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 Panama‑flagged cargo ship sinks off Western Sahara, Morocco's transport ministry says A Panama‑flagged cargo vessel, the Dura Bulk, sank off the coast of Western Sahara, Morocco's transport ministry said. The ship, which was carrying a cargo of clinker, a key ingredient in cement production, went down on Saturday after reporting water ingress en route to Laayoune's port in Western Sahara, the ministry said in a statement, Reuters reported. All crew have been rescued, and authorities opened an investigation into the incident, it added.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Sunday said the National Assembly approved a hybrid system of electronic and manual transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act to prevent voter disenfranchisement and reduce apathy ahead of the 2027 general elections. Abbas explained that Nigeria’s limited internet penetration and unstable power supply made it impractical to rely solely on real-time electronic transmission across the country. Speaking during a courtesy visit from the Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Felix Costales, at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, Abbas said, “Sometimes, people scream far beyond the exact level of the issue. “A lot of people think that we need to embrace electronic transmission in real-time in Nigeria, but within the very short period that you’ve been in Nigeria, you should be able to speak on the quality of our internet network. “You should know that even in advanced cities like Abuja, you are not guaranteed st...

 PRESS REL‍EASE REVOLUTION‍IZING UR‌BAN MOBILITY: A‍B‌IA STATE GOVERNMEN⁠T CO⁠MME⁠NCES CASHLESS P‍AYMENT S‍YSTEM F‌O‌R GREEN SHUTTLE BUS S‌ERVIC‍ES The Abia State Government ha‍s commenced the full rol‍l‌out of the Abia‌ Connect Ca‍rd, the official cashless payment system fo‍r th⁠e Green‌ Shuttle Bus Service, as part of the de⁠liberate efforts‌ of the administrati⁠on of H⁠is Excelle‌n‌cy, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti,‍ OFR, to modernize public t‍ranspo‌rtation and de‌liver a seamless commuting experience to Ndi Abia. This initiative, driven through the Ministry of Transportation, represents another mi⁠lestone in the ongoing transforma‌tion of critical public infrast‌ructure under the pre‌sent administration. It r⁠einforce‍s our commitment to buildi⁠ng a digital⁠, transp‍are‌nt, an⁠d effici‍ent transport ecosystem across the State. The transition to the Ab‍ia Connect Card al‌s‌o known as the “Abia‍ Sta‍te Card”, eliminates the i‍n⁠conveniences a‍ssociated with c⁠ash payments, includ‌ing del...

  ICPC recovers wiretapping equipment allegedly capable of tapping conversations and sensitive security documents from the Abuja residence of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai The commission said all the suspected items were retrieved in the presence of the former governor’s wife, Hadiza, and his son, Mohammed Bello, during a search on El-Rufai’s residence. The agency also alleged that the former governor declined to cooperate with investigators, opting to remain silent until he is brought before a court. It added that an aide of the former governor linked to the investigation had escaped from the country. The anti-graft body made the claims in processes filed before the court, where El-Rufai is seeking redress and release from detention. The commission also said it obtained a legal order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to detain el-Rufai for 14 days, which is due to expire on Thursday. It denied allegations of arbitrary detention and repression...

 Okpaligwe Amawbia Chief Uche Sunday Okonkwo Initiated into Ozo Society By Regina Igwebuike Chief Uche Sunday Okonkwo, the certified Traditional Ruler of Amawbia community, has been initiated into the prestigious Ozo society, marking a significant step toward his coronation as Okpaligwe Amawbia. The four-day ceremony, which began on February 26, was attended by dignitaries, including the Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, Mayor Awka South, Prince Chinedu Okafor, political appointees, traditional rulers, age grades, women folks, friends and well-wishers. The initiation involved traditional rituals, including kpololo ozo, washing of hands and legs, and festivities.  In his address, Chief Okonkwo expressed gratitude to Ndi Ozo, Ndi Nze, Amawbia Town Union Executive, friends, and well-wishers for their support. He promised to lead Amawbia to greater heights, restoring peace, unity, and lost glory, noting that Ozo title is a symbol of le...

 FAAN APPEALS FOR PATIENCE AND COOPERATION AS GO CASHLESS PROGRAMME COMMENCES The federal airports authority of Nigeria (FAAN) appreciates all motorists and airport users as the faan go cashless programme officially comes into full operation on Sunday march 1st 2026, at the access gates of the Murtala Muhammed international airport Lagos and  Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport Abuja in alignment with the federal government’s directive on cashless transactions.   FAAN on its x handle acknowledges the traffic build-up experienced at the access gates on sunday march 1st.  The authority says despite the wide publicity, notices, and repeated announcements issued ahead of the commencement date, a significant number of motorists opted to register for their go cashless cards at the gates on sunday which created pressure on the toll lanes and resulted in temporary gridlock.  FAAN remains deeply empathetic to the inconvenience experienced.  To ease the situati...

 Air India, IndiGo suspend all flights to Middle East India’s two largest private carriers IndiGo and Air India suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East on Saturday after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran. “In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended,” Air India said in a statement posted on X. IndiGo said it was also suspending flights temporarily in view of the safety and security of customers and crew. “Our teams are continuously monitoring the evolving situation and recalibrating operations to minimise disruption as much as possible,” the carrier said on X. New Delhi has historically balanced its ties with Israel while engaging widely with other Gulf nations, home to millions of Indian migrants. The region is also a critical source of energy for the world’s fastest growing major economy. The strikes on Iran come just a day after Prime Ministe...