‘President of peace’ Donald Trump and the Venezuelan quagmire

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By Foreign News Desk

Global response to the capture of Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro by the United States, has been swift and directed. 

US President, Donald Trump had announced the capture of Maduro and his wife in an operation by American Special Forces over the weekend. 

Russian and China, in particular, accused the US government of “extremely serious military aggression” by Washington, while declaring a state of emergency as several leaders allied with Caracas denounced the US action, calling it an unprovoked armed aggression against a sovereign state.

A statement by Russia’s Foreign Ministry said: “This is deeply concerning and condemnable.

“The pretexts used to justify such actions are untenable. Ideological hostility has triumphed over businesslike pragmatism.”

Iran, on its part, said it “strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and a flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called Maduro’s capture as US “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America, which would lead to a humanitarian crisis.

Colombia is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council this year, and leftist leader Petro called for the body to meet “immediately.”

Cuba, an ally of Venezuela, denounced what it called “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people” according to a statement by President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who urged a “response from the international community” following a “criminal attack” on Caracas.

Driver’s decision that may have saved Anthony Joshua’s life

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By Global News Desk

It has emerged that a last-minute decision taken by Anthony Joshua’s driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 47, may have saved the life of the two-time Word Boxing champion in car crash that killed two of his friends.

The driver’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, made the revelation in Sagamu, Ogun State, during the hearing for Kayode in Sagamu High Court, where he denied all charges against him.

Abiodun told Daily Mail, “My client has pleaded not guilty. And what happened was an accident. I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet, but I know he is saying the brakes did not work.

“I also understand that the journey started in Lagos, and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat. But the driver asked him to swap seats.”

Kayode made the call because Anthony’s big frame was preventing him from seeing the side mirror properly.

The boxer, aged 36, then swapped seats from the front to the back of his SUV before the crash which killed Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele

“From what I understand, (late) Latif was in front,” but he then “changed seats with Anthony,” the lawyer added.

Wife and son

The driver’s bail was set at 5 million Naira, and his case adjourned to 20th January for his trial. 

Outside the court, the driver’s wife was too hysterical to speak. But his son told the Daily Mail his father was innocent and it was ‘just an unlucky accident’.

Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, 19, said: “The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people.

“Dad is not a fast driver, he was following the speed limit and then the brakes failed. He said he was pushing the pedal, but nothing was happening.

“He tries to swerve and avoid the truck parked by the side of the road but hit it. He’s been driving for Anthony for three years, he’s a good driver.

“I know that when the journey started in Lagos, Anthony was sitting in the front by the driver. But my dad asked him to sit behind because he was blocking his view.

“He was taking Anthony to see his family in Sagamu and had picked them up from the airport. They were only a few minutes from arriving.

“It’s not his fault. If the truck wasn’t parked there illegally this wouldn’t have happened.”

RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL MOBSTERS: THE SHAME OF A NATION IN MORAL DECLINE AND DECAY

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By Yahaya Balogun

Why do our people act like barbarians, as if we are trapped in the medieval period known as the Dark Ages? Here, even convicted criminals are afforded humanity and human dignity. If any of officers in a lawful society were to emulate this criminal crowd, they would face strict consequences, potentially facing charges at the state level.

Oh! How disheartening! 

Today, a 'pastor' in Nigeria openly confessed in his 'church' to heinous acts—aggravated child molestation, severe sexual harassment, and aggravated infidelity. Yet, his brainwashed followers continue to cheer for this sexual predator, child molester, and master religious manipulator within what is supposed to be a lawful society. He gave his gullible congregation doses of his usual religious lamba and cooked stories; they cheered ignorantly to the celebration of their souls' defeat!

Oh! How disheartening!

Nigeria is in a dire predicament. Recently, some unscrupulous Nigerians have fueled a kind of religious genocide in a nation already collectively burdened by terrorism, while certain figures continuously bring self-curses and suffering upon themselves! They mistake the carrots and sticks and hollow promises of the controversial man for genuine love. Yet, they all cheer for criminals in Nigeria and punish innocent and law-abiding citizens. Can you believe it?

Oh! How disheartening! 

Yesterday, a religious bandit and terrorist apologist denounced a legitimate US strike on ISIS affiliate camps in Northern Nigeria, yet this religious and political bigot walks the streets of Nigeria unarrested and unquestioned!

Oh! How disheartening! 

Shame on all the oblivious enablers, deliberate ignorant people, and false-religious souls in Nigeria for enabling criminal activities all in the name of politics and religion! But who will rise to halt this pervasive ignorance, religious banditry and terrorism, moral decay, and humanity’s decline in our country-Nigeria?

Oh! How disheartening!

Brazil Supreme Court rejects former president Bolsonaro, Trump ally, request for house arrest

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Global News Desk

Brazil’s Supreme Court has rejected former president Jair Bolsonaro’s request to convert his prison sentence for plotting a coup to house arrest, according to a ruling published Thursday.

