As crucial ceasefire talks begin in Egypt, Hamas has called for a swift start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel. The push follows the group’s positive response to a US-backed peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump.
A senior Hamas official stated the group is “very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process.” The proposed deal would see 47 hostages held in Gaza released in return for 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and over 1,700 detainees arrested during the war.
Ahead of the talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Israel to stop its bombing campaign, noting that “you can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes.”
The White House has sent envoys to Egypt to support the negotiations, which all parties hope can end the nearly two-year conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel.
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US Iran war: FG gets N5tn oil windfall amid fuel pain
Nigeria’s Federal Government has earned an estimated N5.13 trillion oil windfall from the surge in global crude prices triggered by the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. However, despite the revenue boost, Nigerians continue to grapple with fuel scarcity, high pump prices and rising transport and living costs. According to industry data cited in the report, the country’s additional crude oil earnings have accumulated over recent months as Brent prices climbed well above earlier budget projections. The war and fears of wider instability in the Middle East have tightened global supply, pushing up prices and generating unexpected income for oil producing nations, including Nigeria. Analysts estimate that Nigeria’s windfall, put at about N5.13 trillion, is based on the difference between the benchmark oil price in the national budget and the much higher average price recorded since hostilities escalated. […]
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Obi, Kwankwaso set to dump ADC for NDC
Former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso are set to leave the African Democratic Congress and join the Nigeria Democratic Congress as opposition realignment gathers pace ahead of the 2027 elections. Key figures in the Kwankwasiyya movement say talks with NDC leaders are now at an advanced stage, with only minor details left to be resolved. According to leaders of the Obi Kwankwaso alliance, often called the OK Movement, the decision follows growing uncertainty over the legal and leadership situation in the ADC. They fear that ongoing court cases and internal disputes could weaken the party’s ability to serve as a stable platform for a broad opposition coalition. A prominent Kwankwasiyya chieftain, Saifullahi Mohammed, disclosed that stakeholders from all 44 local government areas of Kano State met at Kwankwaso’s residence and unanimously endorsed the move to the NDC. […]
Judith Audu’s film Evi begins nationwide school tour
Nollywood actress, producer and director Judith Audu has kicked off a nationwide school tour with her award winning film Evi. The project aims to take the movie directly to campuses and secondary schools across Nigeria and use it as a tool for education, inspiration and social change. According to Audu, the tour will begin with screenings across the South East from May 1 before moving to other regions of the country. At each stop, students will watch the film and then take part in discussions about its themes, which focus on values, resilience and the choices young people make in difficult situations. She explained that Evi was created not just as entertainment but as a conversation starter for young Nigerians. By bringing the film directly to schools, she hopes to reach students where they are, encourage dialogue on real life […]
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Man Charged After Death of Five-Year-Old in Australia
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