Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has visited Mayo-Ladde community in Gaya District of Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State, where nine people were killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack.
The governor described the incident as unfortunate and commiserated with families of the victims, assuring residents of his administration’s resolve to restore peace and prevent further attacks.
The assault, which occurred on Tuesday, left a trail of destruction and forced residents to flee to neighbouring communities, including Uba Gaya, where many are currently taking refuge.
Security operatives, supported by local vigilante groups, were able to repel the attackers after a confrontation, forcing them to retreat.
Fintiri commended the military, police, and community-based security groups for their swift response, noting that their intervention helped contain the situation.
Community leaders, however, called for a stronger and sustained security presence to forestall recurring attacks in the area.
Relative calm has since been restored following the deployment of additional military personnel to the affected communities.
The governor was accompanied on the visit by top government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, Auwal Tukur, and Chief of Staff, Edgar Amos, as part of efforts to reassure residents and reinforce confidence in the government’s response to insecurity. (TVCNews)
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed a comprehensive investigation into reports of a fresh COVID-19 case in Cross River State.
Akpabio issued the directive at the close of Thursday’s plenary, mandating the Senate Committee on Health to urgently examine the situation.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ipalibo Banigo, is expected to investigate the reported case and present its findings at the next legislative sitting.
The move follows reports of an isolated COVID-19 case in Cross River State, raising concerns over surveillance, testing and response capacity.
Health authorities are said to be monitoring the situation closely, amid calls for heightened vigilance and adherence to public health guidelines.
Lawmakers said the probe would assess the public health response, the preparedness of health institutions and measures needed to contain any potential spread. (TVCNews)
President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle in the Federal Executive Council, which led to the exit of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ministry, Ahmed Dangiwa.
According to a statement from the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, on Tuesday, the memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, indicated that two cabinet members, Mr. Wale Edun and Architect Ahmed Dangiwa are to leave the cabinet while their replacements have been named.
Edun, until the latest development, was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. He has been directed to hand over to Mr Taiwo Oyedele, who is now to take over as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. Oyedele was formerly a Minister of State in the ministry.
Also, Mr Muttaqha Rabe Darma (PhD) has been named as the ministerial nominee and minister designate for the Housing and Urban Development Ministry.
The memo stated that “all handing over and taking over processes should be completed on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.”
Explaining the President’s decision, Akume said: “These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He said the President, in approving the cabinet reshuffle, has fully exercised his powers as conferred on him by Sections 147 and 148 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended).
The President thanked the outgoing ministers for their services to the nation while wishing them the best in all their future endeavours.
The President, Akume, noted, equally assured all cabinet members that “the process of reinvigoration shall be continuous.” (TVCNews)
Apple Inc. has announced a major leadership transition, naming John Ternus as its next Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tim Cook.
The company said Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, after nearly 15 years at the helm, and will assume the role of Executive Chairman, where he is expected to continue providing strategic direction. The decision follows what Apple described as a long-term succession plan approved by its board.
Tim Cook, who took over from Steve Jobs in 2011, oversaw one of the most successful periods in the company’s history, expanding its global reach and leading the development of key products and services that strengthened Apple’s ecosystem.
His successor, John Ternus, is a longtime Apple insider who joined the company in 2001 and rose through the ranks to become Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. He has played a central role in the development of major products, including the iPhone, Mac and iPad, and is widely regarded within the company for his technical expertise and leadership.
Apple said the transition comes at a pivotal time as the company navigates increasing competition and rapid technological change, particularly in artificial intelligence and advanced hardware.
The appointment of Ternus underscores Apple’s tradition of promoting from within and ensuring continuity in leadership, as the company positions itself for its next phase of innovation under a new generation of leadership. (TVCNews)
Outside a morgue in south-eastern Turkey about a dozen men rushed to carry a coffin, but it was light – just the weight of a 10-year boy.
His father followed behind, propped up by relatives on both sides but weighed down by grief. “Oh, my martyred child,” he wailed, “oh my darling.”
His son was one of eight children shot dead on Wednesday in the city of Kahramanmaras by a fellow student,14, who also killed a teacher. This city, traditionally famous for its ice cream, now has a new and terrible distinction – it is the location of Turkey’s first deadly mass school shooting.
