Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been thrown into mourning following the death of his sister-in-law, Safiya Ali Rufai. The death was announced by Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency. According to Bello, the deceased passed away on Friday after a brief illness. He wrote in a social media post, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. “May Allah SWT bless the gentle soul of our mother, Aunty Safiya Ali Rufai. She sadly passed away today on Sallah day after a brief illness. Another reminder of the fickle nature of life. She will be…
Author: Newsdesk
The United States military is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, American officials confirmed Friday. The deployment includes the USS Boxer along with its Marine Expeditionary Unit and accompanying warship. The move comes one day after President Donald Trump denied plans to send American soldiers to the Middle East region. Ashenews reported Thursday that Trump ruled out deploying American soldiers to the Middle East as the Iran war heads toward a fourth week. “I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you. But I’m not putting troops. We will do whatever is necessary,” Trump told reporters Thursday during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime…
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he sent an official delegation to the US in a bid to move forward suspended negotiations on ending Russia’s invasion of his country. A senior Kremlin official also indicated on Friday that a new round of US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv will likely take place soon. The trilateral talks, which have yet to produce any breakthrough on key issues, have been on ice while the Iran war has dominated international attention. Zelenskyy is keen to restore momentum to the negotiations and said late Thursday that he had sent representatives to the US for a…
The United Kingdom has announced a fresh round of increases to visa and travel authorisation fees, with the new rates set to take effect from April 8, 2026. The revised charges will impact a broad category of travellers, including tourists, students, skilled workers, and individuals seeking permanent residency or citizenship. The adjustment reflects a continued upward review of immigration-related costs, with some categories experiencing modest increases and others recording more significant jumps, particularly for long-term stay applications. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), a mandatory requirement for most visa-exempt travellers entering the UK, will see its fee increase to £20. The ETA applies to…
Nigeria stands at 106 in the 2026 World Happiness Report, indicating a steady slip from 105 in 2025 and 102 in 2024. The report unveiled on Thursday showed the happiness ranking of 147 nations as the world observes the International Day of Happiness. Ashenews gathered through NAN reports that the World Happiness Report is released annually as part of the celebration of the day. The International Day of Happiness, celebrated on March 20,was established by the UN General Assembly on June 28, 2012 to make people around the world realise the importance of happiness within their lives. Mauritius ranks as the 73th happiest…
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has rejected claims that compensation for affected tenants and property owners in the Ojo area is linked to inducement, emphasizing that all payments follow Lagos State Government-approved policies. In a post on X on Friday, the authority stated: “LAMATA firmly rejects any suggestion of inducement. All compensation payments are strictly guided by Lagos State Government-approved policies designed to ensure fairness and support relocation.” The authority highlighted that Lagos State remains the only subnational government in Nigeria that compensates tenants in such circumstances, as demonstrated in both the Red Line and Blue Line projects.…
The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) says it remains committed to promoting sustainable mining practices for national development. The President, Ms. Rose Ndong, stated this at a press briefing to commence the society’s 262nd Council Meeting in Uyo on Friday. Ndong said the meeting would be preceded by a conference with the theme: “Optimising Efficiency, Sustainability and Resilience in Natural Resource Management and Infrastructure Development.” She said the theme reflects current realities and the need to adopt innovative, efficient and sustainable approaches to managing Nigeria’s natural resources. “As a nation richly endowed with natural resources, Nigeria needs to build…
Apostle Folorunsho Alakija, Africa’s richest woman, has rged Nigerian women to remain steadfast and not be discouraged by rejection, stressing that persistence, courage and faith are critical to achieving success. Alakija, who is also the founder of Famfa Oil and a philanthropist, said women should not be limited by gender in pursuing their visions. She spoke at an exclusive leadership conversation held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Women’s Day, hosted by Optiva Capital Partners. It was recalls that International Women’s Day, held on March 8, had the theme: “Give to Gain.” She described…
Some dental public health specialists have debunked the common myth that teething causes diarrhoea in infants. They made this known in separate interviews with reporters in Ibadan to commemorate World Oral Health Day (WOHD) on Friday. WOHD is marked every March 20, with this year’s theme: “A Happy Mouth is a Happy Life.” The experts noted that stooling in teething babies is more likely due to crawling on dirty surfaces and putting objects in their mouths. According to them, such habits can lead to stomach upsets, not teething, as many people believe. They also warned against using engine oil or…
Zambia has delayed a $320m US health funding agreement after leaked details revealed Washington tied the package to access to mineral resources and data, raising concerns over sovereignty and strategic control. The stalled agreement reflects a broader shift in US policy under President Donald Trump, where development aid to African countries is increasingly tied to economic interests, particularly access to critical minerals vital for global energy and technology supply chains. Documents published this week by advocacy group Health Gap show the proposed deal includes a phased funding structure, beginning at $320m in 2025 and declining to $112m by 2030. The…