Headline
Meet America’s Robert Francis Prevost, First American Chosen As New Pope
In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new pope, following a 24-hour conclave in the Vatican.
The white smoke that billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel late Thursday signaled the Church had chosen its new spiritual leader—ushering in a new era with the election of the first American pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history.
Prevost, a former missionary in Peru and the head of the Vatican’s influential Dicastery for Bishops, will now be known as Pope Leone XIV.
He succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away last month at the age of 88 after over a decade at the helm of the global Catholic community.
Who Is Robert Francis Prevost?
Pope Leone XIV, born Robert Prevost, hails from the United States and brings with him decades of pastoral experience, much of it shaped by his work as a missionary in Peru.
Fluent in Spanish and known for his pastoral sensitivity and administrative rigor, he was tapped by Pope Francis in recent years to lead the Vatican’s powerful office responsible for the appointment of bishops—a key position that shaped the global episcopate.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Conclave Elects New Pope As White Smoke Rises From Sistine Chapel
His election marks a major milestone not only for American Catholics but also for the global Church, as it signals a possible continuity with Francis’ vision of a more inclusive, compassionate, and globally conscious Catholicism.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has spent a lifetime marked by deep spiritual commitment, international service, and unwavering obedience to the Church’s call—no matter where it led him.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost grew up in a home regularly visited by priests, drawn not just by the warmth of the family, but also by the cooking of his Spanish mother, Mildred Martínez. His early exposure to faith life was reinforced by his father, Louis Marius Prevost, a French-Italian catechist, and by his own involvement as an altar boy and parish school student.
READ ALSO: Trump Reacts To Election Of American Leo XIV As New Pope
Drawn to the priesthood from a young age, Prevost wrestled with whether to become a diocesan priest or join a religious order. He ultimately chose the Augustinian path, drawn to its emphasis on unity, communion, and the legacy of St. Augustine of Hippo. He entered the order’s minor seminary and later studied canon law at Rome’s Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum). He was ordained a priest in 1982 by Archbishop Jean Jadot, then pro-president of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Non-Christians.
Following his ordination, Prevost was sent to Peru to serve in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, a region with strong ties to the U.S. Augustinians.
His work there — across the jungle, highlands, and coast — deepened his love for the country, and he later became a naturalized Peruvian citizen. In just ten years, he held multiple roles including community prior, director of formation, judicial vicar, and professor.
In 1999, Prevost was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians. A year into his tenure, he allowed a priest who had sexually abused minors to live in a rectory near a Catholic school in Chicago, a decision made at the archdiocese’s request and later scrutinized publicly.
Two years later, in 2001, he was elected Prior General of the worldwide Augustinian order, serving two six-year terms until 2013. The following year, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in northwestern Peru. He was named bishop of the diocese in 2015, overseeing a region that includes one of Peru’s largest cities, as well as rural communities and shantytowns.
In 2022, his leadership in Chiclayo came under fire when individuals accused him of failing to act on abuse allegations against two priests. The diocese strongly denied the allegations when they surfaced in international reports in 2024.
Despite controversy, Prevost continued to rise within the Church’s hierarchy. In 2020, he was appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican body responsible for overseeing the appointment of Latin Rite bishops worldwide. Pope Francis later confided in him about the possibility of becoming its head. Prevost responded humbly:
“Whether you decide to appoint me or to leave me where I am, I will be happy; but if you ask me to take on a new role in the Church, I will accept.”
Headline
JUST IN: Canadian Court Declares APC, PDP Terrorist Organisations
The Federal Court of Canada has upheld a ruling that classified Nigeria’s two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as terrorist organisations, while denying asylum to a former member, Douglas Egharevba, over his decade-long affiliation with both parties.
In a judgment delivered on June 17, 2025, Justice Phuong Ngo dismissed Egharevba’s application for judicial review after the Immigration Appeal Division, IAD, found him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, IRPA.
According to the Peoples Gazette, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness had argued that the APC and PDP were implicated in political violence, subversion of democracy and electoral bloodshed in Nigeria.