Relatives, neighbours and emergency services gathered around as coffins emerged one by one each draped in the Turkish flag. There was an angry yell from one woman towards a line of waiting police. “Too late, too late,” she chided. “You didn’t save the children.” Another woman shouted that the attacker should be hung in the main square, but he is already dead. He was killed at the scene.
Outside the main mosque, a mother wept, leaning forward to stroke the coffin of her daughter, Zeynep. From the family home, beside the Ayser Calik Secondary School, she heard the shots that killed her 10-year-old – shots that have reverberated around Turkey.
Relatives told us Zeynep was clever and respectful.
“She became an angel, and she flew away,” said Mahmut, her uncle, his voice breaking. “My only wish is to have more security at the schools, so this does not happen again. This pain landed on us. I do not want it to fall on anyone else.”
The attack came just one day after a former student roamed the corridors of another school in the same region, shooting at will. He wounded 16 but killed only himself.
“There have been two attacks, in a very short period, both in cities with lower incomes,” says Prof Asli Carkoglu, an expert in teen psychology. “These things do have a way of spreading.”
She is worried the deadly shooting here could become “an example for young minds that are frustrated enough”.
The attack was a tragedy but “not a surprise” to people like her who work with young adults and adolescents, she said.
“There have been stabbings, beatings and attempted suicides in the school system,” she told the BBC. “The guns weren’t there before, but the violence was.”
As the victims of the attack were being lowered into their graves, more details were emerging about the killer. The authorities here say he referred on social media to an American gunman, Elliot Rodgers, who killed six students in California in 2014. They also say an entry on his computer, dated 11 April, indicated there would be a major attack “in the near future”.
He did not have to go far to get weapons – just to the bedroom of his father, a former police officer who is himself now under arrest. He has made a statement to the authorities, according to reports in the local media, painting a picture of a bright but troubled teenager who spent a lot of time playing war games on his computer and was attending a psychologist.
While mass school shootings are a familiar horror for the US, this is a new trauma for Turkey. The authorities want to calm the public and control the narrative.
Around 150 people have been detained for social media posts about the killings, accused of spreading misinformation, or “glorifying crime and criminals”. More than 1,000 social media accounts and Telegram groups have been blocked.
There is no evidence of any link between the two attacks this week. And police say “initial findings indicate” that the killer in Kahramanmaras acted alone and was not linked to any terrorist organisation.
At the school gates, now locked, and guarded by police, teachers laid flowers in memory of the children who were killed where they should have been safe. (BBC)
North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday, accelerating its missile launches amid Iran war tensions and talk of possible meetings with the U.S. and South Korea.
Pyongyang’s intense missile activity – this was the fourth such launch this month and the seventh of the year – is meant to display its self-defence capabilities while gaining international leverage, some experts said.
“The missile launches may be a way of showing that – unlike Iran – we have self-defense capabilities,” said South Korean former presidential security adviser Kim Ki-jung.
“The North also appears to be exerting pressure preemptively and make a show of force before engaging in dialogue with the United States and South Korea,” he said.
The seven-week-old U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which has as one aim the curbing of Tehran’s nuclear program, could reinforce Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, experts and former South Korean officials say.
U.S. President Donald Trump, preparing for a summit in China next month, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have repeatedly expressed interest in holding talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. There are no publicly known plans for any meetings.
Lee recently conveyed regret to the North for drone incursions from the South, receiving rare praise from Pyongyang.
Sunday’s missiles were fired from near the city of Sinpo on North Korea’s east coast toward the sea around 6:10 a.m. and flew about 140 km, South Korea’s military said in a statement.
Japan’s government posted on social media that the missiles were believed to have fallen near the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, and no incursion into Japan’s exclusive economic zone had been confirmed.
South Korea’s presidential Blue House convened an emergency security meeting, calling the launches a provocation that violated U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to media reports. It urged Pyongyang to “stop the provocative acts”.
It was not clear what kind of ballistic missiles were fired, but Sinpo has submarines and equipment for test-firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The North last fired a ballistic missile from a submarine in May 2022, and it flew as far as 600 km.
North Korea has made “very serious” advances in its ability to turn out nuclear weapons, with the probable addition of a new uranium enrichment facility, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday.
In late March, North Korean leader Kim said Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state was irreversible and expanding a “self-defensive nuclear deterrent” was essential to national security. (JapanToday)
A humanoid robot that won a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing on Sunday ran faster than the human world record in a show of China’s technological leaps.
