Welcome

Category: World

  • Iran Embassy Shares AI Video “Striking” Trump After Messiah Image Backlash

    An Iranian diplomatic mission has released an AI-generated video depicting a religious figure confronting US President Donald Trump, escalating tensions after backlash over an earlier image he shared portraying himself in a Christ-like role.

    What sparked it

    The controversy began after Trump posted an image on Truth Social showing himself in a messianic-style pose, which drew criticism from religious groups and online users who described it as inappropriate.

    The image quickly went viral, with many accusing the US president of blasphemy and drawing parallels with religious warnings about false messianic figures.

    The AI video response

    In response, the Iranian Embassy shared a dramatized AI-generated clip showing a figure representing Jesus confronting Trump.

    In the video, the figure declares, “Your reckoning has come,” before striking him and casting him into a fiery pit.

    The clip has since circulated widely, further fueling reactions across social media and political circles.

    Trump defends post

    Reacting to the backlash, Trump dismissed the interpretation of the image, insisting it was misunderstood.

    “It wasn’t a depiction. It was me,” he said, explaining that the image was intended to portray him as a doctor.

    “It was supposed to be me as a doctor making people better… and I do make people better,” he added.

    Global reactions

    The controversy has drawn responses beyond the US, including from Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who condemned Trump’s remarks about Pope Leo XIV.

    “I condemn the insult… the desecration of Jesus… is not acceptable,” he said.

    The issue has also reignited tensions between Trump and the Pope after the US president criticised the pontiff’s leadership.

    Pope responds

    Pope Leo XIV declined to escalate the situation but reaffirmed his stance on global peace and moral responsibility.

    “I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” the Pope said, stressing that religious messages should not be misused.

    He added that he would continue to speak out on war, peace, and global dialogue.

    Wider tensions

    The development comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, following weeks of conflict in the Middle East.

    The latest exchange signals a growing mix of political, religious, and digital narratives shaping the ongoing standoff.

  • Dangote Named in TIME100 2026 as Elumelu Praises “Indefatigable” African Billionaire

    Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has been named among TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2026, marking his second appearance on the global list and reinforcing his position as one of Africa’s most prominent business figures.

    What happened

    TIME released the 2026 TIME100 list on Wednesday, recognising individuals shaping global conversations across business, politics, technology, and culture.

    Dangote, the only Nigerian on the list, was featured in the “Titans” category alongside top global figures including Sundar Pichai, Neal Mohan, and Ralph Lauren.

    This marks his second appearance after his first recognition in 2014.

    Global names on the list

    The 2026 TIME100 list includes world leaders such as US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

    Others recognised include Pope Leo XIV and leading figures in business and technology.

    Elumelu reacts

    Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu, who wrote Dangote’s profile for TIME, described him as “indefatigable, resilient, and foresighted.”

    According to Elumelu, Dangote’s investments across cement, sugar, and oil demonstrate Africa’s capacity for industrial growth using local resources.

    He pointed to the Dangote Refinery as a major milestone for Nigeria’s economy and Africa’s industrial future.

    “He has inspired a generation of entrepreneurs… and can always be counted on to return a phone call,” Elumelu said.

    “A great man, creating a great legacy,” he added.

    Background

    Dangote’s business empire spans multiple sectors across Africa, making him a central figure in conversations around industrialisation and economic development.

    His continued inclusion on the TIME100 list highlights his global influence and impact on African enterprise.

    How TIME selects its list

    TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs said the selection is based on individuals shaping the world through their actions and ideas.

    “Our selections are led by the stories that are shaping the world each year and the people who write them,” he said.

    He added that the TIME100 continues to expand into key areas such as artificial intelligence, climate, health, and digital innovation.

    What it means

    Dangote’s recognition further places Nigeria on the global map of influential business leaders, while underlining Africa’s growing role in shaping the future of the global economy.

  • US F-15E Shot Down over Iran; One Crew Member Rescued, Search for Second Ongoing

    A United States Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, with American officials confirming the downing on Friday — a significant military development that directly contradicts repeated White House claims that Iran’s air defences had been completely destroyed.

    Three US sources confirmed the incident to CNN, with the White House confirming that President Donald Trump had been briefed. One of the two crew members aboard the aircraft has been rescued by American forces and is receiving medical treatment, according to CBS News, citing two US officials. A search and rescue operation is ongoing for the second crew member.

    What Iran Claims

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for shooting down the aircraft, releasing photos and video of what it described as the wreckage of the jet, including images of debris and an ejection seat with a parachute attached. Iranian state media initially misidentified the aircraft as an F-35 stealth fighter, but CNN analysis of the published images suggested the downed aircraft was more likely an F-15E Strike Eagle.

    Iranian state broadcaster aired footage of a female anchor calling on civilians to help locate and capture the crew, with a state broadcaster offering a bounty for anyone who hands the pilots over to authorities alive. An on-screen crawl on one channel urged the public to “shoot them if you see them,” referring to videos of what appeared to be US aircraft in the area.

