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British soldiers march during the official opening of the new Nyati Barracks at the British Army Training Unit Kenya in Nanyuki on January 26, 2021. File | Nation Media Group

Senior British soldiers have been accused of initiating new recruits deployed at the Nanyuki military base in Kenya into having unprotected sex with prostitutes as part of hazing, thus exposing them to sexually transmitted infections.

This is according to a report published in the UK-based Mail on Sunday which reveals that the new recruits can decide whether to wear a condom or not at the toss of a coin as part of an initiation process.

Read: British army base in Kenya attracts criticism

“The more senior soldiers would flip a coin – heads you could use a condom, tails you could not,” said the report written by the British Medical Journal Military Health.

The claims have reportedly alarmed Defence bosses in the UK due to the prevalence of HIV/Aids in Kenya, where it affects five percent of Kenya’s population compared with 0.2 percent in the UK.

The report also warned of soldiers' growing patronage of prostitutes close to the British base in Nanyuki, with some services even offered at barber shops, as revealed by a senior officer who had gone for a trim. 

“When the haircut was complete, he was ushered towards a back room and shown a number of female sex workers,” the report said. The barber then asked if he would like any 'extra services.'

The officer told how he was shocked at how suddenly the events unfolded, and said he related the encounter to demonstrate to other soldiers the proximity of sex workers and to advise soldiers on 'how to politely decline any similar offers'.

Sexual health

While there is a guide to sexual health is issued on arrival in the East African country, the number of soldiers seeking help for related diseases increased compared with UK-based troops, said the report which also found that a third of squaddies could not remember being given the advice.

Former Army intelligence officer Philip Ingram criticised the military leadership over the incidents. “Sexual health is a part of annual training for all service personnel,” he said.

“To hear that soldiers are being forced into some form of sexual initiation ceremony... where HIV rates are very high shocks me to the core. [It] once again highlights a failure in leadership and that the culture in the Army is still fundamentally broken,” he added.

Read: Soldiers, girls and cash: Bittersweet mix that keeps Nanyuki fun but dangerous

British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan has, however, indicated that the rules have tightened significantly in recent years referring to the report as “historic in nature”.

“The article seems to stem from a new research article just published, but which actually relies only on interviews with nine soldiers,” he told Nation.

The report said the risk of catching a sexually transmitted disease from a prostitute not only has the potential to reduce the operational effectiveness of the unit but also presents a 'global reputational risk'.

10,000 British troops

Around 10,000 British troops are deployed to Kenya every year to carry out live firing exercises for up to eight weeks.

On their return, soldiers were quizzed on the use of prostitutes, who hang around outside the base, for a study which has been published in the British Medical Journal Military Health.

UK Ministry of Defence spokesman has cautioned that all sexual activity which involves the abuse of power, including buying sex whether in the UK or abroad, is prohibited.

“We are committed to preventing sexual exploitation in any form,” he said. By VICTOR RABALLA, The East African

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - APRIL 08: Judges entering the courtroom ahead of public hearing on Nicaragua’s claim that Germany aids Israel’s ongoing genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the Netherlands on April 08, 2024. Judge Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), addressed the court. The case concerns alleged violations of the Genocide Convention of 1948 and the Geneva Conventions of 1949 pertaining to international humanitarian law in Palestinian territories. ( Mouneb Taim - Anadolu Agency )
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun hearings today on Nicaragua’s case against Germany, accusing Berlin of facilitating “genocide” in Gaza by providing political and military support to Israel.

In his opening remarks, Nicaraguan Ambassador Carlos Jose Arguello Gomez said his country requests the court to order Germany to stop providing support for Israel in its war in Gaza.

“The case before us involves momentous events affecting the life and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of people, and even the destruction of an entire people,” he said.

“Serious breaches of international humanitarian law, and other peremptory norms of international law, including genocide, are taking place in Palestine,” he stressed.

The ambassador underlined that by providing political and military support to Israel, Germany is violating the 1948 Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law.

“Nicaragua is requesting the court to order that Germany to cease providing support to Israel in its campaign of destruction of the Palestinian people,” he said.

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – APRIL 08: Members of the Nicaraguan delegation, including Claudia Loza and HE Mr. Omar Awadallah attend the hearing on Nicaragua’s claim that Germany aids Israel’s ongoing genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the Netherlands on April 08, 2024. The case concerns alleged violations of the Genocide Convention of 1948 and the Geneva Conventions of 1949 pertaining to international humanitarian law in Palestinian territories. ( Mouneb Taim – Anadolu Agency )

“Germany cannot but be aware that the munitions, the military equipment, and the war weapons it is supplying” to Israel are supporting its attacks in Gaza, says Gomez, even if such equipment is not immediately being used for that purpose.

