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Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Minna, the state capital, following a surge in violent attacks and killings. The curfew, effective from 6:00pm to 6:00am daily, restricts all movement, including commercial motorcycles and tricycles, during these hours.

The governor announced the measure on Tuesday during an emergency security meeting with traditional leaders and security chiefs at the Government House. He emphasized that the curfew excludes medical emergencies but is necessary to address the escalating security threats in the city.

Bago warned that the government would not tolerate further attacks on residents and directed local leaders—including district, village, and ward heads—to monitor and document visitors in their areas. He also issued a stern warning that properties housing suspected criminals or drug dealers would be demolished.

The decision comes amid increasing incidents of thuggery, armed assaults, and fatalities in Minna, which have heightened fears among the populace. The curfew aims to restore order and enhance security operations in the state capital.

No fewer than seven people were killed when gunmen suspected to be members of the new terrorist group, Mahmuda, attacked communities in Baruten and Kaiama local government areas of Kwara State.

Daily Trust gathered that the assailants, who were on military camouflage riding motorcycles, stormed a market square at 9:30 pm on Monday and opened fire on the residents before they zoomed off.

Four Fulanis, a vigilante and a 19-year-old youth who was hit by a stray bullet reportedly lost their lives during the deadly incident.

According to a resident of the area, the fresh incident is coming in the wake of a similar attack the same day in neighbouring Kaiama where a vigilante was killed.

Speaking on the Baruten incident, a source said: “We suspect that they came with a premeditated motive because they fired at the Fulanis at close range shooting them in the head. The vigilante was holding a dane gun and they saw him as a threat. But the boy was hit by a stray bullet.

“The place is a very popular trading spot with a lot of business and commercial activities. It was a sudden attack believed to be a reprisal over alleged collaboration with the security agencies against the terrorists”.

Confirming the incident, police spokeswoman, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the “two grievous incidents that occurred on Sunday in Baruten and Kaiama are under investigation.

“At about 2130hrs, suspected armed men, numbering ten, stormed the Ilesha Baruba Motor Park and opened fire indiscriminately at civilians gathered at a nearby relaxation spot.

“As a result, six persons identified as Ja’awire, AbdulJabar, Mohammed Nasamu and three others lost their lives, while two others sustained serious gunshot injuries.

“The deceased have been deposited at the Ilesha Baruba Morgue for autopsy, while the injured are receiving treatment. An investigation has been initiated, and full security measures have been implemented to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

“In a related incident earlier the same day at about 1130hrs, a Kemanji-based vigilante group on routine foot patrol encountered suspected bandits within the Kainji National Park area.

“In the course of the gun duel, three of the suspected bandits suffered fatal gunshot wounds and a member of the vigilante, Yusuf Samba was shot and later succumbed to gunshot injury.

“Our investigation culminated in the arrest of an informant, who admitted to collaborating with a group of bandits. This individual has proven to be a valuable asset in advancing the investigation”, she said.

 

Daily Trust

Israel steps up Gaza strikes; polio vaccination halted by blockade

The Israeli military launched one of the biggest waves of strikes in Gaza for weeks on Tuesday, residents said, and health officials issued a new warning that healthcare faced total collapse from Israel's blockade of all supplies.

Gaza's health ministry said a U.N.-backed polio vaccination campaign meant to target over 600,000 children had been suspended, putting the enclave at risk of the revival of a crippling disease that once had been all-but eradicated.

In diplomacy to end the conflict, a Hamas delegation was expected to arrive in Cairo for talks. Two sources familiar with the mediation effort said the delegation would discuss a new offer which would include a truce for 5 to 7 years following the release of all hostages and an end to fighting.

The sources said Israel, which rejected a recent Hamas offer to release all hostages for an end of the war, had yet to respond to a revamped long-term truce proposal. Israel demands Hamas be disarmed, which the militants reject.

A Hamas source later denied knowledge of an imminent visit, telling Reuters the group stood by its demand any agreement must end the war.

Gaza residents said Israeli forces bombed several areas across the enclave from tanks, planes, and naval boats. The attacks hit houses, tent encampments and roads, they added.

The airstrikes destroyed bulldozers and vehicles being used to lift rubble and help recover bodies trapped under the ruins, officials and residents said.

Hamas said the vehicles that were destroyed included nine that had been received from Egypt, adding that the move aimed to "deepen the suffering of our people in Gaza."

