Home Blog Page 26

US Actor, Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin’s divorce officially dismissed

Hollywood actor, Sylvester Stallone and hus wife, Jennifer Flavin’s divorce has been officially dismissed two weeks after they decided to reconcile.

Page Six reported on Friday October 7, that the couple’s lawyers filed a notice for voluntary dismissal in Palm Beach County, Fla.

Since the paperwork was filed on Friday morning, online court records are yet to reflect the change.

The couple are said to be “together and very happy.”  They were recently out in New York City “enjoying a lovely dinner with close friends , The Gores” and were in the Big Apple to promote Stallone’s new show “Tulsa King.”

Stallone and Flavin did not try to hide the fact that they are back together on Thursday evening. The “Rambo” star and Serious Skincare founder appeared very happy as they walked out of The Polo Bar in Manhattan with their arms linked and big smiles on their faces.

Stallone and Flavin have been married since 1997. They share three daughters: Sophia, 26, Sistine, 24, and Scarlet, 20.

Their brief split only lasted a month. Flavin filed for divorce on August 19, citing at the time in court records that their 25-year marriage was “irretrievably broken.”

US issues new sanctions on Iran as it shuts down internet and crackdown on protesters

The United States has issued sanctions on seven senior Iranian officials over the Iranian government’s violent crackdown on mass protests and restrictions on internet access in the country.


The massive protests taking over the hardcore Islamic republic of Iran were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman detained by the country’s morality police on September 13 after being accused of violating the country’s conservative dress code.

The White House on Thursday, October 6, said the US was going to take further action against Iran over their response to the protests earlier this week. 

Iran protest

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the new US sanctions announced Thursday were due to Iran continuing to crack down on “the right to freedom of expression and right of peaceful assembly, including by shutting down access to the Internet” following the death of Amini.


The new sanctions target Iran’s Minister of the Interior, Ahmad Vahidi, who oversees all the country’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) that have been used to attempt to suppress the protests.

The sanctions also target Eisa Zarepour, the Minister of Communications, who is “responsible for the shameful attempt to block the internet access of millions of Iranians in the hopes of slowing down the protests,” the release from the Treasury Department states.

Five other Iranian officials are also being sanctioned, including the Deputy Operations Comander of the LEF Hossein Sajedinia, the Deputy Political Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Yadollah Javani, the head of the Iranian Cyber Police Mohammad Naser Majid, another IRGC Commander Hossein Nejat and Iran’s LEF police chief in Tehran Hossein Rahimi.

Iran protest

Blinken said the costs that the Biden administration are imposing on Iran demonstrate the US support for the Iranian women who have been protesting for their rights.


“Today’s action follows the September 22 designation of the Morality Police, its senior leadership, and other senior security officials, and the release of Iran-related General License D-2, which together demonstrate that the United States stands with the brave citizens and the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights,” Blinken said.

The sanctions came the same day Amnesty International released a report accusing Iranian security forces of killing 82 and injuring hundreds more in the southeast of the country.


“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these individuals that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons must be blocked and reported to” the office of foreign assets control, the Treasury Department release states.

“The rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly are vital to guaranteeing individual liberty and dignity,” Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson said in a press release. “The United States condemns the Iranian government’s Internet shutdown and continued violent suppression of peaceful protest and will not hesitate to target those who direct and support such actions.”

“Don’t Waste Your Time” – Olumba Olumba Releases Prophecy On 2023 Eections

The Spiritual Leader of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu has asked corrupt politician not to waste their time as they will not win the Presidential election.

Speaking during a press briefing at the international headquarters of his Organization in Calabar, Olumba Olumba stated that it will no longer be business as usual in Nigeria as 2023 election will shock “powerful” politicians.

According to thr cleric, corrupt politicians will no longer win elections in the country.

He said: “One thing is certain, no corrupt politician will be close to the Presidential staff of office.

“Only those with the fear of God, pure in heart and of a humble spirit will win. A God fearing leader will emerge and lead in the fear of God and humility.

“Corrupt leaders will only waste their time in this election as the door has been shut against them.

“The forthcoming 2023 election will be very crucial to the world as well as for Nigeria as a nation.”

The Brotherhood leader called on Nigeria to return to her first National Anthem and also revert to Calabar as its capital as well as return to the 12-States administrative structure which has been preordained by God Almighty.

He said: “The 2023 General Election will produce most shocking development in Nigeria. Many will be taken aback by the 2023 election because something that has never happened in the history of Nigeria will happen, and it will shake the so called powerful politicians of Nigeria.”

Olumba Olumba called for unity and cautioned against fear, saying Nigerians should not allow the election stir up conflicts amongst them because has already chosen Nigeria’s next president.

“The Holy Spirit is already in charge of the next year’s election because at the end it shall be in tandem with God’s will.

“The 2023 election is not going to be business as usual, neither will it be about the usual electioneering practices, replete with malpractices, vote buying, corruption and rigging,” he said.

King Charles gave Meghan Markle a secret nickname

King Charles III has a secret nickname for Meghan Markle, a new book claims.

According to the new book “The New Royals” by royal expert Katie Nicholl, when Markle joined the royal family, it was clear to Charles that she would be able to handle whatever was thrown at her,.

Because of Markle’s “toughness and resilience,” Charles nicknamed her “Tungsten.”

Tungsten is a rare chemical element known to be strong and durable. It is known as one of the “toughest things” in nature, according to Live Science.

According to Nicholl, Charles made the observation even before Markle married Prince Harry.

At her first joint appearance with Harry, Prince William and Princess Kate at the Royal Foundation Forum in February 2018, “Meghan was the breakout star of the foursome,” Nicholl wrote.

“She was polished, passionate and funny, using all her TV-honed skills to present her case. That was a wake-up moment for William and Kate when they realized that Meghan was very impressive, very confident and very capable, according to a source,” she continued.

Nicholl noted that one aide said that appearance was the moment William and Kate knew they needed to “up their game.” 

Alert! WHO warns against taking 4 cough syrups from India

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned against taking four cough syrups made from India.

BBC reported that the drugs manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.

The International Health Agency said the company failed to provide guarantees about the safety of patients who might have taken it.

WHO said; 

‘’The syrups have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children”

Maiden Pharmaceuticals is yet to react to the development.

Hushpuppi to be jailed in US Prison for 11 years

The United States government has urged the District Court in Central California to sentence a Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, to 135 months in jail for fraud.

According to Premium Times, the US govt gave its reasons for proposing the equivalent of 11 years and three months jail time for Hushpuppi in its court filings.


Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020 over an extensive fraudulent scheme that has robbed victims of their money in the U.S., Qatar, the United Kingdom, and other places.

The international fraudster was taken to the U.S, where he was charged with fraud and money laundering.

US court postpones sentencing of Hushpuppi for the fourth time
In July 2021, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in money laundering. He admitted to conspiring with multiple persons within and outside the U.S to launder the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme perpetrated against persons and businesses in different countries.


Recall that the trial judge, Otis Wright, has fixed 7 November as the date to sentence Hushpuppi.

Ahead of the sentencing, a team of U.S. attorneys led by Stephanie Christensen, urged the court to “sentence the defendant (Hushpuppi) to 135 months’ imprisonment.”

In presentencing filings countering Hushpuppi’s plea for a lighter punishment, the US authorities called for “a three year term of supervised release and order of restitution of $1,732,841.34, a fine of $500,000, and the mandatory special assessment of $100.”

He will also restitute all stolen funds to the victim, according to the plea agreement signed by the parties.

In the U.S. government’s response to Hushpuppi’s requests seeking “departures and variances” from the statutory punishment for his crime, the prosecuting lawyers disagreed with Mr Abbas’ claims of being a “life-long, hard-working and ambitious individual.”

The lawyers argued that Hushpuppi’s conduct leading to the charges “is… inconsistent with” his “long history as a scammed and money launderer.

“Defendant is, by all accounts, an ambitious individual, but his ambition has long been directed towards crime and its rewards.”

‘My Husband Suffered From Depression For Many Years’ – Aisha Buhari

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for many years.
She made this known on Tuesday at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Armed Forces Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Centre (AFPTSDC) in Abuja.

Mrs Buhari was the Special Guest of Honour at the event organised by the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA).

Mrs Buhari said her husband suffered from depression due to his participation in the civil war without rehabilitation, his overthrow as military head of state, and subsequent illegal detention for 40 months.

According to the First lady, President Buhari’s loss in three consecutive elections further aggravated the depression and made life unbearable for her family.

Mrs Buhari said she suffered the consequences of the depression at an early stage in her marriage and became the unintended physiotherapist for his recovery.

She said, “My husband served the Nigerian Army for 27 years before he was overthrown in a coup d’état. He fought civil war for 30 months without rehabilitation; he ruled Nigeria for 20 months and was detained for 40 months without disclosing the nature of his offence.

“One year after he came out from detention, we were married, I clocked 19 years in his house as his wife, legitimately. I suffered the consequences of PTSD, because having gone through all these, and at the age of 19, to handle somebody, who was a former Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, to tell him that he is wrong is the first mistake you will make.

“So, at the age of 19, I had to figure out how to tell somebody of his calibre that he was wrong or right and that was the beginning of my offence in his house, and contesting elections in 2003 and failed, 2007, failed and 2011, the same thing – all without rehabilitation – I became a physiotherapist.

“Finally, the whole nation rose against the misuse of power and bad governance. He only succeeded when it became a movement and here we are today. He ruled Nigeria before and he is ruling Nigeria now and this is the last time and final.

“Failing election for three times was a big blow to every contestant but those that have contested for just yesterday, a simple primary election, they are still living in a traumatic condition, I tried to console them, I tried to talk to them, some of them have switched off their phones up till today, just because of a primary election.

“You can imagine myself at 19 years, handling somebody that went to war, suffered coup d’état, then lost several elections, and, finally, getting to the Villa in 2015. Also, for a woman to tell them that this is wrong or right in Nigeria and Africa is a problem.”

The First Lady appreciated the association for establishing the PTSD Centre for Nigerian soldiers, stating that medical condition has negative consequences.

She said: “I want to thank DEPOWA for this foresighted vision of establishing a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Centre for our soldiers. Indeed, PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by terrifying events.

“It is a reality that soldiers and military families have to live with, despite its negative consequences. Being a soldier’s wife or a retired soldier’s wife and a wellness expert, I understand the challenges associated with PTSD and its impact on military families and the nation.“

Vladimir Putin currently hiding in his bunker and planning nuclear strike, new report claims

Reports in Russia say President Vladimir Putin will soon make ‘key decisions about launching a tactical nuclear strike’ from a secret bunker where he is hiding.


The Kremlin leader has reportedly warned his closest family – including his reported lover, Alina Kabaeva of the possibility of rapid evacuation to the mysterious location where the bunker is.

Putin believes the bunker is ‘safe’ from Western attack and could also move top officials from his security team to the bunker, according to a report from the General SVR channel. 


The anti-putin media outlet claims inside knowledge from Putin’s circle and since the start of the war in February has fuelled rumours he is suffering acute health problems.


The report also claims Putin has been taking advice from shamans as he contemplates launching nuclear missiles. 


The exact whereabouts of Putin’s bunker is unclear, but it’s said to be a ‘long way’ from Moscow.


He is believed to have several bunkers in Siberia, one linked to the massive new liquid case terminal at Sabetta on the Yamal peninsula and the other in the Altai Mountains. 


‘Relatives and friends of the heads of state will be delivered to the bunker in advance,’ stated a report from the General SVR channel today.

‘Alina Kabaeva with [the couple’s] children and two older daughters with children and cohabitants were warned about the possibility of urgent evacuation. 


‘But not everyone in the leadership of Russia was lucky.


‘For example, Putin ordered, in the event of a nuclear threat, to evacuate the ‘necessary minimum’ of Russian officials’ it added


‘This would include prime minister Mikhail Mishustin, and the speaker of parliament Vyacheslav Volodin.


The supposed evacuation includes his eldest daughter Maria Vorontsova, 36, a geneticist, and Katerina Tikhonova, 35, a high-kicking ‘rock’n’roll’ dancer-turned-mathematician with their spouses and children. 


The Russian president has previously threatened to use ‘all the means at our disposal’ if his country is threatened.


President Volodymyr Zelensky warned last week that he didn’t think the Kremlin was ‘bluffing’ over the threat.


No senators are on the bunker list, the Telegram channel has claimed. 


The report adds that one special bunker is rumoured to fit up to 100,000 people, and is designed for him to rule Russia in the event of Armageddon.


As well as a location close to a major Gazprom facility in the far north of Russia, there is also rumoured to be  a hi-tech bunker in the Altai Mountains hidden beneath a large dacha.

Chelsea beats AC Milan In 3-0 Home Victory

Graham Potter’s men kept their champions league hope alive in an important 3-0 win at Stamford bridge.
In the must win game, Wesley Fofana scored the first goal for the club on his Champions League debut to give the Blues a great start.

Unfortunately, he quickly fell from grace when the defender appeared to suffer a knee injury and had to be replaced.

Following a second-half goal by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang off a pass from Reece James, the Blues’ lead was increased.

The Right back, who was outstanding in the game, then added a goal of his own to give Potter his first triumph in a European competition.

With the crucial victory, Chelsea moved up to second place in the group, one point behind Salzburg, which defeated Dinamo Zagreb in Austria.

Chelsea has won 36 of their last 52 group stage home games in the UEFA Champions League and drawn 14 times.

Help! ‘My Priorities In Life Has Changed’ – Hushpuppi Cries

Popular Nigerian fraudster and Instagram big boy, Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi, has stated that he is a changed man while pleading for leniency ahead of his sentencing.

Ahead of his sentencing in November, Hushpuppi wrote a hand-written letter to the trial judge, Otis Wright, of the US Central District of California, urging him to be tamper justice with mercy.


He wrote his emotional letter dated September 9 to the judge from detention in Central Valley Annex Prions in McFarland, California.

The three-page letter was part of the documents his lawyers have so far filed at the court, urging the judge to reduce his sentence below the calculated range dictated by statute.

Hushpuppi pledged to refund $1.7 million in restitution to the victims of his fraudulent schemes, adding that he only benefitted $300,000 from the crimes.

“Your Honour, I totally recognise the seriousness of my offence and no amount of sorry can right my wrong in the hearts of the victims and this is why I have decided to use my personal money to offset all of the entire $1,700,000 restitution even though I only benefited a fraction of $300,000 plus but it makes me feel better that all the victims get every of their penny back,” he wrote.

Hushpuppi added, “I personally consider it as part punishment for myself and it’s the right thing to do. Your Honour, I really am a changed person in the way I think, see life and make decisions.

