In response to his alleged planned shadow government, a professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has been given a letter of caution from Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja to abstain from any acts that could threaten the suit’s outcome.
Justice Omotosho argued that the law requires parties to refrain from proceeding further until they are aware of the extent of a suit’s pendency.
The judge added that any party who engaged in such unlawful behavior would always have consequences and would not be reluctant to revoke any actions taken by any of the parties in the course of the case.
Read more about DSS’s No Plan to Arrest Utomi and Shadow Government Promoters.
At the resumed hearing in the lawsuit brought by Utomi, the sole defendant, by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Akinlolu Kehinde, the DSS’s attorney, complained that the judge’s caution was in response to a request for an order to maintain the status quo because there have been new developments since the lawsuit was filed.
The judge ruled that because the parties were aware of the suit’s pendency, an order was unnecessary even though the defendant’s attorney, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) objected.
Justice Omotosho chose to hear the main lawsuit along with the defendant’s preliminary objection, saying he would not grant any interlocutory restraining orders.
The judge informed the parties that he had invited seven senior attorneys from the six geopolitical regions to serve as amici curiae and to give the court their legal opinions on the case.
He claimed that because of the nature of the case, which had no known precedent, he made the decision to seek opinions from seasoned law experts.
The judge named those who had been invited, including Professor Uchefula Ugonna Chukwumaeze, the Vice Chancellor of the Imo State University (IMSU), and former NBA president Joseph Daudu (SAN), Professor Ademola Popoola of the Obafemi Awolowo University, and Professor Uchefula Ugonna Chukwumaeze, the former NBA president.
Other notables include Yabubu Maikyau (SAN), a former NBA president, and Professor Dakas C. J. Dakas (SAN), a former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN), and Mrs. Miannaya Essien (SAN).
Justice Omotosho remarked that parties’ lawyers would receive advice from the court’s friends so they could respond.
The judge then adjourned the case until July 10 to hear the preliminary objection and the substantive suit.
Utomi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate from 2007 in the DSS, was sued for allegedly establishing “a shadow government” in the nation.
The court was requested to declare the action a constitutional attack.
I Won’t Seek Public Office Again, Will Accept Govt Appointment In Nigeria — Pat Utomi
The security service argued in the lawsuit filed on May 13 that Utomi’s action was intended to stir up unrest and abolition.
These creamy blusher sticks launched last week and, after giving them a proper go, I’m so impressed with how fresh and youthful they make my complexion look, says our beauty editor
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‘Knocks years off the clock,’ says Laura(Image: Laura Mulley)
A new Charlotte Tilbury product launch is always big news in the beauty world, and its latest was no exception. Last week the much-loved make-up and skincare brand unveiled an extension to its Unreal Skin Foundation Stick with new Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Sticks, and I was lucky enough to try them out ahead of their launch.
Available in six shades, Unreal Blush, £30, is a chubby, twist-up stick of creamy, skincare-packed colour, which can be used on the cheeks and the lips (or anywhere you like, really). I’ve used them for a good few days now, and can now say that they’ve become a firm fixture in my make-up bag for just how good they make my skin look; I’d even go as far as the say they knock years off the clock.
READ MORE: Lisa Snowdon praises ‘wrinkle-fighting’ serum that gives immediate glow and hydration
READ MORE: ‘I saved over £200 by swapping my pricey skincare for this Boots K-beauty brand’
Available in six shades(Image: Laura Mulley)
I was sent a few shades of Unreal Blush to try, but the one that suits my fair skin best is Rosy Glow, a dusky neutral pink (I think this will be the most popular with shoppers). All the colours are very pigmented, so you only need to apply a small dot each time then blend it out.
The formula is so unbelievably creamy; it just melts onto the skin, and blends really well with either fingers or a brush (I prefer using a brush). You can really feel how hydrating it is on the skin, and this feeling lasts all day, no patchiness or cracking here.
Before (left) and after (right) applying Unreal Blush(Image: Laura Mulley)
Apply the right blush, and in the right places, and it will usually make your skin look fresher and more awake, but these Charlotte Tilbury sticks are especially good at this. The combination of the perky shades and the dewy formula are really prettifying, and give skin such a boost – something that’s especially welcome at the moment, as I’ve been struggling to sleep at night due to the warm weather.
I’d go as far as to say that wearing this blush makes me look younger, much like the effect that the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation Stick had on me (you can read my full review here, but in summary, I was asked to show ID when wearing this face base – and I was 36 at the time).
Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick
£30
Find your shade here
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With so many gorgeous stick blushes on the market nowadays, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to using pressed powder one, and they’ve totally converted a former blush-phobe into a huge fan. Others I love are Rhode’s Pocket Blush, £24 (the shade Piggy is my favourite), Merit’s now-cult classic Flush Balm, £26, and the new Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Stick, £37.
