Nobody can stop me from coming home – Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Vanguard)
Despite the ban on political rallies and restrictions on convoys, a massive crowd of supporters thronged Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State on Tuesday to welcome home Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a dramatic turn of events, the senator arrived by helicopter, stunning the waiting crowd, who had gathered in front of her country home in Ihima since morning.
The supporters, carrying placards and chanting in solidarity, defied police warnings and a curfew imposed by the Chairman of Okehi Local Government Area, Amoka Monday, ahead of her homecoming. Read more
Nigerians borrowed N470b in personal loans in Q4 2024 – CBN (Tribune)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed that Nigerians took personal loans worth N470 billion from banks in the last quarter of 2024.
According to the Fourth Quarter 2024 Economic Report released by the apex bank, consumer credit outstanding increased by 11.06%, rising from N4.25 trillion at the end of September 2024 to N4.72 trillion by December 2024.
The report highlighted a 21.27% surge in personal loans, reaching N3.82 trillion, compared to N3.15 trillion recorded in the previous quarter. This increase contributed significantly to the overall growth of consumer credit. Read more
Nigerian billionaire, Adebayo Ogunlesi, leads BlackRock’s $23b acquisition of Panama Canal ports (ThisDay)
Months after President Donald Trump had been hammering Panama over its most valuable asset, the Panama Canal, an investment group led by BlackRock, a giant American asset manager, has agreed to buy two ports in the place owned by a Hong Kong company.
BlackRock will buy the ports, which sit at either end of the canal, and over 40 others from the Hong Kong conglomerate, CK Hutchison, for about $23 billion. Though Trump has other complaints about the canal, he said it charges too much.
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama appeared to downplay the geopolitical implications of the proposed acquisition, describing the deal in a social media post as “a global transaction, between private companies, motivated by mutual interests.” Read more
Trade war between US, UK would make everybody poorer – Kemi Badenoch (Sun)
Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, has explained why UK should avoid a trade war with the United States.
Badenoch spoke with journalists on Tuesday about US President Donald Trump’s impending tariffs on the UK.
She believes that a trade war between the United States and the United Kingdom will make everyone poorer. Read more
Iluyomade didn’t rebel, he was barred from RCCG – City of David elder (Punch)
An elder in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David Parish, Quincy Ayodele, has denied claims that the former Pastor-in-charge of the parish, Idowu Iluyomade, rebelled against the church before starting his own.
Ayodele stated that she had expected that Iluyomade would be restored to his parish or another after he had served his three-month suspension handed to him by the church leadership.
According to Church Times, in a chat with on-air-personality, Daddy Freeze, posted on his YouTube Channel on Monday, the natural medicine practitioner said she was surprised and disappointed that Iluyomade was given a letter not to step into the church’s premises. Read more
Residents flee Benue community over fresh attacks (NewTelegraph)
Following a series of attacks and killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen, the residents of Olena in Asa community, Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, have fled their homes.
New Telegraph recalls that the community has been under siege for the past four days, with several people killed and many others abducted.
A resident who spoke under the guise of anonymity confirmed that villagers were forced to flee their homes on Monday night, March 30, after realizing that no help was coming. Read more
Why I miss my old body sometimes – Eniola Badmus (Nation)
Actress Eniola Badmus admitted to sometimes missing her old body in a recent post on Instagram.
Eniola reminisced about the comfort and familiarity of her previous physique, acknowledging that it was a part of her identity.
However, Eniola also celebrated her growth, both physical and emotional, stating that her new body has carried her through significant life changes and challenges. Read more
Sick people shouldn’t travel for Hajj, says Sanwo-Olu (Guardian)
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has advised residents of the state intending to travel for the 2025 Hajj to ensure they are healthy before embarking on the pilgrimage.
The governor also urged the residents to continue to give thanks to the Almighty for rebirth, growth and collective development due to the just-concluded Ramadan fast.
He spoke on Tuesday at the First Family of Lagos State and the Ministry of Home Affairs Eid-el-Fitr celebration. Read more
I spend 9 hours a day commuting — people call me crazy but I’ll do whatever it takes to further my career (NYPost)
She works hard for her money.
Since return-to-office mandates have continued well into 2025 across corporate America, many employees are forced to take on long commutes to abide by their employer’s rules.
However, one 30-year-old woman has her eye on the prize as she willingly commutes nine hours a day to and from work to advance her career.
Luck wasn’t on Ruth Ajala’s side when she was job hunting in her hometown of Portsmouth, England. Read more
Tebboune and Macron commit to enhancing bilateral cooperation between Algeria and France (AfricaNews)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune agreed on Monday during a phone call to revitalize their bilateral relationship. Following months of tension, this renewed partnership is expected to lead to a resumption of security and migration cooperation, as stated in a joint communiqué.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune agreed on Monday during a phone conversation to revitalize their bilateral relationship.
