Bystanders takes photographs of The Sanguinaires Islands as waves crash onto shore near Ajaccio on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on February 12, 2026. (Photo by Pascal POCHARD-CASABIANCA / AFP)Three people have died in weather-related accidents in France and Spain after a storm tore through the region, officials said Friday, ripping up trees and flooding roads and leaving many thousands without power. High winds and hard rain forced cancellations of flights, trains and ferries on Thursday and brought chaos to roads in southern France, northern Spain and parts of Portugal. Dozens more were also injured in weather-related incidents in Spain, and a viaduct in Portugal partially collapsed because of flooding. Forecasters said the storm had moved eastwards away from French territory during Thursday, though some areas were still on alert for flooding.

Declan Rice said Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to Brentford could prove decisive in the title race after the league leaders were pegged back at the Gtech Community Stadium. Noni Madueke’s header early in the second half put Arsenal in front, but Keane Lewis-Potter levelled 10 minutes later as Brentford earned a share of the spoils. “They’re an amazing team, they’re seventh in the league and Keith Andrews has got them playing really, really well. If you look at the amount of games we’ve played and how many we’ve won, we’ve lost three in all competitions all season. “Then we started the second half really well, got the goal which was fully deserved, and then they probably had the last 25 minutes.

The Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to the Minister of Power, Bolaji Tunji, has said that the first phase of the Siemens power project will add 7,000 megawatts to the national grid through extensive grid strengthening and infrastructure expansion. The Siemens deal, originally conceived under Buhari, was designed as a government-to-government framework between Nigeria and Germany to overhaul Nigeria’s transmission and distribution infrastructure, improve grid stability, and gradually increase available power capacity. “Everybody is aware of that,” he said when asked about claims that the Siemens deal went dormant under Buhari. So, that’s where we are; we are on Phase One of the Siemens deal now,” he said. On December 1, 2023, the governments of Nigeria and Germany signed the Presidential Power Initiative agreement to inject 12,000 megawatts of electricity into the national grid.

The USS Iwo Jima, seen docked in Puerto Rico in January. Credit: BBCA U.S. Marine of Nigerian descent, Chukwuemeka Oforah, has been declared dead following a tragic incident in which he fell overboard from the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean Sea. His death was announced on Wednesday and remains under investigation by the military, according to a BBC report on Thursday. Oforah, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was deployed with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 2023 and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in February 2024.

As reported by BBC Sport on Friday, speaking at the UEFA Congress on Thursday, Rosetti acknowledged that VAR works effectively for factual decisions such as offsides. “At the end of the season, we need to speak about this. “Because we cannot go in this direction of microscopic VAR interventions. The Premier League currently has the lowest VAR intervention rate among Europe’s top leagues this season at 0.27 per game, although controversy over decisions has persisted. With debates intensifying around technology’s role in football, Uefa is set to review VAR usage at the end of the season in a bid to preserve both accuracy and the flow of the game.

The front pages of newspapers featuring Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman and election candidate Tarique Rahman, are pictured in Dhaka on February 13, 2026 a day after Bangladesh's general election. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)The Bangladesh Nationalist Party celebrated a landslide victory on Friday in the first elections held since a deadly 2024 uprising, with leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister. Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed a resounding win, calling for followers to give thanks in prayer rather than celebrate on the streets. “We will join the nation-building effort led by Tarique Rahman,” Md Fazlur Rahman, 45, told AFP. The 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner has led Bangladesh since Hasina’s rule ended with her ouster in August 2024.

United States President Donald Trump will meet on Friday with the special forces soldiers who captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a deadly raid in Caracas in January. First Lady Melania Trump will accompany her husband for the trip to greet the troops at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina, the White House said. Eighty-three people were killed and more than 112 people were injured in the assault, which began with US bombing raids on Venezuelan military targets, Venezuelan officials said. The US president has repeatedly hailed the Maduro operation as an example of his country’s military might as he asserts Washington’s right to dominate its backyard. In a rally in Iowa in January, Trump hailed the “spectacular” operation by a “group of unbelievable talented patriotic people that love our country.

Recounting events at the end of military rule in 1979, Obasanjo said his government had been on the verge of achieving self-sufficiency in rice production before handing over to civilians. “By the time we left in July 1979, we wanted to be self-sufficient in rice production. Based on the findings, Obasanjo explained, his administration banned the importation of rice before leaving office in October 1979. One of the barons who obtained a rice import licence from America ordered rice and then asked the suppliers to add $5m to the cost. Obasanjo emphasised that for Africa to come of age, it must record annual GDP growth of nine to ten per cent.