“My priorities in life has (sic) changed, my focus in life has shifted, I have realised how precious life and freedom is and how important it is to be on the right side of the law.

“Your Honour, I will like to plead with you to see my act of forfeiting my properties that I worked hard for, for many years, for full restitution repayment as part punishment as well.”

The Nigerian has been in detention since his arrest in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and rendition to the US in June 2020.

Will Peter Obi win or not? – Etim Etim

I have read quite a lot of social media posts debating the possibility of Peter Obi winning the election. Some writers constantly deride Obi’s supporters, arguing that ‘’he does not have what it takes’’ to win a presidential race. Of course, central to this thesis is the issue of ‘’structure’’, but deep inside, the anti-Obi crowd holds a strong admiration for the enthusiasm of his supporters. Obi is the only candidate with a large support base of young Nigerians who have chosen to finance their rallies and campaigns themselves – something of a rarity in the country. While Tinubu and Atiku are waiting for state governors to bring money from the treasury (the reason the governors fill up the campaign councils and throw tantrums if they don’t get what they want) to kickstart their operations, Obi is rest assured that his energetic backers will dip into their savings and chip in for those rallies. It is enough to evoke envy and anger; and trigger the constant refrain of ‘’Obi will not win’’.

Obi’s camp is made up of those who had rooted Prof Osinbajo and became furious when the VP did not get the ticket due largely to a corrupt electoral system. For them, Obi is the closest approximation to what they saw in Osinbajo. I’m in that group. There is another category which comprises the young, frustrated but energetic people who are very resentful of Atiku and Tinubu and what they represent. For them, the duo is too crooked, incompetent, sickly and old. They represent the old order of Nigerian politics and the face of what is wrong in the country. The Obi movement therefore symbolizes a rejection of politics of decadence and a search for ethical conducts in our public life. Peter Obi’s devotees just want some level of freshness in government and governance; a new face and new ways of doing things – the same mindset that propelled Obama into the White House.

For me therefore, the question is not whether Obi will win or not. Afterall, many good people have lost elections before, and Nigerians are known for casting off better candidates in preference for dullards. Did Shagari not defeat Awolowo and Azikiwe in 1979 and 1983? Rather, I am more focused on the fact that this is the first time in our history that Nigerians have overwhelmingly registered their denunciation of our kind of politics, and attempted to chart a different path. I think Obidients should rather be commended for their energy, enthusiasm, boldness and audacity. We should laud these young people, most of whom would be voting for the first time, for daring to challenge the status quo in a democratic manner. Instead of attempting to ransack the State House and chase away the occupants as we saw in Sri Lanka some months ago, our young people just want to elect credible leaders who can assure them of a better country and the same opportunities their parents enjoyed a generation ago. Why then do you mock and scoff at them? What manner of parents would make fun of their children whom they had failed?

I have two young sons who look like the typical Obedients. They will leave college next summer. I thank God that they’re out of the reach of ASUU. In our conversations, I see the same anxiety, worries and apprehensions that the Obidients exhibit which propelled them to fight to ‘’take back their country’’. Most of these youngsters have seen their parents toil day and night, fall sick and die without a care. Most of them have been out school since February, and they don’t believe that they will ever go back to college under President Buhari. Many others have graduated for years now, but have seen no prospect of employment. They have evolved into second-level dependents. In agitating for Peter Obi, they’re not hoping for appointments as ministers or Board chairmen. Rather, it is their last resort to self-help. They just want a country that can provide the basics for the citizens. I think it is an unconscionable act of infamy for any adult person to deride them. If you are so fixated with your political party to the extent that you become too blinded to see its defects; or you can’t appreciate the paleness of the candidates it has fielded, then you’ve lost your soul.

I support Peter Obi not because he is flawless or that he is destined to win. I stand with Obi because he is different from the pack in a positive way. I am for all the agitations and campaigns for a genuine change in the country. I reject our dishonest and filthy politics and I crave for a leader who has never been stained or tainted, and is not driven by avarice and what he can get from the system. For those who keep taunting us that Obi will not win, let me make only this point: This will be the least predictable of all our presidential elections since 1999.

Lionel Messi may return to Barcelona when his PSG contract expires’ 

Lionel Messi will reportedly return to Barcelona next summer after making ‘peace’ with the club’s president following his dramatic exit two years ago. 

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner made a shocking move to join PSG after Barca released a statement saying he would be leaving due to financial restrictions placed upon them by LaLiga.

However, Messi who joined PSG in 2021 will reportedly return to Barcelona when his contract in the French capital expires next summer. 

According to Argentine reporter Veronica Brunati, Messi will return to Barcelona on July 1, 2023, after just two years at Paris Saint-Germain. 

It is believed Messi will return to the club after ‘making peace’ with Barcelona president Joan Laporta who was at the centre of the controversy two years ago.

Messi made his debut for the Barcelona senior team in 2004 at just 16 years old and featured 778 times, emerging as a key player. He went on to become Barca’s record scorer with 672 goals including 120 Champions League goals and a record 474 LaLiga goals. 

In another news, Barcelona coach Xavi recently called for calm when asked about Messi’s return to Barcelona.

He said: ‘With Leo, let’s see, but it’s not the moment to talk about it right now. You know the love I have for him. 

‘He is a friend and I will always wish him the best. Barca is his home, but we’re not doing him any favours speaking about [his future], either. Let’s leave him in peace to enjoy his time in Paris and wish him all the best.’ 

“Divorce is very Painful” – Melinda Gates

The ex-wife of Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates has opened up about her “unbelievably painful” divorce.
The couple, who got married in 1994 and were together for 27 years, announced their split in May 2021.

Speaking to Fortune Magazine in a new interview, Melinda said: “I had some reasons I just couldn’t stay in that marriage anymore.

“But the odd thing about COVID is that it gave me the privacy to do what I needed to do.

“It’s unbelievably painful, in innumerable ways, but I had the privacy to get through it.”

Melinda stressed that her main concern during the processesion of their seperation were her three children, Jennifer, 25, Rory, 23, and Phoebe, 19.

Despite the divorce, the couple continued to work together at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

She said: “I kept working with the person I was moving away from, and I needed to show up and be my best self every single day. So even though I might be crying at 9 a.m. and then have to be on a video conference at 10 a.m. with the person I’m leaving, I have to show up and be my best.

“I learned as a leader that I could do it. It reminded me that the foundation calls me to be my best.”

French Gates told Gayle King in an interview with “CBS Mornings” earlier this year that she shed “a lot of tears for many days” and was “grieving a loss” following the divorce.

It was revealed that Bill reportedly asked several women out and went on to have a lengthy affair with a Microsoft employee in 2000.

‘Anikulapo Movie’ was rejected by the Nigerian Oscar Committee?

The Nigeria Oscars selection committee has disqualified Kunle Afolayan’s newly released movie, ‘Anikulapo’ from the nomination list of the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars.

While announcing the development on social media, the Nigerian actor and producer also expressed his disappointment.

Kunle Afolayan said, I am so pleased and delighted that the whole world has decided to tag ANIKULAPO film “a masterpiece “even though the Nigeria Oscar selection committee think it’s not worth submitting for the Oscars. Will keep doing my own thing.

Despite the global reception that Anikulapo has received since its release, the Academy Awards does not deem it worthy to make its nomination list.

Last month, Nigeria’s Oscar Selection Committee announced they had received three Yoruba-language submissions: Aníkúlápó, Elesin Oba, The King’s Horseman and King of Thieves.

The selection committee ruled that the movies would not enter the competition as a majority of members voted that all three films were “non-eligible.

Afolayan had partnered with Netflix, and the movie was produced and shot by Jonathan Kovel at the recently launched KAP resort in a village in Oyo State.

Oscars awards are the Academy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry.

The award is regarded as the most prestigious and significant achievement in the entertainment industry worldwide.

The news has since upset many Nigerians and even global fans.

@Oginni_olu; Kunle built a whole village for the movie. Used best actors, the storyline was straight and clean.. yet wasn’t considered Oscar-worthy? Haba… what are the criteria really?

@Theresthat_; This is huge! You don’t need any committee’s validation or recognition. You did great work and viewers around the world love it thoroughly. That’s the real recognition. That’s all that matters! It’s my film of the year and I don’t even understand Yoruba

@betty_ekems; Why do they think it’s not worthy of being selected for the Oscars? Who is this body? We need to call them out. This is the best indigenous movie we’ve seen in a long time

@oluwatitofolabi; I wish members of that committee can be interviewed and let them explain why a movie like this is not Oscars-worthy. I still can’t believe it was rejected for a good reason.

@Cielthewind; Nigeria destroys her best and its a shame

@kingafricana1; Fuck the Oscars.. That movie is world-class.

@kennytheultra; To hell with all the Nigeria Oscar selection committee..this is a top-notch movie to hell with them once one

Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer writes letter to Buhari, seeks release from Detention

Mike Ozekhome (SAN), one of the lawyers to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has written President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking ‘political solution’ to Nnamdi Kanu’s travails.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Kanu has been the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja since his arrest in Kenya in June 2021. Several court trials have not ensured his freedom.


In the letter dated October 3, Ozekhome hinged his petition on the need to seek a political solution to the IPOB leader. The letter, which has in copy Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice, asked President Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation to facilitate Kanu’s release as soon as possible.

“The petition is to humbly urge you to order the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu through a more productive political solution,” the letter partly read.

“You can do this by instructing the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to wiled his powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to enter a nolle prosequi.

“This will immediately halt the present restlessness and sits-at-home mantra currently ravaging the South East and paralysing business and normal life.

“Thank you, sir, as you attend to this lengthy petition promptly and right the current wrongs against Nnamdi Kanu by ordering his immediate and unconditional release.”

No more ‘Visa on Arrival’ for Nigerians landing in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government has reportedly placed a ban on visa on arrival for Nigerians.

Stakeholders said the ban which took effect on Tuesday October 4, would create some hiccups in travel to Ethiopia.

Daily Trust reported that the management of Ethiopian Airlines, the national airline of Ethiopia, had informed travel partners of the new development.

Prior to the said ban, the passengers travelling to Ethiopia or transiting through the country from Nigeria could easily obtain a visa on arrival (VOA) on getting to Bole International Airport, Addis-Ababa.

According to the publication, a memo sent by Ethiopian Airlines to travel partners read; 

“Please be informed that effective immediate No More Visa on Arrival for Nigerian citizens.

“Passengers are to obtain their visa at the Ethiopian Embassy in Abuja before traveling. Please note that: Passengers transiting overnight in Addis Ababa are not affected by the ban. E.g. passengers having layover in Addis to travel the next morning to Zanzibar, Seycheles, Lusaka, Lilongwe, Harare, Cape Town, etc are not affected by the ban and do not need transit visa for their trips.”

President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye however told the publication that the information she got from a senior official of Ethiopian Airlines was that the issue has not been confirmed.

A travel agent who spoke on the development said; 

“We are still studying the development. We have reached out to some officials of Ethiopian Airlines, though they did not deny it but they said it is not confirmed yet.”

See the Chinese vase that sold for nearly $9 million after bidding war

A Chinese vase worth €1,500-€2,000 (around $1,470-$1,960) at auction has sold for more than €9 million ($8.8 million) after a bidding war between collectors, according to a report by CNN.


The blue-and-white Tianqiuping vase was sold at the Osenat auction house in Fontainebleau, near Paris, France on Saturday, October 1, and achieved a final price of €9.121 million including fees, according to the Osenat company website.

The vase has a spherical body and a long cylindrical neck. It measures 21 x 16 inches and is decorated with dragons and clouds, according to the company’s listing. Tianqiuping vases are also known as “celestial sphere” vases because of their shape.

Chinese vase that sold for nearly $9 million


Jean-Pierre Osenat, president Osenat auction house said that the vase’s owner, who lives abroad, asked the auctioneer to sell it as part of a consignment of items taken from their late grandmother’s house in Brittany, northwestern France.


“It’s going to completely change their life,” said Osenat to CNN on Tuesday


 “It’s hard for them to come to terms with.”

Chinese vase that sold for nearly $9 million

The grandmother was a keen art collector and had owned the vase for 30 years, he said, adding that there were early signs of huge interest in the vase when dozens of people came to examine it during a pre-auction exhibition.


Around 300-400 people expressed an interest in bidding, before it was pruned to 30, all of whom had to pay a deposit to take part.

There were 15 telephone bidders and 15 present at the auction house, with 10 still bidding when the price passed the €5 million mark, Osenat said.

“It’s incredible,” he said, adding that his highest previous sale price came in 2007, when a sword used by Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo in 1800 fetched $6.4 million.


Collectors believed it was a very rare example of an 18th-century Tianqiuping vase despite bidding professionals at first thinking it was a 20th century art and not worth bidding for.

“I have faith in the hammer, which is to say that I think the law of supply and demand determines the market price,” he said. “The view of an expert can’t outweigh that of 300 people.”

Sometimes in auctions you might see two or three people who mistakenly believe an item is far more valuable than an expert has said, but not 300, Osenat said.


“I think the market has spoken,” he said, adding that he now believes the vase dates from the 18th century.

“IPOB members not terrorists” – Peter Obi

Presidential candidate of The Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi has dismissed claims that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is a terrorist group.

Obi, who made this assertion while in an interview with Channels Television, stated that IPOB members live around him and do not constitute a threat to the country.


He said, “The only thing I disagree with is naming IPOB terrorist; they are not terrorists. Those who took the decision may have information that I don’t have.

“I stay in Onitsha, and I can tell you that they are people. I pass them on the road every day.

“I meet and live with them; in fact, I usually see people gathering, and I have never had the sense of threat or molestation from them, even when they gather,” he said.

Obi maintained that IPOB members are not terrorists.

Recall that the Nigerian government had proscribed IPOB following the secessionist agitation actualization of Biafra.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, has fixed October 27 for judgement in the suit filed by the Leader of the IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu against the Federal Government.

Kanu in the suit filed on his behalf by his Special Counsel, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, is challenging his extraordinary rendition from Kenya by the agents of the Federal Government.

Twitter Drama between Elon Musk and Ukraine President

Billionaire, Elon Musk has shared a ‘peace plan’ for the Russia-Ukraine war to end. But his proposal was quickly met with backlash—including from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The world’s richest man and Tesla founder on Monday, October 3, suggested elections in the annexed regions under United Nations supervision. “Russia leaves if this is the will of the people,” he said.


He also said Crimea, the Ukranian city annexed by Russia in 2014 originally belonged to Russia until a ‘mistake’ by former Soviet Union premier, Nikita Khrushchev. He called for the Crimea to formally become part of Russia. 

Then, he said Crimea’s water supply should be assured. And lastly, he argued, Ukraine should remain neutral rather than joining NATO. 


