24 Democratic states and cities sue over Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship

Twenty-four Democratic-led states and cities are suing President Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship in the US.

The lawsuits allege that a Trump executive order signed on Monday, January 20, violates the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which gives a constitutional right of citizenship to all children born in the United States.

“Despite a President’s broad powers to set immigration policy, however, the Citizenship Stripping Order falls far outside the legal bounds of the President’s authority,” states a lawsuit from 18 states, Washington, DC, and San Francisco.

The case could end up becoming the first major Supreme Court showdown for Trump’s second-term agenda. The 18 states filed in a Massachusetts federal court, which means any appeal of a ruling from that court will come up through the First US Circuit Court of Appeals, where all the judges are Democratic appointees.

The Supreme Court has upheld birthright citizenship in the past and there is also a federal law passed by Congress, predating the 14th Amendment’s 1868 ratification, establishing that children born on US soil are entitled to citizenship.

“The president’s entitled to put forth a policy agenda that he sees fit,” New Jersey Democratic Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who is co-leading the new lawsuit, told CNN.

“When it comes to birthright citizenship – something that’s been part of the fabric of this nation for centuries, that’s been in the Constitution for 157 years since the Civil War, that’s been upheld by the Supreme Court twice – the president cannot, with a stroke of a pen, rewrite the Constitution and upend the rule of law,” he added.

Also on Tuesday, the attorneys general of Washington, Arizona, Oregon, and Illinois filed their own lawsuit on the West Coast.

It was filed at a federal court in Seattle that is within the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

Both suits are also seeking a preliminary order blocking the policy before the Trump administration can take steps to implement it.

Similar lawsuits targeting Trump’s order were brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and immigration rights groups on Monday.

Immigration arrests 90 foreign nationals for cybercrime in Rivers

 

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in collaboration with other security agencies, has arrested 90 foreign nationals in Rivers State for alleged involvement in cybercrime.

Rivers State Comptroller of NIS, Y.I. Abdulmajeed confirmed the arrests in a statement on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Abdulmajeed said the operation, which was based on credible intelligence, targeted a hideout where the suspects were involved in cybercriminal activities aimed at defrauding innocent Nigerians.

He said a total of 94 individuals were arrested, including 85 Cameroonians, five Chadians, and four Nigerians. Of the 94 suspects, 74 were males and 20 were females.

He said the immigration service also found that all 90 foreign nationals had entered the country through unauthorised entry points and did not possess residence cards or travel documents during interrogation.

He added that two Nigerian individuals from Rivers State, who allegedly provided accommodation and served as landlords to the foreigners, were also arrested.

Comptroller Abdulmajeed stated that the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, has directed a swift and thorough investigation into the matter.

Nigerians to drag FG to court over 50% telecoms tariff hike

 

Nigerians have vowed to drag the federal government to court over approval of a 50 percent increase in calls, data, and other telecommunication tariffs.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, last week hinted that telecom tariffs will go up by either 30 or 50 percent following a disagreement in a meeting between him and operators who had proposed a 100 percent tariff increase.

The latest telecom tariff hike approval comes 13 years after NCC announced the price template in 2013, unsurprisingly, in an instant multiplier effect, Point of Sales Operators have hinted at plans to increase their service charges.

Upon implementation, Nigerians may be paying N16.5 per minute for calls from N11, the cost of SMS to N6 from N4, and the cost of 1 gigabit of data – N431.25.

Also, upon implementation,  telcos may rake in N6.7 trillion annually in revenue from calls only with the new tariff regime; this is because 2023 national telephone traffic data showed that total outgoing telephone traffic was 205.3 billion minutes, while incoming traffic stood at 203.2 billion minutes

The President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Adeolu Ogunbanjo and the National Spokesperson for the Association of Mobile Money & Bank Agents in Nigeria, Ogungbayi Ganiyu revealed the might fight against the new tariffs in court.

Reacting, Ogunbanjo said subscribers had agreed to a 5 or 10 percent tariff hike, not the 50 percent as announced by the NCC.

Ogunbanjo decried that the hike will further impoverish Nigerians already grappling with the Premium Motor Spirit price hike, transportation and food price hike, which is at 38.90 percent in December 2024.

“It is unfortunate that it is the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who is the one leading the telecommunications service increase.

“He should not impoverish Nigerians.

“While I understand the challenges facing the telecom sector, we agreed to a 5 to 10 percent tariff hike. If that is not enough, the telcos should go to the capital market to raise funds.

“We are going to court to challenge the decision by the federal government to approve a 50 percent tariff hike because we have given them options.“We’ve painfully agreed to a telecom tariff hike. We know we are going to pay more but not 50 percent

“The telcos requested a 100 percent tariff hike; of course the telcos want to make more profit to the detriment of subscribers.“50 percent tariff hike is too much. We are saying no. It is not acceptable. Anything more than 10 percent, we are going to court. “This tariff will be enormous. Every business will increase their tariff. From the companies to the ordinary POS operators.

