President Bola Tinubu has met Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of his two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
They met on the steps of 10 Downing Street in central London on Thursday.
The president’s historic state visit to the UK is the first state visit by a Nigerian president in 37 years (since the last one before the return to democracy in 1999).
Tinubu arrived in the UK on Tuesday, where he was received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
The visit included royal engagements, a state banquet, and discussions on various bilateral issues. It involved closed-door bilateral talks.
The president is expected to sign a £746 million financing deal related to port infrastructure, along with other agreements/MoUs on trade, defence, and culture.
Today also marks the final day of the visit, after a farewell from the royal family. (Channels)
Senegal’s football authorities said they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the country was stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday.
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” it said in a statement.
“To defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the federation will, as soon as possible, file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.”
Several Senegalese players controversially walked off the pitch in Rabat during the final on January 18 in protest when the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time.
After Senegal’s players eventually returned having been coaxed back onto the pitch by captain Sadio Mane, Morocco missed the penalty and Pape Gueye went on to score the goal in extra time that gave his team a 1-0 victory.
CAF said that having studied Morocco’s appeal, “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match” and the result was “officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of Morocco.
The CAF Appeals Committee justified its decision by applying Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, which state that if a team “refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it shall be considered (loser) and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition”.
The articles add that the team contravening the regulations “will lose its match by 3-0”.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said in a statement its appeal “was never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations”.
“The Federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, to the clarity of the competitive framework, and to the stability of African competitions,” the statement added.
Senegal’s football authorities said they will appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” it said in a statement.
Minutes before the end of the match, some Senegalese supporters attempted a pitch invasion, while Senegal’s players halted the game for nearly 20 minutes to protest the late penalty awarded to Morocco.
The controversial spot-kick was awarded by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala right at the end of the allotted eight added minutes in normal time following a VAR check for a challenge on Brahim Diaz by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
The game was goalless at the time and Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with the spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time.
But Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted ‘Panenka’ chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
The game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium then went to extra time, and Gueye’s brilliant 94th-minute strike won it for Senegal.
Several of the team’s players posted on social media after the announcement that they had been stripped of the title.
Defender Moussa Niakhate, who plays for French club Lyon, posted a picture of himself lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy with a message that said “they’re mad”, in an apparent reference to CAF.
In the immediate aftermath of the final, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had condemned “some Senegal players” for the “unacceptable scenes”.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport, it is simply not right,” Infantino, who attended the match, said.
In late January, CAF imposed a series of disciplinary sanctions, including fines amounting to several hundred thousand euros, on the federations of both countries for unsportsmanlike conduct and violations of fair play principles.
The appeal trial of 18 Senegalese supporters, imprisoned since the final and sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to one year for “hooliganism,” which was scheduled to take place on Monday, has been postponed until March 30. (Channels)
King Charles III on Wednesday praised what he described as a “partnership of equals” between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, as he hosted Bola Tinubu at a state banquet marking the first visit by a Nigerian leader in nearly four decades.
he banquet, held at Windsor Castle, brought together senior officials, business leaders, and cultural figures from both countries, underscoring deepening diplomatic and economic ties.
In his opening remarks, King Charles described the relationship between both nations as built on mutual respect and shared progress.
“Britain and the former British colony have a deep bond and a partnership of equals that has brought us both enormous benefits,” he said.
The monarch also highlighted Nigeria’s growing economic influence.
“Nigeria is an economic powerhouse. It has not merely changed, it has arrived,” he said, adding that “Nigeria is investing in Britain’s future as much as Britain is investing in Nigeria’s.”
King Charles paid glowing tribute to Nigerians living in Britain, describing them as central to the country’s development.
“We in the United Kingdom are blessed that so many people of Nigerian heritage… are now at the heart of British life,” he said.T
The King noted their contributions across sectors, including business, technology, academia, law, science, sports, literature, and the arts.
“I have met so many of these quiet heroes in our schools, businesses, National Health Service, and universities, including countless young people who have flourished through the work of my King’s Trust over the last 50 years,” he said.
He added with humour, “Only last week, I was delighted to host a rather lively group of them to a jollof and tea party at St. James’s Palace. I was firmly assured that the jollof was only the best — Nigerian, of course… or perhaps Ghanaian or Senegalese. Diplomatically, I cannot remember.”
The monarch also acknowledged Nigeria’s cultural footprint in Britain, referencing Afrobeats, Nollywood, and Nigerian excellence across professions.
