New Post Africa

Category: International

  • Pope Leo XIV moves into Apostolic Palace apartment from Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio

    Pope Leo XIV moves into Apostolic Palace apartment from Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio

    VATICAN CITY — (NPA) March 15 — The Holy See Press Office has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV has taken possession of the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace, moving in with close collaborators on Saturday afternoon.

    Matteo Bruni, Director of the Press Office, said the pontiff had previously resided at the Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio since the start of his pontificate, where he had lived while serving as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. The newly renovated apartment, located in the Third Loggia of the Apostolic Palace, includes a private study overlooking St. Peter’s Square, a library, and a small chapel.

    According to the Vatican, Pope Leo removed the seals on the apartment in May 2025, which had been placed following the death of Pope Francis, who chose to reside at Casa Santa Marta. The residence has historic significance, with Saint Pius X (1903–1914) being the first pontiff to occupy the rooms in the Third Loggia.

  • US strikes Iran’s Kharg Island as Trump warns of total destruction of oil assets

    US strikes Iran’s Kharg Island as Trump warns of total destruction of oil assets

    ABUJA, NIGERIA — (NPA) MARCH 14 — The United States Army Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed a large-scale precision strike on Iran’s oil-rich Kharg Island and the epicentre of its oil and industry.

    In a statement on Saturday, CENTCOM said the operation destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile bunkers, and multiple military sites, successfully hitting more than 90 Iranian targets while deliberately preserving the island’s oil infrastructure.

    Following the attack, US President Donald Trump warned that any further Iranian attempt to block vessels in the Strait of Hormuz would trigger the destruction of Iran’s oil and gas assets on Kharg Island. The island, which handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports, sits near the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic chokepoint through which 20% of global oil flows. Control or disruption of Kharg directly impacts global energy markets and regional security.

    A portion of the CENTCOM statement read: “Last night, U.S. forces executed a large-scale precision strike on Kharg Island, Iran. The strike destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers, and multiple other military sites. U.S. forces successfully struck more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, while preserving the oil infrastructure.”

    Iran has vowed to retaliate by targeting energy production facilities across the region if its oil and gas infrastructure comes under attack.

    The escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran shows no sign of easing. The confrontation began two weeks ago, with Iran launching missile strikes on Gulf nations and energy infrastructure in a bid to drive up global energy costs as part of its war strategy.

    Meanwhile, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has expressed concern over the rising tensions, warning that any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz or Kharg Island could destabilise global oil supply and trigger sharp price increases. OPEC urged restraint from all parties, stressing the need to safeguard energy infrastructure critical to the stability of international markets.

  • PHOTO REPORT: Pope Leo XIV meets Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, as they make their ‘ad Limina Apostolorum’ visit to Rome on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

    PHOTO REPORT: Pope Leo XIV meets Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, as they make their ‘ad Limina Apostolorum’ visit to Rome on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

    INTERNATIONAL — (NPA) MARCH 14 —Watch Pope Leo XIV’s message to Catholic Bishops of Nigeria during their ad Limina Apostolorum visit to Rome on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

    Credit: VATICAN News.

  • US places $10 million high-stakes bounty on Supreme Leader and other Iranian leaders

    US places $10 million high-stakes bounty on Supreme Leader and other Iranian leaders

    INTERNATIONAL — (NPA) MARCH 14 — The U.S. State Department has offered $10 million and a pathway to resettlement in America for Iranians who can reveal the whereabouts of ten senior figures in the Islamic Republic’s power structure. The move is part of Washington’s campaign against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

    Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and Ali Larijani, national security adviser and veteran politician, are the most recognisable names. Not all ten are identified; four positions, including the secretary of the defence council, are listed only by title, reflecting rapid turnover after recent airstrikes and the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February.

    The bounty notably excludes some of Iran’s top leadership. President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi — who assumed collective leadership after Khamenei’s death — are absent. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who joined Friday’s pro-Palestinian march in Tehran alongside Larijani and Pezeshkian, also escaped inclusion.

    The timing coincided with Quds Day demonstrations, where leaders reaffirmed support for the Palestinian cause. Yet beneath the political theatre lies a deeper vulnerability: Iran’s economy has been battered for years by sanctions, mismanagement, and corruption. Inflation and soaring costs have left citizens struggling. Against this backdrop, Washington’s promise of reward and relocation may resonate more strongly, offering not just money but escape from a system many feel has failed them.

