Redmond, USA — Microsoft has unveiled plans to invest approximately $80 billion in AI-enabled data centers worldwide, with a significant portion of the funding dedicated to bolstering Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation in the United States. The announcement was made by Microsoft’s vice chairman and president, Brad Smith, in a blog post outlining the company’s strategic…
Matusadona Game Park, Zimbabwe — Tinotenda Pudu, a seven-year-old boy, survived five perilous days in the Matusadona Game Park, a wilderness teeming with deadly wildlife. The young boy wandered 49 kilometers (30 miles) from his home, relying on wild fruits for sustenance and using his exceptional knowledge of the wild to stay alive. Tinotenda dug…
A devastating incident occurred in New Orleans’ French Quarter on Wednesday afternoon when a vehicle rammed into a crowd on Bourbon Street, leaving 10 people dead and 30 injured. The tragedy unfolded around 3:15 p.m. local time when the driver sped into a densely packed area. Witnesses reported that the individual exited the vehicle and…
Former President Arnold Rüütel of Estonia, a pivotal figure in the nation’s path to independence, has died at 96, the presidency announced on Tuesday. Rüütel, remembered as one of the architects of Estonia’s return to sovereignty in 1991, served as a communist official during the Soviet era before becoming a key figure in the Baltic…
A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, officials confirmed on Tuesday. Yoon, who was suspended from office earlier this month, faces insurrection charges over his controversial attempt to impose martial law on December 3, plunging the nation into its worst political crisis in decades. Parliament impeached him…
Former England manager Gareth Southgate has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list, recognizing his outstanding contributions to English football. The 54-year-old stepped down from his managerial role in July after leading England to the final of Euro 2024, where they suffered a narrow defeat to Spain. This marked Southgate’s second consecutive…
A passenger plane carrying 181 people crashed while landing at Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea on Sunday, leaving over 100 feared dead. According to officials, the Jeju Air flight from Bangkok overshot the runway, struck a barrier, and erupted into flames. While most passengers are presumed dead, two survivors have been rescued, and…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has firmly dismissed allegations by Niger Republic’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, accusing Nigeria of conspiring with France to destabilize Niger. In a statement issued Thursday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, described the claims as baseless fabrications, emphasizing Nigeria’s commitment to regional stability and peaceful…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced that Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will formally withdraw from the regional bloc on January 29, 2025. The decision was outlined in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in…
The 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government is set to commence on Sunday under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who serves as the Chairperson of the regional bloc. Key items on the agenda include regional security challenges, particularly ongoing crises in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso….
Vice President Kashim Shettima has left Abuja for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of a $315 million oil production and storage facility owned by Nigerian firm, Oriental Energy Ltd. The commissioning, scheduled for December 14, highlights the achievements of indigenous companies in the global oil and gas…
The 93rd Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers has commenced in Abuja, with discussions centered on strengthening regional cooperation, fostering economic integration, and addressing pressing security concerns. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, is presiding over the two-day session, which has brought together leaders and policymakers from across the region. In his…
The 53rd Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) at the Ministerial level convened in Abuja to address the region’s pressing political, security, and humanitarian challenges. The meeting reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to fostering collective security, democratic governance, and economic development amid growing instability in West Africa. In his opening address, Nigeria’s Minister of…
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced changes to its immigration visa application process, effective January 1, 2025. Under the revised procedure, applicants with scheduled interviews must visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice during the application process. In a statement posted on its official X account, the embassy explained that the new process…
The Federal Government has dismissed a circulating list of ambassadorial nominees on social media as fake, urging the public to disregard it. In a statement issued on Sunday, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Acting Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, clarified that no such appointments have been made. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to…
Exiled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family after fleeing Syria, following a sweeping rebel offensive that led to the fall of his regime, Russian state news agency TASS reported. Kremlin sources confirmed that Russia granted Assad and his family asylum. The rebel offensive, which began on November 27, saw opposition…
World leaders have expressed diverse reactions to the abrupt yet anticipated fall of Syria’s long-standing president, Bashar al-Assad, following the capture of Damascus by opposition forces. Assad, who ruled Syria for over two decades, reportedly fled the country after failing to resist a swift rebel advance that has drastically shifted the nation’s political landscape. The…
Syria’s armed opposition has declared the capture of Damascus, signaling the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad after more than two decades of rule. The announcement, made by the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, confirmed that the government institutions would remain under the interim administration of Assad’s Prime Minister until a transitional authority…
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has strongly refuted claims by Amnesty International alleging that over 10,000 people have died in Nigerian military custody since the Boko Haram insurgency began in the northeast. Amnesty International’s Accusations During a press briefing in Maiduguri, Amnesty International’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, accused both Boko Haram insurgents and Nigerian military…
The Federal Government has begun deploying consular officers to Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad, signaling an imminent release of a comprehensive ambassadorial list. This move comes 14 months after the recall of 83 ambassadors in September 2023. Following President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration, the government ordered the withdrawal of both career and non-career diplomats to realign Nigeria’s…
Mali’s civilian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maïga, was dismissed from office on Wednesday following his public criticism of the country’s military rulers. The announcement was made by Alfousseyni Diawara, the Secretary General of the presidential office, during a broadcast on state television ORTM. “The duties of the prime minister and the members of the government…
Nigeria has emerged as the leading African nation and the seventh largest globally in terms of student enrollment in the United States. According to the 2024 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, Nigerian students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities reached 20,029 for the 2023/2024 academic year, marking a significant 13.5% increase from the…
India has committed to strengthening investments in Nigeria’s agriculture and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sectors. The goal is to boost food security and digital skills, alongside contributions to education, health, and other critical areas. This pledge followed robust discussions between President Bola Tinubu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who concluded a historic two-day…
A 43-year-old Nigerian man, Abimbola David, has been detained in the UK on allegations of inappropriate online communication with a 14-year-old girl. The arrest came after the minor reportedly presented evidence of their exchanges to authorities, claiming that he made improper requests. According to Saving Our Children’s Futures, a child protection organization, David is married,…
After a hard-fought campaign, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledged to usher in a new “golden age of America” following his electoral victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Addressing a crowd of supporters in the early hours of Wednesday, Trump declared, “This was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There’s never been anything…
