Author: Opalim Lifted

A Pakistani man accused of plotting to assassinate United States politicians including President Donald Trump has told a US court he was forced into the scheme by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Asif Raza Merchant, 47, is facing charges in the United States for allegedly attempting to hire a hitman to kill American political figures. He pleaded not guilty when he was charged in September 2024. Testifying during his trial on Wednesday, Merchant said members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pressured him to organise the murder-for-hire plot while his family was living in Tehran. According to US media…

Donald Trump has fired Kristi Noem as head of the US Department of Homeland Security after months of controversy surrounding immigration enforcement, fatal shootings in Minnesota and a disputed $220 million advertising contract. The US president announced the decision on Thursday, saying he plans to nominate Markwayne Mullin to replace her by the end of the month. The appointment will require confirmation by the United States Senate. Noem, a former governor of South Dakota, became one of the most visible figures in Trump’s cabinet due to her outspoken support for the administration’s hardline immigration policies. Controversies that led to Noem’s…

The presidency has announced the successful conclusion of a settlement agreement between the federal government, Eni, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAEL). Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, disclosed the agreement in a statement on Thursday. He said President Bola Tinubu signed the deal during a ceremony held on Thursday in Abuja. “President Bola Tinubu announced today the successful conclusion of a historic settlement agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria, Eni, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAEL),” the statement read. The announcement was made during a meeting in the president’s office attended by Claudio Descalzi, Guido Brusco, Mario Bello, Fabrizio Bolondi,…

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a 24-year-old palm kernel dealer, Iziga Jude Ikechukwu, popularly known as Easy-money, for allegedly abusing naira notes during his birthday celebration in Enugu State. The suspect was apprehended by officers of the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Directorate after a viral video surfaced on social media showing him spraying and mishandling naira notes in a hotel room while celebrating his birthday. According to the anti-graft agency, the act is an offence under Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, which prohibits the abuse, mutilation or defacing of the…

Iran’s internet access has dropped to just 1 percent of normal levels, according to the monitoring group NetBlocks, leaving millions struggling to communicate or access independent news as conflict intensifies. Authorities shut down internet connectivity on Saturday after air strikes by the United States and Israel, triggering a nationwide information blackout. In a message posted on X on Thursday, NetBlocks said the outage had now lasted more than 120 hours, with connectivity still “flatlining” at around one percent of ordinary levels. The disruption has made it extremely difficult for Iranians to contact relatives or access global news. Calls into the…

Former Kaduna governor Nasir El‑Rufai has told the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that the investigation into his tenure is politically motivated. The anti-graft agency is probing the former governor over alleged financial impropriety during his time in office between 2015 and 2023. El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19, after he was earlier released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Documents filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court show that ICPC investigators obtained handwritten statements from the former governor on February 19 and 20, 2026. The statements were attached to…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the implementation of a GIS-enabled alphanumeric digital postcode system for Nigeria. The approval was announced by Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, following the council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu. The approval is the latest development on the initiative and comes four years after the project was first introduced. In 2022, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and the National Population Commission (NPC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the rollout of a digitised postcode system for Nigeria. A year later, NIPOST said the digital postcode system would be…

Spain has rejected a claim by the White House that it agreed to cooperate with the United States in military operations against Iran. The denial deepens tensions between Madrid and Washington after Spain refused to allow US forces to use military bases on its territory for strikes targeting Iran. Speaking on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested that Spain had softened its position following remarks by US President Donald Trump. “With respect to Spain, I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” Leavitt said during a press briefing. “It’s my understanding over the past several…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has increased the pump price of petrol at its retail stations to N933 per litre in Lagos and N960 per litre in Abuja, marking a fresh hike in the cost of fuel across Nigeria. The national oil company raised the price by N103 in Lagos, from N830 per litre, while motorists in the federal capital now pay N85 more, up from N875 per litre. Checks on Wednesday showed the new price already implemented at NNPC retail outlets in Apple Junction and Ago Palace Way in Lagos, while stations along Airport Road in Lugbe,…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a public reading of the Book of Esther on Wednesday night alongside senior government and security officials. Among those present were National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs, the prime minister’s military secretary Roman Gofman, and other members of Netanyahu’s staff. The gathering took place as Jewish communities around the world observe Purim, a festival that commemorates the biblical story of the Jewish people’s survival in ancient Persia as described in the Book of Esther. During Purim celebrations, it is customary to read the Book of Esther, also known as the Megillah,…