Author: Opalim Lifted

South Africa has summoned US Ambassador Brent Bozell to explain what its foreign ministry described as “undiplomatic conduct”, marking the third diplomatic reprimand since he took up his post nine months ago. The senior foreign ministry official confirmed the development to AFP on Wednesday, saying Bozell was summoned on Tuesday after publishing a strongly worded opinion piece accusing the South African government of “hostility”. The ambassador had also given a series of critical interviews with South African media. “He was called in to explain his undiplomatic conduct,” the official said, describing the latest summons as Bozell’s third diplomatic reprimand since…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Adeniyi Adeyemi at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge involving alleged forgery, impersonation and conspiracy. Adeyemi is accused of allegedly presenting himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), which prosecutors described as a fictitious agency. Justice Mohammed Umar ordered his remand on Wednesday after the case was taken over by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF). Adeyemi pleads not guilty The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was initially filed by the police on November 27, 2025, against Adeyemi…

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, October 1, 2026, a public holiday to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani, on Wednesday. Tunji-Ojo congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad, urging citizens to use the anniversary to promote unity, patriotism, peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. He also called on Nigerians to emulate the country’s founding fathers by demonstrating love for Nigeria and contributing to a nation that future generations can be proud of. “As we celebrate 66…

Fatima El Mansouri has been elected as Morocco’s first female prime minister after her party won the most seats in the parliamentary elections held in the North African country. King Mohammed VI named El Mansouri as the country’s prime minister on Tuesday and tasked her with forming a new government, the Royal Palace said in a statement. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, but the king retains significant powers. Under the constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Representatives. The 50-year-old attorney was previously the mayor of…

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after emergency signals were transmitted following an alleged physical altercation between the pilots. Flydubai Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 reportedly carrying about 150 Israeli passengers, was diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia after transmitting a general emergency signal while flying over Jordanian airspace. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, a second signal indicating possible unlawful interference was transmitted several minutes later. The aircraft appeared to descend by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was sent. Security Alert Triggered…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un weighs more than 140 kilogrammes and has been classified as “extremely obese” by South Korea’s intelligence agency, according to a briefing to lawmakers on Wednesday. South Korean lawmaker Youn Kun-young, who cited information from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), said Kim’s weight places him at a high risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the intelligence assessment reportedly found no current signs of health problems. Youn said Kim has also shown no difficulty with physical activity, including running up stairs, while his health is being closely monitored by a dedicated medical team. The latest assessment has…

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called for improved remuneration, working conditions and welfare packages for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals to encourage them to remain in rural and underserved communities. The senator representing Kogi Central made the call at the “Unfinished” event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where she participated in discussions on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive choices. Akpoti-Uduaghan said tackling maternal mortality requires more than focusing on statistics, stressing the need to address the realities facing women, children and healthcare workers at the point of care. She said better…

Nearly 8.3 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people risk losing vital assistance as severe funding cuts push the UN refugee agency’s protection services towards breaking point. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued the warning on Tuesday in a report highlighting the human cost of the agency’s worsening funding crisis. UNHCR said its available funding fell from $5.2 billion in 2024 to $3.9 billion in 2025, while the number of people requiring protection remains near historic highs. The agency needs $8.5 billion in 2026 to protect refugees and other displaced people, but had received only 32 per cent,…

President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after spending four weeks abroad on what the Presidency described as a working vacation, arriving in Lagos on Tuesday evening. The President’s aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 6:22pm, where he was received by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, among other APC leaders. The Presidency said Tinubu chose Lagos as his first destination to honour the memory of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO)…

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Federal Government to publish the full details of Nigeria’s agreements with the United States on health and mining. Atiku said Nigerians deserved to know the terms of the agreements, particularly provisions relating to healthcare data, pathogen samples, funding commitments and access to Nigeria’s mineral resources. In a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku specifically demanded the publication of Nigeria’s five-year health Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US. Nigeria signed the health agreement with the…