"You are the most wicked people in Nigeria. Police are 100x better than you" - Bobrisky tackles EFCC following its officer's demise during a raid in Anambra

 

Bobrisky has taken to his Instagram page to tackle the EFCC over calls by the commission for Nigerians to be human and sympathetic toward its officer. 

Recall that the agency lost an operative over the weekend during a midnight raid in Anambra state. The officers had stormed the home of a suspected fraudster to arrest him but there was fire exchange leading to the death of an officer.

In his post, Bobrisky argued that the EFCC cannot be asking the public to be human when they are the most ‘’w!cked people'' in Nigeria. He claimed he was harassed by EFCC officials who arrested him over a Naira abuse petition last year. He alleged that they tried accusing him of money laundering. He opined that police are way better than EFCC officials.

He also recounted how EFCC officials arrested a friend of his for selling his products in dollars.

He will be feared, not loved and will ultimately face resistance from both allies and foes - Shehu Sani speaks on Trump's second term as U.S. president

 

Former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described United States President-elect Donald Trump as a ‘disruptor.', claiming his second term in office will be a 'challenge' to the world.

The statement comes just hours before Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the U.S.

Sani, in a post on his X handle on Monday,  said:

“Mr. Trump takes over the American presidency today. A disruptor takes power. It’s going to be a great challenge to the world.

“It’s going to be an American nationalist and businessman vs. the world. He will pull the plug or change the plugs at the UN, EU, NATO, and the American relations with the world.

“He will be feared and not loved and will ultimately face resistance from both allies and foes. He will try to reset everything, and that is where the discomfort will come.

“Africa should not expect anything much from Trump, even though Biden didn’t do much either. Trump is back and, sadly, without Mugabe. The world must not give up or compromise its universal human values.”

They are trying to invent fake rapture – Mike Bamiloye reveals alleged plots by scientists

 

Nigerian Christian filmmaker/evangelist  Mike Bamiloye has alleged that scientists are trying to invent a fake rapture. 

He claimed they were doing this to make Christians confused so they would no longer believe in the real rapture. 

He shared a screenshot from a Facebook post with the faces of two extraterrestrial beings with a caption that reads: "The extraterrestrial invasion is imminent. It will take 10,000 people in 2025." 

 

Adding his own caption, Mike Bamiloye wrote: "YOU DONT BELIEVE IN THE IMMINENT RAPTURE? TO MANY SIGNS AND SIGNALS AROUND US. 

"Even the Scientists and the World Powers believe that there is an imminent occurrence that would lead to the disappearances of many people. 

"They are trying so hard to give an explanation to it ahead of time. 

"They are also working secretly on a Scientific and technological invention that would make so many people vanish without trace. 

"They are perfecting that technology, so that the Enemy, the Devil can get us confused. 

"They are trying to invent FAKE RAPTURE, in order to distract our preparation from the Actual Rapture. 

"We have cone to the Season of Great Delusion. 

"All around us now are news and reports of UFO (unidentified Flying Objects) and emerging of Strange beings from the Land, Air and from the Oceans. 

"We are beginnjng to see creatures that are half human and half sea creatures, unbelievable images of beings coming out of the belly of the Seas. 

"Water is flowing in Arabian deserts, The biggest river in the World, The Euphrates, drying up to receal unbelievable Caves on the river beds. The Antarctica ice wall melting to show strange images buried under ice for thousands of years. 

"Robots, human machines are already mixing with human to do the jobs human are employed to do. 

"Robotic AnteNatal Clinic is being secretly created where babies could be developed in the wombs of Robot and sold to intending buyers. 

"Robotic Female wives are being made to be make available for intending buyers, in place of human wives. 

"Things are cooking in the skies and on the seas. So many strange and fearful signs and very deadly Natural Disasters and Pandemics. 

"The new Virus that is sorrading in China and have been found in UK has been tagged Quademic! 

"TOO MANY SIGNS ARE POINTING TO THE IMMINENT SOUND OF THE TRUMPET FOR US TO MEET THE LORD IN THE CLOUDS AT THE RAPTURE."

 

Northeastern University Unveils Special Scholarship for Cybersecurity Students

We are well aware by now that Canada is short on cybersecurity professionals— by at least 25,000 strong—and the impacts are tangible.

For example, a KPMG report found that 70% of small- and medium-sized businesses in Canada lack the skill personnel to implement cybersecurity defences and monitor for attacks, a figure that is up from last year. And cyber attacks cost Canadian companies millions of dollars in damages on average.

Mastercard announced this week that it is partnering with a post-secondary institution in Vancouver to help “secure the digital economy” by accelerating cybersecurity innovation in Canada and expanding the nation’s tech-skilled workforce.