    This bounty program continues America’s strategy of targeting the IRGC’s upper ranks — not through battlefield confrontation alone, but by incentivising insider betrayal. Whether Iranians will respond remains uncertain, but the U.S. is betting that economic desperation, coupled with the lure of a new life abroad, could succeed where military strikes and sanctions have struggled.

  • US sanctions facilitators of DPRK IT worker $800 million fraud scheme

    US sanctions facilitators of DPRK IT worker $800 million fraud scheme

    LAGOS, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 13, 2026 — The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned six individuals and two entities for their roles in North Korea’s government-orchestrated IT worker schemes that defraud U.S. businesses and generate revenue for its weapons programs. These operations reportedly raised nearly $800 million in 2024.

    On Thursday, in a statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “The North Korean regime targets American companies through deceptive schemes carried out by its overseas IT operatives, who weaponize sensitive data and extort businesses for substantial payments.”

    DPRK IT workers use stolen identities and fraudulent documentation to gain employment abroad, with most of their earnings funneled back to Pyongyang to support WMD and missile programs. Some workers have also introduced malware into company networks.

    OFAC’s latest action targets facilitators in North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Spain. Among them are Amnokgang Technology Development Company, which manages overseas IT delegations, and Vietnamese CEO Nguyen Quang Viet, who converted $2.5 million into cryptocurrency for DPRK-linked workers. Others designated include Do Phi Khanh and Hoang Van Nguyen, who assisted sanctioned nuclear procurement facilitator Kim Se Un, and DPRK national Yun Song Guk, who led IT teams in Laos.

    As a result, all property and interests of the designated persons in the U.S. are blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Violations may result in civil or criminal penalties, and foreign institutions risk secondary sanctions if they facilitate significant transactions on behalf of those designated.

    OFAC emphasized that sanctions aim to change behavior, not punish, and outlined procedures for petitioning removal from its Specially Designated Nationals list.

  • ‘Your own scammy existence demarkets Nigeria,’ Mike Arnold blasts Reno Omokri in renewed feud

    ‘Your own scammy existence demarkets Nigeria,’ Mike Arnold blasts Reno Omokri in renewed feud

    LAGOS, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 13, 2026 — Mike Arnold, former mayor of Blanco City, Texas, and now an activist on religious violence in Nigeria, has launched a scathing attack on Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri.

    The clash followed Omokri’s announcement on social media that he had successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, despite predictions from his critics that he would fail. Omokri wrote: “I am back on ground to put the fear of God on any and every person whose desperation to preside over Nigeria pushes them to de-market my country.”

    Responding, Arnold accused Omokri of dishonesty and complicity in Nigeria’s governance failures. “Your own scammy existence demarkets Nigeria,” he wrote, adding: “Nobody respects you. Not your children, not your boss. And certainly not your late father. You are a soulless, demonic jester.”

    The exchange is the latest in a feud dating back to 2025, when Arnold accused Omokri of manipulation and misrepresentation during joint initiatives in Nigeria, Kenya, and the U.S. What began as a dialogue effort quickly devolved into a bitter public dispute, eroding trust and credibility on both sides.

  • UAE intercepts fresh wave of Iranian missiles and drones amid escalating conflict

    UAE intercepts fresh wave of Iranian missiles and drones amid escalating conflict

    LAGOS, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 13, 2026 — The United Arab Emirates’ air defence systems intercepted seven ballistic missiles and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran, the UAE Ministry of Defence announced Friday.

    The latest strikes bring the total number of attacks on the UAE since the outbreak of war on February 28 to 285 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,567 UAVs.

    According to the ministry, the attacks resulted in six fatalities among Emirati, Pakistani, Nepali, and Bangladeshi nationals, and 141 injuries ranging from minor to moderate. Those injured include citizens of the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

    “The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared to deal with any threats and will firmly confront attempts to undermine state security, ensuring the protection of sovereignty, stability, and national interests,” the statement said.

