IGBONEKWU JOHNSON'S BLOG

. Ed Johnson was on Thursday named as the second CIA officer involved in the 'Argo' mission officially known as the 'Canadian Caper' . The skilled linguist joined Tony Menendez to rescue diplomats from Tehran amid the 1979 Iran hostage crisis . Johnson, now 80, long shunned the limelight but finally agreed to come forward in an episode of the intelligence agency's podcast, . The Langley Files By KEITH GRIFFITH FOR DAILYMAIL.COM The CIA has revealed the name of the second officer involved in the daring rescue of six American diplomats from Tehran amid the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, made famous in the 2012 Ben Affleck film Argo. Ed Johnson, a skilled linguist fluent in five languages, was identified as the second officer who helped the diplomats walk free through Iranian customs disguised as a Canadian film crew. His name was released on Thursday in an episode of the intelligence agency's podcast, The Langley Files, resolving the longstanding mystery of ...

She saw her family members marched off to their deaths while she went to a forced-labor camp. It took her almost 60 years to begin telling her story. Éva Fahidi, a Holocaust survivor who late in life began speaking out and writing about her experiences, as well as expressing them in dance, becoming a familiar presence at memorial observances and in classrooms in Germany and other European countries, died on Monday in Budapest. She was 97. The International Auschwitz Committee, an association of Auschwitz survivors, announced her death. Ms. Fahidi, part of a Hungarian Jewish family that had converted to Catholicism, was rounded up in 1944 along with the rest of her family and taken to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination complex in occupied Poland. She was 18. She was apparently saved from the gas chamber by being of an age and fitness level to qualify for a forced-labor camp. Her other family members were sent to their deaths. Josef Mengele, the Nazi death camp ...

By opening an impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unleashed an unpredictable and treacherous new political force into what is already the most abnormal election of modern times. McCarthy effectively set up partisan counterprogramming to the looming criminal trials of his patron, former President Donald Trump, who’s the front-runner for the GOP nomination to take on Biden. The key question heading into the third impeachment effort in three and a half years should be whether this attempt to effectively reverse a democratic election by ousting Biden is justified. The GOP failure so far to provide much more than innuendo – that Biden corruptly used his power while vice president to profit from his son Hunter’s business ventures – suggests it is not. There is a crazed sense of irony and history coming full circle this week in Washington. Trump was impeached the first time for effectively using presidential power and the prospect of militar...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has quietly taken steps toward cementing Israel's control of the West Bank with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leading the way ASA'EL, West Bank -- With attention focused on its contentious judicial overhaul, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has quietly taken unprecedented steps toward cementing Israel’s control over the West Bank — perhaps permanently. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a leader of the settlement movement, assumed new powers over the occupied territory in his coalition agreement with Netanyahu. Smotrich moved swiftly to approve thousands of new settlement homes, legalize previously unauthorized wildcat outposts and make it more difficult for Palestinians to build homes and move about. As the first government minister to oversee civilian life in the West Bank, his role amounts to a recognition that Israel’s 56-year military occupation is not temporary but permanent, observers say. “If Smotr...

“An election shall not be liable to be invalidated by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of this Act if it appears to the Election Tribunal or Court that the election was conducted substantially in accordance with the principles of this Act and that the non-compliance did not affect substantially the result of the election.” – Section 135 (1) of Electoral Act 2022 There were over a thousand election petition cases filed at different tribunals and courts challenging the outcome of the 2023 general elections held between February 25 and April 15, 2023. However, none of these generated as much furore as the three petitions filed by Allied Peoples Movement, Peter Obi and Labour Party, and Atiku Abubakar and Peoples Democratic Party. Under our electoral jurisprudence, the candidates and the political parties that sponsored them have the locus standi to challenge the outcome of any election in which they participated in. After six months of legal fireworks by the petitioners...

The Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday, said 55,000 of the 200,000 passports backlog had been cleared. He added that more would be cleared before the end of the two-week deadline given to the Immigration boss, adding that after the backlogs are cleared, Nigerians should be able to obtain their passports in two weeks. He spoke when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, visited his office in Abuja. This was contained in a statement by the Director of Press, Ministry of Interior, Afonja Ajibola. He said, “Nigerians must not be relegated from being citizens of Nigeria by denying them a passport. “He reiterated his belief that we must get it right now, adding that he receives updates every morning; and that this very morning, he is been briefed that about 55,000 passports have been cleared, out of the 200,000 passports backlog he instructed to be cleared in two weeks. He said, “Nigerians must not be relegated from being citizens...

