News
“MKO Abiola’s Last Breath” Susan Rice Sets The Record Straight
As Nigeria celebrates it’s 25th anniversary of uninterrupted democracy, we backtrack to 2019 when Susan Rice, former UN Ambassador and National Security Adviser to President Barack Obama, gave a detailed account of the
last moments of the presumed winner of the June 12 presidential election, late MKO Abiola, in her book, “Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For”. The annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential Election remains one of the darkest moments of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
The country has, in honour of Abiola and the unfortunate events of that day, moved it’s annual Democracy Day celebration from May 29 to June 12. Rice in her book, dispels the conspiracy theory that alleged she gave Abiola the tea laced with arsenic that killed him, saying: “About five minutes into the conversation, Abiola started to cough, at first mildly and intermittently, and then rackingly with consistency. He said he was hot, so I asked his dutiful minder, ‘Please turn up the air-conditioning.’ Noticing a tea service on the table between us, I offered Abiola, ‘Would you like some tea to help calm your cough?’ ‘Yes,’ he said, with appreciation, and I poured him a cup.
“Rice continued: “He sipped it, but continued coughing. Increasingly uncomfortable, Abiola removed his outer layer, leaving one layer on top. I shot Pickering a worried glance.” She described how Abiola’s condition rapidly deteriorated, saying: “The coughing became dramatic. I told the assembled men, ‘I think we better call for a doctor.’ No one argued. The minder immediately placed the call. Abiola asked to be excused and went into the bathroom of our meeting room. When he emerged, he was bare-chested and sweating profusely, barely able to talk. He lay down on the couch writhing and then rolled facedown onto the floor. “Rice recalled the urgency of the situation, saying: “The doctor arrived promptly, took a quick look at him, and declared that Abiola was having a heart attack and must be transported to the hospital immediately. The men labored to lift the heavy Abiola into a small car, and we rushed to the nearby, rudimentary presidential hospital.” She described the emotional moment when she had to break the news to Abiola’s wives and daughters, saying: “I proceeded to explain that their husband/father was dead. He had died of an apparent heart attack that began in our meeting. The doctors did all they could to save him but could not. The ladies’ wailing was so intense; it haunts me to this day.
“Rice also expressed frustration with Reverend Jesse Jackson, who implied that Abiola died under suspicious circumstances in a meeting with US officials, fueling conspiracy theories. She said: “I could not believe my ears – our own guy implying we were killers! Immediately, I placed a call to his longtime aide Yuri and asked them to shut the Reverend down. ‘Please, just get him off the set.'” Rice reflected on the unique hazards she faced as a woman policymaker, noting that she was the one who took the public fall for a crime nobody committed. She said: “From that experience, I found that being a woman policymaker comes with unique hazards. The men would not have offered, much less thought, to pour the tea. They may have swiftly called for a doctor. They may not have been able
to break the bad news to the wives. Not for the first time, it was I, not they, who took the public fall for a crime nobody committed.
News
Two Dead, Nine Injured in Brown University Shooting
Two Dead, Nine Injured in Brown University Shooting
Two students were killed and nine others injured after a gunman opened fire at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday, police said.
Authorities have detained a person of interest in his 20s, who is now cooperating with investigators.
The attack occurred around 4:00 p.m. local time (21:00 GMT) at the Holley Engineering Building on the eastern end of the university campus.
Police said the identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Brown University President Christina Paxson confirmed that all those affected, including the deceased, were students.
In a statement on Sunday, Paxson said parts of the campus remained restricted as police continued investigations.
She added that around 2,000 students were relocated to safe locations overnight and expressed gratitude to local residents who opened their homes to students.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said seven of the injured students were in stable condition, one was critical, and another had been discharged.
The mayor, who visited victims and their families in hospital, described their courage as “overwhelming” and confirmed that the shelter-in-place order issued earlier had been lifted.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the suspect was detained at a hotel in Coventry early Sunday morning based on a lead from Providence Police.
Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed that officers were no longer searching for additional suspects and were working closely with prosecutors to collect evidence.
President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, expressed sympathy for the families of the two deceased students and wished a speedy recovery for the nine injured.
The shooting brings the number of mass shootings in the United States in 2025 to 389, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as incidents with four or more victims killed or injured, not including the attacker.
Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant as the investigation continues, while a vigil is scheduled for Sunday evening to support the Brown University community.
News
Bondi Beach Attack: 15 Dead, Father-Son Gunmen Behind Shooting
Bondi Beach Attack: 15 Dead, Father-Son Gunmen Behind Shooting
A mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Saturday left 15 people dead, including a child aged 10, during a Hanukkah celebration. Authorities are treating the incident as a terror attack.
Police confirmed the shooters were a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son.
The father died at the scene, while the son remains in critical condition.
The 50-year-old was a licensed firearms holder; six guns and two improvised devices were recovered from the site.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack “an act of pure evil”, saying it deliberately targeted the Jewish community, and promised full resources to support the investigation and combat antisemitism.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said quick response, informed by last year’s Bondi stabbing, helped save lives.
328 officers have been deployed to protect Sydney’s Jewish community, while two properties in western Sydney were searched overnight.
Among the victims was British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger. Eyewitnesses described the chaos, with some saying the gunfire felt like it lasted “an eternity.”
Authorities continue to investigate the attack as Australians reel from the tragedy.
News
Trump Reacts as ISIS Kills Three Americans in Syria
Trump Reacts as ISIS Kills Three Americans in Syria
President Donald Trump has pledged a “very serious retaliation” after an ambush in central Syria on Saturday, killing two U.S. service members and one American civilian interpreter, an attack the United States blames on the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
In a statement and social‑media post, Trump described the assault near Palmyra—a region still volatile and not fully controlled by the Syrian government—as “an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria.”
He mourned the three victims as “great American patriots” and confirmed that three other U.S. soldiers wounded in the attack are recovering.
Speaking from the White House before departing for a public event, the president said he expected a firm U.S. response, noting that there will be “very serious retaliation” against ISIS and any group that targets American forces.
Trump noted that Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, whose government has been cooperating with U.S. forces in counter‑terrorism operations, was “extremely angry and disturbed” by the incident.
The ambush occurred as U.S. troops were engaged in a counter‑terrorism mission alongside Syrian partners; the suspected attacker was killed by coalition forces, U.S. Central Command said.
The identities and units of the deceased are being withheld pending family notification.
Defense officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, echoed Trump’s stance, issuing stark warnings that the U.S. will pursue individuals or groups that target Americans.
The U.S. maintains a force of around 900 troops in Syria as part of ongoing operations against ISIS remnants, despite the group’s loss of territorial control years earlier.
The attack is the first fatal incident involving U.S. personnel in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, highlighting persistent security challenges and raising questions about the future scope of U.S. military engagement in the region.
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Analysis3 days agoInsecurity: Defence, Development, and Duty, by Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
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News2 days agoTwo Dead, Nine Injured in Brown University Shooting
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News2 days agoBondi Beach Attack: 15 Dead, Father-Son Gunmen Behind Shooting
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News2 days agoTrump Reacts as ISIS Kills Three Americans in Syria