    The conflict, which erupted between the United States, Israel, and Iran, has seen Iran target Gulf energy infrastructure, contributing to volatility in global oil markets. While Tehran insists its strikes are aimed at U.S. bases and assets, several civilian facilities — including homes and airports — have been hit, raising questions about Iran’s objectives in the region.

  • Russia accuses Ukraine of targeting civilians, erasing canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church

    Russia accuses Ukraine of targeting civilians, erasing canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church

    LAGOS, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 12, 2026 — The Russian Government has accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians in the ongoing conflict, alleging that Kyiv is venting frustration over its failures on the frontlines.

    A statement from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday, claimed that more than 240 civilians, including 13 children, were affected in the past week, with 31 killed. Newpost Africa has not independently verified these claims.

    The statement quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova: “Russian law enforcement agencies continue to hold Ukrainian fighters and mercenaries accountable on criminal charges. As of March 7, the DPR’s judiciary bodies had delivered 1,084 guilty verdicts. The neo-Nazi Kiev regime continues to perpetrate terrorist attacks by targeting civilians, venting its frustration with its failures on the front lines.”

    Russia also accused Ukraine of persecuting members of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, forcing them into what it described as the “quasi-Orthodox Church of Ukraine.” Zakharova alleged that Kyiv seeks to eradicate canonical Orthodoxy: “Kiev is ready to do anything to ensure that the quasi-Orthodox Church of Ukraine absorbs the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and becomes the only national church. But it will fail. People are in no hurry to join the OCU, and the seized churches remain empty.”

    She added that Ukrainian officials plan to tighten what they call “spiritual independence,” describing it as “another attempt by the Zelensky regime to eradicate canonical Orthodoxy. Peak Orwellian logic.”

    Recall that in 2017, Russia banned Jehovah’s Witnesses after labeling the group extremist, arguing that their teachings undermined social order and posed a threat to state security. The ban led to the liquidation of their national headquarters and closure of local congregations, effectively criminalizing their religious activities. The ban resulted in arrests, imprisonment, and confiscation of property, despite international rulings affirming Russia violated freedom of worship.

  • Royal Family hosts Nigerian diaspora ahead of Tinubu’s UK visit

    Royal Family hosts Nigerian diaspora ahead of Tinubu’s UK visit

    LAGOS, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 12, 2026 — The English Royal Family on Wednesday hosted a reception with members of the Nigerian Diaspora in the United Kingdom, ahead of the forthcoming State Visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, scheduled for March 18–19, 2026, at the invitation of King Charles III.

    In a post on its official X handle, the Royal Family wrote: “Last night, The King hosted a reception with members of the Nigerian Diaspora in the UK, ahead of the incoming State Visit of the President of Nigeria.”

    The post added: “With jollof rice and music by Dele Sosimi and the Afrobeats Orchestra — it was a wonderful evening. Thank you to everyone who joined us!”

    During the visit, Tinubu will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, accompanied by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.

    The visit marks the first inward State Visit by a Nigerian President in 37 years, underscoring Nigeria’s growing diplomatic influence and strengthening ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

  • Muslim foreign ministers condemn closure of Al‑Aqsa Mosque gates amid regional tensions

    Muslim foreign ministers condemn closure of Al‑Aqsa Mosque gates amid regional tensions

    ABUJA, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 11, 2026 — The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have jointly condemned the closure of the gates of Al‑Aqsa Mosque/Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif in Jerusalem.

    In a statement issued Wednesday, the ministers said that “security restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship, coupled with discriminatory and arbitrary access restrictions to other places of worship in the Old City, constitute a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship.”

    The ministers declared their “absolute rejection and condemnation of this illegal and unjustified measure, as well as Israel’s continued provocative actions at Al‑Aqsa Mosque/Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif and against worshippers.” They stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

    They reiterated that the entire Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound, covering 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and affirmed that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al‑Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the sole legal authority with jurisdiction to administer the mosque and regulate entry.

    The ministers called on Israel to immediately reopen the gates and refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers’ access. They also urged the international community to adopt a firm position compelling Israel to halt ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

    It remains unclear how Israel, already engaged in heavy fighting with Hezbollah in the north and with troops stationed along the Gaza frontier beyond the Yellow Line, will respond. Overall, Israel is at war and on its highest level of alert, making it difficult to suggest that it could reopen the mosque gates at a time when it is battling on multiple fronts.