Oriontimes

An American Airlines passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter before crashing in the Potomac River yesterday evening near Washington, D.C., the authorities said. All takeoffs and landings were halted at Ronald Reagan National Airport nearby. Dozens of people were reported to have been on the flight, but there was no immediate information about casualties.

The Osun State Executive Council has approved the appointment of Prince Timileyin Oluyemi Ajayi, a United Kingdom based IT engineer as the Olojudo of Ido Ajegunle in Obokun local government of Osun state. The new king who studied Office and Information Management at Lead City University Ibadan, Nigeria before his sojourn abroad, is an entrepreneur and business owner who invested in the hospitality and the agricultural industry. Other approved new kings are Prince Emmanuel Adesokan Ayoola as the Oluwaro of Iwaro in Ife North Local Government Area and Prince Kazeem Deji Ogungbe as Oniwata of Iwata in Irewole Local Government. The Council further approves the elevation of Baale Owajigbo of Ejigbo-Orangun; Baale Owamagbon of Ila, Baale Owafaye of Obalogbo-Ila (Ila Traditional Council); Baale Osi Okero-Ife, Baale Mayowa Ifegunle-Ife; Olu of Apatalami-Ife; Baale Ayede Temidire Town; Baale Akingbade of Ayetutu Ipoye-Ife (Ife Traditional Council). Other elevations include the Looyin o...

FewChore Finance Company Limited, a leading CBN-licensed financial institution, has announced a groundbreaking ₦500 million pledge to support creative entrepreneurs in Osun State under the Osun SDG Creatives initiative. The announcement was made on the first day of the maiden edition of the Osun SDGs Creative Conference, which hosted over 500 participants in-person and attracted twice that number virtually. Speaking at the event, Governor Ademola Adeleke expressed his excitement at the initiative that offers platform to celebrate creativity, innovation, and the immense potential of Osun people. Governor Adeleke reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to nurturing the creative economy and its vital role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, adding that “Creativity and innovation are critical to building a sustainable future, and Osun State is ready to lead this charge”. The Governor urged participants to seize this moment of the conference to work togethe...

Trump’s return to the White House has plunged Europe’s business leaders and policymakers into a precarious era, and officials have been bracing for it. The European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm formed a never-officially-announced group, sometimes referred to as a “Trump task force,” that spent much of 2024 working on possible responses to changes to American trade and foreign policy, reported by NYT. There is almost no aspect of European policy that Trump does not seem poised to upend. He is threatening to impose sweeping tariffs and is pressing for much heftier European spending on defense. Two of his first acts as president were to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization. How he will adjust America’s stance toward Ukraine is one of the biggest questions.

Israeli security forces began a military operation yesterday in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Eight people were killed and dozens injured within hours, the Palestinian health ministry reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said the operation was aimed at “eradicating terrorism.” Israeli forces moved in shortly after Trump rescinded sanctions against Jewish extremists and settlers accused of violence against Palestinians. Trump’s move came even as Jewish extremists raided and set fires in Palestinian villages to protest the cease-fire in Gaza, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. The head of Israel’s military said he would step down over the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack.

President Trump's Border Czar, Tom Homan, has confirmed that targeted raids on individuals residing illegally in the United States have commenced nationwide. This operation is in line with executive orders issued on Day 1 of President Trump's administration, which focus on enhancing border security and enforcing existing immigration laws. The raids are expected to target specific individuals identified by immigration authorities. Further details on the scope and duration of the operation have not been disclosed.

The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo has dismissed a lawsuit filed by sacked local government chairmen on Monday, 20 January 2025. This development comes ahead of the upcoming local government elections scheduled for 22 February. The case, filed by chairmen elected during the APC-led administration, sought to restrain the state government from conducting new local government elections and distributing federal allocations. The court, however, ruled against the claimants, allowing the elections to proceed as planned. Presiding over the matter, the judge emphasised the importance of adhering to the rule of law. “This decision reflects the judiciary’s commitment to upholding lawful governance and rejecting unfounded claims,” the judge stated during the ruling. In addition to dismissing the suit, the court imposed penalties on the claimants and their counsel. A fine of ₦1 million was levied against the lawyer representing the claimants, while the claimants themselves were colle...