If there’s one brand that really lives up to the hype and sets the standards when it comes to violin cases, it’s BAM. Many musicians rely on BAM for their violin protection. They use it regularly for rehearsals, travel, and weekly or monthly gigs. There’s a reason why BAM is in demand, and that’s because of its durability. Now, the question is how long these BAM vases last, and are they worth the investment? Overview of BAM Violin Cases BAM cases are built differently compared to standard violin cases. They use different materials and construction. For instance, they use…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
The US justice department announced a $1.7bn (£1.3bn) fund to compensate allies of President Donald Trump who allege they were unfairly investigated by the Biden administration. The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was unveiled “in exchange” for the president dropping his $10bn lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the leak of his tax returns, said the justice department. Democrats criticised the settlement as a “slush fund” paid out of taxpayer money for Trump and his cronies from a federal agency overseen by him. The lawsuit’s plaintiffs, which include Trump’s elder sons and the Trump Organization, will receive an apology, but no…
A California jury has tossed out Elon Musk’s high-profile lawsuit against OpenAI and its boss Sam Altman. In a unanimous verdict, the jury agreed that Musk had waited too long to file his lawsuit, leaving all of his claims essentially expired. Musk had accused Altman of breaching a non-profit contract by shifting the ChatGPT-maker to a for-profit company after Musk donated $38m (£28.5m) early in OpenAI’s history. Musk claimed Altman had deceived him by accepting his money and then reneging on OpenAI’s original non-profit mission to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology for the benefit of humanity. Jurors spent just about…
US President Donald Trump said he is holding off a military attack on Iran planned for Tuesday at the request of Gulf states as “serious negotiations are now taking place”. In a post on Truth Social, he said he had been asked to do so by the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Trump said he had been informed that a deal would be made that is “very acceptable” to the US, adding that there would be “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” But he warned that the US military would be prepared to “go forward with…
Former trade and industry Cabinet Secretary Adan Abdulla Mohammed was officially appointed as the new Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), taking over from Humphrey Wattanga. The appointment, published in a Special Issue of The Kenya Gazette dated May 18, 2026, showed that Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi appointed Mohammed under Section 11(1) of the Kenya Revenue Authority Act for a three-year term effective immediately. He has been an advisor to president William Ruto. This followed an interview conducted Monday May 18 on eight shortlisted candidates. Mohammed brings decades of experience in banking, economic policy, trade and public…
A standoff between the government and stakeholders in the matatu sector remained unresolved Monday night after hours of talks failed to break the deadlock that has paralysed public transport across the country. Negotiations led by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi stretched into the night, but no agreement was reached by the time the parties addressed the media at around 9:30 p.m. In a joint press briefing, Wandayi initially suggested that progress had been made and that the discussions had yielded results. However, officials from the matatu sector interrupted the briefing, insisting that no final…
A Spanish court has ordered the country’s tax authority to refund €55m (£48m, $64m) to singer Shakira after ruling that the money was improperly collected in a dispute over her taxes. The national high court has acquitted the Colombian singer of tax fraud and ordered the Treasury to repay the money plus interest to her. It said tax authorities had failed to prove she spent 183 days in Spain in 2011 – the minimum required for residents to pay personal income tax there. Shakira said the court had “finally set the record straight” after she had spent eight years “enduring…
A New York judge will allow a gun and writings found in Luigi Mangione’s backpack after his 2024 arrest to be presented at his state murder trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but has ruled that other items are inadmissible. Judge Gregory Carro ruled on Monday that certain evidence “must be suppressed, including the magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet and computer chip” found with Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s. Carro said that evidence was recovered as part of an “improper and warrantless search” of the then-26-year-old. However, prosecutors will be allowed to present items found during a search…
A gunman has opened fire in southern Turkey, killing four people, local media report. Another eight people were injured in the Tarsus district, Mersin province, according to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper and CNN Türk. Monday’s shooting is reported to have started at a restaurant, and the suspect then fled in a car. Police have launched a large-scale operation with helicopter support as they try to apprehend the gunman. Turkish media reports say two people were killed in the restaurant. They are believed to be the owner and an employee. The gunman then continued shooting, killing a shepherd grazing his sheep nearby…
The Government announced a series of interventions aimed at cushioning Kenyans from rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, which has disrupted global oil supply chains. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had significantly affected global shipping, forcing vessels to take longer routes while insurance costs for cargo surged sharply. According to Kindiki, the crisis has pushed up international fuel prices, with officials warning that pump prices in Kenya could have risen to as high as Sh300 per litre without intervention measures. Prof Kindiki said the Government had already reduced Value Added…
Cuba’s foreign minister has accused the US of building a “fraudulent case” for military intervention, following a report that it had acquired attack drones capable of targeting Florida. Bruno Rodríguez stressed that Havana “neither threatens nor desires war” after US news site Axios reported, citing classified intelligence, that Cuba now possessed 300 drones and was discussing striking nearby US targets. Cuba is suffering from a fuel crisis, exacerbated by an effective US oil blockade, while under pressure by the Trump administration to “make a deal”. US President Donald Trump has threatened Cuba’s communist regime with similar intervention to the capture…
At least six Americans have been exposed to the Ebola virus during a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, sources have told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak as an international emergency, with the DR Congo’s health ministry reporting around 350 suspected cases and 91 deaths. One American is believed to have symptoms, with three others said to have faced a high-risk contact or exposure. It is unclear whether any have been infected. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was supporting the “safe withdrawal…
The bodies of four Italian divers who went missing during a scuba diving accident in the Maldives last week have been found, officials have confirmed to the BBC. One body, belonging to a fifth member of the group, had already been located after the incident on Thursday. The Italian nationals were found inside a 60-metre-deep (197ft) cave in Vaavu Atoll by a joint team of highly trained Finnish and Maldivian divers, according to local authorities. A rescue diver also died on Saturday while searching for the bodies of the group. “Further dives [are] to be carried out in the coming…
A woman believed to be the mastermind behind a gold scam that fleeced an American national of USDT 431,380 was arrested by detectives domiciled at the DCI Nairobi Regional Headquarters. According to the police, the con game began with sweet promises and polished deals, as the smooth-talking suspects convinced the foreign investor they could supply 400 kilograms of genuine gold bars. Hooked by the seemingly lucrative deal, the American national flew into Nairobi to seal the agreement, unaware he was stepping straight into a carefully staged trap. Investigators say everything appeared convincing, as documents were drawn, negotiations held, and once…
Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has called for unity within the Luo community, urging leaders and supporters to rally behind President William Ruto while defending recent remarks made by Winnie Odinga directed at Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. In a strongly worded statement, Kidero said Winnie Odinga’s comments were a legitimate reminder that the National Treasury is a constitutional office focused on public service rather than political contests. He argued that Kenyans are grappling with the high cost of living and economic uncertainty, adding that Mbadi’s focus should remain on implementing policies that ease the burden on ordinary citizens. “The…