1. A Cease Fire, for Now

Among the blessings we are also counting on this day is the cease-fire reached yesterday between Israel and the Hamas rulers of Gaza. Now if only it will hold. But beyond merely holding if it could be the beginning of a process that would bring peace on both sides of the border. Frankly we are not optimistic. Even as the cease-fire was being negotiated, a bus bombing in central Tel Aviv — one cheered by the leaders of Hamas — harkened back to the dark days of the Palestinian intifada that took the lives of more than a thousand Israelis.

2. Voter Listing Hitches Being Overcome- IEBC

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has admitted that it did not test all the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits before registration commenced. Vice chairperson Mahiri Zaja told Capital FM News that the commission was constrained by time following the late arrival of the kits and had expected the hitches being experienced.

3. Britain Nears EU Budget Agreement Despite Cameron's Threat

EU officials are optimistic that a deal will be struck with Britain to set the bloc's long-term budget despite Prime Minister David Cameron's threat to wield his veto, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. In an apparent breakthrough on the eve of the two-day Brussels summit of European leaders, the Financial Times reported that Mr Cameron was prepared to accept a 940 billion euro (S$1.4 trillion) spending ceiling from 2014 to 2020.

4. Low End Landlords Spared KRA's Drive to Net Property Tax

The resolve to enforce payment of tax on rental incomes appeared to waver Wednesday with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), saying it would only pursue big property owners. The respite to landlords with few or fragmented units follows what insiders said were the high administration costs of mapping buildings across the country to capture landlords and the unreliability of data that the authority had hoped to coax out of tenants.

5. Lack of Expertise Holding Back Our Geothermal Dream

 Lack of technical expertise might impede East Africa from fully exploiting the huge geothermal potential inherent in the region. The larger East African region has an estimated geothermal potential of 15,000 megawatts, but remains largely untapped due to a number of challenges, including inadequate human resource skills. Other challenges include the capital-intensive nature of exploring for geothermal energy.

6. Importation of GMO's Banned

The government has banned the importation of GMOS citing insufficient scientific evidence on the safety of the food. Public Health minister Beth Mugo says the government has commissioned a task force to carry out research on GMO safety before lifting the ban. She has directed health officers at all border points to effect the ban.

7. Are You Ready to Pay 15% More for Medical Care?

The average cost of a medical visit is expected to rise 15% in January. According to a discussion involving Resolution Health CEO, Peter Nduati, the Aga Khan University hospital has already issued a notice of a 10% increase in medical expenses. Other institutions like the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and the Mater Hospital are already planning to hike costs.

8. High Taxes Stalling Africa's Aviation Growth

African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the body representing interests of African airlines warned that high taxes and charges levied on airlines and passengers are not only retarding development of the industry but also making it uncompetitive. Secretary General Elijah Chingosho said without a commitment by individual African governments to consciously grow their airlines to become big operators, carriers in the continent may not benefit from high growth passenger market in the region.