Foreign
Diphtheria outbreak: EU donates €150,000 to Nigeria
Diphtheria outbreak: EU donates €150,000 to Nigeria
The European Union (EU) has donated the sum of €150,000 as humanitarian fund to prevent the spread of diphtheria and assist the most affected communities in Kano, Katsina, Lagos and Osun states.
This was revealed in a statement by the EU Mission to Nigeria on Monday.
The funding which equals N75 million will enable the Nigerian Red Cross (NRC) to provide emergency assistance to reduce the impact of diphtheria on affected and at-risk communities through risk communication, outbreak control activities, surveillance, patient referral, hygiene promotion and early case detection in affected areas.
The humanitarian assistance would directly and indirectly target around 1,585,080 people, with a particular focus on vulnerable people at risk of diphtheria, those living in sheltered communities or hard-to-reach locations.
“The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC),” the statement noted.
There has been significant increase in diphtheria cases in Nigeria since the beginning of the year.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection transmitted between humans. It causes an infection of the upper respiratory tract, which can lead to breathing difficulties and suffocation. Those most at risk are children and people who have not been fully vaccinated against the disease.
On January 20, 2023, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) officially declared an outbreak of diphtheria in Kano and Lagos States after several suspected cases appeared a month earlier.
“The disease then spread rapidly to other states. From 136 cases in the first week of 2023, the country now records a total of 733 suspected cases and deplores 89 fatalities.
“The outbreak is described as one of the most serious occurrences in Nigeria in recent years with children aged between five and 18 years being the most vulnerable group,” the statement added.
Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.
The EU through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. Through its headquarters in Brussels and its global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people based on humanitarian need alone.
The European Commission has signed a €3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the IFRC, to support the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to ‘small-scale’ disasters, those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.
The DREF was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF.
For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million.
Foreign
Trump at UN: Iran ‘Can Never Be Allowed’ to Obtain Nuclear Weapons

By: Fabian Apechihin
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday told the United Nations General Assembly that Iran must never be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons, branding Tehran “the world’s number one sponsor of terror.”
Trump said Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities were “totally obliterated” during June’s 12-day conflict, crediting a US-led strike codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer.


“Seven American B-2 bombers dropped fourteen 30,000-pound bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facility, completely destroying it,” Trump declared. “No other country could have done what we did. We have the greatest weapons on Earth. We hate to use them, but we did what the world has wanted for 22 years.”
The president said that, shortly after taking office, he had offered Iran full cooperation in exchange for halting its nuclear program, but Tehran rejected the overture. Instead, he accused Iran of escalating threats to its neighbors and to US interests.
According to Trump, the military campaign forced a breakthrough, paving the way for an end to the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. He cast the truce as both a victory for American power and a step toward regional stability.
While hailing the strike as a historic achievement, Trump’s speech underscored the continuing hostility between Washington and Tehran, despite what he described as a short-term ceasefire.
Do you want me to sharpen this into a hard-news brief (just the essentials in 4–5 sentences), or keep the expanded version with military details and quotes?
Foreign
Trump to Criticize ‘Globalist’ Bodies, Palestinian Recognitions in UN Speech

By: Fabian Apechihin
US President Donald Trump will take aim at“globalist institutions” and Western governments’ recognition of a Palestinian state in his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, the White House said on Monday.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s first UN speech of his second term will highlight “the renewal of American strength around the world” while accusing multilateral bodies of undermining global order.
“The president will also touch upon how globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order, and he will articulate his straightforward and constructive vision for the world,” Leavitt said.
Trump, a longtime critic of the UN, has previously slashed US funding to its agencies and pulled Washington out of several multilateral agreements under his “America First” agenda.
On the sidelines of the assembly, Trump will hold a multilateral meeting with leaders of key Muslim nations — including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan — Leavitt disclosed.
The speech comes amid tensions over recent decisions by Britain, Canada, and Australia to recognize a Palestinian state, with France expected to follow. Trump has condemned the moves, arguing they amount to “a reward to Hamas.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, due to speak at the UN on Friday, has vowed to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank in response to the recognitions.
Trump will also meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Kyiv’s push for Western-backed security guarantees, and separately hold talks with Argentina’s President Javier Milei after Washington signaled possible economic support for Buenos Aires.
Would you like me to make the headline sharper and more dramatic (e.g. “Trump to Blast UN, Western Allies Over Palestine at General Assembly”) or keep it formal and neutral like above?
Foreign
The Qatari Ministry of Interior has dismissed claims that it introduced new visa restrictions targeting Nigerian passport holders.

By: Fabian Apechihin
According to BBC Pidgin, an official of the ministry said Nigerians remain eligible to apply for visas, with no changes to existing procedures.
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The viral claims had alleged that Qatari authorities banned male applicants from travelling to the Gulf state unless accompanied by family members.
The reports also suggested that only women or families could apply for visas, with requirements including a five-star hotel booking and proof of a return flight before consideration.
According to the claims, the purported measures were linked to frequent cases of overstays by Nigerian travellers.
However, Hayya, Qatar’s official digital platform for e-visa services, confirmed that the application process remains unchanged.
“There has been no suspension or changes to the current procedures. If any updates are to be made, they will be announced on our official platforms,” Hayya said.
Qatar has witnessed a steady rise in Nigerian visitors in recent years, particularly as an alternative travel hub during the diplomatic row between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (2021–2024), which led to visa restrictions and suspension of direct flights.
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