Musk then shared a Twitter poll asking his followers to give their opinion on his suggestion.
 

“Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev’s mistake),”  He also opined that Ukraine should remain neutral and asked followers to reply with their recommendations in “yes and no”.

“This is highly likely to be the outcome in the end ‘ just a question of how many die before then,” Musk said. 


He added that the war could turn nuclear although it is unlikely.

Elon and Zelensky
Elon and Zelensky
Elon and Zelensky

Less than three hours after his first tweet, Zelensky responded to Musk with his own poll, mocking Musk’s plan. 

“Which @elonmusk do you like more?” Zelensky asked. The two choices? One who supports Ukraine, and one who supports Russia. 

Elon and Zelensky

Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, also piled on Musk in atypical fashion for a diplomat. “Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you,” he wrote. Melnyk later added that no Ukrainian would ever buy a Tesla, telling Musk “good luck.”

Elon and Zelensky

Musk, however, persisted. 

“Let’s try this then: the will of the people who live in the Donbas & Crimea should decide whether they’re part of Russia or Ukraine,” he wrote—asking his Twitter followers to answer either “yes” or “no.”

Elon and Zelensky

However, Times correspondent Christopher Miller replied to Musk’s tweet, referring to the Ukrainian Independence Referendum, when Ukrainians were asked to vote on the country’s independence

Elon and Zelensky

In March, Elon Musk had publicly challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a “single combat” for Ukraine. 

Taking to Twitter, the SpaceX CEO wrote, “I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat”.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of four regions- Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kheria and claimed “this is the will of millions of people

Nigeria Sues Facebook/Meta for Violation of Advertising Laws and Loss of Revenue

violation of the advertising laws and loss of revenue, seeks 30bn penalty

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria is suing Meta Platforms Incorporated (owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp platforms) and its agent AT3 Resources Limited]  for violation of the advertising laws and loss of revenue.

The suit was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division.

According to a statement on Tuesday by the apex regulatory body for Nigeria’s advertising ecosystem, ARCON is seeking a declaration among others that the continued publication and exposure of various advertisements directed at the Nigerian market through Facebook and Instagram platforms by Meta Platforms Incorporated without ensuring the same is vetted and approved before exposure is illegal, unlawful and a violation of the extant advertising Law in Nigeria.

ARCON stated that Meta Platforms Incorporated’s continued exposure of unvetted adverts had also led to loss of revenue to the Federal Government.

ARCON is seeking N30bn in sanction for the violation of the advertising laws and for loss of revenue as a result of Meta Incorporated’s continued exposure of unapproved adverts on its platforms.

The statement read in part, “ARCON reiterates that it would not permit unethical and irresponsible advertising on the Nigeria’s advertising space.”

According to ARCON, the Council is not regulating the online media space. Rather, it’s focus is on advertising and marketing communications on the online platforms in line with its establishment Act.

Worshippers admonished Rev. Mbaka on political rantings

Members of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) founded by Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, are in high spirits as the doors of the Catholic charismatic ministry are reopened again today.

Activities at the ministry were suspended indefinitely on June 18, 2022, by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Callistus Onaga, after he accused the Spiritual Director, Rev. Mbaka, of continuously violating the teachings and doctrines of the church.


In the letter of suspension, Onaga said that happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu were capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings.

“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.

“I enjoin all the Christian faithful to keep praying for Fr. Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal care and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles,” he stated.

The fiery priest’s suspension had attracted mixed reactions from both his followers and his critics alike.

Some people saw the bishop’s action as necessary and long overdue, so as to call the priest to order, while Mbaka’s teeming followers were of the opinion that his sermons were divinely inspired; and thus, Onaga was wrong to have suspended him.

However, the bishop has lifted the ban as confirmed by Mbaka via a Facebook post on Thursday, where he asked his followers to converge on the Umuchigbo, Iji Nike Adoration Ground today for a 10:00a.m Mass.

Since the announcement, members of the ministry have not hidden their excitement at the development.


One of them, Arinze Odo said: “We are grateful to God who is the most powerful. The adorers have not had it well since the closure of the Adoration Ministry. We are happy that our Daddy will be with us from Sunday, to continue his good work.”

Another member, Amaka Ikechukwu, said that he was excited when he heard the news, noting that, “we expect to receive the grace of God we normally get at the adoration ground.”

He urged all the adorers to be prayerful and have faith in God as the God of Adoration will meet their needs.

Mrs Chinenye Udeh said that she looked forward to the reopening of the ministry which she described as a source of spiritual strength for her.


Yet, Nnaemeka Okenwa said that he respects Fr. Mbaka and all the Catholic priests for holding onto their faith and place of calling.

According to him, the story would have been different if it were clerics from other hues. “If it were another church’s priest that controls the large crowd of faithful that Mbaka controls in the Adoration Ministry, they will use the bishop’s suspension as an opportunity to convert the ministry into their own church. Adoration Ministry shall be stronger again,” he enthused.

For one of the staunch members, a grandma, popularly known as Mummy Ezeyiim, there was no need to have shut the place at all even as she was overjoyed.

She said: “It has been a sad moment for us these past months of no Adoration, but I thank God for making them change their mind to lift the ban.


“However, I want to say that there was no need to close down or ban adoration, for we gather to worship God. Even if the leader, Fr. Mbaká did anything wrong, it should not warrant shutting down Adoration. You can’t stop people from worshipping God. We pray that such will not happen again.”

Another member of Adoration, Comfort Onuigbo, who runs a hair salon in New Haven, Enugu with the name ‘Nwa Jesus’ said that her joy knew no bounds knowing she would be at the Adorations ground this Sunday.

She said: “I am over-joyed, in fact, I have not even eaten today because I heard that Adoration will be reopened on Sunday. The joy in my heart cannot be quantified. You know since three months plus, we’ve not been to adoration and it has been very difficult and sad for me.

“God is using Nwa Mbakaogu there so much. Any day you come there, whatever Nwa Mbakaogu tells God to do for you, your heart desire, God will do it, but since it was closed it has been tough.

Why Peter Obi Is The Best Presidential Candidate – Ezekwesili

A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili has given reasons why the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi is better than other candidates contesting for the 2023 election.
She stated that though Obi has been in politics in the past as well, he represents a breath of fresh air compared to other front runners in the 2023 presidential race.


Ezekwesili made her view known while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

She submitted that Nigeria is suffering from bad leadership but the former Anambra State Governor represents a ray of hope for the country out of the bad leadership situation.

In her words, “somebody says to you between a cast of possible presidents that include the three frontrunners that we currently have – a possible President Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi – do you need anybody to tell you where you would be going? It would be an Obi.”

She added that though Obi also belongs to the political order in the country, he is still way ahead of other presidential candidates set to take part in the 2023 polls.

“Regardless of the fact that he comes from that particular political class that we are talking about, he still at least represents many more shapes than the other two top candidates (Atiku and Tinubu),” she added.

Ezekwesili then praised the youths of the country for their awakened interest in the political happenings in the country and described it as a good development.

She added that the re-awakening started with the famous #EndSARS protest in 2020.

“Sometimes, I just imagine what leadership will be in the country if they just listened (to youths),” she noted.

Mbappe currently the richest footballer

Kylian Mbappe, a forward for Paris Saint-Germain, has now passed both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the list of the richest footballers in the world.

Mbappe’s annual earnings have passed the £116m mark.


Messi and Ronaldo were listed as the two highest paid football players on Forbes’ annual list of wealthy athletes, which was released earlier this year.

However, that all looks set to change heading into 2023.

Robert Huth names clubs to finish Premier League top four this season
Manchester United’s Ronaldo (£104.9m) has dropped to second place, with Mbappe’s team-mate Messi (£102.1m) in third.

Ronaldo reportedly turned down an opportunity to join Saudi Arabian side, Al-Hilal this summer in a move that would have almost doubled his annual earnings.

A recently-signed bumper new deal at PSG means that Mbappe’s new status as the world’s richest footballer will come as a surprise to very few.

Update: US court postpones sentencing of alleged Scammer Hushpuppi

Hushpuppi trial suspended

A United States Central District Court in California has again, postponed the sentencing of alleged fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, for the fourth time.

According to a court’s notice obtained by Premium Times, the trial judge, Otis Wright, has fixed 7 November, 2022, as the new date to sentence Hushpuppi.

“COUNSEL ARE NOTIFIED, the Sentencing is CONTINUED to November 7, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. as to Defendant Ramon Olorunwa Abbas,” the court’s announcement shifting the sentencing read.

The sentence hearing was initially moved by Judge Wright from 14 February to 11 July before shifting it to 21 September and now 7 November.

Hushpuppi, 39, was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020 alongside 12 others over allegations bordering on hacking, impersonation, scamming, banking fraud, identity theft and was extradited to the US for prosecution.

His extradition to the United States had followed after the UAE police detailed his arrest in a special operation dubbed ‘Fox Hunt 2’, where he was accused of defrauding 1.9 million victims to the tune of N168billion. 

In July 2021, he agreed to plead guilty to the multi-million-dollar fraud charges slammed against him by the American government.

Abass thereafter entered into a plea bargain agreement with the U.S. government in July 2021, in the hope of getting a lighter punishment.

According to court documents, he risks 20 years imprisonment; a 3-year period of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offence. 

2nd Coup: Burkina Faso Military Junta leader flees to Togo after Coup

(220216) -- OUAGADOUGOU, Feb. 16, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba attends his swearing-in ceremony in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Feb. 16, 2022. Damiba was sworn in as the new president of Burkina Faso on Wednesday. (Burkina Faso's Presidency/Handout via Xinhua) - xinhua -//CHINENOUVELLE_XxjpbeE007736_20220216_PEPFN0A001/2202161826/Credit:CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/2202161830

Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba resigned from his position and fled to Togo on Sunday October 2, two days after army officers announced his ouster in a coup that sparked internal unrest and international condemnation.

Damiba’s departure was confirmed by two diplomats who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. It was not known whether Togo was his final destination.

Earlier on Sunday, religious leaders who had mediated between the factions said that Damiba had offered his resignation as long as his security and other conditions were met. A junta representative later announced on state television that their leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, officially has been named head of state following the Friday coup that ousted Damiba.

Their power grab marked Burkina Faso’s second military coup this year, deepening fears that the political chaos could divert attention from an Islamic insurgency whose violence has killed thousands and forced 2 million to flee their homes. It followed unrest in Ouagadougou, the capital, in which mobs on Saturday attacked the French Embassy and other French-related sites, wrongly believing that they were sheltering Damiba.

Along with agreeing not to harm or prosecute him, Damiba also asked Traore and the new junta leadership to respect the commitments already made to the West African regional bloc ECOWAS. Damiba, who came to power in a coup last January, to hold an election by 2024.

Traoré, who is 34, appears to have accepted the conditions and called for calm.

Over 129 people dead following stampede during a soccer match in Indonesia [VIDEO]

Soccer fans enter the pitch during a clash between supporters at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Panic following police actions left over 100 dead, mostly trampled to death, police said Sunday. (AP Photo/Yudha Prabowo)

At least 129 people are dead and 180 more injured, police say, after chaos and violence erupted late on Saturday following an Indonesian league soccer match between two of the nation’s biggest teams.

Supporters of Arema FC and rival Persebaya Surabaya clashed after home team Arema FC was defeated 3-2 at a match in the city of Malang in East Java.

Supporters from the losing team had “invaded” the pitch and police fired tear gas, triggering a stampede which led to cases of suffocation, East Java police chief Nico Afinta said during a press conference following the event.

“First of all, a riot happened,” Nico said.“It had gotten anarchic. They (the fans) started attacking officers, they damaged cars.”

Two police officers were among the dead and 180 people were also injured, the police chief said, adding that the crush occurred when fans fled for an exit gate.

Videos filmed from inside the stadium late into the night and shared on social media showed fans, dressed in red and blue, storming the field and clashing with Indonesian security forces, who appeared to be wearing riot gear.

Video footage broadcast on local news channels also showed images of body bags, Reuters reported.

stadium tragedy indonesia

Panic following police actions left over 100 dead, mostly trampled to death, police said Sunday.

Yudha Prabowo/AP

Smoke, which appeared to be tear gas, was also seen later in videos, with several people shown being carried into a building. The severity of their injuries remained unclear. Officials said that many had been admitted to nearby hospitals, suffering from “lack of oxygen and shortness of breath.”

According to Nico, when Arema FC lost 2-3 in the match against Persebaya Surabaya, their supporters stormed onto the field in anger.

Speaking to CNN affiliate CNN Indonesia, Sports and Youth Minister Zainudin Amali said he has asked for a full investigation into the tragedy to “determine the parties responsible.”

“I am coordinating with the national police chief and PSSI chairman and we will go directly to the stadium pitch in Malang,” he said.

‘Tarnishing the name of Indonesian football’

Located in East Java, the Kanjuruhan Stadium is used mostly for soccer matches and is estimated to hold up to 42,500 people.

While officials have not yet confirmed how many people were in attendance at the stadium during Saturday’s late night match, video footage and pictures taken by fans showed full stands of people.

There have been previous outbreaks of trouble at matches in Indonesia, with a strong rivalry between clubs sometimes leading to violence among supporters.

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has suspended matches next week as a result of the deadly tragedy, and banned Arema FC from hosting games for the rest of the season.

“PSSI regrets the actions of Aremania supporters at the Kanjuruhan Stadium,” the association’s chairman, Mochamad Iriawan, said in a statement issued on Sunday.

He added that the incident had “tarnished the face of Indonesian football” and they were supporting official investigations into the event.

“We are sorry and apologize to the families of the victims and all parties for the incident,” he said.

“For that PSSI immediately formed an investigation team and immediately left for Malang,” he added.

CNN reached out to FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, for a statement but did not immediately hear back.

Persebaya released a statement expressing their condolences, saying: “Persebaya’s big family expresses their deepest condolences for the loss of life after the Arema FC vs. Persebaya match. No life is worth football.”

“Alfatihah for the victims and may the family left behind be given fortitude.”

stadium tragedy indonesia

Security officers detain a fan during a clash between supporters of two Indonesian soccer teams at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, Indonesia.

Yudha Prabowo/AP

The Southeast Asian country is set to host the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2023. They are also one of three countries bidding to stage next year’s Asian Cup after China pulled out as hosts.

But criticism is now growing over the police’s handling of Saturday’s event. In a statement released on Sunday, watchdog group Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) called for accountability and the “removal” of Malang Police Chief Ferli Hidayat.

“This is the worst event in Indonesian soccer. The police chief should be ashamed and resign,” IPW said.

“The death toll must be thoroughly investigated and President Jokowi must pay attention,” it added.

