International

The BBC has announced plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs in what is set to be its largest downsizing exercise in 15 years. Staff were informed of the development during an all-staff meeting on Wednesday, with the proposed cuts expected to affect about 10 per cent of the broadcaster’s 21,500-strong workforce. The job losses form part of a wider cost-cutting strategy aimed at addressing mounting financial pressures facing the organisation. The move comes ahead of the assumption of office by incoming Director General, Matt Brittin, who is expected to take over next month. The broadcaster had earlier unveiled a £600 million savings plan, which includes a reduction in workforce and scaling back of some programmes. Outgoing Director General, Tim Davie, had indicated that the corporation would need to reduce about 10 per cent of its annual cost base over the next three years. Speaking after the meeting, interim Director General, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said the organisation was facing a widening gap between its costs and income, driven by factors such as rising production costs, pressure on licence fee revenues, and broader global economic challenges. Read Also: Memory Lane: When Kano Journalists Lost Their Way and Found Help in Emmanuel NUJ Integrates Online Journalists with Commissioning of Kano Chapel NUJ Online Chapel Screens 46 Applicants in Kano, Approves 31 for Membership “To address this, we need to save an additional £500 million from our annual operating costs over the next two years,” Davies said, adding that the bulk of the savings would be realised in the 2027–2028 financial period. He noted that the proposed measures would inevitably lead to a reduction in staff numbers, estimated between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs, while acknowledging the uncertainty such plans create for employees. In the short term, the corporation will introduce tighter cost controls across its operations, including restrictions on recruitment and travel, reduced spending on consultancy services, and cuts in expenditure on conferences and events. Davies also disclosed that various departments are reviewing their operations to eliminate duplication and identify areas where activities could be scaled down or discontinued. The development comes as the BBC continues negotiations with the UK government over the renewal of its Royal Charter, which expires next year, including discussions around the future of its licence fee funding model. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised by industry stakeholders over the potential impact of the cuts on the broadcaster’s public service mandate. The head of the media union Bectu warned that reductions of such magnitude could affect the organisation’s ability to deliver on its core responsibilities. The BBC has also been grappling with declining licence fee revenues, with a drop in paying households amid rising competition from digital streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney. Despite these challenges, the broadcaster says it is exploring new strategies, including expanding its digital services and content partnerships, as it seeks to remain competitive in an evolving global media landscape. (BBC English)

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been appointed Iran’s new supreme leader, state media reports confirm. The 56-year-old cleric assumes leadership following a devastating U.S. and Israeli strike that killed his father, mother, wife, and one of his sisters. Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly not present during the attack and survived the initial bombing. This decision was made by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s supreme leader. In a statement circulated on Sunday, the assembly said the appointment was made by a “decisive vote” and called on all Iranians, particularly the elites and intellectuals of seminaries and universities, to pledge allegiance to Khamenei and maintain national unity. Read Also: Iran Confirms Death of Supreme Leader Khamenei in US-Israel Strikes Mojtaba Khamenei has never run for office or been subjected to public elections. However, he has been a prominent figure within the inner circle of the late supreme leader for decades, maintaining close ties with the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In recent years, he was widely considered a top contender to succeed his father. Analysts note that the younger Khamenei’s appointment signals the continued dominance of hardline factions within Iran’s political establishment and may limit prospects for negotiations or foreign agreements in the immediate future. Observers also highlight the sensitive nature of his succession, as it marks the first direct transfer of supreme leadership within a family since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, evoking comparisons to monarchical succession. The ascension of Mojtaba Khamenei comes amid ongoing military strikes in Tehran, marking a period of heightened tension for Iran both domestically and internationally.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for a missile strike targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli Air Force Command headquarters. In a statement carried by Mehr and Fars news agencies, the IRGC said the attack was carried out using Kheibar missiles, also known as Khorramshahr-4, as part of what it described as the 10th wave of retaliatory missile operations. The group characterised the strike as a “targeted and surprise attack” on a government compound in Israel. The Kheibar missile is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by Iran, reportedly capable of carrying heavy warheads and designed to evade advanced air defence systems. Read Also: Iran Confirms Death of Supreme Leader Khamenei in US-Israel Strikes Saudi Arabia Appoints Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Humaid as New Grand Mufti Kidnapped Nigerians Now Left to Die in Captivity as Poverty Deepens – Islamic Cleric Israeli authorities have not officially responded to the claims, and there has been no independent verification of the reported strike or the extent of any potential damage. The announcement marks a further escalation in tensions following recent joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which Tehran says killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials. In response, Iran has launched a series of missile and drone attacks across the region. Regional and international observers warn that the intensifying exchange of strikes could widen the conflict further, raising concerns about broader instability in the Middle East. (Türkiye Times)

