The Philippine Supreme Court has blocked an impeachment trial against Sara Duterte, marking a victory for the country’s vice-president. The lower house of the Philippine parliament had voted to impeach Duterte in February after she was accused of misusing public funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. But a court spokesperson told reporters on Friday the impeachment vote violated a constitutional ban on having multiple impeachment proceedings in a year. At a press conference on Friday, the court said it was not absolving Duterte of the charges she faces. But the ruling means she has been granted…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
The treason trial of the former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, has begun in a military court in the capital, Kinshasa. He also faces other charges, such as murder, linked to his alleged support for M23 rebels – who control a large part of the mineral-rich east of the country. He denies the charges and did not appear at the hearing. Kabila’s successor, President Félix Tshisekedi, has accused him of being the brains behind the rebels. The former president has rejected the case as “arbitrary” and said the courts were being used as an “instrument of…
Drake has dropped a new single with UK rapper Central Cee ahead of a three-night run of shows in Manchester. The song – Which One – was revealed during an episode of the Canadian’s Iceman stream, broadcast on Thursday, which was filmed around the city. It features scenes of the rapper running from a pursuer in a Pinocchio mask – a symbol fans interpreted as “lies” following Drake around. Which One is the second collaboration between the Hotline Bling star and Central Cee, who released his first album at the start of this year. The artists previously came together in…
Jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, famous for her huge vocal range and wide musical repertoire, has died at the age of 97. In a long career, Dame Cleo was the first British singer to win a Grammy Award in a jazz category and performed with all the greats – including Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra. However, her greatest collaborator was her husband, late musician and composer John Dankworth, with whom she established her career in the 1950s. They also set up the Stables arts centre in Buckinghamshire, which said in a statement it was “greatly saddened today by the news…
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Thursday that TikTok will have to stop operating in the United States if China does not approve a deal for the sale of the Chinese-owned short video app that is used by some 170 million Americans. Lutnick, speaking on CNBC, also said the United States must control the algorithm that makes the social media platform work. Last month, President Donald Trump extended by 90 days to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok. Trump’s action took place despite a 2024 law that mandated a sale or…
The Supreme Court on Thursday halted an appeals ruling that prevents private groups from challenging election maps under the Voting Rights Act in seven states. Neither the majority nor the three public dissenters — conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch — explained their reasoning. The case arose from a lawsuit brought by two Native American tribes, who argue that North Dakota’s state legislative map denied them an equal opportunity to elect their candidates of choice. The case entered the national spotlight after an 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 that the tribes and other…
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki defended the broad-based government for ensuring development in every part of the country. Prof. Kindiki said the cooperation between President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is aimed at building the nation without any forms of discrimination. He spoke on Friday during Muhoroni Economic Empowerment for women, youth and people with disabilities at Midika Grounds, Muhoroni Constituency, Kisumu County. “All of us in the broad-based government led by President William Ruto will ensure every part of the country including Kisumu and Nyanza region benefits from development. There is no room for discrimination anymore,” he…
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula slammed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for telling Kenyans abroad to stop sending money home dismissing the remarks as clueless and economically reckless. Speaking during the launch of Shield Akumba Sacco and a women empowerment programme at Midika Sports Ground in Muhoroni Constituency, Kisumu County on Friday, Wetang’ula dismissed Gachagua’s assertions as misplaced and out of touch with the realities facing millions of Kenyans whose livelihoods depend on funds sent by their relatives abroad. “I have seen someone going around telling Kenyans not to send money to Kenyans,” Wetang’ula said. “I want to remind him…
The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Friday threatened to go on strike in September following a proposal by Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, John Mbadi, to “right-size” university staff as part of efforts to ensure financial sustainability in public universities. Appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Education on Thursday, CS Mbadi proposed wide-ranging reforms, suggesting that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with universities, develop a comprehensive reform strategy to address the financial challenges facing the institutions. Among the proposed reforms are the restructuring of public universities to cut unnecessary administrative costs, outsourcing non-core services, and rationalising…
A series of concerts held in a popular park in Cardiff went ahead without planning permission, a council report has said. The performances on Blackweir Fields from Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, Slayer and Stevie Wonder saw tens of thousands of people attend. The Cardiff council report stated there was no application for planning permission in the run up to the shows, and that a certificate of lawfulness, which shows whether planning permission is required or not, had not been issued. The council said it had decided not to take formal planning enforcement action against the organisers. The series of gigs…
US rapper GloRilla has criticised police following her arrest on drug charges after officers said they found marijuana while investigating a burglary at her home. Police were called after three suspected intruders were seen trying to steal from her house in Atlanta in the early hours of Sunday. She was away at the time, but was later arrested on two charges of marijuana possession and possession of a controlled substance. “Long story short my house gets home invaded and I’m the only one that gets arrested,” she wrote on social media. The 25-year-old Grammy-nominated star, real name Gloria Hallelujah Woods,…
Arsenal say they have secured “one of the strongest young defenders in European football” after completing the signing of Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia for an initial fee in the region of 15m euros (£13m). The 21-year-old has joined the Gunners on a five-year contract, which has an option for a further 12 months. Mosquera can play at both centre-back and right-back and will fill the gap in the squad left by the departure of Takehiro Tomiyasu, who mutually agreed to terminate his contractearlier this month. “I couldn’t let it pass me by. I’m joining a historic, massive club. When you…
Anne Burrell, the Food Network chef beloved for her wit and talent in the kitchen, died by suicide last month after being found unresponsive in her Brooklyn home, New York officials said Thursday. The cause of death was confirmed by New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, citing acute intoxication from multiple substances. Without identifying Burrell, the fire department said that it responded to her address at 7:50 a.m. on the morning of June 17 for a report of cardiac arrest. She was declared dead upon arrival. Burrell loved the culinary arts since childhood, watching her mother and…
Staff augmentation model means to promptly grow an internal IT department with talented professionals and increase business capability of addressing your tech tasks efficiently. If time is of the essence, such as when you need a mid-to-senior level developer or a niche specialist like a Scala developer or Big Data engineer, hiring in-house can be too slow. In that case, staff augmentation can be a quick fix to add the skills you need to satisfy the urgency of a project. It’s a cutthroat world when it comes to talent, and the speed at which you can grow your tech team…
Height safety is an essential part of any work site where employees are exposed to fall risks, such as in the construction, roofing, and maintenance industries. In many cases, fall-related accidents are preventable if the right safety equipment is in place and regularly inspected. But what exactly does a height safety equipment inspector look for when ensuring that your fall protection gear is up to standard? In this post, we’ll walk you through the key components and factors inspectors consider when assessing height safety equipment. Whether you’re a business owner, safety manager, or worker, understanding these checkpoints will help you…