A 10-year-old boy reprimanded by his father for not completing his homework took revenge on his parent by calling the police and telling them that his father was hiding forbidden drugs.

The bizarre incident took place earlier this month in China’s Yongning County. After being severely scolded by his father for not completing his homework on time, a 10-year-old boy stormed out of the house and went straight to a nearby store and asked if he could use the phone. The fifth grader dialed 110, China’s emergency number, and asked to speak to the police, claiming that he had proof his father was concealing poppy shells, considered an illegal drug, at home. Then he waited calmly for the police to arrive and let them home so they could conduct a search and confirm his story.

During their search, the police found eight dried poppy shells on the balcony of the boy’s home, and the boy’s father admitted to buying them but added that he only planned to use them for medicinal purposes. He expressed regret about breaking the law, which classifies poppy shells as a dangerous drug, but insisted that he did so unknowingly. The police took the evidence and the suspect to a nearby station and have since passed on the case to the Anti-Narcotics Brigade.

Chinese police is using this unusual case to once again remind the public that it is illegal to grow or possess poppy husks without permission, and violators will face criminal penalties. Although dried husks do have medicinal value, as they can ease pain, assist sleep and reduce stress, the fact remains that their cultivation and possession are illegal as they are associated with the production of opium, a drug that once brought China to its knees.

You’re probably wondering what happened to the 10-year-old boy after this stunt. We are, too, but Chinese media doesn’t seem to have an answer. He probably never imagined he risked sending his father to prison out of anger, but here we are…

Oddity Central

Union Bank has started implementing new point-of-sale (PoS) withdrawal restrictions following a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive issued in December 2024. The new regulations set a daily withdrawal limit of N100,000 per customer and a weekly limit of N500,000.

The CBN explained that these measures are designed to address industry challenges, prevent fraud, and standardize operational practices across Nigerian banks. In a customer communication, Union Bank confirmed the new limits, encouraging customers to explore alternative transaction channels such as mobile banking, online platforms, and ATM withdrawals.

This implementation comes in the wake of regulatory actions against nine banks, including Union Bank, which were sanctioned for failing to ensure adequate cash availability during the recent festive season. The banks faced fine of N150 million each for non-compliance with the central bank's cash distribution guidelines.

The bank's email to customers explicitly stated: "Effective immediately, the daily withdrawal limit on POS is now N100,000, while the weekly limits are now fixed at N500,000."

Customers are advised to familiarize themselves with these new withdrawal restrictions and utilize the bank's alternative digital banking services for their financial transactions.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Federal Government has announced plans to transition all examinations in Nigeria to a 100% computer-based testing (CBT) system by 2027. This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during the inauguration of the Committee on Improvement of Quality Examinations in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the minister, the newly inaugurated committee is tasked with addressing challenges in the education sector, standardizing examination practices, and ensuring fairness and quality. He highlighted the government’s commitment to combating widespread examination malpractices and improving the overall integrity of educational assessments.

Alausa emphasized that tackling examination malpractices requires a comprehensive approach, noting that students are not the only offenders. He pointed out that parents, teachers, school principals, and even exam supervisors often play a role in the misconduct.

“To address these challenges, we aim to ensure that by 2027, all exams will be computer-based. This will require significant effort and the use of technology to achieve our goals,” Alausa said.

He also revealed that the committee would work to eliminate examination leakages, address identity theft during exams, and improve supervision standards. Additionally, measures would be implemented to curb practices such as the swapping of candidates during exams.

To enhance the authenticity of examination results, the minister announced that certificates issued by national examination bodies would now include three key identifiers: the candidates’ national identification numbers, photographs, and dates of birth.

“I have directed all examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, to ensure these identifiers are included in the certificates for the upcoming May, June, and July exams. This will help us achieve near-perfect accuracy in identifying candidates,” he explained.

Alausa described examination malpractice as a growing threat, warning that it undermines the efforts of diligent students and the credibility of the education system.

