Author: Editor

A TOP Sudanese general has said the army will press on with its offensive despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire in the 17-month civil war. “Peace talks can go on, but the army will not stop for that,” Assistant Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Ibrahim Gabir told the BBC. He was speaking just days after the army launched an operation to regain control of the capital, Khartoum, from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The two sides have been fighting since April last year, when their leaders fell out over the country’s future. This has created a humanitarian catastrophe with more…

KAI Havertz and Bukayo Saka inspired Arsenal’s 2-0 success against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday as the Gunners secured their first win in the Champions League this season. Havertz headed Arsenal into the lead and Saka netted before the interval to underline their superiority at the Emirates Stadium. After drawing their opening league phase tie at Atalanta, Mikel Arteta’s side moved onto four points in their bid to reach the knockout stage of the revamped tournament. Eliminated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals last season and pipped to the English title by Manchester City, the Gunners are now unbeaten…

TENSIONS have been growing between arch-rivals Israel and Iran since the start of the war in Gaza, following the unprecedented attack on Israel launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Here is a roundup of key dates leading up to Iran’s barrage of missiles against Israel on Tuesday: Hamas attack On October 8, 2023, a day after militants from Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attack Israel, late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says Iran supports the Palestinians’ “legitimate defence”. He accuses Israel of “endangering the security of nations in the region”. In central Tehran, banners are raised showing solidarity with the Palestinians.…

THE bodies of 20 children and three teachers have been recovered after a bus transporting school pupils crashed and caught fire outside Bangkok. The bus was returning to the Thai capital after a school trip to the north of the country. Videos from the scene showed flames engulfing the bus as it burned under an overpass, with huge clouds of dense black smoke billowing into the sky. The driver handed himself in to police 100km (61 miles) north of Bangkok, according to local media. Footage taken shortly after the fatal crash showed the driver attempting to extinguish the fire but…

MEMBERS of parliament in Kenya have started the process of removing the country’s deputy president from office. Those who back the effort accuse Rigathi Gachagua of having a role in June’s anti-government demonstrations – which turned deadly – as well as an involvement in corruption, undermining government and promoting ethnically divisive politics. The deputy president has dismissed the allegations. This is the culmination of a major fallout between Gachagua and President William Ruto. On Tuesday, the speaker of the National Assembly allowed the impeachment proceedings to begin after a motion to start things off was backed by 291 MPs, way…

AT least 45 people have died and dozens are missing after two vessels carrying refugees and migrants from Africa sank off the coast of Djibouti, the UN’s migration agency said. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that the boats left Yemen with 310 people on board before sinking in the Red Sea. “IOM is supporting state emergency services in search and rescue operations,” the organisation said in a post on X, adding that 32 survivors had been found. Djibouti’s coastguard said a joint rescue effort has been under way since early on Monday, with 115 survivors now…

THE Israeli military has said Iran fired roughly 180 missiles at the country Tuesday night. “IDF (Israeli army) systems have identified approximately 180 missiles fired towards Israeli territory from Iran,” the military said. A security official also confirmed the figure to AFP. Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel on Tuesday in response to the killings of Iran-backed militant leaders, sending Israelis to shelters and prompting alarm across the region. “A short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran towards the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said in a statement, as sirens sounded across Israel. After about an…

TEXT OF NATIONAL BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU ON THE 64TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA OCTOBER 1, 2024. Fellow Nigerians, as I address you today, I am deeply aware of the struggles many of you face in these challenging times. Our administration knows that many of you struggle with rising living costs and the search for meaningful employment. I want to assure you that your voices are heard.  As your President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the suffering of our citizens. Once again, I plead for your…

FIFA banned Cameroon football federation president Samuel Eto’o for six months on Monday over his conduct at a Women’s Under-20 World Cup match. The former Barcelona star was deemed guilty of breaching FIFA’s rules relating to “offensive behaviour, violation of the principles of fair-play and misconduct of players and officials”. The charges relate to Cameroon’s last-16 game against Brazil, which the South Americans won 3-1 after extra time. Eto’o and the Cameroon delegation saw red over a penalty that led to Brazil’s equaliser at the match in Bogota, Colombia on September 11. Eto’o is suspended from attending any Cameroon matches,…

THREE civilians have been killed and nine others wounded in Israeli strikes on Syria’s capital Damascus, state-run media has reported. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) earlier reported that its television anchor Safaa Ahmad was killed on Tuesday in “treacherous Israeli aggression” targeting the Syrian capital. Footage posted on social media appeared to show a car engulfed in flames on a street surrounded by apartment blocks. It was not clear if the presenter was among the three civilian casualties referred to by state media. Israel’s Ministry of Defense and military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The…

