Trump linked his Greenland threat to the Nobel Peace Prize snub
President Donald Trump told Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre he no longer feels obligated to think purely of peace after Norway failed to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. In a message sent Sunday, Trump wrote that since Norway decided not to give him the prize for stopping eight wars, he can now focus on what is good for the United States, including complete control of Greenland.
The message came in response to opposition from Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb to Trump’s proposed tariffs on European countries over Greenland. Norwegian officials clarified that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government. The 2025 prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who presented her medal to Trump at the White House last week, though the Norwegian Nobel Institute stated the prize cannot be transferred or shared.
DSS arrests former AGF Malami after bail release
Department of State Services operatives arrested former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on Monday shortly after he was released from Kuje Correctional Centre following completion of his bail conditions. Security sources confirmed the arrest was in connection with alleged terrorism financing investigations.
Malami had been granted bail alongside his son, Abdulaziz and wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir, on a 16-count charge of fraud and money laundering totalling N8.7 billion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court admitted each defendant to N500 million bail with strict conditions, including submission of property documents in highbrow Abuja districts. The DSS had deployed over 50 operatives around Kuje prison since early January, prompting Malami to initially delay his bail processing. Multiple petitions allege links between the former minister and terrorism financing, though those charges were not included in the EFCC’s formal case.
Read Also: DSS re-arrests Malami outside Kuje prison over alleged terrorism financing
UK to reimburse visa fees for AI and science talent
Britain will reimburse visa fees for select workers in artificial intelligence, life sciences and clean energy sectors as Chancellor Rachel Reeves attempts to attract global talent during the World Economic Forum in Davos. The Treasury announced Tuesday that companies expanding in the UK will also receive fast-tracked sponsor licence processing.
The Global Talent visa currently costs £766, with partners and dependants paying the same fee. The move comes as Britain seeks to reverse a wealth and brain drain following tax changes introduced since Labour took office in 2024, including the scrapping of non-domiciled tax status and new levies on properties worth over £2 million. The policy aims to position Britain as a destination for skilled workers while the government separately plans a broader immigration clampdown in response to electoral pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Trump threatened a 200% tariff on French wine
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will impose a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes to pressure French President Emmanuel Macron into joining his Board of Peace initiative on Gaza. Speaking to reporters in Miami, Trump said Macron would join after the tariff is implemented, adding that the French president will soon be out of office.
Bloomberg reported Monday that Macron intends to reject membership in the Board of Peace, believing its actions go beyond the Gaza settlement and undermine UN principles. The threat adds to existing trade tensions between the US and Europe, where Trump has already announced 10 per cent tariffs on eight European countries starting February 1 over Greenland, with increases to 25 per cent by June 1 if no agreement is reached.
Lagos coastal demolitions displaced over 80,000 residents
Demolitions in Makoko and neighbouring waterfront communities in Lagos have displaced over 80,000 residents since late December 2025, with civil society groups reporting at least three deaths linked to the exercise. The Lagos State Government initially told residents structures would be cleared within a 30-metre setback from high-tension power lines, but community leaders say the demolition zone has expanded to between 275 and 500 metres.
The exercise, which began on December 22, intensified on January 5 when armed teams moved into Makoko, tearing down homes, schools, clinics and places of worship. Witnesses reported police firing teargas indiscriminately as protests erupted, while several houses were allegedly set ablaze. Rights groups say the demolitions violate a 2017 Lagos State High Court order barring the government from evicting waterfront residents without adequate resettlement. Over 23 national and international organisations have called for an immediate halt to the exercise, warning that the demolitions threaten the cultural and economic survival of communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing and lagoon-based trade.