Exiled Indonesia rights advocate Veronica Koman of Amnesty International condemned the police’s use of tear gas.

“This instance of abuse of tear gas by police is unlawful and amounts to torture,” she said.

“Tear gas is illegal in warfare – but why is it still legal for domestic use?”

Nigerian Billionaire drug baron who used his Lagos mansion to store 13 million Tramadol pills

The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency has released a photo of the billionaire drug baron who used his Lagos mansion to store 13 million tramadol pills. 

In a statement shared by the agency’s spokesperson Femi Babafemi, it was disclosed that the drug had a street value of N8.8billion. 

The drug baron identified as Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd and he was arrested barely two months after NDLEA uncovered a methamphetamine clandestine laboratory in the residence of another drug kingpin in the estate, Chris Emeka Nzewi.

The statement read; 

No less than Thirteen Million, Four Hundred and Fifty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty Six (13,451,466) pills of Tramadol 225mg worth Eight Billion Eight Hundred and Sixty Million Naira (N8,860,000,000) in street value have been recovered by operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, from one of the mansions of a billionaire drug baron, Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, in the highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, Lekki area of Lagos.

The arrest of Ugochukwu who is the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd is coming barely two months after NDLEA uncovered a methamphetamine clandestine laboratory in the residence of another drug kingpin in the estate, Chris Emeka Nzewi, who was arrested on Saturday 30th July along with a chemist, Sunday Ukah, who cooked the illicit drug for him. At least, 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for the production of the toxic drug were recovered from Nzewis home during his arrest.

Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday 30th September stormed the Plot A45 Road 2 home of the 52-year-old billionaire drug kingpin. A search of the expansive mansion led to the discovery of 443 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg, which contains 13, 451, 466 pills of the drug while some cartons were already burnt in a fire incident in the house same day.

Before his arrest, Ugochukwu who hails from Ihiala local government area of Anambra state has been on the Agencys watch list as one of those behind the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria. Preliminary investigation shows that he has about six mansions within the VGC, one of which he uses to warehouse the tramadol consignment, while he lives in the one at Plot Z-130 Road 67 and another as his office. Five exotic vehicles have also been located in two of his mansions, out of which two SUVs including a bullet jeep have been successfully removed to the Agencys facility.

Reacting to the latest drug haul, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men involved in the operation for their diligence while also appreciating Nigerians for supporting the Agency in its arduous task of ridding the country of the menace of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

According to him, Ill like to reassure Nigerians and other stakeholders wherever they are located across the country and beyond of our preparedness to work with them on this onerous task of saving our people from the drug scourge. This partnership is a further warning to the drug barons and cartels that there is no hiding place for them anymore, because we remain on their trail and well always get them.

Kim Kardashian fined $1.26m for cryptocurrency scam

American reality TV star, Kim Kardashian, had been fined $1.26 million for sharing a cryptocurrency advert on her Instagram page, without disclosing the amount she was paid for the promotion.

The United States Security and Exchange Commission charged the SKIMS founder to court after she promoted a crypto asset, EthereumMax, on her social media platform, ABC reports.

Kim is one of several celebrities named in a class-action lawsuit filed last January in a California U.S. District Court on behalf of investors who claim they lost money after the celebrities promoted the cryptocurrency.

In the lawsuit, the disgruntled plaintiffs claimed they had invested money in the cryptocurrency after “viewing numerous celebrity endorsements of EMAX.”

According to the SEC, Kardashian failed to disclose that she was paid $250,000 to publish a post about EMAX tokens, a crypto asset security offered by EthereumMax.

While the case is still ongoing, Kardashian has agreed to settle to the tune of $1.26 million.

The commission stated in its Monday announcement that Kim’s settlement includes the payment she received for promoting the cryptocurrency as well as a $1 million fine.

In addition, the business mogul agreed to refrain from promoting any crypto asset securities for the next three years.

A statement shared by Kim’s lawyer to ABC News stated that the billionaire had chosen to settle in order to avoid “a protracted dispute”.

The release read in part, “Ms. Kardashian is pleased to have resolved this matter with the SEC. Kardashian fully cooperated with the SEC from the very beginning and she remains willing to do whatever she can to assist the SEC in this matter.

“She wanted to get this matter behind her to avoid a protracted dispute. The agreement she reached with the SEC allows her to do that so that she can move forward with her many different business pursuits.”

2nd Niger Bridge to be operational by Christmas

The Nigerian government disclosed that the Second Niger Bridge is to be operational by Christmas.

They stated that the first phase of the bridge’s construction is 95% complete, which is a 1.6km route.

This was disclosed by the acting controller of works in Anambra, Mr. Seyi Martins in Awka on Monday.

What he said:

He noted that media reports that the project would be ready by 2024 are false, stating, it would be ready by Christmas.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is determined to ensure that travelers enjoy stress-free motoring over the River Niger, he added

“The first phase of the project, which was the bridge itself, is substantially completed.

“The bridge project is 95% complete and it is expected to be ready by December 2022.

“The steel guard rails are complete, the roads are set for vehicle traffic; the toll plaza area is almost completed, and what is left is the installation of toll booth canopies,” he said.

He noted that the bridge could be accessed from the interchange at Obosi on the Onitsha-Owerri road and that a road was being constructed to connect traffic on the Asaba-Benin expressway after the second phase, which he added, “The second phase of the project is yet to commence, but the government has deemed it fit that upon completion of the first phase it will be open to traffic.

“At the Onitsha end, there is an interchange at Obosi along the Onitsha – Owerri highway where you can access the bridge.

“On the Asaba end, there is a link road we are constructing to enable travelers to access the bridge from Benin-Onitsha road,” he said

What you should know

  • Nairametrics reported earlier this year that Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, Fashola said that 1,486 people have been directly employed by the N206 billion Second Niger Bridge project, with another 8,110 indirect jobs equally created.
  • He put the cost of the 3 major PIOF projects at N1.3 million. These projects and their various costs include the 375km Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway estimated at N797 billion; the 11.59km Second Niger Bridge at N206 billion and the 127km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at N310 billion naira.

 

[Nairametrics]

INEC, Nigeria To Monitor Campaign Spending, Hate Speech

Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has spoken about the highly anticipated 2023 elections,

The INEC on Thursday assured that it will monitor compliance with the limits on campaign spending by political parties under the Electoral Act.

This is as the commission said it will monitor compliance to ensure that parties shun abusive language likely to provoke a breach of the peace during the electioneering campaigns.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made this known in his goodwill message at the signing of the Peace Accord for peaceful campaign organiser by the National Peace Committee in Abuja.

Yakubu noted that commitment to peaceful and issue-based electioneering campaigns should resonate beyond the 18 Party Chairmen and Presidential candidates.

He advised political parties to abide by the letter and spirit of the Peace Accord, urging the parties to convey the message of peace to their candidates, members and supporters across the country for compliance.

The Chairman said “Today, the NPC is taking another giant step by inviting parties and candidates to commit to peaceful electioneering campaigns. This is important considering the connection between peaceful campaigns on the one hand and peaceful and credible elections on the other, The Commission appreciates the positive role of the NPC in the progressive improvement of our elections in Nigeria.

“The Electoral Act 2022 provides for campaigns in public by political parties to commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day. Accordingly, a campaign by political parties for the 2023 General Election officially commenced yesterday Wednesday 28th September 2022. This will continue until 24 hours before polling day i.e. 23rd February 2023 for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) and 9th March 2023 for State elections (Governorship and Houses of Assembly).

“The implication is that for the next 148 days, political parties, candidates and their supporters are free to traverse the country holding meetings, rallies, processions and door-to-door campaigns. They will grant interviews, sponsor indoor and outdoor advertisements and publish other campaign materials. This is often a delicate period characterized by excitement and anxiety.

“In line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and in our determination to play our role as a regulator, the Commission will vigorously monitor compliance to ensure that parties shun abusive, intemperate or slanderous language as well as insinuations or innuendoes likely to provoke a breach of the peace during the electioneering campaigns. Similarly, the Commission will also closely monitor compliance with the limits on campaign spending under the Electoral Act. There are sanctions provided by law. Political parties and candidates should study and familiarise themselves with the electoral legal framework to avoid any infraction of the law and the unhappy consequences that will follow any act of misdemeanor.

“The 2023 General Election will be conducted for 1,491 constituencies nationwide made up of one Presidential constituency, 28 Governorship elections, 109 Senatorial Districts, 360 Federal constituencies, and 993 State Assembly constituencies. Every constituency is important. Every election is important. Therefore, the commitment to a peaceful and issue-based electioneering campaign should resonate beyond the 18 Party Chairmen and Presidential candidates present here today. It is not enough to simply sign the Peace Accord. What is more important is to abide by its letter and spirit. You should similarly pass the message to all your candidates, members, and supporters across the country for compliance. This will be your own way of showing appreciation for the work of the NPC and an affirmation of your contribution to electoral peace in Nigeria.”

“My heart is heavy, pray for me” – Tonto Dikeh cries out

Nollywood actress and politician, Tonto Dikeh, has taken to social media to call for prayers, admitting that she is struggling with a heavy heart.

In a quite disturbing post on her Instagram page on Thursday afternoon, the deputy governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) asked the public to pray for her.

According to her, her heart is so heavy and she’s not ashamed to admit that she needs the prayers and love from everyone at this time.

“I don’t ask for nothing at all.. Not ashamed to say I need you all, If you got a minute say a quite prayer for me. My hearts so heavy, Thanks”, she wrote.

Reacting to the post, concerned fans and followers trooped to the comments to express their concern and drop words of encouragement for the mother of one.

Tonto Dikeh shines

See her post below,

This comes after Tonto Dikeh took to social media to express regret after a mother whom she refused to help for the medical treatment of her ailing son lost the child.

The politician revealed the mother had sent her an Instagram DM a while ago asking for financial help for the treatment of her child who was sick, but she ignored the message because of her past experiences with people.

According to the mother of one, she refused to help the troubled mother because she thought it was a scam, as she had recently fallen victim to a scammer who used the same pity story to get almost half a million naira from her.

Sadly, she got news that the woman’s son had died, apparently due to lack of medical care, and she now regrets not helping the woman.

Queen Elizabeth II’s cause of death revealed on her death certificate

The cause of death of the former ruler of Britain, Queen Elizabeth II has been revealed.

According to her death certificate, it was stated that the monarch died of old age.

Queen Elizabeth II died, aged 96, at Balmoral surrounded by members of the royal family earlier this month.

The document, which was released by National Records of Scotland on Thursday September 29, states that the late monarch passed away at Balmoral Castle near Ballater on September 8, 2022,  at 3:10 p.m.

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband of 73 years who died at age 99 in April 2021, also died of old age, according to his death certificate.

The Royal Family released a statement informing the public of Her Majesty’s passing.

The statement said, “The Queen passed away peacefully this afternoon at Balmoral. The King and the Queen Consort will spend this evening and tomorrow in Balmoral before flying back to London.

She ascended to the throne after her father, King George VI, passed away on February 6, 1952, while touring Australia and New Zealand with her late husband, Prince Philip. She was King George VI’s eldest daughter.

On February 6, the monarch with the longest reign in the country celebrated her historic Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years as head of state.

She was crowned at the age of 27 the following year during her coronation. During her amazing reign, she traveled more than any previous queen and became one of the most adored personalities on the earth.

15 different prime ministers have served throughout her reign. 

King Charles, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex are her four surviving children.

Anambra Govt bans transport unions and touts from motor parks

Anambra State Government has banned the activities of transport unions and also sacked touts from motor parks in the state.

In a statement released by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Paul Nwosu on Thursday September 29, it was stated that only government-accredited agents are entitled to now collect tolls at the parks.

According to Nwosu, security reports indicated that those masquerading under the names of such unions orchestrate breakdown of law and order in the state.

Motor park touts were asked to register in their various localities for government-sponsored training and life-supporting skills.

The statement read; 

 “In the light of the above and in order to forestall breakdown of law and order, the state government hereby suspends all tricycle and shuttle bus unions in the state with immediate effect for six months, pending further investigations and possible harmonisation of the unions which shall have a leadership known to, and recognised by, the state
government.

“Consequent on this and as a follow up to government’s recent consultation with the direct representatives of tricycle and shuttle bus operators, the government has considered their plea and decided to offer them a convenient payment option and other fringe benefits that could add value to their well-being.

“Tricycle operators now have the option of paying N4,000 weekly or N15,000 monthly. However, tricycle operators in the eight local government areas affected by curfew will pay N3,000 weekly or N12,000 monthly. They will revert to the normal rates of N4,000 weekly or N15,000 monthly as soon as the curfew is lifted.

“Shuttle bus operators will pay N5,000 weekly or N20,000 monthly. But because of the ASUU strike that resulted in the closure of universities, NANS shuttle bus will pay N2,500 weekly or N10,000 monthly. This group will also revert to the normal rates of N5,000 weekly or N20,000 monthly as soon as the strike is called off. Taxi will pay N4,375 weekly or N17,500 monthly. The Township buses will pay N5,000 weekly or N20,000 monthly. Mini truck and Pickup will pay N5,000 weekly or N20,000 monthly respectively. Intra-state will pay N6,250 weekly or N25,000 monthly.

“Loading and offloading in government (public) parks will now be free. Moving forward, every compliant commercial vehicle driver will get a free health insurance cover that would enable the insured to have access to basic health and emergency services in any Anambra State hospital.

“Government wishes to reiterate its ban on touts (agboro) and cult groups that are used to enforce illegal collection of tolls and taxes. Only government-accredited agents are entitled to collect tolls. Alternatively, the commercial vehicle operator could go and pay at any of the banks or any Anambra State Internal Revenue Service pay-point nearest to him.”

Kylian Mbappe not in good terms with Neymar in the PSG team

A new report has revealed the deteriorating relationship between PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.


L’Equipe reports that the pair’s relationship ‘has gone from cool to polar’ this season in a serious threat to the team’s harmony.

The reports claims Mbappe, 23, who signed a new bumper contract this summer to keep him at the club – reportedly does not want the Brazilian in the side at all, while 30-year-old Neymar ‘has been left astonished by the influence Mbappe has been given.’

Kylian Mbappe not in good terms with Neymar

It added that Mbappe would not have opposed the sale of Neymar, who has been with the French champions since 2017, over the summer as the new football advisor Luis Campos reshaped the squad.


However, that departure did not happen and Neymar has become convinced that Mbappe was a driving force in trying to persuade the management to sell him.


The report adds that the two players put on smiles in public and celebrate goals together to pretend everything is fine but behind the scenes things have reportedly turned very frosty.

Lionel Messi has been acting as something of a mediator to keep PSG’s season on course, L’Equipe report.

