The US has sanctioned a major gold refinery in Rwanda and two of its executives, accusing them of smuggling minerals from rebel-controlled areas of neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Washington alleged what it described as a “network” was collaborating with the M23 rebel group, which commands tracts of DR Congo that are home to vast reserves of gold and coltan, a metallic ore key to making electronics. Despite overwhelming evidence from the likes of UN experts, Rwanda has long denied supporting the M23. The government there has not responded to the US’ recent sanctions, but have previously described similar measures…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has announced that it will begin inspecting all motor vehicles more than four years old from July 1, 2026, as part of efforts to enhance road safety and ensure compliance with traffic regulations. In a public notice issued by Director General Eng. Nashon Kondiwa, the Authority said vehicle owners will be required to book annual inspections through the NTSA service portal available on the eCitizen platform. The Authority clarified that inspections of school transport vehicles and commercial service vehicles will continue to be conducted at NTSA inspection centres. Operators have been directed to…
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has thrust a long-running procurement scandal back into the national spotlight after using the funeral of businessman Stephen Ngei Musyoka to demand justice over a controversial government laptop tender that has remained unresolved in court for years. Ngei, the founder of Makindu Motors Limited, died alongside his wife, Giannaphina Mumbua Ngei, in a road crash on Saturday, June 20, 2026, after the pickup truck he was driving collided head-on with a trailer bearing South Sudan registration plates near Masimba in Makueni County. An employee travelling with the couple sustained serious injuries and was rushed…
With Sir Keir Starmer resigning, Andy Burnham, the newly elected Makerfield MP, is almost certain to be the next UK prime minister. And it is expected he will want a new chancellor to replace the current occupant of Number 11 Downing Street, Rachel Reeves. That person will face quite the in-tray – high debt, low growth, welfare reform, defence spending, and the economic fallout from the US-Israel war with Iran to name a few issues. Here are the names of those believed to be in the running for the job and what they could mean for your finances. Ed Miliband…
A former high-ranking Ukrainian intelligence official has been sentenced to life in prison for spying for Russia’s FSB security service. Col Dmytro Kozyura was found guilty of high treason under martial law, Ukraine’s prosecutor general said. He was previously chief of staff of the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) anti-terrorism centre. An operation codenamed “rat” found he had used a safehouse in Kyiv to communicate with Russian handlers seeking classified information about Ukraine’s military and leadership, the SBU said. The prosecutor general said Kozyura had agreed to share information “constituting state secrets” for financial reward and deserved the harshest punishment.…
A New York City housing board has approved a key pledge made by Mayor Zohran Mamdani to freeze rents for about one million regulated apartments. The result of the vote on Thursday was greeted with cheers and whistles from hundreds of people in Manhattan as the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) approved a freeze on both one and two year leases. Mamdani said in a statement that it was a “historic victory for New York City tenants”. The board voted in favour of the policy 7-1, hours after the public resignation of one of its members Christina Smyth, who accused the…
Suzuki by CFAO Mobility Kenya unveiled three new vehicle models aimed at providing affordable, fuel-efficient and accessible mobility solutions for Kenyan consumers and businesses. The newly launched models — the Suzuki Super Carry, Suzuki Eeco and Suzuki Across — are designed to address the growing demand for cost-effective transportation options while supporting economic growth through enhanced mobility. Speaking during the launch, CFAO Mobility Kenya Managing Director Arvinder Reel said the Kenyan automotive market is increasingly driven by value-conscious consumers seeking reliability, practicality and lower ownership costs. “Kenya’s automotive market is increasingly value-driven, with buyers being cost-conscious and seeking vehicles that…
The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of Bangale Police Station in Tana River County died during a security operation targeting armed militia in Bangale Sub-County. According to police , Chief Inspector Sylvester Wambua was part of a joint security team comprising officers from the Kenya Police Service (KPS), Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Administration Police Service (APS), and the General Service Unit (GSU) that was deployed to Biyagadud area on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The operation, led by Sub-County Police Commander (SCPC) Julius Rotich, was mounted following an earlier security incident involving suspected militia members in the area. Police said the team…
A diplomatic incident unfolded at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister was denied entry into Kenya and deported back to Mogadishu over allegations linked to a Kenyan passport. According to witnesses and immigration officials Jibril Abdirashid Haji, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, arrived at Terminal 2 of JKIA on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at about 4:00 p.m. aboard a Saacid Airline flight from Mogadishu. The officials said Haji, who was travelling on a Somali diplomatic passport valid until September 18, 2029, presented a valid visa during routine immigration clearance. However,…
Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, a central figure in a major ongoing police graft inquiry in South Africa, has pleaded guilty to corruption, fraud and money-laundering charges as part of a deal with state prosecutors. He was accused of bribing top police officials to win a 360m rand ($22m; £16.5m) tender for his health company Medicare24 in 2024. The plea deal, which has not yet been accepted by the magistrate, would result in Matlala giving evidence against “high-ranking officials”, state advocate Santhos Manilall said. Police chief Gen Fannie Masemola is one of those facing charges in relation to this case. He has…
New York prosecutors have chosen not to pursue a rape charge against disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein for a fourth time. The case had already been tried three times, once resulting in an overturned conviction and twice in hung juries. Weinstein’s other convictions, including another sexual felony in New York and others in California, still stand. Prosecutors said on Thursday they are dropping the case following discussions with Weinstein’s accuser, hair stylist and actor Jessica Mann, who does not wish to go through with the demands of another trial. “To be clear, we believe Ms Mann’s account and her credibility…
Apple is increasing the price of MacBooks and iPads worldwide due to rising memory and storage chip costs. The iPhone maker has hiked the prices of some laptops and tablets by almost 20%, saying the electronics industry is facing an “unprecedented challenge” due to an “extraordinary surge” in demand for chips to power AI data centres. “We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” the company said – adding it was “working tirelessly to find solutions”. While Apple has not included iPhones in its price increases for some devices, tech analyst Paolo Pescatore said it showed…
The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can strip protected status from hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian migrants which has allowed them to stay in the US for years. The 6-3 ruling overturned earlier decisions by federal judges that had blocked the administration from terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,100 from Syria. Thursday’s decision is likely to have implications for TPS holders from other countries too. In a separate ruling, the court has ruled that migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border are not entitled to apply for asylum until…
An autopsy conducted on the body of a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officer who was initially believed to have died by suicide at Nakuru National Park has ruled out the possibility of self-inflicted injuries, opening a new line of investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. The post-mortem examination was conducted on Thursday at Umash Funeral Home in Nakuru by pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu on the body of Corporal Leonard Ochieng Odero, who was attached to the KWS Honeymoon Camp within Nakuru National Park. According to the pathologist’s findings, the officer sustained three fatal gunshot wounds. The first bullet entered…
Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) accused police of defying a High Court order by erecting roadblocks along major roads leading into Nairobi’s central business district during commemorative protests held on Thursday. In a statement, the rights group said the barriers had effectively locked thousands of people out of the city centre, disrupting movement and limiting access to essential services. KHRC argued that the police action violated a court ruling obtained last year by Katiba Institute, which barred security agencies from obstructing public roads without issuing timely advance notice to enable members of the public to seek alternative routes. “Authorities must…