The winner from Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker, completed the 21-kilometer (13-mile) race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to a WeChat post by the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, where the race kicked off.
That was faster than the human world record holder, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who finished the same distance in about 57 minutes in March at the Lisbon road race.
The performance by the robot marked a significant step forward from last year’s inaugural race, during which the winning robot finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds.
But the race wasn’t without hiccups — one robot fell flat at the start line, another bumped into a barrier.
Beijing E-Town said about 40% of the robots navigated the course autonomously, while the others were remotely controlled.
State media outlet Global Times reported that a separate, remotely-controlled robot from Honor was the first to cross the finish line in 48 minutes and 19 seconds. But it said the winning one used autonomous navigation and received the championship under the event’s weighted scoring rules.
State broadcaster CCTV reported that the runners-up, which were also from Honor and used autonomous navigation, finished the race in about 51 minutes and 53 minutes respectively. A robot served as a traffic officer to direct the participants with its arm gestures and voice, CCTV added.
In China, technology has evolved into an area of competition with the U.S. with national security implications. Beijing’s latest five-year plan vows to “target the frontiers of science and technology.” Speeding up the development of products like humanoid robots and their applications is part of the 2026-2030 plan for the world’s second-largest economy.
London-based technology research and advisory group Omdia recently ranked three Chinese companies — AGIBOT, Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics Corp. — as the only first-tier vendors in its global assessment for shipment numbers for general-purpose embodied intelligent robots.
They all shipped more than 1,000 units of the robots last year, with the first two companies shipping more than 5,000 units, the report said. (JapanToday)
Matheus Cunha fired Manchester United towards the Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday, while Tottenham remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton.
Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defence ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins.
United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under Michael Carrick.
Cunha swept home Bruno Fernandes’ cross just before half-time to open up a 10-point gap between the Red Devils in third and Chelsea in sixth.
At the other end of the table, Spurs sank ever closer to dropping out of the top flight for the first time in nearly 50 years.
In Roberto De Zerbi’s first home game in charge, Tottenham were heading for their first win in 15 league matches until Georginio Rutter’s strike five minutes into stoppage time.
Pedro Porro’s header was quickly cancelled out by Kaoru Mitoma’s spectacular volley in first-half stoppage time.
Xavi Simons’ stunning strike 13 minutes from time sparked an outpouring of joy around the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Yet, the home fans were silenced in added time when Jan Paul van Hecke outmuscled Kevin Danso and squared for Rutter to blast high into the net.
Spurs edge to within one point of West Ham in the battle for survival.
But the Hammers have a game in hand and could stretch that advantage when they travel to Crystal Palace on Monday.
“Everyone of us knows it’s a tough moment, it’s a difficult situation, but we have another five games, 15 points,” said De Zerbi. “And this team is able to win five games in a row.”
Brighton’s equaliser also saved Wolves from being officially relegated.
But their eight-year stay in the top flight is coming to an end after a 3-0 defeat at Leeds.
Fresh from a first league win away at fierce rivals Manchester United since 1981, Leeds all but secured their top-flight status.
Two goals in two first-half minutes from James Justin and Noah Okafor put the home side in control before Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty in stoppage time rounded off the scoring.
Tottenham’s woeful campaign has been compounded by an impressive return to the top flight by Sunderland and Leeds, to buck the trend of recent seasons.
For the past two years all three promoted sides have gone straight back down.
However, Daniel Farke’s men not only look set for survival, but could reach a first FA Cup final since 1973 should they beat Chelsea in next weekend’s semi-finals.
Bournemouth piled more pressure on Newcastle manager Eddie Howe with a 2-1 win at St James’ Park.
The Cherries showed no ill effects from the news that Andoni Iraola will depart as boss at the end of the season.
Marcus Tavernier and Adrien Truffert struck for the visitors to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to 13 matches.
Bournemouth climb to eighth and within four points of the Champions League places.
Newcastle, by contrast, remain in 14th with their hopes of European football next season all but over.
Brentford missed the chance to leapfrog Chelsea into the top six after being held to a 0-0 draw by west London rivals Fulham.
Leaders Arsenal travel to Manchester City in a clash that could decide the destiny of the title race on Sunday.
