THE UK and US governments have imposed sanctions on a British-Kenyan businessman over his alleged involvement in the illicit gold trade. Kamlesh Pattni, and four others including his wife and brother-in-law, will have their assets frozen, a statement from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office read. He was implicated in one of Kenya’s biggest corruption scandals, Goldenberg, which is believed to have cost the country at least $600m (£470m). He has since faced allegations of involvement in the illicit gold trade in Zimbabwe, which he has previously denied. The BBC has asked him for comment. “Illicit gold is…
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CHELSEA roared back from two goals down to beat Tottenham 4-3 on Sunday, moving just four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Spurs raced into an early 2-0 lead but Enzo Maresca’s men turned the match on its head, scoring four times, including two penalties from England forward Cole Palmer, before a late goal from Son Heung-min. But his cavalier attacking approach will come under more scrutiny as Chelsea roared back to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to seven games. Jadon Sancho gave the visitors a foothold before they dominated the second half with Palmer twice cool from the…
SYRIAN opposition fighters have declared that the country has been “liberated” after they stormed the capital and announced that President Bashar al-Assad had fled the capital city to an unknown destination. Joyous celebrations erupted in Damascus and other parts of the country, including along the border with neighbouring Lebanon, with many displaced Syrians deciding to return home. The stunning opposition advance came after 13 years of brutal war, putting an end to more than half a century of the rule of the al-Assad family. Here’s a selection of international reactions to the news. This page will be updated as more…
UNITED States President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to deport all immigrants in the United States illegally over his upcoming four-year term. In an interview aired Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump detailed his vision for a broad crackdown on illegal immigration, which he intends to classify as a national emergency upon taking office on January 20. According to Reuters, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that as of January 2022, over 11 million people are in the US without legal status, a figure likely higher today. Trump affirmed his intention to remove all unauthorized immigrants, stating, “I think…
GHANA’s Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has conceded defeat in Saturday’s elections, congratulating opposition leader and former President John Mahama on his victory. Early results suggest this could be one of the heaviest defeats in decades for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which had been in power since 2016. Voters were angered by a combination of the rising cost of living, a series of high-profile scandals and a major debt crisis that prevented the government from delivering on key promises. As a result, the NPP may have dropped below 45% of the presidential vote for the first time since 1996. Ghana’s vote…
A NOTORIOUS far-right extremist, convicted of murdering South African anti-apartheid hero Chris Hani, is set to be deported to his native Poland, the government has said. Janusz Walus, 71, gunned down Hani outside his home in 1993 at a tense time when the country was preparing its first multi-racial elections. He spent almost three decades in prison in South Africa before being freed on parole in 2022, sparking protests and an outcry, in a nation still grappling with racism and apartheid’s legacy. Walus is set to leave South Africa on Friday night and the Polish government will pay for the…
GHANA’s Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has accepted defeat in Saturday’s election and congratulated the opposition candidate, former President John Mahama, on his victory. “The people have voted for change,” said Bawumia. The elections come amid the country’s worst economic crisis in a generation, which saw the country default on its debt. Despite Bawumia’s concession, no official results have been declared. The Electoral Commission (EC) said results had been delayed because supporters of the two main parties were impeding the process and it had asked the police to clear the collation centres. Mahama’s supporters have taken to the streets to celebrate around…
SYRIA’s armed opposition and rebels say its fighters have captured the capital, Damascus, and that President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country. The commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, says all state institutions will remain under the supervision of al-Assad’s prime minister until they are handed over officially. The announcements come hours after the opposition groups seized several cities in a lightning offensive. The opposition has broadcast their first statement to Syrians on state TV moments ago. “The city of Damascus has been liberated,” said one man, who was dressed in civilian clothes. “The tyrant Bashar al Assad…
NOTTINGHAM Forest condemned Manchester United to their second straight Premier League defeat on Saturday, beating Ruben Amorim’s men 3-2 at Old Trafford. The visitors took the lead in the second minute through Nikola Milenkovic but Rasmus Hojlund levelled. United were rocked again at the start of the second half by Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood made it 3-1. Bruno Fernandes struck a fine shot from just outside the box to give United hope just after the hour mark but it was not enough. Amorim started his United reign last month with a draw followed by two wins but predicted the…
A MONTH after suspending its mediation bid, Qatar has said it sees “momentum” in efforts to reach a deal to end Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, as dozens of Palestinians were killed in the Israeli military’s continued attacks on the besieged enclave. Speaking at the Doha Forum on Saturday, Qatari Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the country took a step back from mediating Gaza ceasefire talks because it failed to see “a real willingness” to end the war. But the minister said that after the United States presidential election on November 5,…
PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump has signalled that, under his administration, the United States would cease any involvement in Syria’s long-running civil war, hinting at a possible end to support for Kurdish-led forces in the region. In a Saturday morning missive on social media, Trump addressed the surprise opposition offensive that has redrawn the battle lines in the Syrian conflict. “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend,” Trump wrote, before switching to all uppercase letters for emphasis. “THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”…
BURKINA Faso’s military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré has sacked his Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the entire government. The dismissal of the head of government and his cabinet was announced in a decree signed by the junta leader on Friday. The decree did not specify why the prime minister was sacked, but said members of the dissolved government will continue to serve until a new cabinet is appointed. Tambela, a civilian, was named prime minister in 2022, shortly after Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a coup. His dismissal comes barely weeks after another civilian prime minister,…
MORE than 150 illegal miners have been rescued from an abandoned mine in South Africa’s eastern Mpumalanga province. Police say three bodies were recovered earlier this week on the first day of the rescue operation. Most of those rescued, reportedly foreign nationals, claim they were forced underground against their will to search for gold. A police spokesperson confirmed the miners have been arrested, and investigations are continuing into illegal mining activities in the region. Days earlier, the national police head Fannie Masemola also confirmed officers were investigating “allegations of human trafficking and forced labour in these mining operations by those…
PROFESSOR Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu FCVSN, the newly appointed Executive Secretary (ES) of National Universities Commision (NUC), was born at Fufore, Adamawa State on 2nd September 1960. He had his primary education between 1967 and 1973. He gained admission in to Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Mubi in 1973 and successfully obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1978. He attended the School of Basic Studies (SBS), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria during the 1978/79 session. In October, 1979 he enrolled at ABU Zaria for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree programme which he successfully completed in June 1984. Professor…
PEP Guardiola believes Manchester City face an almost impossible job in replacing Kevin De Bruyne thanks to the impact the Belgian has made over the past 10 years. De Bruyne has won six Premier League titles among 13 major trophies since joining City in 2015, a year before Guardiola’s arrival. The 33-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and has previously hinted he could be tempted by the riches on offer in the Saudi Pro League. “I would like to have a 23-year-old Kevin and sign a contract for 10 more years,” Guardiola said on Friday.…
MORE than 20 people, including six children and five women, have been killed in Israeli strikes on central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, the Wafa news agency reports. Gaza’s civil defence agency said the Indonesian Hospital came under Israeli attack in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya where at least 29 people were reported killed in a series of air strikes on and near the Kamal Adwan Hospital. Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Gaza reports that Israeli tanks and drones operating around Kamal Adwan are “shooting at any moving object”, whether inside the hospital or nearby. As we have been reporting, the Israeli military…
THE Middle East is experiencing a significant transformation in its tourism sector, driven by the proliferation of low-cost airlines and the implementation of unified visa systems. These developments are making travel more accessible and affordable, thereby attracting a diverse array of tourists and stimulating regional economies. The introduction of a unified tourist visa for GCC member states marks a historic shift in the region’s approach to tourism. This Schengen-style visa will allow travelers to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait with a single permit, simplifying cross-border travel. Benefits of the Unified Visa System: Streamlined Travel: Tourists can…
ELECTION day has arrived in Ghana, where a debt crisis and high living costs mean the economy is uppermost in the minds of many voters. The West African nation is guaranteed a new president as Nana Akufo-Addo steps down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office. But he could be replaced with a familiar face, if former President John Mahama succeeds in his comeback attempt for the NDC party. His main challenger is expected to be Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, who would become the country’s first Muslim leader if he wins for the governing NPP party. Other candidates…
HUNDREDS of people staged a rally in N’Djamena on Friday to support a Chad government call last week to scrap military cooperation with former colonial power France. Up to 500 people carrying placards that read “bar France” gathered at the N’Djari stadium draped in the country’s colours, an AFP journalist said. “After 60 years of cooperation, we don’t need the French military, we have an army, we can defend our country,” Abdel daim Abdallah Ousmane, secretary general of the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs, told AFP at the protest. “Our demonstration is peaceful. We are not France’s enemy and France…
PHILLIPINES legend Manny Pacquiao will be among those inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2025, the organization announced on Thursday. Pacquiao, 45, was a world champion from flyweight (112 pounds) through super welterweight (154 pounds) divisions in a career that spanned from 1995 to 2021. The southpaw superstar finished with a record of 62 wins, eight losses and two draws. Pacquiao, fellow fighters Michael Nunn and Vinny Paz and referee Kenny Bayless are among 14 individuals set to be enshrined June 5-8 at the Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. “I’m so happy that I have…