PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 Update in the Sangamon County Case of 7-year-old Barrett Koches.  David Yankee, who is being held responsible for the passing of 7-year-old Barrett, did not appear in court as he was supposed to this week. This failure to appear in court came after several postponements. The community was shocked he did not show up to court. They were shocked not only because this is about the passing of a young foster child, but also because they have watched David Yankee allegedly being incredibly active on dating sites in the Sangamon County area, and beyond. Several individuals came forward saying they actually had to block David because he was harassing them. These are the allegations of individuals on the dating sites. We cannot confirm the interactions.  It is confirmed that David Yankee did fail to appear in court.  You will find one of our original stories below. There is a much longer story on our page where we interviewed the people who found Barrett deceased in the pool ...

 France says insecurity in Mali shows its pivot to Russia has failed France's foreign ministry said that the decision by the military-led government in Mali to turn to Russia and armed groups linked to Moscow for security assistance to fight Islamist militants had proven to be a failure, Reuters reported. A two-month-old fuel blockade by al Qaeda-linked militants has all but paralysed Mali's capital Bamako, putting pressure on the military government and raising concern that the jihadists might try eventually to impose their rule on the West African country. "We are following the security situation in Mali with a great deal of attention and genuine concern," foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told reporters at a weekly press conference. "What I could add is that we can see that the contested presence of Russia, or forces associated with it in Mali, does not in any way ensure the security of Malian women and men."

 Anambra declares Friday work-free for civil servants ahead of governorship election  The Anambra state government has declared Friday a work-free day for civil servants ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. Theodora Igwegbe, the head of service (HoS), who announced the holiday in Awka, the state capital, on Thursday, said Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, approved the day off to allow civil servants to travel to their hometowns and participate in the election. Igwegbe described the gesture as an encouragement for the state workforce to actively engage in the electoral process, noting that voting is a civic responsibility and a crucial contribution to democracy and good governance. She also instructed political appointees, permanent secretaries, and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to inform their staff and ensure full compliance with the directive.

 PDP group protests at US embassy, accuses APC of stifling opposition The PDP Like-Mind, a group in the Peoples Democratic Party, staged a protest at the United States embassy in Abuja on Thursday. The protesters asked the international community to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and prevent a descent to a one-party state. Brandishing placards with inscriptions: ‘judges must uphold the rule of law’, ‘fix our democracy’, and ‘fix PDP,” the protesters appealed to the international community and the ministry of justice to intervene in defence of democratic ideals and the independence of the judiciary. The group delivered petitions to the US embassy, the European Union, and the ministry of justice, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidating opposition figures in the country.

 Bonfrere Jo petitions senate over 'unreleased' land promised after 1996 Olympics triumph Bonfrere Jo, former coach of Nigeria’s men’s football team, has petitioned the senate over the alleged refusal of the Lagos state government to release a property awarded to him for winning gold at the 1996 Olympics. The Dutch coach led Nigeria to victory in the football event of the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, defeating teams such as Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. The triumph made Nigeria the first African country to win the Olympic football gold medal. In a petition submitted on Thursday to the  Nigerian Senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions, and copied to the senate committee on sports, Bonfrere said the state has not handed over the land allegedly allocated to him by Olagunsoye Oyinlola, then military governor of Lagos. The letter, signed by T.O. Adejoh and Company, his legal representative, asked the senate to summon the Lagos state government to explain the...

 Soyinka: Trump is a petty-minded dictator — I knew he’d revoke green cards Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate, has described US president Donald Trump as a “petty-minded dictator”.  He criticised Trump’s administration’s alleged handling of minorities and the rise in extrajudicial killings during his tenure. In an interview with BBC, Soyinka recalled his early warnings about Trump’s presidency, saying he predicted the cancellation of green cards and the targeting of minorities due to Trump’s hate rhetoric.

 Senate Orders NAFDAC to enforce sachet alcohol ban from December 2025 The Senate has directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant regulatory bodies to strictly enforce the ban on the packaging of high-strength alcoholic beverages in sachet formats beginning December 2025. The lawmakers further resolved that no additional extension should be granted beyond the current moratorium. The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong on the need to halt further extension of the phase out of of Alcoholic Beverages packaged in satchet formats. In his lead debate during plenary, Senator Ekpeyong reminded the Senate that NAFDAC, in line with international best practices and after extensive consultations with industry stakeholders had announced a phased ban on the importation, manufacture and distribution of alcohol packaged in sachets. He noted that in 2018, stakeholders including the Federal Minist...