Just in August, there was an argument between the pair over a penalty during PSG’s win over Montpellier . 


Mbappe had missed a penalty earlier in the game and thought he would have a second chance when PSG were awarded another one.

However, Neymar took over and converted from 12 yards. Mbappe would later score a goal but refused to celebrate, which frustrated his team-mates.


Mbappe, speaking after France’s win over Austria, said: ‘I have a lot more freedom here [with France]. In Paris, it’s different, there isn’t that. I am asked to do the pivot, it is different.’


Neymar, after Brazil beat Ghana in Le Havre, was questioned about relations with Mbappe. He replied ‘with Kylian?’ and then left the interview area.


There was an on-pitch row between the pair over penalty duties during PSG’s 5-2 win over Montpellier in August.

Father Mbaka’s suspension lifted

Enugu Catholic Diocese has lifted the ban which stopped all priests and Catholic faithfuls from attending the Adoration Ministry, Enugu led by the controversial priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka. 

Recall that Bishop of the Diocese, Most. Rev. Callistus Onaga had on June 18, 2022 pronounced the indefinite ban in a letter he personally signed to all clerics, religious and lay faithful, stopping all Catholic faithful and clergy in the diocese from having anything to do with the Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry.

The ban was pronounced after Mbaka’s scathing remarks against Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi. 

The Nation reported that three months after, Director of communications of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi confirmed that the ban has been lifted. 

He said, henceforth, masses would begin to hold at The Adoration Ground.

 “I can confirm to you that the ban has been lifted. That’s the situation now. There’ll be Mass there beginning from this Sunday and subsequent Sundays”. he said

Mbaka who also confirmed the development, said; 

“Dear Adorers,

“To the glory of God, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria Amen, starts on Sunday 2nd October, 2022 with 10am Mass at the Adoration ground Umuchigbo Iji Nike Emene Enugu State.

“God bless you miraculously as you come to worship God with us.

“Rev Fr, Ejike Mbaka”.

Russian Govt. recognises Independence of 2 Ukraine Regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, according to presidential decrees issued late on Thursday, September 29.

“I order the recognition of the state sovereignty and independence” of the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, located in southern Ukraine, Putin said in the decrees, as Russia prepares to formalise the annexation of the two regions, along with Donetsk and Lugansk on Friday.

The two regions are set to be incorporated into Russia along with the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk at a lavish ceremony in the Kremlin on Friday after hastily-organised referendums in the Russian-occupied regions, which claimed majorities of up to 99 percent in favour of joining Russia. Putin recognised the ‘independence’ of Donetsk and Luhansk in February.

Kyiv said that the annexation votes will not stop their armed forces from trying to retake its illegally stolen land, vowing a ‘harsh’ response. For its part, Russia pledges to defend all its territory including newly annexed regions by all available means, including nuclear weapons. 

President Joe Biden pledged that the US will never recognise Russia’s claims on Ukraine’s sovereign territory, while United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that if Russia moves ahead with its plans to annex the four Ukrainian regions, it will mark a ‘dangerous escalation’.

It comes amid allegations of sabotage of two Russian pipelines on the Baltic Sea floor that were designed to feed natural gas to Europe.

James Rowe quits AFC Fylde 24 hours after being charged with sexual assault

James Rowe has resigned as manager of National League club AFC Fylde  24 hours after being charged with sexual assault. 

A Fylde statement said: “Following a meeting this afternoon, the board have accepted James Rowe’s resignation as manager of the club. Andy Taylor will take temporary charge until a new manager is appointed.”

Rowe left his previous job at Chesterfield in February following an allegation of sexual indecency, which he denied, before being appointed by Fylde the following month.

Derbyshire Police confirmed on Wednesday that a 39-year-old man had been charged with sexual assault and is due to appear before magistrates at Chesterfield Justice Centre next month. 

Derbyshire Police said in a statement on Wednesday: “A man has been charged with sexual assault.

“In January this year, officers received a report of a man having sexually assaulted a woman in Chesterfield, with the offence alleged to have taken place in November 2021.

“James Rowe, 39, of Breaston, in Derby, has now been charged and is due to appear before magistrates at Chesterfield Justice Centre on Monday, November 7.”

The alleged offence occurred last November when Rowe was Chesterfield’s manager.

Sportsmail also revealed that Chesterfield wrote a ‘letter of concern’ to the FA after Rowe was appointed at Fylde, in which they claimed no-one at the club had approached them for references.

After appointing Rowe Fylde chairman David Haythornthwaite said: “We have done our due diligence on James, and while it is clear he is no shrinking violet, we are confident that James will bring a winning mentality to the club.”

Karim Benzema picks up 3 awards at Marca 2022

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 28: Karim Benzema receives the MVP of the fans, Alfredo Di Stefano and Top Scorer Pichichi trophies during the Gala of the MARCA Football Awards 2022 celebrated at Goya Theater on September 28, 2022, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 via Getty Images)

Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema has picked up three awards at Marca 2022.

The forward, who scored 44 goals in all competitions last season, picked up the LaLiga Santander Pichichi Trophy, the Di Stefano Trophy and the Hyundai Supporters’ MVP Trophy at the Goya Theatre.

Speaking after the event, Benzema, who also won the Champions League and LaLiga with Real Madrid last season, told Marca he was was ‘very proud’ to be recognised for his work, but was quick to state he is hungry to carry on scoring as he looks for even more major achievements. 

Real Madrid star, Karim Benzema?picks up three awards at Marca 2022 after netting 44 times last season

‘I feel very proud of my work,’ he said. ‘I think this year is going to be a difficult year. I always want to do more.

‘I’m going to try and do more, that includes winning LaLiga, scoring a lot of goals and most importantly, enjoying myself on the pitch.’
 

‘It’s a very important trophy for me, thanks to my team-mates,’ Benzema added.

‘Without them I wouldn’t be here today. Thanks to the fans, the club and the president.

‘Every year is different, every year our rivals want to win LaLiga and let’s see what happens this year.

It is the first time the France forward has won the Pichichi trophy, which is awarded to La Liga’s top goalscorer each season.

Benzema has been out of action for nearly a month after picking up an injury in Real Madrid’s Champions League game against Celtic earlier this month.

But, speaking to AS via Football Espana, the 34-year-old disclosed that he is ready to return to the team for their fixture against Osasuna on Sunday.

He said: ‘I am happy to return to the team. I have spent time doing and I have had time to do a preseason. 

‘I feel very good, comfortable. I am looking forward to playing on Sunday.’ 

Old Video of Omokri praising & endorsing Peter Obi hits internet surfaces

An old video of Mr. Reno Omokri, the Special Assistant on New Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan, endorsing the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi, has popped up on the internet.

In the video, Mr. Omokri was seen describing Mr. Peter Obi as “the best president of Nigerian origin”.

He also said: “Peter Obi will absolutely make a fabulous president.

Peter OBI
Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi

“If Peter Obi will be made the president of Nigeria, then Nigeria will become just like Dubai in a matter of years,” he added.”

An observer lamented that after speaking so glowing about the Labour Party flag-bearer, Omokri is today one of those castigating him online simply because he was hired as an “attack dog” by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

See Video:

Nigeria declares Monday as it is celebrates its 62 years!

The Federal Government on Wednesday declared Monday, October 3, 2022, as a public holiday to mark the nation’s 62nd Independence anniversary celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated all Nigerians on this year’s celebration.

Aregbesola in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, assured of government’s commitment to tackling all the challenges facing the nation and bringing smiles to the faces of all the people, reiterating the eminent position of Nigeria in the comity of nations and the greatness ahead of the country.

He said “The world is going through dire economic and security challenges which have also affected our nation. However, I am assuring us all that the government will not abandon the people, but will continue to confront all these challenges with all the might at our disposal until respite comes our way.


“Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope. If we can rally ourselves together to harness our potential, we shall be the greatest nation on the earth.


“A country of over 200 million people whose natural talents, grit and passion glitter like the precious diamond that we are; Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in academia, science and technology, business, innovation, music, entertainment, fashion or culture.”


The Minister admonished Nigerians to use the occasion of the celebration to reflect on the challenges facing the nation and the role individuals can play in addressing them.

While wishing Nigerians a memorable independence celebration, he reminded them of the fact that the founding fathers, in spite of the differences in faith, tribe and tongue, still came together for Nigeria’s independence.

He stated “Though our nation is going through challenges, especially on security, these challenges are temporary and do not define us. We are defined by the greatness of the Nigerian people in our diversity, strength, ingenuity and resilience.

“We shall overcome all the challenges. A time is coming when we shall look at this period in retrospect and give thanks to the most high for the stormy waters we have waded through and the triumphs we have recorded over the challenges that look so huge and gargantuan today,”


The minister however urged Nigerians to shun violence of any kind and be security conscious, asking them to report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest security agency and through the N-Alert application on Android and IOS, saying “when you see something do N-Alert for prompt response from security agents”.

Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife McKenzie Scott files for divorce from her second husband

MacKenzie Scott and her husband, Dan Jewett, a former science teacher, are going their separate ways less than two years after getting married.

Scott married Seattle-based science teacher Dan Jewett last year after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019.

Scott’s marriage to Jewett, a former teacher at her children’s school, has now ended 

Ms. Scott filed a petition for divorce in the King County Superior Court in Washington State on Monday, September 26, 2022, according to a copy of the filing.

In 2021, McKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett announced their marriage through a message on their webpage for the Giving Pledge, a philanthropic organization which encourages the world’s richest people to give away a majority of their wealth to charitable causes.

Scott has given away billions of dollars as part of a plan to donate a majority of her fortune.

“I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know — and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others,” Jewett wrote in his message on Giving Pledge in 2021. “I look forward to the growth and learning I have ahead as a part of this undertaking with MacKenzie.”

But Jewett’s message seemed to have disappeared from the Giving Pledge site and his name was recently edited out of a Medium post Ms. Scott had written last year about their gifts, The Timesreported Wednesday, September 28.

Scott also deleted Jewett from her author bio on Amazon, according to theNYT.

Naira hits N735 per Dollar as Political campaign kick

The dollar hit N735 in the parallel market on Wednesday as political campaign activities began in the country.

According to Bureau De Change operators in Lagos and Abuja, dollar price had increased from N718 – N720 to N728-N735 in the last one week.

A BDC operator at Amuwo-Odofin in Lagos, Bala Usman, said, “It is N728. I can’t go less than that.”

Another operator, Abubakar Jamiu, at Zone 4, Abuja, told the PUNCH, “Dollar don cost, we are selling at N730, no more no less.”

But the dollar rate hit N735 by the close of Wednesday.

An operator in Lagos Island, Mallam Zakari, said that dollar rate had surged to N735 as at 4:54pm.

“Dollar is N735 and I will buy it for N731. Yesterday, we sold N728.”

However, at the Importers and Exporters Window, rate still hovered around N430/$.

The dollar-naira exchange rate was N431.19 as of Tuesday.

Analysyts said the naira had weakened in the parallel market due to increased speculations, falling external reserves, and low foreign exchange inflows.

Donald Trump fortune has increased to $3.2 billion – Forbes

Donald Trump’s net worth has increased since leaving office in January of last, according to Forbes.

The outlet’s annual wealth tracker calculated the former president’s net worth to be $3.2 billion, $700 million more than it was in September 2021. It’s the most Trump has been worth since he became president. 

Forbes estimated his value to be $3.7 billion in 2016 and fell by more than a billion in 2020 and 2021, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the global economy.

The September 2022 figure earns Trump back his spot on the coveted Forbes 400 list at number 343.

Trump was edged off of the list last year, the first time in 25 years that he was not included.

The news comes a week after the state of New York filed a lawsuit against him, his three eldest children, and their real estate empire for alleged fraudulent business practices.

New York Attorney General Letitia James accused the Trump Organization and its four Trump family executives of deliberately using misleading financial statements, inflating property prices by billions, to obtain favorable deals.

His Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida, for instance, was valued at a hefty $739 million. James’ office claims it should have been valued at $75 million. 

James also accused Trump of claiming his Manhattan penthouse was three times larger than its actual size and valuing it at nearly $330 million.

‘To this date, no other apartment in New York City has ever sold for that much,’ the prosecutor said.

The record for New York City’s most expensive home real estate purchase belongs to 220 Central Park South, according to the Hollywood Reporter, where a hedge fund billionaire paid $238 million for a four-level penthouse in 2019.

The majority of Trump’s 2022 net worth is real estate. He’s estimated to have $880 million in New York City real estate alone.

His properties outside of the Big Apple are worth an estimated $290 million, while his golf clubs and resorts are valued at $740 million.

Trump’s social media and brand business also makes up a significant chunk of his net worth at $790 million.

The former president ventured into the social media c-suite earlier this year with the launch of his own platform, Truth Social. He created it after being kicked off of Facebook and Twitter following last year’s attack on the US Capitol.

The company behind it, Trump Media & Technology Group, is his ‘single most valuable asset’ by Forbes. It’s valued at $730 million. 

According to the outlet’s estimate, he owns an 80 percent share.

See Putin’s newly mobilized and unfit men being sent to fight in Ukraine

Humiliating pictures have emerged showing newly mobilized soldiers being sent to the war in Ukraine as Moscow continues to lose ground on the battlefield.


Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 extra soldiers to the frontline and in a frenzied bid to stop his army collapsing amid Ukraine’s lightning counterattack, he appears to have picked civilians with little training to go to war.



Pictures from Sevastopol in Crimea have emerged showing the new recruits clutching shiny new weapons but many of the men appeared old and not in the top physical shape usually associated with fighters as they paraded in Nakhimov Square.
 

putin s unfit men


The mobilised men are reportedly expected to receive only two weeks of training before being shipped off to Ukraine – compared to the six months minimum training, any professional army undertakes before deployment to a battlefield.
 

Russia invaded its neigbor Ukraine on February 24 claiming it wanted to rid the country of neo-nazis and change its government in Kyiv. It has failed so far in its plan to topple Ukranian leadership and President Putin recently threatened use of nuclear weapons as he continues to falter in his battle of the Southern and Eastern region of Ukraine known as the Donbass .

Russia claims Victory in the annexed Ukrainian Territory

A man casts his ballot during a referendum in Luhansk, Luhansk People's Republic controlled by Russia-backed separatists, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Voting began Friday in four Moscow-held regions of Ukraine on referendums to become part of Russia. (AP Photo)

Russia has claimed victory in referendums organized in Russian occupied regions of Ukraine, giving it grounds to annex more territory.

Moscow-installed officials in the occupied regions on Wednesday, September 28 announced total support to join the Russian federation with people living in the occupied regions among those who took part in the disputed votes.