Bolsonaro’s lawyers submitted the request Wednesday, citing a “real risk of a sudden worsening” in health for the far-right ex-leader as the reason to serve his 27-year sentence at home.

Bolsonaro, 70, has been hospitalized for more than a week after undergoing surgery for a groin hernia and then a procedure to treat recurring bouts of hiccups.

“Contrary to what the defense alleges, there has been no worsening of Jair Messias Bolsonaro’s health condition,” judge Alexandre de Moraes stated in his decision.

In office from 2019 to 2022, the ex-president has for years been dealing with complications from an abdominal stab wound he suffered during a 2018 campaign rally, requiring several major surgeries.

Bolsonaro is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday, according to his doctors.

He will then have to return to the small room where he is serving his sentence at a federal police facility in Brasilia.

In September, Brazil’s Supreme Court found Bolsonaro guilty of conspiring to stay in power after narrowly losing 2022 elections to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Prosecutors said the plot, which included a plan to assassinate Lula, failed because of a lack of support from military top brass.

Bolsonaro, an ally of US President Donald Trump, dismissed the trial as a “witch hunt” aimed at preventing him from running for president again in 2026.

He has been under house arrest until shortly before the start of his prison term in November.

He was detained and sent to prison after he took a soldering iron to his ankle monitoring bracelet in what the court saw as an escape attempt.

Bolsonaro said his actions were the result of medication-induced paranoia.

The Supreme Court last month rejected his appeal against his conviction.

His supporters have had more success in the conservative-controlled Congress, which has passed a law that could reduce Bolsonaro’s sentence to just over two years.

Lula has vowed to veto the law. However, Congress has the last word and can override him.

Bolsonaro’s conviction has thrown open the race for president in October 2026 elections.

With his comeback chances looking increasingly shaky the right-winger has tapped his son Flavio Bolsonaro, a 44-year-old senator, to succeed him at the head of Brazil’s conservatives.

To win election, the younger Bolsonaro may have to beat fellow conservative contenders as well as 80-year-old Lula, who has signaled he may seek a fourth term.

Perils of a Narco-State as Mexico arrests alleged drug cartel leader wanted by US

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Global News Desk

An alleged leader of the notorious Sinaloa cartel wanted by the United States has been arrested in Mexico on drug and terrorism charges, Mexican government sources said Wednesday.

Pedro Inzunza Noriega was accused by the United States in May of trafficking large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and heroin into the country as the second-in-command of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a faction of the cartel now believed to be defunct.

He was taken into custody in Mexico’s northwestern Sinaloa state, the sources said.

The US indictment marked the first time an alleged leader of the cartel was charged with “narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism,” according to the Justice Department.

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said at the time.

“Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over; we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.”

Since returning to the White House last year, US President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on drug trafficking.

His administration has conducted strikes on alleged drug boats in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, killing more than 100 people.

Trump has demanded that Mexico increase its efforts to combat drug trafficking, threatening tariffs on Mexican exports if more is not done.

Noriega’s son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, who was charged alongside his father, was killed by Mexican military personnel during an anti-drug operation in November.

Master of Self-aggrandizement - Peter Obi extolls his own ‘leadership’ values with incendiary narrative

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Global Political Desk

“I once washed British Airways in-flight toilet – Peter Obi reveals”

The former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has cited an experience from his time as a serving governor to underline what he described as his problem-solving and leadership qualities.

Obi made the disclosure earlier this week during a Space chat on with his supporters, known as the so-called Obidients.

Recounting the incident, Obi said the episode occurred during a flight on British Airways several years ago.

“We were coming back on British Airways years back; I was a serving governor. The entire toilet was messed up. She opened that toilet to use it; it was messed up and she walked away,” he said.

According to him, rather than ignore the situation, he decided to clean the toilet himself after the previous user walked away.

‘I Cleaned It Because I Might Use It Again’

Obi said his action surprised a member of staff who later discovered the toilet had been cleaned.

“I went in there, and she came back. The entire place was cleaned. She didn’t even tell me, but she told a minister and somebody else where she works in the office,” he said.

Quoting the woman, Obi added, “She said, ‘I can’t believe this’.”

He explained that his reason for cleaning the toilet was simple and practical.

“The people called me; I said I cleaned it because maybe I would be the next person that would go back there to use it,” Obi stated.

The former Anambra governor used the story to urge Nigerians to take responsibility when they encounter things that are wrong, instead of looking the other way.

“When you see things that are wrong, clean them. I don’t have house help in my house; everybody knows that. Let us stop all this fake life,” he said.

However, British Airways had yet to react to Obi’s claim as of the time of filing this report.

Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua survives deadly auto accident while traveling in Nigeria

Joshua in wrecked vehicle

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By Eghosa Ogbeifun

Two-time World Heavyweight Champion and boxing icon, Anthony Joshua was involved in a ghastly auto accident in Nigeria that nearly took his life. 

Reports indicate that an SUV transporting Joshua collided with a stationary truck. However, the exact circumstances of the crash are still under investigation, with officials working to determine what led to the incident.

