cent.

Dr Kipsang said specific STI measures and polices have been adopted, including establishing a Research Endowment Fund, which provides $4 million (Sh 410 million) for research annually. Others are a National Physical Science Research Laboratory, a Kenya Institute of Nanotechnology and a University Research Chairs Programme.

There is also the STI Mentorship Programme to enhance the participation of girls in science and technology subjects at the secondary school level.

By Kelvin Kuria