Pope Leo XIV said on Wednesday that he was praying for the victims of the mass shooting in a school in the Austrian city of Graz.

“I would like to express my prayers for the victims of the tragedy at the Graz school,” Leo said during his weekly audience in the Vatican.

Leo added that he is keeping the families, teachers, and fellow pupils in his thoughts.

According to police, a 21-year-old former pupil at the school entered the grounds on Tuesday and opened fire, killing 10 pupils aged between 15 and 17 as well as a teacher.

He then shot himself.

Eleven people remain in the hospital, most of them in intensive care.

All are now reported to be in a stable condition.

Graz, in south-eastern Austria, is home to around 300,000 people. (dpa/NAN)

 The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NiDO)-Worldwide has appointed Mr Chibuzo Ubochi, as its new Coordinating Chairman of NIDO-Europe.

Ubochi succeeds Dr Victor Ubani, the Chairman of NIDO Americas and outgoing coordinating chairman of NiDO-Worldwide.

Ubani disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, against backdrop of the end of his tenure as coordinating chairman and inauguration of Ubochi’s tenure as the new chairman of the organisation.

He congratulated Ubochi over his recent electoral victory where he emerged chairman of the organisation, saying it was a closely contested NIDO-Europe election against Dr Johnson Odibo.

According to him, the process which was conducted with robust participation, ushered in a new era for NIDO-Europe.

Ubani said: “It is one marked by renewed strength, unity and purpose. I write in my capacity as the outgoing Coordinating Chairman of NIDO-Worldwide, having had the honour of serving in this rotational role on behalf of the Americas.

“I am deeply grateful for the cooperation and commitment demonstrated by our continental bodies throughout my tenure.

“Together, we pursued the vision of a more effective, united and relevant NIDO across all regions. I believe we made notable progress in advancing our collective mandates.

“As is the custom within our global structure, which comprises five continental bodies, I will now be handing over the rotational leadership of the Coordinating Chairmanship to the current Chairman of NIDO Europe, Sir Chibuzo Ubochi”.

Ubani explained that he had observed Ubochi’s leadership as Chairman of NIDO UK South and his previous tenure as Legal Adviser to the NIDO-Worldwide Coordinating Platform, to express confidence in the latter’s ability to lead the organisation.

“I am confident in his capacity to fulfill this responsibility with vision, integrity and diplomatic skill.

“He is well acquainted with the complexities of our global structure and is well-positioned to continue strengthening and advancing a more focused and impactful NIDO Worldwide.

“As he assumes this role, I urge all continental chairs, executives and members to extend the same cooperation and collegiality accorded me to him.

“The task ahead requires a united front, focused energy and shared commitment free from unnecessary distractions and geared solely toward the progress of our global diaspora, and the development of our homeland,” he said. (NAN) 

The U.S. Treasury Department has announced sanctions against more than 30 individuals and companies accused of helping Iran evade sanctions and launder billions from oil and petrochemical sales to fund its nuclear and missile programmes.The sanctioned network operated as a system of “shadow banking” involving front companies in places like Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, the department said in a statement.

The goal, it said, was to bypass existing sanctions, obscure the origin of oil proceeds, and funnel money into military-linked projects. The new sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets of the targeted entities and bar U.S. citizens from doing business with them.The measures also complicate the ability of those sanctioned to operate internationally, especially in transactions involving U.S. dollars.Washington and Tehran are engaged in negotiations over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he “aims to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons”.Tehran insists its nuclear activities are purely for civilian purposes.Trump has warned that military action remains on the table if diplomacy fails. (dpa/NAN)