The Gunners hold a six-point lead, but City have a game in hand and home advantage when the top two clash at the Etihad Stadium. (JapanToday)
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026, with Nigerian music legends Fela Kuti and Sade Adu among the globally recognised artists being inducted for their lasting influence on music and culture.
The announcement, made on April 13, 2026, revealed a wide-ranging list of inductees across multiple categories, including Performers, Early Influence Award recipients, Musical Excellence honourees, and a special Ahmet Ertegun Award. The induction ceremony is scheduled for November 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, and will later be broadcast on ABC and Disney+.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is regarded as one of the highest honours in the global music industry, recognising artists whose work has significantly shaped the evolution of rock and popular music across generations, while also serving as a museum that preserves and documents global music history.
In the Performer category, Sade joins a diverse lineup that includes Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan, reflecting the Hall of Fame’s recognition of artists who have shaped rock, soul, R&B, and alternative music across decades.
Sade, whose full band identity blends jazz, soul, and R&B influences, is celebrated for a timeless catalogue that has sold millions of records worldwide. The group’s music is widely regarded for its emotional depth and signature sound, which has remained influential across generations.
In the Early Influence category, Fela Kuti is honoured alongside Celia Cruz, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons, recognising pioneers whose work reshaped musical direction and cultural expression globally.
Fela Kuti is described by the Hall of Fame as a revolutionary figure who fused jazz, West African rhythms, and soul to pioneer Afrobeat, while using music as a tool for political expression and social commentary.
Born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in 1938, he rose to prominence after forming his band Koola Lobitos in London and later developing Afrobeat after exposure to African American jazz, funk, and civil rights-era influences in the United States.
He is credited with transforming music into a vehicle for resistance, with works such as Expensive Shit and Water No Get Enemy reflecting both artistic innovation and political criticism.
The Hall of Fame noted that despite being jailed and widely criticised during his lifetime for anti-government messaging, Fela Kuti remains one of the most influential African musicians in global history.
Other honourees in the Musical Excellence category include Rick Rubin, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, and Linda Creed, recognised for shaping modern music production and songwriting.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame stated that eligibility requires artists to have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior, with selections made by industry professionals, historians, and past inductees.
The 2026 class has been described as one of the most diverse in the institution’s history, reflecting its continued expansion beyond rock into global, cross-genre musical recognition. (AriseNews)
Pope Leo XIV has criticised foreigners who exploit the wealth of Africa for profit during his visit to a conflict-hit region of Cameroon.
It is one of several forthright remarks he has made over the last day, including blasting those who spend billions on wars and telling Cameroon’s government to root out corruption for peace to prevail.
He has spent the day in Bamenda, a city at the centre of Cameroon’s brutal and long-running separatist rebellion.
Internal problems were exacerbated by outsiders who “in the name of profit, continue to lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it”, he told an estimated 20,000 worshippers at a Mass at Bamenda Airport.
Earlier, joyful crowds sang, drummed and waved flags to welcome the leader of the Catholic Church, who arrived under military escort in a bullet-proof white vehicle.
Ahead of his visit, Anglophone separatists had announced a period of “safe travel passage”.
The Pope’s first stop was at a peace meeting in Bamenda held at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral about the nearly 10-year insurgency in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions that has left at least 6,000 people dead and many more forced from their homes.
“Those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilisation and death,” said the 70-year-old Pope.
Since 2017, those seeking to create a breakaway state in Cameroon’s Anglophone region have been fighting government forces.
They are angered by what they see as the marginalisation of Cameroon’s English-speaking minority by the Francophone-dominated government.
Religious leaders and victims of the Anglophone conflict took turns to share the impact of the fighting with the Pope.
A Muslim leader decried the killing of members of the Mbororo indigenous community, looting of cattle and other items.
A nun revealed details of her kidnap by separatist fighters, highlighting the severity of the conflict.
Another man shared how he was forced to flee his home.
The Pope commended their work and said it was a model for the whole world: “Let us thank God that this crisis has not degenerated into a religious war.”
Commentators say the Pope has been unusually blunt in his speeches in Cameroon.
On Wednesday at the presidential palace in the capital, Yaoundé, he gave pointed advice to the government during at address also attended by President Paul Biya.
“In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption – which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility – must be broken,” he said. (BBC)
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