The boss of the world’s biggest condom maker, Karex, says the firm will raise its prices by up to 30% or possibly more if the Iran war continues to disrupt supplies of the raw materials used in its products. Karex’s chief executive Goh Miah Kiat told media outlets that production costs have risen sharply since the start of the conflict. The Malaysia-based firm produces more than five billion condoms a year and supplies leading global brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as state health systems like the UK’s NHS. Goh made the comments in interviews with Reuters and Bloomberg.…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a trip to the southern African nation of Eswatini, accusing China of putting pressure on other countries to bar his aircraft from flying over their territories. Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked Lai’s flight permits after “intense pressure” and economic coercion from China, said a Taiwan official. China denied coercion, while praising the three Indian Ocean nations saying it had “high appreciation” for them. This is the first publicly known instance where Taiwan’s leader has had to cancel a trip due to revoked flight permits. Eswatini is one of 12 nations which are diplomatic allies…
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran, delaying a planned military strike to allow Tehran more time to present a unified proposal to end the ongoing conflict. In a statement shared on social media, Trump said he had instructed the U.S. military to maintain its current posture — including the naval blockade — while remaining prepared for action if negotiations fail. “I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and… extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” Trump stated.…
Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned from Congress following an investigation that found she committed more than 20 ethics violations, including breaking campaign finance laws. Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of using US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) money for her 2021 election campaign. The 46-year-old Democrat, who was elected to Congress in 2022, has maintained she is innocent and vowed to clear her name. “Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away,” she said in a social media post announcing her resignation and calling the congressional ethics investigation a “witch hunt”. Cherfilus-McCormick had faced the prospect of a rare…
Timothy Kimani, widely known as Njugush, has publicly confirmed that he and his wife Celestine Ndinda have separated. In a statement, Njugush said the couple made the decision to part ways last year after careful and mutual consideration, describing the move as respectful and amicable. Despite the separation, he emphasized that they remain committed to co-parenting their children, who continue to be their top priority. He also noted that they still support each other, underscoring that their relationship remains cordial even after going their separate ways. The announcement marks a significant development for the couple, who have long been admired…
A parliamentary committee Tuesday urged the Ministry of Interior to act decisively against emerging criminal gangs, warning that their resurgence could undermine national security and the integrity of the 2027 General Election. The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security cautioned against a repeat of past election cycles marked by the rise of sectarian groups such as Mungiki and Chinkororo, which were linked to violence in the run-up to the 1992, 1997 and 2007 polls. Committee chairperson and Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo said the State must act early to prevent criminal networks from taking root during the…
Mobile transfer codes buzzing at village shops, QR-based transport tickets flashing across urban bus windows, and drone sensors guiding tomato irrigation now headline regional conversations. The narrative once revolved around venture rounds in Nairobi or Kigali, yet those boardroom scenes only skim today’s surface. A wider story unfolds on dusty roads and apartment balconies where technology decisions shape meals, budgets, and health checks within minutes. Early-stage founders still matter, but information flows faster when comparison tools mirror global standards. Local real-estate entrepreneurs, for example, model rent dashboards with support from a Zillow scraping API clone, discovering market gaps block by…
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki dismissed the opposition for offering nothing to Kenyans saying they are ready to face and defeat them in the coming elections. The DP said the figures in the opposition previously occupied senior positions in government but did nothing to improve the lives of the people but are now out presenting themselves as the needed alternative. “I challenge them to tell the people of Kenya what they did for them when they were in power,” DP said. He spoke on Tuesday when he launched and inspected ongoing development projects in North Imenti Constituency, Meru County. “We cannot…
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki dismissed the opposition for offering nothing to Kenyans saying they are ready to face and defeat them in the coming elections. The DP said the figures in the opposition previously occupied senior positions in government but did nothing to improve the lives of the people but are now out presenting themselves as the needed alternative. “I challenge them to tell the people of Kenya what they did for them when they were in power,” DP said. He spoke on Tuesday when he launched and inspected ongoing development projects in North Imenti Constituency, Meru County. “We cannot…
Police in western Nigeria have arrested 42 suspected illegal miners as part of an investigation into the abduction of a local monarch. Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, the ruler of the Olayinka community in Ifelodun in Kwara state, was kidnapped on Saturday evening when armed men stormed his palace. The kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $300,000 (£221,000) to free the traditional ruler, though the authorities have not confirmed this. Police are conducting search operations in the surrounding area as fears grow about security in Kwara state, which has seen a recent rise in attacks on rural communities. For years,…
South Africa’s police chief was formally charged with failing in his duties to provide proper oversight in his role following a health contract that has become the subject of a criminal investigation. General Fannie Masemola, 62, was summoned to court over his alleged part in the awarding of a controversial $21m (£15.5m) tender, which has since been cancelled. He has been charged with violating part of South Africa’s Public Finance Management Act, which governs how public finances are managed. The case comes amidst a national inquiry examining allegedly widespread corruption involving police officers and politicians. Masemola told journalists after the…
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has ordered an investigation into the role played by two US officials in a counter-narcotics operation in the northern state of Chihuahua. The two died alongside two Mexican officials when their car crashed on their way back from an operation to destroy illegal drug labs, Chihuahua officials said. Sheinbaum said that neither she nor senior members of the federal security team had been informed about any joint US-Mexican operations. The Mexican leader has been adamant that foreign officials can only operate on Mexican soil if given prior clearance at the federal level. Sheinbaum has come under…
Madonna has offered a reward for the return of the outfit she wore on stage at Coachella last weekend, after several of her vintage costume pieces went missing following the festival. “These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history,” the Queen of Pop wrote on Instagram. Among them were the purple jacket, corset and dress she wore during her surprise guest appearance with Sabrina Carpenter at the California event on Friday night. “I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul will find these items and reach out to my team,” Madonna wrote, adding that she was “offering a…
Japan has relaxed decades-old restrictions on its arms exports, clearing the way for it to sell weapons to more than a dozen countries. The announcement on Tuesday marks a milestone in Tokyo’s shift away from the pacifism that has characterised its post-war defence policy. It also comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region. Restrictions that limit arms exports to just five categories – rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping – will be lifted. This means Japan can now sell lethal weapons to the 17 countries with which it has defence agreements, including the US and the UK.…
A 32-year-old Canadian woman has been killed and 13 people injured after a man opened fire at a historical site in Mexico, according to Mexican officials. The gunman killed himself after the attack. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico has expressed her solidarity with the victims of a shooting at one of the country’s most important tourist destinations, the ancient pyramid complex of Teotihuacán. It comes with seven weeks to go before the first match of the Fifa World Cup is held in Mexico City. “There was a big push and panic of everybody running at the same time to get…