The chairman of the newly formed committee, Is-haq Oloyede, who is also the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), expressed gratitude for the government’s trust. He pledged to carry out the committee’s mandate with diligence and efficiency.

The minister concluded by stressing that the transition to computer-based examinations would be supported by substantial government funding for education, ensuring the success of this ambitious reform.

At least 20 fishermen have been killed in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno after Boko Haram insurgents attacked their village, fishermen and local security officers said on Thursday.

Nigeria has been grappling with a 16-year-long Islamist insurgency in its northeast driven primarily by Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP that has led to huge human and economic losses, including mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis.

Modu Ari, a member of the civilian joint task force, said the insurgents stormed the fishing community of Gadan Gari on Wednesday at about 11:00 GMT, and opened fire at fishermen working in the area, killing at least 20.

Mustapha Kacahallah, a resident, said his child was killed in the attack and that they had buried more than 15 people.

The military and Borno state officials have not yet commented on the attacks.

Reuters

Israel sees more to do on Lebanon ceasefire as deadline nears

Israel said on Thursday the terms of a ceasefire with Hezbollah were not being implemented fast enough and there was more work to do, while the Iran-backed group urged pressure to ensure Israeli troops leave south Lebanon by Monday as set out in the deal.

The deal stipulates that Israeli troops withdraw from south Lebanon, Hezbollah remove fighters and weapons from the area and Lebanese troops deploy there - all within a 60-day timeframe which will conclude on Monday at 4 a.m (0200 GMT).

The deal, brokered by the United States and France, ended more than a year of hostilities triggered by the Gaza war. The fighting peaked with a major Israeli offensive that displaced more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon and left Hezbollah severely weakened.

"There have been positive movements where the Lebanese army and UNIFIL have taken the place of Hezbollah forces, as stipulated in the agreement," Israeli government spokesmen David Mencer told reporters, referring to UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

"We've also made clear that these movements have not been fast enough, and there is much more work to do," he said, affirming that Israel wanted the agreement to continue.

Mencer did not directly respond to questions about whether Israel had requested an extension of the deal or say whether Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon after Monday's deadline.

Hezbollah said in a statement that there had been leaks talking about Israel postponing its withdrawal beyond the 60-day period, and that any breach of the agreement would be unacceptable.

The statement said that possibility required everyone, especially Lebanese political powers, to pile pressure on the states which sponsored the deal to ensure "the implementation of the full (Israeli) withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the last inch of Lebanese territory and the return of the people to their villages quickly".

Any delay beyond the 60 days would mark a blatant violation of the deal with which the Lebanese state would have to deal "through all means and methods guaranteed by international charters" to recover Lebanese land "from the occupation's clutches," Hezbollah said.

Israel said its campaign against Hezbollah aimed to secure the return home of tens of thousands of people forced to leave their homes in northern Israel by Hezbollah rocket fire.

It inflicted major blows on Hezbollah during the conflict, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah and thousands of the group's fighters and destroying much of its arsenal.

The group was further weakened in December when its Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad, was toppled, cutting its overland supply route from Iran.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, said Israel had put an end to hostilities and was removing its forces from Lebanon, and that the Lebanese army had gone to locations of Hezbollah ammunition stores and destroyed them.

He also indicated there was more to do to shore up the ceasefire. "Are we done? No. We will need more time to achieve results," he said.

Three diplomats said on Thursday it looked like Israeli forces would still be in some parts of southern Lebanon after the 60-day mark.

A senior Lebanese political source said President Joseph Aoun had been in contact with U.S. and French officials to urge Israel to complete the withdrawal within the stipulated timeframe.

The Lebanese government has told U.S. mediators that Israel's failure to withdraw on time could complicate the Lebanese army's deployment, and this would be a blow to diplomatic efforts and the optimistic atmosphere in Lebanon since Aoun was elected president on Jan. 9.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kremlin responds to Trump’s threat over Ukraine deal

The Kremlin has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s threats of sanctions and tariffs over a Ukraine peace deal, calling the tactics “nothing new.” Trump issued a thinly-veiled ultimatum to Moscow on Wednesday by calling on it to end the Ukraine conflict and strike a “deal”or to face new sanctions instead. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that Russia remains open to “equal and respectful dialogue” with the United States, adding that, during his first term in office, Trump had engaged in this kind of exchange with President Vladimir Putin. Now, Russia is waiting for similar signals but has not seen any so far, according to the spokesman.

