Author: Prima News

By Adedapo Adesanya The Naira depreciated further against the United States Dollar by N1.76 or 0.13 per cent on Friday in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) to close at N1,33.42/$1, in contrast to the N1,353.66/$1 it was exchanged a day earlier. However, the Naira appreciated against the Pound Sterling in the same market window yesterday by N5.05 to trade at N1,844.59 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,849.64/£1, and against the Euro, it improved by 75 Kobo to quote at N1,60/€1 versus the previous day’s N1,608.68/€1. At the GTBank FX desk, the domestic currency lost N6 on the US…

Senior US and international officials voiced divergent views Saturday on the US military’s controversial capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Asked whether he supported the US operation in Venezuela, US Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democratic member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, said he was “glad he’s (Maduro) gone,” but warned that the way it was done has serious consequences for the international system. “The violation of rules-based orders from this should really concern everyone that actually lives, dies and prospers by the rules-based…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed that Europe must step up efforts to build a stronger European pillar within NATO while safeguarding transatlantic ties, according to a statement on Saturday. Meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the EU Commission chief and the British premier reaffirmed their commitment to continue work that will bolster collective defenses “in the face of growing threats to European security.” “They agreed that Europe needs to step up and work towards becoming a more European NATO, while protecting our strong transatlantic ties,” Starmer’s office said…

Court has granted activist leave to probe Tunji-Ojo’s WAEC Certificate but rejected NYSC inquiry request. NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an application by activist Mr. Emorioloye Owolemi to inquire into the academic qualifications of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Justice Binta Nyako approved the request while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the activist. Owolemi had sought the court’s permission to investigate the authenticity of the Secondary School Certificate allegedly issued to the minister by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), citing alleged discrepancies in his academic claims. However, in a…

Armed assailants on motorbikes killed at least 30 people and burned houses and shops during raids on three villages in northwest Nigeria’s Niger State early on Saturday, residents who escaped the violence told Reuters. The attacks on villages in the Borgu Local Government Area, near the border with Benin Republic, are part of a surge in attacks blamed on “bandits,” who have carried out deadly assaults, abductions for ransom, and displaced communities across northern Nigeria. Insecurity is a pressing concern in Nigeria and the government is under mounting pressure to restore stability. Wasiu Abiodun, Niger State police spokesperson, confirmed the attack in one of the villages.…

A feud between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates across the Horn of Africa is overshadowing this weekend’s African Union summit, though most of the continent’s leaders will try to avoid taking sides, nine diplomats and experts said. What began as a rivalry in Yemen has spread across the Red Sea into a region riven with conflicts – from war in Somalia and Sudan to rivalry between Ethiopia and Eritrea and a divided Libya. In recent years, the UAE has become an influential player in the Horn – encompassing primarily Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti – through multi-billion-dollar investments, robust diplomacy…

The US social media platform X has removed blue verification badges from the accounts of several senior Iranian officials following a report alleging the platform provided paid services to individuals under US sanctions. The move came after the Tech Transparency Project said X was offering its paid X Premium service to Iranian figures subject to US restrictions. Accounts that lost verification included Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei and Ali Larijani, secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council. US sanctions on Iran prohibit American companies from conducting business with certain individuals and entities. X has…

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger deleted a social media post accusing UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese of spreading hate speech after the claim was based on disinformation that distorted her remarks. Meinl-Reisinger had posted on the US-based platform X that Albanese “brands Israel wholesale as an ‘enemy of humanity.’” She added: “Criticism of Israel’s actions is legitimate, and Austria has always demanded compliance with international law.” The Austrian minister shared the post following claims by senior politicians in France that Albanese had described “Israel as the common enemy of humanity,” a statement widely criticized as…

Ibrahim Kalin, head of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT), attended the weekend Munich Security Conference in Germany, where he held talks with his foreign counterparts on a range of regional issues, security sources said Saturday. Kalin discussed bilateral and regional issues, Iran, war-torn Gaza, Syria, and North Africa, according to the sources. The various talks also covered intelligence diplomacy, counterterrorism, irregular migration, and cybersecurity. Munich is hosting the 62nd Munich Security Conference from Friday through Sunday under tight security, as diplomats describe the current period as the most turbulent since the end of the Cold War, marked by escalating…