Author: Opalim Lifted

Paraguay’s President Santiago Pena was discharged Tuesday from a Rio hospital where he spent the night after falling ill while attending a G20 summit, the facility said. Pena, 46, was taken to the Samaritano Hospital in Rio de Janeiro as local media reported he had suffered chest pains and witnesses said he was whisked away from the summit venue by ambulance. “The head of state was discharged from hospital early in the morning,” and was free to “continue his agenda,” the hospital said in a statement. It added that doctors had ruled out heart trouble or any serious ailment. Pena,…

The governorship candidate of the Ogun state chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 governorship election, Ladi Adebutu has described as “baseless” allegations levelled against him by the Department of State Services (DSS). In a release by the politician detailing his experience while in the custody of DSS in Abeokuta said the allegations were to silence him as a voice of the opposition. Adebutu was arrested on Monday and quizzed over last Saturday’s local government election held across the 20 local government areas of Ogun State. He was then released early Tuesday morning from the DSS office.…

The Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has praised Chidimma Adetshina for finishing as the first runner-up in the just concluded 2024 Miss Universe pageant in Mexico Adetshina lost to the winner, Victoria Kjær, who represented Denmark in the competition. Chidimma would eventually be crowned the new Miss Universe Africa. The news was met with widespread jubilation among Nigerians. Bianca, a former 1988 MBGN winner took to her Instagram page on Monday to praise Adetshina’s resilience and fighting spirit. “A BIG Congratulations to our very own. Resilience, perseverance and true grit will always win the day. Kudos to Chidimma…

Canada has now permitted eligible international students to work up to 24 hours per week from off campus from 20 hours per week during academic terms. Marc Miller, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship minister, stated that raising the limit from the previous 20 hours strikes a balance between offering valuable work opportunities and ensuring students remain dedicated to their studies. “This change will give students more flexibility to manage their time and gain practical experience,” Miller stated. In October, 2022, Miller had emphasised the need for international students to obtain work experience, saying,“With the economy growing at a faster rate than…

Canadian authorities recently foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Irwin Cotler, a former justice minister who has been a strong critic of Tehran, Cotler’s organization said Monday. The 84-year-old was justice minister and attorney general from 2003 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2015 but has remained active with many associations that campaign for human rights around the world. The Globe and Mail newspaper reported that he was informed on October 26 that he faced an imminent threat — within 48 hours — of assassination from Iranian agents. Authorities tracked two suspects in the plot, the paper said,…

Ladi Adebutu, the detained former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Ogun State chapter, regained his freedom on Tuesday after the Department of State Services (DSS) invited and questioned him. His release was confirmed by his media aide, Afolabi Orekoya during a phone conversation, Channels TV reported. Adebutu’s release followed confirmation of his arrest by the Publicity Secretary of the Ogun state chapter of PDP, Kayode Adebayo, by the Ogun state command of the DSS in Abeokuta, the state capital on Monday. Adebutu was the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State in 2023. It was reported…

Canada has closed the pathway for international students to convert their study permits into permanent residency under its latest immigration policies. This new regulation mandates that international students return to their home countries upon the expiration of their study visas in Canada, signaling an end to policies that allowed non-citizens with study permits to transition into permanent residency. The North American country is also terminating the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program and halting asylum claims tied to such immigration pathways. Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, confirmed this development during an interview on Tuesday, where he discussed the nation’s immigration policies…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released a set of recommendations on how to make the reforms acceptable and supported by the populace in light of the frustrations that the general public in Nigeria and several other Sub-Saharan African nations going through economic reforms are experiencing. The IMF, in its latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa report, noted that the countries involved in deep reforms including Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya, may now be experiencing what it called ‘adjustment fatigue’ while some are facing civil resistance. Nigeria, for instance, has recorded multiple civil unrests and labour shutdowns following disenchantment…

President Bola Tinubu has restructured the State House media and communications team in a bid to improve the effectiveness of the federal government’s communication apparatus. The shake-up involves the re-designation of key officials. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, explained that the changes align with the administration’s goal of streamlining how policies and decisions are disseminated to the public. “These appointments underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the Presidency,” Onanuga stated. In the realignment, Sunday Dare, who was previously designated as Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation, will now…

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, has been arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), his party has disclosed. The PDP Publicity Secretary in Ogun State, Kayode Adebayo, confirmed the arrest and detention of Adebutu in a statement he released in Abeokuta on Monday. According to him, Adebutu was reportedly invited for questioning allegedly in connection with disturbance during the local government elections held last Saturday, November 16, 2024. “This is to inform the members of our great party, The Peoples Democratic Party that the leader of…