The Federal Government has announced that diplomatic efforts are underway to reduce recent tensions between Nigeria and the United States over security and human rights issues.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this during an interview on The World With Yalda Hakim aired on Sky News on Monday night.

Idris confirmed that communication channels between Abuja and Washington have been reactivated, expressing confidence that the ongoing discussions are helping to dispel misconceptions about Nigeria’s security situation.

“Channels of communication have been opened, I can confirm that; we are talking to them, and I think they are understanding the situation better. We believe that most of the information is a result of a lack of proper understanding of the diversity and complexity of the problem we have at hand,” he said.

The Minister also accused a proscribed separatist group of orchestrating a misinformation campaign against Nigeria through lobbyists based in the United States.

According to him, intelligence reports indicate that the group is exploiting lobbying networks in Washington to shape opinions and influence policy decisions.

“Let me also put it out there that we are seeing a direct connection between U.S. lobbyists and a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria. They have set up lobbying channels in the U.S., contacting high-level individuals to push narratives that misrepresent the reality in Nigeria,” Idris stated.

While acknowledging the country’s security challenges, Idris noted that the U.S. has long been a key ally in Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations and urged for renewed cooperation to sustain progress against insurgents.

“Yes, indeed, the situation is there, we have conflict in Nigeria, but in the past, the United States government has helped Nigerian authorities deal with this situation. So, we are calling on them to partner with us once again so we can have peace once and for all in our country,” he said.

The Minister further questioned the accuracy of some international data used to back claims of religious persecution in Nigeria, arguing that such information is unreliable and misrepresents the nation’s realities.

“Some of the assumptions are based on data that largely cannot stand any scientific scrutiny,” he noted.

Idris reiterated that Nigeria is a multi-faith country that upholds freedom of religion, stressing that the ongoing conflicts are not driven by religious intolerance.

He urged the global community to adopt a more balanced perspective on Nigeria’s situation, emphasizing the importance of understanding over misinterpretation.

At least 21 people have lost their lives after a vessel carrying undocumented migrants sank near Langkawi, a resort island close to the Malaysia border with Thailand.

Rescue teams are now on their third day of operations. Thirteen passengers have been pulled to safety, but dozens remain unaccounted for. Officials estimate roughly 70 individuals were aboard the boat.

Authorities believe those on board are part of a group of around 300 migrants, mostly Rohingya who departed Myanmar’s impoverished Rakhine state about two weeks ago.

Another vessel carrying approximately 230 people has not yet been located.

Maritime authorities in Malaysia anticipate that the search, which includes both sea and air patrols, could continue for up to seven days.

Officials confirmed that at least one of the recovered bodies belonged to a child.

Among the 13 survivors, 11 are Rohingya and two are from Bangladesh.

The Rohingya, a primarily Muslim ethnic minority in Myanmar, are stateless and denied citizenship by the government.

Since August 2017, a brutal military crackdown forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee into Bangladesh.

Conditions in refugee camps and poverty in Bangladesh have driven some to risk dangerous sea journeys on overcrowded boats bound for Malaysia, seen by many as a potential refuge in the region.

“People are dying in the fighting, dying from hunger. So some think it’s better to die at sea than to die slowly here,” a Rohingya refugee in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, had previously said.

Authorities report that migrants often pay more than $3,000 (£2,300) each for these perilous sea voyages.

These boats are typically overcrowded and lack basic necessities such as clean water and sanitation.

Not all vessels reach their intended destinations. Some passengers perish at sea, while others face detention or deportation upon arrival.

Occasionally, boats are turned away near Malaysia or Indonesia, either by local authorities or coastal communities. In January, two boats carrying around 300 refugees were refused entry, even after being provided food and water.

Since late 2023, over 150,000 Rohingya have arrived at refugee camps in Bangladesh, while hundreds of thousands more remain displaced globally, according to estimates.

The rights group emphasized that the recent tragedy “once again lays bare the deadly risks faced by Rohingya Muslims” attempting to escape persecution in Myanmar and deteriorating conditions in Bangladesh’s refugee settlements.

At least six lives have been claimed as a powerful typhoon tore through the Philippines, following closely on the heels of another storm that had already killed over 200 people.

“Super typhoon Fung-wong brought floods and landslides, which caused most of the deaths.” Entire regions lost electricity, and the storm eventually weakened to a standard typhoon.

Authorities evacuated over 1.4 million people before the storm made landfall. The system is now moving toward Taiwan, where more than 3,000 residents have been moved to safety.

Fung-wong marks the 21st typhoon to strike the Southeast Asian nation this year, striking at a time when many communities are still struggling to recover from consecutive disasters.

“Fung-wong, known locally as Uwan, slammed into Aurora province on Luzon Sunday night with sustained winds of around 185 km/h (115mph) and gusts of 230km/h.”

