Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday he has selected former Democratic congresswoman-turned Trump supporter Tulsi Gabbard as his pick to be director of national intelligence. The selection of Gabbard is sure to set off a major confirmation fight. Gabbard, an Army National Guard veteran, unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020 as a Democrat but said she was leaving the Democratic Party in 2022. She campaigned with Trump and served on his transition team. In many ways, the transformation of Gabbard from isolationist, Democratic iconoclast to MAGA darling has been a gradual evolution, culminating in her announcement before the November election that…

Apple is facing a legal claim accusing it of effectively locking 40 million British customers into its iCloud service and charging them “rip off prices.” Consumer group Which? says the legal action – which it has launched – could result in a £3bn payout if it is successful, equivalent to £70 per customer. Apple has rejected the suggestion its practices are anti-competitive, saying users are not required to use iCloud, many rely on third-party alternatives and insisting it “works hard to make data transfer as easy as possible.” It is another example of the “growing tide of large class actions…

Voters in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia at the centre of rising tensions in the Horn of Africa, flocked early to polling stations on Wednesday to select their president. The territory is an oasis of peace and stability in violence-racked Somalia but has failed to win recognition from any country since declaring independence in 1991. Hundreds of voters in the main city Hargeisa lined up calmly before dawn to avoid the heat, many proudly showing off voting cards and sporting the territory’s red-and-white flag. In the city’s main square, under a MIG fighter jet shot down during fighting with…

Officials in Mexico have arrested a man suspected of involvement in the brutal murder of the mayor of the city of Chilpancingo last month.  The killing of Alejandro Arcos, whose beheaded body was found just days after he had been sworn in as mayor, caused shock and revulsion in the violence-wracked state of Guerrero. On Tuesday, police detained Germán Reyes, who is the top security official in Chilpancingo, for his alleged role in the murder. Germán Reyes has denied any involvement in the crime and has said he is being used as a scapegoat. Rights groups have long warned that…

Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan have partnered to strengthen regional cooperation and build sustainable solutions to pressing security threats, including violent extremism and community conflicts. The multi-country initiative is meant to establish and address ‘push factors’ which create environments in which extremist narratives can flourish and successfully attract followers. It is a collaboration between the United Nations Development (UNDP) Regional Service Center Africa (RSCA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and is aimed at supporting the three countries in strengthening peace building infrastructures, preventing violent extremism, and enhancing social integration through promoting community empowerment, cohesion, and economic resilience. The…

South Korean actor Song Jae Lim, known for his breakout role in the K-drama The Moon Embracing the Sun, was found dead on Tuesday in his Seoul home.  The 39-year-old, who began his career as a model, rose to prominence in the period drama in 2012, before going on to star in other variety shows and television series. Reports say a note was found in the apartment, with police adding that there is no evidence of foul play. His death has renewed concerns over the immense pressures facing those in South Korea’s entertainment industry. South Korean stars paid tribute to…

A Makadara court allowed a request by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to deny bond to online influencer Pascaline Peter alias Passy Ma Trevor and George Mutual Mutunga alias Imran. The duo is facing charges of obtaining money by false pretences. In his ruling, Principal Magistrate Erick Mutunga said that the prosecution through provided enough evidence to deny the accused persons bond. “The purpose of bail is to ensure the accused person’s attendance during trial, I have gone through the charges before this court and have put into consideration the applications of the investigating officer and that of the…

Donald Trump has made the first hires of his incoming administration, naming a defence secretary, a border tsar, a national security advisor, a US ambassador to the United Nations and an environmental protection agency head. The president-elect may also be on the verge of appointing his top diplomat, the secretary of state, ahead of his return to the White House on 20 January 2025. He has named Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and military veteran, as his pick for defence secretary. Billionaire supporter Elon Musk will play a role in cost-cutting. A president is responsible for about 4,000 political…

Billionaire Elon Musk has been tasked with leading incoming President Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency(Doge). In a statement on social media, the US president-elect said Musk – along with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy – would “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”. It is a role that the tech entrepreneur has arguably prepared for through his business leadership, and one he has spent months arguing for. But it is also one that is expected to garner him influence over government policy – and the regulatory environment his enterprises exist in.…

America’s aviation regulator has suspended flights by US carriers to Haiti for at least 30 days after three gun attacks in a day on planes departing from the Caribbean nation. Aircraft from JetBlue, Spirit and American Airlines were all hit by bullets on Monday after flying to the capital, Port-au-Prince. In the attack on the Spirit plane, a flight attendant suffered minor injuries but no passengers were hurt. Also on Monday, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said two of its patients had been seized and executed by police and gang members in the capital. The medical charity said its paramedics had…

US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman resigned from office on Wednesday November 13.  She said she made the announcement to the staff she had resigned. She had been under pressure from Kenyans to leave Kenya after president Donald Trump won the November 5 polls. She was accused of helping president William Ruto implement most of his policies. Critics have questioned her silence on issues such as perceived corruption, extrajudicial killings, and abductions, particularly after the June GenZ movement protests, during which dozens were killed by police and many more were arrested. Some Kenyans have accused her of overlooking these excesses…

President William Ruto Wednesday November 13 led other Kenyans and leaders in mourning death of Murang’a County Member of Assembly Mark Wainaina.  He described him as a friendly and witty person with immense potential. ”We mourn the death of a hardworking and promising leader.  Mark Wainaina, the nominated Member of the County Assembly of Murang’a, was friendly, witty and with immense potential that inspired the growth of the UDA Party. Our thoughts are with the family and all those who knew him at this sad time. Rest In Peace Mheshimiwa,” Ruto said. Wainaina, died while undergoing treatment for an ailment that had…

The upcoming Communist Party of Kenya national Congress, to be held this weekend Saturday, November 16 and Sunday, Nov 17, is promising to be a revolutionary spectacle as Communist leaders drawn from all over the world gather for what has been dubbed as a pivotal turning point in the history of Kenya’s politics. Speaking at a press conference at the Party’s headquarters in Nairobi, the party’s Vice-Chairman Booker Omole spoke glowingly of the much-anticipated day, outlining the day’s pompous activities and promising to officially launch the Communist Party Marxist – Kenya. Flanked by some of the party’s leaders and ranking…

The body of a 19-year-old woman was found in a banana farm in Kiambaa area after a suspected murder. Police are investigating the murder of 19-year-old Sharon Atieno, also known as Nicole, who was killed hours after leaving her house for a stroll. The badly mutilated body of Sharon was discovered on Friday, November 8, 2024, in a banana plantation in Banana area. The motive of the murder is yet to be known, police said. Her friends and said Sharon she left her residence in Thindigwa, Karuri, at 10 p.m. on Thursday to make a phone call. She was also taking a…

A police officer was robbed of his G3 rifle with 20 bullets after he stepped out of his place of work at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi. The constable of police was with a colleague and was manning the landing zone at the airport when the incident happened on Tuesday November 12 morning. They were both armed at the time of the incident. It is believed the victim left the place of work and walked out of the compound where he was attacked and robbed of the rife. He later reported he had lost the weapon prompting an…