NEARLY 130 people have been “summarily executed” by insurgents in Niger Republic in separate attacks since March, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says. The rights group says gunmen carried out a series of brutal attacks, including a mass murder at a mosque in the western Tillabéri region, where more than 70 worshippers were shot dead during prayers. “There were bodies everywhere, one on top of the other,” a local woman, who lost three of her sons in the attack, was quoted by HRW as saying. The spate of attacks is a major blow to the credibility of Niger’s…
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NIGERIA’s quest for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup suffered a major blow on Tuesday as the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in Bloemfontein, leaving their qualification hopes in serious jeopardy. The Eagles, needing a win to keep pace in Group C, fell behind in the 25th minute when captain William Troost-Ekong inadvertently bundled the ball into his own net under pressure from the relentless Bafana Bafana attack. Nigeria, however, clawed back just before halftime through Calvin Bassey, who rose highest to head home in the 43rd minute, sparking brief celebrations from…
ENGLAND delivered their most emphatic performance under manager Thomas Tuchel, storming to a 5-0 victory over Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday night to take a major step toward qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Heading into what was billed as their toughest test of the qualifying campaign, Tuchel’s side silenced a hostile Rajko Mitic Stadium with a display full of authority, flair, and clinical finishing. The result leaves England needing just five points from their remaining three fixtures to book their place at next summer’s tournament. After dominating possession for over half an hour, England broke the deadlock in…
EXPLOSIONS reverberated across Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Tuesday after Israel confirmed it had launched a targeted strike against senior Hamas leaders based in the Gulf nation. The Israeli military, in a joint statement with the Shin Bet intelligence agency, said the attack was aimed at Hamas’s top leadership, who it accused of directing operations for years, including the October 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel. The unprecedented strike marks Israel’s first known military operation in Qatar, a country that has long hosted Hamas’s political leadership in exile and played a crucial role as a mediator in ceasefire talks…
NEPALI demonstrators set parliament ablaze on Tuesday while the veteran prime minister Sharma Oli quit, as a “Gen Z” protest movement sparked by a ban on social media overtook the Himalayan nation. At least 19 people were killed during rallies a day earlier, one of the deadliest crackdowns in years, which fuelled public anger. Protesters flooded the streets of the capital Kathmandu, on Tuesday, some jubilant and celebrating, others setting fire to government buildings and brandishing automatic rifles. The rapid descent into chaos shocked many, and Nepal’s military warned against “activities that could lead the country into unrest and instability”…
IVORY Coast’s former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, 76, is the surprise inclusion in a list of five candidates who have been officially cleared to contest next month’s presidential election. She will run against President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who took power after she and her former husband, Laurent Gbagbo, were captured in a presidential bunker during the conflict that hit the country after the 2010 election. But the ex-president has been barred from contesting the poll, along with ex-Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan and ex-Credit Suisse bank CEO Tidjane Thiam. Their disqualification has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the 25…
THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened its war crimes case against fugitive Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony in its first-ever confirmation of charges hearing without the accused present. The proceedings mark a historic moment for the court and could serve as a test case for future prosecutions of high-profile suspects who currently appear to be beyond its reach. Despite an arrest warrant issued 20 years ago, Kony, the founder and leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), has managed to evade arrest. He faces 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, sexual enslavement, abduction and…
THE Federal Government has officially released the newly approved subject offerings for Nigeria’s Basic and Senior Secondary Education Curriculum, in a move designed to cut down subject overload, strengthen vocational and digital skills, and prepare learners for global competitiveness. The announcement came on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education made available to News Point Nigeria, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, explained that the reforms followed extensive consultations with key education stakeholders, including the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), WAEC, NECO, NBTE, NABTEB,…
THE football world has been buzzing after former England striker Michael Owen reignited debate by claiming he was superior to Wayne Rooney as a 17-year-old. But Rooney has responded in typical diplomatic fashion, steering clear of controversy while showing admiration for his former teammate. The discussion began during Owen’s appearance on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, where he declared that only Rooney could be compared to him in terms of talent at that age but insisted he had the edge. “Who was better aged 17, Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney?” asked BBC Match of the Day’s X account on Friday, setting social…
ISRAELI attacks across Gaza since dawn have killed at least 52 people, including 32 in Gaza City. Israeli PM Netanyahu says that troops will soon move into the city, threatening residents and ordering them to flee for their lives. Six people have been killed and many wounded in a shooting in occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli officials say, blaming the attack on two Palestinians from the occupied West Bank. Police say the perpetrators have been killed. Israeli forces are carrying out violent raids in the West Bank in the wake of the shooting, killing two 14-year-old boys in Jenin and wounding…
