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Article of Faith: The mind of Christ (2) - Femi Aribisala
Paul is the chief exponent in the scriptures of the imperative to have the mind of Christ. He taught what he lived, so we have him as our chief example.
Paul teaches that:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This new creation is new and will become new. He comes fully loaded but starts like a child, with everything needed to become a man already in place. In effect, if anyone is in Christ, he has the potential to become like Christ. But he must grow in Christ. He has put on Christ and must put on Christ.
“For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27).
He must work out what God has worked in him. (Philippians 2:13). So, Paul tells us to put on what God has given to us.
“Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”(Ephesians 4:24).
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.” (Romans 13:14).
The Future Is Now
Jesus says:
“The hour is coming, and now is.” (John 4:23).
One new thing that is coming, and now is, refers to our mind. Paul affirms that:
“We have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
But this mind must be developed.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5-6).
Allow the mind of Christ to be in you. Do not impede it. God is at work in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.
Therefore, we have to jettison the old and put on the new.
“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” (Ephesians 4:23).
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2).
Single-mindedness
Paul was single-minded. He says:
“I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
James says:
“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8).
Paul was pre-eminently Christ-centred. This single-mindedness was the source of his stability in affliction and adversity. Paul’s concerns were never about himself. His concerns and preoccupations were always about Christ and the gospel.
Can you forget about yourself for some time? After all, you are supposed to be dead. A dead man is no longer concerned about himself.
Paul says:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20).
Paul’s body was not his own. His future was not his own. His reputation was not his own. He tried to put himself last in every situation.
He regarded everything that happened to him as circumstances sent by God to exalt Christ and promote the gospel. If he is jailed, it is to Christ’s advantage.
“I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ.” (Philippians 1:12-13).
Nothing can happen to Paul that he would not see from Christ’s vantage point. Whatever happened to him, he regarded it as being to Christ’s advantage. This meant he would not grumble or complain about anything.
“According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20).
Fellowship of Suffering
Paul considered it to be a privilege to suffer for Christ.
“For to you has been given the privilege not only of trusting him but also of suffering for him.” (Philippians 1:29).
In Philippians 3:10, he calls it the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. Similarly, in the book of Acts, the apostles were excited when they were beaten for Christ’s sake.
“When they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts 5:40-41).
Jesus prescribes this fellowship in adversity:
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12).
Paul understood that the purpose of God was in every situation and circumstance of the life of a believer. Therefore, he prescribes that in everything, give thanks.
Self-abnegation
Paul made it a habit not to think of himself, but to think of others. He also made a point of praying for others. He sought to encourage others. His heaven on earth was helping others.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.” (Philippians 1:3-4).
“Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:7-8).
If there were chains on Paul’s wrists, he re-conceptualised them as his “bonds in Christ.” If his adversaries were causing trouble in his absence while he was under house arrest, he rejoiced that they were preaching Christ.
If his friends were worried about his incarceration and were praying for him, he became excited that this would exalt Christ. If there was a possibility that he might be killed, then he believed that Christ would be magnified in his death.
In his single-mindedness, Paul put Christ and the furtherance of the gospel ahead of everything else.
In effect, nothing that man can do can take away Paul’s joy in Christ. Imprison him, and Paul simply tells you he is a prisoner of Christ. Chain him to a guard, and Paul is convinced that the whole design was to give him a captive audience who is to be won over to the gospel.
Confidence in Christ
As a single-minded Christian, Paul refused to allow circumstances to overcome him. On the contrary, he turned every circumstance into an opportunity to magnify Christ and to win souls.
Above all, Paul was confident about the supremacy of God. He was confident that the Philippians would continue in their Christian walk, not because of any diligence on the part of the church, but because of the power of God.
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6).
He was confident that his trials had given believers in Rome new confidence in the gospel.
“Most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Philippians 1:14).
He was confident that he would soon come through the trials and be restored to his friends.
“And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.” (Philippians 1:25).
This is the blessing of being single-minded. The single-minded believer has joyful confidence in the Lord, knowing that Jesus controls all situations and circumstances.
One Mind
Christian single-mindedness leads to submissiveness. Submissiveness to God yields sacrifice and service. The mind of Christ is submissive, meek, and lowly. Humility is not thinking of ourselves at all. But exaltation always follows humiliation.
Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6).
With Christ at the centre and as the glue, Christians are supposed to be like-minded, having the same love, of one spirit, and of the same purpose.
“Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (Philippians 2:1-2).
Nothing is to be done out of selfish ambition and each believer is enjoined to consider others better than himself and to be concerned about the interests of others.
Jesus is the prime example of this selfless humility.
“Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’” (Romans 15:2-3).
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6).
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Smartphone use could reduce dementia risk in older adults, study finds
The first generation that has been exposed consistently to digital technology has reached the age where symptoms of dementia tend to emerge.
Some have claimed that digital technology could negatively impact cognitive abilities, but researchers from Baylor University have discovered just the opposite.
"You can flip on the news on just about any day and you’ll see people talking about how technologies are harming us," said study co-author Michael Scullin in a press release.
"People often use the terms ‘brain drain’ and ‘brain rot,’ and now ‘digital dementia’ is an emerging phrase. As researchers, we wanted to know if this was true," Scullin said.
The researchers analyzed past studies to determine the impact of technology on mental aging. Their findings, which were published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, suggest that digital technologies can actually preserve cognitive abilities.
For the meta-review, researchers analyzed more than 136 studies that included 400,000 adults, with an average of six years of follow-up data.
The team concluded that the use of digital technology correlates with a 58% lower risk of cognitive impairment, even after adjusting for gender, age and education level.
One contributing factor, according to Scullin, could be the cognitive challenges that older adults face when interacting with technology.
"One of the first things that middle-aged and older adults were saying is that ‘I’m so frustrated by this computer. This is hard to learn,'" he said in the release.
"That's actually a reflection of the cognitive challenge, which may be beneficial for the brain even if it doesn’t feel great in the moment."
Technology can be cognitively challenging because it is always changing, forcing users to learn and adapt, the researchers noted. This "exercises" the brain and helps keep it sharp.
Dementia diagnoses often involve loss of ability to independently perform daily tasks, such as taking pills, keeping track of appointments and navigating directions, per the Alzheimer’s Research UK website.
Digital tools like web calendars, phone reminders and navigation apps can allow for greater independence in older adults.
The study found that "digital scaffolding" – the process of using these tools to perform daily tasks – "facilitates better functional outcomes in older adults while general cognitive functioning declines."
One highly debated aspect of digital technology’s effect on our brains is the use of social media, but according to the researchers, it’s not all bad.
Another benefit of digital technology, according to experts, is the ability for aging adults to maintain social connections, which has been linked to a decreased dementia risk.
"Now you can connect with families across generations," Scullin said.
"You can not only talk to them, you can see them. You can share pictures. You can exchange emails — and it's all within a second or less. So that means there's a greater opportunity for decreasing loneliness."
Fox News
Worsening insecurity grips Nigeria as gunmen kill 20 in Zamfara, abduct 35 in Akwa Ibom and Benue
Nigeria's security crisis deepened this week as armed groups carried out deadly attacks across multiple regions, leaving dozens dead or abducted and highlighting the government's struggle to contain escalating violence.
Massacre in Zamfara Mining Village
In the latest bloodshed, gunmen killed at least 20 people in a brutal assault on the gold mining village of Gobirawa Chali in Zamfara state, northwestern Nigeria. Witnesses reported that hundreds of attackers opened fire on miners on Thursday, leading to a fierce gunfight. Residents recovered 21 bodies, with many more injured.
Amnesty International confirmed the massacre, stating that the assailants went house-to-house during the attack. While no motive was immediately confirmed, Zamfara has long been a hotspot for kidnappings and banditry, with armed gangs operating from remote forests and frequently targeting civilians and security forces.
The Nigerian military, already stretched thin by insurgencies in the northeast, farmer-herder clashes in Northcentral states, and separatist unrest in the southeast, has failed to secure vast rural areas, leaving communities vulnerable to relentless violence.
Pirates Abduct 20 Passengers in Akwa Ibom-Cross River Waterways
In the south-south region, gunmen suspected to be pirates kidnapped 20 passengers traveling by boat from Oron in Akwa Ibom to Cross River on April 18. The victims were aboard a vessel owned by Akwa Cross Boat Management Ltd., a private transport company.
