International

A French judge is set to examine the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi following complaints filed against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by international human rights organisations. Khashoggi, a columnist for and a known critic of the Saudi leadership, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018 while seeking documents related to his planned marriage. The legal complaint was submitted during Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to France in July 2022 by Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and Trial International. The push for legal action has also received support from several rights organisations and press freedom groups, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Read Also: Federation oil earnings drop by N78bn despite rise in global crude prices Speaking ahead of the judicial review, RSF lawyer Emmanuel Daoud described Khashoggi’s killing as an “abominable crime” allegedly planned “at the highest level of the Saudi state.” Another lawyer representing Trial International, Henri Thulliez, stated that there should no longer be any obstacle to opening a formal judicial investigation into what he described as an “atrocious crime.” During the administration of former United States President Joe Biden, the US government released an intelligence assessment in 2021 linking Mohammed bin Salman to the killing. However, former US President Donald Trump reportedly appeared to dismiss the allegations during a November 2025 meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince at the Oval Office, stating that “he knew nothing about it.”

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.