The top banking regulator at the US central bank has said he will step down from his role early, citing the “risk of a dispute” as Washington prepares for a new administration. Michael Barr, who had called for stricter oversight after a series of bank failures in 2023, has been a target of Republicans but had previously rejected suggestions he resign before his term ends in 2026. Mr Barr said he would remain on the board of the Federal Reserve, but in a reduced role. It clears the way for President-elect Donald Trump to appoint someone new, albeit from the…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
Justin Trudeau’s nine years as Canadian prime minister is coming to an end after he announced he will step down as leader of the governing Liberal Party. It means his party must now find a new leader to compete in a general election in which polls suggest they are heading to defeat. Here are some of the people expected to enter the Liberal leadership race. Former Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland The Toronto member of parliament became one of the most well-known members of Trudeau’s team and is seen as one of the top contenders to replace the outgoing leader. While…
A former Kenya Airways air hostess Priscilla Jemutai Kolongei convicted and jailed in 2002 for drug trafficking is dead. Jemutai died at the Kenyatta National Hospital on December 30 after an illness. An obituary on the death said she will be buried at her Ainabukoi home in Uasin Gishu on January 9. A requiem mass is planned at the Citam church Valley Road on January 7 from 10 am. Kolongei, 59, and a single mother of one was freed from Lang’ata Women’s Maximum Prison in 2015 after serving 13 years of her 18-year sentence. She was released five years early…
President William Ruto Sunday directed that all schools in Kerio Valley that had been closed due to insecurity be reopened. Speaking during a prayer service in the Tot area of Elgeyo-Marakwet County on Sunday, Ruto said the government would help resettle all residents who had fled their homes. “For the 13 schools yet to be reopened, the Interior Minister and his Special Programs counterpart will collaborate to ensure they are opened,” the President said. “By the end of January, we will support all residents who had fled their homes in West Pokot to resettle so pupils can return to their…
Manchester United rallied to snap a four-game losing streak and halt Liverpool’s romp towards the Premier League title in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday. Liverpool move six points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand to come, over second-placed Arsenal. But this was an opportunity lost for Arne Slot’s men after they came from behind to lead 2-1 through Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah’s penalty. United broke their six-year goal drought at Anfield to open the scoring in spectacular fashion through Lisandro Martinez and got the point a much-improved performance deserved when…
Elon Musk has called for Nigel Farage to be replaced as leader of Reform UK, just weeks after reports the multi-billionaire was in talks to donate to the party. In a post on his social media site X, Musk said Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead the party – but did not explain his reasoning. Farage suggested this was due to a disagreement over Musk’s support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson. He said Musk’s comment was “a surprise”, but that he would “never sell out my principles”. The comment from the tech entrepreneur comes hours after Farage described…
Gunmen from Nigeria have killed at least five Cameroonian soldiers and wounded several others in the village of Bakinjaw on Cameroon’s border with Nigeria, a member of parliament for the district and a traditional leader said on Saturday. It is the latest in a series of attempts to seize territory in the area. Aka Martin Tyoga, MP for the district of Akwaya in southwestern Cameroon, where the incident took place, told Reuters the attack happened early on Friday, when hundreds of armed Fulani herdsmen crossed the border from Taraba state in Nigeria to attack a military post. He said it…
A contingent of security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti’s capital on Friday to reinforce a long-delayed United Nations-backed mission tasked with restoring security amid a bloody conflict with armed gangs. The new arrivals were made up of 75 Guatemalans and eight Salvadorans, a communications officer for the mission said. The president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, Leslie Voltaire, alongside Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins, welcomed the troops at Port-au-Prince’s airport, Haiti’s interim government said in a post on social media. “They have come to reinforce the Multinational Force in the fight…
Filmmaker Jeff Baena, the husband of actress Aubrey Plaza, has died aged 47, according to US media reports. His body was discovered by an assistant at his Los Angeles home on Friday morning, where he was later pronounced dead, the reports say. The American director, best known for films The Little Hours, Life After Beth and Joshy, married Ms Plaza in 2021. The family told Deadline they were “devastated” and asked for privacy at this difficult time. Ms Plaza, 40, star of TV series The White Lotus and Parks and Recreation, has not yet commented publicly on the death of…
The US Department of State has notified Congress of a planned $8bn (£6.4bn) arms sale to Israel, an American official has confirmed to the BBC. The weapons consignment, which needs approval from House and Senate committees, includes air-to-air missiles to be used against airborne threats, including drones, the official said. The move comes just over a fortnight before President Joe Biden leaves office. Washington has rejected calls to suspend military backing for Israel because of the number of civilians killed during the war in Gaza. In August, the US approved the sale of $20bn in fighter jets and other military…
Africa is experiencing a remarkable shift in its entertainment landscape, with online casinos gaining significant traction across the continent. The convergence of increasing internet penetration, affordable smartphones, and a youthful population eager for digital experiences has propelled online gaming into the mainstream. This evolution presents not only an exciting new form of entertainment but also a burgeoning economic opportunity. The Growth of Online Casinos in Africa The rise of online casinos is deeply tied to Africa’s expanding digital ecosystem. With internet penetration rates steadily climbing, more people now have access to online platforms. Countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya…
Detectives in Kiambaa, Kiambu County are investigating the murder of a 28-year-old woman whose half naked body was found on the roadside. Locals discovered the lifeless body of the woman in Kamutaro area along the Ruaka-Banana Road on Saturday January 4. Police later arrived at the scene, positively identifying the deceased as Jackline Nyambura Mungai. The body was found half-naked with no visible injuries. Police said her head had been tightly bound with a blue t-shirt, obstructing her mouth and nose, in a possible attempt to suffocate her. The motive of the incident is yet to be known. The body…
A mob lynched a man at Vyemani Grounds in Likoni, Mombasa County, after he brandished an AK47 rifle and fired multiple shots on Friday. During the confrontation, two bystanders were injured by stray bullets. A woman sustained injuries to her left thigh and abdomen while a man was hit in the right abdomen. Both victims were rushed to Likoni Sub-County Hospital, where they are reported to be in stable condition. Police said a team from Inuka Police Station responded to a distress call of gunfire at the scene. “The officers arrived to find a male suspect who had been beaten…
Detectives are investigating the death of a 27 year old whose naked body was found on the Banana-Kiambu road, Kiambu County. The body of John Muchiri Muthoni was found Saturday January 4. This was a day after he went missing. Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid confirmed the naked body found by the roadside in Kawaida area on Banana-Kiambu road belongs to 27-year-old John Muchiri Muthoni. Muthoni was last seen on January 3, 2025, before his girlfriend received a call directing her where to find the body. “These are pictures of 27 years old John Muchiri Muthoni while he was alive.…
Republican Mike Johnson was reelected speaker of the House on first ballot, winning over GOP critics to retain the gavel. Key GOP detractors flipped their votes to back Johnson at the last minute, after the Louisiana Republican was initially on track to lose. He ultimately won with 218 votes. While Johnson will keep the gavel, he’ll face a big challenge in Congress with the narrowest House majority in nearly 100 years. How it unfolded: After the initial roll call vote, Johnson had come up short, with three GOP defections — more than he could afford to lose. Rep. Thomas Massie…