NEWS

Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday, in an audience that was not initially included in the official schedule for the day. The Vatican announced that the meeting on Monday, January 12, took place in the library of the Vatican Apostolic Palace. In a brief video clip released by the Vatican, the two were seen shaking hands and smiling as they sat at the pope's desk in his official office in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace. In a statement published on X by the Venezuelan political opposition coalition, Comando con Venezuela, Machado said she sought the pope’s help in seeking the release of more than 1,000 political prisoners “and for an immediate transition to democracy.” “Today, I had the blessi...

The Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ordered the remand of 52 youths involved in the protest that rocked the Ekpoma area of the state at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre. The protesting youths who were reportedly mainly students of the Ambrose Alli University had taken to the streets on Saturday January 10 to protest the increasing spate of k!dnapping and insecurity in their community located in Edo Central region. During the protest, several properties including the palace of the monarch in the community were destroyed. Videos of the protesting youths made the rounds on social media. The police later stepped, alleged that the protest was hijacked by some hoodlums and made some arrests. “Regrettably, the protest was hijacked, and all the rules of peaceful protest wer...

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday called for the immediate release of 52 individuals who were remanded in prison following a protest against kidnapping in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, which reportedly turned violent. Most of the detainees, primarily students, were held at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre after the Edo State Criminal Court II in Benin City declined jurisdiction over the matter. In a statement, the PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, Dan Osa-Ogbegie Esq., accused the All Progressives Congress-led state government of orchestrating the arrests and remand. He further claimed that Ekpoma has been left vulnerable to kidnappers and violent criminals, leaving residents living in fear as attacks reportedly continue unchecked. Osa-O...

The United States Department of State has withdrawn more than 100,000 visas, including thousands granted to students and specialised professionals, citing encounters with law enforcement linked to criminal activity. In a statement shared on its official X account on Monday, the department revealed that over 8,000 student visas and about 2,500 specialised visas were among those revoked. According to the department, “The State Department has now revoked over 100,000 visas, including some 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialised visas for individuals who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity.” The visa cancellations, the department said, are part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and strictly enforce U.S. immigration laws. It reaffirmed its stance,...

The Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ordered the remand of several youths arrested during the recent protest in Ekpoma at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre. The decision followed an application by the prosecution requesting a 14-day remand period. Emotional scenes were witnessed in court as some of the detained protesters and their relatives broke down in tears while those arrested were escorted into a waiting vehicle. The protest, which took place over the weekend, was sparked by growing concerns over kidnapping and other security challenges in Ekpoma, located in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. Viral videos circulating online showed residents demonstrating against rising cases of abduction and killings in the Edo Central region, with some individuals reportedly...

The Akran of Badagry, Oba De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, the revered traditional ruler of the historic Badagry Kingdom in Lagos State, has died at the age of 89. According to reports, the monarch passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2026, following a brief illness. His death has plunged Badagry and many parts of Lagos State into mourning, as he was widely regarded as a symbol of stability and wisdom. Oba Menu-Toyi I ascended the throne on April 23, 1977, ruling for 48 years—one of the longest reigns by any traditional ruler in Lagos State. Throughout his tenure, he played a pivotal role in shaping the cultural, social, and traditional life of Badagry and surrounding communities. Born on September 18, 1936, the late monarch had a distinguished career before his coronation. He worked as ...

US prosecutors have launched an inquiry that could lead to a “criminal indictment” of the Federal Reserve, Chairman Jerome Powell said on Sunday, January 11, accusing the Trump administration of escalating “threats and ongoing pressure” over monetary policy. Powell appeared in a video statement confirming that the central bank received grand jury subpoenas on Friday, January 9, related to his June Senate testimony about renovation costs for Federal Reserve office buildings. He described the subpoenas as “pretexts” linked to months of conflict with President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the Fed for not cutting interest rates more aggressively. “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of w...

The family of a 23-year-old student k!lled in protests in Iran have said that they had to sift through hundreds of young people’s bodies to find her. Rubina Aminian, 23, a fashion student at Shariati College in Tehran, was k!lled after leaving the college and joining protest gatherings on the evening of Thursday, January 8. Sources close to her family told Iran Human Rights that the young Kurdish woman was shot from close range from behind in the head. Upon hearing of her k!lling, her family travelled to Tehran to identify her. They were met with lots of bodies of protesters who had been k!lled in the past week but weren’t allowed to take her for burial. Rubina’s mother said: "It wasn’t just my daughter; I saw hundreds of bodies with my own eyes." A source clo...

The Katsina State government has explained the rationale behind its move to facilitate the release of 70 suspected bandits currently undergoing criminal trials over their alleged involvement in banditry-related activities. Channels TV reports that according to the state government, the move is aimed at consolidating and broadening the existing peace deal between communities affected by insecurity in 15 local government areas of the state and repentant bandits. It maintained that such tactics are adopted in war situations globally. The government further disclosed that the deal had led to the release of at least 1,000 persons held captive by the suspected bandits in different attacks. On January 2, 2026, an official letter came to the open detailing the state government’s plan to s...