UGANDA’s Deputy Finance Minister Amos Lugoloobi has been arrested in connection with the misappropriation of iron roofing sheets meant for vulnerable people in the north-eastern Karamoja region. He is now the second Ugandan minister to have been detained over the corruption scandal. It follows this week’s court appearance by the minister for the region, Mary Goretti Kitutu. She pleaded not guilty. It is reported that several other officials and politicians received consignments of some of the 14,500 iron roofing materials. Mr Lugoloobi is reported to have received at least 600 iron sheets. Local media reported in March that he had…
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A POWER struggle between Sudan’s army and a notorious paramilitary force has rocked the country, with 57 reported dead and nearly 200 injured. Residents dodged gunfire in the capital, Khartoum, as rival forces battled over the presidential palace, state TV, and army headquarters. Among the dead were three UN workers, who were shot after the two sides exchanged gunfire at a military base. The clashes erupted after tensions over a proposed transition to civilian rule. Both the army and its opponents, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), claimed they had control of the airport and other key sites in Khartoum, where…
GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State paid a courtesy visit to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Saturday. The visit comes at a time the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers is having a running battle with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which Wike represents. Gbajabiamila was among the APC chieftains that Wike warmed up to after falling out with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP in the February 25 presidential poll. The nation’s number four citizen had commissioned some projects executed by Wike’s administration. It’s unclear if their meeting was about the race to…
THE National Universities Commission (NUC) Visitation Team on Wednesday, 12th April, 2023, paid a facility assessment visit to the proposed Canadian University of Nigeria, Abuja. The team comprises Mr. Mustapha Rasheed, Deputy Director (Masterplan & Infrastructure), Mr. Abubakar Girei Deputy Director (Academic Matters), Umma Giwa-Amu, Deputy Director (Governance & Legal Matters) as well as Nkiru Agagwuncha and Oluwayemisi Adeniji who are secretariat staff. The team was in the proposed University to assess the facilities that had been put in place before giving recommendation for the issuance of licence to the University for academic activities to commence. Speaking after assessing the…
MANCHESTER United centre-back Lisandro Martinez will miss the rest of the season after fracturing a metatarsal bone in his foot. The 25-year-old sustained the injury in United’s 2-2 Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla on Thursday. Erik ten Hag’s side were reduced to 10 men when Martinez was helped off in the 86th minute with United leading 2-1. Martinez’s centre-back partner Raphael Varane also sustained an injury and is expected to be out for a few weeks. “Everyone at Manchester United sends Lisandro and Rapha our best wishes for a speedy recovery,” the club said. Martinez, a World Cup winner with…
SUPER Falcons skipper Onome Ebi maintains the team has the quality to reach the semi-final of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria, who have been present at the competition since its inception in 1991, has managed one quarter-final outing in the tournament. That was in 1999. Despite this, the Abia Angels star believes the record African title holders can go all the way to the last four of the Australia/New Zealand soccer fiesta. “Honestly, I will say this is the best of my time with the Super Falcons. I have had good moments but right now is the best because…
JAPAN’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been evacuated unharmed from a public event after what appeared to be a smoke bomb was thrown at him. A person was detained at the scene in Wakayama, where Mr Kishida had been due to give a speech, local media reported. A witness said they saw a person throwing something, followed by smoke, while another said they heard a big bang. No injuries were reported. Video showed officers piling on top of a person, believed to be a suspect. Police say they have made an arrest, but have so far declined to comment further.…
RELICS of ancient viruses – that have spent millions of years hiding inside human DNA – help the body fight cancer, say scientists. The study by the Francis Crick Institute showed the dormant remnants of these old viruses are woken up when cancerous cells spiral out of control. This unintentionally helps the immune system target and attack the tumour. The team wants to harness the discovery to design vaccines that can boost cancer treatment, or even prevent it. The researchers had noticed a connection between better survival from lung cancer and a part of the immune system, called B-cells, clustering…
IT was a bold gambit by the 25-year-old Kenyan chess player to disguise himself as a woman to compete in his country’s female open chess tournament. Dressed head to toe in a burka and wearing spectacles, Stanley Omondi had registered himself as Millicent Awour. But Omondi’s daring move was exposed as the organisers got suspicious by the unknown player’s success. In his defence, he later wrote in an apologetic letter seen by the BBC that he had “financial needs”. He also said that he was “ready to accept all consequences”. Omondi did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.…
