Author: Alade Adisa

….After Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ duties take effect China has said it will raise its tariff on US goods to 84%, retaliating to the hefty new tariffs on its imports that kicked in on Wednesday in the renewed trade war. The move came after the Trump administration followed through on a threat to add a 50% tariff on Chinese goods, in addition to 34% reciprocal tariffs, raising the overall tariff rate on Chinese goods to 104%. The steep new duties on China and 184 other US trading partners took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Beijing’s move marks further deterioration in…

The Trump administration is considering launching drone strikes on drug cartels in Mexico as part of an ambitious effort to combat criminal gangs trafficking narcotics across the southern border, according to six current and former U.S. military, law enforcement and intelligence officials with knowledge of the matter. Discussions among White House, Defence Department and intelligence officials, which are still at an early stage, have included possible drone strikes against cartel figures and their logistical networks in Mexico with the cooperation of Mexico’s government, the sources said. Still, the administration has made no final decision and reached no definitive agreement about…

Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, has said only the president and the vice-president should be allowed to have absolute immunity so that they can concentrate on good governance. Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State spoke during an appearance on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday. The two-term governor advocated a constitutional amendment that would restrict immunity from prosecution strictly to the offices of the President and Vice-President. While the current provision in Section 308 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution shields the president, vice-president, governors, and deputy governors from prosecution while in office, Daniel argued that this…

Amid the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, 11 governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have filed a suit to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s powers to suspend democratically elected officials of a state at the Supreme Court. The opposition governors also challenged the imposition of emergency rule in the oil-rich state in the suit. The plaintiffs in the suit are; Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa states. Though it had been previously widely reported that the suit had been filed before the Supreme Court, New…

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has announced the appointment of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. He also approved the reconstitution of previously suspended boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals. The approval for the appointments, which take effect from Monday, April 7, 2025, was contained in a Special Government Announcement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika. With a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt having earlier barred Ibas from making such appointments, this new development comes amid mounting legal and political…

President Donald Trump is set to impose an astounding 104% in levies across all Chinese imports on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday. This comes on top of Chinese tariffs that were in place prior to Trump’s second term.China was already set to see tariffs increase by 34% on Wednesday as part of Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs package. But the president tacked on another 50% after Beijing didn’t back off its promise to impose 34% retaliatory tariffs on US goods by noon Tuesday, adding an additional 84% in duties. ”Additional 50% tariffs ‘a mistake upon a mistake’”…

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Rivers State Police Command to tender an unreserved public apology over the assault on five journalists during a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt or risk a statewide media blackout. In a statement jointly signed by the Council Chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, and Secretary, Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia, the NUJ condemned the actions of police officers involved, demanding their immediate identification and prosecution. “The NUJ, as a watchdog of society, will not sit idly by while media practitioners are subjected to barbarism and brutality. Enough is enough,” the statement…

Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has lamented that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities almost on daily basis without confrontation signalled that Borno State is losing ground. The governor spoke on Tuesday at a Special Expanded Security Meeting (ESM) attended by the General Officer Commanding 7 Div, Major General Abubakar Haruna, Sector Commanders, Commissioner of Police, heads of other security agencies, Shehu of Borno, Alh. Dr. Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, Shehu of Bama, Emirs of Biu, Uba, Askira, Gwoza, while Shehu of Dikwa- and Emir of Shani were in absentia. He said his administration has…

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrats on the Senate banking and finance committees, respectively, have demanded information from Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) about their cloud computing partnerships with artificial intelligence companies, expressing concern the arrangements could stifle competition in the cutting-edge industry. Senator Elizabeth Warren They have written a letter to ask Google for details about its partnership with AI startup Anthropic and Microsoft about its tie-up with ChatGPT creator OpenAI, according to the letters. “We are concerned that corporate partnerships within the AI sector discourage competition, circumvent our antitrust laws,…

Senator Ali Ndume has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s recent political appointments, alleging that they breached the constitutional provision of the federal character principle and failed to reflect Nigeria’s diversity. The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, spoke during a televised interview on Arise News PrimeTime show on Monday night. He said the president’s appointments have not reflected the diversity mandated by section 14(3) of the 1999 constitution. Ndume said, “The figures are there. You can look at the figures. I sent you one. I sent you figures. It’s not that I’m just making accusations. “And it’s not that I’m saying,…