Author: Opalim Lifted

Benjamin Netanyahu, the first sitting prime minister of Israel to face a criminal trial, is expected to testify for the first time when his corruption case resumes Tuesday. Netanyahu has repeatedly sought to delay his appearance in court, where he faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust in three separate cases. At Tuesday’s hearing, the Israeli premier is expected to take the witness stand for the first time, responding to the allegations and testimonies made against him, including from former close aides. The last time he physically appeared in the courtroom was in June 2023. “I will…

Folake Ani-Mumuney was asked to resign as First Bank’s global head of marketing and corporate communications by Femi Otedola, the chairman of the holding company, TheCable reported. A top employee of the bank said that Otedola was “seriously irked” when he learned that a whopping sum was spent on a send-off party for Adesola Adeduntan, the former MD of the bank who was reportedly forced to resign over alleged negligence in a N60 billion electronic fraud. It is still unclear if Ani-Mumuney’s resignation is directly linked to the party. However, insiders said Otedola believed it was “insensitive and wasteful” to…

No elves, no dwarves, and not a hobbit in sight: “The Lord of the Rings” returns to the big screen this month with a new Japanese anime-style movie about the warring men of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional universe. Out in theaters December 13, “The War of the Rohirrim” is a prequel that takes place nearly two centuries before Peter Jackson’s original Oscar-winning films, which were themselves adapted from Tolkien’s fantasy books. But unlike the first “Lord of the Rings” movies — or the disappointing “The Hobbit” films that followed — there are no magical rings or all-powerful Dark Lords this time…

The United Kingdom (UK) says Nigerians have been major beneficiaries of visas in the “last couple of years.” While there are claims in some quarters that the UK’s immigration policies are harsh, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Richard Montgomery said the country is a major beneficiary of the UK’s visa policies. “I have to contest this picture because the UK in the last couple of years has granted around 300,000 new visas to Nigerians which far exceeds any other visa relationship which Nigeria has with any other country,” he said on Monday’s edition of Channels TV. “The trends have…

The Federal High Court in Ekiti has granted Dele Farotimi, a human rights activist, N50 million bail with one surety. On Monday, Babs Olaniyi Kuewumi, the presiding judge asked the surety to provide evidence of two years’ tax clearance, a land document, and a letter of authorization from the telecommunication operator. Farotimi, who wore a pink shirt, was shepherded by police officers to the courtroom in handcuffs. Kuewumi subsequently adjourned trial to January 29, 2025. On Friday, the inspector-general of police filed a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime, against Farotimi. The activist was accused of spreading false information against Afe…

A Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasised that the battle against corruption can only be effective and successful if it begins with accountability among top government officials. The former president said that tackling corruption at the highest levels of leadership would set an example for others and demonstrate the government’s commitment to transparency and integrity. He spoke on Sunday night during an interactive session on Zoom tagged “Boiling Point Arena.” hosted by a private radio station in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital The conversation which was aired by some private radio stations in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital,…

Deputy Superintendent of Customs (Pilot), Olanike Balogun, has made history as the first female pilot in the Nigeria Customs Service, rising from a cabin crew member to a trailblazer in aviation. The NCS, in a statement, said Balogun was born in Kaduna and hails from Odo-Otin Local Government Area in Osun State. Her remarkable journey began in 2002 when she was recruited as a Customs Assistant to serve in the NCS Airwing Unit. The statement also highlighted Balogun’s journey of resilience and ambition, praising the service for its support in transforming her dreams into reality. “Staying in the Service when…

Musician and producer Jay-Z was accused in a lawsuit submitted Sunday of raping a 13-year-old with hip-hop star Sean Combs in the year 2000, court documents show, claims denied by Jay-Z. An updated complaint in a civil case against Combs alleges that Jay-Z, whose name is Shawn Carter, and Combs raped the girl at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in September of 2000. “Another celebrity stood by and watched as Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the minor. Many others were present at the after party, but did nothing to stop the assault,” the complaint reads. “Carter…

Syria’s ousted president Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow, a Kremlin source told Russian news agencies, hours after he fled the country as Islamist-led rebels entered Damascus. The announcement comes as Russia, a key Assad ally, called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council on the fast-changing situation on the ground in the war-torn country. “Assad and members of his family have arrived in Moscow,” the source told the TASS and Ria Novosti news agencies. “Russia granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds,” he added. Asked whether the Syria’s ousted president was confirmed to be in Moscow,…

Chelsea roared back from two goals down to beat Tottenham 4-3 on Sunday, moving just four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Spurs raced into an early 2-0 lead but Enzo Maresca’s men turned the match on its head, scoring four times, including two penalties from England forward Cole Palmer, before a late goal from Son Heung-min. But his cavalier attacking approach will come under more scrutiny as Chelsea roared back to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to seven games. Jadon Sancho gave the visitors a foothold before they dominated the second half with Palmer twice cool from the…