The votes were held in the breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.


Ballots in Russian-occupied parts of the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were also organized.


Up to four million people were asked to vote in the war-torn regions, which make up about 15% of Ukraine’s territory.

Russia claims Victory in the annexed Ukrainian Territory


The polls were denounced as a sham by Ukraine’s government and its allies and in the absence of international recognition, the process was not monitored independently.

Kremlin backed news agencies in Donetsk and Luhansk are reporting that up to 99.23% of people voted in favour of joining Russia.


This comes as reports emerge that Russian President Vladimir Putin may announce the four regions’ annexation in a speech to a joint session of Russia’s parliament on Friday.


In March 2014, Putin announced that Crimea had joined Russia just a few days after a similarly unrecognised referendum was held there.


President Putin defended the referendums, saying they were designed to stop the persecution of ethnic Russians and Russian-speakers by Ukraine – a charge the Ukrainian government denies.


If Russia annexes the four regions, which Moscow does not fully control, it could take the war to a new and more dangerous level, with Moscow portraying any attempt by Ukraine to regain them as an attack on its sovereign territory.


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “brutally violating the UN statute” by trying to annex territories seized by force.


“This farce in the occupied territory cannot even be called an imitation of referendums,” he said on Tuesday night.


The president added that it was “a very cynical attempt to force men in the occupied territory of Ukraine to mobilise into the Russian army in order to send them to fight against their own homeland!”

The UK responded to the dham referendums with new sanctions targeting top Russian officials involved in enforcing the votes.


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that the West would never recognise Russian annexations, warning the Kremlin of “additional swift and severe costs”.


French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who on Tuesday visited Ukraine, described the polls as a “masquerade”.

How Africans can apply for UK health care worker’s visa

For Nigerians planning to relocate to the United Kingdom and work as a Healthcare Assistant, here are the steps to follow and complete the application process.

Though, the whole process isn’t stress free but very easy if one carefully follow the steps and instructions meticulously.

WHO IS A HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT?

A Healthcare Assistant is also (or used to be) known as a Nursing Assistant or Auxiliary Nurse in the UK. They provide care to patients in hospitals or other medical settings under the watch of a professional, and they work closely with patients to help aid their recovery, comfort and safety.

YOU WILL NEED THESE QUALIFICATIONS

If you’re from Nigeria and you want to work in the UK as a Healthcare Assistant, you don’t necessarily need loads of qualifications because most of the care giving jobs come with on-the-job training and close supervision.

But you have an added advantage if you have either of the following:

1. Care Certificate (can be gotten from HEE – Health Education England approved training organization in the UK)

2. Diploma in Health and Social Care

3. GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) at grades 9-4 (A to C)

4. WAEC or SSCE can serve as equivalent Healthcare qualifications

Apart from the above listed items that some employers expect, there are no mandatory requirements for a Healthcare Assistant position.

YOU WILL NEED HEALTH AND CARE WORKER VISA

To work in the UK as a Nigerian, you definitely need a visa. From the various types of visas available. The best visa for this role is the “Health and Care Worker visa”, under the skilled worker visa, which was formerly categorized as Tier 2 visa.

A Health and Care Worker visa permits medical professionals to go to or stay within the UK to work in adult social care, with the NHS or an NHS supplier.

This means that you are to look out for Healthcare Assistant roles in the NHS, NHS suppliers (organizations providing medical services to the NHS) or in adult social care then your potential employers could be hospitals, nursing homes, and companies that provide in-home healthcare.

YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS FOR YOUR VISA APPLICATION

Your certificate of sponsorship reference number (your employer will give it to you)

1. Proof of your knowledge of English

2. A valid passport or any document that shows your identity and nationality

3. Your job title and annual salary

4. Your job’s occupation code (6141 – for nursing auxiliaries and assistants)

5. The name of your employer and their sponsor licence number (this should be on your certificate of sponsorship)

6. Ask your employer for your certificate of sponsorship if you don’t have one.

HOW LONG DOES YOUR VISA LAST?

The visa can last for up to five years considering the number of years you pay for when making your application. You ought to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you get another job or employer.

YOU WILL NEED EXPERIENCE

To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you are likely to need to be:

1. A doctor

2. A nurse

3. A health care provider

4. An adult social care professional

5. Work in a health or social care job

YOU WILL NEED A JOB OFFER

Before you can qualify for a visa you will need a confirmed job offer, plus a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from a UK employer with information about the role you’ve been offered within the UK. The minimum salary scale and confirmation that the job offer is from an approved UK employer

YOU WILL NEED YOUR EMPLOYER TO BE APPROVED.

Approved employers are also regarded as sponsors, because they’re sponsoring you to go to or stay within the UK.

An approved employer has been approved by the UK immigration/Home Office. Your employer needs to apply for a sponsor licence if they are not currently approved by the UK home office and they meet the eligibility requirements. They will need to pay a fee of £536 for small businesses and charities and £1,476 for medium and large organisations. It normally takes around 8 weeks to process a licence application.

YOU WILL NEED A CERTIFICATE OF SPONSORSHIP

If you already have an employment offer then they (your sponsor) will make sure you meet the eligibility requirements.They’ll offer you a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ so that you can prove this.

The certificate of sponsorship isn’t a physical document but an electronic record. It’ll have a reference number, which you will need for your visa application. You have to apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.

YOU WILL NEED KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH

You need to prove your knowledge of English language when you apply. You must prove you know how to read, write, speak and understand English to a minimum of level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

YOU WILL NEED MONEY

When you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa, you would need to pay an application fee of £232 if you’ll be in the UK for up to 3 years, or £464 if you’ll be in the UK for more than 3 years.

You will need to have a minimum of £1,270 in your bank account to prove that you can support yourself for a month when you arrive the UK.

Alternatively, if your employer can support you, your certificate of sponsorship must confirm it.

NOTES: PARTNERS AND CHILDREN

If you have a partner and/or children then you will need to also comply with a set of demands that need satisfying in that respect. Applicant will get to know the details as soon as he/she begins the application.

OTHER DOCUMENTS YOU MIGHT NEED

You might also be asked to provide proof that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK, for example bank statements (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your employer can support you)

Proof of your relationship with your child(ren) or partner if they’re applying with you. A tuberculosis test result. You need $150 for your test and $60 for your dependent (below 11 years old) from International Organization For Migration (IOM) in Lagos or Abuja.

A criminal record certificate (if you’ve lived in more than one country you have to provide a certificate from each country you’ve lived in). If you’re under 28, you’ll need a certificate from any country you’ve resided in for a period of 12 months or more since you turned 18.

If you’re over 27, you’ll need a certificate from any country you’ve resided in over the last 10 years. Your unique UK NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) reference number if your qualification is from outside the UK (you’ll need to apply for this through the UK NARIC visas and Nationality Service). An unused page in your passport for your visa

However, if you feel you might get stuck or make mistake, seek professional help from a VISA processing agency.Try to ensure that all details provided are accurate to avoid clash of information because the UK Home Office will use the personal information you provide to decide whether to grant your application and they may also share your information with other public and private sector organisations in the UK and overseas.

––

Fact! Sadness shortens your lifespan, research finds

Scientists have found that unhappiness may shorten one’s life more than smoking.

Data from 12,000 Chinese adults revealed that having a poor mental state, resulting from feeling lonely, hopeless and having restless sleep, can shave more than a year and a half off the average lifespan.

Scientists say their research, which was published on Tuesday September 27, in the journal Ageing, shows that mental health is just as important as physical health.

The US-China team made the discovery while investigating a new AI “ageing clock” trained on biological sex, blood markers, biometric data and biological age of the participants of a major population study.

The clock worked backwards to estimate the specific contributions of different variables to ageing.

Lead author Dr Fedor Galkin said: “Ageing acceleration was detected in people with a history of stroke, liver and lung diseases, smokers, and most interestingly, people in a vulnerable mental state.

“In fact, feeling hopeless, unhappy, and lonely was shown to increase one’s biological age more than smoking.”

While smoking cut lifespans by an estimated 1.25 years, unhappiness and other psychological factors cut lifespans by 1.65 years, or one year and eight months.

The team linked other psychosocial variables, like being single or living in a rural area, to shorter lifespans. But their effect was much smaller.

Although the research itself is relatively new, it chimes with previous work that linked strong relationships with friends and family to longevity.

Co-author Manuel Faria, a neuroscientist at Stanford University, California, said: “Mental and psychosocial states are some of the most robust predictors of health outcomes — and quality of life — yet they have largely been omitted from modern healthcare.”

Dr Galkin added: “The psychological component should not be ignored in aging studies due to its significant impact on biological age.”

Mikel Obi retires from professional football

John Mikel Obi, former Super Eagles captain, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 35.

The 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner said he will be ending his football career spanning over 20 years in a post on his Instagram page on Tuesday.

“There is a saying that ‘all good things must come to an end,’ and for my professional football career, that day is today,” he wrote.

“I look back at the past 20 years of my career, and I must say that I am very satisfied with all that I was able to achieve and more importantly the human it has helped shape.


“All of this would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, managers, clubs, coaches, teammates and most importantly my ever-loyal fans.

“You supported me through my highs and lows, even on days that I did not live up to your expectations. I say a big thank you.

“I will also like to encourage everyone who I may have inspired one way or the other in the course of my career to never give up on their dreams, for every time you think about quitting, remind yourself why you started.


“This is not goodbye, it’s the start of another journey, another chapter of my life. I look forward to what the future holds and I hope you will walk with me. Thank you.”

Mikel broke into the limelight after a sensational outing at the 2005 U-20 World Cup where he finished as the second-best player in the competition behind Lionel Messi.

His performance at the tourney set off a bidding war between Manchester United and Chelsea FC in the quest to sign the then teenage midfielder.

He eventually headed to Stamford Bridge where he won one UEFA Champions League trophy, two English Premier League titles (EPL), three FA Cups and one UEFA Europa League.


He left Chelsea in 2016 for China’s Tianjin Teda the following year. He returned to Europe in 2019 and joined Middleborough FC and then a spate of other teams.

Mikel made his Super Eagles debut at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt.

He scored his AFCON debut goal against Zimbabwe, and Nigeria’s second in the tournament in the final group D game.

The former Chelsea midfielder was part of the Super Eagles team that won the nation their third AFCON trophy in South Africa in 2013 under the late Stephen Keshi.


In 2016, Mikel captained the U-23 team to win bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

During his 13-year reign with the country’s national team, Mikel scored six goals in all competitions.


He earned 88 caps playing for Nigeria before retiring from his international career in 2019.

Nigerian Govt. detects 1,618 workers with fake letters of employment

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) said it has detected a total of 1,618 workers whose letters of employment were either fake or illegal in the Federal Civil Service.

Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters, who came for monitoring of the 2021 and 2022 Budget performance of the office.


Yemi-Esan disclosed that this ugly development led to the suspension of 874 officers from the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) platforms for not updating their records and 3,657 workers detected by the Federal Civil Service Commission, who did not present themselves for the exercise.

In her Presentation,Yemi-Esan, said the introduction and implementation of the Human Resource component (HR Module) of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) has greatly assisted the Federal Government in bridging the gap created by the implementation of the IPPIS project.

She pointed out that it has also detected as well as corrected a plethora of fraudulent cases pertaining to personnel records of civil servants.


She further highlighted other achievements of her Office which include induction, SMAT- P and LEAD-P training programmes; Performance Management System (PMS), which is billed to replace the present APER in 2023, starting with the first MDA that completes its training.

Other achievements recorded by the OHCSF, according to her, include “Innovation; digitalisation; staff welfare, which has done very well in the provision of affordable housing through the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme, introduction of the Federal Civil Service Bus Scheme to ease civil servants’ transportation to and from their workplaces, agri-entrepreneurship programme; reward and recognition scheme and the provision of Group Life Assurance for Federal Government employees.

Responding, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters, Sani Bala, commended

the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for astute implementation of the digitalisation policy of the Federal Government.

Bala praised the Head of the Civil Service and her team for their efforts at raising the bar of the Service to an enviable height.

A member of the Committee, Beni Lar, while complementing the words of the Chairman, added that government processes should be completely digitalised to entrench efficiency and transparency in governance, insisting that the Office of the Head of Civil Service efforts in that direction is a welcome development.

UK woos Nigerian care workers with £20,480 salary

Because of the growing effect of Covid-19 and workers shortage, the United Kingdom government is desperately searching from anywhere in the world ‘care assistants and nursing home staff’ with little or no professional training, to come in for a minimum £20,480 salary per year.

The UK Department of Health and Social Care announced in a statement plans to expand the Health and Care visa scheme to recruit care workers.

The Health and Care Worker visa was unveiled in August 2020 and it permits medical professionals “to come to UK and work with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care,” part of the statement said.

The Visa offers 50 per cent visa fee reduction, an exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge and a speedier decision following application.

The offer is open to “care assistant, care worker, carer, home care assistant, home carer and support worker (nursing home).”

The decision was taken as part of efforts to tackle the pandemic challenges.

“Thousands of additional care workers could be recruited to boost the adult social care workforce following temporary changes to the health and care visa to make social care workers, care assistants and home care workers eligible for a 12-month period.

“This will make it quicker, cheaper and easier for social care employers to recruit eligible workers to fill vital gaps.

“The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted a range of staff shortages within the social care sector, placing pressures on the existing workforce, despite the incredible and tireless efforts of social care staff.

“This boost follows the recommendation from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to make care workers and home carers eligible for the Health and Care visa and add the occupation to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).

“Inclusion on the Shortage Occupation List will stipulate an annual salary minimum of £20,480 for carers to qualify for the Health and Care visa.

“The UK is committed to becoming a high-skilled, high-wage economy and minimum salaries must reflect the professional skills that are required to provide quality care.

“The Health and Care visa will allow applicants and their dependents to benefit from fast-track processing, dedicated resources in processing applications and reduced visa fees.

“The temporary measures are expected to come into effect early next year and will be in place for a minimum of 12 months, providing a much-needed staffing boost while the sector deals with the additional pressures of the pandemic, at which point they will be reviewed.”

On Visa sponsorship, Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said, “It is vital we continue to do all we can to protect the social care sector during the pandemic and beyond.

“These measures, together with the series of support packages announced since September, will help us ensure short term sustainability and success for our long-term vision to build social care back better.

“I also urge all care staff yet to do so to come forward to Get Boosted Now to protect themselves and those they care for.

“Care providers who do not already hold a sponsor licence in the Skilled Worker route can prepare to take advantage of the offer by registering for a sponsorship licence ahead of implementation.

“Providers who are new to visa sponsorship will be supported through the process through a series of engagement activities in January and February, to introduce them to the system and find out how to act as a visa sponsor.

