The US military has been publicly broadcasting the location of military surveillance flights near Cuba on plane-tracking websites, as Washington continues to exert pressure on the island’s communist leadership. Leaving flight transponders on “is likely deliberate”, said UK drone expert Dr Steve Wright, with the US intending to send “a clear message it has eyes in the sky to maintain the squeeze”. BBC Verify analysis of data from flight-tracking website Flightradar24 shows at least five US Navy P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft and three MQ-4C Triton surveillance drones have been operating in the Caribbean near Cuba since 11 May. Some aircraft…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
Two Russian warplanes “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted an unarmed RAF spy plane over the Black Sea last month, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said. A Russian Su-35 fighter approached the Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft, getting close enough to trigger its emergency systems, disabling its autopilot. And a Su-27 jet also carried out six passes in front of the RAF plane, getting as close as six metres (19ft) from its nose. Defence Secretary John Healey praised the “outstanding professionalism” of the RAF crew during “unacceptable” Russian flybys, which the MoD says is the most dangerous Russian action since 2022, when…
Two people who police linked to the notorious “Jobless” criminal group were shot dead during anti-fuel price protests Busia Town, police have said. The shooting happened on Tuesday May 19 hours before a strike that triggered the protests was called off by the public transport associations. The deceased were identified as Fred Odhiambo alias “Papaa”, 43, who sustained a gunshot wound to the right side of the chest with the bullet exiting through the back, and Allan Odhiambo Oluoch alias “Johnte”, 36, who suffered a gunshot wound to the throat. Both succumbed while undergoing treatment at the facility. A third…
Detectives arrested a suspect linked to the brutal murder of Kenyan gospel artist Rachel Wandeto, as investigations intensify into the shocking attack that left the singer with fatal burn injuries. The suspect was arrested on Wednesday in the Kasarani area of Nairobi by detectives from the homicide unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations following intelligence leads and tips from members of the public. DCI Director Mohamed Amin confirmed the arrest and added he will be arraigned Thursday for custodial orders. Other officers said the suspect is believed to have known the victim personally and was close to her. Amin…
It is understood about 350 jobs located in Ireland are under threat at Meta. The technology company told employees in a memo last month that it planned to cut 10% of its workforce – roughly 8,000 staff. It said it would also not fill thousands more open jobs it had been hiring for. Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports that Irish-based staff received early morning emails notifying them that they will be potentially affected by the redundancies. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has submitted a collective redundancy notification to the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in the Republic of…
Former US congressman Barney Frank who famously took on Wall Street and made himself one of the first known openly gay representatives died on Tuesday night, US media reports. He was 86. Frank, who represented southern Massachusetts in the House of Representatives for over three decades, had been living in hospice care at his home in Maine since April. He will be remembered as a trailblaser for LGBT rights, as the first member of Congress to enter into a same-sex marriage, and for helping to overhaul financial regulations after the 2008 financial crisis. “He was, above all else, a wonderful…
The Democratic Party of Kenya has accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of using global tensions in the Middle East and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz to deflect blame from what it described as “homegrown” economic mismanagement behind rising fuel prices and the soaring cost of living. In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, party leader Justin Muturi said the government was unfairly attributing the fuel crisis entirely to international oil market shocks while ignoring local fiscal policies that continue to burden Kenyans. Muturi argued that ordinary citizens are carrying the weight of excessive taxation, opaque borrowing arrangements, and controversial…
China has confirmed that it will buy 200 Boeing jets after US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Beijing last week. Under the deal, the US will provide China with supply guarantees for aircraft engine parts and components, China’s Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday. The two sides will also work towards an extension of the tariffs truce they agreed in October and seek tariff cuts on $30bn (£22.4bn) or more of goods each, the ministry added. The announcement came as Xi was holding talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin just days after Trump’s visit. Trump’s…
The past few weeks had been billed as a retribution tour for Donald Trump, as he settles old scores with his critics within the Republican party. Call it what you will, but the evidence is now overwhelming that the Republican party is Trump’s party and nothing – not an unpopular war in Iran, not sagging poll numbers among the general public, not rising consumer prices, not concerns about billion-dollar White House ballrooms – has changed that. Thomas Massie, the independent-minded congressman from Kentucky, was comfortably defeated on Tuesday in the Republican primary race to decide who goes forward to take…
Children as young as five are at risk of being contacted by strangers and pressured into spending money on Roblox, campaigners have claimed in a complaint to US regulators. Advocacy groups have asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the hugely popular gaming platform for alleged “unfair and deceptive” practices. The filing raised concerns about in-game purchases, chat features and what it described as “engagement-maximising” design. Roblox rejected the claims, saying the platform was “built for fun and connection, not short-term engagement”. A spokesperson said it had “clear policies” banning actual and simulated gambling, as well as rules governing…
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency says it has arrested former Power Minister Saleh Mamman a week after he was sentenced to 75 years in jail on corruption charges. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in the northern Kaduna state after “weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering”. In a statement, the agency said the former minister had gone into hiding after being convicted by a court in the capital Abuja earlier this month. Mamman was found guilty on 12 counts related to the diversion of funds meant for two hydroelectric power projects.…
Arsenal’s 22-year wait for the Premier League title is over after rivals Manchester City drew at Bournemouth, in what is expected to be Pep Guardiola’s penultimate game in charge. Tuesday’s result on the south coast leaves Mikel Arteta’s men four points clear of City before the final round of games take place on Sunday, with the Gunners set to lift the trophy at Crystal Palace. Build-up to this game had been overshadowed by dramatic reports that Guardiola is set to step down as City manager at the end of this season. He told television broadcasters before the game that speculation…
A message about a boat, a fire at the training ground and an AI TikTok song have helped power Arsenal to their first Premier League title for 22 years. Those things may sound unique but in their own ways they have contributed to the long-awaited success Mikel Arteta has brought to north London. Arsenal became champions on Tuesday when Manchester City drew 1-1 at Bournemouth – but how have they won the title? The wobbles, fire and belief Arteta clearly has a thing about fire. Just last month, with his team on a poor run of form that briefly threatened…
US President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his bid to unseat incumbent Senator John Cornyn in next Tuesday’s Republican primary run-off race. By siding with Paxton, Trump is supporting a Texas politician who has long been a close ally of the president – but also one who comes with considerable political baggage. Many Democrats have viewed Paxton as the weaker of the two candidates and relish what they believe is an opportunity to flip a Senate seat in a state that has a long history of electing Republicans. Trump’s move may also anger Cornyn’s fellow Senate…
Three Canadian off-duty police officers were arrested over an alleged assault of a sex worker during their vacation in Barcelona, Spanish authorities said. One of the officers was suspended upon returning to Canada, the Toronto Police Service said. The other two officers will also be suspended when they return, police said. “The allegations are serious,” Toronto’s police deparment wrote in an emailed statement to the BBC. Toronto police did not release the officers’ names and said they would not comment further while the cases were before the courts. “We can confirm reports that three Canadian off-duty police officers charged in…