Mining giant De Beers is suspending production at South Africa’s biggest diamond mine for two years, as changing consumer habits continue to shrink profits. Prices across the industry have fallen because fewer people are buying diamonds than in the past, especially in China, and there is stiff competition from much cheaper lab-grown gems. Announcing its decision to close the Venetia mine, De Beers said it needed to cut costs and streamline operations given the depressed state of the world diamond market. The Venetia mine, in the far north of South Africa, accounts for more than 40% of the country’s diamond…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
The prosecution secured a life sentence for former Kenya Army Major Peter Mwaura Mugure following his conviction for the brutal murder of his two young children and their mother. In a matter, Justice Martin Muya of the High Court in Nyeri sentenced Mugure to life imprisonment on all three counts of murder, with the sentences to run concurrently, after finding that the offences warranted the harshest punishment. In arriving at the sentence, the court considered a victim impact statement by the victims’ family and submissions by the Prosecution, which had urged the court to impose the death penalty. The judge…
Inflation in the US eased last month as the cost of energy and filling up at the pumps fell, official figures show. Prices rose 3.5% in the year to June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), down from 4.2% recorded in May. Gasoline prices decreased 9.7% last month, but are still much more expensive than a year ago. On Tuesday, the national average had risen to $3.86 a gallon from $3.79 a week ago, according to motorist advocacy group AAA. While the rate of inflation has fallen more than expected, the easing of price rises could be short-lived…
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) have renewed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in the investigation and prosecution of corruption and money laundering cases. The pledge was made during a high-level strategic meeting held at the Kenya School of Government, bringing together EACC Chairperson Dr. David Oginde, Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud, commissioners, Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga, and senior officials from both institutions. The meeting reviewed the progress made in the partnership between the two agencies and explored ways of enhancing coordination to improve the fight against economic…
The European Union (EU) has banned the purchase, import and transfer of gold from Sudan, saying the trade has become a key source of financing for the country’s civil war that erupted in April 2023. The conflict between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, forcing more than 14 million people from their homes. Sudan is one of Africa’s largest gold producers and its vast reserves have become a crucial source of revenue for both sides, according to rights groups. EU foreign ministers approved the measures alongside a…
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with faith-based organisations, describing the Church as a key partner in promoting peace, national unity, good governance and socio-economic development. Mudavadi made the remarks after meeting Archbishop Philip Anyolo of the Archdiocese of Nairobi and Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Archdiocese of Nyeri, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops. The two church leaders briefed him on preparations for the 21st Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Plenary Assembly, which…
Every individual experiences moments of stress, emotional exhaustion, and uncertainty in their personal or professional life. While modern lifestyles offer convenience and opportunities, they can also create mental and emotional pressure. As people become more aware of the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and overall well-being, holistic practices are becoming a popular way to restore balance. Pranic healing dubai is one such approach that focuses on energy wellness and personal harmony. The foundation of this practice is based on the belief that the body has an energetic system that plays an important role in overall wellness. Similar to how physical…
President Donald Trump has said the US is reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports and will impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade would stop “Iran’s ships or customers” from entering or leaving the key oil shipping route, but “all other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait”, he said in a social media post. Trump insisted the strait “will remain OPEN, with or without Iran”. Iran earlier said it would not allow the US to “interfere” in management of the waterway, which it said was closed. Tehran…
A Nigerian man accused of illegally obtaining a Kenyan national identity card and unlawfully residing in the country denied the charges against him at the Milimani Law Courts. Joseph Temple Tochukwu, also known as Joseph Temple Obare, appeared before the court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to two counts. He is charged with being unlawfully present in Kenya, contrary to Section 53(1)(j) as read with Section 53(2) of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, and obtaining registration by false pretences, contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code. During the proceedings, the defence applied for favourable bond terms…
A suspected member of an armed gang linked to the recent robbery at a popular Westlands restaurant was shot dead during a police operation in Joska, Machakos County, as detectives intensified efforts to dismantle a criminal network blamed for a string of violent robberies in Nairobi and its neighbouring counties. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspect was killed after opening fire on detectives who had raided a house in Joska Town, where he was reportedly hiding at his girlfriend’s residence. The operation was conducted jointly by detectives from DCI Headquarters and DCI Matungulu following intelligence on…
A person was killed Monday in an ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, according to the state’s speaker of the house — just days after a federal agent fatally shot a Mexican immigrant during a traffic stop in Houston, sparking mass protests and demands for transparency and accountability. “A person was killed. ICE was involved. State Police and the Department of Public Safety are now on scene to gather details and would expect the FBI to investigate as well,” Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau said in a statement on Facebook. “These are the details that I have at this time. I…
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be designated a threat to national security. Mahmood will use new government powers to ban support for the group, which has been linked to death threats, attacks and intimidation in the UK. In a written statement to Parliament, she set out how support for the IRGC, from expressing a positive opinion to assisting them, will now be an offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Two other groups are also being proscribed, the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), and the volunteer corps…
Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, a key figure in an ongoing police corruption inquiry in South Africa, has withdrawn from a controversial plea deal, serving a blow to prosecutors. The business tycoon pulled out of the agreement after a South African court recommended a higher jail sentence – 12 years instead of the agreed eight. Matlala was accused of bribing top police officials to win a 360m rand ($22m; £16.5m) tender for his health company Medicare24 in 2024. He pleaded guilty last month, as part of a deal that could have seen Matlala giving key evidence against senior officials. Though disappointed by…
Sudanese court on Sunday sentenced Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”) and 15 other defendants to death in absentia after convicting them in connection with the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdullah Abkar and crimes committed in El Geneina. The ruling, issued by the Anti-Terrorism and Crimes Against the State Court in Port Sudan, marks the first judicial verdict against Hemedti since the outbreak of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF on 15th April 2023. The court sentenced Hemedti, his deputy and brother Abdel Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, and other defendants to death…
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has urged young people in the Mt Kenya region to shun opposition politics and instead focus on development, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment. Speaking during a meeting with youth leaders from Mt Kenya East in Meru County, Ruku said the region’s progress would be realised through constructive engagement with the government rather than political confrontation. He warned the youth against allowing themselves to be used by politicians to advance what he termed as divisive political agendas, saying some leaders were exploiting unemployment and frustration among young people for…