Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has been placed under judicial remand for a period of two weeks on charges of leaking state secrets, as confirmed by his lawyer. The decision was made in connection with the “cypher” case, where Khan is accused of making public the contents of a confidential cable sent by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States and using it for political advantage. The proceedings were conducted at a special court on the premises of Attock city jail on Wednesday, extending Khan’s custody until September 13 for further investigation. This development comes a day after…
Author: David Wafula
Reports from Gabon indicate that the country’s ousted President, Ali Bongo Ondimba, is currently under house arrest, according to military officers who appeared on Gabon24 during the early hours of Wednesday. The officers, claiming to represent all security and defense forces of Gabon, announced the seizure of power and stated that they have surrounded President Bongo with his family and medical staff. They also announced the cancellation of recent elections, the dissolution of state institutions, and the closure of the country’s borders. The military officers declared their intention to bring an end to the current regime, citing the need to…
The Kenya Meteorological Department has issued a warning of a 99% likelihood of above-average rainfall across various parts of the country as El Niño makes its return this year. El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-average ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, is known to bring excessive rainfall and flooding to the East Africa region. This phenomenon recurs every 3 to 5 years and has significant impacts on weather patterns. “Heavy continuous rainfall is expected in the Lake Victoria Basin region, Kisii, Elgeyo Marakwet, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Vihiga, Laikipia, Nakuru, and Narok counties. These areas…
Google’s artificial intelligence arm, DeepMind, is conducting a trial of a digital watermark named SynthID to detect images produced by AI, aiming to combat disinformation. This innovation modifies individual pixels in images to embed changes that are invisible to the human eye yet detectable by computers. While it’s not entirely “foolproof against extreme image manipulation,” it offers a step toward distinguishing between real images and those created by AI. The rising complexity of distinguishing AI-generated images from real ones has been underscored by the popularity of AI image generators like Midjourney, which has over 14.5 million users. Also Read: Google’s…
In a bid to prevent the extinction of some of the world’s rarest birds, two flightless takahe have been released at a sanctuary in New Zealand. The pair, named Waitaa and Bendigo, excitedly emerged from their cages to cheers from onlookers at the Zealandia sanctuary in Wellington. This initiative follows the release of 18 takahe in the mountains of South Island last week, an effort aimed at bolstering the dwindling wild population of these unique birds. Predators had led takahe to be presumed extinct by the late 19th century, until a small population was rediscovered in the remote grasslands of…
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has announced the lifting of its ban on political advertising while maintaining restrictions on the promotion of false information. The move coincides with the start of the 2024 election campaign season in the United States. In a recent blog post, X outlined its approach to “political discourse” in the lead-up to the election. “Building on our commitment to free expression, we are also going to allow political advertising. Starting in the US, we’ll continue to apply specific policies to paid-for promoted political posts. This will include prohibiting the promotion of false…
India has raised a strong objection to China’s new map that asserts sovereignty over areas that India considers its own, further escalating tensions between the two neighboring Asian nations over their shared border. The protest was formally lodged by New Delhi on Tuesday, responding to reports in the Indian media indicating that Beijing had unveiled an official “standard map” showcasing Indian territories, including the state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin plateau, as part of Chinese territory. In a statement issued on Tuesday, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi expressed the country’s strong dissent, stating, “We have today lodged…
A bodaboda rider who ferried the two men who shot dead the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer David Mayaka claimed he cooperated with them at gunpoint. This is because they had shot dead another rider who declined their request two months earlier. Alex Njenga was on Tuesday charged before Makadara Law Courts with robbery with violence where he denied the charges. Njenga is said to have dropped off his accomplices at the scene in Mihang’o in Njiru sub county where Mayaka was killed and his wife, Hellen Kemunto, shot and wounded in the leg before she was robbed of…
In a surprising turn of events, a group of senior military officers in Gabon has taken control of the national television broadcast, declaring a coup and asserting that recent elections were not credible. The officers appeared on Gabon24 during the early hours of Wednesday morning, announcing the seizure of power. They declared the cancellation of the elections, dissolution of state institutions, and closure of the country’s borders. Claiming to represent all security and defense forces of Gabon, they announced their intention to bring an end to the current regime, citing the need to defend peace and stability. Also Read: Libyan…
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner private military group, has been buried in a private funeral held in St Petersburg, as confirmed by his press service. The ceremony took place in a “closed format” in his home city, and individuals wanting to bid farewell were invited to visit the Porokhovskoye cemetery. Prigozhin’s death was confirmed by Russian officials after genetic analysis of 10 bodies recovered from a plane crash on August 23 near Moscow. All 10 individuals on board, including Prigozhin’s close associate Dmitry Utkin, lost their lives in the crash in the Tver region. The Wagner press service…
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a prominent figure in Louisiana politics, has revealed that he has been diagnosed with a “very treatable blood cancer” and has already commenced treatment. Scalise, representing Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District, disclosed the news after undergoing blood work due to not feeling well recently. In a statement posted on X, the former Twitter, Scalise explained, “The results uncovered some irregularities and after undergoing additional tests, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a very treatable blood cancer. I have now begun treatment, which will continue for the next several months.” Despite his diagnosis, Steve Scalise expressed his…
In a dramatic twist that mirrors the on-screen turmoil of its characters, the TV drama “The Idol” has reportedly met its untimely demise. The music industry satire, headlined by Lily-Rose Depp and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, has been riddled with negative reviews and a lackluster audience response since its debut. Now, amidst growing speculations, the show’s cancellation has been confirmed, according to studio HBO. The show’s journey was marked by anticipation and high hopes when it was first announced. Created by the mastermind behind “Euphoria,” Sam Levinson, “The Idol” promised to delve into the intriguing world of pop culture. The…
In a startling revelation, the United Nations has unveiled a grim picture of the Southeast Asian region, stating that hundreds of thousands of individuals are falling prey to criminal syndicates engaging in illicit online operations and scams. This disconcerting phenomenon has surged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a surge in trafficking and exploitation, according to a comprehensive UN report released on Tuesday. The report, based on compelling sources, highlights the shocking extent of the issue, with an estimated 120,000 individuals trapped within scam centers in Myanmar and around 100,000 similarly ensnared in Cambodia. Criminal-run enterprises, spanning…
Renowned singer Adele recently revealed her eagerness to embrace motherhood once more while engaging with fans during her Weekends With Adele Las Vegas residency show. The 35-year-old artist, who shares a son named Angelo with ex-husband Simon Konecki, excitedly disclosed that she is prepared for another chapter of motherhood. The singer already has a list of names in mind for her future child. A TikTok video shared by an audience member captured the heartwarming interaction. In the video, a fan asked Adele for advice on naming her soon-to-arrive baby girl. Adele enthusiastically engaged in the conversation, expressing her interest in…
An enthusiastic fan of Adele has expressed his gratitude to the star for her intervention during a recent Las Vegas concert. The incident occurred during Adele’s performance of “Water Under the Bridge” as part of her Las Vegas residency. The fan was singing along fervently when another audience member behind him, along with a security guard, told him to sit down, citing blocked views. Observing the situation, Adele paused the song and addressed the security guard directly, urging him to “leave him alone.” The fan captured the interaction using a selfie stick and shared the video on TikTok. The video…