Police responses were conflicting, with Akwa Ibom authorities claiming the abduction occurred in Cross River, while Cross River police denied the incident outright. The lack of coordination underscores the challenges in tackling maritime crime.
Piracy along the Oron-Calabar route has disrupted trade and travel, with fishermen and traders repeatedly targeted. A 2023 report revealed how pirates have crippled livelihoods, with boat owners losing millions to attacks. Akwa Ibom’s governor has appealed for military reinforcement, but kidnappings persist.
15 Passengers Kidnapped in Benue Road Ambush
Meanwhile, in Benue state, gunmen abducted 15 passengers along the Adoka-Naka road on Thursday. Two commercial vehicles were ambushed, with victims taken into the bush. Local officials confirmed the attack occurred just three kilometers from Naka town, yet police claimed they had not been briefed.
Benue has suffered a surge in violence, with over 200 killed in recent weeks. Governor Hyacinth Alia blamed "foreign elements" for the attacks, warning that the threat surpasses the traditional farmer-herder clashes. Homes have been burned, and survivors remain traumatized as federal forces struggle to restore order.
A Nation Under Siege
These incidents underscore Nigeria’s spiraling insecurity, with armed groups exploiting weak governance and under-resourced security forces. From banditry in the northwest to piracy in the south and kidnappings in the central region, civilians face mounting dangers.
Despite pledges from National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to address the crisis, the government’s efforts remain inadequate. As violence spreads, Nigerians are left questioning whether authorities can regain control before the situation deteriorates further.
—Reports from Reuters, PREMIUM TIMES, and Channels Television
COINCIDENCE? Three times trucks have rammed into Christian processions in Gombe, The Cable queries
In Gombe state, there is a disturbing trend: vehicles crashing into processions of Christians during major religious celebrations. The first happened, and it seemed as though it was just an accident, possibly from a brake failure. Then it happened again and again.
Over the past six years, three incidents — April 2019, December 2024, and April 2025 — have left communities in the state reeling, with dozens dead and others injured.
Official reports from security agencies often cite accidents, but eyewitnesses and local leaders cry foul, alleging deliberate attacks.
Is this mere coincidence or something more unfathomably sinister? Let’s dig into the tragedy, exploring the human toll, conflicting narratives, and unanswered questions fueling distrust.
EASTER 2019: A NIGHT OF CARNAGE
On April 21, 2019, at 11:30 pm, a vehicle driven by an off-duty Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer ploughed into an Easter procession of Boys’ Brigade members along Gombe-Biu Road.
The crash killed 8 to 11 people, mostly children under 15, and injured 31 others.
Witnesses, including Adams Borkono, state chairman of the Boys Brigade, said that after arguing with the procession of youth, the driver made a U-turn, switched off his headlights, and rammed into the crowd deliberately.
No mechanical failure was reported, and the act was widely accepted as intentional.
The aftermath was chaotic. An enraged mob killed the driver and a policeman, burning the vehicle.
The tragedy sparked unrest, prompting a curfew in Gombe. Despite police promises of justice, public updates on the investigation were scarce, leaving families without closure. This incident set a grim precedent, planting seeds of suspicion that linger today.
CHRISTMAS 2024: A PROCESSION MARRED BY CHAOS
On December 25, 2024, at 2:00 pm, a Volkswagen Sharon mini-bus loaded with rice bags crashed into a Christmas procession in Tumfure, near Gombe, en route to the emir’s palace and government house.
The collision injured 22 to 65 people, but no fatalities were reported, though the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) claimed higher injury counts than police estimates.
Buhari Abdullahi, police spokesperson, attributed the crash to the driver losing control. The driver fled and the vehicle was torched by an angry mob.
Shamsuddeen Kachalla, procession leader, and eyewitnesses disputed the official account, alleging the driver deliberately ignored attempts to stop the vehicle.
The higher injury estimates from CAN (65 vs. police’s 22) fueled perceptions of underreporting.
Inuwa Yahaya, governor of the state, covered medical costs and urged calm, but the incident deepened community tensions.
EASTER 2025: BRAKE FAILURE OR TARGETED ATTACK?
