Democratic candidate and Vice President, Kamala Harris has called President-elect Donald Trump, who contested the 2024 US election as the Republican candidate.

According to Associated Press, Harris called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory.

Recall Donald Trump was elected US 47th president, four years after he was voted out of power.

Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden, who withdrew from the race in July due to age-related issues and a poor election debate.

Trump will be sworn in as president after an inauguration on Monday, 20 January 2025.

Meanwhile, the Russian government has stated that it has no immediate plans to congratulate Donald Trump on his recent election victory in the United States, amid ongoing hostilities between Russia and U.S.-supported Ukraine.

The Kremlin, through President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, emphasized that the U.S. remains an “unfriendly” nation in Russia’s view.

Peskov highlighted the historically low level of U.S.-Russia relations, noting that it is difficult to imagine them deteriorating further.

According to Peskov, Moscow is observing developments and carefully analyzing statements from American politicians regarding Russia, signalling a cautious approach.

Russia’s response comes as global leaders have been extending their congratulations to Trump, who defeated Kamala Harris to secure a second non-consecutive term as U.S. President.

However, the Russian government cautioned its citizens to remember the U.S.’s “direct and indirect involvement in a war against our state,” underscoring the severe tensions between the two nations.

The Kremlin’s stance leaves open questions about how Trump’s return to office may impact the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a situation that remains unresolved.

Bandits have reportedly killed 10 farmers, including women and a Chinese national from Wayam and Belu-Belu villages in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

Naija News learnt that six of the victims were beheaded, and the attackers went away with their heads, while many others who sustained bullet wounds were being treated at a clinic in Kagara, the Headquarters of Rafi LGA.

According to Daily Trust, many people were also kidnapped during the attack that happened around 5am on Tuesday when the victims were observing their early morning prayers.

A resident in the area, Bala Tukur, who spoke with the publication above, said the residents of Wayam, Belu-Belu, Madaka and adjoining communities had all fled to Kagara town, the Headquarters of Rafi LGA, since Tuesday morning.

He noted that said bandits had resumed aggressive attacks in the last week as farmers from Wushishi, Rafi, Shiroro, Mariga and Kontagora LGAs of the state began to harvest their farm produce.

He said, “At Wayam village near Madaka under Kagara town, they mercilessly killed 10 people and injured many. The way they killed us now is very traumatic, I swear. Everybody has fled.

“Many people have not been able to harvest 50 percent of their crops, including maize that were ready for harvest and getting those crops harvested now would be hard.

“Recently, residents of Kukoki were asked to pay N1.5 million to be allowed to harvest their crops. They paid but bandits came back to attack them four days ago.”

The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has called on Nigerians to pray against potential famine in Nigeria.

He condemned the rising cost of fuel in the country, adding that the country is already facing hunger and if the situation is not addressed, it could lead to a famine crisis.

Mbaka shared his concern during the commissioning of a new filling station, Blessed Omemma Oil and Gas Limited, in Abakpa, Enugu East Local Government Area.

He urged the government to take immediate action to tackle the fuel price increase and emphasized the need for collective prayer to find a solution.

The cleric also advised Nigerians to invest rather than keeping their money in banks, pointing out that the money will continue to depreciate.

He said, “We need more prayers for Nigeria to be well, what we are facing now is hunger, but if we’re not careful, we could face famine.

“I encourage people to invest their money wisely; don’t leave it in the bank where it will keep devaluing.

He further remarked, “The government knows what they need to do about the fuel hike. One solution from them can overcome these toxic situations, and that’s why I emphasize the power of prayer.”

A 24-year-old chef, Olusola Folorunso and a security guard Rafiu Mutairu, 47, have been arrested by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) from the Lagos State Police Command over the alleged theft of their boss’ property worth N5.5 million.

The suspects were arrested last Friday in the Badagry and Ishasi areas of Lagos, respectively.

According to the police, the two who were working for the same employer at a popular estate in Ojodu, Ikeja, had sometime in September 2024 allegedly carted away and sold off the property while their boss was on a foreign trip.

Police listed the stolen items to include 5 split air conditioners, a chest freezer, a pumping machine, a fridge and freezer, one inverter, and jewellery which were all valued at N5.5 million.