“Trump in his first term was the US president most frequently resorting to sanctions. He likes this method,” Peskov added.

Trump issued the warning in a post on his Truth Social online platform. Should no peace “deal”materialize “soon” enough, Trump would “have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.” 

Addressing the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by videolink on Thursday, Trump has said he would “very much like” to meet his Russian counterpart “soon” to end the ongoing Ukraine conflict. 

Trump, who started his second term as president this week, campaigned on a promise to swiftly resolve the Ukraine conflict. He repeatedly promised to stop the fighting within 24 hours if returned to office. In the weeks leading up to his inauguration he adjusted his timeline, expressing hope to negotiate peace within six months. 

Russia has also repeatedly stated throughout the conflict that it is ready for peace negotiations at any time, while accusing Kiev of refusing to talk. Moscow has also repeatedly criticized the West’s continued military aid for Ukraine, arguing that it is only prolonging the conflict and extending human suffering. An ever deeper Western engagement in the conflict also poses risks of a direct clash between Russia and NATO, Moscow has warned.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Moscow mayor says air defences repel Ukrainian drone attacks aimed at capital

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said early on Friday that air defence units had intercepted attacks by Ukrainian drones at four locations around the Russian capital.

Sobyanin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said air defence units southeast of the capital in the Kolomna and Ramenskoye districts had repelled one group of "enemy" drones, without specifying how many were involved.

"At the site where fragments fell, no damage or casualties have occurred," Sobyanin wrote on the Telegram messaging app, without specifying how many drones were involved. "Specialist emergency crews are at the site."

The mayor posted three more announcements in quick succession.

Sobyanin said two drones also headed for Moscow had been downed by air defences in Podolsk district, south of the capital.

He then reported a single drone downed in Troitsky district, in the southwest of the capital and in Shchyolkovo, to the northeast.

Specialist emergency crews were dispatched to all the sites, Sobyanin said.

Russian news agencies quoted Rosaviatsiya, the federal aviation agency, as saying two Moscow airports, Vnukovo and Domodedovo, were handling flights after suspending operations for a time. Six flights were redirected to other airports.

In the Ryazan region, southeast of Moscow, Regional Governor Pavel Markov said on Telegram that emergency services were tackling the aftermath of an air attack.

Markov said emergency crews had extinguished a fire after drone debris had damaged a house. Air defence units, he said, had destroyed drones in the region.

Unofficial Telegram channels posted videos of what bloggers described as large blazes in the city and said an oil storage depot and a power station had been hit.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports that falling debris from a drone had damaged a private house.

The governor of the Tula region, also south of Moscow, said on Telegram that two drones had been "neutralised".

Russia's Defence Ministry had earlier said that it had destroyed 49 Ukrainian drones over a three-hour period late on Thursday, most of them over the Kursk region near the Ukrainian border.

The ministry, in a report on Telegram, said 37 drones had been destroyed solely in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces hold chunks of land after a mass incursion last August.

Unofficial Russian Telegram channels had reported a "large number" of drones over the Kursk region and posted videos of explosions.

Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak said the attack had damaged power lines and cut off electricity to one city district.

The ministry statement said drones had also been destroyed over the border regions of Bryansk and Belgorod and the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula.

RT/Reuters

Andrea Zanon

Discover why failed plans often lead to greater success than perfect ones. Learn how persistence, adaptability, and unexpected opportunities create billion-dollar breakthroughs.

"I'm going to build the next Facebook," declared James, a bright-eyed developer, back in 2012. Today, he runs a thriving cybersecurity firm that protects social media companies, including Facebook. Not quite what he planned, but a success story that perfectly captures life's beautiful irony.

