Author: News Room

The Nigerian Medical Association, Akwa Ibom State branch, has urged the state government to urgently enhance security and improve the welfare of doctors and other healthcare workers. According to a post on its Facebook page, the association issued the call at the end of a two-day State Officers Committee leadership retreat held in Uyo, following renewed concerns about attacks on healthcare workers and disruptions to medical services at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH). The retreat, held from 5 to 7 September in Uyo, brought together members of the NMA-AKS State Officers Committee to deliberate on issues affecting the medical profession…

The UK High Court has ruled that allegations that witnesses who testified for Shell over oil spills in Nigeria sought to mislead the court can be examined ahead of the full trial of a long-running legal battle involving two Niger Delta communities. The ruling followed a series of hearings in July 2026 concerning claims by the communities that their land in Bille, in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, was devastated by oil pollution allegedly caused by Shell. In a statement issued by Leigh Day, a UK law firm representing the communities, and shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the firm said the…

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit has commenced plans to establish a Joint Financial Intelligence Collaboration framework aimed at strengthening financial intelligence sharing between public and private sector institutions. The proposed framework is expected to enhance collaboration among regulators, banks, insurance companies, fintechs, Virtual Asset Service Providers, technology firms and other stakeholders in identifying emerging financial threats and disrupting illicit financial networks. The NFIU in a statement released on Thursday said the initiative was discussed at a high-level stakeholder engagement organised by the NFIU with the support of the British High Commission, Nigeria, and the Convention for Business Integrity. “Nigeria has…

While both new watches look similar to their predecessors, there are a number of updates under the hood that might intrigue some people enough to warrant a preorder. My colleague Victoria Song got hands-on with both smartwatches, and runs down the biggest changes, from the Audio Intelligence features made possible by the S11 chip (included in the Series 12 and Ultra 4), plus the possible impact of its improved sensors and tracking capabilities.If you don’t want to wait for reviews to hit before you make the purchase, the Series 12 starts at $399 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Apple itself…

The Liquid Network has resumed block production following a $320 million Bitcoin withdrawal, although transactions and peg operations remain suspended as recovery efforts continue.In a Thursday post on X, Liquid said block production had resumed “without transactions” as a precaution while the network is monitored to “confirm full stabilization.” Required updates to its functionary and bridge nodes have been deployed, with functionary nodes now signing and validating blocks as intended.Peg operations, including PAK-authorized peg-outs, remain suspended while the network works to restore its BTC/L-BTC reserve.A day earlier, Liquid released an emergency update to Elements, the software underlying the network, to address…

Henry Winkler is looking back on his longtime rift with fellow actor Tom Hanks. In a recent interview on talk show In Depth with Graham Bensinger, the Happy Days icon, 80, recalled being fired as the director of Hanks’ 1989 movie Turner & Hooch amid simmering tension between him and the Oscar winner. Winkler said he had agreed to direct Turner & Hooch despite his “instinct” warning him that he wouldn’t be a good fit for the movie. “I guess, being insecure at that time, I talked too much,” Winkler said of working with Hanks, 70, and costar Mare Winningham. “I…

The Ondo State Police Command says it has commenced an investigation into the deaths of 27 people in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state. The command disclosed this in a statement by its spokesperson, Jimoh Abayomi, on Wednesday in Akure, the state capital. The victims, residents of Araromi-Obu, Odigbo and Orita New Town, died under circumstances suspected to be connected with poisoning. Mr Abayomi said the police, in collaboration with the Ondo State Government and relevant health authorities, have commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incidents with a view to determining the actual cause of the reported deaths. “Police…

Veteran Nollywood actor Pete Edochie has sparked conversations on social media following a wide-ranging interview in which he spoke about his career, marriage, culture, politics and his standing in the Nigerian film industry. The actor, renowned for his commanding screen presence and proverbial expressions, was a guest on comedian Isbae U’s “Curiosity Made Me Ask”, where he fielded questions about subjects ranging from being described as a Nollywood legend to his views on marriage and cultural identity. Several excerpts from the interview have since circulated on social media, generating debate over some of the 79-year-old actor’s views. Several excerpts from…

The Federal Government has announced that Nigerian students will begin receiving 100 megabytes of free daily data from October 1, 2026, to access approved educational websites and digital learning platforms. The initiative, being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission in partnership with telecommunications operators and the Federal Ministry of Education, will initially cover learners in public senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the commencement date on Thursday at the launch of the Initiative for Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content in Nigeria in Abuja. “Let me let out the secret. This…

A new federal program to test the feasibility of electric, hybrid-electric, and autonomous aircraft kicks off today in Texas — before the rules governing this new technology have even been finalized.For the next week, these companies will conduct test flights demonstrating future routes between cities and regional airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The aircraft won’t carry any passengers, but regulators will be keen to see how the state’s air traffic control system handles the uptick in flight traffic. The companies, meanwhile, are eager to prove to the federal government that their aircraft deserve to be awarded type certification,…