Special Reports

Friday, 09 May 2025 05:04

Who is Robert Francis Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV? Here’s what we know so far about the first Pontiff from the USA

Former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was selected Thursday by the papal conclave to succeed Pope Francis and lead the Roman Catholic Church. The new pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV, is the first American pope. But what else do we know about him? Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago on Sept. 14, 1955. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, a school administrator and World War II naval veteran, was of French and Italian descent; his mother, Mildred Martinez, descended from Creole people of color in New Orleans. In addition to English, the new pope speaks…

Sunday, 04 May 2025 04:55

Rural poverty reaches 76% in Nigeria, World Bank reports

According to the World Bank's April 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, poverty among Nigeria's rural population has reached a critical 75.5%, underscoring growing inequality across the country. This rate is nearly double the urban poverty rate of 41.3%. The report reveals that overall poverty in Nigeria continues to display stark regional disparities. Northern geopolitical zones recorded a 46.5% poverty rate in 2018/19, compared to just 13.5% in southern regions. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 30.9% of Nigerians lived below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day. Economic circumstances have deteriorated since then, with World Bank projections estimating that by…

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 04:28

Common household plastics linked to thousands of global deaths from heart disease, study finds

Synthetic chemicals called phthalates, found in consumer products such as food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children’s toys, may have contributed to more than 10% of all global mortality from heart disease in 2018 among men and women ages 55 through 64, a new study found. “Phthalates contribute to inflammation and systemic inflammation in the coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing disease and lead to acute events including mortality,” said senior author Leonardo Trasande, a professor of pediatrics and population health at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. He also is director of NYU Langone’s Division of Environmental…

Saturday, 26 April 2025 04:36

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…

Wednesday, 23 April 2025 05:02

Nigerians view Judiciary as corrupt and inaccessible, survey finds

A new report by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) reveals that many Nigerians perceive their country's judicial system as corrupt, difficult to access, and susceptible to political influence. Released on Tuesday in Lagos, the report titled "Voices for Justice: A Civic Lens on Nigeria's Judicial System – Documenting Public Experiences, Opinions, and Reform Demands" represents the fifth edition of HEDA's Leadership Approval Rating series. Executive Secretary Sulaimon Arigbabu presented the findings, which are based on a nationwide survey of 1,357 respondents across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The results highlight significant public dissatisfaction…

Tuesday, 22 April 2025 03:26

The life and times of Pope Francis, the ‘Holy Father who has returned to the house of the Father’

Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, who worked to instill progressive influences on the global church while maintaining unity with conservatives amid years of turmoil, died Monday morning, Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced. He was 88 years old. "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Farrell announced. "He taught us to live the…

Friday, 18 April 2025 04:39

Brown rice far worse than white rice when it comes to toxins, study finds

While white rice is still the most popular among consumers, brown rice is often praised for its nutritional benefits. A new study, however, raises concerns about brown rice containing a higher level of arsenic than white rice. The study was led by Michigan State University and published in the journal Risk Analysis. Rice traditionally has its inedible outer hull removed. Brown rice gets its color from the bran and germ layer of rice, according to Healthline. White rice is the same grain with the hull, bran layer and cereal germ removed — leaving only the soft, white interior. The bran…

Wednesday, 16 April 2025 03:38

Half of Nigerians spend entire income on food as Tinubu’s economic policies bite deeper - Report

A devastating new report reveals that 50.1 percent of Nigerians now spend virtually their entire monthly income just to put food on the table, highlighting the crushing economic hardship facing ordinary citizens under President Bola Tinubu's administration. The Nigerian Consumer Outlook Report, which surveyed over 7,000 Nigerians across all six geo-political zones, paints a grim picture of a population struggling to survive amid soaring inflation and punishing economic reforms. The report, conducted by Lagos-based SEID, exposes the harsh reality that more than half of Nigerians earn less than N100,000 monthly, revealing the severe income inequality and financial strain that has…

Wednesday, 09 April 2025 05:04

Nigeria's economic crisis deepens as oil price crash threatens FG’s 2025 budget

Global oil prices plummeted to four-year lows Wednesday, with Brent crude crashing 3.4% to $60.69/barrel and WTI falling 4% to $57.22, as the U.S. imposed 104% tariffs on Chinese imports - a move that could cripple Nigeria's oil-dependent economy already reeling from production shortfalls and stalled reforms. Trade War Triggers Market Collapse The tariff escalation between the world's top two economies has sparked fears of a global recession, with Rystad Energy warning China's oil demand growth could drop by 100,000 barrels daily. The crisis compounds existing market pressures after OPEC+'s decision to increase output by 411,000 bpd in May. Goldman…

Friday, 04 April 2025 04:29

What to know about Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs

President Donald Trump announced his latest plan for tariffs on Wednesday afternoon during an event at the White House Rose Garden, which he said is going to focus on imposing reciprocal tariffs on U.S. trading partners. Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcementcomes after the conclusion of the trading day for U.S. financial markets, which have been rattled by uncertainty over tariffs in recent weeks. The S&P 500 is down about 3.9% year to date and the benchmark index's gains since Trump's election in November have been erased amid concerns about a widening trade war. "April 2nd, 2025, will forever be remembered…

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Thursday, 03 April 2025 02:43

'If you’re under 40, leave the UK': Viral video sparks debate over wealth exodus

Can anyone actually afford to live in the UK anymore? That’s the burning question posed by social media influencer Prudishfish in a now-viral video that has set off a storm of discussions about the country's economic future. Her blunt advice to young people—"If you're under 40, leave the UK"—has struck a chord with thousands, igniting debates on social media about rising costs, declining quality of life, and an exodus of the wealthy. Millionaires Are Leaving—Should You? In the video, Prudishfish highlights a troubling trend: a staggering 10,800 millionaires left the UK in 2024 alone, making it the second-highest wealth outflow…

Wednesday, 02 April 2025 04:32

Single cigarette takes 20 minutes off life expectancy, study finds

Smokers are being urged to kick the habit for 2025 after a fresh assessment of the harms of cigarettes found they shorten life expectancy even more than doctors thought. Researchers at University College London found that on average a single cigarette takes about 20 minutes off a person’s life, meaning that a typical pack of 20 cigarettes can shorten a person’s life by nearly seven hours. According to the analysis, if a smoker on 10 cigarettes a day quits on 1 January, they could prevent the loss of a full day of life by 8 January. They could boost their…

Tuesday, 18 March 2025 04:48

FG’s CNG policy under strain as many vehicles convert to gas, but with too few stations to fill up

Monday, 17 March 2025 04:38

Youth Corps member, who lost her dad at 19, complained about hardship in viral video, faces threats from govt officials. This is her story

Ushie Rita Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Lagos, has become a symbol of the struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians under the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Her viral TikTok video, in which she openly criticized the government for its handling of the country’s economic crisis, has sparked a wave of sympathy and outrage after she alleged receiving threats from NYSC officials and the Lagos State government. In her emotional video, Rita expressed her frustration with the rising cost of living, which has made it nearly impossible for her to survive on her meager NYSC allowance.…

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