There is just one week to go until the start of the Women’s Euros.
Defending champions England head to Switzerland as one of the tournament favourites despite a chaotic build-up, while Wales make their debut at a major women’s tournament.
We asked women’s football fans on Reddit for their questions for BBC Sport women’s football news reporter Emma Sanders about the tournament.
How do you think England’s squad has evolved since the last major tournament, and who do you see as the key player this time around? Reddit user: Moyesy1982
It’s interesting because I don’t think there’s as much depth but I think the talent has got stronger with some incredibly gifted youngsters breaking through. Grace Clinton, Jess Park and Aggie Beever-Jones are great examples of that. But I think they are light in midfield and they don’t have as much pace in the backline. I don’t think those issues were quite as glaring in 2022.
I’m a Wales fan – what do you make of our chances?hairiestlemon
Are there any teams or players that you feel could ‘break out’ and rise to a higher level this summer?Volotor
I’m really excited to see how Salma Paralluelo gets on. She’s a big name in Barcelona and Spain because she was part of the squads that won back-to-back Champions League trophies, before playing a key role at the 2023 World Cup.
I don’t think she’s spoken about enough globally, despite winning the young player of the tournament in Australia.
A player you wish was playing but isn’t because of injury, not being called up etc? NewAccountNow
I would have loved to have seen Portugal’s attacking star Kika Nazareth. I think she is a key player for them and will be missing because of a serious ankle injury she picked up while playing with Barcelona towards the end of the season.
How do you think the Lionesses will deal with the expectations from both inside and outside the camp? Do you think there’s added pressure from the UK media to retain the trophy, or are they being realistic?CosmicPenguin31
Certainly from my perspective, I think the general consensus among the media is that Spain are tournament favourites. With England’s tough group, and the chaotic build-up for the squad with player withdrawals, I think expectations externally are lower.
What’s it like covering a tournament on the ground? Do you have any favourite behind-the-scenes moments from the past Euros or World Cups? And do reporters tend to form a kind of travelling community over the course of a month-long tournament? HakunaMateta25
It’s so much fun but very intense too. You do spend a lot of time with the other journalists and I’m lucky that there are some incredible people working in women’s football who I consider close friends. We share travel itineraries, give each other restaurant recommendations and tips for local transport.
We often have various WhatsApp groups for things like social activities, travel and reporting (the dreaded embargo agreement chats). We usually get a clear day off and night in between the group stage and knockout rounds which we use to switch off and meet up for a big social night, usually going out for dinner.
Who do you think will be victorious? I think it’s Spain’s to lose but would love to hear your thoughts! AwayDays365
I agree, Spain are heavy favourites. I personally think Germany will win. I just have a feeling that having missed out three years ago, they are up to it this time.
How do you think England will do at the Euros? Especially with everything that has gone on recently. kjcross1997
Who is your underdog pick to make it out of the group stage at the Euros? ejst21
A left-field tip is Iceland. They are in a kind group. A lot will look at Norway as favourites to progress from Group A but they have often struggled at major tournaments. Hosts Switzerland will have lots of pressure on them, but also support from a home crowd.
Following the implementation of significant changes to the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has stated that the country is on track to leave the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
Following the FATF plenary session in Strasbourg, France, NFIU Director Hafsat Bakari revealed this in a statement.
Wale Edun, the minister of finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, led the delegation of Nigeria to the meeting.
Countries on the FATF’s “grey list” are those whose anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems are in decline.
To avoid negative economic and reputational effects, nations on the list are expected to address these gaps as soon as possible.
EFCC Chair Tells Nigerian Students, “Internet Fraud Not A Shortcut To Wealth,” READ ALSO.
The NFIU claims that various branches of government coordinated their efforts.
The National Security Advisor, the Interior Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the Office of the President are just a few of the organizations.
The implementation involved multiple organizations, according to Bakari, who also serves as the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Anti-Money Laundering’s secretariat lead.
The Department of State Services (DSS), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) are just a few examples.
On the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump spoke about sanctions against Russia for their fourth-year war in Ukraine and the purchase of Kyiv weapons.
On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said he and Trump discussed how to “protec our people” and “real peace.”
The meeting, which reportedly lasted for 50 minutes, came after Zelenskyy failed to meet Trump earlier this month in Canada when the US president abruptly left a G7 summit as the Iran-Iran conflict raged, just days before the US military launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
Trump stated at a press conference that he had spoken at the NATO summit that he had spoken with Putin about ending the conflict and that he had potential that Russian president Vladimir Putin had territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine.
Zelenskyy earlier stated that Moscow and Kyiv are not moving closer to a ceasefire, saying that “Russians have once more openly and completely cynically declared they are “not in the mood” for a ceasefire. Russia wants to fight. This indicates that they are working very hard to maintain their appearances or that the pressure being applied by the world isn’t still hurting them.