“It does not matter if an artillery shell is delivered straight from Germany to an Israeli tank shelling a hospital or university, or whether that artillery shell goes to replenish Israel’s stockpile for use at some later date,” he added.

“It doesn’t matter whether the planes used in combat to drop one-tonne bombs [on Gaza’s population] were made entirely in Germany, or just their spare parts and maintenance were supplied,” Gomez continued.

“The fact is that the assurance of supplies and replacement of armaments is crucial to Israel’s pursuit of the attacks in Gaza.”

The German government remains one of the strongest supporters of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, despite growing public pressure.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly said Germany bears special responsibility for Israel because of its Nazi history.

Berlin approved €326.5 million ($354 million) worth of weapons exports to Israel in 2023, the majority of which were approved after October 7, 2023, a tenfold increase compared to 2022.

Berlin is one of Israel’s key allies and the second biggest arms provider to Israel, after the United States, accounting for 30 percent of Israel’s arms imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Germany was also the second biggest donor to UNRWA before it cut funding in January following Israeli allegations that members of the UN agency were connected to the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Israel has yet to provide evidence for those allegations.

German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner says Berlin will present its position in court but added that it believes the case is unjustified.

Israel has waged a military offensive on Gaza since an October 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 33,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and almost 75,000 injured besides mass destruction, displacement and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation. By 5Pillar(RMS)

Winter weather Jan 24th 2024© PA Wire/Photo Courtesy

Dozens of UK flights have been cancelled as Storm Kathleen brings winds of up to 70mph – and potentially the hottest day of the year so far.

About 70 flights departing and arriving at UK airports before midday on Saturday have already been cancelled as the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for wind. 

The warning covers the north west and south west of England and parts of Northern IrelandScotland and Wales, from 8am to 10pm.

A further yellow warning for wind has been issued for north-west Scotland on Sunday between 9am and 3pm.

And temperatures could reach up to 22C in East Anglia as warm air comes in from the continent this weekend.

Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer told the PA news agency: “The storm is the reason we are seeing the warmer temperatures, because the location of the storm – situated out towards the west of the UK – is bringing a southerly wind across the UK.

“This is bringing those warmer temperatures from the continent, meaning we are likely to see temperatures reaching 22C.”

The highest temperature of the year so far was 19.9C, recorded at the end of January at Achfary in north-west Scotland.

Storm Kathleen is also expected to bring 50-60mph winds quite widely on Saturday, while some Irish Sea coastal regions will see gusts up to 70mph and large waves.

Ms Glaisyer said: “Almost anywhere is going to see above-average temperatures. Western parts of the UK are likely to see temperatures of 15 or 16C. 

“However, the further west you are, where those strongest winds are in that yellow warning area, despite the temperatures being above average it will feel a little colder.”

On Friday, the Met Office updated its weather warning to forecast stronger gusts during Storm Kathleen than previously predicted. 

It warned of injuries and danger to life from “large waves and beach material being thrown on to sea fronts, coastal roads and properties”, a possibility that “road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected” and the potential for power cuts and phone service outages.

The forecaster said winds would stay strong into Sunday, particularly in northern parts of Scotland.

“There will still be some showers around, but there should be some sunshine between those showers”, Ms Glaisyer said, adding: “It is generally remaining unsettled through much of next week.

“There is another area of low pressure moving towards the UK through Monday and into Tuesday. That is likely to bring some heavy rain for much of the UK, particularly in the West.”

Storm Kathleen, named by the Irish meteorological service Met Eireann, is the 11th named storm in eight months. 

It is only the second time in a UK storm season that the letter K has been reached in the alphabet.

The Met Office’s shipping forecast had 29 gale warnings in place on Saturday morning for sea areas including Viking, Plymouth, Biscay, Sole and Lundy.

The Environment Agency issued 14 flood warnings – where flooding is “expected” – and 113 flood alerts in England on Saturday, with National Resources Wales issuing six flood alerts. 

The Environment Agency also issued 45 red cautions for strong streams on the River Thames, advising users of all boats not to navigate.

RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “This intense period of stormy weather is going to prove extremely challenging for anyone driving on the western side of the UK.

“We strongly urge drivers to avoid exposed coasts and higher routes where the impact of the very strong winds is most likely to be felt.”  By Samuel Montgomery, Evening Standard

 

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