Iranian state media have confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel. The announcement, made on Sunday, follows earlier claims by both American and Israeli officials that the 86-year-old leader had been eliminated during the attacks. Authorities in Tehran have declared a 40-day national mourning period in honour of the longtime leader. Initial reports by Iranian outlets had suggested that Khamenei remained “steadfast and firm in commanding the field,” but subsequent confirmation by state media marked a dramatic turn in the unfolding crisis. US President Donald Trump had earlier stated on his Truth Social platform that Khamenei was killed during the strikes, describing the operation as highly coordinated and intelligence-driven. Read Also: Iran Warns of Open-Ended Retaliation, Hits U.S. Linked Bases Across Region Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also indicated that there were “growing signs” of the Iranian leader’s death, while security sources cited by international media reported that his body had been located. Khamenei, who assumed leadership in 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, held ultimate authority over Iran’s political, military, and religious institutions, making him one of the most powerful figures in the Middle East for over three decades. Analysts say his death introduces significant uncertainty into an already volatile situation, with concerns mounting over potential escalation across the region. Reports indicate that Iran had contingency plans in place, which may involve the formation of a leadership council to manage state affairs. Meanwhile, the conflict continues to intensify. Iranian media report that recent strikes targeted multiple provinces, resulting in significant casualties, while retaliatory attacks by Iran have triggered air defence responses in several countries hosting US military assets, including Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. In a further escalation, Trump signalled that military operations against Iran would continue, warning of sustained strikes “throughout the week or as long as necessary.” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also confirmed ongoing retaliatory operations against US and Israeli positions, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Authorities say investigations and strategic responses are ongoing as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East. (Tehran Times)

A senior Iranian official has warned that Tehran’s response to recent developments in the Middle East will be carried out openly and without limitation, declaring that there are “no red lines” following what it described as aggression by the United States and Israel. Speaking to Al Jazeera, the official cautioned Israel to “prepare for what is coming,” stressing that “all American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become legitimate targets.” “There are no red lines after this aggression, and everything is possible, including scenarios that were not previously considered,” the official said. The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region, with Iran characterising recent joint actions by the United States and Israel as a declaration of war that could have “wide and long-lasting repercussions.” Read Also: Kafanchan: Emir of Jema’a Palace Hit as Fire Destroyed 4 Flats According to the official, Tehran has prepared a “complex response with no time limit,” dismissing calls for restraint or compromise as “unacceptable and mere wishful thinking.” In a related development, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed it had launched missiles and deployed drones targeting Israel, stating that the strikes were in direct response to what it described as hostile actions against the Islamic Republic. Shortly after the reported strikes, Israel announced the closure of its airspace and activated emergency sirens amid fears of further retaliation. Across the region, multiple explosions were reported. In Bahrain, authorities confirmed that a facility linked to the U.S. Fifth Fleet was struck by a missile. However, a U.S. official told Fox News that no casualties were recorded. Security sources also reported rocket attacks targeting a U.S. military base in Iraqi Kurdistan. In Qatar, the Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems intercepted missiles aimed at the country, successfully neutralising what it described as a second wave of attacks. Meanwhile, Reuters reported a loud explosion in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, adding to growing concerns over a widening regional conflict. Washington is yet to issue an official response as tensions continue to mount across the Middle East.