Latest news with #Meru
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Boarding school mass sex attack horror: How a mob of boys raped 71 girls in night of depravity with 19 victims killed in a stampede as they tried to escape their dormitory
Twilight was receding into night on July 13, 1991 when St. Kizito, a mixed boarding school in the Kenyan town of Meru, was plunged into darkness. Outages and blackouts happened often at the establishment located roughly 50 kilometres from Mount Kenya, so for the staff and most of the students it appeared a day like any other. But on this occasion, the power was cut deliberately. Hundreds of girls, all aged between 14-18, slinked off back to their dormitories - a handful of single-storey brick buildings with tin roofs concealing simple metal bunk beds - as was customary when the lights went out. A few hours later, 19 of them would be dead. Dozens more would be left with trauma that would haunt them forever. The power cut on that day was the first step of a dastardly plan fuelled by teenage anger and spite. The school's boys, who had been training weeks ahead of an interscholastic athletics competition, were left despondent when they discovered the school had not paid the fees necessary for the students to participate. Enraged that all their hard work had come to nothing, they decided to organise a protest against the school's inaction, among other concerns, and refused to attend their classes. They expected their 271 female classmates to follow suit, but the girls refused. This snub, as they saw it, was the straw that broke the camel's back. The violence that followed - and the shocking dismissal of its severity by teachers and the courts - became a symbol of gender inequality and an example of violence against women that nearly 35 years on still occupies the nation's collective consciousness. As night fell, a group of seething boys cut electricity and phone lines powering the school and connecting it to the outside world. Then they began throwing stones, sticks and other missiles at the school buildings, including the girls' dormitories. Fearing that her students would be more susceptible to violence if they were isolated from their friends in separate dorms, the head girl reportedly instructed all the female pupils to congregate in one dorm room and barricade the door. But as the night went on, the boys became yet more feral and encircled the small brick outhouse. The girls, crammed in between the beds, were only able to hold out for so long before the boys broke down the door and piled in. The ensuing chaos proved fatal. By sunrise, 19 girls had lost their lives. Investigations revealed they died in horrific circumstances after the boys bust into the dorms. Several were trampled to death, having fallen amid a desperate scramble to escape before being crushed underfoot. Others were suffocated when beds and mattresses fell on them as the boys forced them into a corner. Massimo Ballottino, an administrator at Meru's Tigania Hospital where many of the girls ultimately received treatment, visited the scene and told reporters: 'I have never seen anything like it. It was like civil war. There were bodies everywhere.' Many of those who did manage to escape faced another horrific ordeal. A shocking total of 71 girls were found to have been raped that night, police said. Local news reports at the time claimed that several boys had hidden their identity by wrapping bedsheets around themselves before chasing down the fleeing females with torches. They pulled the girls into grassland bordering the schoolgrounds before assaulting them. The incident triggered outrage among the public and the media, prompting then-president Daniel arap Moi to pay a visit to the community. But the outrage only grew as journalists began to uncover the ambivalence and incompetence exhibited by school staff, guards, law enforcement and even the courts tasked with handling the shocking case. Beyond the heinous actions of the teenage perpetrators, critics questioned why no teachers or guards attempted to intervene, given that many staff members would have been on site at the time of the riot. It later emerged that security guards had fled their posts, and since the phone lines had been cut, they could not call police. The first anybody beyond the school grounds heard of the chaos was at 2am on July 14, when a pair of guards who had run from the commotion woke local reverend Alexander Kiranja, who reportedly ran a mission nearby. Kiranja then went to the nearest hospital and asked them to call the police. This delay meant the boys continued their rapes well into the night before anyone arrived to stop them. Salome Mutua, a student of the school, told KTN News of the hellish scene inside the dormitory. 'We pushed all the beds to lock the entrances. Because we were scared of being pulled out by the boys to get raped. Some of us hid under beds, some were on top of beds, anything for safety... 'The beds were overwhelmed with weight and broke, so those underneath got injured badly. The bedframes had sharp edges, the girls got stabbed. 'The police did not show up until 6am... of course they heard the screams and I'm sure some teachers tried calling them but they did not show up. 'They could've saved us,' she said solemnly. The day following the tragedy, The Kenya Times managed to get hold of the school's principal, James Laiboni. His statement left readers utterly gobsmacked. 'In the past, the boys would scare the girls out of their dormitories and in the process they would get hold of them and drag them to the bush where they would 'do their thing' and the matter would end there, with the students going back to their respective dormitories,' he said in a tight-lipped statement. In other words, rape was commonplace at the school, with teachers effectively condoning the practice. Deputy principal, Joyce Kithira, was also quoted by the same publication as commenting: 'The boys never meant any harm against the girls, they just wanted to rape.' Francis Machira Apollos, a probation officer who worked on the case and was interviewed by reporters in the aftermath of the attacks, made it clear that the school would never have shared details with authorities had girls not perished. 'If you are a girl, you take it and hope you don't get pregnant. If girls hadn't died in this, we wouldn't have known about it,' he told reporters. A total of 39 boys were ultimately arrested on charges of murder and rape, but with prosecutors unable to tie any of them to the death of any one girl, the charges were reduced to manslaughter. The trial lasted a year, and eventually only 10 of the 39 boys were jailed - but their identities were concealed from the public.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Berghaus Makes U.S. Debut at Outside Festival