Court records showed that Egharevba was a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017. He moved to Canada in September 2017 and disclosed his political history.
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Canadian immigration authorities flagged his affiliations, citing intelligence reports linking both parties to electoral violence and politically motivated killings.
The IAD based its decision largely on the PDP’s conduct during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, when the party allegedly engaged in ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and killing of opposition supporters.
The tribunal found that the party leadership benefited from the violence and took no action to stop it, meeting Canada’s legal definition of subversion under paragraph 34(1)(b.1) of the IRPA.
Justice Ngo affirmed that mere membership in an organisation linked to terrorism or democratic subversion is enough to trigger inadmissibility under paragraph 34(1)(f) of the IRPA, even without proof of personal involvement.
READ ALSO:Canada-based Nigerian Arrested Over $610,382 Romance Scam
Egharevba’s claim that political violence was widespread across all Nigerian parties was dismissed.
The court ruled that even flawed Nigerian elections constitute a democratic process under Canadian law and that undermining them qualifies as subversion.
The decision effectively ends Egharevba’s asylum claim, with deportation proceedings expected to follow.
Headline
US Approves Sale Of Bombs, Others Worth $346m o Nigeria
The United States Government has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Nigeria of munitions, precision bombs, precision rockets, and related equipment valued at $346 million.
The approval was contained in a statement from the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, dated August 13, but received via email on Thursday.
The agency said it has notified the US Congress of the potential sale.
“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Nigeria of Munitions, Precision Bombs, and Precision Rockets and related equipment for an estimated cost of $346 million. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today, ” the statement partly read.
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Under the request, Nigeria seeks to purchase 1,002 MK-82 general purpose 500-pound bombs; 1,002 MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-12; 515 MXU-1006 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-58; 1,517 MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control groups for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58; 1,002 FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes; and 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II all-up-rounds.
“The Government of Nigeria has requested to buy one thousand two (1,002) MK-82 general purpose 500 lb bombs; one thousand two (1,002) MXU-650 Air Foil Groups (AFGs) for 500 lb Paveway II GBU-12; five hundred fifteen (515) MXU-1006 AFGs for 250 lb Paveway II GBU-58; one thousand five hundred seventeen (1,517) MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control group (CCG) for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58; one thousand two (1,002) FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes; and five thousand (5,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) all-up-rounds (AURs) (consisting of one each WGU-59/B guidance section (GS); high-explosive warhead; and MK66-4 rocket motor), ” it stated.
The package also includes non-major defence equipment such as FMU-139 joint programmable fuzes, bomb components, impulse cartridges, high-explosive and practice rockets, integration support, test equipment, and logistical and program support services.
The DSCA said the proposed sale aims to strengthen Nigeria’s capability to address current and future threats, including operations against terrorist organisations and illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. It added that the deal will not alter the military balance in the region and will have no adverse impact on US defence readiness.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: Ibom Air Passenger Breaks Silence After Release
“The following non-MDE items will also be included: FMU-139 joint programmable fuzes; bomb components, impulse cartridges, and high-explosive and practice rockets; integration support and test equipment; U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics personnel services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $346 million.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The proposed sale will improve Nigeria’s capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organisations and to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria will have no difficulty absorbing these munitions into its armed forces.
“The proposed sale of this equipment will not alter the basic military balance in the region, ” the statement added..
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The principal contractors for the potential sale are RTX Missiles and Defence, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and BAE Systems.
“At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Nigeria.
“There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
“The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded, ” the statement concluded.
Headline
Israeli Military Intercepts Missile From Yemen
The Israeli military said on Thursday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, with the Iran-backed Huthi rebels claiming responsibility for the attack.
Israel’s army said on Telegram that “the air force intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later said the group had launched a “Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile” targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion airport.
READ ALSO:Israeli Fire Kills 34 In Gaza
The Yemeni rebels have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel since their Palestinian ally Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.
The Huthis, who say they are acting in support of the Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month ceasefire in Gaza that ended in March, but renewed them after Israel resumed major operations.
Israel has carried out several retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting Huthi-held ports and the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.
AFP
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