The Israeli military said they hit 40 "engineering vehicles" that were used for "terrorist actions", including the execution of Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The vehicles were "considered a key component in Hamas' ability to carry out terrorist operations against the Defense Forces and the State of Israel," said the military.

Israel has imposed a total blockade on all supplies to Gaza since the start of March and relaunched its military operations on March 18 after the collapse of a ceasefire.

Since then, Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,600 Palestinians according to the Gaza health authorities, and hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes as Israel seized what it calls a buffer zone of Gaza land.

Israel's 18-month bombing campaign has rendered nearly all buildings in the Gaza Strip uninhabitable, and Gaza's 2.3 million people now mostly live in the open under makeshift tents. Since the total blockade was imposed last month, all 25 U.N.-supplied bakeries making bread have been shut.

Israel says enough supplies were sent into the enclave during the six-week truce to keep Gazans alive for months. Aid agencies say they fear the population is on the precipice of starvation and mass disease.

If polio vaccines don't arrive immediately, "we anticipate a real catastrophe. Children and patients must not be used as cards of political blackmail," said Gaza health ministry spokesperson Khalil Deqran. He said 60,000 children were now showing symptoms of malnutrition.

ISRAEL DENIES BLOCKADE BREAKS INTERNATIONAL LAW

Israel says its blockade is aimed at pressuring the Hamas militants who run Gaza to release 59 remaining Israeli hostages captured in the October 2023 attacks that precipitated the war. Hamas says it is prepared to free them but only as part of a deal that ends the war.

"Israel is acting in full accordance with international law," Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X, in response to U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who called the Israeli blockade of Gaza since March a war crime.

"The humanitarian condition in Gaza is constantly monitored and large quantities of aid were delivered. Whenever it becomes necessary to allow additional aid, it must be ensured that it does not pass through Hamas, which exploits humanitarian aid to maintain control over the civilian population and to profit at their expense," Katz wrote.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, described the blockade as collective punishment of Gaza's people.

"The siege must be lifted, supplies must flow in, the hostages must be released, the ceasefire must resume," Lazzarini said on Tuesday in a post on X.

The conflict was sparked by a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken to Gaza, according to Israeli records.

Since then, local health authorities report that over 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive.

 

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine presses for ceasefire as Russia reported to offer concession

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday Ukraine was ready for talks with Russia "in any format" once a ceasefire is set, while the Financial Times reported President Vladimir Putin had offered to halt Russia's invasion at the current front lines.

Both sides are trying to demonstrate progress towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine, now well into its fourth year, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he could walk away from efforts to make peace if there is no breakthrough.

"We are ready to record that after a ceasefire, we are ready to sit down in any format so that there are no dead ends," Zelenskiy told reporters in the presidential office in Kyiv.

He stressed that any discussions regarding the terms of a peace deal should only happen once the fighting has stopped and that it would be impossible to agree on everything quickly.

The Ukrainian president said his delegation would have a mandate to discuss a full or partial ceasefire at talks with European and U.S. officials in London on Wednesday in a follow-up to last week's Paris meeting.

At the same time, the White House said Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff will again travel to Russia later this week to hold talks with Putin.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Financial Times reported that Putin offered at a meeting with Witkoff in St. Petersburg this month to halt Russia's invasion across the front line and relinquish its claims to full control of four Ukrainian regions.

Russia only partially controls Ukraine's Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions it claimed as its own during the full-scale invasion. Putin has publicly demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from Kyiv-held areas in the regions.

The FT said the proposal was the first formal indication Putin has given since the war's early months that Russia could step back from some of its maximalist demands. It cited European officials briefed on U.S. efforts as saying Russia's apparent concession could be a negotiating tactic.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the deliberations, that Washington had proposed recognising Russia's annexation of Crimea and freezing the war's front lines as part of a settlement.

The Crimean peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014, is not one of the four regions in Putin's offer reported by the FT.

Zelenskiy has long said Ukraine will not recognise Russia's occupation of Crimea and other territories as that would violate the country's constitution. However, he has also suggested that Ukraine could win back control over the areas diplomatically over time, rather than by military force.

The U.S. presented the proposals to Kyiv at a meeting with Western countries in Paris last week, the Washington Post said.

Other thorny issues that complicate the peace process include the Kremlin's insistence that Ukraine become formally neutral and not join the NATO military alliance.

Ukraine also hopes a foreign contingent will be deployed to ensure the peace settlement is enforced, serving as a security guarantee against any further Russian aggression. Moscow has repeatedly said it would not accept that.

