A second deadly wave of unprecedented explosions in the strongholds of Lebanon’s Hezbollah left it in disarray on Thursday, hours before a major speech by its beleaguered leader Hassan Nasrallah. The latest batch of device explosions killed 20 people and wounded more than 450 others on Wednesday, officials said, stoking fears of a full-blown war with Israel. The blasts came a day after the simultaneous detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah killed 12 people, including two children, and wounded up to 2,800 others across Lebanon, in an unprecedented attack blamed on Israel. Walkie-talkies used by its members exploded in the…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The Federal Government has issued a flood warning following the release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon. According to a statement signed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Umar Muhammed, controlled water releases from the dam began on September 17, 2024, at a rate of 100m³/s. The water discharge is expected to gradually increase to 1000m³/s within the next seven days, depending on inflows from the upstream Garoua River. The Garoua River, a major tributary of the Benue River, serves as the primary source of water into the Lagdo reservoir. The statement emphasized that…
Lebanon’s health minister said nine people were killed and some 2,800 wounded Tuesday when pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded across the country. The son of Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Ammar was among the dead, a source close to the group told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. The source had earlier said the son of another Hezbollah lawmaker, Hassan Fadlallah, was also killed, but later confirmed that the son was alive but injured..00 The blasts “killed nine people, including a girl”, minister Firass Abiad said in a casualty update. “About 2,800 people were injured, about 200 of them critically”…
Vice President Kashim Shettima has vowed to intervene in resolving the ongoing issues preventing Nigerian airline, Air Peace, from securing landing rights at London Heathrow Airport. Shettima’s commitment follows meetings with the Airline Operators of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, aimed at addressing the bureaucratic hurdles hindering Air Peace’s operations. Air Peace, led by founder and CEO Allen Onyema, has been striving for a Heathrow slot but has faced continuous setbacks. Currently, the airline operates from Gatwick Airport, a secondary London hub, while Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, remains off-limits. Onyema revealed that the Vice President…
The United States military announced Monday that it had completed its withdrawal from Niger, after coup leaders in the African country demanded that its troops depart. The United States had more than 1,000 troops in Niger as part of anti-jihadist missions in several Sahel nations of West Africa, including a major drone base, but Niger’s military leaders scrapped a military cooperation deal with Washington after seizing power in a 2023 coup. The United States and Niger “announce that the withdrawal of US forces and assets from Niger is complete,” US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement. “The safe, orderly,…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a weather forecast predicting thunderstorms and rain across Nigeria from Tuesday through Thursday. According to the weather report released on Monday, thunderstorms are expected to affect several states during the morning hours on Tuesday. Areas including Bauchi, Kebbi, Taraba, Kano, Katsina, Adamawa, and Kaduna are likely to experience thunderstorms. Later in the day, these conditions are expected to continue throughout the region. In the North Central region, thunderstorms are forecasted over Kogi, Benue, Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, and Niger states in the morning. Thunderstorms are anticipated to persist in the…
On Sunday, September 15, 2024, fifteen children lost their lives in a tragic auto crash along Saminaka Road in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The incident occurred around 1 pm when a J5 bus, carrying 63 children en route to Eld El Maulud celebrations, collided with an oncoming articulated vehicle. Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander Kabiru Nadabo confirmed the devastating accident. According to Nadabo, “The driver of the J5 bus lost control due to overspeeding, resulting in the fatal crash. Fifteen children died instantly, while 48 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.” Nadabo underscored the urgent…
Donald Trump on Monday blamed his election rival Kamala Harris and US President Joe Biden after he was targeted in a second apparent assassination attempt, saying their “rhetoric” about him endangering democracy is to blame. Trump’s rapid politicization of Sunday’s incident, in which a man allegedly planned to fire on the Republican while he played golf in Florida, guaranteed that tensions ahead of the presidential election in seven weeks would continue to boil. Both Biden and Harris have denounced the apparent assassination bid, with the president saying: “I’ve always condemned political violence. I always will.” The suspect, identified by police…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made multiple arrests and seized large quantities of illicit substances. On September 6, 2024, NDLEA operatives at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos intercepted a cargo destined for London. The shipment contained 924 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 5,250 tablets of Rohypnol, concealed within cartons of foodstuffs. Freight agent Owojori Olanrewaju Sunday was arrested during the operation. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Mrs. Adewunmi Adebola Dorcas, an Ibadan-based businesswoman, who allegedly orchestrated the shipment through her son, Adewunmi Akeem Temitope. Further scrutiny revealed another operation on September 11, 2024,…
The Federal Government on Sunday received 50 tonnes of humanitarian aid from the United Arab Emirates. The aid is to support Internally Displaced Persons affected by the flood in parts of the country. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the relief items arrived the Cargo wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 2.40pm. UAE, Ambassador, Salem Alshamsi, presented the relief items to the Nigerian government. Alshamsi said that the donation was in line with the UAE’s gesture to support countries affected by natural disasters. He said that the donation was made at…
A missile launched by Yemen’s Hamas-aligned Huthi rebels hit central Israel on Sunday, a rare incident which caused no casualties but added to regional tensions nearly a year into the Gaza war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Iran-backed Huthis will pay a “heavy price” for the attack, which started a fire and caused some damage near Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial hub. Palestinian group Hamas, whose October 7 attack triggered the war, praised the missile launch, vowing that Israel “will not enjoy security unless it ceases its brutal aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip.” Israeli medics said several…
All flights at Shanghai’s two main airports were cancelled on Sunday as authorities in the Chinese megacity prepared for a strong typhoon bringing high winds and heavy rain. Typhoon Bebinca is expected to make landfall along a swath of China’s densely populated eastern seaboard between Sunday night and Monday morning, according to Beijing’s emergency management ministry. State broadcaster CCTV reported that all flights at Shanghai’s two main airports would be cancelled from 8 pm on Sunday (1200 GMT) because of the storm. “Affected by Typhoon Bebinca, the traffic capacity of Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports has decreased today,” CCTV said.…