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Trump wants to reduce the cost of fuel as the midterms loom - will it work? BBCAnalysis | Trump is trying last-minute ways to bring down prices The Washington PostTrump’s Diesel Price Problem The DispatchCould Election Chaos Move Gas, Grocery or Mortgage Costs? MoneyLionTrump to push US officials to use Defense Production Act to raise oil, fuel output, three sources say Reuters
Read briefingSeveral US allies call to ‘defend’ and ‘protect’ the ICC following Washington’s decision to sanction the judiciary body.The United States has imposed a new set of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), prompting several countries – including US allies – to condemn the move and reiterate their support for the world’s war crimes tribunal.On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington would be banning transactions with the “rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate”, adding that President Donald Trump would “never allow” the Hague to prosecute Americans.The ICC was created in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when national authorities are unable or unwilling to do so.The US Treasury Department announced the penalties with a six-month initial grace period and other exemptions that would allow some transactions for telecommunications, software, pension payments and transactions related to detainees.Rubio said the sanctions would give the court and its member states an opportunity to address US concerns and would be adjusted if they did not meet those demands.The Trump administration says the court has exceeded its authority by pursuing officials from countries that are not ICC members, such as Israel. The United States and Israel have never joined the court.In response to the sanctions, the ICC said that the move was an “assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order”. It called on its 125 member states to defend the institution.“The Court cannot stand alone. Its fate now rests also in the hands of the states that created it,” the ICC said in a statement. “This is not just about defending a single institution, but about safeguarding the international order grounded upon the rule of law. History will judge this moment.”The Trump administration sanctioned more than a dozen judges and prosecutors before issuing sanctions on the court itself Friday.Soon after the US announcement, top United Nations officials condemned the move.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed” by the expected impact of the sanctions on the court as a whole, particularly its ability to carry out its mandate, a statement from his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.“Today’s decision marks a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar,” the statement added.UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk called for immediate measures to protect the ICC. “These sanctions – the latest in a series of retaliatory steps against the ICC and its personnel for the work they do every day to advance accountability for the very worst violations of human rights – are unacceptable,” he said.Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, whose country hosts the ICC, said the US’s decision was “deeply regrettable”.“We will stand firm in defence of the court. At the same time, it’s important to note that the sanctions will not take effect immediately and that service providers can continue to work for the ICC. The six-month period before the sanctions take effect creates scope for dialogue,” he said.In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan said they “regret and strongly disagree” with the sanctions.“If put into effect, these sanctions will have a significant impact on the Court’s work, its dedicated staff and their families … We remain both united in our support for the ICC and committed to engaging in constructive and inclusive dialogue with non-States Parties,” they said.Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot also said Brussels would discuss support for the ICC with European Union foreign affairs colleagues on Monday and at the upcoming European Council.“We will press for concrete protection. The court’s independence cannot depend on whom it investigates. Europe must act. Belgium is calling for the activation of the EU Blocking Statute to protect the court,” Prevot said.Similarly, organisations and rights groups sounded the alarm over the implications of the US decision.Philippe Bolopion, executive director of US-based Human Rights Watch, said the Trump administration had made clear its aim to “destroy” the ICC and “shield US and Israeli officials from facing charges before the court”.“The ICC was created to ensure that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law. Governments that value human rights and accountability should condemn this outrageous move and take swift action to protect the ICC, its staff, and all those who cooperate with it, starting with the European Union using its laws to mitigate the sanctions’ impact in the region,” he said.The Executive Director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, James Goldston, said the sanctions were a “calculated attack on the rule of law and the principles of judicial independence and equality that underpin it.”
Read briefingThe decision delivered on Friday by a panel chaired by Peter Kamau Chege, ruled that Kariobangi Sharks forfeited the second-leg fixture, sending them down to the National Super League (NSL) and awarding Mombasa United 2-0 win. Mombasa United players celebrate a goal during the Kenyan Premier League/National Super League promotion playoff in Mombasa on Thursday, October 1 2026.Mombasa United have officially earned promotion to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) for the 2026/2027 season after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Leagues and Competitions Committee awarded them their abandoned playoff match against Kariobangi Sharks. The decision delivered on Friday by a panel chaired by Peter Kamau Chege, ruled that Kariobangi Sharks forfeited the second-leg fixture, sending them down to the National Super League (NSL) and awarding Mombasa United a 2-0 win.“In accordance with Art. 3.3.2 as read with Art. 3.3.3 of the Rules and Regulations Governing Kenyan Football (2019), the Committee declares that the match shall be forfeited by Kariobangi Sharks FC and the same shall be awarded to Mombasa United FC on a 2-0 score,” the committee chair said in a statement.The high-stakes clash played at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Tuesday, October 6, was called off in the 64th minute following pitch invasion after the referee awarded a penalty to Mombasa United. Sharks were leading 2-1 when refe...