No fewer than 23 pastors have been killed, while 200 churches have been shut down in Kaduna by bandits within the past four years. The Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. John Hayab, disclosed this on Tuesday, at an emergency meeting with the State Commissioner of Police, Musa Garba, and pastors drawn from all over the state held at the Albraka Baptist Church, in the state capital. The meeting, The PUNCH learnt was meant to discuss on how to collaborate with the church to tackle the spate of insecurity in the state. “A Pastor who was kidnapped on 8th August, 2023, told the CAN leadership that there are over 215 Christians abducted by the bandits in Birnin Gwani forest. They are still there and the Pastor told us that the bandits asked him to lead prayers for the 215 Christians while he was in their den. “We are calling on the CP to look into this issue among many others holistically to build the confidence of the people once again. ...

The United Nations Children’s Fund has said 333 million children are still living in extreme poverty globally. The report from UNICEF and the World Bank indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic led to the abolition of extreme poverty for 30 million fewer children than was previously predicted. According to the statistics, around one in six children still live on less than $2.15 per day. UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, in a statement on Wednesday, said a combination of crises, including the effects of COVID-19, conflicts, climate change and economic meltdown has halted the advancements and placed millions of children in extreme poverty. Russell said, “Compounding crises, from the impacts of COVID-19, conflict, climate change and economic shocks, have stalled progress, and left millions of children in extreme poverty.” The report’s findings throw a spanner in the works of the UN’s ambitious goal to eradicate extreme child poverty by 2030. On his part, the World Bank Glo...

Trump's legal team continues to push a theory that Trump's deals are outside the statute of limitations. A judge is about to rule on the matter—and it doesn't look good for Trump. Jose Pagliery The New York trial that could bankrupt Donald Trump’s corporate empire is only three weeks away, and the former president has bet the farm on the notion that his deals were too long ago to investigate—a ploy that increasingly looks like a dud. Trump wants to direct Justice Arthur F. Engoron’s attention to the dates he finalized some sizable real estate deals in Chicago, Miami, Washington, and elsewhere. But according to a source familiar with the case, the real action will be focused on the way he kept filing personal financial statements with bogus numbers years later that kept inflating his net worth by what investigators estimate to be some $2.2 billion. That amount sounds ridiculous, but it added up overtime. For example, the real estate tycoon bizarrely faked the size of ...

MORGAN LEE SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Friends and admirers of former Gov. Bill Richardson are mourning the hard-charging politician whose career spanned the globe, from mountain villages of northern New Mexico as a youthful congressman, to the United Nations and a litany of countries on unofficial diplomatic missions that often helped free imprisoned Americans. Richardson's casket was scheduled to lie in state Wednesday in the rotunda of the New Mexico Statehouse astride a giant inlay of the New Mexico state seal and an ancient Zia Pueblo symbol of the sun. Richardson died in his sleep at his home in Chatham, Massachusetts, earlier this month at age 75. Final memorials and funeral services were scheduled in Santa Fe, the state capital city where Richardson served two terms as governor starting in 2003 and is still remembered for innate political skills, ambition and an ability to both clash and reconcile with rivals. “He admired legislators who showed spunk and integrity and didn...

KIM TONG-HYUNG AND DARIA LITVINOVA SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The leaders of Russia and North Korea met at a remote Siberian rocket launch facility for a summit that underscores how the two leaders’ interests are aligning in the face of their separate, intensifying confrontations with the United States. The two men began their meeting with a tour of a Soyuz-2 space rocket launch facility, at which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un peppered Russian President Vladimir Putin with questions about the rockets. The meeting came hours after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the sea, extending a highly provocative run in North Korean weapons testing since the start of 2022, as Kim used the distraction caused by Putin’s war on Ukraine to accelerate his weapons development. The leaders’ decision to meet at Vostochny Cosmodrome, a major satellite launch facility, suggests that Kim is seeking Russian technical assistance in his efforts to develop military reconnaissance satellites...

From CNN's Josh Pennington North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin have both arrived at Russia’s remote space rocket launch site, the Vostochny Cosmodrome, according to Russian state media RIA Novosti and TASS. The two leaders are expected to hold arms talks that could see Pyongyang provide weapons for Moscow to use against Ukraine. Images of the remote space center, in Russia's Far East region, show both the Russian and North Korean flags flying outside the building. Kim arrived in Russia on Tuesday after traveling from Pyongyang on his private train; on Wednesday morning, ahead of the leader's arrival at the space center, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles, according to South Korean authorities. Putin arrives at Vostochny Cosmodrome, amid speculation about meeting with Kim Jong Un Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at the country's remote space rocket launch site, the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russian state...