On April 21, at about 7am, a grain-laden truck rammed into an Easter procession in Billiri, along Gombe-Yola Road, killing five (two men, three women) and injuring 8 to 13 people.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) blamed excessive speeding, while police cited brake failure, and the driver was apprehended for prosecution.
However, eyewitnesses, including Yusuff Haskee, former CAN youth wing chairman, rejected claims of brake failure or excessive speeding; he alleged a terror attack.
They noted the truck’s silent approach and abrupt stop post-crash, with a viral video intensifying suspicions.
The community’s response was visceral; youths burned the truck, looted shops, and attacked the Billiri police headquarters, injuring officers.
The governor ordered a probe, vowing accountability — but distrust persists.
Three crashes in six years, all during Christian processions, have left Gombe’s faithful shaken. The 2019 incident appeared overtly intentional, but 2024 and 2025 remain contested, with official “accident” claims clashing against eyewitness accounts of deliberate acts.
In a broad context, 62,000 Christians have reportedly been killed in Nigeria since the year 2000. Each incident follows a grim cycle: a vehicle strikes, mobs retaliate, and investigations are stalled.
The Cable
Nigerian Stock Market dips after three-day rally
The Nigerian stock market ended its three-day bullish streak on Friday with a 0.3% decline in key performance indicators. The Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) saw its market capitalization decrease by N202 billion, falling from Thursday's N66.667 trillion to N66.465 trillion. Similarly, the All-Share Index dropped by 321.65 points to close at 105,752.61.
This downturn was primarily attributed to share price depreciation in major stocks including Dangote Cement and Transcorp. Despite the overall decline, market sentiment remained positive with gainers outnumbering losers 41 to 15.
Among the top performers, Ikeja Hotel led with a 10% increase, closing at N12.10 per share. International Breweries and Legend Internet Plc also posted 10% gains, closing at N7.70 and N6.82 respectively. Vitafoam rose by 9.93% to N44.85, while Cadbury gained 9.92% to close at N26.60 per share.
On the losing side, Dangote Cement experienced the steepest decline of 10%, closing at N432.00 per share. Other notable losers included Regency Alliance Insurance (down 8.06% to 57k), VFD Group (down 7.57% to N17.10), CHAMS (down 7.27% to N2.04), and Sovereign Trust Insurance (down 6.12% to 92k).
Trading volume increased significantly, with investors exchanging 428.08 million shares worth N20.174 billion across 14,284 transactions, compared to Thursday's 328.26 million shares valued at N10.370 billion in 12,142 deals.
Guaranty Trust Holding Company led the activity chart with 60.735 million shares valued at N3.807 billion. Fidelity Bank followed with 41.407 million shares worth N829 million, while Access Corporation, MTN, and Zenith Bank rounded out the top five most active stocks with transactions valued at N968.26 million, N8.240 billion, and N1.054 billion respectively.
Tribunal upholds $220m fine against Meta for violating consumer, data laws
A $220 million fine against Meta Platforms by Nigeria's competition watchdog for violating local consumer, data protection and privacy laws has been upheld following an unsuccessful appeal, Nigeria's Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal said on Friday.
Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta last July for discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers, compared with other jurisdictions with similar regulations.
Reuters
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 568
Missile launched from Yemen into Israel intercepted, Israeli army says
The Israeli army said in the early hours of Saturday that a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory.
Sirens sounded in a number of areas in Israel following the launch, the Israeli army added in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, who have been launching attacks against Israel as well as ships they perceive as affiliated to Israel, in what they say is to support the Palestinians in Gaza against the Israeli offensive on the enclave.
Reuters
What to know after Day 1157 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Russia and Ukraine 'very close to a deal', says Trump
US President Donald Trump has said Russia and Ukraine "are very close to a deal", hours after his envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Moscow.
Trump said it had been a "good day" of negotiations, while the Kremlin described the talks - which Ukraine was not present at - as "constructive".
Earlier, Trump said on social media that "most of the major points are agreed to," and urged Russia and Ukraine to meet "at very high levels" and "to finish it [the deal] off".
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his video address late on Friday that "real pressure on Russia is needed" to accept an unconditional ceasefire.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky told the BBC that territorial issues between Kyiv and Moscow could be discussed if a "full and unconditional ceasefire" was agreed upon.