THE French government has collapsed after parliament voted to oust Prime Minister François Bayrou on Monday, plunging the country into fresh political turmoil and leaving President Emmanuel Macron facing one of the toughest decisions of his presidency. Bayrou, who had been in office for just nine months, became the first premier in modern French history to be toppled by a confidence vote rather than a no-confidence motion. The shock outcome followed his controversial decision to gamble on a high-risk vote of confidence over his deeply unpopular austerity budget. The spending plan had aimed to cut €44 billion ($52 billion) to…
HUNDREDS of protesters on Monday responded to a call from civil society to take to the streets of Uvira, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Citizens protested the recent appointment of General Olivier Gasita Mukunda as deputy commander of the 33rd military region of the DRC’s Armed Forces (FARDC). Protesters demanded Gasita’s removal, accusing him of having collaborated with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels during the seizure of Bukavu last February. “We were sent an officer we do not agree with, General Olivier Gasita. He has a very bad track record in Bukavu,” protester Dunia Prince told Africanews. “He does not…
WEST African leaders and health experts have called for stronger regional co-operation and African-led solutions to tackle Lassa fever and other emerging infectious diseases. They made the call at the opening of the 2nd ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference (ELFIC2025) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Monday. This newspaper reports that the theme of the conference is: “Beyond Borders: Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Lassa Fever and Emerging Infectious Diseases.” It seeks to reaffirm regional commitment, mobilise political will, and drive collective action against Lassa fever and other emerging infectious diseases. The President of Cote d’ Ivoire, Alassane Quattara, expressed the…
MIKEL Merino scored a hat-trick as a majestic Spain thumped Turkey 6-0 away in World Cup qualifying on Sunday, while a brilliant Florian Wirtz free-kick helped Germany beat Northern Ireland 3-1 to get their bid up and running. European champions Spain were in unstoppable form in the central Turkish city of Konya, claiming their second biggest-ever away win in World Cup qualifying as Arsenal midfielder Merino scored his first professional hat-trick. Barcelona playmaker Pedri Gonzalez opened the scoring inside six minutes and later completed the scoring, with Ferran Torres netting the visitors’ other goal. The quality of Merino’s strikes was…
THE United States has issued a new ceasefire proposal that would quickly end the war in exchange for the release of all captives held in Gaza at once. Hamas said it “welcomes” the effort and is ready to talk. Israel has displaced dozens more Palestinians after destroying another high-rise building in Gaza City, the second such attack in 24 hours. At least 65 people have been killed in strikes on a school, tents and houses across Gaza today. Trump’s latest talk of a ceasefire proposal is a sign that Washington is “getting more anxious about the continuation of the Israeli…
STATGAZERS enjoyed a “Blood Moon” Sunday night during a total lunar eclipse visible across Asia and swathes of Europe and Africa. When the Sun, Earth and Moon line up, the shadow cast by the planet on its satellite makes it appear an eerie, deep red colour that has astounded humans for millennia. People in Asia, including India and China, were best placed to see Sunday’s total eclipse, which was also visible on the eastern edge of Africa as well as in western Australia. The total lunar eclipse lasted from 1730 GMT to 1852 GMT. Stargazers in Europe and Africa also…
MORE than two years of armed conflict in Sudan have ravaged the country’s agriculture sector, slashing food production and plunging nearly half of the population into an unprecedented hunger crisis. According to the United Nations, about 24.6 million Sudanese are now facing “severe food insecurity or worse,” with some 637,000 people enduring famine-like conditions, the most catastrophic level of hunger. The World Health Organization on Friday confirmed famine in parts of the country. Agriculture, once the backbone of Sudan’s economy, has been crippled by widespread fighting that destroyed irrigation systems, drove farm workers from their land and left vast areas…
CHINESE technologies shone at the ninth edition of the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition, which was held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, from Thursday to Friday, boosting more exploration on China-Africa cooperation in low-altitude economy. Under the theme of “Collaborating to unlock Africa’s growth – How can Africa deliver a sustainable aviation industry?”, the event attracted 1,700 aviation industry professionals who engaged in-depth discussions on challenges facing the African aviation industry and the new opportunities brought about by technologies, as well as more than 100 companies that showcased their cutting-edge products. Opening the summit, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said…
NIGERIA’s Super Eagles boosted their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a narrow but vital 1-0 win over Rwanda in a Group C qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Saturday night. News Point Nigeria Sport repots that Tolu Arokodare emerged the hero of the day, scoring the decisive goal in the second half to hand the three-time African champions all three points in front of a packed home crowd. The result lifts Nigeria to third place in the group, trailing leaders South Africa by six points, with three games left to play. Super…
MANCHESTER United captain Bruno Fernandes has turned down three lucrative approaches from Saudi Arabia this summer including a direct push from Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr but sources suggest this could be his final season at Old Trafford and the skipper is consiedring a Saudi move now. According to talkSPORT, Fernandes was a top target for PIF-owned Saudi Pro League clubs, with Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ittihad all attempting to lure him away from the Premier League. Fernandes, 30, was closest to joining Al-Hilal, who were prepared to pay over £80 million if the midfielder gave the green light. His agent, Miguel Pinho,…