Here's what no one tells you about success: it rarely shows up wearing the “outfit” you picked out for it. The real magic happens when you stop forcing things and start recognizing the opportunities that have been quietly knocking all along. There’s something powerful about that unexpected shift if you're willing to embrace it.

The persistence paradox

Think about J.K. Rowling for a moment. Before Harry Potter became a global phenomenon and a billion-dollar success story, she wasn't trying to revolutionize young adult literature. She was simply writing the story she needed to tell, while surviving as a single mom. Her breakthrough came not from executing a perfect plan, but from showing up day after day at that coffee shop, writing on napkins when she had to.

The magic formula? Persistence, stubbornness, plus adaptability. It's like training for a marathon every day to discover that you're an incredible swimmer. The discipline transfers, even if the area of focus changes.

Why your "failed" path matters

Every "failed" attempt at your original goal is market research in disguise. Every rejection is a redirect from the universe. Every closed door is nature's way of guiding you toward your actual breakthrough. As Thomas Edison beautifully put it in his pursuit of the light bulb: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

Consider Sara Blakely. She was trying to become a lawyer but failed the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) twice. Those "failures" led her to create Spanx, building a billion-dollar empire around a product she never initially dreamed of creating. Slack, the tech company with a market cap of $26.51 billion (in 2025) , began as a failed video game company. Their internal communication tool became their golden ticket, making its founders billionaires.

The new success paradigm

Success requires a multifaceted approach that begins with showing up relentlessly while maintaining the agility to pivot when needed. Your original goal should serve as a compass rather than a GPS, providing direction while allowing for alternative routes to emerge. Show up consistently because discipline is the bridge between where you are and where you could be. Adapt to market feedback because shortcomings and failures often provide invaluable insights. Focus on building transferable skills that allow you to create value across different domains and industries.

The real breakthrough formula

Breakthroughs rarely come from a perfectly executed business plan. Instead, they result from a powerful convergence of elements. The skills you’ve developed while pursuing your original goal create a foundation of expertise. The unique insights gained from supposed failures provide market intelligence and personal growth. The opportunities you become uniquely positioned to recognize and seize further enhance this foundation. Finally, the relationships you’ve built along your entrepreneurship experience support your future endeavors. These elements work together to create possibilities you couldn’t have imagined at the start.

Your turn

Stop asking, "Why isn't this working?" Start asking, "What is this preparing me for?" Your breakthrough is coming.

Your job isn't to control the outcome; it’s to stay in the game long enough for serendipity to find you. Remember: the universe rarely gives us what we think we want. Instead, it gives us what we never knew we needed and it’s often even better.

Keep showing up. Stay flexible. Invest in yourself. The next time you feel like quitting because success isn't showing up in the form you expected, remember: The form doesn’t matter. The breakthrough does. And maybe, just maybe, it’s unfolding exactly as it should.

FX Street

The Nigerian stock market experienced a significant boost on Tuesday, with the main equity index rising 0.8 percent, adding N472 billion in value. The surge was primarily driven by the Nigerian Communications Commission's approval of a 50 percent tariff increase, which sparked heightened interest in MTN Nigeria's shares.

MTN Nigeria, a telecommunications giant and the country's second-largest company by market capitalization, saw its stock jump 10 percent to close at N256.3. This performance was particularly notable, as the company represents 8.5 percent of the market's total value.

The insurance sector emerged as the top performer among market indexes, with the NGX Insurance index improving by 1 percent. Universal Insurance and Royal Exchange Insurance were key contributors to this sector's gains.

Market dynamics revealed a mixed trading environment. While 29 stocks gained ground, 28 experienced losses, indicating a balanced yet cautious investor sentiment. The all-share index climbed to 103,138, with market capitalization reaching N63.3 trillion.