Reports suggest Ukraine would be expected to give up large portions of land annexed by Russia under a US peace proposal.
Trump - who spoke to reporters as he arrived in Rome for Saturday's funeral of Pope Francis - has said he would support Russia keeping the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. Zelensky rejects this idea.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Moscow currently controls almost 20% of Ukrainian territory.
On Friday, traffic was halted in Moscow as a convoy of cars carrying Witkoff arrived ahead of the high-level talks, the fourth such visit he has made to Russia since the start of the year.
The three-hour talks were described as "very useful" by Putin aide Yuri Ushakov.
It had brought the "Russian and US positions closer together, not just on Ukraine but also on a range of other international issues", he said.
"Specifically on the Ukrainian crisis, the possibility of resuming direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives was in particular discussed," he added.
Earlier this week, Putin signalled for the first time since the early stages of the war that he was open to talks with Zelensky.
His remarks were believed to be in response to a proposal by the Ukrainian president for a 30-hour Easter truce to be extended for 30 days. No truce has yet been agreed on.
Kyiv has been on the receiving end of growing pressure from Trump to accept territorial concessions as part of an agreement with Moscow to end the war.
Crimea has become a particular flashpoint.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected the idea of recognising the peninsula as part of Russia, telling reporters in Kyiv on Friday: "Our position is unchanged - only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide which territories are Ukrainian."
However, in later remarks he suggested to the BBC that "a full and unconditional ceasefire opens up the possibility to discuss everything".
He also referenced comments made by Trump in an interview with Time magazine, in which the US president said "Crimea will stay with Russia".
"What President Trump says is true, and I agree with him in that today we do not have enough weapons to return control over the Crimean peninsula," Zelensky said.
Washington's peace plan has not been publicly released, but reports suggest it proposes Russia keeps the land it has gained - a condition that is in Moscow's favour.
On Friday, Reuters news agency reported it had seen US proposals handed to European officials last week, as well as subsequent counter-proposals from Europe and Ukraine.
It said there are significant disparities between them.
The US deal offers American legal acceptance of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and de facto recognition of Russian control of other occupied areas, including all of the Luhansk region.
By contrast, the Europeans and Ukrainians will only discuss what happens to occupied Ukrainian territory after a ceasefire has come into effect.
The US plan also rules out Ukraine's membership in the Nato military alliance, according to Reuters.
What would it mean for Ukraine to temporarily give up land?
As the meeting between Witkoff and Putin was taking place, Trump claimed talks were going in the right direction.
"They're meeting with Putin right now, as we speak, and we have a lot of things going on, and I think in the end we're going to end up with a lot of good deals, including tariff deals and trade deals," he told reporters in the US.
He said his aim was to bring about an end to fighting in Ukraine which he said was claiming the lives of 5,000 Ukrainian and Russians a week, adding he believed "we're pretty close" to a peace deal.
Trump also said Zelensky had not signed the "final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States".
"It is at least three weeks late," he said, adding that he hoped it would be signed "immediately".
The long-talked of minerals deal, which would give the US a stake in Ukraine's abundant natural resource deposits, was meant to be signed in February but was derailed after an acrimonious meeting between Trump and Zelensky in Washington.
Russia and Ukraine's positions in securing a peace deal still seem miles apart, with no representative from Ukraine invited to take part in the talks in Moscow.
Writing on social media on Friday, Zelensky criticised Russia for failing to agree to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US on 11 March and urged allies to apply more pressure to it.
"It's been 45 days since Ukraine agreed to President Trump's proposal for quiet in the sky, sea and the frontline," he said. "Russia rejects all this. Without pressure this cannot be resolved. Pressure on Russia is necessary."
He said Russia was being allowed to import missiles from countries such as North Korea, which he said it then used in a deadly missile strike on Kyiv on Thursday, which killed 12 people and injured dozens.
"Insufficient pressure on North Korea and its allies allows them to make such ballistic missiles. The missile that killed the Kyiv residents contained at least 116 parts imported from other countries, and most of them, unfortunately, were made by US companies," Zelensky alleged.
Following the attack on Kyiv, Trump said he was "putting a lot of pressure" on both sides to end the war, and directly addressed Putin in a post on social media, saying: "Vladimir STOP!"