A MAN was arrested on Monday after breaking into Morocco’s embassy in Stockholm and smashing windows before hanging a rainbow flag from a window, police said. Police stormed the building and arrested the man, who daily newspaper Aftonbladet said was armed with a knife and had barricaded himself in a room. The perpetrator, who has not yet been identified, is suspected of breaking and entering, aggravated vandalism and causing bodily injury, after shattered glass from a window fell on a passerby on the street, they added. “The person was not seriously injured and was going to seek medical help on…

A COURT in Tanzania’s capital has sentenced four men to life imprisonment for the gang rape and sodomy of a girl under the age of 18 in a case which caused outrage in the country. Among the convicts are Clinton Damas, a soldier with the Tanzania People’s Defence Force, and Praygod Mushi, a prison officer. The other two convicts are Nickson Jackson and Amin Lema. In addition to the life sentences, the four men have each been ordered to pay 1m shillings ($370; £275) to the victim. A fifth suspect – a senior policewoman suspected of ordering the sex attack…

AN instant porridge has been withdrawn from sale in South Africa after three young children died reportedly after eating it. Police spokesperson Lt Col Siphokazi Mawisa told local newspaper the Daily Maverick the children, aged 18 months to four years, had complained of stomach aches after eating Top Score Instant Porridge, before they died on Friday. Supermarket Spar, where the porridge was purchased, has instructed all stores to remove the product from its shelves. The Namibian company which made the porridge, Namib Mills, said although, “there is currently no evidence linking our product to this unfortunate event, we are taking…

TOTTENHAM produced a magnificent display to outclass 10-man Manchester United at Old Trafford and pile renewed pressure on manager Erik ten Hag. Spurs, even without injured Son Heung-min, tore Manchester United apart as they set the platform for victory with a first-half masterclass, the only mystery being how they only had Brennan Johnson’s third-minute goal to show for their overwhelming dominance. Johnson’s simple finish was created by Micky van de Ven’s barnstorming run from his own half, and Spurs went on to create chance after chance without adding to their advantage – Timo Werner being the biggest culprit when he…

ISRAELI jets have continued attacking targets across Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut, for a seventh day, with Lebanese officials saying the nonstop bombardment had left up to a million people in the streets. As fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah grow, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Sunday the intense Israeli attacks had possibly caused the “worst displacement crisis” in the country’s history. Earlier, the Israeli military said its fighter jets had struck Hezbollah targets, including rocket launchers and weapons storage facilities, and carried out dozens of air raids across Lebanon. At least 11 people…

RESIDENTS of Nepal’s flood-hit capital returned to their mud-caked homes on Sunday to survey the wreckage of devastating floods that have killed at least 170 people across the Himalayan republic. Deadly rain-related floods and landslides are common across South Asia during the monsoon season from June to September, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. Entire neighbourhoods in Kathmandu were inundated over the weekend with flash floods reported in rivers coursing through the capital and extensive damage to highways connecting the city with the rest of Nepal. Kumar Tamang, who lives in a slum area by…

SIX people have died from an outbreak of Marburg virus in Rwanda, the health minister has announced. Sabin Nsanzimana said most of the victims were healthcare workers in a hospital intensive care unit. Twenty cases have been identified since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday. Marburg, with a fatality rate of up to 88%, is from the same virus family as Ebola. It spreads to humans from fruit bats and then through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea, vomiting and, in some cases, death through extreme blood loss. There are no specific treatments…

IT was January 1998 and Robert Bourgi was waiting to see the Gabonese president Omar Bongo, in an antechamber at his seaside palace in Libreville. He was there to collect funds for the approaching French presidential election on behalf of the centre-right Gaullist candidate Jacques Chirac, who was mayor of Paris at the time. Who should then be ushered into the same antechamber but Roland Dumas, former French foreign minister and right-hand man of ruling Socialist President François Mitterrand, Chirac’s arch-rival. “Good day, Bourgi,” said Dumas. “I believe we are here for the same purpose.” Claiming seniority, Dumas went into…

VICTOR Osimhen has finally opened his goals account for Galatasaray. Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray on loan from Napoli in the summer, had gone three games without a goal for the Turkish champions. However, on Saturday, the Nigerian forward ended his mini-goal drought in the 20th minute of Galatasaray’s Super Lig clash with Kasimpasa at the RAMS Park in İstanbul. Osimhen needed only eight minutes to grab his second, after waiting for three games to score his first goal for Gala. The Napoli loanee also imitated a goal celebration of ex-Inter captain Mauro Icardi when the Argentinean netted the third goal…

HARRY Kane went off injured as Bayern Munich were held 1-1 at home by champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Robert Andrich put the visitors ahead after 31 minutes in Munich but Aleksandar Pavlovic pulled leaders Bayern level eight minutes later with an incredible long range shot. England captain Kane, who was largely anonymous in front of goal, hobbled off with a foot injury with four minutes remaining after a collision with Leverkusen’s Amine Adli. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said he was unsure about Kane’s injury status, but added “when Harry leaves the field means something because…