NEWS

Iran has rejected an ultimatum by US President Donald Trump to lay down its weapons as violence continues to escalate across the Middle East. Trump told Iran's leaders to give up the fight, which has exploded across the Middle East, with missiles raining down on Israel, Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, and on American military bases in the region. But Iranian national security official Ali Larijani confirmed the country will not negotiate with the US. Israel launched strikes on Lebanon's capital, Beirut, after the militant group Hezbollah fired missiles across the border as a fighter jet crashed over Kuwait near a US military base. early this morning. It is not known whether the jet was sh0t down by an Iranian missile, hit by friendly US air defence ro...

At least three people d!ed, and ‌14 were injured ‌following a mass shooting at a ​bar in Austin, Texas, early on Sunday, March 1, police said. The suspect was k!lled in ‌an exchange of fire with police at the scene, police said, adding that 14 people were in ​hospital, three ​of whom ​were in ‌a critical condition. The sho0ting happened outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, just before 2am (08GMT) along Sixth Street, a nightlife destination filled with bars and music clubs near the University of Texas. FBI special agent Alex Doran said earlier on Sunday that a motive for the attack was not known, but “there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism”. “In terms of specifically what type of terrorism, we’re just at this point ...

The US embassy in Bahrain has issued a chilling warning that 'terrorist groups' are planning to attack American citizens in the Gulf state. In a statement, officials have warned Americans in the country to avoid hotels in Manama as they could be targeted. It reads: 'Bahrain: The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to exercise caution and maintain vigilance. Drone and missile attacks from Iran continue. The U.S. Embassy has advised U.S. citizens in Bahrain that hotels might be a target for attacks, and encourages U.S. citizens to avoid hotels in Manama. Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Bahrain. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning Bahrain: The U.S...

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has explained why a curfew was put in place during the local council elections in the FCT. Defending the curfew, Wike said he has the authority as the “governor of the FCT” to impose a curfew. Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, the minister said his actions during the February 21 area council elections did not affect the results of the voting. He said: “I have the rights, and I am the governor of 3,000 polling units. For security reasons, I need to figure out what’s happening. “I don’t need to be told, I’m not running for the election. “Somebody has said I move about. How many polling units in FCT? FCT has at least 3,000 polling units. If I visited 10 polling units to see what was happening, ...

United States President Donald Trump has revealed that Iran’s leadership has reached out to Washington to begin negotiations following Saturday’s airstrikes that reportedly killed the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and several senior officials. In a telephone interview with The Atlantic, Trump said Tehran had expressed readiness for dialogue, though he described the move as coming too late. According to the U.S. president, the request for talks followed what he characterised as a significant military setback for Iran. “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them. They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long,” Trump said. When pressed on when discussions might b...

United States President Donald Trump reportedly authorised Saturday’s military strike on Iran after sustained private lobbying by Mohammed bin Salman and the Israeli government. According to a report by The Washington Post, the operation—codenamed “Operation Epic Fury”—was launched following months of diplomatic pressure from Riyadh and Tel Aviv. Citing four sources familiar with the discussions, the newspaper stated that the Saudi Crown Prince made several private calls to Trump in recent weeks, urging direct U.S. military intervention against Iran despite publicly backing diplomatic efforts. The report noted that the coordinated push by Saudi Arabia and Israel ultimately influenced Trump’s decision to initiate a large-scale aerial assault targeting Iran’s leadership and military...

The Kwara State Government has approved the reopening of Kwara State Polytechnic after it was shut down for several weeks due to a student protest. According to an internal memo obtained by our correspondent, academic and administrative activities will resume on Monday, March 2, 2026. The directive was communicated in a memo signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Halima Garba, on behalf of the Registrar. The document, dated February 26, 2026, was issued by the office of the Acting Registrar and titled, “Reopening of the Polytechnic for Academic and Administrative Work.” Part of the memo stated that the state government had granted approval for the institution to reopen and directed both staff and students to return promptly on the scheduled date. The polytechnic ...

The Presidency has refuted a viral report alleging that a chef at the State House in Abuja was arrested over an alleged attempt to poison Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu. The clarification followed the circulation of an online story claiming that a member of the kitchen staff at the Presidential Villa had been detained in connection with a purported plot against the President’s life. Reacting to an enquiry by The Nation, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Tope Ajayi, dismissed the allegation outright. “Fake,” Ajayi said in a brief response when contacted about the claim. The unverified report, which failed to provide credible sources or concrete evidence, quickly spread across social media, generating speculation among members of the public. ...

Fresh tension has gripped the Middle East after Iranian missiles and drones targeted major airports in the United Arab Emirates late Saturday, leaving at least one person dead and several others injured. Authorities confirmed that key aviation hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were affected, sparking panic and forcing a temporary halt to flight operations. In a statement shared on X on Sunday, Abu Dhabi Airports reported casualties following what it described as an incident linked to the interception of a drone aimed at Zayed International Airport. “Authorities in Abu Dhabi are responding to an incident resulting from the interception of a drone that targeted Zayed International Airport. The interception led to falling debris, which resulted in one fatality of an Asian national and seve...

Gunmen have kidnapped Francis Igwe, the father of a former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Kelechi Igwe. Igwe, who is the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike community, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was abducted on Sunday morning, March 1, 2026 while on his way to church in his Ndufu-Alike community. Community sources disclosed that Igwe was driving when armed men riding a motorcycle intercepted his vehicle. The assailants allegedly double-crossed him, forced him out of his car, and whisked him away on their motorcycle to an unknown destination.  The Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, Sunday Nwankwo, who confirmed the incident said that the council was working with security agencies to gather necessary information that would lead to his resc...