Author: News Room

The Vatican on Monday said Pope Leo XIV will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday. This is just a few weeks after the pontiff seriously criticised United States President Donald Trump. According to a calendar published on the Vatican’s media site, the private visit with the top US diplomat, who is a Catholic, will take place at 11:30 am (0930 GMT). The meeting is said to be an attempt to soften relations between the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and the US government. Rubio will also meet Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Italian…

A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has given reasons why he resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to join the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, alongside a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso. In a long post on X on Monday, Obi insisted it was not out of anger or ambition. Rather, he said the move is a continuation of the quest to build a new Nigeria. Obi wrote: “Yesterday, I formally joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside my dear brother, Engr. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, with one clear purpose: to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano says it has carried out a raid around the old site of Bayero University Kano (BUK), arresting six people linked to illegal drug activities and shutting down several drug spots. The operation was led by the Kano Strategic Command under Commander D.Y. Lawal. This is contained in a statement signed by Sadiq Muhammad Maigatari, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics and Public Relations Officer for NDLEA Kano Strategic Command, on behalf of the commander. He said the raid followed a formal complaint from the university’s management about individuals trespassing and using parts of…

At least four players were absent from Arsenal’s training on Monday as the squad prepares for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. They are captain Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino. Following their 3-0 win over Fulham last Saturday, manager Mikel Arteta expressed optimisim that Odegaard and Havert could face the LaLiga side. But neither of them were pictured in the open training session. Timber and Merino are long-term absentees, although there is hope they could return before the season ends. There was good news however as Bukayo Saka took part in the session,…

The EU is cutting public funding to clean tech projects using certain Chinese technology that could pose risks to the bloc’s power grid, officials said Monday. The European Union has in recent years viewed China’s dominance of the green tech sector with increasing suspicion and fears the 27-country bloc’s reliance on Chinese supply as a growing vulnerability. Brussels has now announced it is banning EU funding for Chinese-made inverters. Described as a “brain” for solar energy systems, inverters help connect renewable sources to the electricity grid. The ban has been in place since early April and applies to new projects…

Multiple videos circulating on social media have sparked outrage over the detainment of a teenage girl at a police station in the Arandun area of Kwara state. In a series of videos posted by #oba_adebayo_13 on TikTok, the footage captured moments when residents of the area stormed the police station. The clips showed people storming the police station and demanding the release of the teenager or charging her to court rather than detaining her for over three days. In a video made by the mother of the detained girl, she explained that her daughter, currently in detention, is not the…

A former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly and senatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Mrs Jumoke Akindele, has called on other aspirants to make the re-election of President Bola Tinubu a top priority. Akindele, who has declared her intention to contest the senatorial election under the platform of the APC in Ondo South Senatorial District, also emphasised the need for all stakeholders in the party to unite and ensure victory for the President in the 2027 general election. The first female Speaker in the state gave the charge in a statement she personally…

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has described this season as “unacceptable” following their latest defeat to Manchester United, admitting the club has fallen far below its usual standards. The Reds slumped to their 18th loss in all competitions after a 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford, piling more pressure on Arne Slot’s side during a disappointing title defence. As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, the Liverpool skipper was quoted as saying, “I’m not here to make excuses,” Van Dijk said. “It’s been a very disappointing season, an unacceptable season, and it’s tough. We shouldn’t feel sorry for ourselves whatsoever.” The…

Influencer Priscilla Ojo, Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo’s daughter, has opened up on trust, loyalty and the realities of being married to a celebrity, stating that she has confidence in her husband, Tanzanian singer Juma Jux, despite the pressures that come with fame. Priscilla made the remarks during an interview on WithChude, hosted by media personality Chude Jideonwo, where she spoke candidly about her marriage and how she navigates public attention around her partner. Juma Jux and Priscilla. Credit: IG| jux.priscy Addressing concerns about infidelity often associated with entertainers, she said trust and discipline remain central to her relationship. “If he…

GameStop has made an offer to acquire eBay for $56 billion, which comes as part of GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen’s plan to transform the online marketplace into a “legit competitor to Amazon,” he tells The Wall Street Journal. In an announcement on Monday, eBay says it will “carefully review” the unsolicited proposal, adding that it had “no discussions with or outreach from GameStop” before receiving the bid.GameStop says it will fund the acquisition using $9.4 billion on the company’s balance sheet and third-party financing, including up to $20 billion from TD Securities. As noted by the WSJ, the company doesn’t…