Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian ‘tech queen’, faces more than 20 years in prison after her arrest by the FBI for allegedly defrauding multiple U.S. government agencies out of substantial sums. Egemasi, identified as a programmer with a Devpost account, was detained around April 10, 2025, in the Bronx, New York, along with co-conspirators, including Samuel…
Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry has announced a strict ban on taking photographs or videos or raising political and sectarian expressions at main hajj sites. In a statement, the ministry stated that pilgrims were prohibited from taking photographs or recording videos within Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah, and at key hajj locations including…
The latest round of direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine wrapped up in Istanbul on Monday without any significant advancements, as both parties failed to agree on the crucial unconditional ceasefire many had anticipated. Despite this setback, they did manage to establish an agreement to exchange all sick and severely wounded prisoners of war,…
British comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault. The 49-year-old appeared in the dock at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Friday flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas. He is accused of raping a woman in…
Finnish prosecutors handling the case of pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, are seeking a six-year prison sentence for him if found guilty. Ekpa is standing trial on terrorism charges. He appeared in the Päijät-Häme District Court on Friday for a preparatory hearing on terrorism-related charges, according to a Finnish local news medium, Yle. The prosecutor reportedly…
The Vatican announced on Thursday that Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the first pope from the United States. A moderate figure with a strong connection to Pope Francis, Prevost has dedicated years to missionary work in Peru. He will serve as the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church, adopting the papal name Leo…
On Thursday, white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the cardinals inside had elected a new leader for the 1.4 billion members of the Catholic Church. The sight of the smoke prompted cheers and applause from thousands of pilgrims and spectators gathered in St. Peter’s Square, as the bells rang…
Gamblers are staking millions of dollars to predict who will emerge as new pope as betting sites place odds on the candidates as the Catholic Church cardinals sweat to pick a new pontiff. Polymarket, an American cryptocurrency-based betting site, has placed odds on candidates who will emerge. Similarly, Kalshi, another American betting site, is coordinating…
President Bola Tinubu has mandated the formation of a Presidential Task Force aimed at eliminating numerous checkpoints that impede free movement. Ambassador Musa Nuhu, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, revealed this initiative during a visit to the Nigeria-Benin Republic border in Seme on Wednesday. “We are commencing with the Seme-Badagry Corridor. A committee has been…
In light of disappointing local election outcomes, members of the UK Conservative Party will gather this week to deliberate on the possible removal of their leader, Kemi Badenoch. The urgency stems from a growing concern about the party’s future following significant gains by Reform. Two senior Conservative backbenchers have confirmed to The Independent that they…