“From Afrobeats filling our concert halls and Nollywood captivating our screens… so much of Britain’s culture is in truth profoundly enriched by Nigerians,” he said, before concluding: “Naija no dey carry last.”
Acknowledging history, King Charles noted that while the relationship has evolved, it is not without its challenges.
“There are chapters in our shared history that I know have left painful marks… no words can dissolve these,” he said.
The King also thanked Tinubu for visiting during Ramadan, describing it as “no small sacrifice,” and wished him “Ramadan Mubarak.” The banquet—adjusted to accommodate fasting—featured an iftar and provisions such as a prayer room.
Tinubu, while responding, echoed the sentiment.
“Our people remain the strongest bridge between our two countries,” he said, pointing to their impact in healthcare, sports, and beyond.
“Our two nations share a vision of progress based on mutual respect and common values,” President Tinubu added, noting he was the first Nigerian leader to speak at Windsor Castle.
Also in attendance were the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu; Queen Camilla, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Chief Wale Edun; National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribad; and President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
The attendees include the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.); Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Ms. Hannatu Musawa; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, among other cabinet members.
Governors in attendance were Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Peter Mbah (Enugu), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), among others.
Other prominent guests at the banquet included Maro Itoje, Christine Ohuruogu, Eniola Aluko, Ben Okri, and Tiwa Savage—figures the King described as a “living bridge” between both nations.
Earlier, President Tinubu was received with full state pageantry, including a guard of honour and a ceremonial gun salute, as artillery rang out across Windsor.
Nigerian and British flags lined the streets while the President and the King inspected troops in traditional regalia.
The visit, part of a two-day state engagement, is aimed at strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, security, and education, while also recognising the role of the Nigerian diaspora in the UK.
It is the first visit by a Nigerian president in 37 years.
President Tinubu is scheduled to meet Keir Starmer and engage with members of the Nigerian diaspora as part of the visit.
The trip builds on longstanding ties between both countries, with London hosting a large Nigerian community that continues to play a vital role in strengthening bilateral relations. (Channels)
Another three members of the Iran’s women’s soccer team who accepted refugee visas to stay in Australia have decided to return to their homeland, an Australian government minister said on Sunday.
The departure leaves three of an initial seven squad members in Australia.
“Overnight, three members of the Iranian Women’s Football Team made the decision to join the rest of the team on their journey back to Iran,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Burke added.
Iran’s team arrived in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup last month, before the war in the Middle East began on Feb. 28.
Initially, six players and a support staff member from a squad list of 26 players accepted humanitarian visas to stay in Australia before the rest of the Iranian contingent flew from Sydney to Malaysia on March 9.
Another later changed her mind and left Australia. Three left Sydney for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday night, a government official said. The rest of the team has remained in Kuala Lumpur since they left Australia.
Concerns about the team’s safety in Iran heightened when the players didn’t sing the Iranian national anthem before their first match.
The Australian government was urged to help the woman by Iranian groups in Australia and by U.S. President Donald Trump. (JapanToday)
The UK’s King Charles III has welcomed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Windsor Castle in the first state visit by the leader of Africa’s most populous nation in nearly four decades.
More than 1,000 soldiers were out in force on Wednesday for the diplomatic show of soft power by the royal family.
With trade between the two countries at a record high, Charles is using the two-day visit to highlight the pair’s deep cultural and commercial links.
Tinubu has made less formal visits to the United Kingdom several times during his tenure, and the two countries remain major partners in trade, aid and defence. London is also home to a large Nigerian diaspora of about 300,000 people.
Nigeria’s presidency said the visit signalled a “renewed chapter” and reflected a shared commitment to “advancing trade and strengthening diplomatic ties”.
King Charles and Queen Camilla greeted the president and his wife in Windsor, west of London, as artillery fired salutes.
Both Nigerian flags and Union Jacks fluttered amid the procession.
The Nigerian president and his wife earlier chatted with heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Catherine, at a hotel in the town.
Calling the visit “historic”, London announced Nigerian companies, including banks, are expanding operations and creating hundreds of jobs in the UK, strengthening it as a global hub for African business.
The party then rode in carriages to the historic Windsor Castle.
Later, the king and queen showed the president and first lady items from the UK’s colonial rule of Nigeria, which existed until 1960. (AlJazeera)
Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra state, has been sworn in for a second term in office.
Onyekachukwu Ibezim also took the oath of office for a fresh tenure as deputy governor.