Following months of tension, this renewed partnership is expected to lead to a resumption of security and migration cooperation, as stated in a joint communiqué. Read more
Jessica Simpson’s Advice to Singers: “Drink Snake Sperm” (Consequence)
Jessica Simpson made her grand return to music earlier this year, and to get her voice back in good shape, she’s been drinking… snake sperm.
In a new Instagram video, Simpson drinks a bottle with darkly-colored liquid and a yellow label while hanging in the studio recording her recently-released Nashville Canyon EP.
She explains that her vocal coach told her to drink the “Chinese herb thing,” and upon googling the product’s ingredients, she learned that one of the ingredients was snake sperm. Read more
Fresh US strikes extend air campaign targeting Yemen’s Houthis (AlJazeera)
The United States military launched a series of air attacks on Yemen overnight, targeting Houthi rebels.
Strikes hit an area near the capital, Sanaa, as well as the northern province of Saada early on Tuesday as the US extended a bombing campaign against targets in Yemen that began in mid-March and has killed dozens of people.
The Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported that US forces launched 15 raids on the northern province of Saada, including the city of Saada and the districts of Majz and Sahar. Mount Nabi Shuaib, in the Bani Matar district of Sanaa province, was also reported to have been targeted. Read more
Christian preacher in India gets life in jail for raping woman (BBC)
Bajinder Singh has millions of followers on social media
An Indian court has sentenced self-styled Christian preacher Bajinder Singh to life imprisonment for raping a woman in 2018.
The woman had accused Singh of raping her at his home in the northern state of Punjab, recording the act and using the video later to blackmail her.
Singh, who has millions of followers, rose to fame for his evangelist-style preaching and events, where he can be seen “healing” people suffering from serious illnesses by placing his hands on them. Read more
China launches large-scale war games all around Taiwan (CBS)
The Chinese military announced large-scale drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan on Tuesday that include an aircraft carrier battle group, as it again warned the self-ruled island democracy against seeking formal independence.
The joint exercises involve navy, air ground and rocket forces and are meant to be a “severe warning and forceful containment against Taiwan independence,” according to Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command.
No operational name for the drills was announced or previous notice given. Read more
From Makoko to Master: The rise of chess prodigy Ferdinand Mehunu (Vanguard)
In the heart of Makoko, one of Africa’s largest slums, a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy defied all odds to become a chess champion, inspiring a nation and the world.
Ferdinand Mehunu had never attended school, had no friends, and lacked access to proper medical care. His father, a fisherman, struggled to provide for the family, while his mother sold fish in the local market.
But everything changed when he discovered Chess in Slums Africa, a non-profit initiative founded by Babatunde Onakoya to empower underprivileged children through chess. Read more
Leonard makes Clippers the team nobody wants to see in the NBA playoffs (CBS)
Whenever you begin a sentence with “if Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy,” you’re playing a dangerous game. But … if Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers are going be a serious problem in the playoffs.
In fact, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to peg the Clippers, who beat the Magic 96-87 on Monday for their 11th win in their last 14 games, as perhaps the second-best team in the Western Conference.
That sounds like a stretch for a team that, if the postseason were to start today, would have to play its way into a first-round series from the No. 8 seed. But with seven games to play, the Clippers (43-32) are just one back in the loss column from the No. 5 Grizzlies and No. 6 Warriors, and they own the tiebreaker over both. Read more
Sudanese Al Hilal aims for victory against Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League quarter final clash (AfricaNews)
Al Hilal faces a significant challenge in their quest to remain in this season’s CAF Champions League, as they prepare to take on Egypt’s Al Ahly, the two-time defending African champions, in the first leg of their quarter-final match in Cairo on Tuesday.
This marks the first time in a decade that Al Hilal has advanced past the group stage, having topped the final standings in Group A.
Although the initial match will take place in Cairo, Al Hilal is dissatisfied with CAF’s decision to hold the second leg in Mauritania, especially since the two-time Champions League runners-up had requested to play in nearby Libya. Read more
Ashwani Kumar makes record-breaking IPL debut for Mumbai Indians (AlJazeera)
A sparkling debut performance by medium pacer Ashwani Kumar, powered up by a single banana, helped Mumbai Indians register their first win of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, downing Kolkata Knight Riders by eight wickets.
Kumar’s stunning but highly unexpected four-wickets-for-24-runs effort, coupled with an overall disciplined bowling performance by the home team, restricted champions Kolkata to a modest total of 116, which Mumbai chased down with more than seven overs to spare on Monday.
Kumar’s performance with the ball was not only the all-time best by an Indian IPL rookie, but it’s also the fourth-best debutant bowling figures in IPL history. Read more
Kasatkina ‘didn’t have much choice’ over Australia switch (BBC)
Daria Kasatkina says she feels “emotional” after switching allegiance from Russia to Australia but “didn’t have much choice” after publicly criticising her country’s LGBTQ+ laws and the war in Ukraine.
Kasatkina has been living in Dubai and has not returned to Russia in two and a half years.The 27-year-old had her application for permanent residency accepted last week and will represent Australia for the first time at this week’s Charleston Open in South Carolina. Read more