Author: bibncollar

The European Commission has approved the emergency distribution of an experimental antiviral drug to France, Spain and the Netherlands as authorities respond to a widening hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship. European health officials confirmed that initial shipments of favipiravir, an antiviral considered a possible treatment for hantavirus infections, are being sent to the affected countries following urgent requests for medical assistance. According to the Commission, the European Medicines Agency identified favipiravir as the most appropriate treatment option currently available for compassionate use and clinical trial programmes, since there is no approved medication specifically developed for hantavirus infections.…

Legal counsel to Nigerian singer, Simi, has revealed that she and her team reviewed more than 5,000 tweets allegedly targeted at trolling and harassing the music star online. The lawyer and entertainment executive, Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, popularly known as Foza, made the disclosure during an appearance on the JayOnairLive show, where she criticised the sustained cyberbullying directed at Simi and her husband, Adekunle Gold. Foza questioned why the singer was subjected to coordinated online attacks, especially during her pregnancy, stressing that the intention appeared to be to emotionally break her down. According to her, “We went through over 5,000 tweets of…

The United States Treasury on Wednesday announced fresh sanctions targeting Iran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority, accusing Tehran of using the strategic Strait of Hormuz to pressure global maritime trade and generate revenue. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Iranian government’s move to collect fees from vessels passing through the waterway showed that sanctions pressure had weakened the country’s finances. According to the Treasury Department, any individual or company paying the imposed fees could also face sanctions for allegedly supporting Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Bessent stated that US measures had already blocked Iran from accessing tens of…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has secured the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election, defeating former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in the party’s primary. Atiku polled 1,846,379 votes to beat Amaechi, who garnered 540,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen finished third with 177,120 votes. The result was announced by returning officer Tunde Ogbeha, after which ADC National Chairman David Mark presented the party flag to Atiku as its standard bearer for the 2027 presidential election. The development sets the stage for another fierce three-way contest similar to the…

Several Nigerian celebrities have voiced outrage over the abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State, describing this year’s Children’s Day celebration as heartbreaking and painful. Among those who reacted were Toke Makinwa, Paul Okoye, Ruth Kadiri, Patience Ozokwor, Mercy Eke, Tayo Sobola, Kehinde Bankole, and Chiwetalu Agu, all of whom took to social media to demand the safe return of the victims using the hashtag #BringBackOurStudents. Reacting to the incident, Ruth Kadiri lamented the worsening insecurity in the country, saying fear and uncertainty had replaced the freedom Nigerians once enjoyed. She described the abduction of children as every…

The African Development Bank has named Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, as the African Champion for its $7 billion Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa (IATP). In a statement released on Wednesday in Brazzaville, the bank said the appointment recognises Nigeria’s strong leadership and policy reforms aimed at revitalising the aviation sector. As African Champion, Keyamo will lead advocacy and implementation efforts for the programme across the continent. The AfDB also invited him to its Annual Meeting scheduled for May 28, 2026, in Brazzaville, where Nigeria and the bank are expected to formally sign a…

NASA has revealed the next phase of its strategy to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon, detailing plans for robotic landers, hopping drones and transport vehicles that will support future lunar missions. The initiative is part of the United States’ broader goal of returning astronauts to the Moon before the end of President Donald Trump’s term in 2029, amid growing competition with China in the new space race. China is also advancing its lunar ambitions and aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. Earlier this week, the country launched the Shenzhou-23 mission carrying astronauts to the…

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has claimed that nearly 30,000 armed militants are currently operating across Nigeria, contributing significantly to religious violence and insecurity in several parts of the country. In its May 2026 report titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” the commission stated that the armed groups, which operate in units ranging from 10 to 1,000 members, have emerged as some of the deadliest non-state actors responsible for violations of religious freedom in Nigeria. According to USCIRF, the militants have intensified attacks across the Middle Belt and Southern regions, resulting…

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has stated that the gradual expansion of the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals is reshaping Nigeria’s downstream oil industry, cutting reliance on imported fuel and improving the country’s external financial position. In its latest assessment of Nigeria’s petroleum market and regulatory framework, the EIU noted that the refinery has significantly altered a sector that had long depended heavily on imported refined products despite Nigeria being Africa’s largest crude oil producer. According to the report, the refinery supplied nearly 80 per cent of Nigeria’s domestic petrol demand in April and is now producing…

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has expressed concern over the worsening plight of Nigerians abroad, revealing that many citizens experiencing xenophobic attacks in South Africa would rather remain there than return to Nigeria. Obi made the remarks during a dinner organised for NDC aspirants in Abuja shortly after returning from South Africa, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the party’s media team. He said efforts were made to support distressed Nigerians willing to return home, but many declined the offer, insisting that living conditions in Nigeria were even more difficult. “I just returned…