Author: Fatimah Idera

The Federal Government has called on state governments to mobilise domestic funding to strengthen the control and eventual elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Nigeria. Deputy Minister of Health, Iziaq Salako, made the appeal at a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the 2026 NTDs Day celebration. He stressed that tackling NTDs is critical to Nigeria’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030, meeting health-related Sustainable Development Goals, and reducing poverty. Salako urged states to create dedicated budget lines for NTD programmes, warning that neglecting the diseases could further marginalise affected populations. He noted that NTDs often thrive…

Reform UK has threatened to take legal action against Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch unless she issues a public apology over comments made about Suella Braverman’s mental health. The row followed Ms Braverman’s defection to Reform UK earlier this week. In an initial statement responding to her departure, a Conservative Party spokesperson said the party had “done all we could to look after Suella’s mental health”, suggesting she had been unhappy. The statement was withdrawn hours later after criticism, and the reference was removed from a revised version. Despite the retraction, Reform UK’s lawyers have written to Conservative Party headquarters, describing…

Driverless cars are expected to begin operating in London later this year, with Google-owned autonomous vehicle company Waymo confirming plans to launch its service once regulatory approval is secured. The company says its self-driving cars are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. Waymo currently has about 24 vehicles on London’s roads, although they are being driven by human drivers. This stage is focused on mapping streets and collecting data. The next phase will involve testing the cars with a safety driver behind the wheel, in line with the government’s code of practice for autonomous vehicles. The…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that UK citizens will soon be able to travel to China without a visa for trips lasting up to 30 days. The announcement was made during his official visit to Beijing, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, and follows talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Downing Street said the visa-free arrangement, which will apply to tourist and business travel, will bring the UK in line with several European countries including France and Germany. Although no start date has been confirmed, the government said it hopes the measure will take…

Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch has said centrist ideas are no longer welcome in the party, warning that those uncomfortable with her rightward direction should get out of the way. Speaking in Westminster, Badenoch set out her vision for the party following recent defections to Reform UK, dismissing critics and accusing some former colleagues of political “tantrums”. She took aim at former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick and others who have left the party, arguing they lack a credible plan to govern. Badenoch also rejected the approach of Andy Street, the former West Midlands mayor, and Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish…

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Beijing, marking the first visit to China by a British prime minister in eight years. He said the trip is aimed at delivering tangible benefits for people in the UK as he seeks to reset relations with Beijing after years of strained and inconsistent engagement. Starmer travelled with a delegation of nearly 60 representatives from British business, sport and cultural institutions, underlining the government’s focus on trade and economic cooperation. China is the UK’s third-largest trading partner, the world’s second-largest economy and supports an estimated 370,000 British jobs. Downing Street has described…

Pornhub has announced it will restrict access to its website for UK users from 2 February, citing tougher age-verification rules introduced under the Online Safety Act. From that date, only people who already have a Pornhub account will be able to view content on the site. The company said the move follows what it described as the failure of the new legal requirements to prevent children from accessing pornography online. Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, previously said traffic to the site dropped by 77% after the age-check rules came into force in October. Regulator Ofcom has maintained that the tougher checks…

Rwanda has launched legal action against the UK, claiming it is owed money following the cancellation of a controversial migrant relocation agreement between the two countries. The case has been filed with the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, with Rwanda arguing that the UK failed to meet financial commitments set out in the deal. The agreement, signed under the previous Conservative government, allowed the UK to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda in exchange for payments to support the country’s economy. However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer scrapped the scheme in 2024 after Labour came to power, with the Home…

Northern Ireland will be the first part of the UK to introduce a graduated driving licence system, a move aimed at reducing fatal road crashes involving young drivers. The reforms, described as the most significant in 70 years, are modelled on laws already in place in countries such as Australia, the US, and the Republic of Ireland. The new rules, due to take effect in October, will apply to all new drivers, particularly those aged 17 to 23. They include a mandatory six-month waiting period before learners can take their practical driving test and impose restrictions on night-time driving and…

Primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have announced an indefinite strike, ordering a complete shutdown of classrooms from Monday, January2026. The directive was issued by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, following a call by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for all its affiliate unions in the territory to intensify ongoing industrial action. The decision was contained in a communiqué signed by the NUT FCT Chairman, Abdullahi Shafas; Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye. The union explained that although it initially expressed concerns about the coordination of the strike led by…