Read briefingDriven by a passion for African travel Agência de Notícias Brasil-Árabe
Read briefingThe Athletic: Spurs' Dylan Harper eyes starting role NBA.comDylan Harper looks ready for promotion after joining Spurs’ starting lineup The New York TimesJamaal Wilkes Talks John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, His Unorthodox Shot and Dylan Harper’s Future Scoop B RadioWhy Mitch Johnson is Starting Fox, Castle, Harper vs. Hawks Sports IllustratedSpurs' Dylan Harper taunts NBA foes with scary Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox claim Yahoo Sports
Read briefingAfrican Ventures Raise US$674 Million in Third Quarter 2026 - Business Today Kenya
Read briefingCountries including Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Chile have received warnings after the quake.A magnitude 7.7 earthquake has hit southern Panama, triggering tsunami warnings across Central and South America.The US National Weather Service issued tsunami warnings for Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Guatemala on Friday following the quake.Chile’s naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service also issued a tsunami warning.The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was centred about 10km (6 miles) southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba along the Pacific Ocean coast.Residents of Panama City reported feeling tremors, with buildings shaking and people evacuating into the streets.“We felt it very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re okay, though we’re very scared,” 60-year-old Rosendo Dominguez, who is from Herrera province, where the earthquake struck, told The Associated Press news agency by phone.Videos shared by newspaper La Prensa showed the tower of a historic building had collapsed along with several balconies of a residential building in Penonome, a city about halfway between the epicenter and Panama City.Panama’s ministry of education ordered schools closed, while President Jose Raul Mulino called for calmIn June, twin quakes hit northern Venezuela, causing widespread devastation and killing at least 6,500 people.In August, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit Colombia, killing at least 289 people.
Read briefingKenya: Nairobi Convention marks 40 years as COP12 charts future of ocean governance Zawya
Read briefingICC condemns US sanctions, warns of threat to international justice People Daily
Read briefingTrump’s Nobel Prize quest is now the butt of the joke — and appropriately so CNN
Read briefingNew video shows people pouring into the streets as a powerful quake hits Panama CNN
Read briefingINTERPOL admits Kenya’s criminal investigations academy into global network The Eastleigh Voice
Read briefingUS Names Foreigners Eligible to Join Its Military Without American Citizenship Tuko News
Read briefingAfrican Development Bank Group supports strengthening of power system planning in East Africa African Development Bank Group
Read briefing"All the way from Kapseret": Kenyan man graduates as design draughtsman in UK Tuko News
Read briefingOn October 9, 2026, Elon Musk posted a letter on X addressed to “Prime Minister Ambani.” The sarcasm was not subtle. Mukesh Ambani is not India’s Prime Minister. He is the chairman of Reliance Industries, India’s second richest man, and the force behind Reliance Jio, the country’s largest telecom operator. Musk’s message was a direct jab at what he sees as Ambani’s outsized influence over India’s regulatory machinery.Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India.Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market. Starlink would change their lives for the better.“Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India,” Musk wrote. “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?”The tweet capped a week of escalating frustration from Musk over Starlink’s inability to launch commercial satellite internet services in India, despite holding a valid license for over a year. The post immediately triggered responses from India’s political establishment, a pushback from the Ministry of Communications, and a viral exchange with Rahul Gandhi.The reality is more technical and less dramatic. Starlink is not being uniquely blocked by a single billionaire. It is stuck in the same regulatory queue as its Indian competitors, waiting for security clearances and a spectrum pricing framework that the government has been slow to finalize.Starlink received its Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license from India’s Department of Telecommunications on June 6, 2025. In July 2025, India’s space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, approved Starlink’s first generation constellation of 4,408 satellites for broadband services. By September 2025, the company had received provisional spectrum for trials and began testing related to security.The company has since built 20 gateway sites across India, comprising hundreds of antennas, and says it has established security controls specific to India to keep Indian user data within the country. “We’ve already made the investment and built the existing ground infrastructure here, 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas, and we’ve established the operations to be ready to serve India,” said Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations, at India Mobile Congress 2026.What’s missing is security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs and final spectrum assignment from the Department of Telecommunications.In June 2026, reports emerged that India had frozen final approvals for Starlink after security officials raised concerns about Starlink terminals being used during the Iran conflict. Starlink terminals were reportedly used in Iran despite the service not being licensed there, raising questions about the company’s ability to prevent unauthorized use in conflict zones.The Indian Army also reportedly recovered a Starlink device alongside weapons during operations in Manipur, further fueling security concerns.These incidents pushed India’s security establishment to take a harder look at how a satellite network operated by a foreign company could be regulated during geopolitical tensions. Unlike terrestrial telecom networks, satellite internet operates through infrastructure in space that is harder for national authorities to monitor or restrict.Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani confirmed the bottleneck: “The Department of Telecom has issued licences to all satcom companies as well as provisional spectrum. Now the issue is pending with MHA for security clearance. As soon as it is cleared, they will get it. It has nothing to do with one company.”Even after security clearance, Starlink cannot launch without spectrum assignment. India decided to assign satellite spectrum administratively rather than through auction, but the pricing framework has not been finalized.The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Department of Telecommunications have been discussing the pricing regime. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said in October 2026 that the government was “close to taking the final decision” on spectrum pricing. Reports indicated the framework would involve a spectrum usage charge of approximately 5% of adjusted gross revenue, with spectrum allocated for five years and an option to extend by two more.Until that pricing decision is finalized and each operator individually completes its security assessment, no satellite internet company can begin commercial operations.