In an apparent change of plan, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend the talks in London, a State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday, adding that Washington's Ukraine envoy General Keith Kellogg would attend.

Trump and Rubio said last week that Washington could abandon its peace effort unless there was progress within days. Trump on Sunday said that "hopefully" there would be a deal "this week".

Separately, Zelenskiy said he would be ready to meet Trump when they attend the funeral of Pope Francis along with other world leaders this week.

 

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Zelensky refuses to recognize Russia’s Crimea

Kiev will not discuss recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky told journalists on Tuesday, according to Ukrainian outlet Suspilne.

The US will propose officially accepting the peninsula as part of the Russian Federation at a meeting with Kiev and its European backers on Wednesday, as part of a broader peace deal to stop the conflict, the Washington Post wrote on Tuesday citing anonymous sources.

“[Crimea] is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine. We have nothing to talk about on this topic – it is outside our Constitution,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader claimed that discussing the issue of sovereignty over Crimea could only lead to additional fighting.

“As soon as we start talking about Crimea, about our sovereign territories, we enter the format of prolonging the war,” he said, adding that this is “what Russia wants.”

Last week, Zelensky lashed out over the subject in a press conference, saying that US special envoy Steve Witkoff had no authority to discuss such issues with Russia.

The US proposal on Crimea was already presented to Ukraine in Paris last week, and includes eventual sanctions relief for Moscow in exchange for a peace deal, the Post reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the deliberations.

Ukrainian officials interpreted the plan as Washington’s final offer before the US washes its hands of peace efforts, the newspaper wrote, citing anonymous sources.

US President Donald Trump is expected to present Washington’s “final offer” on a full ceasefire deal as early as next week, the New York Post wrote on Saturday, citing a senior administration official.

In 2014, the predominantly ethnically Russian population of Crimea voted to join Russia following a Western-backed armed coup in Kiev. Both Ukraine and its Western supporters continue to claim that the referendum was illegitimate.

 

Reuters/RT

Monday, 14 April marked eleven agonising years since the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

What should have prompted a swift, coordinated national emergency response instead revealed deep-rooted inefficiencies, systemic neglect, and an alarming failure of governance — failures that tragically persist.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2014 abduction, both Nigerians and the international community watched in disbelief as the administration of then President Goodluck Jonathan faltered in its response. Despite offers of assistance from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and France, the Nigerian government hesitated. The president reportedly dismissed the incident as an “internal crisis” he would manage personally. That critical delay gave Boko Haram time to disperse the girls — many of whom were forced into marriage, subjected to slavery, or worse.

More than 90 of the Chibok girls remain missing today. The #BringBackOurGirls movement captured global attention and mobilised support across continents. Yet, even the weight of international advocacy could not compel Nigerian authorities to maintain consistent, effective rescue efforts.

Four years later, another dark chapter unfolded in Dapchi, Yobe State. On 19 February, 2018, over 100 schoolgirls were abducted by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Within a month, all but one of them were returned.

That one was 14-year-old Leah Sharibu, whose continued captivity seven years on is a national tragedy. Her only “crime”? Refusing to renounce her Christian faith. Leah’s ordeal underscores not just religious persecution, but the government’s failure to act decisively and with equity. Despite repeated assurances from top officials, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, Leah remains in captivity. There are no transparent updates. No credible leads. Just a haunting silence.

Successive governments, including the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, have failed to prioritise the rescue of the remaining girls or implement systemic reforms to protect schoolchildren. The statistics are staggering: since 2014, more than 1,600 children have been abducted in mass school kidnappings across Nigeria.

Each new incident reopens old wounds. The consequences for education are dire. Fear-driven dropouts have surged, contributing to Nigeria’s alarming out-of-school population — now the highest globally at 20.1 million.

Programmes such as the Safe Schools Initiative, once launched with optimism and global backing, have stagnated. The Chibok school itself remains in ruins — a haunting symbol of broken promises and unfulfilled obligations.

The continued silence of key figures — most notably Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was governor of Borno State during the Chibok abduction — has drawn sharp criticism. Meanwhile, insecurity in Nigeria has evolved into a full-scale crisis. The country now ranks sixth on the Global Terrorism Index. Terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping flourish under weak intelligence coordination, chronically underfunded security agencies, and pervasive corruption. Despite billions of naira budgeted annually for defense, Nigerians remain unsafe. Their children, even more so.