Soludo secured victory in the November 2025 governorship election, which was conducted across 5,718 polling units in Anambra state.
The incumbent polled 422,664 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came second with 99,445 votes.
Soludo was sworn in on Tuesday in Awka, the state capital, with several dignitaries in attendance.
Among those present were Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and former Nigerian presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.
The event was attended by political stakeholders, government officials, supporters, and traditional rulers. It signposts the beginning of a new four-year tenure for the governor.
In his inauguration address, Soludo said he would deliver on his campaign promises.
He said his re-election was a “unanimous endorsement of his programmes and objectives”, promising the people of Anambra that “we would not take your support for granted”.
He thanked the federal government and international community for partnering with his government in the last four years.
The governor also appreciated members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and APC, saying “all progressives are working together”.
“Politics and elections are over. It’s time to work together for the development of Anambra,” he added. (TheCable)
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka beat Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the Indian Wells final Sunday for her first title at the California desert tournament.
Sabalenka, a runner-up in 2023 and ’25, finished off the win at the with a big serve that Rybakina hit long. It was a sweltering afternoon on the court as the temperatures soared into the 90s.
The 27-year-old Sabalenka had a chance to close out the third set but was broken at 5-4. Rybakina found herself with a championship point in the tiebreaker, only to have Sabalenka hit a backhand winner.
This marked the 16th time the two players have met, with Sabalenka now holding a 9-7 advantage. Rybakina of Kazakhstan beat Sabalenka at the 2025 WTA Finals championship and the Australian Open two months ago. She also edged Sabalenka in the finals at Indian Wells in 2023.
“What a day,” Sabalenka said after the match.
In the men’s final later Sunday, Daniil Medvedev faces Jannik Sinner, who has won eight of his last nine matches against Medvedev. (JapanToday)
World number two Jannik Sinner surged home to beat Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4) on Sunday to capture his first Indian Wells ATP Masters 1000 crown.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sinner won his first title of 2026, rallying from 0-4 down in the second-set tiebreaker to seal the win against a resurgent Medvedev, winner of the title in Dubai last month who was riding a nine-match ATP winning streak.
That included an upset semi-final triumph over Carlos Alcaraz that ended the top-ranked Spaniard’s 16-match winning streak to start the season.
But Sinner, who didn’t drop a set in the tournament, proved just that bit better in a match where both sets went to the tiebreakers without a break of serve.
“I kept believing and kept pushing,” Sinner said of his closing burst. “I went for my shots a little more. A third set, we would have started even, so I tried my best to close it out and I am very happy. It was an incredible ending.”
Sinner didn’t face a break point in the one-hour 55-minute contest, winning 43 of the 47 points on which he put his first serve in play.
Medvedev saved the only two break points he faced in the seventh game of the opening set, but Sinner’s tiebreaker prowess proved too much.
Medvedev was up 5-4 in the first-set tiebreaker when he let a ball sail by him and it landed in.
He’d go on to save one set point, but Sinner gave himself another with a blistering forehand that the Russian couldn’t handle and pocketed the set with a thundering service winner.
Medvedev looked on track to level the match when he raced to a 4-0 lead in the second-set decider — aided by Sinner’s second double-fault of the match.
But Sinner roared home to join Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as the only players to win all six of the ATP’s hardcourt Masters 1000 tournaments.
Medvedev, who lost to Alcaraz in the Indian Wells finals in 2023 and 2024, missed his chance to become just the second player to beat both Alcaraz and Sinner in the same tournament.
But the former world number one underscored his return to form after a disappointing 2025 campaign and will return to the top 10 on Monday. (JapanToday)
Philip Aduda, a former senator, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aduda was received into the ruling party on Monday in Abuja by Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC national chairman.
Earlier on Monday, Aduda, who represented the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2011 and 2023 in the senate, resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Aduda, an ally of Nyesom Wike, the minister of the FCT, attributed his decision to quit the PDP to the leadership crisis in the opposition party.
The former senator expressed appreciation to the PDP for the opportunity to serve in various elective positions in the country.
Earlier this month, Wike said Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the FCT in the senate, would not be re-elected in 2027, claiming that she has “no project to show”.
Aduda lost the FCT senatorial election in 2023 to Kingibe. Aduda would later challenge the outcome of the polls, but both the tribunal and the appeal court upheld Kingibe’s election. (The Cable)
Hollywood’s best and brightest have been honoured with the most coveted awards in the movie industry, the Oscars.