The aim is to supply the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation with a steady flow of cases. “We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud in the naturalisation process and will pursue denaturalisation proceedings for any individual who lied or misrepresented themselves,” NBC quoted him as saying. The Justice Department has instructed attorneys to prioritize denaturalisation. A broader clause allows action in “any other cases … that the division determines to be sufficiently important to pursue,” the Justice Department added. Trump has repeatedly focused on citizenship policy.

The Lagos State Government has said it will prosecute 75 suspected miscreants arrested along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road during a clean-up exercise in the area. According to Wahab, the suspects were arrested on Wednesday during intensified clean-up and enforcement operations along the corridor. He added that all suspects arrested during the operation would face the full weight of the law. “We remain resolute in restoring order, protecting public spaces, and ensuring that the Coastal Road and other parts of Lagos are safe and secure for all law-abiding residents,” he added. The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road corridor, particularly sections currently undergoing construction and expansion, has in recent months attracted complaints from motorists and residents over harassment and insecurity.

The Federal Government has stepped up security operations across Nigeria’s North Central region following recent terrorist attacks that killed about 75 villagers in Kwara State, launching a renewed offensive aimed at protecting vulnerable communities. The operation, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, involves the deployment of combined security forces, including the military, police and national forest guard units, to reinforce existing security structures across the region. The latest security push follows the expansion of the national security mandate established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he declared a state of emergency on national security on 26 November 2026. Condemning the Kwara attacks, President Tinubu described them as beastly and heartless, blaming terrorists for deliberately targeting vulnerable civilians. As part of the new measures, security presence is being increased in high-risk communities, with particular attention to protecting places of worship.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has entered into a strategic educational partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) on education and environmental leadership. Speaking on the initiative, NANS Presidential Spokesperson, Comrade Alao John, described the partnership as a deliberate step towards strengthening environmental consciousness, youth leadership and sustainability advocacy among Nigerian students. Alao noted that the collaboration with the NCF, Nigeria’s premier non-governmental organisation dedicated to nature conservation and sustainable development, aligns with its commitment to producing socially responsible and environmentally conscious future leaders. To kick-start the collaboration, NANS and NCF have concluded arrangements for a three-day educational trip and environmental leadership programme. The programme will host one hundred participants, comprising representatives of Nigerian students studying in tertiary institutions across the country.

The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has rejected allegations linking Chinese mining companies to illegal mining activities and the funding of terrorism in Nigeria, describing the claims as false, “completely baseless” and damaging to China-Nigeria relations. ALSO READ: FULL TEXT: US lawmaker introduces bill to stop ‘Christian persecution’ in NigeriaThe statement reads, “Some media reported on this bill and fabricated such rumors as ‘Chinese mining companies funding terrorism’. “The overwhelming majority of Chinese mining companies in Nigeria have set an exemplary record of compliance with Nigerian laws and regulations. The embassy further stated that most Chinese mining companies in Nigeria have maintained compliance with Nigerian laws while contributing to local communities, supporting economic development and creating employment opportunities. The embassy added that China remains ready to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in the mining sector and strengthen governance to promote sustainable development of China-Nigeria mining cooperation.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has supervised a demolition exercise conducted by the Bauchi State Infrastructure Development and Maintenance Agency (BASIDMA) at the high-tension corridor along Zango and Yelwa communities in Bauchi. The operation targeted residential and commercial structures erected within the statutory Right of Way (RoW) of TCN transmission lines. These efforts aim to address the risks associated with structures built within the transmission line corridor. “BASIDMA, responsible for regulating land use, controlling development, and managing infrastructure in Bauchi State, took the decision to demolish the structures following these engagements. “The demolition exercise marks a significant step in ensuring the integrity of Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure and protecting the public from potential hazards associated with structures built under high-tension transmission lines.”

The Macallan, world-renowned single-malt Scotch whisky, has continued to reinforce its commitment to craftsmanship, creativity and sustainability with its partnership with the Alexis Galleries for the Recycling Matter II exhibition. Just as The Macallan’s exceptional whiskies are born from a meticulous process of selection and refinement, Alexis Galleries champions artists who demonstrate innovative techniques and profound narrative depth in their work. The Macallan, renowned for its dedication to artistry, craftsmanship, and sustainability, reinforced its role as a patron of creative excellence through this collaboration. Hammed Adebiyi, Senior Brand Manager, West and Central Africa (WACA), Edrington, explained the significance of the partnership: “Our partnership with Alexis Galleries aligns perfectly with The Macallan’s commitment to supporting creative communities and celebrating exceptional craftsmanship. “We are glad to have partnered with The Macallan for a second time for this Recycling Matter II Exhibition,” said Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, the CEO of Alexis Galleries.