Author: Mohammad Adamu

The Federal Government has called for deeper collaboration between the media and security agencies, describing both as critical pillars of national peace, stability, and development. Speaking at a national security summit in Abuja organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said security agencies protect lives, property, and sovereignty, while the media serves as society’s watchdog and a bridge between government and citizens. “Both institutions share a common objective of safeguarding the national interest and promoting peace, unity and development,” Idris said,…

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Thursday he approved a deal signed by President Donald Trump to end the Middle East war, even as the US lifted its blockade of Iranian ports. The agreement, signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, sets in motion 60 days of talks between the two foes on wider issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme. It remains unclear whether a planned signing ceremony and talks in Switzerland will proceed on Friday as earlier announced. Oil prices fell sharply after the deal was signed, though shipping activity remained limited in the Strait of Hormuz,…

Minority Caucus Demands Six-Month National Security and Economic Emergency, Accuses Government of Prioritising 2027 Politics Over Citizens’ LivesThe Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has issued a strong ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: urgently refocus governance on tackling Nigeria’s worsening security crisis and economic hardship, or step aside. The opposition lawmakers warned that the country is sliding deeper into insecurity, judicial controversy, and democratic backsliding as the 2027 general elections approach. They demanded that the President immediately suspend all political activities related to his re-election bid and declare a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan. Minority Leader…

Jury Acquits Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister After Decade-Long InvestigationLondon – A London jury has acquitted former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all six bribery charges, delivering a significant setback to British prosecutors after more than a decade of investigations. Alison-Madueke, 65, who served as Nigeria’s first female Petroleum Minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, was found not guilty on five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The trial at Southwark Crown Court, which began in January, ended after more than 46 hours of jury deliberation. Prosecutors had…

Lionel Messi writes fresh history with first World Cup treble, joining all-time greats on 16 goals in emphatic 3-0 victory over AlgeriaLionel Messi delivered a masterclass on Tuesday, scoring a memorable hat-trick as defending champions Argentina launched their bid for back-to-back World Cup titles with a commanding 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. The 38-year-old superstar, making his record-breaking sixth World Cup appearance, lit up the 69,045-capacity venue on his 200th international cap. His dazzling display moved him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts with 16 goals. Messi…

Elon Musk’s SpaceX surpassed Amazon to become the world’s fifth most valuable company on Tuesday as its shares surged again, while the company simultaneously confirmed a $60 billion all-stock acquisition of AI coding startup Cursor — just four days after its record-breaking IPO. SpaceX shares jumped roughly 10% in early trading, pushing the stock to $211.27 — more than 56% above its IPO price of $135 — and putting its market capitalisation on track to overtake Amazon’s. The company filed with US securities regulators confirming it is buying Cursor, developed by San Francisco-based startup Anysphere, in an all-stock deal. Cursor…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), for failing to meet constitutional electoral performance thresholds. Justice Peter Lifu, delivering judgment on Monday, directed INEC to deregister the ADC, Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), after finding that none of the parties secured the mandatory 25 per cent of votes in the last general elections as required by law. The court further barred the affected parties from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday dropped a bombshell announcement — children under 16 in the UK will be banned from social media, full stop. TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, X — all off-limits for minors, with legislation expected before Christmas and the ban kicking in next spring. Starmer didn’t mince words, calling the platforms addictive by design and accusing them of exposing children to dangerous content and making them miserable. WhatsApp escapes the axe for now, but gaming platforms and live streaming services are next in the crosshairs. The government is also mulling overnight curfews and forced scroll breaks…

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored in the dying seconds to hand Ivory Coast a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their Group E World Cup opener in Philadelphia on Sunday. The 23-year-old, introduced as a second-half substitute, finished first-time from a right-wing cross in the 90th minute to settle what had been a tightly contested affair that looked destined for a goalless draw. It is Ivory Coast’s first World Cup victory in 12 years, dating back to their win over Japan at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. The result puts the 2024 African champions in strong contention to reach…

The United States is expected to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before the commencement of formal nuclear negotiations, according to a 14-point memorandum of understanding cited by Iran’s state-affiliated Mehr news agency on Monday. The document outlines the release of $24 billion in total frozen assets across a 60-day negotiation period following the conclusion of the memorandum. Half of that sum, the text specifies, must be made available to Tehran before talks officially begin.The memorandum has not been officially confirmed by either government