“Investigation revealed that while Folorunsho moved away the household items and personal effects from their boss’ residence, the security guard assisted in providing the buyers for the items. Investigations further revealed Folorunsho ran away to Badagry after committing the crime and all efforts to get him to assist in the recovery of those items proved futile,” the police said.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the RRS, CSP Shola Jejeloye has directed that the suspects be charged in court.

The government of Equatorial Guinea has launched a thorough investigation into hundreds of leaked s3x tapes allegedly involving the country's financial crime chief, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, with various women, including wives of prominent officials in his office.

The government also announced that it was suspending officials involved in the scandal, according to a statement issued by the Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office, published on the government’s website.

Vice-President Teodoro Mangue on Tuesday said any official found engaging in s3x acts at work would be sanctioned as this was a “flagrant violation of the code of conduct.”

The government said the recent decisions had been taken in the wake of the widely circulated videos which had “denigrated the image of the country.”

“Among the decisions taken are the suspension of employment of the officials who appear in the homemade adult videos circulating on the networks, severe measures for the members assigned to the surveillance of the inmates for not fulfilling their duties and allowing such acts, as well as the reinforcement of security in all judicial offices in the country; in addition to the installation of surveillance cameras in the judicial and ministerial offices,” the statement said.

“The Executive has made this decision in the wake of the sexual videos that have gone viral on social media in recent days, which have denigrated the image of the country.

“And in order to correct this bad behaviour of some officials of the public and judicial administration of Equatorial Guinea, the Vice President of the Republic, concerned about this situation, has urgently summoned the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Attorney General of the Republic, and several members of the government headed by the Prime Minister, to adopt strategies to stop this type of behaviour and thus propose preventive measures,” it added.

The Equatorial Guinea’s financial crime chief and head of the National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF), has since been arrested over the leaked s3x tapes.

The tapes, allegedly numbering over 300, depict Ebang in encounters with multiple women, some of whom are reported to be married, including the wife of the Presidential security head and his own brother’s spouse.

The videos, reportedly recorded in various locations including his office, hotels, and public spaces were found during a corruption probe.

Ebang, who is married and has six children, had initially been detained for allegations of corruption, but the investigation uncovered these recordings on his personal devices, which were subsequently leaked online.

Kanu Nwankwo, the former Super Eagles forward, has endorsed Ademola Lookman to be crowned the next Africa’s best player.

The 2024 CAF Awards will hold in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday, December 16.

Lookman is in the running for the prestigious award along with nine other players including his Super Eagles teammate, William Troost-Ekong.

The winger has been widely tipped to win the award after a stellar year for club and country.

The 27-year-old was the only African player nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’or, finishing in 14th position.

“Lookman is a very good player, humble, works very hard and going by the records, I believe he will win,” Kanu told Brila FM.

“I don’t know of any African player who has done better than him this year.

“He was ranked well in the Ballon d’Or (14th).

“He has done well for both club and country.”

Juniper Bryson, a 21-year-old woman in Texas, United States, has been arrested by the police.

The young woman was nabbed after she allegedly tried to sell her newborn baby boy to the "highest bidder" on Facebook.

Juniper Bryson was arrested and taken into custody last week after she allegedly attempted to pawn her baby off on Facebook, seeking a minimum of $150 from prospective buyers before even going into labor.

Bryson has been charged with one count of felony sale or purchase of a child.

Law & Crime, citing a probable cause affidavit, reports that on September 23, the Houston Police Department received a report claiming Bryson was attempting to sell her unborn child on Facebook.

The day prior, she allegedly posted in a Facebook Group named, "Birthing Mothers looking for adoptive parent(s)."

In her post, authorities say she wrote, "I am in Houston, TX but willing to travel if we can arrange that. I do have a lot of pain and am contracting so it needs to be soon."

Bryson also allegedly reached out to a family member, asking if she knew anyone who was trying to adopt a child, informing them that the baby would test positive for drugs.

The family member also allegedly posted to Facebook, saying a relative was seeking adoptive parents because she didn't want the child to end up in the foster care system. Per the affidavit, several people responded to the post.

