Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

South Africa Considers Closing Israeli Embassy In Pretoria Amid Gaza Conflict. Pretoria, South Africa — South Africa is actively considering the closure of the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria, a move that could further strain diplomatic relations between the two nations. The decision, currently under review by the South African Cabinet, follows a 2023 parliamentary resolution to shut the embassy in response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, as confirmed by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on 17 June 2025. Speaking in Parliament, Lamola noted that the embassy remains downgraded, a step taken in 2023 to express…

UK And Germany Visa Delays Loom As TLScontact Visa Centres Face Closure. Travellers planning to apply for visas to the United Kingdom or Germany are bracing for potential delays as the UK government transitions its visa application services from TLScontact to VFS Global, leading to temporary closures of visa application centres across Germany. The switch, part of a broader overhaul to improve visa processing efficiency, is set to disrupt services in the coming months, with significant implications for applicants in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. According to industry sources, the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) service will cease accepting new…

Scientists Unveil Face Of 10,500-Year-Old Woman From Belgium, Shedding Light On Mesolithic Life. In a remarkable breakthrough, scientists from Ghent University have reconstructed the face of a woman who lived 10,500 years ago in what is now Belgium, offering fresh insights into the lives of prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies in Western Europe. The project, which harnesses cutting-edge DNA analysis, reveals a striking portrait of a woman with blue eyes and lighter skin, challenging long-held assumptions about the genetic uniformity of Mesolithic populations. The woman’s remains were discovered in the Margaux Cave near Dinant during an archaeological excavation conducted between 1988…

Nigeria Ranks 7th Globally For Helping Strangers In UN World Happiness Report 2025. Nigeria has earned international acclaim for its generosity, securing the 7th spot globally for helping strangers, according to the UN World Happiness Report 2025. The report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, highlights Nigeria’s remarkable culture of kindness, despite challenges in other areas of benevolence. The 2025 report, themed “Caring and Sharing,” draws on data from the Gallup World Poll (2022–2024) and the World Risk Poll (2019), evaluating six key…

Benue Massacre: Locals Aided Attackers With Shelter And Supplies, Alleges Defence Chief. Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has alleged that some residents of Yelwata, a community in Benue State’s Guma Local Government Area, provided shelter, food, and even women to armed assailants responsible for a recent massacre that claimed over 150 lives. The claims were made during a media briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, highlighting a disturbing level of local complicity in the attack. The devastating assault on Yelwata, which occurred in the early hours of 14 June 2025, targeted an…

Federal Government Of Nigeria Takes Over Regulation Of Social Media Advertising. In a significant development for Nigeria’s digital landscape, the Federal Government has announced it will assume direct oversight of social media advertising, marking a bold step to regulate the rapidly growing online marketing sector. The move, revealed today, aims to address concerns over misleading advertisements, consumer protection, and compliance with national standards, while fostering a more accountable digital advertising ecosystem. The decision follows a recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Lagos, which upheld the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria’s (ARCON) authority to regulate advertising across all…

Israel Considers Arresting Citizens For Watching Al Jazeera, Sparking Press Freedom Concerns. In a controversial move, Israel is reportedly considering legislation that could lead to the arrest of citizens caught watching Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news network. The proposal, backed by far-right Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, has ignited a fierce debate over press freedom and national security, raising alarm among human rights advocates and media watchdogs. According to a statement attributed to Ben-Gvir, the minister urged the public to report anyone watching Al Jazeera to the police, describing the network as a “threat to national security.”…

Tinubu To Select 2027 Running Mate After APC Convention, Presidency Confirms. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will announce his running mate for the 2027 Nigerian presidential election only after securing the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination at the party’s convention in 2026, according to a statement from the Presidency. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made this clarification in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust on Thursday, addressing speculation surrounding Vice President Kashim Shettima’s political future. Onanuga dismissed reports suggesting a rift between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima as “baseless” and described the omission…

Iran Prepares Missiles For Potential Strikes On US Bases Amid Rising Tensions. Tehran has reportedly readied missiles and military equipment for potential attacks on US bases in the Middle East, should the United States intervene in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran, according to American officials citing intelligence reports. The development marks a significant escalation in the region’s already volatile atmosphere, raising fears of a broader confrontation. The intelligence, reviewed by US authorities, suggests Iran is positioning its arsenal as a deterrent against American involvement in the conflict, which has intensified following recent Israeli strikes on Iranian military targets. While Iran…

Israeli Strike Kills Senior Iranian Military Official, Deepening Regional Tensions. In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Israel has confirmed it carried out a targeted strike on Tuesday, killing a senior Iranian military official who had only recently assumed his role. The strike comes just days after the official’s predecessor was also killed, dealing a significant blow to Iran’s military leadership and further destabilising its chain of command. The Israeli government, in a statement released on Wednesday, claimed responsibility for the operation but provided no further details on the identity of the official or the specifics…

Nigerian Military Kills 6,260 Terrorists, Rescues 5,365 Civilians In Two Years, Says DHQ. Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced significant strides in the fight against terrorism, revealing that 6,260 terrorists have been neutralised and 5,365 civilians rescued across the country in the past two years. The announcement, made during a briefing in Abuja, underscores the military’s ongoing efforts to restore security and stability nationwide. Brigadier General Ibrahim Abu-Mawashi, Deputy Director of Defence Media Operations, shared the figures on Thursday during an expanded parley with media executives at the DHQ. He highlighted that joint military operations…

PDP A Faded Shadow, Strong Opposition Rising Soon, Says Ex-Lawmaker. A former Nigerian lawmaker has declared the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) a “faded shadow” of its former self, predicting the emergence of a robust opposition force in the near future. The statement, made during an exclusive interview with The Guardian Nigeria, has sparked widespread discussion about the state of opposition politics in the country. The ex-lawmaker, whose identity was not disclosed in the report, argued that the PDP, once a dominant force in Nigerian politics, has lost its vibrancy and influence. “The PDP is no longer the formidable party…