Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

FBI Director Kash Patel has firmly denied mounting speculation about his possible resignation, following uproar over the Justice Department’s decision to officially close its investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein. Taking to social media on Saturday, Patel dismissed the “swirling” rumours, stating: “The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been. It’s an honour to serve the President of the United States and I’ll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me.” The Justice Department and FBI jointly announced this week that they would not be releasing further information about Epstein’s government-held files, including the highly…

UuNearly 60 Labour MPs have urged the British government to immediately recognise Palestine as a state, in response to what they describe as the ethnic cleansing of Gaza by Israeli forces. The cross-section of MPs, including both centrist and left-leaning backbenchers, signed a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Thursday, expressing alarm over Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s recent announcement to forcibly relocate all Gazan civilians into a camp on the devastated ruins of Rafah. “It is with great urgency and concern that we are writing to you regarding the Israeli defence minister’s announcement,” the MPs stated. “The plans…

The head of the Metropolitan Police has described as “shameful” the stark racial disparity in life outcomes for boys growing up in London, stating that black boys are significantly more likely to be dead by the age of 18 than their white peers. Speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips on Sky News, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged the enduring mistrust between black communities and the police, calling it a “real problem” that continues to undermine public confidence. “The vast majority of our people are good people,” Rowley said. “But that legacy, combined with the tragedy that some of this…

President Donald Trump has announced that all goods imported into the United States from both the European Union and Mexico will face a 30% tariff rate starting 1 August, a move that has sent shockwaves through global trade circles and raised fears of a transatlantic trade war. The US president, who is seeking a second term, made the declaration via letters posted to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday. The tariff hike comes despite months of negotiations between the EU and US trade officials, including US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, aimed at avoiding exactly such an outcome. Trump’s…

Banks and telecommunication companies have expressed frustration over disruption to their services triggered by continuous downtime on the NIN verification portal. The downtime to the NIN Verification platform, which started the previous week, had persisted over the weekend despite assurance by the National Identity Management Commission that the problem had been resolved. As a result of the NIN verification downtime, banks reported having challenges linking new account holders to their NINs, while Mobile Network Operators are similarly unable to link customers’ SIM cards to their NIN records. The problem has also affected the Nigerian Immigration Service, delaying passport processing for…

A senior officer of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) was shot dead in broad daylight on Thursday in central Kyiv, in what authorities suspect to be a targeted attack, the latest in a series of strikes on security personnel since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine’s Security Service confirmed the killing, stating that a criminal investigation had been launched into the “murder of an SBU employee in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv.” The service, however, did not release the identity of the victim or details about the weapon used. Ukrainian media outlets, including the independent Ukrainska Pravda, identified the victim…

Italian confectionery giant Ferrero Group announced on Thursday that it will acquire WK Kellogg Co. in a $3.1 billion (£2.4 billion) deal, expanding its global footprint and strengthening its presence in the North American market. WK Kellogg Co., headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, is the home of iconic breakfast cereals such as Corn Flakes, Froot Loops, Rice Krispies, and Special K. Ferrero, renowned for its Nutella spread and Ferrero Rocher chocolates, will take over manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of Kellogg’s cereal brands across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Under the terms of the agreement, Ferrero will pay $23…

The original Hermès Birkin bag, once carried by the late actress and singer Jane Birkin, has been auctioned off in Paris for over $10 million (£7.9 million), making it the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction, according to Sotheby’s. The bag fetched a staggering $10.1 million following more than ten minutes of “heated bidding,” the auction house announced on Thursday via social media. The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed. Before the auction, the one-of-a-kind leather handbag was owned by a private collector. It was briefly exhibited in New York City before going under the hammer in…

A 31-year-old South Korean singer and former member of the popular K-pop band NCT, Taeil, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison after admitting to raping a Chinese tourist alongside two accomplices. The Seoul district court heard that Taeil, whose full name is Moon Tae-il, and his co-defendants, identified in South Korean media only by their surnames Lee and Hong, took turns sexually assaulting the woman after a night of drinking in the capital’s Itaewon district. The incident, described by the court as “extremely grave”, occurred after the victim became “heavily intoxicated” during a night out.…

A North Korean defector has launched a landmark legal challenge in South Korea against Kim Jong-un, accusing the regime of torture and sexual violence in its detention facilities. Choi Min-kyung, 53, filed a civil lawsuit at Seoul Central District Court on Friday, seeking 50 million won (£29,000) in damages from the North Korean state, naming Kim and six other officials as responsible parties. Simultaneously, she submitted a criminal complaint to the prosecutors’ office, calling for an investigation into crimes against humanity committed by the regime. This marks what supporters are calling the first time a North Korean defector has pursued…