Russian President, Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on his U.S election victory, praising the Republican’s “manly” reaction to an attempted assassination and stating that he is “ready” to speak with the president-elect.

Speaking at the annual Valdai Club meeting in Sochi on Thursday, Putin officially broke his silence, offering his congratulations after initially withholding public well-wishes.

He said, “I take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States of America.”

Putin revealed that, despite receiving calls from Western leaders following the election, he had not yet spoken to Trump but was open to communication.

“If any of them wants to resume contact, I have always said and I want to say again: we have nothing against it,” Putin stated.

When asked directly if he would be willing to engage with Trump even before his inauguration, Putin responded affirmatively: “We are ready, ready.”

During his campaign, Trump had made bold claims about his ability to swiftly end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, promising that he could broker a peace deal in a single day.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Trump’s assertions, claiming any such deal would be detrimental to Ukraine.

Putin expressed uncertainty about how Trump’s foreign policy would unfold once in office, given that his campaign remarks were made in the heat of election rhetoric.

Nevertheless, Putin acknowledged Trump’s stated desire to “restore relations with Russia” and end the Ukrainian crisis, calling it a position “worthy of attention.”

Throughout his campaign, Trump has repeatedly expressed admiration for Putin, calling him a strong leader, a sentiment that Putin seemed to reciprocate.

The Russian president complimented Trump’s “manly” response to the July assassination attempt against him, noting, “He turned out to be a courageous man. He showed himself, in my opinion, in a very correct way: courageous, manly.”

Botswana officially inaugurated its new president, Duma Boko, on Friday, marking a new beginning after his overwhelming election victory that ended nearly 60 years of rule by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

Boko, 54, took the oath of office at a grand ceremony in the national stadium in the capital, Gaborone, before thousands of jubilant citizens.

The event was also attended by several heads of state from southern Africa, including the presidents of Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, who witnessed the historic occasion.

In his speech, Boko, a former human rights lawyer turned politician, emphasized the collective effort that led to his victory.

“I stand before you today as the living embodiment of your deep and true resolve. Together, we usher in a new political dawn.”

Boko, the leader of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), which is a left-wing coalition, won a decisive 36 seats in Botswana’s parliament in the October 30 elections.

This was a dramatic shift in the political landscape, as the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had held power since the country gained independence from Britain in 1966, secured only four seats.

Former President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, who had conceded defeat just a week prior, was also present at the ceremony, acknowledging the smooth transition of power.

Boko, dressed in the colors of the Botswana flag — a blue shirt and black tie — made a memorable entrance to the stadium, waving to the crowd from a vehicle, accompanied by galloping white horses.

For many in the crowd, the event symbolized a new era of unity and hope.

“The attendance of Batswana from all walks of life shows how united we are and committed to nation-building,” said Wabuya Keobonye, an 88-year-old taxi driver at the ceremony.

Boko’s decision to declare the day a public holiday allowed citizens from all over the country to join in the historic moment.

“Today is a special day for us as citizens of this nation, and the president’s decision to declare it a holiday allowed us to come together and witness this important event,” Keobonye added.

In the lead-up to the election, the country’s high unemployment rate and struggling economy were central issues for voters, especially among the younger population.

The election saw an impressive 80 percent voter turnout, with approximately 34 percent of the voters being young people.

“Youth are the leaders of today, not tomorrow,” said Ipotseng Negroes, a 35-year-old farmer who attended the inauguration.

“We showed up in large numbers because we want change. The power of the people of Botswana is loud and clear.”

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, the newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria, was arrested in Texas over his involvement in a multi-million-dollar romance fraud scheme.

The 40-year-old local government leader was apprehended upon his arrival at a U.S. airport and now faces charges of wire fraud in connection with a fraud operation that allegedly swindled victims out of nearly $3.3 million.

Nwadialo, who was indicted in December 2023 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud.

According to prosecutors, he posed as a military officer stationed overseas to deceive victims he met on dating sites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café.

Using multiple aliases like “Giovanni,” Nwadialo gained the trust of his victims, leading them to believe they were in romantic relationships with him, before manipulating them into sending large sums of money.

U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman described the complexity of prosecuting romance scams involving overseas perpetrators, stating, “It’s often difficult to bring foreign defendants to justice, but through dedicated investigation, we’ve managed to apprehend Mr. Nwadialo.”

She added that Nwadialo’s alleged actions had defrauded victims of millions of dollars.

The indictment outlines several instances where Nwadialo convinced victims to send money under false pretenses.

In one case from 2020, he falsely claimed that he had been fined $1 million by the military for revealing his location and requested financial assistance to pay the fine.

In another case from 2019, he deceived a victim into transferring over $330,000 by pretending to need help moving funds related to his father’s death.

Nwadialo also allegedly targeted a third victim, leading her to believe that her money was being invested in cryptocurrency.

Under his direction, the victim transferred at least $270,000 into an account he controlled.

In yet another instance, he convinced a victim to send him at least $310,000 for supposed expenses related to his father’s funeral and his son’s education.

The charges against Nwadialo stem from his alleged use of wire communications to facilitate fraudulent transfers of funds from his victims to himself and his co-conspirators.

If convicted, Nwadialo faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud.

While the charges remain allegations, Gorman emphasized that Nwadialo is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Jiang.

Vivian Wilson, the 20-year-old transgender daughter of billionaire Elon Musk, has announced her decision to leave the United States following Donald Trump’s recent victory in the presidential election.

Vivian, who legally changed her name from Xavier Musk in 2022 and severed ties with her father, expressed her concerns about the political climate under Trump’s return to office in a post on Threads.

In her message, Wilson wrote, “I don’t see my future in the United States. I’ve thought this for a while, but yesterday confirmed it for me. Even if Trump is only in office for four years, and even if anti-trans laws don’t come into play, the people who voted for him aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.”

Vivian Musk, born Xavier Musk in 2004, filed to change both her name and gender in April 2022.

In court filings, she stated, “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape, or form.”

She also chose her mother’s maiden name, Wilson, as her new surname.

Her estranged father, Elon Musk, a known Trump supporter, has been open about his strained relationship with his daughter.

Musk, who has fathered 12 children and is vocal about his political views, has publicly criticized Vivian’s decision to transition.

He has made derogatory comments about her, referring to her as a “communist” and claiming she viewed wealth as “inherently evil.”

Musk has also made controversial statements about gender dysphoria and puberty blockers, saying he felt misled when Vivian was prescribed the medication, which he referred to as “sterilisation drugs.”

In previous comments, he described the transition as “incredibly evil” and said those who promote it should be imprisoned, adding that he felt he had “lost” his son.

Vivian, in response, described her father as largely absent during her upbringing and claimed that his criticisms of her femininity and queerness were part of a larger pattern of dismissing her identity.

“He doesn’t know what I was like as a child because he simply wasn’t there. I was relentlessly harassed for my femininity and queerness, and I’ve been reduced to a stereotype. I think that says a lot about how he views queer people and children in general.”