One Battle After Another led the way with six wins, while Hamnet‘s Jessie Buckley and Sinners‘ Michael B Jordan scooped the top acting honours.
See the full list of winners and nominees below.
Best picture
WINNER: One Battle After Another
Bugonia
Frankenstein
F1
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best actress
WINNER: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Emma Stone – Bugonia
Best actor
WINNER: Michael B Jordan – Sinners
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Best supporting actress
WINNER: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Best supporting actor
WINNER: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
Best director
WINNER: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Jessie Buckley, left, winner of the award for best actress in a leading role for “Hamnet,” and Michael B. Jordan, winner of the award for best actor in a leading role for “Sinners,” pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Best supporting actress
WINNER: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Best supporting actor
WINNER: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
Best director
WINNER: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
Best animated feature
WINNER: KPop Demon Hunters
Arco
Elio
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Best international feature
WINNER: Sentimental Value
It Was Just an Accident
Sirât
The Secret Agent
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Best documentary feature
WINNER: Mr Nobody Against Putin
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through the Rocks
The Alabama Solution
The Perfect Neighbor
Michael B. Jordan, left, winner of the award for actor in a leading role for “Sinners,” and Ryan Coogler, winner of the award for writing (original screenplay) for “Sinners,” pose in the press room at the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Best original screenplay
WINNER: Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Blue Moon – Robert Kaplow
It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi
Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
Sentimental Value – Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier
Best adapted screenplay
WINNER: One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
Bugonia – Will Tracy
Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro
Hamnet – Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell
Train Dreams – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Best original song
WINNER: Golden – KPop Demon Hunters (by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park)
Dear Me – Diane Warren: Relentless (by Diane Warren)
I Lied to You – Sinners (by by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson)
Sweet Dreams of Joy – Viva Verdi! (by Nicholas Pike)
Train Dreams – Train Dreams (by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner)
Best original score
WINNER: Sinners – Ludwig Goransson
Bugonia – Jerskin Fendrix
Frankenstein – Alexandre Desplat
Hamnet – Max Richter
One Battle After Another – Jonny Greenwood
Best cinematography
WINNER: Sinners – Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Frankenstein – Dan Laustsen
Marty Supreme – Darius Khondji
One Battle After Another – Michael Bauman
Train Dreams – Adolpho Veloso
Best film editing
WINNER: One Battle After Another – Andy Jurgensen
F1 – Stephen Mirrione
Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie
Sentimental Value – Olivier Bugge Coutté
Sinners – Michael P Shawver
Best sound
WINNER: F1 – Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A Rizzo and Juan Peralta
Frankenstein – Greg Chapman, Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke and Brad Zoern
One Battle After Another – José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio and Tony Villaflor
Sinners – Chris Welcker, Benjamin A Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor and Steve Boeddeker
Sirât – Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas and Yasmina Praderas
Best visual effects
WINNER: Avatar: Fire and Ash – Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
F1 – Ryan Tudhope, Nicolas Chevallier, Robert Harrington and Keith Dawson
Jurassic World Rebirth – David Vickery, Stephen Aplin, Charmaine Chan and Neil Corbould
Sinners – Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter and Donnie Dean
The Lost Bus – Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen and Brandon K McLaughlin
Best production design
WINNER: Frankenstein – Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
Hamnet – Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton
Marty Supreme – Jack Fisk and Adam Willis
One Battle After Another – Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino
Sinners – Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne
Best production design
WINNER: Frankenstein – Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
Hamnet – Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton
Marty Supreme – Jack Fisk and Adam Willis
One Battle After Another – Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino
Sinners – Hannah Beachler and Monique Champagne
Best make-up and hairstyling
WINNER: Frankenstein – Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey
Kokuho – Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino and Tadashi Nishimatsu
Sinners – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine and Shunika Terry
The Smashing Machine – Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein
The Ugly Stepsister – Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg
Best costume design
WINNER: Frankenstein – Kate Hawley
Avatar: Fire and Ash – Deborah L Scott
Hamnet – Malgosia Turzanska
Marty Supreme – Miyako Bellizz
Sinners – Ruth E Carter
Best animated short
WINNER: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Butterfly
Forevergreen
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters
Best live action short
WINNER (TIED): The Singers
WINNER (TIED): Two People Exchanging Saliva
A Friend of Dorothy
Butcher’s Stain
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
Best documentary short
WINNER: All the Empty Rooms
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
English