News
US School Guard Not Guilty Of Failing To Stop Mass Shooting
A guard who allegedly hid while a mass shooter killed 17 at a Florida high school in 2018 was found not guilty Thursday of charges of neglect and negligence.
In an emotionally charged trial, a jury found no fault with the actions of former sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson, 60, during the shooting at the school in the suburban city of Parkland.
On February 14, 2018, then-19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz walked into the school carrying a semiautomatic rifle and shot dead 14 students and three staff members.
Cruz, who was able to buy his powerful weapon despite having known mental health issues, wounded another 17 people.
Peterson, a guard at the school, was accused of failing to enter the school building to pursue Cruz even though he was armed and had received training in confronting an active shooter.
Peterson, believed the first law enforcement officer in the country charged for failing to take action during a school shooting, was indicted for multiple counts of felony child neglect, and culpable negligence and one count of perjury.
The jury on Monday ruled him not guilty on all counts. Peterson broke down in tears when the verdict was announced.
“I got my life back” after the four-year court saga, he said outside the court.
His attorney Mark Eiglarsh said it was “not just a victory for Scot, but a victory for all law enforcement officers.”
‘Coward’ or ‘scapegoat’?
The Parkland shooting stunned the nation and reignited debate on gun control and how to protect schools from armed attacks.
Families of the dead and injured placed some of the blame for the extent of the deaths and injuries on Peterson.
During the trial, prosecutor Steven Klinger said Peterson, who had been in law enforcement for 32 years and a school resource officer, or security guard, at the school since 2009, had been trained to deal with such attacks.
Klinger said Peterson took shelter in an alcove outside the school building and remained there for 48 minutes, well after the shooting ended.
“In an active shooter situation, you go for the gunshots. You’re trained to go for those shots, to find that shooter, because every shot could be a death,” Klinger said.
Eiglarsh countered that his client was made a scapegoat, and denied that he was a “coward.”
Peterson could not tell where the gunshots were coming from on the sprawling Parkland campus and “did everything that you possibly could with the limited information that he had,” Eiglarsh contended.
Manuel Oliver, whose 17-year-old son Joaquin was killed at Parkland, expressed anger after the verdict at the reactions by Peterson and Eiglarsh after the verdict was announced.
“Tell me about that pain,” he said.
Peterson “obviously made a mistake and needs to be accountable,” he said.
“The honest thing to do is to walk out of that room quiet,” he added.
AFP
Brazil superstar Neymar was handed a dramatic recall to the country’s World Cup squad on Monday, returning to the national team after a near three-year absence.
The inclusion of Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was the biggest surprise in the 26-man squad named by coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti announced Neymar’s selection at a gala ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, with loud cheers ringing out as the veteran attacker’s call-up was confirmed.
Speculation has raged for months over whether the 34-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker would force his way back into the national team set-up.
The forward, a veteran of the 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cups, had not played for Brazil since suffering a knee injury during a World Cup qualifying game against Uruguay in 2023.
A mixture of injuries and poor form had left him outside the national team setup, with Ancelotti citing concerns over his fitness after leaving him out of Brazil’s squad for March friendlies against France and Croatia.
However, Neymar, who rejoined boyhood club Santos in January after an injury-ravaged stint in Saudi Arabia, has now earned Ancelotti’s stamp of approval for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Brazil, who are chasing a record sixth World Cup crown, open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 before playing Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
Brazil World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool/ENG), Ederson (Fenerbahce/TUR), Weverton (Gremio/BRA)
Defenders
Alex Sandro (Flamengo/BRA), Danilo (Flamengo/BRA), Leo Pereira (Flamengo/BRA), Bremer (Juventus/ITA), Douglas Santos (Zenit St Petersburg/RUS), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal/ENG), Ibanez (Al-Ahli/KSA), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Wesley (Roma/ITA)
Midfielders
Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle/ENG), Casemiro (Manchester United/ENG), Danilo (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad/KSA), and Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo/BRA).
Forwards
Endrick (Lyon/FRA), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal/ENG), Igor Thiago (Brentford/ENG), Luiz Henrique (Zenit/RUS), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United/ENG), Neymar (Santos/BRA), Raphinha (Barcelona/ESP), Rayan (Bournemouth/ENG), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/ESP)
AFP
As the deadline of May 20, 2026, fast approaches, Wema Bank has announced the last call for submissions for children and teens interested in participating in becoming MD/CEO of Wema Bank for one day.
Launched in May 2025 as part of Wema Bank’s 80th anniversary celebration, the One-Day MD/CEO initiative was introduced by Wema Bank to commemorate Children’s Day in a uniquely unprecedented manner. Inspired by the Bank’s 80th anniversary theme “80 Years of Impact, A Future of Possibilities”, the Wema Bank One-Day MD/CEO initiative served as a bridge between past and future, giving children across Nigeria the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the MD/CEO of Wema Bank for one day—Children’s Day.
As 12-year-old Chiderije Mbah emerged winner, the Wema Bank One-Day MD/CEO initiative dominated the conversation on May 27, 2025, with children across Nigeria inspired to put in the work towards a successful future and parents commending the Bank’s consistent commitment to empowering children and helping them build the right future. This year, 2026, the Wema Bank One-Day MD/CEO initiative has returned on a larger scale.
For the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, Wema Bank will give another child or teenager [ages 0-16] a chance to step into the shoes of Managing Director/CEO of Wema Bank, for a day. The child will get to oversee board meetings, make tactical decisions, and experience firsthand the demands and responsibilities that come with the office of MD/CEO, especially for an institution like Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous national bank, most innovative and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT.
To participate, children/teens are expected to record a 60-second video detailing what their ideal role in banking would be and what they hope to achieve. This video is to be posted on any social media platform using #EvolutionOfPossibilities and tagging @wemabank on the post. The post with the highest number of likes emerges winner and the winner gets to become MD/CEO of Wema Bank on Monday, May 25, 2026, in celebration of Children’s Day.
Both parents and teens are encouraged to hurry and make their submissions now as entry closes in less than two days, specifically on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
More details on the Bank’s social media platforms @wemabank
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian forces have carried out additional airstrikes against Islamic State in northeastern Nigeria.
The attack followed the killing of of ISIS commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who was eliminated alongside some of his men, on Friday.
In a statement, AFRICOM said No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed during the strikes.
Commenting on the operation, the Defence Headquarters said more than 20 ISIS/ISWAP fighters were killed.
According to the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the operation targeted terrorist hideouts in Metele area of northern Borno, a known flashpoint for insurgent attacks.
In a statement, he said the strikes were based on credible intelligence indicating the movement and convergence of terrorist elements in the area.
The Defence Headquarters explained that the latest offensive is part of sustained counterterrorism operations in the North-East, aimed at dismantling insurgent networks and denying them safe havens.
“The ongoing operations follow the neutralisation of ISIS commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki and are part of sustained efforts to disrupt terrorist networks, remove them from the battlefield and deny the terrorists any safe haven within Nigeria,” the statement read.
The military further reaffirmed its commitment to defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity, stressing that insurgents will continue to face decisive action.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to aggressively defend the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the nation. Terrorists who threaten our citizens, communities and national stability will be located and defeated. There will be no safe haven for terrorists anywhere in Nigeria,” it added.
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