Prior to the summit, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that the security bloc’s “military edge is aggressively challenged by a rapidly rearming Russia, supported by Chinese technology, and armed with Iranian and North Korean weapons.”
Rutte was direct about Putin, saying, “I don’t trust the guy,” adding that the Russian leader wouldn’t approve of the outcome of the NATO summit.
As a response to Trump’s and Europe’s growing security concerns, NATO endorsed a higher defense spending goal of 5% of GDP by 2035.
Putin will remain at home
Putin won’t attend the BRICS summit in Brazil on Tuesday because an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is still hung over him, according to Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin aide for foreign policy.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion and conflict against Ukraine in 2023, but the ICC issued the warrant shortly after. A war crime, Putin is accused of deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine to Russia.
Moscow, which did not sign the ICC’s founding treaty, has categorically refute the accusations of war crimes, and the Kremlin has declared the warrant null and void. However, Putin has always erred on the side of caution when considering the possibility of him being detained if he travels to a nation that is a signatory to the ICC treaty and only travels where he is safe from being detained.
Despite Mongolian being an ICC member, Putin’s official visit to Mongolia ended in sectarian mode last September, as his hosts ignored the arrest warrant.
The US was also quoted as saying on Wednesday that the country was still holding back on removing barriers to the operation of their respective embassies because efforts to normalize relations between the two had stalled following initial indications that Trump’s second term as US president would cause tensions to significantly wane under former US President Joe Biden’s administration.
The conflict continues apace.
In the most recent developments in the war, Russian missile attacks on southeast Ukraine on Tuesday caused the death of 17 people in the city of Dnipro and the injuries of more than 200 others, causing damage to dozens of structures and infrastructure.
In the city of Samara, two people were killed by Russian forces.
Russia claims that it has seen dozens of drones flying over its territory, including the Voronezh region near the eastern Ukrainian border.
Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Muslim of South Asian origin, stunned political observers in dealing a crushing defeat to heavyweight former Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, as he appeared poised to become the Democratic candidate for mayor of the United States’ biggest city.
If Mamdani, a state assemblyman, wins the mayoral election in November, he will become the first Muslim, Indian-origin mayor in New York City’s history.
As vote counts poured in, Mamdani invoked Nelson Mandela as he tweeted early Wednesday morning: “It always seems impossible until it’s done. My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honoured to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.”
Cuomo, the former governor of New York State, who resigned in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal, addressed an event in Manhattan after calling Mamdani to congratulate him. “Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night, and he put together a great campaign,” he said. “And he touched young people, and inspired them, and moved them, and got them to come out and vote. And he really ran a highly impactful campaign.”
In Mamdani’s expected win, political analysts believe there are larger lessons for the Democratic Party, still grappling with its loss in the 2024 presidential and Congressional elections.
So who is Zohran Mamdani? What were his poll promises, and how did he upset poll predictions to emerge the likely winner of the Democratic primary? And what are his views on Gaza, a major campaign issue this year?
What happened in the Democratic primary?
In the first-choice round of ranked-choice voting in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary on June 24, Mamdani led with 43.5 percent of the vote, nearly 432,000 votes, while Cuomo followed with 36.4 percent, or 361,800 votes.
Comptroller Brad Lander, another progressive contender, came in third with 11.3 percent, and the remaining votes were split among other minor candidates.
Since no candidate secured more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, New York’s ranked-choice system kicked in. Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated in successive rounds, and their supporters’ second-choice preferences were redistributed.
Mamdani reportedly picked up a significant share of Lander’s voters and other progressives, pushing him on the path to cross the majority threshold. While it might be days before final results are declared, Mamdani’s win appears all but certain, as demonstrated by Cuomo’s concession.
Candidate for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani is greeted by a supporter on the subway following a campaign stop in New York City, US, April 1, 2025 [REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (Reuters)]
Was Mamdani’s win expected?
Not really. In the weeks leading up to the Democratic mayoral primary, most major polls projected Cuomo as the frontrunner, though they did show support for Mamdani picking up as the election drew closer.
A Marist Poll conducted on June 18, just six days before the primary, showed Cuomo leading the pack with 38 percent of first-choice votes. Mamdani trailed with 27 percent. The poll also simulated ranked-choice outcomes and forecast that Cuomo would eventually reach a 55 percent majority in later rounds, suggesting strong second- and third-choice support among voters.
Similarly, an earlier Emerson College poll from late May showed Cuomo held 37 percent of the first-choice vote, while Mamdani came in at 17 percent. A more dated Siena/AARP poll from April put Cuomo even further ahead, with 39 percent of the vote compared with Mamdani’s 15 percent.
Cuomo had name recognition that is almost unmatched in New York – his father, Mario Cuomo, was also a governor of the state. He had a well-funded campaign that flooded airwaves and mailboxes across the city.