Since then, however, Trump has blamed Kyiv for starting the war, telling Time magazine: "I think what caused the war to start was when they [Ukraine] started talking about joining Nato."
Ahead of the talks between Witkoff and Putin, a senior Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack in the Russian capital. The Kremlin accused Ukraine of being responsible. Kyiv has not commented.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Zelensky contradicts Trump on deal with Russia
President Donald Trump has claimed that “most of the major points” in an agreement to end the Ukraine conflict have been resolved, even as Vladimir Zelensky once again publicly rejected a reported key clause in the proposed US peace framework.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held lengthy talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday, described by Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov as “constructive and very useful.” Trump also expressed satisfaction with the negotiations, praising a “good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine.”
“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social late Friday, adding that “SUCCESS seems to be in the future!”
The agreement proposed by Washington reportedly includes US recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, a “freezing” of the conflict along the current front line, and acknowledgment of Moscow’s control over large parts of the four former Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia.
“Crimea will stay with Russia” under a final settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Trump said in an interview with Time Magazine published on Friday.
However, in direct contradiction to Trump, Zelensky reiterated on Friday that Kiev will not even discuss formally recognizing Crimea as Russian territory.
“Our position is unchanged: only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide which territories are Ukrainian,” Zelensky told reporters in Kiev, arguing that “the constitution of Ukraine says that all the temporarily occupied territories... belong to Ukraine.”
Zelensky went on to claim that his “vision” of a resolution includes more “sanctions, economic and diplomatic pressure” on Moscow – even as Washington’s peace framework reportedly includes a phased removal of restrictions imposed on Russia.
Trump has previously blamed Zelensky’s public statements for harming the negotiation process and warned that he risks losing the entire country if he continues to stall talks with Moscow.
The US-proposed deal would also reportedly prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, an ambition enshrined in Ukraine’s constitution. Kiev’s intention to join the US-led bloc likely “caused the war to start,” Trump acknowledged in his interview with Time.
The Kremlin has consistently said it remains open to diplomacy and has expressed gratitude for Trump’s peace efforts. Ushakov confirmed that Friday’s talks touched on the possibility of resuming direct bilateral negotiations between Moscow and Kiev, but offered no details. No direct talks between the two sides have taken place since Ukraine pulled out of the Istanbul negotiations in 2022.
According to Putin, Zelensky – who has banned himself from engaging in talks with Moscow – is actively sabotaging any peace process, as it would require lifting martial law, which currently allows him to remain in power. Moscow maintains that without martial law, Zelensky would be compelled under the Ukrainian constitution to either hold elections or transfer presidential authority to the current speaker of Ukraine’s parliament.
BBC/RT
Declassified CIA file about UFO aliens attacking soldiers released
A declassified document posted to the CIA’s website is raising eyebrows with claims of an alleged UFO attack on Soviet forces.
The viral report summarizes an article published by Canadian Weekly World News and the Ukrainian paper Holos Ukrayiny and was initially released to the public in May 2000.
The firsthand report describes a retaliatory alien attack after Soviet soldiers reportedly shot down a UFO flying over a military base.
The aliens reportedly emerged from the wreckage, fusing together into one object and bursting into a bright light and turning all but two of the soldiers to stone.
"If the KGB file corresponds to reality, this is an extremely menacing case," an unnamed CIA representative was quoted as saying in the report. "The aliens possess such weapons and technology that go beyond all our assumptions. They can stand up for themselves if attacked."
Canadian Weekly World News estimates the supposed incident occurred between 1989 and 1990 and was initially published in 1993.
According to the document, information acquired by U.S. intelligence revealed reports of a "low-flying spaceship in the shape of a saucer" over a Soviet unit participating in training exercises.
Officials wrote that "for unknown reasons" the soldiers launched a surface-to-air missile at the unknown aircraft, causing it to crash near the military base.
The report describes how "five short humanoids with ‘large heads and large black eyes’ emerged" from the downed spaceship and fused together to create one "single object" while emitting a loud buzzing noise.
The spherical object reportedly then burst into a blinding bright light.
Eyewitness testimonials claim 23 soldiers suddenly "turned into stone poles." Two men reportedly survived the encounter because they were standing in a shaded area and were not completely exposed to the blast of light.
