NEWS

Doctors in England have started a fresh round of industrial action on Tuesday amid ongoing tensions with the government over pay and working conditions. The six-day strike involves resident doctors—those below consultant level—and is expected to place further pressure on the nation’s healthcare system. This marks the 15th strike by doctors in just over three years. Earlier strikes had secured a 28.9% pay increase spread over three years. However, members of the British Medical Association argue that this increment does not sufficiently compensate for the erosion of earnings caused by inflation. The union is calling for full pay restoration to 2008 levels, a demand the government has repeatedly deemed unrealistic given current economic conditions. Health Secretary Wes Streeting critic...

Yemi Osinbajo has been appointed as a senior strategic adviser to the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya. Announcing the appointment on Monday, the agency said Osinbajo joins at a pivotal moment as Africa CDC advances the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda. The initiative aims to strengthen Africa’s influence in global health, increase domestic health funding, accelerate local production of medical supplies, and enhance health systems to better respond to pandemics. Kaseya highlighted Osinbajo’s broad expertise, stating:"Professor Osinbajo brings exceptional experience at the intersection of governance, finance, law, and diplomacy. At a time when Africa must act with greater ambition and authority on the future of ...

Ben Roberts-Smith, widely regarded as Australia’s most decorated living soldier, has been arrested and is expected to face multiple war crimes charges linked to the alleged killing of unarmed civilians during his deployment in Afghanistan. The 47-year-old former member of the Australian Defence Force was taken into custody at Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning, according to the Australian Federal Police. He is set to be charged with five counts of war crime murder relating to the deaths of five individuals in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. Each count carries a potential life sentence. Roberts-Smith was once celebrated as a national hero, having earned several of Australia’s highest military honours, including the Victoria Cross, for his service across six tours in Afghanistan b...

A wedding scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 5, 2026, was called off after the arrest of the groom and his father for drunk driving in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  The drama unfolded following a major operation by the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), which arrested a total of 45 motorists for drunk driving on Saturday night, April 4 and into the early hours of Sunday.  The KZN Department of Transport spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya confirmed the arrests in a statement.  Others who were caught up in the crackdown included a lecturer who claimed he could 'go a week speaking only English without using Zulu', a safety manager, two teachers, two nurses, a pharmacist, a chief liaison officer from a local municipality, and a student. “A w...

The Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Muhammad Usman Zuru, has passed away. He reportedly died on Monday night at a hospital in Egypt, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. Sources close to the Kebbi State Government confirmed the development, though details about his health condition were not made public. Until his death, Zuru represented the Zuru Constituency and was considered a prominent figure in the state legislature. Reacting to the news, an aide to the governor on Communication and Strategy, Idris Zuru, described the loss as shocking and deeply painful, noting that it affects not just Kebbi State but the nation at large. He added that more information would be released after the government concludes consultations with the famil...

The Federal Government has proposed N135.22 billion in the 2026 budget to cover election-related legal disputes and post-election obligations ahead of the 2027 polls. The provision, listed as “Electoral Adjudication and Post-Election Provision,” appears in the appropriation report submitted to the House of Representatives and is captured under the Service-Wide Votes—funds reserved for general or unforeseen government expenses. The allocation signals expectations of continued financial pressure from election petitions, legal settlements, and administrative processes that typically follow Nigeria’s elections. It forms part of the Consolidated Revenue Fund charges, where it accounts for about 3.65 percent of the total N3.70 trillion earmarked. This comes alongside a larger statutory ...

The Lagos State Government has announced a lineup of major projects to be inaugurated during the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 8 and 9, describing the occasion as a significant milestone in the state’s development drive. Speaking at a media briefing, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the visit highlights Lagos’ progress and the strong collaboration between the state and the Federal Government. Among the key projects is the Ojota–Opebi Link Bridge, a 5.04-kilometre infrastructure aimed at easing traffic congestion across major routes such as Ojota, Maryland, Mende, Opebi, and Allen. The project, originally conceived decades ago, was revived by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2022 to improve mobility and boost economic activities. Als...

The Lagos State Government says it has deployed 500 additional personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority to major roads and critical corridors to manage traffic during President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing visit to the state, when he is set to commission several key projects. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, disclosed this on Monday during a news conference on the President’s commissioning of projects executed by the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration. Omotoso said the deployment was part of measures to ensure seamless traffic flow, adequate security, and minimal disruption to residents during the inauguration on Wednesday and Thursday. “We are working closely with federal and state agencies to ensure that all arrangements for the Pre...

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun Command, has confirmed that four people died while eight others were injured in a lone accident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The crash occurred in front of Christopher University in the early hours of Sunday, around 1:30 a.m., involving a commercial Toyota HiAce bus. According to the FRSC spokesperson, Afolabi Odunsi, a total of 13 passengers were involved, including 11 men and two women. Among them, eight sustained injuries, while four adult males lost their lives. Preliminary findings revealed that the accident was caused by a tyre burst combined with overspeeding, which led to the driver losing control of the vehicle. Rescue officials from the Mowe Unit Command responded promptly, taking the injured victims to Famobis Hospital...

Tension is mounting in Katsina State as Governor Dikko Umaru Radda convenes an emergency Security Council meeting at the Government House to address serious security concerns. The meeting, which is still ongoing, has brought together top security officials, underscoring the urgency of the situation.Those present include senior officers of the Nigerian Army, officials from Defence Headquarters, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force. Also in attendance are representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Federal Fire Service, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Chairmen of affected local gove...