Bryson's relative also informed police that Bryson also said anyone who wanted to adopt the child "was gonna have to compensate" her.

"What do you mean compensate? Like, pay you $ for the baby? You want $$ for your baby?!" the relative allegedly asked Bryson, adding, "That's illegal, that's human trafficking."

"No it's not, it's surrogacy," Bryson allegedly responded. "Just enough to move into an apartment so I can work a job and get [my daughter] back, or a cheap down payment, or any car to get to different places to DoorDash. Nothing crazy at all."

The relative said they stopped trying to help Bryson, telling police she was at the hospital with the baby "while she waits for the highest bidder."

Police searching Bryson's phone allegedly found she had sent several people, including an interested same-sex couple who were traveling from Louisiana to the hospital, messages about payment.

In one conversation, Bryson allegedly told the couple, "I'm not waiting to get paid until after [giving birth]," saying she would "ask for a minimum of 150 bucks up front."

That same couple also sent her $25 via Apple Pay "to complete a food delivery," per the affidavit.

"[The prospective parent] stated that 3.5 hours into their trip to Houston, she asked them to send her $150," the document notes.

The couple also allegedly mentioned running the adoption through an attorney -- which Bryson reportedly refused, before asking for $150 and eventually blocking them saying, "If her baby wasn't worth $200 to them, then screw y'all."

Another woman named Wendy Williams also told ABC 13 she was with Bryson at the hospital while in labor. The child did test positive for drugs after birth, according to court documents. Williams and her husband reportedly named the child, while they and Bryson allegedly signed notarized legal documents giving Williams the ability to make decisions for the baby.

Williams claimed she never discussed paying for the child but was inundated with "really ugly" messages when Bryson posted to Facebook that the baby had a home, and tagged Williams. It's Williams who then contacted CPS after she says she confronted Bryson about the messages she was getting from people asking, "How dare you buy this baby?"

Police then got involved and Bryson was allegedly taken from the hospital in handcuffs, after revoking custody of the child from Williams.

Bryson is currently being held in the Harris County Jail on a $30,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court again on November 7.

The baby, meanwhile, is reportedly with one of Bryson's friends, according to Williams.

The World Bank says it has approved $50 million to support Nigeria’s food nutrition challenges.

Ndiame Diop, country director of the World Bank, spoke during a meeting with Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Diop said the fund was earmarked under the accelerating nutrition results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project 2.0 programme which is a crisis response window.

Speaking also at the meeting, Trina Haque, practice manager for health, nutrition and population at the World Bank, said there was a need for nutrition education for children and adolescents as it is important for early child development.

Responding, Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to addressing its growing nutrition challenges through a community-driven strategy aimed at transforming nutrition outcomes across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas (LGAs).

He presented the comprehensive N-774 initiative, which builds on successful outcomes from ANRiN project.

Shettima added that the N-774 initiative comes at a crucial time considering the ANRiN project closeout.

“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pioneering a paradigm shift in nutrition programmes through locally owned solutions,” he said.

“The N-774 Initiative represents our commitment to community-driven development and sustainable nutrition outcomes.”

Shettima said the N-774 initiative is a localised, community-driven solution tailored towards the unique needs of each LGA and aims to bring nutrition interventions directly to communities while encouraging local ownership and ensuring sustainability.

“Malnutrition is a Nigerian problem that needs a Nigerian solution and president Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very much willing to support such an initiative,” Shettima added.

“The project integrates nutrition goals across education, agriculture, health and social protection sectors.”

On project implementation strategy, he said it was important to leverage current political will to reverse the country’s negative nutrition indicators.

“The renewed hope administration is committed to swift, impactful results through this innovative approach to nutrition intervention,” he said.

“With sustained collaboration between the federal and sub-national governments and international partners, we are confident this initiative will yield significant improvements in our community health outcomes.”

On September 30, the World Bank approved three new financing totalling $1.57 billion to support key sectors in Nigeria.

The approved funds, according to the international lender, were geared towards supporting the federal government in strengthening human capital through better health for women, children and adolescents.

The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI), has said the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration are based on a clear plan to salvage Nigeria’s economy.

Chairman of IMPI, Dr. Omoniyi Akinsiju, who stated this in a statement he signed, said years of populist macroeconomic policies sunk the country to a level that it had to change course or be doomed.

