Author: Opalim Lifted

Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom (UK), has announced the country’s recognition of Palestine as a state. In a video shared on X, Starmer said the UK has joined over 150 countries that recognise the Palestinian state, adding that the move is “a pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future”. “I know the strength of feeling that this conflict provokes,” he said. “We have seen it on our streets, in our schools and conversations we have had with friends and family. It has created division, some have used it to stoke…

Ilhan Omar, the congresswoman representing Minnesota’s 5th District, has criticised President Donald Trump and some Republican lawmakers, saying their recent remarks show that the United States is “being led by idiots”. Omar’s comments came after Trump attacked her in a social media post, accusing her, a Somali descent, of “telling us how to run our country”. Trump also called for Omar’s impeachment following a narrowly defeated attempt in congress to censure her over remarks related to the death of conservative activist, Charlie Kirk. On September 10, Kirk, a close Trump ally, was assassinated. Omar later reposted a post that some…

American rapper Belcalis Almanzar, popularly known as Cardi B, has entered the Guinness World Records after setting a new feat for the most drone deliveries. The 32-year-old hip-hop star achieved the record on Friday, September 19, 2025, when 176 copies of her new album Am I the Drama were delivered to fans within one hour across the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, United States. According to Guinness World Records, the record makes Cardi B the first musician to connect an album launch to a drone delivery milestone. In a post on its official X handle, the body wrote: “Most deliveries…

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) says the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has contracted “UOP, an international firm, to evaluate the condition” of the Port Harcourt refinery ahead of potential investment. PETROAN disclosed the arrangement in a statement on Sunday, signed by Joseph Obele, its national publicity secretary. Honeywell UOP, formerly known as UOP LLC, is a leading American multi-national company that specialises in developing and delivering technology to the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production and major manufacturing industries. The association commended Bayo Ojulari, the group chief executive officer of the NNPC, for…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has trained women from across the Niger Delta on how to use strategic litigation to fight exclusion, inequality and environmental injustice in their communities. At a three-day workshop in Port Harcourt, supported by the Ford Foundation, women leaders, activists, traditional rulers, journalists and persons with disabilities shared stories of being sidelined in inheritance, decision-making and benefits from natural resources. Mrs Naamon Grace, from Ogoni’s K-Dere community, recalled how women endured rape, torture and displacement during the environmental struggles of the 1990s, only to be forgotten in today’s clean-up process. “We fought, we suffered,…

President Bola Tinubu has showered glowing tributes on First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as she marks her 65th birthday, describing her as “the love of my life” and “my steadying anchor.” In a heartfelt message on Sunday, the president praised his wife for her quiet strength, enduring grace, and unwavering devotion throughout decades of political struggle, exile, and leadership responsibilities. “You are more than my wife. You are my confidant, counsellor, and the steady flame illuminating my path,” Tinubu said, adding that Nigeria itself owes her gratitude for her sacrifices behind the scenes. The president highlighted her compassion, faith, and impact…

Human rights groups have called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately drop charges against activist Omoyele Sowore, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook over posts critical of the president. In a joint letter dated 20 September 2025, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International Nigeria accused the government of weaponising the justice system to silence dissent. The groups urged Tinubu to instruct Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi to withdraw the case, which was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Federal Ministry of Justice. Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, faces charges under the Cybercrimes Act and…

Women across the Niger Delta have raised their voices against decades of injustice in inheritance, leadership, and resource distribution, saying their contributions to peace and community development are being ignored. The call came during a three-day workshop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) with support from the Ford Foundation. The session, which drew participants from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers, trained women leaders, activists, and journalists on how to use strategic litigation to secure justice. For many women, the grievances run deep. Mrs Naamon Grace, from K-Dere community…

US President Donald Trump has stunned the tech world by signing a proclamation that hikes the application fee for H-1B visas to a jaw-dropping $100,000. The move, announced Friday in the Oval Office, is the latest step in Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown and could upend Silicon Valley’s reliance on foreign talent. H-1B visas allow companies to bring in highly skilled workers — from engineers to computer scientists — on three-year permits, extendable to six. With 85,000 issued annually, and Indians accounting for roughly three-quarters of recipients, the scheme has long been a lifeline for America’s tech industry. But the $100,000…

A member of the House of Representatives, Wale Ahmed, has declared that President Bola Tinubu has earned the right to a second term in 2027, citing bold reforms and renewed investor confidence. Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Friday, the Agege federal constituency lawmaker said the president has delivered initiatives that previous administrations lacked the courage to attempt. “All his opponents should rest and allow Tinubu to have a second term,” Ahmed insisted. “Late President Muhammadu Buhari from the north served two terms, so Tinubu should also have his second term.” Ahmed, a two-time Lagos commissioner and former…