NEWS

UFC heavyweight, Josh Hokit has come under fire after using his post-fight interview at the White House to repeat a long-debunked conspiracy theory about former First Lady Michelle Obama following his victory over Derrick Lewis on Sunday.Hokit defeated Lewis by technical knockout at UFC Freedom 250 and used his interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan to thank President Donald Trump for hosting the event. However, he sparked controversy when he ended the interview by saying, “Michelle Obama is a man, am I right, America?”]Rogan responded, “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit,” before the interview concluded. The remark echoed a false and widely discredited conspiracy theory that has circulated online for years targeting Michelle Obama.Hokit’s comments quickly drew cri...

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced an early retirement scheme that is already attracting significant interest from employees, with officials confirming that more than 70 per cent of eligible staff have indicated willingness to participate in the voluntary exit arrangement.The initiative, structured under the Accelerated Exit Scheme and the Voluntary Exit Scheme, is being positioned by the company as a strategic and non-coercive reform designed to align its workforce with long-term transformation goals, improve efficiency and create space for younger professionals.The AES targets employees with up to one year left before retirement in 2026, while the VES covers staff due for statutory retirement in 2027, as well as SS1-grade employees with about two to fiv...

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has picked former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as its vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, pairing him with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed this today, June 15. Abdullahi said Amaechi’s emergence followed broad consultations within the party and reflected his strong performance as runner-up in the party’s presidential primaries as well as his track record of service to his State and the country.According to the ADC, Amaechi’s extensive experience across both the legislative and executive arms of government, as former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State,...

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.The other political parties the court directed the electoral body to deregister are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).The court order followed a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu.The National Forum of Former Legislators had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, prayed the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional obligation to remove political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022...

Iran has executed at least 40 people, including 18 protesters, on “national security grounds” since the start of 2026, the United Nations said Monday. UN rights chief Volker Turk expressed that he felt “deeply for the people in Iran, caught between war and cruel repression” during his address to the UN Human Rights Council.Rights groups note that Iran executes more people annually than any other nation besides China. Turk lamented that Tehran had ramped up repression since a deadly crackdown on protests in January, which came on top of the Middle East war sparked in February by US and Israeli attacks on Iran. He welcomed the announcement on Sunday that the United States and Iran had agreed to a peace deal, stressing that “it is clear all sides need to exercise maximum restraint and work to...

Men of the Anambra State Police Command have arrested a couple and one other person in connection with the physical ab#se of a 10-year-old boy in Odume layout in Isiowulu part of the state.Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command have arrested a married couple and a teenager in connection with the severe physical abuse of a 10-year-old boy in the Odume Layout area of Isiowulu.The arrests followed widespread outrage after a video surfaced on social media on Sunday, June 14, showing the victim with extensive physical injuries. The footage captured the moment concerned neighbors raised the alarm, leading to the boy's rescue by local residents. The video also showed community members confronting and assaulting the suspected couple before law enforcement intervened.In a statem...