The financial services giant this week unveiled its partnership with Northeastern University, which includes more than $700,000 from Mastercard to help Northeastern establish multiple initiatives that aim to “advance research and create opportunities for women, BIPOC students, and underrepresented groups in cybersecurity over the next three years,” according to a statement from the organizations.

“Investing in pioneering research and diverse talent is essential to driving innovation that truly reflects and serves all Canadians,” posits Mansur Mirani, who serves as Vice President Mastercard’s Cyber Centre of Excellence in Vancouver.

The collaboration will see the creation of the Mastercard Professorship Fund as well as the Mastercard Vancouver Scholarship.

“This partnership combines cutting-edge research with experiential learning, equipping the next generation of leaders to tackle the most critical challenges in cybersecurity and deliver solutions that make a real-world impact,” stated Mirani.

The professorship, focusing on cybersecurity research, will engage 100 students in total over three years through industry internships, favouring those from “underrepresented backgrounds,” according to Mastercard. This decision was made with the intent to “combat bias in learning models and solutions developed by providing opportunities to those often underrepresented in cybersecurity fields.”

“Northeastern University is dedicated to providing graduate-level education that is both experiential and research-focused,” said Steve Eccles, Dean of Northeastern University.

“This partnership with Mastercard will give our students an incredible opportunity to actively participate in groundbreaking research in one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada and produce graduates who will be able to hit the ground running in the cybersecurity industry,” he added.

The partnership with Northeastern University is an extension of Mastercard’s $500-million investment in Vancouver's Global Intelligence and Cyber Centre of Excellence.

Culled from techcouver.com

Mother cries out for justice after her 2-year-old daughter d!ed in Lagos school

 

A heartbroken mother is asking for answers after her 2-year-old daughter d!ed in school yesterday, Wednesday, Jan. 15. 

She explained that her daughter, a student of Smiley Kids Montessori, in Sangotedo, Lagos State, went to school healthy but did not return alive.  

She added that she was told her daughter drowned.  However, she alleges that she has discovered the child was electrocuted but they put the body in the pool to make it look like drowning. 

She shared a picture of the pool with a high barricade to keep children away and she asked how a two-year-old could have climbed the barricade. 

She called on the Lagos State Government to investigate. 

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency has responded, promising to look into the case. 

See below.

Influx of foreign terrorists responsible for resurgence of attacks in North East, North West– DHQ

 

The Defence Headquarters has attributed the recent resurgence of terrorist attacks in North East and North West to the alleged influx of foreign fighters providing reinforcement to local terror groups.

The Director, Defence Media Operation, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the operations of the armed forces on Thursday in Abuja on Thursday, January 16.

“The resurgence in terror attacks can be attributable to the influx of foreign fighters that come in as reinforcement for these terrorists. These foreign fighters are from the Sahelian Region. The other contributing factor is the local collaborators that form a support base for these terrorists.

They serve as informants to the terrorist reporting on troop movement. Despite the situation, troops are profoundly conscious of their role and responsibility in ending insurgency and terrorism in the nation” he said

Buba said that troops might record occasional tactical setbacks but noted that the “strategic objective to break the terrorist will to fight remained unhindered”.

According to him, defeating an enemy means destroying or breaking his will to fight and the military is achieving this by the cumulative effort of killing their operatives, commanders and senior leadership. He said the troops had continued to take away the terrorists’ most important assets such as their logistics, administrative and fighting capabilities.

“And of course, we are applying regional and international pressure, as well as engaging the media. All these combine to destroy the terrorist will to fight. Wars are fought and won all over the world by destroying the enemy’s will to fight. And we are bent on achieving just that. We understand that this war is not a quick fix, but a long and enduring military operation at the end of which these terrorists will be destroyed and we will have a better world. Overall, we understand that we all want to be in a different situation, a situation whereby all this insecurity is over and the terrorist is completely eradicated” he added.

Mother of youth corper k!lled by gospel singer in Nasarawa recalls last moment with her daughter

 

Ojomachenwu Adaidu, the mother of Salome Adaidu, the youth corper who was hacked to de@th and then dismembered by Timileyin Ajayi, in Nasarawa state last weekend, has recounted her last moment with her daughter.

Speaking recently with BBC Pidgin, mother of the deceased said

“I called her on Saturday and asked where she was. She told me she was washing clothes. I then asked if she was washing the clothes alone. She said yes and added that the firstborn child was in the living room cleaning it.

She also told me that once she finished, she planned to go to the place where she does her NYSC training. Maybe it was from that training that this incident happened because the bag she took to the training was the same one the police brought, which I saw on Monday.”

The grieving mother demanded justice for her daughter.

“Maybe on her way to the place, she entered a ‘one-chance’ (a kind of scam often involving public transport), or someone used medicine (voodoo) on her because she doesn’t have friends like that. I want justice for my child,” she said.

Timileyin who was paraded before newsmen on Tuesday, said that the deceased was always che@ting on him and that he has no regrets he k!lled.