Iran’s women’s football team, which refused to sing the national anthem in protest against the Islamic regime during their opening Asian Cup match, has been labelled traitors by state television, sparking fears among the players as they prepare to return home. The players remained silent during the national anthem ahead of their match against South Korea at the Gold Coast, an act seen by the international community as a silent protest against Tehran amid the ongoing war. However, they later sang the national anthem and saluted their flag during the match against the Matildas on Thursday night. A conservative pro-regime…
Author: Newsdesk
As many as 200 children have been killed across the Middle East since the outbreak of US and Israeli operations against Iran, UNICEF has reported. According to UNICEF, 181 of the 200 children were killed in Iran, while seven were killed in Lebanon, three in Israel, and one in Kuwait since the beginning of the war. The death toll from the Israel-US joint strikes on Iran stands at 1,230 people, according to various estimates. “Children do not start wars, but they pay an unacceptably high price. The military escalation across the Middle East has already had a devastating impact on children,”…
Indonesia has joined the list of countries who have banned social media for children under 16. The announcement was made by the country’s Communication and Digital Affairs Minister, Meutya Hafid, on Friday. Hafid in a statement to media said she just signed a government regulation that will mean children under the age of 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. Australia was the first nation who banned social media access to teenagers last year. Several other countries, including Malaysia, France and Spain, are either enacting or…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has inaugurated a Task-Force on “Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods” in Ebonyi. Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the agency, represented by the South-East Zonal Director, Dr Festus Ukadike inaugurated the taskforce in Abakaliki on Friday. Adeyeye said the inauguration was part of the agency’s efforts to combat the incidence of counterfeit, fake drugs, and unwholesome processed foods not only in Ebonyi but Nigeria at large. NAN reports that the task-force comprised representatives of NAFDAC, the state Ministry of Health, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Pharmaceutical Society of…
Rwanda has approved a draft law to regulate virtual assets, aiming to create a clear and safe framework for the emerging sector. The law targets digital representations of value that can be traded or used for investment but does not include traditional currencies like the Rwandan Franc, US Dollar, or Euro. The draft law addresses the growing adoption of virtual assets globally, recognizing both the opportunities for innovation and economic growth and the risks such as money laundering and financing illegal activities. It aligns with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and is intended to protect…
The Federal Government is to establish a digital registry for radiographers and strengthen regulatory oversight to eliminate quackery in the profession and strengthen regulation in Nigeria’s diagnostic healthcare service. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, made this known on Friday in Abuja, while presenting a letter of appointment to the new Registrar of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria,(RRBN), Prof. Yusuf Garba. Salako said the creation of a comprehensive digital database of practitioners would enable authorities to track licensed radiographers and identify unregistered operators within and outside Nigeria. The minister emphasised that the initiative…
The Anambra State Government says it has successfully recovered a number of oil wells that were previously attributed to neighbouring Delta State following a verification exercise by federal authorities. This was disclosed by Charles Ofoegbu, Managing Director of the Anambra State Solid Minerals Development Company and Chairman of Anambra State Petroleum Energy Resources Limited, while briefing journalists in Awka on Thursday. He explained that the development followed a verification carried out by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) on oil wells located within the Anambra River Basin. Ofoegbu added that the state’s revenue allocation from the Federal Government…
The Dangote Group has appointed Dr. Pontsho B. Mokoena as its new Group Chief Risk Officer, effective March 2026, as the conglomerate strengthens its risk management and governance structure. The company announced the appointment on Thursday. In her new role, Mokoena will oversee Enterprise Risk Management, Insurance, and Digital Transformation across the Group. Her responsibilities will include enhancing risk governance, strengthening organisational resilience, and supporting strategic decision making as the company advances its Vision 2030 growth ambitions. The appointment comes as the Dangote Group continues to expand its industrial footprint across Africa, requiring stronger oversight of operational, financial, and strategic…
Biostimulants are gaining global attention as agriculture looks for ways to improve crop resilience, nutrient efficiency and stability. However, while adoption is accelerating internationally, significant opportunities remain for wider use in South Africa – particularly in the grain sector. The role of biostimulants in crop systems was also a key theme at the recent National Grain Research Platform Annual Meeting at the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa campus, where scientists and industry specialists examined how advances in plant science could accelerate adoption in grain production as well as many other important agricultural topics. According to Venessa Moodley, Biologicals Lead at Omnia…
The South African government will fully cover the cost of vaccinating the national livestock herd against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed in a media statement issued on 5 March 2026. According to the statement, the decision means farmers will not pay for vaccines administered as part of the country’s response to recent outbreaks of the highly contagious animal disease. The vaccination campaign is already underway across provinces as authorities intensify efforts to control the spread of FMD and protect the agricultural economy. Steenhuisen said vaccine supplies have been distributed nationwide and that hundreds of thousands of animals…