Author: Olukayode Oke

Excitement Builds As Teams Secure Qualification For 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the highly anticipated 48-team FIFA World Cup fast approaching, several nations have already secured their spots for the 2026 tournament, set to take place across North America. The competition, scheduled from 11 June to 19 July 2026, will be the first to feature three host countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—while also marking a historic expansion from 32 to 48 teams. Hosts Set the Stage As co-hosts, the United States, Mexico, and Canada have automatically qualified for the tournament. The United States, ranked 16th in the world, will…

US Vice-President JD Vance Reaffirms Interest In Greenland During Brief Visit. US Vice-President JD Vance made a brief yet controversial visit to Greenland today, accompanied by his wife, Usha, and President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz. The trip, which lasted only a few hours, focused on security concerns in the Arctic region and reignited discussions about the US’s interest in Greenland. Military Visit and Security Concerns During the visit, Vance toured the US Pituffik Space Base, located in the remote northern part of Greenland. He engaged with American troops stationed there and emphasised the growing strategic importance…

President Tinubu Seeks Divine Intervention For Nigeria’s Stability And Progress. President Bola Tinubu has called for divine intervention in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including national stability, peace, and the protection of lives and property. The President made the appeal on Friday during a special prayer session at the National Mosque in Abuja, held ahead of his 73rd birthday on Saturday, 29th March. Tinubu, who joined fellow Muslims in observing two Rakat Jumaat prayers, expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for preserving him in the task of leading the nation. Prayers for National Stability and Progress Speaking after the prayer…

Tinubu, Okpebholo Condemn Mob Killing In Edo, Call For Justice. President Bola Tinubu and Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, have strongly condemned the killing of travellers falsely accused of being kidnappers by a mob in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The victims, identified as hunters travelling for Sallah, were intercepted by a local vigilante group. Upon discovering dane guns in their vehicle, the group hastily concluded they were kidnappers, leading a mob to set them ablaze. Presidential Directive for Swift Justice In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information…

NIMASA Seeks Removal Of War Risk Insurance On Nigeria-bound Cargoes. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has launched a campaign to eliminate war risk insurance (WRI) premiums on Nigeria-bound cargoes, a surcharge that has cost the country over $1.5 billion in payments to international insurers in the past three years. War Risk Insurance: A Lingering Financial Burden War risk insurance covers losses from acts of war, including invasion, rebellion, and hijacking, and is widely applied in the shipping and aviation industries. NIMASA’s Head of Public Relations, Osagie Edward, disclosed in a statement on Friday that the agency…

Brazil Sack Dorival Junior After Humiliating 4-1 Defeat To Argentina. In a dramatic turn of events, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has sacked head coach Dorival Junior following a crushing 4-1 loss to arch-rivals Argentina in a 2026 World Cup qualifier. The announcement, made with immediate effect, marks the end of Junior’s tenure after just over a year in charge of the Seleção, as Brazil now scramble to find a new manager to steer their World Cup campaign back on track. The decision comes in the wake of Tuesday’s thrashing in Buenos Aires, where Brazil were comprehensively outplayed by…

Kaduna SDP Denies El-Rufai’s Membership, Rejects Alleged Dissolution Of State Exco. The Kaduna State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dismissed claims that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is a member of the party. The party clarified that El-Rufai has not officially joined the SDP in Kaduna and urged him to follow due process if he wishes to do so. El-Rufai’s Membership Remains Unconfirmed During a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, the party’s Assistant National Secretary for the Northwest zone, Idris Inuwa, stated that there is no official record of El-Rufai’s membership within the party’s…

Real Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti To Face Trial For Alleged Tax Fraud. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to stand trial next week over allegations of tax fraud, with Spanish prosecutors accusing him of failing to declare more than €1 million in earnings from image rights in 2014 and 2015. Legal Proceedings Set to Begin A Madrid court confirmed that Ancelotti’s trial will commence on 2 April 2025 and is expected to last two days. The 65-year-old Italian must be present for the hearings, where prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of four years and nine months. …

Nigeria Introduces Stricter Visa Rules To Bolster Immigration Control. In a bold move to tighten immigration oversight, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has unveiled a new visa policy aimed at curbing overstays by foreign visitors. The announcement, made earlier today, introduces significant penalties for those who exceed their permitted stay in the country. Under the new regulations, individuals who overstay their Nigerian visa by three months will face a five-year ban from re-entering the country. For those who remain beyond a year, the penalty escalates to a decade-long prohibition. The measures, described by the minister as a necessary…

Hundreds Feared Dead As Powerful Earthquake Strikes Myanmar And Thailand. A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck central Myanmar, causing widespread devastation and triggering tremors across neighbouring countries, including Thailand. The full scale of the disaster remains unclear, but early reports indicate that hundreds may have lost their lives, while dozens remain trapped in collapsed structures. Myanmar Declares State of Emergency The Myanmar military government has declared a state of emergency in six regions: Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, eastern Shan State, and Naypyidaw. Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, is among the worst-hit areas, with multiple buildings, including hotels, schools, and…

NCDC Deploys Rapid Response Teams To Combat Meningitis Outbreak. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to Kebbi, Sokoto, and Katsina States following a significant increase in suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM). The outbreak has affected 22 states, with 807 suspected cases and 74 reported deaths as of 26th March 2025, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 9.2 per cent. States Affected by the Outbreak The affected states include Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Oyo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kaduna, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Ekiti,…

Lagos State Tackles Healthcare Workforce Shortage With Medical Education Expansion. The Lagos State Government has announced a significant shortfall in healthcare professionals, including a deficit of 30,000 doctors and a critical shortage of nurses, pharmacists, dentists, laboratory scientists, and other allied health workers. Government’s Strategic Response Addressing the crisis, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, revealed that the state has embarked on an ambitious plan to strengthen medical education and expand training facilities. Speaking during the official handover of key medical infrastructure for conversion into modern academic facilities, he highlighted that the initiative is a response to the…