“Care workers and carers recruited to the UK will be able to bring their dependents, including partner and children, with the Health and Care visa offering a pathway to settlement should they remain employed and wish to remain in the UK.

On Immigration new plan, Home Secretary Priti Patel MP said, “The care sector is experiencing unprecedented challenges prompted by the pandemic and the changes we’ve made to the health and care visa will bolster the workforce and helping alleviate some of the pressures currently being experienced.

“This is our New Plan for Immigration in action, delivering our commitment to support the NHS and the wider health and care sector by making it easier for health professionals to live and work in the UK.

“The move follows an investment of £465.2 million in supporting recruitment and retention of social care staff through the challenging winter period.

“This is on top of the £500 million for workforce training, qualifications and wellbeing announced as part of the Health and Social Care Levy.

“This funding is in addition to £6 billion committed to councils through un-ringfenced grants to tackle the impact of COVID-19 on their services, including adult social care, with total funding for adult social care over the pandemic coming to over £2.5 billion.

“This follows wider plans to improve social care and fulfil the ten-year vision set out in the adult social care reform white paper – ‘People at the Heart of Care’, which provided details on how over £1 billion for system reform will be spent over the next three years to improve the lives of those who receive care – as well as their families and carers.

“Further details on integration will follow early next year.”

To apply click here.

For Health and Care visa: guidance for applicants, click here

Peter Obi spreads like wildfire as Lagos, more states embrace him — Google report

The popularity of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi, is reportedly spreading like wildfire as more states, including Lagos, embrace him, according to a report obtained from Google.

The development is coming on the heels of a recent presidential poll conducted by ANAP Foundation in September which shows that Peter Obi will win the 2023 presidential election.

ANAP Foundation carried out its presidential poll on the streets of Nigeria and indicated that Peter Obi came first with 21% of all votes cast ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who are tied at 13%.

The poll, which showed Peter Obi as the front runner in the coming 2023 presidential election for now, showed the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in fourth place with 3%.

In this latest development, Google showed that the acceptance of Peter Obi is spreading like wildfire across the country.

A look at the charts below released by Google shows the intensity of blue which represents Peter Obi.

According to the first chart, Peter Obi was popular only in the five southeastern states of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi, as well as Akwa Ibom twelve months ago.

Peter Obi spreads like wildfire as Lagos, more states embrace him — Google report

Three months ago, however, the story started to change as he has dominated the whole South East and South South geopolitical zones.

Peter Obi spreads like wildfire as Lagos, more states embrace him — Google report

Last month, in August, Peter has begun making inroads into the Middle Belt and some South Western states which form the support base of his APC rival, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Peter Obi spreads like wildfire as Lagos, more states embrace him — Google report

As at last week, Peter Obi has painted the country blue as even Lagos which Tinubu governed for eight years has become “Obedient”, the slogan for supporters of Peter Obi.

Peter Obi spreads like wildfire as Lagos, more states embrace him — Google report

An observer noted that with the momentum with which the former Governor of Anambra State is gaining acceptability across the country, the 2023 presidential election may already be a walkover.

Peter Obi, it could be recalled, sent the first shock wave in Nigeria in an online poll conducted by the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, on Twitter.

Obi had swept 81.4 per cent of all votes cast in the poll while Tinubu trailed behind with 8.3 per cent votes.

Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Abubakar, got 7 per cent, while NNPP’s Senator Kwankwaso got a paltry 3.3 per cent.

How Donald Trump Falsely Inflated Net Worth by Billions of Dollars to Enrich Himself and Cheat the System

FILE PHOTO: (L-R) Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump attend the ground breaking of the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington July 23, 2014. REUTERS/Gary Cameron/File Photo

New York attorney general sues Trump, children over alleged fraud

SUMMARY:

  • Attorney General James Sues Donald Trump for Years of Financial Fraud
  • Donald Trump Falsely Inflated His Net Worth by Billions of Dollars to Further Enrich Himself and Cheat the System
  • Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump Used Fraudulent Statements of Financial Condition to Obtain Millions in Economic Benefits
  • Lawsuit Seeks to Remove Trump and His Children from Their Roles at the Trump Organization;
  • Ban Them from Future Leadership Roles in New York; Repay $250 Million They Illegally Obtained

New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump, the Trump Organization, senior management, and involved entities for engaging in years of financial fraud to obtain a host of economic benefits. The lawsuit alleges that Donald Trump, with the help of his children Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, and senior executives at the Trump Organization, falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to induce banks to lend money to the Trump Organization on more favorable terms than would otherwise have been available to the company, to satisfy continuing loan covenants, to induce insurers to provide insurance coverage for higher limits and at lower premiums, and to gain tax benefits, among other things. From 2011-2021, Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization knowingly and intentionally created more than 200 false and misleading valuations of assets on his annual Statements of Financial Condition to defraud financial institutions.

This conduct was in violation of New York Executive Law 63(12), which gives the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) special and broad powers to go after persistent and repeated fraud and illegality, which in this case includes violating other state laws prohibiting the submission of false financial statements, the falsification of business records, and the commission of insurance fraud.

As a consequence of these violations, OAG is seeking, among other relief, to: 1) permanently bar Mr. Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump from serving as an officer or director in any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York state; 2) bar Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization from entering into any New York real estate acquisitions for five years; 3) award disgorgement of all financial benefits obtained through the persistent fraudulent practices, estimated to total $250 million.

In conjunction with the lawsuit, OAG has referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for criminal investigation.

“For too long, powerful, wealthy people in this country have operated as if the rules do not apply to them. Donald Trump stands out as among the most egregious examples of this misconduct,” said Attorney General James. “With the help of his children and senior executives at the Trump Organization, Donald Trump falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system. In fact, the very foundation of his purported net worth is rooted in incredible fraud and illegality. Mr. Trump thought he could get away with the art of the steal, but today, that conduct ends. There are not two sets of laws for people in this country; we must hold former presidents to the same standards as everyday Americans. I will continue to ensure that no one is able to evade the law, because no one is above it.”

Statements of Financial Condition

This years-long fraudulent scheme centers on the annual Statements of Financial Condition (statements) for Donald Trump that contain Mr. Trump’s or his trustees’ assertions of his net worth. From 2011-2021, these statements were compiled by Trump Organization executives, and were issued as a compilation report by Mr. Trump’s accounting firm. The statements are explicit that the preparation was the responsibility of Mr. Trump or, starting in 2016, the trustees of his revocable trust, Donald Trump Jr., and Allen Weisselberg. The statements were personally certified as accurate by Mr. Trump or by one of his trustees when being presented to financial institutions with the purpose and intent that the information contained in the statement would be relied upon by those institutions.

Over the course of OAG’s three-year investigation, OAG found that between 2011-2021, Mr. Trump’s statements were fraudulent and misleading in both their composition and their presentation. Mr. Trump made known through Mr. Weisselberg that he wanted his net worth on his statements to increase every year, and the statements were the vehicle by which his net worth was fraudulently inflated by billions of dollars year after year. All told, Mr. Trump, his children, the Trump Organization, and the other defendants as part of a repeated pattern and common scheme, derived more than 200 false and misleading valuations of assets for the 11 statements covering 2011 through 2021.

Each statement represented that the values were prepared by Mr. Trump and others at the Trump Organization in consultation with “professionals,” however, no outside professionals were retained to prepare any of the asset valuations for the statements. To the extent Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization received any advice from outside professionals that had any bearing on how to approach valuing the assets, they routinely ignored or contradicted such advice.

They also issued statements that were in blatant violation of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States, despite representing that the statements were prepared in accordance with these principles. They ignored the most basic rules and standards for financial reporting, including:

  • Representing that Mr. Trump had cash on hand that he did not;
  • Ignoring critical restrictions that would significantly lower property values when setting valuations;
  • Changing the methodology used to value properties from year to year, without reason or notice;
  • Using vastly different methods to value different properties even in the same year; and
  • Including intangible items, such as brand premiums, when calculating an asset’s value, despite representing in the statements that such items were not included.

Values of Properties and Other Assets Presented in the Statements Were Fraudulent, Misleading, and Not Presented in Accordance with GAAP

In the 214-page complaint, which is the culmination of our investigation that included more than 65 witness interviews and review of millions of pages of documents, OAG lays out dozens of examples of this fraudulent activity and how Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization routinely and intentionally misvalued assets to further enrich Mr. Trump. The complaint includes fraudulent conduct across more than 23 different properties and other assets owned by Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization. Some examples of this misconduct include:

Trump Tower Triplex:

Valuations of this property relied on objectively false numbers to calculate property values. For example, Mr. Trump’s own triplex apartment in Trump Tower was valued as being 30,000 square feet when it was 10,996 square feet. As a result, in 2015 the apartment was valued at $327 million in total, or $29,738 per square foot. That price was absurd given the fact that at that point only one apartment in New York City had ever sold for even $100 million, at a price per square foot of less than $10,000, and that sale was in a newly built, ultra-tall tower. In 30 year-old Trump Tower, the record sale at that time was a mere $16.5 million at a price of less than $4,500 per square foot.

Trump Park Avenue:

This property is included as an asset on Mr. Trump’s Statement of Financial Condition from 2011 to 2021 with values ranging between $90.9 million and $350 million. Unsold residential condominium units owned by Mr. Trump or the Trump Organization represented the lion’s share of reported value for this property (in excess of 95% in some years). Reported values of the unsold residential units of the Trump Park Avenue building were significantly higher than the internal valuations used by the Trump Organization for business planning and failed to account for the fact that many units were rent stabilized. For example, an outside, bank-ordered appraisal in 2010 valued the 12 rent-stabilized at $750,000 total. Yet, in the 2011 and 2012 statements, the rent-stabilized apartments at Trump Park Avenue were valued as market rate for nearly $50 million total. In July 2020, the Trump Organization received an appraisal with a value of $84.5 million but on the 2020 Statement the Trump Organization valued Trump Park Avenue at $135.8 million.

40 Wall Street:

The Trump Organization owns a ground lease at 40 Wall Street, meaning it holds a leasehold interest in the land and buildings on the land, but pays rent to the owner. The Trump Organization received a bank-ordered appraisal for the commercial property at 40 Wall Street that calculated a value for the property of $220 million as of November 1, 2012. Yet in the statement that year and the next year (2013), 40 Wall Street was valued at $527 million and $530 million—more than twice the value calculated by the independent, professional appraisers. Even more egregiously, those increased valuations were attributed to information obtained from the same professional appraiser who valued the building at just over $200 million.

In 2015, the Trump Organization replaced the existing loan on the building with a loan from Ladder Capital Finance (working with Mr. Weisselberg’s son, a director there). The Ladder loan was approved based in part on an inflated appraisal prepared by Cushman & Wakefield. Ultimately, the final appraisal for the loan came to a valuation of $540 million through a number of unreasonable adjustments, including reducing costs and changing the assumptions concerning the ground lease. Even this increase was not enough for Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization. The 2015 statement, which was compiled in June, valued the building at $735.4 million — over 35% higher than the already inflated $540 million Cushman appraisal of that same date which the company knew about.

Vornado Partnership:

Mr. Trump’s statements misrepresented his holdings of cash, cash equivalent, and marketable securities. Most notably, for several years, included in his “cash” were the amounts in the Vornado Partnership Interests in which Mr. Trump had a minority stake and did not control. In some years these restricted funds accounted for almost one-third of all the cash reported by Mr. Trump. For example, they accounted for $24 million of the total $76 million in cash reported for 2018. Mr. Trump was well aware of the restricted and limited nature of his 30% interest because he personally took part in extensive, contentious litigation regarding these partnerships in which control over partnership-held cash and partnership business choices were expressly addressed.

Clubs:

The statements do not list separate values for each of Mr. Trump’s club facilities. Instead, the values for those properties are lumped together into a single figure. This was done intentionally to conceal significant swings in the value attributed to individual clubs and to conceal the methods used to arrive at those values. This lump sum figure was by far the largest asset value on Mr. Trump’s statement of financial condition every year. Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization employed various deceptive schemes in valuing the clubs to inflate their values.

Mar-a-Lago:
This property was valued as high as $739 million based on the false premise that it was unrestricted property and could be developed and sold for residential use, even though Mr. Trump himself signed deeds donating his residential development rights, sharply restricting changes to the property, and limiting the permissible use of the property to a social club. In reality, the club generated annual revenues of less than $25 million and should have been valued at closer to $75 million.

Trump Aberdeen:
The valuation of this golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland assumed 2,500 homes could be developed when the Trump Organization had obtained zoning approval to develop less than 1,500 cottages and apartments, many of which were expressly identified as being only for short-term rental. The $267 million value attributed to those 2,500 homes accounted for more than 80% of the total $327 million valuation for Aberdeen on the 2014 Statement of Financial Condition.


Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter:
Mr. Trump purchased this golf course in Jupiter Florida for $5 million. Less than a year later, Mr. Trump valued the same property at $62 million on the 2013 statement, a markup of 1,100%. For every year from 2013 to 2020, virtually all of the value attributed to Jupiter was fraudulently overstated due to several deceptive methods and assumptions. The golf course was valued using a fixed-asset approach even though that was not an acceptable method for valuing an operating golf course. The bulk of the value in that fixed-asset approach was based on the use of an inflated purchase price from the purported assumption of “refundable” membership liabilities. Mr. Trump claimed to have paid $46 million for the club, consisting of $5 million in cash he actually paid and $41 million in assumed membership liabilities. In the statements, Mr. Trump did not disclose the inclusion of those inflated liabilities in the price of the club and in fact took the opposite position that his potential liability for those membership deposits was zero. Additionally, the Trump Organization overstated the value of this golf course by adding an additional 30% for the Trump brand in 2013 and 2014 and 15% from 2015 through 2020 – even though the statements disclaimed that any of the valuations included a brand premium.
False and Misleading Statements of Financial Condition Were Used to Secure and Maintain Financial Benefits on Favorable Terms

The statements were used to obtain and maintain favorable loans over at least an 11-year period. All told, the financial benefit realized from this scheme was approximately $250 million, including interest savings and transaction profits, because of the favorable loan terms they were able to obtain using his false and misleading statements.

Trump National Doral:

The Trump Organization executed a $150 million purchase and sale agreement for this property in 2011. Mr. Trump’s statements were used to secure a $125 million loan from Deutsche Bank and were regularly submitted to the bank to fulfill the financial reporting requirements of Mr. Trump as guarantor on the loan. In multiple instances, the loan agreement required that Mr. Trump certify the truth and accuracy of his statements as a condition of the guaranty and the continuing loan covenants.

Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago:

Since 2009, this property’s value has been excluded from the statements because, according to sworn testimony, Mr. Trump did not want to take a position that would conflict with his contention to tax authorities that the property had become worthless, and thus formed the basis of a substantial loss under the federal tax code. However, in 2012, using the building or its components as collateral, Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization obtained a $107 million loan on the building from Deutsche Bank. The loan received a $45 million expansion in 2014. Mr. Trump’s supposed net worth of $4 billion reflected on his statement was used to personally guarantee the initial loan at an interest rate approximately four percentage points lower than it would have been without his guaranty.

Trump Old Post Office, Washington, D.C.:

In 2013, the Trump Organization obtained a ground lease from the federal General Services Administration to redevelop this property into a luxury hotel. This project was captained by Ivanka Trump, and Mr. Trump’s statements were central to their effort to win the bid to redevelop this site. They were able to obtain a $170 million loan for construction from Deutsche Bank on much more favorable terms by personally guaranteeing the loans using Mr. Trump’s statements. The loan agreement required that Mr. Trump certify the accuracy of his statements annually and included a provision that made him guarantee that the materials provided to the bank to obtain the loan did not include any misleading information. Any misrepresentation on those statements would constitute a default under the terms of the loan. In May 2022, the Trump Organization sold the Old Post Office property for $375 million. As a result, Mr. Trump obtained more than $100 million in net profit, which was the result of the loan he was able to obtain by using his false and misleading statements.

Here is the link to the full addendum.

Defendants

The 16 defendants in this case include: Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, the Trump Organization Inc., the Trump Organization LLC, the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, DJT Holdings LLC, DJT Holdings Managing Member, Allen Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, as well as the entities that received the loans that are the subject of the action, including: Trump Endeavor 12 LLC, 401 North Wabash Venture LLC, Trump Old Post Office LLC, 40 Wall Street LLC, and Seven Springs LLC.

Causes of Action

The OAG alleges fraud and illegality under 63(12) in connection with the defendants’ conduct in preparing the statements and submitting those statements to financial institutions to obtain financial benefits. As part of demonstrating illegality under 63(12), OAG alleges that Mr. Trump and the other defendants violated state laws, including:

  • Falsification of business records in violation of Penal Law § 175.10;
  • Issuing a false financial statement in violation of Penal Law § 175.45;
  • Engaging in insurance fraud by submitting false and misleading information in a written application for insurance and to obtain other insurance benefits in violation of Penal Law § 176.05;
  • Engaging in a conspiracy to commit each of aforementioned state law violations.

The conduct alleged in this complaint also violates federal criminal law, including issuing false statements to financial institutions and bank fraud.

Relief

As a consequence of this persistent and repeated fraud and illegality, OAG is asking the court to:

  • Permanently bar Mr. Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump from serving as an officer or director in any New York Corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York state;
  • Bar Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization from entering into any New York state commercial real estate acquisitions for a period of five years;
  • Bar Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization from applying for loans from any financial institution registered with the New York Department of Financial Services for a period of five years;
  • Award disgorgement of all financial benefits obtained through the persistent fraudulent practices of an amount to be determined at trial and estimated to total at least two hundred and fifty million dollars ($250 million).
  • Permanently bar Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney from serving in the financial control function of any New York Corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York state;
  • Appoint an independent monitor to oversee compliance, financial reporting, valuations, and disclosures to lenders, insurers, and tax authorities at the Trump Organization for a period of no less than five years;
  • Replace the current trustees of the Donald Trump Revocable Trust with new independent trustees, and require independent governance in any newly formed trust should the Revocable Trust be revoked and replaced with another trust structure;
  • Require the Trump Organization to prepare, on an annual basis for the next five years, a GAAP-compliant, audited statement of financial condition showing Mr. Trump’s net worth, to be distributed to all recipients of his prior Statements of Financial Condition; and,
  • Cancel any certificate filed under and by virtue of the provisions of section 130 of the General Business Law for the corporate entities named as defendants and any other entity controlled by or beneficially owned by Donald Trump which participated in or benefitted from the foregoing fraudulent scheme.

This investigation has been conducted by Senior Enforcement Counsel Kevin Wallace, Special Counsel Andrew Amer, Assistant Attorney General Colleen K. Faherty, Assistant Attorney General Alex Finkelstein, Assistant Attorney General Wil Handley, Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Torre, Assistant Attorney General Austin Thompson, Special Counsel to the Solicitor General Eric R. Haren, Enforcement Section Chief Louis M. Solomon and Legal Support Analyst Samantha Stern. Additional support was provided by Data Analyst Anushua Choudhury, Senior Data Analyst Akram Hasanov, Data Scientist Chansoo Song, Deputy Director of Research and Analytics Megan Thorsfeldt, and Director of Research and Analytics Jonathan Werberg; as well as Information Technology Specialist Hewson Chen, Information Technology Specialist Paige Podolny, and Information Technology Specialist John Roach. Appellate support was provided by Deputy Solicitor General Judith Vale and Assistant Solicitor General Eric Del Pozo. The investigation was overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

China indifferent as Russia raises nuclear threats on Ukraine

When Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan last week, the mood was noticeably different from their triumphant meeting in Beijing, weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

There was no more touting of their “no-limits” friendship declared on the opening day of the Winter Olympics.

Instead, Putin conceded that Beijing had “questions and concerns” about his faltering invasion, in a subtle nod to the limits of China’s backing and the growing asymmetry in their relationship.

In the Chinese readout of the meeting, Xi did not even refer to the much-heralded “strategic partnership” between Beijing and Moscow, observed Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing.

It was “the most prudent, or most low-key statement in years” issued by Xi on their strategic relationship, CNN quoted Shi as saying.

The shift in tone is unsurprising given Russia’s string of humiliating defeats on the battlefield, which has exposed Putin’s weakness to his friends and enemies alike.

Those setbacks come at a bad time for Xi, too, who is only weeks away from seeking a norm-breaking third term at a key political meeting.

Under Xi, China has forged ever closer ties with Russia.

Already facing domestic woes from a slowing economy and his unrelenting zero-Covid policy, Xi needed a projection of strength, not vulnerability, in his personally endorsed strategic alliance

Six days later, in a desperate escalation of the devastating war, Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens in a televised speech, and even raised the specter of using nuclear weapons.

It is not known if Putin discussed his planned escalation with Xi during their latest talks, just as it remains an open question whether Putin had told Xi about his planned invasion the last time they met in Beijing.

To some Chinese analysts, Putin’s setbacks and escalation of the war offered China an opportunity to tilt away from Russia — a subtle shift that began with Xi’s meeting with Putin.

“China has no other choice except [to] stay away somewhat further from Putin because of his war escalation, his aggression and annexation, and his renewed threat of nuclear war,” said Shi with Renmin University.

“China has not wanted this unheeding friend [to] fight. What may be his fate in the battlefield is not a business manageable at all by China.”

But others are more skeptical.

Putin’s open admission of Beijing’s misgivings doesn’t necessarily signal a rift between the two diplomatic allies;.

Instead, it could be a way for China to gain some diplomatic wiggle room, especially given how its tacit support for Russia has damaged Beijing’s image in Europe, said Theresa Fallon, director of the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies in Brussels.

“My impression was that Beijing just wanted a little sliver of daylight between China and Russia, but I think many have over interpreted that,” she said. “I think that was more for a European audience.”

“For China’s long-term interests, they’ve got to keep Russia on board,” Fallon added.

The two authoritarian powers are strategically aligned in their attempt to counterbalance the West.

Both leaders share a deep suspicion and hostility toward the United States, which they believe is bent on holding China and Russia down.

They also share a vision for a new world order — one that better accommodates their nations’ interests and is no longer dominated by the West.

Days after the meeting between Xi and Putin, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi held security talks in the southern Chinese province of Fujian.

They vowed to “implement the consensus” reached by their leaders, deepen their strategic coordination and further military cooperation.

The two countries are also looking to deepen economic ties, with bilateral trade expected to reach $200 billion “in the near future,” according to Putin.

“I don’t think we saw a major schism open up between Russia and China,” said Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“I see this as a continuation of China trying to walk its pretty thin line on Russia and to make sure that it is continuing to support Russia to the extent that it can without infringing on its own interests.”

So far, Beijing has carefully avoided actions that would violate Western sanctions, such as providing direct military aid to Moscow.

But it has presented a lifeline for the battered Russian economy by stepping up purchases of its fuel and energy — at a bargain price.

China’s imports of Russian coal in August rose by 57% from the same period last year, hitting a five-year high; its crude oil imports also surged 28% from a year earlier.

After Putin called up army reservists to join the war in Ukraine, Beijing has continued to walk the fine line, reiterating its long-held stance for dialogue to resolve the conflict.

When asked about Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons at a news briefing Wednedsay, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry sidestepped the question.

“China’s stance on the Ukraine crisis has been consistent and clear,” said spokesman Wang Wenbin.

“We call on the relevant parties to achieve a ceasefire through dialogue and negotiation, and find a solution that accommodates the legitimate security concerns of all parties as soon as possible,” he added.

Also on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

According to the Chinese readout, Wang stressed that China would continue to “maintain its objective and impartial position” and “push for peace negotiations” on the issue of Ukraine.

But that “impartial position” was given away in the prime evening newscast on China’s state broadcaster CCTV, the most-watched news program in China.

After a terse report on Putin’s “partial mobilization” — without any mention of the protests in Russia or international condemnations, the program cited an international observer laying the blame squarely on the US for “continuing to stoke the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”

“The conflict between Russia and Ukraine should be resolved through dialogues. But the US keeps supplying Ukraine with weapons.

“This makes it impossible to end the conflict, and makes the situation worse,” a former national defense adviser in Timor-Leste was shown as saying.

“The sanctions sparked by the conflict have repercussions across the globe…The oil prices in Timor-Leste have also gone up a lot. We, too, are suffering the consequences.”

The comments are in line with the Russian narrative that Chinese officials and state media have been busy promoting over the past months — that the US has instigated the war by expanding NATO all the way to Russia’s doorstep, forcing Moscow in a corner.

The main factor driving the strategic alignment between Russia and China is the perception of threats from the United States, said Hart with CSIS.

“As long as that variable remains constant, as long as Beijing continues to worry about the United States, I think it will continue to strengthen ties with Russia,” he said

Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine have been cleansed of their sins – Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church claims Russian soldiers who die in the war against Ukraine will be cleansed of all their sins, days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s first mobilisation since World War Two.

Patriarch Kirill is a key Putin ally and backer of the invasion. He has previously criticised those who oppose the war and called on Russians to rally round Putin’s war.


“Many are dying on the fields of internecine warfare,” Kirill, 75, said on Sunday service, September 25, in his first Sunday address since the mobilisation order.

 “The Church prays that this battle will end as soon as possible, so that as few brothers as possible will kill each other in this fratricidal war.”


“But at the same time, the Church realises that if somebody, driven by a sense of duty and the need to fulfil their oath … goes to do what their duty calls of them, and if a person dies in the performance of this duty, then they have undoubtedly committed an act equivalent to sacrifice. They will have sacrificed themselves for others. And therefore, we believe that this sacrifice washes away all the sins that a person has committed.”


Russia says it is calling up some 300,000 additional troops to fight in Ukraine, in a mobilisation drive that has stoked public anger, led to an exodus of military-age men and triggered protests across the country.

Kirill’s support for the war in Ukraine has deepened a rift between the Russian branch of the Orthodox Church and other wings of Orthodoxy around the world. Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, has been a vocal opponent of the war, and has appeared to criticize Kirill for his position in several public addresses.

Meet the first female Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni

Italy now has a female prime minister as Giorgia Meloni emerged victorious in the elections on Sunday, September 25.

The country’s national election was triggered by party infighting that saw the collapse of Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government in July.

Voters headed to the polls amid a number of new regulations, with voting hours also contained to one day rather than two.

Addressing the media and supporters in the early hours of Monday morning, September 26, Meloni said it was “a night of pride for many and a night of redemption.”

“It’s a victory I want to dedicate to everyone who is no longer with us and wanted this night,” she said. “Starting tomorrow we have to show our value … Italians chose us, and we will not betray it, as we never have,” she said.

Preliminary results put an alliance of far-right parties, led by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, on track to win at least 44% of the vote, according to the Italian Interior Ministry.

With 63% of votes counted, the ultra-conservative Brothers of Italy party had won at least 26%, with coalition partners, the League, led by Matteo Salvini, taking around 9% and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia scoring over 8%. Final results are expected later Monday, but it’s expected to take weeks for a new government to be formed.

Meloni entered Italy’s crowded political scene in 2006 and co-founded the Brothers of Italy in 2012, a party whose agenda is rooted in Euroskepticism and anti-immigration policies.

A 45-year-old mother from Rome, Meloni is deeply conservative, openly anti-LBGT, and has threatened to place same sex unions, which were legalized in Italy in 2016, under review. She has also called abortion a “tragedy,” raising fears for the future of women’s rights in the country.

Kogi Govt shuts down church over ‘bulletproof water’ and running ‘unapproved hospital’

The Kogi State Government has sealed The New Jerusalem Deliverance Ministry, Okene for allegedly defrauding members by selling “bulletproof water” and running an unapproved medical facility.

Recall that Pastor of the church, Peter Adeiza, was arrested by security agents for selling ‘bullet proof water.’


Adeiza, music-artist-turned-Pastor is said to have been operating the facility since 2008 while many people were said to have allegedly lost their lives due to illegal and unhygienic medical practice.

The state Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (retd.), sealed up the church on Monday alongside the state Commissioner for Information and Commissioner for Health, Kingsley Fanwo, Dr Zekeri Usman, other government officials and the security agents.

bulletproof water


Asides from housing a hospital that is used for taking deliveries and treating sicknesses, the church is also being used as a psychiatric and rehabilitation home as many people were seen with chains on their hands and legs.

Members and worshippers confirmed that they have been receiving treatments for different ailments from the “Man of God.”

According to the state security adviser, the pastor had earlier been arrested following a preliminary investigation by the State Investigation Bureau of the Police and the Department of State Services to look into the activities going on in the church.

Omodara added that there is enough evidence that indicates that what they practise is contrary to both religious and medical practices.

He said, “In a couple of days, he will be arraigned in court and will be prosecuted, if found guilty will face the music.”

While addressing journalists, Fanwo said, “We are here to carry out the order of the governor to see what is happening here and see how to safeguard the interest and health of our people.”

On his part, Usman said the health of residents and citizens of the state remains a priority of the government.

The state Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka, represented by Okene Area Commander, ACP Ibrahim Usman, said the police and other security agencies were on the ground to ensure that the premises remain sealed as well as maintain law and order.

1...252627...174Page 26 of 174