Russia on Wednesday dismissed any possibility of exchanging occupied Ukrainian territory for Russian-held land, just hours after launching a wave of drone and missile strikes on Kyiv that left one person dead and several injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had suggested the idea of swapping Ukrainian-controlled parts of Russia’s Kursk region for Russian-occupied areas in…
A Saudi company will invest $5 billion to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre in NEOM, the kingdom’s futuristic megacity, state media reported. The agreement, signed between DataVolt and NEOM, will finance the development of a fully sustainable AI data centre with a capacity of 1.5 gigawatts, according to the official Saudi Press Agency…
By Ayomide Otitoju The House of Representatives on Wednesday commenced debates on four tax reform bills transmitted to the National Assembly in 2024 by President Bola Tinubu. The bills, which include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, are scheduled…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Federal Government has officially taken full ownership of Keystone Bank, following a ruling by the Lagos State Special Offences Court on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. In a statement posted on the bank’s X handle, Keystone Bank clarified media reports surrounding the court’s decision, which involved the status of the bank’s former…
The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) has raised concerns over multiple irregularities within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), including financial mismanagement and the disappearance of over 3,900 firearms, including AK-47 rifles feared to be in the hands of criminals. During a review of the Auditor-General’s report, lawmakers uncovered eight infractions against the police, including contract…
Pope Francis has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies, describing them as a “major crisis” that undermines human dignity and causes “unnecessary suffering” for migrants and refugees. In a letter addressed to U.S. Catholic bishops on Tuesday, the 88-year-old pontiff urged the faithful and the global community to reject discriminatory narratives that…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced the introduction of new charges for customers withdrawing cash from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of banks other than their own, effectively ending the three free withdrawals previously allowed. The directive was contained in a circular dated February 10, 2025, and signed by John Onojah,…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Zamfara State Government has dismissed any possibility of negotiating with bandits to restore peace in the state, emphasizing its firm stance against dialogue with criminals. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Governor Dauda Lawal’s media aide, Sulaiman Bala Idris, clarified that the governor was misquoted in an exclusive BBC Hausa interview…
By Ayomide Otitoju The National Universities Commission (NUC) has raised the application fees for establishing private universities in Nigeria by over 400%, citing the need for better coordination and to ensure new institutions meet 21st-century educational challenges. In a statement issued on Monday, NUC Executive Secretary, Abdullahi Ribadu, announced that the fee for purchasing application…