The group said though attacks on the ongoing reforms are natural if viewed from the relatively narrow and subjective context of the steep change in the country’s cost of living, the reality of the nation’s current macroeconomic situation was a consequence of its past.

“We have observed with interest the criticisms that continue to trail the reforms implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Of particular interest are two opinions that gained some traction. One of the critics finds the reforms to be a: ‘wreckage of the past 15 months, from which the country is reeling.’

“The other viewpoint, an editorial, brands the ‘government as insensitive and strategy-deficient.’ It also sees the government as incompetent to perform its primary duty of delivering welfare and security to the people.’

“These attacks on the ongoing reforms are natural if viewed from the relatively narrow and subjective context of the steep change in the country’s cost of living,” the group said. Insisting that the reality of the nation’s current macroeconomic situation is a consequence of its past, IMPI said:

“When the premise and predicates of the nation’s economic trajectory are reviewed and aggregated, the apparent conclusion will be that we are where we are because this affliction of economic malaise at this point is predetermined.

“Since 1972, the Nigerian economy has been characterized by an unpredictable circle of bust and boom. In layperson’s terms, it means that one moment, we are deemed rich and able to buy whatever catches our fancy, and everybody, including the media, is happy.

The next, we are flat broke. “We lament the difficulties encountered in sating our basic needs, whining and criticising the government in power as the source of our decimated existence.”

IMPI cited similarities between Nigeria and Venezuela, another oilrich country to drive home its position, saying: “Like Venezuela, oil has taken Nigeria on an exhilarating but dangerous boom-and-bust ride.

“Again, like Nigeria, decades of poor governance have driven what was once one of Latin America’s most prosperous countries to economic and political ruin.

“In 2008, crude oil production in Venezuela was the tenth-highest in the world at 2,394,020 barrels per day, and the country was also the eighth-largest net oil exporter in the world.”

It said Venezuelan leaders implemented the wrong macroeconomic policy between 2000 and early 2010 when Venezuela’s economy, like that of Nigeria, was booming due to a prolonged period of high and rising grain, metal, oil and gas prices.

“Between 2000 and 2015, government spending in Nigeria, like Venezuela, was deeply pro-cyclical. Instead of saving at least some money for bad times during the good times – as Norway, Saudi Arabia, and virtually all other oil exporters have done – Nigeria established the Excess Crude Account (ECA) by fiat in 2004 without legislative backing.

“In May 2007, the ECA had up to $20 billion. Still, like the Venezuelan government, which ran a double-digit fiscal deficits as the economy boomed, spending far outpaced income from taxes and other revenues.

Both countries were on record for raising their external debts sixfold to finance these unnecessary shortfalls.” IMPI said while Venezuela saddled the state-owned oil company with over $100 billion in obligations, it noted the Nigerian government depleted the ECA by more than 80 per cent, from $20 billion to $2.4 billion.

Quoting a World Bank report, the said like Venezuela, which lost $300 billion to corruption through its foreign currency system, Nigeria incurred a loss of N13.2 trillion implementing its foreign exchange subsidy policy between 2021 and 2023.

The policy group noted that it was against this backdrop that the Tinubu administration introduced reforms targeted at preventing the country from going the path of Venezuela.

It said: “The Venezuelan economic crisis scenario remains a possible reality for Nigeria if the Tinubu administration had adopted the Maduro option in 2023.

Our estimation of his decision to scrap the populism macroeconomic template is that the President has salvaged Nigeria’s national economy from a whirlwind of economic turbulence and total collapse.

“As expected, the trailing effects of the stoppage of fuel subsidy and harmonization of the multiple foreign exchange windows, being the principal reforms orchestrated by the administration, are upending the ways of life and threatening the basis of the sustenance of Nigerians,” said IMPI.”

However, it said as the World Bank noted, though fiscal reforms were painful, they were needed to save the country from imminent collapse.

“Given the comparative analysis we have conducted in this Policy Statement, we fully adopt the World Bank submission and subscribe to the fact that the Tinubu reforms have started yielding results. “However, what we consider bewildering is the accusation against President Tinubu from critics,