But Mamdani’s grassroots campaign – powered by volunteers, small-dollar donations, and strong turnout among younger voters – proved decisive. He targeted working-class New Yorkers, particularly in Queens, Brooklyn, and parts of Manhattan.
Cuomo and other Democrats had criticised Mamdani as unfit for the NYC mayor’s office, arguing he lacked the administrative experience to navigate the city’s complex bureaucracy and manage crises effectively. On Tuesday, it became clear that their pitch did not work.
Who is Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist and the son of Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani and Indian filmmaker Mira Nair.
Born in Kampala, Mamdani moved to New York at the age of seven. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in Maine. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a housing counselor, assisting low-income families in preventing evictions.
In the 2020 New York State Assembly election, he was elected from the 36th district, representing Astoria, Queens.
Early this year, he married Rama Duwaji, a 27-year-old Syrian artist based in Brooklyn. Her work has been featured in publications like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and VICE, and she also engages in animation and ceramics.
New York mayoral candidate, State Representative Zohran Mamdani, kisses the hand of his wife Rama Duwaji as they celebrate during an election night gathering at The Greats of Craft LIC on June 24, 2025 [Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/AFP]
What are his views on the Gaza war?
Mamdani has been among the most vocal American elected officials criticising Israel’s war on Gaza. In an October 31, 2024, post on X, Mamdani stated, “I will always be clear in my language and based in facts: Israel is committing a genocide.”
He has also been a strong supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. At an event in Manhattan earlier this month, he linked that support to “the core of my politics, which is non-violence”.
A headline moment in his campaign came during a December 2024 interview with Mehdi Hasan, when he was asked what he would do if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited New York. Mamdani replied bluntly: “As mayor, I would have Netanyahu arrested if he came to New York!”
“This is a city [where] our values are in line with international law. It’s time that our actions are also,” he told Hasan.
Mamdani also refused to distance himself from the slogan “Globalize the Intifada”, a phrase that many Jewish leaders and conservative commentators have criticised as inflammatory and accused of being anti-Semitic.
Responding to questions about the slogan, Mamdani said on a June 2025 episode of The Bulwark podcast: “As a Muslim man who grew up post‑9/11, I’m all too familiar (with) the way in which Arabic words can be twisted, can be distorted, can be used to justify any kind of meaning.” He added that the slogan was rather about solidarity with oppressed people globally – not a call to violence.
Cuomo’s campaign also picked up on Mamdani’s Muslim identity and criticised his pro-Palestine stand, alleging he has engaged in anti-Semitism. New York, where the United Nations has its headquarters, is home to the largest Jewish community in the world, outside Israel.
In a June 2025 interview, while addressing Islamophobic threats he had received, Mamdani said: “There is no room for anti-Semitism in this city or country.” He has repeatedly stressed that his critique is directed at the US and Israeli governments’ policies, not at Jews.
Mamdani’s campaign was driven by more than 22,000 grassroots volunteers and endorsements from progressive heavyweights like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Working Families Party.
What are some of his other key promises?
Mamdani’s campaign for the New York City mayor position is centered on an ambitious and progressive policy platform aimed at redistributing wealth, expanding public services, and transforming urban life.
One of his flagship proposals is to make all city buses free by 2027. Mamdani has pointed to the success of pilot programmes where fare-free buses led to higher ridership and fewer assaults on drivers.
Housing is another pillar of Mamdani’s platform, where he proposes a rent freeze on all rent-stabilised apartments and plans to establish a Social Housing Development Agency that would build publicly-owned, permanently affordable housing. He has called for stronger tenant protections and has proposed rolling back rent hikes in city-owned properties.
Mamdani has also proposed opening one municipally owned grocery store in each borough, where communities underserved by commercial chains can access affordable, healthy food options. He has pledged to expand free school-meal programmes to include city colleges, and to offer universal childcare and early education programs.
To pay for it all, Mamdani has pitched major tax reforms: Raising the corporate tax rate from 7.25 percent to 11.5 percent, and imposing a 2 percent surcharge on individuals earning more than $1m per year. According to his campaign, these measures could generate up to $9.4bn annually.
On public safety, Mamdani proposed shifting resources away from the New York Police Department towards a new Department of Community Safety, which would house mental health professionals, crisis responders and outreach workers.
Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani prepares before the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the Gerald W. Lynch Theater in New York City., US, June 12, 2025 [Vincent Alban/Pool via REUTERS]
What’s next – and is Mamdani going to be the next mayor?
The general mayoral election for New York City will take place on November 4 this year. Mamdani will face Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who previously lost the 2021 mayoral race by a wide margin.
Once the primary results are formally announced, Mamdani will become the Democratic Party’s nominee for the November election. Given New York City’s overwhelming Democratic majority – Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 6 to 1 – he will be the firm favourite to become the city’s next mayor.
