Shirley U. Emehelu, a lawyer born in Nigeria, has been appointed lieutenant governor of New Jersey in the United States.

The appointment

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill appointed Emehelu on Monday, 9 November 2026, making her the state's fifth lieutenant governor and the first immigrant to hold the office. She was sworn in at the Statehouse in Trenton by the state's Chief Justice, Stuart Rabner. The appointment also means that, for the first time in New Jersey's history, women hold the state's two highest executive offices at the same time. Emehelu will also serve as Secretary of State, a role that covers government administration and oversight of elections.

Why she was chosen

Sherrill described Emehelu as an experienced public servant and pointed to her record prosecuting financial crimes, protecting consumers, defending civil rights and tackling government waste. The governor also praised her leadership as acting Secretary of State, including overseeing the state's recent elections.

Her Nigerian roots

Emehelu, who moved from Nigeria to the United States as a child, said she was proud of what the appointment means for Black women, immigrants and people who share her Nigerian heritage, and expressed hope that it would inspire young people to serve. She said she would work with the governor on the cost of living and economic opportunity.

At least 20 people have reportedly been killed in an operation involving Salvadoran troops targeting suspected gang members in Haiti.

A country held hostage

The reported incident comes as Haiti continues to struggle with widespread gang violence, kidnappings and insecurity, particularly in areas where armed groups have taken control of communities and forced thousands of residents to flee.

For years, ordinary Haitians have lived under the constant threat of armed gangs, with many families unable to go about their daily lives without fear.

Foreign forces on the ground

Soldiers from El Salvador have been in Haiti since early 2025 as part of an internationally backed mission to help the Haitian police fight the gangs, alongside forces from other countries.

The reported operation has raised fresh questions about the growing role of foreign security forces in efforts to restore order in the troubled Caribbean nation.

What we don't know

The circumstances of the reported deaths, including the identities of those killed and the exact role played by the Salvadoran troops, have not been independently confirmed.

Over to you

Can foreign military intervention finally help Haiti regain control from armed gangs, or will it only lead to more bloodshed?

Dr. Mo has expressed admiration for former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, now the NDC presidential candidate, describing his travel schedule as one that is very hard to keep up with.

"Just visualise what I'm saying"

According to Dr. Mo, travelling with Obi means moving from one city to another, sometimes across continents, with little time to settle before the next journey.

"We move from Lagos to Abuja, then take off to London. From there, we spend eight hours flying to Houston, hold a meeting and move to Phoenix, then California. We return to Texas, go to Dallas, fly back to the UK and eventually return to Nigeria," he said.

"Just imagine it. Just visualise what I'm saying."

"One in a million"

Dr. Mo described Obi as "one in a million", expressing admiration for the amount of travelling and the number of engagements he handles.

For anyone who has done long-distance travel, moving through several cities, attending meetings and catching yet another flight can be exhausting. Doing it repeatedly, while running a national campaign, is another level entirely.

Over to you

How does Peter Obi manage such a demanding schedule, and where does he get the energy to keep moving?

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has drawn attention after reportedly leading supporters in reciting Nigeria's former national anthem rather than the current one.

What happened

A video from the party's town hall meeting in Oregun, Lagos, on Thursday, 12 November 2026, which went viral afterwards, shows Obi and the NDC's Lagos governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, choosing not to recite the current anthem when attendees were asked to stand for it. Instead, they and the crowd recited the old anthem, 'Arise O Compatriots', together.

The anthem change

Nigeria replaced 'Arise O Compatriots', which had been in use since 1978, with its original post-independence anthem, 'Nigeria We Hail Thee', in May 2024. President Bola Tinubu signed the change into law after the bill passed quickly through the National Assembly. The speed of the change drew criticism at the time.

Response

Neither Obi's campaign nor the APC had commented on the video at the time of writing.

Background

The same town hall meeting was disrupted earlier in the day by suspected thugs, before it went ahead. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.