Iconic British Outdoor Brand Introduces Heritage and Innovation to North American Audience Berghaus SUNDERLAND, England, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Berghaus, the renowned British outdoor brand with nearly six decades of mountaineering heritage, proudly announced its official entry into the U.S. market at this past weekend's Outside Festival in Denver. The launch event, titled 'THIS IS BERGHAUS,' took place on Saturday, May 31, at 2:30 p.m. in Civic Center Park, marking a significant milestone for the brand as it brings its legacy of adventure and innovation to North American outdoor enthusiasts. As a presenting sponsor of the Outside Festival, Berghaus joined a dynamic lineup of global outdoor leaders, including REI Co-op, The North Face, and Brooks Running. The festival, now in its second year, continues to attract thousands of outdoor and music enthusiasts, for a weekend of live music, wellness sessions, film screenings, and gear showcases. 'Launching Berghaus in the U.S. at the Outside Festival is a pivotal moment for us,' says Charlie Pym, global senior vice president at Berghaus. 'As we look to strengthen our global presence as a trusted outdoor brand, we know that the U.S. presents a large opportunity, not only because of the growing interest in outdoor participation but also the cultural relevance outdoor brands play in the lifestyle and active communities throughout the country.' Festival-goers experienced the latest collections from Berghaus, including the reissued Meru and Trango jackets from the new Concert Collection, inspired by the brand's 1990s designs. These pieces blend technical performance with retro style, resonating with seasoned adventurers, and street style enthusiasts alike. The Berghaus booth also featured appearances by brand ambassadors, interactive product demonstrations, and provided participants with insights into the brand's initiatives focused on accessibility and sustainability in outdoor exploration. "The connection of Berghaus to the Denver outdoor community was natural and seamless. It felt as if we had always been a part of this rich, active outdoor community," says Shane Wallace, North American vice president of portfolio brands at Pentland Brands. Berghaus' U.S. debut aligns with its mission to make the outdoors more inclusive and accessible, reflecting the broader goals of the Outside Festival. The brand's presence in Denver signifies its commitment to engaging with the vibrant American outdoor community and expanding its global footprint. Berghaus will continue its introduction to the U.S. market by attending upcoming trade events including the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance in Reno, NV, and the Switchback Event in Nashville, TN. To learn more about Berghaus and purchase gear from its range of technical outdoor gear collections, please visit Please direct all Berghaus media inquiries to Berghaus@ ### Founded in 1966 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Berghaus has been at the forefront of outdoor gear innovation for nearly 60 years. Known for pioneering technologies and a dedication to quality, the brand offers a wide range of clothing and equipment designed for outdoor adventures. Berghaus is a subsidiary of Pentland Group and continues to inspire explorers worldwide. Attachment Berghaus CONTACT: berghaus@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NDTV
07-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Auto-Rickshaw, Cabs To Attract Fines For Cancelling Rides In Maharashtra
The Maharashtra government has introduced the Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025 to regulate app-based ride services. One important rule in this policy is that auto-rickshaw and cab drivers will face fines if they cancel rides without a good reason. This aims to solve ongoing complaints from commuters about ride cancellations and safety. The fines can be as high as five times the normal amount for cancellations of rides going to hospitals, airports, or railway stations. Currently, Maharashtra has 14 cab services, including Ola, Uber, Meru, InDrive, and BlaBla. About the Cancellation Policy The new policy states that drivers who cancel a ride or refuse short-distance trips will be fined Rs 100 or 10% of the fare, whichever is less. This fine will go directly to the passenger's account. If a commuter cancels a ride, they will pay Rs 50 or 50% of the fare, whichever is lower, to the driver. Also Read: According to the new policy, aggregators must keep their profits between 5% and 8%, down from a maximum of 28%. Drivers are guaranteed to get at least 80% of the fare for each ride. The policy also ensures that drivers and their families have access to training, medical insurance, and other benefits. The policy limits surge pricing to 1.5 times the regular fare and allows discounts of up to 25% during off-peak hours. Companies must also have the right licenses and follow safety rules, such as GPS tracking, emergency contact options, and background checks for drivers. These steps are designed to improve safety for both travellers and drivers, especially for female commuters. The Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025 aims to make app-based transportation services in Maharashtra more reliable and safer. By making drivers responsible for cancellations and introducing strict safety rules, the policy intends to build commuter trust and improve overall satisfaction.
Bloomberg
21-02-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Sanctioned Russian Oil Vanishes From Tracking in Gulf of Oman
A cargo of Russian oil that's under heavy US sanctions vanished from global tracking systems, evidence of how difficult it will be to keep track of — and enforce — the measures. The 900-foot oil tanker Meru left Murmansk in the Arctic Sea on Jan. 20, ten days after the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed most-aggressive sanctions on Russia's oil trade — especially those from the Arctic.
