NEWS

At least 201 people have been killed and 747 others wounded following ongoing strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, according to the Iran Red Crescent Society.As reported by Al Jazeera, citing Mehr news agency, a spokesperson for the Red Crescent confirmed that attacks have affected 24 provinces across Iran. More than 220 rescue teams have been deployed to impacted areas, with emergency operations still underway.Among the casualties are over 40 schoolgirls who lost their lives in a strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, located in Hormozgan Province in southern Iran. It remains unclear whether US or Israeli forces were responsible for that particular attack.The school incident was part of a broader wave of strikes carried out early Saturday, shortly after nuc...

A prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Pat Utomi, has refuted claims that the party’s South-South leaders endorsed former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for the ADC’s 2027 presidential ticket.Earlier, ADC chieftain John Odigie-Oyegun had suggested that leaders from the South-South region resolved to back Amaechi’s presidential ambition after he met with them to formally declare his interest in contesting under the party’s platform.Odigie-Oyegun stated that the leaders appreciated Amaechi for informing them of his plans before building political structures in the region and described the reception as positive, adding that support was unanimously pledged for his ambition.However, Utomi countered the endorsement narrative in a post on 𝕏, clarifying th...

President Bola Tinubu has approved the reappointment of Ahmed Abubakar Audi as the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for another five-year term.The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that the renewed appointment took effect on Friday, February 27. Audi is expected to resume duties on Monday, March 2, under a fresh mandate.President Tinubu tasked him with strengthening and repositioning the Corps to assume a greater role in national security, particularly as the police concentrate on combating banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.Audi was initially appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. His first five-year tenure concluded last Friday, coinciding with activities marking the 202...

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has warned that candidates and parents involved in examination malpractice will face strict penalties, describing the situation as a serious threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, Oloyede said the Board convened the briefing to address activities that undermine fairness, merit, and credibility in the conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).He explained that JAMB has invested heavily in financial, technological, and institutional safeguards to protect the examination process, stressing that such measures are essential to preserve opportunities for honest candidates.Accordin...

Airspace across much of the Middle East has been shut down and international flights thrown into chaos after coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran on Saturday, Febuary 28.US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a 'pre-emptive' strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons. The attack prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles reported to have targeted Israel and countries across the Middle East.In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, several countries announced full or partial closures of their skies to civilian air traffic:Iran’s entire airspace was closed indefinitely following the attacks, halting all civilian flights.Israel also shut its airspace to civ...

Black smoke was seen rising over Dubai after debris from what officials described as an intercepted Iranian missile reportedly struck a hotel on the Palm Jumeirah. Footage shared online showed flames and thick smoke engulfing parts of the Fairmont The Palm, a luxury hotel on the man-made island, as witnesses reported hearing a loud blast in the tourist district.The incident came amid a wider escalation across the Middle East after Iran launched retaliatory strikes following a major US-Israeli operation earlier in the day. Tehran had vowed revenge, warning it had “no red lines” in responding to what it described as aggression.Authorities believe the damage in Dubai was caused by falling debris from a missile intercepted over the United Arab Emirates as Iran fired a barrage targe...

Two senior Iranian commanders are reported to have been killed in a wave of US-Israeli airstrikes targeting key figures and facilities in Tehran, as uncertainty surrounds the fate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.Sources cited in regional media claim Iran’s defence minister, Amir Nasirzadeh, and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad Pakpour were among those killed in the strikes. There is also speculation about the status of other high-ranking officials, though Iranian authorities have not formally confirmed the deaths.Satellite imagery circulating online appears to show significant damage to parts of a government compound in Tehran believed to be linked to Khamenei’s official offices. His current whereabouts have not been publicly disclosed.Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas A...