Eleven years on, the unresolved fate of the Chibok girls and the continued captivity of Leah Sharibu remain indelible stains on the nation’s conscience. They are not just tragic memories but damning indictments of a state that has repeatedly failed its most vulnerable.

As we mark this solemn anniversary, the call for action must rise above the noise. Nigeria needs bold leadership — one that declares a state of emergency on insecurity, invests in grassroots intelligence, and ensures transparency and accountability for every naira spent in the name of security.

We owe it to the Chibok girls. We owe it to Leah Sharibu. We owe it to every child sitting in a classroom, daring to dream. Nigeria must do better — or risk losing an entire generation’s faith in their nation.

** Firdausi Abubakar writes from Abuja and can be reached through: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Kate Gallego

Kate Gallego knew she wanted to run for mayor of Phoenix, but the timing couldn’t have been worse.

In 2017, she was serving on the Phoenix City Council when the outgoing mayor announced he was leaving to run for Congress, leaving the seat open.

“I had long been interested in running, but it was a rough time in my personal life: My mom had just been diagnosed with stage four cancer, and I was pregnant, and my marriage fell apart, so I was newly divorced with an infant,” Gallego, now 43, told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan at the recent 2025 Changemakers Summit in Los Angeles.

Gallego initially decided she couldn’t pursue the mayoral seat: “It was too much. I felt like everyone was asking questions about my divorce and my personal life, and I didn’t want to put myself in too much scrutiny over that.”

But months after becoming a mother, she began to think otherwise. She was getting more sleep, for one, and also recognized that all around her were “wonderful people who wanted to support me and help me be successful in public service and be a successful mother,” she told CNBC.

“I realized there wasn’t a need to be a perfect mayor with your entire life in order,” Gallego said. “In fact, it maybe makes you a better mayor if you’re juggling the same challenges everyone else is and have the same pressures.”

Gallego, a Democrat, ran for mayor and in 2019 became the second woman elected mayor in Phoenix history and one of the youngest big-city mayors in the nation.

Gallego said she was glad she took the leap and urges others to not wait for the “right” time to pursue their ambitions.

“If there’s anyone out there and you’re making a big life decision and you want to wait till your life is perfect, I would say, don’t [wait],” she said. “At least, my life has never been perfect. But I think if you share what your goal is and what the vision is, what you hope to achieve, a lot of people are willing to help you along the way.”

Gallego said sharing her experience connected her with the many others who had similar life moments, and “hopefully I will make it easier for the next mom who wants to do a career change or promotion.”

“Just knowing that the people of Phoenix were very, very supportive, it did not end up being the huge issue that I thought,” she said. “It worked out for me, but it was a lot of doubt along the way.”

Leading Phoenix to be ‘future-ready’

Gallego will be sworn into her final four-yearterm as Phoenix mayor on Monday and is ready to “make Phoenix as future ready as possible,” she told CNBC.

Already, she has helped shape Phoenix as a hub of innovation, including by working with companies ranging from Amazon to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Alphabet’s Waymo on projects that are delivering packages and passengers to airports, and bringing new jobs and an influx of investments.

For example, TSMC’s plans to invest more than $165 billion to build advanced chips in the U.S. have brought in new workers to Phoenix, and the city is one of three in the U.S. where Waymo robotaxis transport passengers in driverless vehicles.

A personal loss — one of Gallego’s former bosses was killed in a traffic accident — has motivated her to invest in AI-powered traffic signals to improve pedestrian safety.

Meanwhile, Gallego said she’s invested in initiatives that bring new high-paying jobs to underserved communities, like Navajo womenwho previously worked in the coal industry who now do iron work at the semiconductor plant in $100,000-plus roles.

“It’s exciting to have four more years in the city of Phoenix,” Gallego said. “We’re in a really good place. We feel like we’re the ‘good news’ branch of government, and so we’re hoping to continue delivering results.”

 

CNBC

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 values  of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

The pope preached frequently on the Catholic virtues of mercy, kindness and humility. He did not shy away from controversy, and American presidents, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, were not immune from his views. 

Less than a month into President Donald Trump’s presidency, the pontiff criticized the Republican’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and "will end badly." 

In a strongly worded letter to U.S. Catholic Bishops, the pope appeared to counter remarks made by Vice President JD Vance — who had recently converted to Catholicism — after he suggested Americans should care for family, communities and the country before caring about others. 

"Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups," the pontiff wrote. "Worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations." 

Pope Francis in 2015 became the first pontiff to ever address a Joint Meeting of Congress where he spoke on a range of topics including immigration, family, the death penalty, climate change, extremism, religious freedom and the refugee crisis. 

He joined American bishops and urged American leaders to abolish capital punishment and said Congress has a "role to play" in addressing global warming. 

In 2022 he questioned then President Biden's conscience on abortion in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief's religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent. "A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision

He also weighed in on candidates Trump and Harris during the election campaign, where he bashed them both, saying, "Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ he said, according to the Associated Press. 

Just weeks before President Trump’s second inauguration, he appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy to be the Archbishop of Washington. McElroy had been critical of Trump’s immigration policies during his first term as president. 

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents in Argentina, Francis made history as the first pope from the Americas — as well as the first Jesuit to hold the office.  

He was elected pope in 2013 after the almost unprecedented retirement of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.  

Bergolio’s father, Mario, was an accountant for the railway industry, and his mother, Regina, was a homemaker and caregiver for her five children.  

Throughout his early years, the future pope worked a number of menial jobs. He labored briefly in the stocking factory where his father was an accountant before moving on to other opportunities, including jobs as a bar bouncer and janitor.  

He eventually sought a career as a chemical technician, receiving a diploma in chemistry from the secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen. He also worked briefly in a food laboratory. However, his career in chemistry was short-lived. 

He entered the priesthood at the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto in Argentina. Francis was ordained a priest in 1969 and made his final profession with the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, in 1973. The same year, he was appointed as a provincial for the order.  

His appointment as provincial was concurrent with the Dirty War, a period of intense state-led persecution of left-wing leaders and political dissidents. Bergolio experienced constant threats to his own safety as he worked to hide or aid in the escape of government targets, including many Catholic faithful.  

During that time, two Jesuit priests under his supervision were disappeared by the government, drugged and left barely alive in a field five months after their kidnapping. Pope Francis has said he was forced to negotiate with the regime for their release.  

Bergolio would spend the next two decades bouncing from position to position at the direction of his superiors. He served as a professor of theology, seminary instructor, rector, doctoral student and parish priest.  

In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bergolio as titular Bishop of Auca and as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. This was done at the request of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who consecrated him to the episcopacy.  

Bergoglio proved vital to the nation’s Catholic community, and he was quickly raised to the dignity of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires, serving alongside Quarracino and taking over the archdiocese entirely after his death the following year.  

Bergoglio was given the crimson hat of a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.  

In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, selecting the pontifical name "Francis" after St. Francis of Assisi — a choice that set the tone for the rest of his papacy.  

Pope Francis’s teachings as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope were deeply influenced by his Jesuit vocation — viewing each person as a unique creation of God, with whom they can have a personal relationship. His ministry and leadership were committed to keeping doors open and making the church approachable to the public.  

It was not only American politics that he had strong opinions of. 

He faced criticism for specific remarks he made against Israel’s military operation in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful." During that same speech, he condemned the growth of antisemitism throughout the world, Reuters reported. He also called for an end to the war in Ukraine and expressed concerns over climate change.

In 2023, seemingly looking to strike a balance, he formally allowed Catholic priests to give same-sex couples a blessing, which was seen as being a radical shift in church policy, the Associated Press reported at the time.   

Pope Francis is also remembered for living a life of intense simplicity, denying himself a lavish papal apartment in the Vatican upon his election, and opting instead for a two-room suite in the Domus Santa Marta, a residence built by Pope John Paul II.  

In contrast to his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis eschewed ornate robes or luxurious clothing. His outfit rarely consisted of more than a plain, white cassock tied with a papal fascia.  

Pope Francis even dressed down his Ring of the Fisherman — a piece of gold jewelry worn by popes to signify their office — by having it made with silver and only wearing it for ceremonies.  

Francis’s tenure continued the ongoing efforts to investigate decades of sexual abuse claims against priests across the world, including in the United States, with Francis vowing transparency in 2019. 

"Transparency is now being implemented at the highest level," said Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, after Francis gave legal authorities access to documents about sexual abuse cases and abolished the "pontifical secret" of the cases.  

He continued Benedict's work to root malicious clerics out of the Church hierarchy "with the wrath of God," appointing task forces and establishing victim aid groups.  

Pope Francis proved frustrating for a wide variety of conservatives, liberals, traditionalists and progressives. 

