Kenyan election results tossed, creating chaos
NAIROBI, Kenya — President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election victory last month was thrown out Friday by Kenya’s Supreme Court, which ordered new voting within 60 days in a stunning decision that plunged the East African country back into political chaos.
The move to nullify an election was unprecedented on the African continent.
It gave new hope to opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who had alleged the electronic results of the Aug. 8 balloting were manipulated. He had lost by about 1.4 million votes out of roughly 15 million cast.
The court ruled 4-2 in Odinga’s favor, saying the electoral commission committed “illegalities and irregularities.” The court, whose full decision with details of its findings is expected to be released within 21 days, did not blame Kenyatta or his party.
Kenyatta said that while he respected the ruling, he “personally disagrees” with it. He urged calm in a country that has a history of postelection violence.
Trump says system ‘rigged’ in Clinton’s favor
WASHINGTON — By writing a statement exonerating Hillary Clinton over her use of a private server while secretary of state before concluding his investigation, then-FBI Director James Comey revealed a system "rigged" in her favor, President Donald Trump said Friday.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of Judiciary's Crime and Terrorism subcommittee, revealed Comey's actions Thursday. They cited transcripts they reviewed of interviews federal investigators conducted last fall with two FBI officials who were close to Comey: James Rybicki, Comey's chief of staff, and Trisha Anderson, the principal deputy general counsel of National Security and Cyberlaw.
Irma expected to be major hurricane in Caribbean
MIAMI — Hurricane Irma regained intensity Friday afternoon after a mid-morning adjustment.
In their 5 p.m. EDT advisory, National Hurricane Center forecasters said an eyewall replacement that had helped weaken winds was quickly completed. Sustained winds had returned to 120 mph as Irma continued heading west at 13 mph. The storm was located nearly 1,500 miles from the Leeward Islands.
With a new center in place, forecasters said it's likely Irma will now strengthen.
The storm also began making a westward turn Friday afternoon. Whatever its future path, forecasters said Irma is still expected to be a major hurricane when it nears the Lesser Antilles next week. Some islands could see dangerous wind, storm surge and heavy rain, they said.
If Irma reaches Florida, it could take at least 10 days, a long time to predict tracks with any certainty, said former hurricane center director Rick Knabb, now a hurricane expert at the Weather Channel.