From CNN's Jessie Yeung Footage from Russia shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arriving at the remote Vostochny Cosmodrome space center and stepping off the famed green train that carried him from the North Korean capital Pyongyang. The heavily armored, slow-moving green train is believed to have carried generations of the Kim family. The broadcast shows Kim emerging from the train and shaking hands with several Russian officials on the platform; it later shows Kim stepping out of a black car and shaking hands with the waiting Russian president. "Hi. Glad to see you. How was your trip?" Putin tells Kim, according to video released by the Kremlin. Kim responds, "Thank you for inviting us and welcoming us while your work is busy." The two men then enter the space center. They are expected to hold arms talks that could see Pyongyang provide weapons for Moscow to use against Ukraine. Source: CNN

Why it matters that Putin and Kim are meeting at a space center Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are meeting at a remote space center in Russia's Far East, where they're expected to discuss a potential arms deal that could see Pyongyang supply weapons for Moscow's use in the Ukraine war. Both leaders arrived at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia's space rocket launch site, on Wednesday afternoon, shaking hands and speaking briefly before disappearing into the building. The location itself is significant, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. “Meeting at Russia’s eastern spaceport is particularly provocative because it suggests that Putin may offer sanctions-violating satellite launch technology in exchange for North Korean munitions that Moscow would employ in its illegal war in Ukraine,” he told CNN. What's on the table: Moscow is in need of fresh supplies of ammunition and shells after more than 18...

Speakers of state Legislatures in the Southwestern part of Nigeria on Monday gathered at the Lagos State House of Assembly for discussions aimed at the progress of the zone. The gathering comes few days to the Abuja meeting of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria where a national chairman is billed to emerge. State Speakers at the meeting hosted by Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, include Rt. Hon. Taiwo Oluomo of Ogun, Adebo Ogundoyin of Oyo, Adeoye Aribasoye of Ekiti, Adewale Egbedun of Osun and Olamide Oladiji of Ondo. The Speakers held a closed-door session after which Obasa told journalists that different issues relating to the growth and progress of Southwest were discussed. “We looked at the progress of the legislature in the Southwest. Let me remind you that during the last Assembly, we all adopted a single Business Rules and Standing Order, which we have reviewed at this meeting. “We also discussed the coming election of the Conference of Speakers. We de...

Speakers of state Legislatures in the South-Western part of Nigeria on Monday gathered at the Lagos State House of Assembly for discussions aimed at the progress of the zone. The gathering comes a few days before the Abuja meeting of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria where a national chairman would be elected. Obasa told journalists after a closed-door session, that issues bordering on the growth and progress of the South-West formed the basis of their discussion. He said, “We looked at the progress of the legislature in the South-West. Let me remind you that during the last Assembly, we all adopted a single Business Rules and Standing Order, which we have reviewed at this meeting. “We also discussed the coming election of the Conference of Speakers. We deliberated on that because we have to be there with one voice. We have two Speakers, Ogun and Oyo, running for the position. So we have to harmonise our position before we go for the election. “We also ...

The Texas Tribune is your source for in-depth reporting on the Ken Paxton impeachment trial. Readers make that possible. Support authoritative Texas journalism with a donation now. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s alleged extramarital affair came up for the first time at length Monday in his impeachment trial. Katherine “Missy” Cary, the former chief of staff in the attorney general’s office, testified how she came to learn about the affair and how Paxton ultimately confessed to it. The testimony came as Paxton’s wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, listened on from the Senate floor. “My heart broke for her,” Cary said of Angela Paxton, who is disqualified from voting in the trial but has to attend. Cary testified that it all began in the spring of 2018 when she was eating lunch alone at Galaxy Cafe in Austin. She overheard a woman next to her having a conversation that troubled her, suggesting the woman was conveying “very personal” information about Ken Paxton. Cary said she took her concern...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump on Monday asked the federal judge presiding over his election subversion case in Washington to recuse herself, saying her past public statements about the former president and his connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol call into question whether she can be fair. The recusal motion from Trump's lawyers takes aim at U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a former assistant public defender who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama and has stood out as one of the toughest punishers of Jan. 6 defendants. The request is a long shot given the high threshold for recusal and because the decision on whether to recuse belongs to Chutkan, who is unlikely to see cause to step aside from the case. Even so, the request that she give up the high-stakes trial marks the latest flashpoint in already delicate relations between the defense team and the judge, who has repeatedly cautioned the lawyers against inflammatory public ...

SEOUL — Weapons deals are expected to be top of the agenda as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un heads to Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, whose government seeks to replenish stockpiles depleted in its war against Ukraine. Kim is set to meet with Putin in the coming days, the Kremlin said Monday. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a Russian reporter to expect a “full-blown” visit, with talks between delegations and a “formal dinner.” The meeting in Vladivostok is likely to fuel concerns in Washington and like-minded capitals about increased military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang at a critical juncture in Russia’s war in Ukraine. U.S. and South Korean officials also have warned that North Korea may seek critical technologies from Russia to boost Pyongyang’s nuclear and weapons ambitions. The two leaders are increasingly finding their perceived interests aligning in their efforts to reduce U.S. influence in the region. The Russian and North Korean leaders ar...