His gentle — at times vague and confusing — language on key social issues, such as sexuality and divorce, frustrated conservatives hoping for a more aggressive champion of Catholic moral teaching. 

In July 2017, a group of Catholic clergy and academics sent Pope Francis a "Filial Correction" document alleging seven serious theological mistakes made by the pontiff in public statements. The document’s assertions proved controversial within the Catholic Church and the document was never explicitly addressed.  

Conversely, his refusal to back down from traditional church teachings on abortion, gay marriage, women’s ordination and priestly celibacy frustrated progressives hoping for a more modern church.  

Echoing his time as a prelate in Argentina, Pope Francis was at times criticized from both sides of the aisle for his heavy hand enforcing Catholic unity on national and international levels.  

Traditionalists voiced intense opposition to his apostolic letter "Traditionis custodes," which restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin mass in an attempt to squash increasingly separatist conservative movements within the Church.

He similarly shut down discussion of many social issues that progressives have sought to reform.  

In 2019, Pope Francis told a nun asking him to approve the ordination of women that "if the Lord didn’t want a sacramental ministry for women, it can’t go forward," adding, "We are Catholics, but if anyone wants to found another church they are free [to do so]."  

The hyper-progressive leadership of the Catholic Church in Germany was a target of his ire after the country’s clerical leaders attempted an upheaval of traditional teachings regarding gender and sexuality. The Vatican issued a series of letters, approved by Pope Francis, accusing the German church of risking separation from the Catholic Communion.  

The conflict with German bishops encapsulated his papacy’s recurring themes of authority and unity, best exemplified in a passage from his "Letter to the Pilgrim People of God in Germany."  

In the letter, Pope Francis wrote, "The universal Church lives in and of the particular Churches, just as the particular Churches live and flourish in and from the universal Church. If they find themselves separated from the entire ecclesial body, they weaken, rot and die. Hence, the need always to ensure that communion with the whole body of the Church is alive and effective."  

Pope Francis visited dozens of countries, including the United States and Cuba in 2015, and went as far afield as Papua New Guinea, as well as visits to predominantly Muslim countries including Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. 

Pope Francis struggled with health complications throughout his reign.  

The pontiff dealt for many years with sciatica, a nerve condition that caused immense pain in his leg and at times hindered his ability to walk.  

In 2021, Pope Francis was hospitalized for an intestinal surgery that removed 13 inches of his colon. 

In March 2023, Francis was again taken to the hospital after experiencing intense chest pain and difficulty breathing. He was treated for a respiratory infection and released after antibiotic treatment. 

In June of the same year, the pope was brought back for another abdominal surgery to repair an incisional hernia. He was released after making a full recovery.  

He took a fall at his residence and suffered a contusion on his right arm in January 2025.   

In February, he was once again hospitalized after a bout of bronchitis.  

Following Pope Francis’ death, the Vatican has entered a time of sede vacante — in English, "empty seat."  

 

Fox News

Nine major Nigerian banks recorded a combined interest income of N14.26tn in 2024, representing a 119.55% increase from N6.49tn in 2023, according to an analysis of audited financial results filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

This significant revenue boost occurred while manufacturers struggled with rising borrowing costs, with the sector reporting N1.3tn in interest expenses during the same period.

Bank Performance Breakdown

Access Holdings led with N3.11tn in interest income, a 98.69% increase from the previous year. Other impressive performances included:

- Zenith Bank: N2.72tn (up 137.74%)

- First HoldCo: N2.39tn (up 155%)

- United Bank for Africa: N2.37tn (up 120%)

- Guaranty Trust Holding Company: N1.32tn (up 148%)

- Fidelity Bank: N803.05bn (up 85.03%)

- FCMB Group: N621.81bn (up 75.16%)

- Stanbic IBTC: N566bn (up 109%)

- Wema Bank: N354.63bn (up 91.03%)

First HoldCo achieved the highest percentage growth, while Zenith Bank recorded the largest actual increase at N1.58tn compared to the previous year.

Some banks reported interest income from non-performing loans, including Zenith Bank (N18.25bn), UBA (N4.26bn), and Fidelity Bank (N8.10bn).

Monetary Policy Impact

The banking sector's strong performance coincided with the Central Bank of Nigeria's monetary tightening policy. By the end of 2024, the Monetary Policy Rate had increased by 875 basis points, rising from 18.75% in 2023 to 27.50%.