    Search and rescue effort

    US search-and-rescue aircraft, including a C-130 Hercules cargo plane and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, were spotted flying low over Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran in a formation consistent with a combat search-and-rescue operation. A second US aircraft, an A-10 Warthog attack plane, also crashed near the Strait of Hormuz around the same time, though its lone pilot was safely rescued.

    Israel suspended its planned airstrikes in Iran to avoid interfering with the US search and rescue effort for the downed crew, an Israeli official confirmed.

    The aircraft and crew

    The F-15E Strike Eagle is a two-seater aircraft, crewed by a pilot and a weapons-systems officer. If confirmed as the first manned American aircraft shot down by enemy fire during the current conflict, it would be a major escalation. Photographs consistent with the 48th Fighter Wing — the Liberty Wing, normally based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, were circulating on social media, though their authenticity has not been independently verified.

    A direct contradiction of US claims

    The incident directly challenges repeated assertions from US military commanders and the White House. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said on Thursday, just one day before the shootdown, that Iran’s air and missile defence systems had “largely been destroyed” and that he did not see Iranian aircraft flying. President Trump had also declared in a prime-time address earlier this week that Iran had “no anti-aircraft equipment” and that its radar was “100% annihilated.”

    Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked the US directly in a social media post. “After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?” he wrote.

    Analysis: How Iran may have done it

    Retired US Army Colonel Myles Caggins, a non-resident senior fellow at the New Lines Institute, described the shootdown as a “significant event.” He noted that while Iran’s primary air defence systems were largely destroyed or taken offline in the early days of the conflict, man-portable air defence systems, which can be carried and fired by a single person, remained a viable threat. “Possibly that is the type of system that shot down this F-15,” Caggins said.

    The wider context

    The downing of the F-15E occurred on the same day as a series of fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf states, with strikes reported in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, leaving at least 12 people wounded in the UAE. In Iran, US and Israeli strikes destroyed a major bridge near Tehran, killing at least eight people who had gathered below to celebrate National Day.

    There have now been 13 Americans killed during the campaign, with three F-15Es previously shot down by friendly fire. The conflict, which began on February 28, 2026, with coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and government sites, has escalated significantly in the five weeks since.

    The fate of the second crew member remains unknown as of the time of this report. The US military has not issued a formal statement. RNN.NG will update this story as developments emerge.

  • Iran Rejects Trump’s 15-point Peace Plan, Issues Counter-demands

    Iran has rejected a United States ceasefire proposal and countered with its own five-point conditions for ending the ongoing war, dealing a blow to diplomatic efforts being quietly advanced by the Trump administration.

    Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV, citing a senior political-security official, confirmed on Wednesday that Tehran had rejected the American proposal. “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met,” the official said. “No negotiations will be held prior to that.”

    What was in Trump’s proposal

    The US proposal, transmitted to Tehran through Pakistan, called on Iran to commit to never pursuing nuclear weapons and to dismantle three of its main nuclear facilities, Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. It also sought a halt to uranium enrichment, a transfer of enriched material to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the suspension of ballistic missile production, an end to financial support for regional armed groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthis, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

    In exchange, the proposal offered a full lifting of international sanctions on Iran and US assistance in developing Iran’s civilian nuclear programme.

    The White House, however, stopped short of confirming the full details. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said there were “elements of truth” in media reports but cautioned that some accounts were “not entirely factual.”

    Iran’s five conditions

    Iran’s counter-proposal, published through state media, set out five conditions: a complete halt to attacks and assassinations by its enemies; concrete guarantees that no further war would be imposed on the Islamic Republic; compensation for war damages; a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts, including Iran-aligned groups; and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

    Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari added that Iran plans to charge tolls on ships passing through the strategic waterway, saying: “The authority to issue passage permits is ours.”

    Iran’s foreign minister contradicts state media

    Despite the public rejection, mixed signals emerged from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state media that the US proposal was still being reviewed by top authorities in Tehran, and that an exchange of messages between the two countries via mediators “does not mean negotiations with the US.”

    Trump’s position

    President Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Iranians “would like to make a deal” and had “agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon.” Iran denies any such agreement and insists its nuclear programme is for civilian use only.

    Background

    The conflict began on 28 February 2026 when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran, targeting key military officials and facilities. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the strikes, with his son Mojtaba Khamenei later chosen as his successor. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel, American military bases in the Middle East, and Gulf states, while also moving to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

    Diplomatic efforts continue through third-party intermediaries, including Pakistan and Turkey. The UN Human Rights Commissioner has warned that the conflict risks drawing in countries on an unprecedented global scale, urging influential states to use all available means to help end the fighting. RNN.NG will continue to update this story as developments unfold.