The 36-year-old former heavy weight champion being rescued from the wrecked vehicle, appearing to have suffered injuries.

Authorities in the South-Western state have yet to issue a statement on the matter and details of the injuries to the boxer and the identity of the persons who died are unclear as of now. 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the incident in an official statement signed by Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide.

According to the FRSC, the crash involved a Lexus SUV carrying Anthony Joshua and a stationary truck.

“The incident involved two vehicles: a black Lexus Jeep with registration number KRD 850 HN (private) and a stationary red commercial Sinotruck with unknown registration number. A total of five adult males were involved in the crash.

“Two persons sadly lost their lives, one sustained injuries, while two others escaped unhurt. Anthony Joshua was rescued alive and sustained minor injuries.

“The injured victim was evacuated for medical attention, while the remains of the deceased were conveyed to Livewell Morgue, Ajaka, Sagamu,” the statement said.

It noted that the Nigeria Police Motor Traffic Division (MTD) was duly notified for further investigation and necessary documentation.

According to the FRSC, preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road.

“The primary causes of the crash being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways,” FRSC said.

The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured victim, Anthony Joshua a speedy recovery.

FRSC reiterated its warning to motorists to avoid dangerous overtaking, excessive speed, and disregard for traffic regulations, particularly on high-speed corridors such as the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

It urged motorists to exercise patience, maintain lane discipline, and prioritize safety over haste, especially during the festive travel period.

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US, Nigeria differ in details over airstrikes on terrorists

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Foreign Affairs Staff

Following surprise US strikes targeting militants in Nigeria, it remains unclear who or what was actually hit as Washington and Abuja tell slightly different stories.

Complicating matters is the fact that the strikes were delayed by American President Donald Trump, apparently to prioritise the symbolism of launching the attack on Christmas — and allegations that Washington backed out of issuing a joint statement with the Nigerians.

The two countries agree that the strikes hit targets linked to Islamic State, but neither one has provided details on which of Nigeria’s myriad armed groups were targeted.

“Twenty-four hours after the bombing, neither Nigeria nor its so-called ‘international partners’ can provide clear, verifiable information about what was actually struck,” activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore said Saturday.

Nigeria is battling multiple jihadist organisations, including several linked to Islamic State. Neighbouring countries are also fighting IS-linked groups, and there are worries those conflicts are spilling into the country.

Mohammed Idris, the country’s information minister, said late Friday that the strikes “targeted ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria from the Sahel corridor.”

In an interview with Sky News, Daniel Bwala, adviser to President Bola Tinubu, named Islamic State, a murky armed group named Lakurawa, or “bandits” — non-ideological armed gangs that dominate northwestern Nigeria — as potential targets of the strikes.

But analysts and the opposition People’s Democratic Party slammed the government for allowing “foreign powers” to “break the news of security operations in our country before our government does”.

Taking to social media the night of the strike, Trump was the first to take credit for the overnight Thursday into Friday strikes in northwestern Sokoto state — sparking worries from Nigerians that their sovereignty had been violated.

Trump also told US outlet Politico that the strikes had been scheduled earlier than Thursday, “And I said, ‘nope, let’s give a Christmas present’.”

The following morning, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar insisted it was a joint operation, with Tinubu ultimately giving the go-ahead and Nigeria supplying intelligence for the strikes.

He later told broadcaster Arise News that, while he was on the phone ahead of the strikes with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the two had agreed on issuing a joint statement, but Washington rushed out its own.

Late Friday, almost 24 hours after the strikes, it was Nigeria that finally provided clarity around what the targets were: “two major Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves” in Sokoto state’s Tangaza district, according to Idris.

Other villages were hit by what the information minister said were debris from the strikes.

Images from an AFP photographer in Offa, in neighbouring Kwara state, showed crumbled buildings, destroyed by the debris, with roofs caved in and belongings scattered among the wreckage.

Explosions in Sokoto state’s Jabo town, also apparently from the debris, shook the community and “surprised us because this area has never been” a stronghold for armed groups, local resident Haruna Kallah told AFP. No civilian casualties were reported.

The munitions used were unclear. The US military released a video showing a navy ship launching what appeared to be missiles.

Idris said “the strikes were launched from maritime platforms domiciled in the Gulf of Guinea”. He also said “a total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper” drones.

The choice to strike the northwest has also sowed confusion among analysts, as Nigeria’s jihadists are mainly concentrated in the northeast.

Some researchers have recently linked some members of the armed group known as Lakurawa — the main jihadist group located in Sokoto State — to Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), but other analysts have disputed those links.

The strikes also come after a diplomatic spat between Washington and Abuja sparked by Trump saying the violence in the country amounted to “persecution” against Christians — a framing long used by the US religious right.

The Nigerian government and independent analysts reject the accusations.

The framing of Nigeria’s violence in religious terms, the lack of clarity around the targets and the fact that the strikes were delayed til Christmas all add to concerns from critics that the attack was bigger on symbolism than substance.

Both countries have said that more strikes are on the table.

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