Officials wrote that the remains of the "petrified soldiers" and the spaceship were transported to a secret scientific research base near Moscow, where it was discovered the soldiers’ molecular structure matched that of limestone. The document claims scientists believe the cause was a "source of energy" not yet known to humans.
The CIA did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
While the initial context of the document remains unknown, it likely originated from a telegram or another form of open-source information.
However, former CIA agent Mike Baker is skeptical of the extraordinary claims detailed in the report.
"If there was an incident, regardless of the nature of the incident, I suspect that the actual report doesn't look much like what has now come out from five or six or seven iterations of what originally was [written]," Baker told Fox News Digital.
In 2020, the Department of Defense announcedthe creation of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) with the goal to "detect, analyze and catalog" unknown objects that could pose a threat to national security.
The creation of the program comes after years of government efforts to investigate questionable aircraft. While UFOs are typically associated with aliens, Baker insists officials are required to look into unidentified objects in the interest of national security.
"The Pentagon was saying if aviators are flying, and they identify something that they can't readily say what this is, then [officials] should, as a matter of national security, make sure that they catalog it and figure out what it was," Baker told Fox News Digital. "There's a reason why you have a method of investigating these things. It doesn't mean you're investigating alien spacecraft, but that's where people's minds go when they hear about these sorts of things."
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an order to declassify decades-old government files pertaining to UFOs, possibly revealing federal secrets while pulling back the curtain on any potential "cover-up."
"A lot of people believe that there is a smoking gun somewhere in the files," former U.K. Defense Ministry official and UFO expert Nick Pope told Fox News Digital. "It is a very widely held belief that elements in the U.S. intelligence community know that some of this is extraterrestrial and have documents and files relating to this. And that, of course, is what everyone really wants to know. That's the $64,000 question."
As for the extraordinary claims of a Soviet-era alien invasion and retaliatory attack, Baker does not buy it.
"I'm sure there's something out there," Baker said. "I just don't think that they landed decades ago, turned Soviet soldiers into limestone and we're just now hearing about it. I don't think that's the case."
Fox News
Nigeria's poverty crisis deepens: World Bank projects worsening conditions through 2027
Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is facing a dire poverty forecast according to the World Bank's latest Africa's Pulse report released during the ongoing Spring Meetings in Washington, DC. The report paints a troubling picture of Nigeria's position as a global poverty epicenter, with current conditions expected to deteriorate further over the next few years.
The World Bank projects that poverty in Nigeria will increase by 3.6 percentage points through 2027, bucking the trend of poverty reduction expected in non-resource-rich African countries. Currently, Nigeria accounts for a staggering 19% of sub-Saharan Africa's extremely poor population—translating to over 106 million Nigerians living on less than $2.15 per day. This represents approximately 15% of the world's poorest people, underscoring the severity of the crisis in Africa's most populous nation.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the global center of extreme poverty, hosting 80% of the world's 695 million extremely poor people in 2024—roughly 560 million individuals. Within the region, half of these impoverished people are concentrated in just four countries, with Nigeria leading, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (14%), Ethiopia (9%), and Sudan (6%).
The report highlights that resource-rich, fragile countries like Nigeria face particularly challenging prospects for poverty reduction due to structural economic issues, slowing oil prices, and weak fiscal structures. "This follows a well-established pattern whereby resource wealth combined with fragility or conflict is associated with the highest poverty rates—averaging 46% in 2024, which is 13 percentage points higher than in non-fragile, resource-rich countries," the report states.
Despite some recent gains in Nigeria's economic activity, particularly in the non-oil sector during the last quarter of 2024, these improvements have not translated to meaningful poverty reduction. The country's persistent poverty reflects deep structural challenges including high inflation, naira depreciation, insecurity, and widespread unemployment. PwC projects that an additional 13 million Nigerians will be pushed into poverty in 2025 alone due to these economic headwinds.
The continental outlook is equally concerning, with the number of extremely poor people in sub-Saharan Africa expected to increase by 90 million between 2022 and 2027, pushing the total from 576 million in 2025 to 589 million by 2027.
To address these challenges, the World Bank recommends that Nigeria focus on improving fiscal management and building a stronger fiscal contract with citizens to promote inclusive economic development and sustainable poverty alleviation.