Opposition to data centers in the United States has surged in recent months, evolving from neighborhood resistance to a policy fight over land use, electricity costs and water access. The backlash is spreading from city halls to state legislatures as communities confront the physical footprint of the AI boom across the country. Data centers, which house the computing systems needed to train and run AI models, are essential to expanding the technology. They also require enormous amounts of resources, like electricity, land and water. The surging demands are increasingly colliding with local concerns about utility bills, the environment, farmland, quality…
Author: Special Correspondent
Kenyan taxpayers will not face immediate enforcement action on disputed taxes after Members of Parliament rejected proposals that would have allowed the Kenya Revenue Authority to freeze bank accounts, issue agency notices, and recover funds while tax disputes are still under appeal. The proposals, contained in the Finance Bill 2026, sought to strengthen the tax authority’s powers by enabling it to recover disputed taxes before determinations are made by the Tax Appeals Tribunal or the courts. Lawmakers opposed the changes, arguing that granting such powers to the tax authority would undermine constitutional protections and expose businesses and individuals to financial…
Africa’s first anti-corruption studies and research centre was launched in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in the continent’s efforts to strengthen research, policy development and regional cooperation in the fight against corruption. The launch was done during the 8th annual General Assembly of the African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, currently underway in the Kenyan capital, as leaders called for a shift beyond stronger laws and enforcement toward research, innovation and knowledge sharing in the fight against corruption. The meeting brought together 43 African countries heads of anti-corruption agencies from across the continent. The new center is expected…
Nairobi could soon see major improvements in traffic management after the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) launched an international tender for the second phase of its Intelligent Transport System (ITS), a project designed to ease congestion at some of the city’s busiest junctions. The Sh10.8 billion project will see the installation of advanced traffic management technologies and the upgrading of 60 intersections across the capital, as the government steps up efforts to tackle traffic jams that cost the economy billions of shillings every year. The project is being financed through a loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea under the…
A consortium that includes IMC Construction Kenya, a company reportedly linked to Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, has been selected to participate in the planned expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of Kenya’s largest infrastructure projects. The consortium is led by the state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), in partnership with its subsidiary China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and IMC Construction Kenya. The group is expected to undertake the US$2.9 billion airport modernisation and expansion programme. The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has not yet issued a detailed public breakdown of the final contract structure, but the project is…
US President Donald Trump has laid out the two primary components of his deal to end the war with Iran: Tehran will “never have a nuclear weapon” and the Strait of Hormuz will re-open and be “toll-free” . Speaking at the G7 summit in France, Trump said the deal agreed between the two countries was “fair” and “good”. Later Trump said he would likely hold a news conference to publicly read the agreement between the US and Iran “word by word”. Tehran and Washington are set to sign the deal in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock on Friday. The full…
It might not be Kylian Mbappe or Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele lighting up France’s attack at the World Cup. Instead, it could be the discreet and unassuming Michael Olise, with his golden first touch and devastating changes of direction — starting when two-time champion France takes on Senegal on Tuesday in New Jersey. The Bayern Munich winger enters the tournament in fine form after netting a superb hat-trick against Northern Ireland on June 8, taking his total to seven in 17 games for Les Bleus. Coach Didier Deschamps fielded his first-choice side, and it was Olise who stood out…
By Daniel Kamau Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan is set to receive his full FIFA World Cup officiating fee despite being denied entry into the United States. Sources told BBC Sport that the Somali referee will be fully remunerated once the tournament is concluded, although the exact amount has yet to be determined. Artan, who arrived at Miami International Airport, was denied entry to the United States following an 11-hour interrogation by immigration officials. US immigration authorities informed Artan that he would not be allowed into the country due to concerns arising from the vetting of his diplomatic passport and…
The High Court’s Gachagua impeachment ruling on Monday raised a key constitutional question: can a lawful end stand on an unlawful process?
US President Donald Trump vowed fresh strikes on Iran Thursday and promised to take the country’s key oil infrastructure, in what would be a major escalation in the war with the Islamic republic. “The United States will be hitting Iran… VERY HARD TONIGHT,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. “At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela,” he added. Trump gave no details of how the United States would seize Iran’s…
