Iran’s military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, its military command said, hours after reopening it and with more than a dozen commercial ships passing through the vital waterway. The toing and froing over the strait cast doubt on US President Donald Trump’s optimism the day before, that a peace deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran was “very close”. Tehran had on Friday declared the strait, which usually carries a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, open on Friday after a ceasefire was agreed in Lebanon to halt Israel’s war with Hezbollah.…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
The Shift from Mass Production to Curated Quality The landscape of promotional merchandise is undergoing a radical transformation. For decades, the industry was defined by a race to the bottom in terms of unit price, where companies would order thousands of low quality plastic pens or thin cotton t shirts just to achieve a lower cost per item. This era of mass production is rapidly fading, replaced by a more sophisticated approach known as boutique branding. This strategy prioritizes the impact of the item over the sheer volume of distribution. In the modern marketplace, recipients are increasingly discerning. They no…
A Kanye West concert in Poland has been cancelled, the venue has announced, following government pressure and condemnation over a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments by the US rapper. West, also known as Ye, was scheduled to appear at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on 19 June, his first performance in Poland for 15 years, but the venue said on Friday it would now not take place “due to formal and legal reasons”. Marta Cienkowska, Poland’s culture and heritage minister, had described the decision to book West as “unacceptable”. It comes days after West postponed a gig in…
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Friday conducted a search operation at Mavvel Hotel in Embu Town as part of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and economic crimes at the National Youth Service (NYS). The operation, executed under a court order, targeted David Mbogo Muthee, the Head of Procurement at the NYS Training School in Gilgil, alongside his associate, Naftali Kiperu. According to the Commission, the probe centres on allegations of conflict of interest and abuse of office involving senior NYS officials suspected of irregularly trading with the agency through affiliated companies. Preliminary findings indicate that the suspected dealings…
The leader of one of South Africa’s main opposition parties, Julius Malema, has been given a five-year prison term for unlawfully possessing a firearm and firing it in public, casting a huge question mark over his political career. The 45 year-old leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a fierce critic of what he sees as “Western imperialism” and advocates the nationalisation of white-owned land in South Africa to address the legacy of colonialism and the racist system of apartheid. This rhetoric has won him many supporters, especially among South Africa’s disenchanted youth but over the course of his…
The Inspector General National Police Service (NPS) Douglas Kanja Friday raised alarm over a growing wave of coordinated lawlessness across the country, warning of firm action against individuals and groups behind attacks on police stations, officers, and critical infrastructure. Kanja said the incidents—reported in several counties—pose a serious threat to national security, public safety, and community stability. “The National Police Service unequivocally condemns these criminal acts. They are not merely unlawful—they represent a grave and direct assault on national security,” Kanja said. He emphasized that police stations serve as vital centres for emergency response and public protection, warning that any…
Three suspects arrested over the violent attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi pleaded not guilty to two counts before a Kisumu court. Eric Otieno, alias ‘Dube’, Vincent Odhiambo, alias ‘Tinga’, and Carlos Owiti, alias ‘Kalonje’, were arraigned before Resident Magistrate Daniel Chumba on Friday, where they denied charges of robbery with violence and stealing, contrary to the Penal Code. According to the prosecution, the accused, alongside accomplices still at large, allegedly attacked the senator and robbed him of valuables during an incident at an eatery in Kisumu on April 8, 2026. Defence lawyer Ken Omollo urged the court to grant…
Oil prices plummeted after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open” to commercial ships for the remainder of the ceasefire. The cost of a barrel of Brent crude fell to $88 dollars a barrel, having been above $98 earlier on Friday. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strip of water linking the Gulf to the Arabian sea, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquified natural gas is typically transported. “The passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas…
A university student was charged with hacking into the WhatsApp account of a journalist, in a case that highlights the growing threat of cybercrime. Cyrus Kibet Rono was arraigned before Mombasa Resident Magistrate Green Odera, where he faced multiple charges under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018. Prosecution charged him with unauthorized access contrary to Section 14(1), as well as access with intent to commit a further offence under Section 15, for allegedly infiltrating the journalist’s WhatsApp account with the intent to commit theft. He was also charged with identity theft and impersonation under Section 29 of the Act,…
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki says banditry in Baringo County and North Rift region has been significantly suppressed enabling the region to benefit from the government’s extensive development agenda. The DP said security issues that had been a headache for previous administrations have been dealt with in the last three years and residents are enjoying the fruits of peace and tranquility. “Baringo was notorious for banditry for a long time but now security has been restored. I thank the President for his resolve to restore peace in the region. The leaders and residents of Baringo have also played a great role…
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons, a key executor of President Donald Trump’s mass deportations agenda, will resign at the end of May, federal officials announced Thursday. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced Lyons’ departure, calling him a great leader of ICE who helped to make American communities safer. Mullin said Lyons’ last day will be May 31. “We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector,” Mullin said in a statement. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking why he is resigning. Lyons,…
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday resisted demands he resign over revelations that his scandal-tainted pickfor U.K. ambassador to Washington was appointed despite failing security checks. Starmer says he was not informed that the Foreign Office had overruled the recommendation of security officials in early 2025 not to give Peter Mandelson the job. Many considered Mandelson a risky appointment because of his past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer said he was “absolutely furious” that he had been kept in the dark, calling it staggering” and “unforgivable.” He said he would “set out all the relevant facts…
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula Friday warned governors that they risk criminal sanctions if they continue to snub appearances before parliamentary committees. He said the growing trend of county chiefs failing to appear before the Senate to respond to Auditor-General’s reports on billions allocated to counties sets a dangerous precedent that cannot be tolerated in a democracy. Speaking during a youth empowerment programme in Mabera, Kuria West Constituency in Migori County on Friday, the Speaker said Parliament would not relent in its constitutional mandate to scrutinise public spending. “As parliament, we will not compromise on oversight. For whom much is…
Finance ministers, central bankers and financiers have expressed serious concerns about a powerful new AI model they fear could undermine the security of financial systems. The development of the Claude Mythos model by Anthropic has led to crisis meetings, after it found vulnerabilities in many major operating systems. Experts say it potentially has an unprecedented ability to identify and exploit cyber-security weaknesses – though others caution further testing is needed to properly understand its capabilities. Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told the BBC that Mythos had been discussed extensively at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Washington DC this…
Chinese carmaker Seres has been granted a patent for what it calls an “in-vehicle toilet” that slides under a passenger’s seat for visits to the loo while on the road. The feature is meant to “satisfy users’ toilet needs on long journeys, while camping or while staying in the car”, engineers wrote in Seres’ patent filing in China on 10 April. Seres, based in the south-west city of Chongqing, has not announced any cars that have toilets and it is uncertain if any will be made. Chinese electric vehicles have become increasingly packed with unconventional features, like built-in massage seats,…