Earlier forecasts had warned of “high-risk of life-threatening” storm surges and powerful winds from the “very intense” typhoon.

In Cabanatuan, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents hurried to safeguard furniture and pets on Monday as floodwaters continued to rise, desperate to protect as much as possible.

Although Fung-wong’s winds were not among the strongest on record for the country, the storm unleashed torrential rains that destroyed or damaged roughly 4,100 homes.

“Cabanatuan resident Mercidita Adriano and her family had trimmed trees near their home last week to prepare for the storm.”

When the storm intensified, ten family members crammed into a single room, praying that their home would survive. “Part of their roof was torn off by the heavy rain.”

Many regions remain submerged, although water levels had begun to recede by Tuesday morning.

This disaster follows just days after another typhoon struck the same area, displacing tens of thousands, and comes after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Cebu in September.

While the Philippines regularly experiences natural hazards, experts say this succession of events is “not routine.”

“It is a stark reminder of the escalating climate and seismic risks faced by vulnerable nations. Urgent support is needed to scale up relief efforts, prevent further loss of life and support the country as it recovers from this latest disaster,” it said.

‎The U.S. Senate on Sunday took steps toward passing legislation to reopen the federal government and end the 40-day shutdown that has left federal employees idle, disrupted food assistance, and caused significant air travel delays.
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‎In a procedural move, senators advanced a bill previously passed by the House, which will be amended to keep the government funded until January 30 and incorporate three full-year appropriations measures.
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‎If the Senate approves the amended version, it will still require approval by the House of Representatives before being sent to President Donald Trump for signing, a process expected to take several days.
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‎Under a deal negotiated with several Democrats who defied their party’s leadership, Republicans agreed to hold a December vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. These subsidies, which help low-income Americans afford private health insurance and are set to expire at year’s end, have been a key Democratic demand in the funding standoff.
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‎The procedural vote passed 60–40, the exact margin required to overcome a Senate filibuster.
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‎“It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending,” Trump told reporters at the White House before the vote.
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‎The bill would prevent federal agencies from terminating employees until January 30 — a victory for federal worker unions and their supporters and temporarily halt Trump’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
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‎At the beginning of Trump’s second term, about 2.2 million civilians were employed by the federal government, according to official data. Roughly 300,000 workers are projected to exit by year’s end as part of the downsizing initiative.
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‎The measure would also guarantee back pay for all federal employees, including military personnel, Border Patrol officers, and air traffic controllers.
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‎When the Senate reconvenes on Monday, Republican leaders will seek bipartisan support to bypass standard procedures and expedite the bill’s passage.
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‎Otherwise, the chamber would have to spend much of the week completing procedural steps before a final vote, potentially prolonging the shutdown into the next weekend.
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‎“It was a good vote tonight,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters after adjournment on Sunday. “Hopefully, we’ll get an opportunity tomorrow to set up the next votes. Of course, that’s going to take some cooperation and consent.”
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‎Sunday’s agreement was brokered by Democratic Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
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‎“For over a month, I’ve made clear that my priorities are to both reopen government and extend the ACA enhanced premium tax credits. This is our best path toward accomplishing both of these goals,” Shaheen posted on X.
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‎Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the chamber, voted against the measure.
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‎Many Democrats on Capitol Hill reacted with frustration as the deal took shape.
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‎“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” U.S. Representative Ro Khanna wrote on X. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
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‎Sunday marked the 40th day of the shutdown, which has kept federal employees off the job, disrupted food programs and national parks, and strained travel systems amid air traffic control shortages that threaten to upend Thanksgiving travel later this month.
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‎Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said the worsening effects of the shutdown prompted lawmakers to find common ground.
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‎“Temperatures cool, the atmospheric pressure increases outside and all of a sudden it looks like things will come together,” Tillis told reporters.
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‎White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that if the shutdown continues much longer, economic growth could turn negative in the fourth quarter particularly if air travel remains disrupted during the Thanksgiving season, which falls on November 27 this year.
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‎Meanwhile, President Trump on Sunday renewed calls to replace the Affordable Care Act’s insurance subsidies with direct payments to individuals.
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‎The subsidies, which helped boost ACA enrollment to 24 million since their introduction in 2021, remain the central issue in the shutdown. Republicans insist the matter should be addressed only after federal funding is reinstated.
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‎Trump posted on Truth Social, condemning the subsidies as a “windfall for Health Insurance Companies, and a DISASTER for the American people,” while urging that the money instead go directly to individuals to purchase coverage independently. “I stand ready to work with both Parties to solve this problem once the Government is open,” Trump wrote.
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‎Health experts estimate that Americans shopping for 2026 Obamacare plans could see their monthly premiums more than double on average as pandemic-era subsidies expire at the end of the year. The ACA enrollment period runs through January 15, leaving a short window for Congress to act on extending the credits for next year.