Read briefingMorocco Secures $33.1 Million USDA Grant to Strengthen Food, Livestock Sectors Morocco World News
Read briefingKenya fuel prices: Why crude oil surge raises risk of EPRA’s October hike People Daily
Read briefingKenya fuel prices: Why crude oil surge raises risk of EPRA’s October hike People Daily
Read briefingTea farmers to access September pay and bonuses from Monday The Star, Kenya
Read briefingSuppliers and contractors who are owed Ksh 50 million and below will begin receiving their payment after the Cabinet approved settlement of verified government pending bills. The Pending Bills Verification Committee cleared payment of 28,726 verified bills totalling Ksh 23.74 billion, representing 98% of the 29,257 recommended for settlement. A comprehensive review by the Committee showed that out of 115,617 claims worth Ksh 664.8 billion received, only 29,257 claims valued at Ksh 155.34 billion were verified and recommended for settlement. “The National Treasury will oversee implementation, releasing much needed funds to businesses struggling with delayed Government payments, easing cash-flow pressures, protecting jobs and restoring confidence among suppliers and contractors,” said the Cabinet. In line with the approval, micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly those owned by women, young people and persons with disabilities will be verified. Government expects to clear remaining verified bills exceeding Ksh 50 million progressively. Already, the government has cleared pending bills claims worth more than Ksh 80 billion in the roads sector after securitization of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund. Developing rural economies During the meeting on Friday, the Cabinet also approved implementation of three strategic road corridors under the Roads for Rural Economic Developme...
Read briefingCBK Records Surge in Bids At Weekly Treasury Bills Auction - Business Today Kenya
Read briefingFILE PHOTO: President of the Parliament of Moldova Igor Grosu attends the inaugural meeting of the Speakers of Parliament of EU candidate countries, in Belgrade, Serbia, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Djordje Kojadinovic/File PhotoCHISINAU, Oct 9 - Moldova's pro-European government intends to press for changes in legislation to allow for the production of weapons, but needs them for its own defence and has no intention of providing them to neighbouring Ukraine, the head of parliament said on Friday.Parliament Chairman Igor Grosu, the No. 2 official in Moldova's state hierarchy, said the changes were needed to proceed with the manufacture of dual-purpose weapons, like drones."I would very much like for us to produce them for ourselves. We need them, particularly for dual-use purposes," Grosu told a two-day international security forum, citing drone use for national security, emergencies and agriculture.Grosu, head of President Maia Sandu's Action and Solidarity Party, which holds a majority in parliament, dismissed any suggestion that they might be meant for use by Ukraine in its 4-1/2-year-old war with Russia."Of course not! Why would we?" he told reporters. "We would produce them for ourselves."Sandu's administration, which wants Moldova to join the European Union by 2030, has been fiercely critical of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.Moldova, lying between Ukraine and EU member Romania, has been buffeted by the war. Increasing numbers of drones and missiles, believed by authorities to be Russian, have intruded into the country's airspace in recent weeks, with debris crashing on its territory.Grosu told the forum that 88 such violations of Moldova's airspace had been recorded since Russia's February 2022 invasion."With such figures, people are asking a simple question: Can our state defend us?" he said."We cannot provide this defence overnight. And we cannot in four years make up for 30 years of failing to finance our defence. To protect our airspace we need radar, equipment, trained personnel, communications, infrastructure and procedures."Sandu told the forum on Thursday that Moldova's position in the region was "vulnerable". She said domestic defence production was a key part of future defence planning and changes to legislation would soon be submitted to parliament. REUTERS
Read briefingRaised in Apartheid South Africa, 2026 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Navi Pillay Is One of the World’s Leading Human Rights Jurists Smithsonian Magazine
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