King Charles III made his first overseas trip since his cancer diagnosis to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. The trip emphasized the importance of Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious invasion in history, and the ongoing legacy of World War II veterans. King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the UK Ministry of Defence and Royal British Legion’s event at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, where the King, adorned in his Field Marshal No 4 Tropical Service dress uniform, delivered a poignant speech. He praised the bravery and resolve of the Allied forces, emphasizing the…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
On June 13, 2024, the Federal High Court will decide whether it has jurisdiction to hear the case concerning the reinstatement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II by the Kano State Government. This case, brought by Aminu Babba DanAgundi, a former senior councillor of the Kano Emirate, challenges the legality of the Emir’s reinstatement and alleges the violation of DanAgundi’s fundamental human rights. The plaintiff, DanAgundi, contends that his removal was carried out unilaterally and without due process. His legal counsel, Barrister M. A Waziri, argued that the court possesses full jurisdiction under the relevant sections protecting fundamental human rights. Waziri…
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning on Wednesday, suggesting the possibility of transferring long-range weapons to other nations to target Western interests. Speaking at the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin’s remarks underscored Moscow’s response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to utilize their supplied arms against Russian territory. Putin emphasized Russia’s readiness to retaliate with nuclear weapons if its sovereignty is perceived to be at risk, stating, “That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act the same way.” Recent actions by the United States and Germany…
The trial of Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, continued today with dramatic testimony from Hallie Biden, his former romantic partner and the widow of his late brother Beau Biden. Hunter Biden faces three felony charges related to purchasing a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs. Hallie Biden testified about the events of October 23, 2018, when she discovered a gun in Hunter Biden’s car amid remnants of crack cocaine and paraphernalia. She recounted her panic upon finding the firearm and her subsequent decision to discard it in a grocery store trash can to prevent potential harm…
A federal judge is set to deliberate on the Department of Justice’s request to have former Trump adviser Steve Bannon commence his four-month prison term following his contempt of Congress conviction. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols will hear arguments today in Washington, D.C., as prosecutors push for the enforcement of Bannon’s sentence. Steve Bannon was convicted of contempt of Congress in October 2022 after defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Initially, Judge Nichols postponed Bannon’s jail term pending his appeal. However, last month, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld…
The House of Representatives has taken a step towards the creation of a new state in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone. During Thursday’s plenary session, lawmakers passed a bill for the first reading to establish Orlu State. The bill, sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representative of Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, and others, now moves to the second reading stage. The proposed creation of Orlu State would amend the 1999 Constitution (as amended), increasing the number of states in Nigeria from 36 to 37. Orlu State would be carved out from parts of Imo, Abia, and Anambra States, with…
In a meeting held in Washington, DC, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the proposed ceasefire deal in Gaza. The meeting, which took place on June 4, 2024, underscored the urgency of addressing the ongoing crisis in the region. Secretary Blinken expressed gratitude for Secretary-General Guterres’ public endorsement of the ceasefire deal aimed at securing the release of hostages and bringing an end to the Gaza crisis. Both diplomats emphasized the necessity for the UN Security Council to advocate for the swift implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Humanitarian aid…
SpaceX’s project, Starship, is gearing up for its fourth test flight, a step toward the goal of sending humans to Mars. This test, scheduled for Thursday, will lift off from the company’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, during a two-hour window starting at 7:00 am local time (1200 GMT). After three previous attempts ended in fiery destruction, SpaceX remains undeterred. The fourth flight test will shift focus from merely achieving orbit to demonstrating the ability to return and reuse both the Starship and its booster, Super Heavy. This approach aligns with SpaceX’s rapid trial-and-error development methodology, which has proven…
UNICEF has raised the alarm that more than one in four children under the age of five globally are living in severe food poverty. This translates to over 180 million children at risk of adverse effects on their growth and development. Severe child food poverty is defined as children consuming two or fewer food groups daily, leading to heightened risks of severe malnutrition, emaciation, and long-term developmental challenges. Harriet Torlesse, a lead writer of the new UNICEF report, stated, “It is shocking in this day and age where we know what needs to be done.” The report highlights…
Fidelity Bank has officially initiated a capital-raising campaign to secure approximately N127.1bn through a public offer and a rights issue. The bank aims to generate N97.5bn from the public offer and an additional N29.6bn from the rights issue. The rights issue will provide existing shareholders with one new ordinary share for every 10 ordinary shares held as of January 5, 2024, at a price of N9.25 per share. Concurrently, the public offer will make 10,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each available to the general public at N9.75 per share. The signing ceremony for this dual offer took…
USAID Administrator Samantha Power met with the newly appointed CEO of Wellcome Trust, John-Arne Røttingen, to discuss collaborative efforts on key global health initiatives. The meeting, announced by Acting Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti, highlighted the mutual commitment to addressing global health security, mental health, and the intersection of environmental and public health concerns. Power and Røttingen stated the importance of accelerating innovation to create significant impacts in these critical areas. They explored partnership opportunities aimed at leveraging their organizations’ strengths to foster advancements in global health initiatives. The discussion stated a shared vision of promoting health security worldwide, tackling the mental…
In a bid to address the global plastic pollution crisis, Administrator Samantha Power of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will collaborate with Unilever and EY to launch a great initiative. The collaboration aims to reduce plastic use, tackle plastic waste, and promote the development of circular economies. The announcement event is scheduled for Thursday, June 6, at 8:30 a.m. EDT and will be available via livestream. Joining Administrator Power will be Rebecca Marmot, Unilever’s Chief Sustainability Officer, and Amy Brachio, EY’s Global Vice Chair – Sustainability. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Dan Sullivan, prominent co-sponsors of the bipartisan…