The Nigerian government has assured continued access to HIV treatment nationwide despite the suspension of U.S. funding, the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Program (NASCP) said on Wednesday. NASCP Coordinator, Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, confirmed that antiretroviral drugs remain available at all designated treatment centers and emphasized the government's commitment to eliminating HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by 2030 under the “Free to Shine” campaign. He noted that Nigeria has conducted HIV product quantification for 2025–2029 to secure treatment supplies and is implementing data-driven strategies to strengthen services and improve care for people living with HIV.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has affirmed the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Inc. by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, confirmed the ruling in a statement on Friday, adding that the tribunal also awarded the commission an additional $35,000 to cover investigation expenses. In July 2024, Nigeria, through the FCCPC, slammed a $220 million fine on Meta for alleged data privacy breaches. The company was found answerable for denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determination, unauthorised transfer and sharing of Nigerian data, including cross-border storage in violation, discrimination and disparate treatment, abuse of dominance, and tying and bundling. Meta challenged this fine on 22 grounds, arguing that the Commission’s directives were vague, technically unfeasible, and unsupported by Nigerian law. It also claimed that it was denied a fair hearing and had n...

  A Russian drone strike hit a civilian bus in the Ukrainian city of Marhanets on Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring 49 others, Ukrainian officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a deliberate war crime, stating on X that the bus was clearly a civilian vehicle transporting workers from a mining and processing plant. “It was an egregiously brutal attack on a civilian target – an absolutely deliberate war crime,” he said, urging an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire.” Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 134 attack drones overnight across the country. Russia has not yet commented on the incident. The strike occurred as Ukrainian officials arrived in London for talks focused on initiating a ceasefire, despite the absence of several major world powers. Marhanets, located in south-central Ukraine, lies on the Ukrainian-held side of the Dnipro River. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak confirmed the casualty figures.

Manchester United are interested in signing Wolves forward Matheus Cunha this summer. The Brazilian, who has a £62.5m release clause in his Wolves contract, is expected to leave Molineux at the end of the season. Multiple club sources have told BBC Sport the 25-year-old is one of a number of attacking options on United's shortlist, with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, 22, also of interest. Improving United's scoring record is a priority for head coach Ruben Amorim. Only Southampton, Leicester City, Ipswich, Everton and West Ham have scored fewer than the 38 goals United have managed in 33 Premier League matches this season. Cunha is viewed as an ideal addition to play in one of the two attacking midfield positions in Amorim's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. Cunha - Wolves' top scorer this season with 16 goals to his name in all competitions - plays in a similar system under current boss Vitor Pereira. United are set to face competition from a number of Premier League club...

  The  leader  of the  Roman   Catholic   Church Pope Francis, has died at age 88. He died on Monday at 7:35am, a day after making a much-hoped-for appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday. Following the recent news concerning Pope Francis, numerous world leaders have extended their heartfelt condolences, reflecting the deep respect and admiration the pontiff commands across nations and faiths. As the spiritual head of over a billion Catholics and a respected moral voice on the world stage, any development concerning the Pope resonates far beyond the Vatican. Iran Iran offered condolences on Monday following the death of Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, at the age of 88. “My colleagues have just informed me of the news… I offer my condolences to all Christians around the world,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said at a press briefing. Iran, a Muslim-majority country, maintains close ties with the Vatican. Israel Israe...

  The Trump administration is reportedly considering shutting down nearly 30 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, including several in Africa, as part of a broader plan to scale back America’s diplomatic footprint. According to a CNN report citing an internal State Department document, proposed closures include embassies in the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Lesotho, and South Sudan, as well as a U.S. consulate in South Africa. Other affected posts span Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. The plan, reportedly influenced by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency, aims to significantly reduce federal spending and the size of the State Department. The document also proposes scaling back operations in countries like Somalia and Iraq, key to U.S. counterterrorism efforts. There has been no official response from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the State Department declined to comment on the leaked proposal.

The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday said it would sanction its personnel captured in a viral video receiving money from Chinese nationals. In the viral video, some Chinese were seen handing out naira notes to Nigerian policemen in a lined-up formation. The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians expressing disappointment and calling for reforms within the Force. The footage captured the moment the officers, fully armed and in uniform, received cash from the foreign nationals in what appeared to be a coordinated and deliberate exercise. Worried by the situation, Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, condemned the conduct of its officers, describing their actions as unprofessional and unethical. He emphasized the commitment of the Force to upholding professionalism and maintaining public trust. “The Nigeria Police Force has taken cognisance of a disturbing video making rounds in the media space, showing police officers receiving money from a Chinese national,” he st...

  El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said in the Oval Office on Monday he would not return Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland man illegally deported to El Salvador — to the United States, as Trump administration officials passionately stated that they were in no position to force the decision. “How can I return him to the United States? Am I going to smuggle him? Of course I’m not going to do it,” Bukele said while sitting beside President Donald Trump. “The question is preposterous.” The Supreme Court last week said the Trump administration must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, while leaving in place much of U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis’ order that specifically required his “return” to the country. The president deferred to his top administration officials Monday, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, senior adviser Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to field questions about the administration’s intentions, in what appeared to be an orche...

Algeria has ordered 12 French embassy officials to leave the country within 48 hours, intensifying a diplomatic rift sparked by France’s indictment of three Algerian nationals—one reportedly a consular official—over the 2024 abduction of anti-government influencer Amir Boukhors (Amir DZ). French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot firmly established the suspension on Monday, persuading Algeria to reconsider, warning of reciprocal action. Barrot said the expulsion of diplomats was directly linked to the case of Boukhors, who has lived in France since 2016 and was granted political asylum there in 2023. The French foreign minister has urged Algiers to reconsider the expulsions, saying that Paris would be forced to retaliate if it does not. "I am asking Algerian authorities to abandon these expulsion measures. If the decision to send back our officials is maintained, we will have no other choice but to respond immediately," Barrot said. Although relations between France and its fo...

US President Donald Trump is in "excellent cognitive and physical health", says his White House physician. In a three-page summary of the comprehensive exam from Friday, the doctor said Trump is “fully fit to execute the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.” Trump weighed 224 at the checkup, down from 244 at that physical more than four years ago "President Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function," his doctor, Captain Sean Barbabella, said in a memo. At 78, Trump was the oldest president to take office in January, though his predecessor, Joe Biden, was older at 82 by the time he left. As a part of Friday's nearly five-hour medical examination at the Walter Reed hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, Trump received several blood tests, a cardiac examination and ultrasounds, said his doctor, a US Navy emergency physician who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. "His active lifestyle c...

  Israel announced Saturday it had completed construction of a new security corridor cutting off the southern city of Rafah from the rest of Gaza, and the military said it would soon expand “vigorously” in most of the small coastal territory. “Activity will expand rapidly to additional locations throughout most of Gaza and you will have to evacuate the fighting zones,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, without saying where Palestinians were meant to go. The announcement advised Palestinians to remove Hamas and release the remaining hostages, saying: “This is the only way to stop the war." Israeli troops were deployed last week to the new security corridor referred to as Morag, the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, after the army ordered sweeping evacuations covering most of Rafah — an indication it could soon launch another major ground operation. The Rafah municipality in a statement called Israel's actions a “flagrant ...