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31 sloths die in Florida before opening of attraction

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Thirty-one sloths planned for a new “slothnarium” in Florida have died before the attraction’s planned opening, authorities have found.

The mammals were planned to be showcased at a permanent, public exhibit at Sloth World in Orlando, set to open this spring.

Many of the sloths died due to conditions at a Florida warehouse where they’d been shipped, according to a report released on Friday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Others arrived in Florida already dead or appeared in ill health and later died, the report states.

The owner of Sloth World has denied allegations in the report and said there is “so much false and inaccurate information out there right now”.

“The truth is, we lost sloths that had a virus of which showed barely any symptoms and was undetectable even after necropsy,” Ben Agresta, the owner of Sloth World, told Fox-35 in Orlando.

The BBC has contacted Sloth World, along with its listed owner and representatives.

Sloth World is advertised as Orlando’s only “slotharium,” with a rainforest-inspired habitat “designed exclusively with sloth well-being in mind”, according to its website.

The report from the FWC, which was obtained by the BBC on Friday, outlines two instances the mammals dying ahead of the attraction’s planned opening.

In December 2024, 21 sloths shipped from Guyana died due to cold conditions at a warehouse in Florida where they were shipped, according to the FWC report.

Then in February 2025, two of 10 sloths travelling from Peru arrived dead. The remaining eight “appeared emaciated” and later succumbed to “poor health issues”, the report states.

When FWC investigators were alerted and began investigating, Peter Bandre, who is listed online as the attraction’s vice-president, told them that the warehouse where the sloths died was not properly set to receive the animals.

Bandre told investigators: “It was too late to cancel the shipment.” He attributed their deaths to a “cold stun”, the report adds.

The building had no water or electricity, so space heaters were purchased to keep it warm for the animals. But the heaters tripped a fuse and shut down, the report states.

For at least one night, the sloths were in the building without heat, investigators found. The animals are native to tropical rain forests and typically live in areas with temperatures ranging from 70F – 86F (21C – 30C).

The report notes those sloths arrived in Florida on 18 December 2024. Historical weather data shows lows hit 46F (7C) the following week.

In its investigation, the FWC also found that in two instances, the sloths under Bandre’s care were in cages that did not meet captive wildlife requirements. A verbal warning was issued at the time.

It its promotional material, Sloth World describes Bandre as “one of the most respected sloth experts in the world”.

The FWC closed its investigations into the animal deaths without a written warning or citation, an agency spokesperson told the BBC. There are, however, a number of other regulatory bodies investigating, the spokesperson said.

The Orange County’s Building Safety’s office on Thursday posted a stop work order at the warehouse where animals had been housed. A report obtained by the BBC from the agency notes alleged violations of state building codes and county rules.

It’s unclear whether the attraction, located in a popular tourist corridor in Orlando, will open as planned later this year.

The FWC said the owner of Sloth World has a permit for wildlife on file. The permit allows individuals or businesses to exhibit or sell wildlife.

Local media has also reported that more than a dozen remaining sloths set to be part of the attraction were now being cared for by another zoo in Central Florida.

The revelations about Sloth World has prompted criticism from several lawmakers and animal rights advocates.

Florida state Rep Anna Eskamani said the case exposed a “major gap” in wildlife permits, as FWC is not required to be alerted to animal deaths.

“If it wasn’t for everyday people who care and reported these deaths it’s hard to know when FWC would have even learned about [the deaths],” the Democratic lawmaker added.

Over the months, the Sloth Conservation Foundation and the Sloth Institute had both expressed concern over Sloth World’s planned opening.

“When removed from the forest canopy and shipped internationally to the US, sloths often suffer from serious health issues related to the change in suitable diet and exposure to an artificial environment,” Sam Trull, executive director of The Sloth Institute, said. “For a lot of captured sloths,” he added, “this leads to their death.”-STAR.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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