  • Police Disperse Anti-Foreigner Protest Targeting Nigerians

    South African police fired rubber bullets and teargas on Wednesday to break up a large anti-foreigner protest in the coastal city of Durban, where demonstrators specifically named Nigerians among the foreigners they want expelled from the country.

    What happened in Durban

    Hundreds of protesters, including members of political parties and the xenophobic vigilante group Operation Dudula, marched through Durban’s streets waving placards and chanting against undocumented immigrants.

    Several shop owners shut their businesses ahead of the march, fearing looting and violence. A small group of protesters reportedly harassed bystanders and looted shops before police moved in to disperse the crowd.

    Who led the protest and what they said

    ActionSA party leader Herman Mashaba addressed the crowd, singling out Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Mexico among the countries whose nationals he said were flooding South Africa.

    “We are seeing our government allowing our country to be flooded by groups from all over the world,” Mashaba said. “So we are saying to our government this is unacceptable.”

    The deeper context

    The protest reflects long-running tensions in South Africa over unemployment and competition for jobs and housing.

    South Africa’s statistics agency puts the national unemployment rate at nearly 32 per cent, one of the highest in the world. Approximately three million foreigners — around 5.1 per cent of the population — currently live in the country.

    Nigerians have repeatedly been targeted in xenophobic attacks in South Africa over the years, with previous waves of violence in 2008, 2015, and 2019 displacing thousands and forcing the temporary closure of Nigerian businesses.

    Nigeria’s position

    The Nigerian government has not yet issued a formal response to Wednesday’s protest. The Federal Government and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria have in past incidents summoned South African envoys in Nigeria and issued formal protests following attacks on Nigerian nationals.

    Nigerians living in South Africa are urged to remain calm, avoid large gatherings, and stay in contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria or the Consulate General in Johannesburg in the event of any threat to their safety.

    No date has been set for further protests, but Operation Dudula and allied groups have previously indicated they intend to continue pressure on the South African government over immigration policy. The Nigerian government is expected to monitor the situation closely given the large number of Nigerian nationals residing in South Africa.

  • Iran Receives US 15-point Peace Plan as Middle East War Rages on

    Iran has received a 15-point peace proposal from the United States through Pakistani intermediaries, raising cautious hopes of a diplomatic solution to a conflict that has already sent global oil prices skyrocketing and threatened to destabilise the world economy.

    How the plan was delivered

    Two senior Pakistani officials in Islamabad confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that the American proposals had been formally conveyed to Tehran.

    Pakistan has positioned itself as a potential mediator, given its longstanding ties with both Iran and the United States.

    According to Israel’s Channel 12, the plan calls for a ceasefire under which both sides would negotiate a broader agreement, including a ban on Iran enriching uranium on its soil and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — the critical oil shipping lane Iran has largely blockaded since the conflict began.

    In return, Iran would receive sanctions relief.

    What started the war

    The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched a coordinated bombing campaign against Iran.

    Lebanon was drawn in on March 2 when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    Since then, targets in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have all come under fire.

    Lebanese authorities say more than 1,000 people have been killed in over three weeks of Israeli strikes, with upwards of one million people displaced.

    Iran fires missiles at US carrier

    Despite the diplomatic activity, military operations have not slowed.

    Iran’s military said it fired cruise missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, claiming the strikes forced the vessel to change its position. Tehran warned of further strikes if the “hostile fleet” comes within range.

    Israel, meanwhile, said it struck targets in Tehran and hit a submarine development facility in the central city of Isfahan.

    What this means for Nigeria and the world

    The war’s impact on global oil markets is already severe.

    The Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, has been largely blockaded by Iran. Oil prices surged sharply before easing slightly on Wednesday, following signs of possible de-escalation.

    The head of the International Energy Agency said he was ready to approve the release of emergency oil reserves to cushion the impact on global supplies.

    The ripple effects are visible worldwide. Sri Lanka ordered an extra day off work to conserve energy. Diesel prices have doubled in Vietnam.

    For Nigeria, which imports refined petroleum products and whose economy is sensitive to global oil price swings, a prolonged conflict risks pushing pump prices higher and worsening the already difficult cost-of-living pressures facing ordinary Nigerians.

    Diplomats urge caution

    A diplomatic source in the region told AFP: “There is hope, but it’s too early to be optimistic.”

    Both sides, the source noted, need a path to de-escalation that allows them to back down without losing face publicly.

    Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, kept up tough public rhetoric, warning the US: “Do not test our resolve to defend our land.”

    US President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Iran had given him what he described as “a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money,” which he linked to the Strait of Hormuz, though he declined to give details.

    Tehran subsequently assured the International Maritime Organisation of safe passage through the strait for vessels it does not consider hostile, exempting ships belonging to the United States and Israel.

    No date has been set for formal talks. Both sides continue to offer conflicting public accounts of whether negotiations are actually taking place. The next key indicator will be whether Iran formally responds to the 15-point plan or continues to deny that any dialogue is ongoing.