A man charged with attacking the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington DC last month has pleaded not guilty. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged with federal gun crimes and attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump. The gun charges include using a firearm during a crime of violence and interstate transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony. Allen appeared in court on Monday in an orange jumpsuit and was shackled at the wrists and feet, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. Prosecutors allege that Allen attempted to storm past a security checkpoint and…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
An American and a French national who have returned to their home countries having left a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak of hantavirus have tested positive, authorities say. The US health department said a second American national on the repatriation flight had also shown mild symptoms, adding that both passengers had travelled back in “biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution”. French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said a woman was isolating in Paris and her health was deteriorating, with 22 contact cases traced. More than 90 passengers of the MV Hondius ship, currently docked in Spain’s Canary…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to Indians to revive working from home, buy less gold and limit foreign travel to deal with a surge in global energy prices because of the continuing crisis in the Middle East. Modi said the austerity measures, reminiscent of the Covid era, would reduce India’s fuel use and help save foreign exchange. India imports 90% of its oil and its crude bill has seen a multi-billion dollar spike since the US and Israel’s war on Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow Gulf chokepoint, shut for more than two-and-a-half months now. Analysts described…
The Philippine House of Representatives has voted to impeach Vice-President Sara Duterte for a second time, threatening her plan to run for president in 2028. Monday’s vote moves the impeachment process to the Senate for trial, where if convicted, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte will be disqualified from holding public office. The 47-year-old is leading early surveys to replace her ally-turned-bitter foe, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The case against the vice-president stemmed from her alleged misuse of public funds and public threats against Marcos, his wife and his cousin, the former House speaker. Duterte was impeached on the…
Fifteen police officers were killed in a car bombing and ambush of a checkpoint in north-western Pakistan, police say. A suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into the guard post in Bannu, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, late on Saturday night, which then detonated, police said. The attacker then entered an adjoining building and fired at the remaining officers. Back-up units that rushed to the scene also came under fire. A burgeoning Islamist militant alliance known as Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, which has been linked to the Pakistani Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Images from the scene show the…
Workers began painting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue as part of US President Donald Trump’s bid to beautify Washington DC ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday this summer. The historic pool, stretching 2,030ft (620m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been plagued by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings. Trump has said his project to restore and paint the monument would solve the leaking problem and make the pool more beautiful than ever. But it is unclear whether the repairs can specifically fix the underlying structural issues at the attraction, which…
Iran says it has sent its response to US proposals to end the war. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country – which has served as mediator – had received the Iranian response but could not share any details. He did not say if the proposal has already been passed on to the US. The US has not made details of its proposals public, either, but reports suggest they centre on a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which could lead to negotiations on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. A ceasefire meant to facilitate talks to end the war launched by the US…
Iran has warned its Gulf neighbours that complying with US sanctions would lead to their ships face difficulties crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said vessels passing through the vital trade route would face “severe consequences” if they did not co-operate with Tehran first, Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported. Meanwhile, a commercial vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile off the coast of Qatar, and both the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have reported foiled drone attacks. The incidents come two days after a clash between Iran and US naval destroyers trying to enforce a…
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Nairobi Sunday as Paris seeks to rebuild its influence on the continent after a series of setbacks, especially in its former West African colonies. Macron began the three-country tour in Egypt on Saturday, which will also took him to Kenya and Ethiopia. He met his host William Ruto at State House ahead of the meeting. He will cohost a summit in English-speaking Kenya on Monday and Tuesday as France seeks to redefine its role in Africa, moving away from its postcolonial role towards closer cooperation. The summit will bring together African leaders and business…
Prime Cabinet Secretary Dr Musalia Mudavadi Sunday asked the supporters of President William Ruto across the country to register as voters in big numbers to make sure the head of state gets a resounding victory in his reelection. Speaking during prayers, and fundraiser in aid of At Peter’s Cathedral in Kapsabet, Nandi County, Dr. Mudavadi said he wants President Ruto to win with a big margin that will deter anyone from going to the Supreme Court to challenge his election. He urged the people of Rift Valley to register in large numbers to ensure President Ruto wins with a big…
US authorities are investigating the cause of an explosion on board a boat that injured 11 people in Miami, southern Florida. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Juan Arias told reporters that emergency crews responded to reports of a “possible boat explosion” at Haulover Sandbar, a popular tourist location. Eleven people were taken to local hospitals to be treated for burns and traumatic injuries, Arias said. Officials have not revealed the cause of the explosion. The BBC has approached Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue for further details. “We saw three people fly out of the boat,” eyewitness and local boat charter Patrick…
For decades, Canada was seen as a global laggard in defence funding, and just two years ago, recruitment was so dire that a former defence minister warned the armed forces were in a “death spiral”. Now, the Canadian army is growing at a pace not seen in decades, reaching its highest number of recruits in 30 years and potentially reversing the chronic personnel shortage that has plagued the country’s military. The boost over the last two years comes as the world grapples with major armed conflicts and geopolitical uncertainty, and as Canada commits billions in new military funding after years…
Spain started evacuating passengers from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship anchored near Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Health Minister Mónica García said the operation was “proceeding normally” and that all passengers on board the MS Hondius were still asymptomatic. With a long camera lens, passengers could be seen wandering around on the deck of the ship, or at the windows, all in white medical face masks, as the first evacuation took place. Several sat socially distanced on the small evacuation boat, filming and taking photos as they approached land, where they were met by officials in white protective suits. The ship’s…
The National Police Service has dismissed claims circulating on social media that several female recruits at the National Police College became pregnant while undergoing training at the institution. In a statement issued by Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, the service termed the allegations as false and misleading, insisting that none of the affected recruits conceived while at the college. According to the statement, the female recruits were discontinued within the first month of joining the college after routine medical screening confirmed they were pregnant before reporting for training. The NPS explained that all female recruits undergo mandatory pregnancy testing upon arrival…
Iran has indicated it will take part in this summer’s football World Cup, but has demanded a series of guarantees from Fifa and the tournament’s hosts amid growing tensions surrounding the team’s participation. The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said Iran would compete at the tournament “without any retreat from our beliefs, culture and convictions”, while insisting the hosts “must take our concerns into account”. The demands come after FFIRI president Mehdi Taj was denied entry to Canada before last month’s Fifa Congress. Taj later revealed Iran had presented Fifa with 10 conditions for participation at the World Cup, which begins…