Top Performers:

1. MTN Nigeria: +10% (N256.3)

2. SCOA: +9.93% (N2.99)

3. Omatek: +9.88% (N0.89)

4. Universal Insurance: +8.70% (N0.75)

5. CAP: +8.52% (N47.75)

Notable Declines:

1. National Sports Lottery: -9.88% (N0.73)

2. Abbey Building Society: -9.09% (N3.30)

3. Sunu Assurance: -8.21% (N6.15)

4. Deap Capital: -7.08% (N1.05)

5. C&I Leasing: -6.80% (N4.10)

Investment analysts at United Capital advised investors to proceed with caution, emphasizing the importance of focusing on stocks with strong fundamentals and potential corporate actions.

Year-to-date, the market index has marginally increased by 0.2 percent, reflecting the ongoing volatility and potential opportunities in the Nigerian stock market.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the federal government and telecommunications companies for approving a 50% increase in telecom tariffs, describing the move as an attack on Nigerians’ welfare amid the country’s worsening economic conditions.

Speaking at the Labour House in Abuja on Wednesday, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the tariff hike, calling it a blatant disregard for the struggles of ordinary Nigerians. While acknowledging the impact of inflation on the economy, Ajaero stated that the approved rate of increase was excessive and unjustified.

Ajaero also criticized members of the National Assembly for failing to stand with the majority of Nigerians on policies that exacerbate economic hardship. He demanded the immediate suspension of the tariff hike, which was approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

“The Nigeria Labour Congress expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the Federal Government’s approval of a 50% increase in telecom tariffs. This decision, made at a time when Nigerian workers and citizens are enduring unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate greed,” Ajaero said.

Highlighting the burden the tariff hike would place on workers, Ajaero explained that telecommunications are essential for daily communication, work, and access to information. For a worker earning the minimum wage of ₦70,000, the cost of telecom services would rise from ₦7,000 to ₦10,500 monthly—equivalent to 15% of their salary.

“This hike shows how easily the government prioritizes corporate profits over citizens’ welfare,” Ajaero said. “It is appalling that this increase was approved within a month, while it took nearly a year for the government to implement the recent minimum wage despite skyrocketing inflation.”

He questioned when the government and the National Assembly would take meaningful action to protect the interests of ordinary Nigerians instead of wealthy corporations.

The NLC president criticized the lack of consultation with key stakeholders before the tariff hike was announced and called for immediate dialogue to reassess the increase. He emphasized that while the NLC is not against a review of telecom tariffs, the current rate of increase is unacceptable.

“We are open to discussions on the need for a review, but the approved 50% hike is unreasonable. We urge the government, NCC, and National Assembly to suspend the implementation and initiate a dialogue to arrive at a more humane adjustment,” Ajaero stated.

To resist the hike, Ajaero warned of the possibility of a nationwide boycott of telecommunications services. He urged Nigerian workers and citizens to prepare for collective action, including protests and service boycotts, to force the government to reverse the decision.

“This fight is for our dignity, our rights, and our survival. The Nigeria Labour Congress will continue to defend the interests of workers and the masses. We must reject policies that deepen poverty and inequality. Together, we will resist this injustice and demand that the government put the welfare of its citizens above corporate interests,” Ajaero concluded.

Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has been released from a UK prison and has returned to Nigeria.

A family source confirmed to the BBC on Wednesday that Beatrice returned to the country three months ago following her incarceration.

In March 2023, Beatrice, her husband Ike, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, were convicted under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015 for conspiring to traffic a young Nigerian man for organ harvesting. This landmark case was the first conviction under the legislation.

On May 5, 2023, the court sentenced Ike Ekweremadu to nine years and eight months in prison, Beatrice to four years and six months, and Obeta to 10 years.

Delivering the judgment, Jeremy Johnson ruled that Beatrice would serve half of her sentence in custody, with the remainder to be served under license. The court also considered the period she spent under electronically monitored curfew and remand when calculating her prison term.

The Ekweremadus were found guilty of arranging for a young Nigerian man to travel to the UK in February 2022 with the intent of harvesting his kidney for their ailing daughter, Sonia. The man, who had reportedly been promised a job in the UK, alerted authorities in May 2022, claiming he had been brought to the country for an organ transplant.

Beatrice’s release and return to Nigeria come as her husband continues to serve his prison sentence in the UK.