This aggressive stance was implemented to combat inflation, which reached 34.80% in December 2024—a 5.87 percentage point increase from December 2023's 28.92%.

Manufacturing Sector Struggles

While banks prospered, manufacturers faced severe challenges. At a recent Bankers Committee Town Hall in Lagos, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria President Francis Meshioye highlighted the sector's difficulties, noting that manufacturers spent approximately N1.3tn on interest payments in 2024.

"Manufacturers spent about N1.3tn on interest rate; the cost of funds last year, 2024, and that is huge," said Meshioye. "Some are even paying 37 percent. How do you survive this?"

Meshioye urged banks to moderate their profit ambitions and consider the long-term impact on the sectors they serve: "If you kill the place you make the money from, then how will you survive?"

Broader Economic Concerns

Financial analysts warn that Nigeria's high interest rates—with commercial lending rates between 28% and 35%—are worsening poverty and restricting credit access for small businesses and farmers.

While banks report record profits from high-interest lending and risk-free government securities, investment in critical economic sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and small-scale industries continues to decline.

With the National Bureau of Statistics reporting over 133 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty, the rising borrowing costs are making it increasingly difficult for individuals and businesses to access funds for investment, expansion, or basic operations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks targeting Nigerian security forces as well as Christian civilians in Nigeria’s northeastern regions earlier this month.

Through seven messages posted on its news agency "Amaq," ISWAP claimed it conducted these operations, backing up the statements with a video depicting one of the assaults and two photo albums documenting two other operations.

The attacks in Borno state targeted a Nigerian army barracks in Yamtage town where it claimed it killed three soldiers and set the barracks ablaze.

ISWAP also claimed that its fighters captured and subsequently killed four members of pro-government militias loyal to the Nigerian army in the same state.

In Adamawa state, the group claimed responsibility for two attacks on Banga village, a Christian community.

The first, on April 15, allegedly resulted in the deaths of two Christians and the torching of over 30 houses and a church, with "Amaq" publishing photographs of the assault.

The second attack on Banga, on April 16, targeted a Nigerian police patrol in the village, damaging a vehicle and wounding several officers.

It also released a photo album depicting an assault on Lareh village in Adamawa, showing houses belonging to Christians and a church being set on fire but it was not accompanied with a claim.

Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters have mainly operated in northeastern Nigeria and targeted security forces and civilians, killing or displacing tens of thousands of people.

 

Reuters

Palestinian Red Crescent says Israeli probe into Gaza aid workers' killings not enough

The Palestinian Red Crescent called on Monday for a "serious investigation" into the killing of 15 aid workers in Gaza last month, a day after the Israeli military admitted "professional failures" and disciplinedtwo officers over the incident.

Younish Al-Khatib, chairman of the Palestinian Red Crescent, said he did not consider the measures taken by the Israeli military, which reprimanded one officer and dismissed another from his position, as sufficient.

"This looks like the management of a company taking administrative measures against its employees who made some kind of a mistake," he told Reuters. "When you kill 15 medical staff and civil defence personnel, these can't be called 'measures'."

"There has to be proper accountability and a stop to impunity that Israel has taken for granted for so many years," he added.

On Sunday, the Israeli military said members of a special forces unit in Gaza had made a number of errors in three separate incidents on March 23, during which they fired on ambulances, a fire truck and a UN vehicle.

It issued a formal reprimand to a brigade commander and said the deputy battalion commander who was on the ground when the incident occurred would be relieved of his post over the mix of professional failures and breaches of orders, as well as a failure to fully report the incident.

After initially saying the soldiers opened fire on a number of unmarked vehicles that approached their position, the military confirmed that they were clearly marked as emergency vehicles. The investigation found, however, that the soldiers had been unable to see clearly in the dark.

The military advocate general's office may now take further action, including possible criminal action against the soldiers, the military said.

Killing of the aid workers drew condemnation worldwide, piling pressure on the military to clarify what had occurred and to hold those responsible to account.

Al-Khatib said the army's investigation, headed by former Major General Yoav Har-Even did not match the seriousness of the incident, which added to a toll of more than 400 Palestinian emergency and health workers killed in the conflict, including 44 from the Red Crescent.

"We don't look at it as a proper investigation," Al-Khatib said, urging an independent international investigation. He said the Red Crescent would continue to work in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Separately, Hamas issued a statement saying the Israeli military investigation was "nothing but a blatant attempt to evade full responsibility for this heinous crime".

 

Reuters

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