BOTSWANA President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Thursday denied allegations that he planned to replace his deputy Slumber Tsogwane. This follows speculation that Mr Masisi would fire his deputy after the 2024 general elections. Speaking after chairing a meeting of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), President Masisi said Mr Tsogwane had been a hardworking vice-president since his appointment to the position in 2018. “I’m very comfortable with Slumber taking up the leadership of this country if something happens to me,” Mr Masisi said, adding that there was no vacancy in the vice-presidency. He said he had never planned with anyone or…
THE Zamfara State Police Command says its operatives have rescued nine people who were abducted on April 11 from Kucheri in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state. The command’s spokesman, CSP Muhammad Shehu, while addressing journalists in Gusau said the victims, seven females and two males, were rescued on Thursday. “The rescue of the victims was sequel to credible information obtained from a good samaritan which the police used and successfully rescued the victims hale and hearty. “The victims underwent medical check at the police clinic in Gusau, debriefed by police detectives and thereafter reunited with their families,” Shehu…
MANCHESTER United conceded two own goals and lost Lisandro Martinez to a serious-looking injury in the final six minutes against Sevilla to put their Europa League hopes in jeopardy. United looked to be coasting to a quarter-final first-leg victory at Old Trafford thanks to Marcel Sabitzer’s first-half double. However, after Antony had hit the crossbar, Sevilla came back into the contest and profited from a terrible ending to the game for Erik ten Hag’s men. First Tyrell Malacia diverted the ball past David de Gea after former Manchester City man Jesus Navas had pulled a low cross back from the…
BAYERN Munich have left Sadio Mane out of their squad for Saturday’s league match against Hoffenheim amid reports he punched team-mate Leroy Sane. Reports in Germany alleged Mane hit Sane in the face following Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League defeat by Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. The pair reportedly had to be separated by team-mates after the altercation. Bayern said Senegal forward Mane has been dropped because of “misconduct” and confirmed he will also be fined. “Sadio Mane, 31, will not be included in the FC Bayern squad for this Saturday’s home match against 1899 Hoffenheim,” said Bayern in a statement…
A MAN who burned his ex-girlfriend alive on a town square in Peru has been tracked down in Colombia and arrested, the government in Lima said Wednesday. The man, Venezuelan Sergio Tarache Parra, 19, stands accused of dousing 18-year-old Katherine Gomez with gasoline and setting her alight on a central square in Lima on March 18. She had broken up with him days earlier. Gomez was admitted to hospital with burns to 60 percent of her body and died after six days of agony in a case that shocked Peruvians. Peru’s interior ministry said Tarache would be transferred from Colombia…
APPROXIMATELY 18,000 cows were killed in a blast at a Texas dairy farm earlier this week, according to local authorities. The explosion, at South Fork Dairy near the town of Dimmitt, also left one person in critical condition. Authorities believe that machinery in the facility may have ignited methane gas. Nearly three million farm animals died in fires across the US between 2018 and 2021. Castro County Sheriff’s Office said they had received a report of a fire at the farm at about 19:21 on Monday (00:21 GMT Tuesday). Photos posted by the Sheriff’s Office show a huge plume of…
TWO pastors of an Angolan religious sect, army of faith, have been arrested for allegedly donning replica Angolan Armed Forces uniforms, local media report. Novo Jornal website said the two were arrested on Wednesday by officers from Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) “with red pins similar to the ones worn by army generals”. SIC spokesperson Manuel Halaiwa is quoted as saying the two will be charged with illegal use of military uniform and exercising illegal religious activities “because their sect is not registered”. It follows a viral video that showed the two pastors presiding over a ceremony attended by more than…
THE president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has ruled out political negotiations with the M23 rebel group. As part of an internationally brokered peace deal the group has been withdrawing from areas it had captured. President Félix Tshisekedi said according to the agreement the M23 rebels are to demobilise before returning to civilian life. The group – which is widely reported to be backed by Rwanda – had previously said it was expecting negotiations with the Kinshasa government. Correspondents say with the president ruling that out, the peace process could stumble. Over the last 18 months around three quarters…
THE Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has assured that it will address the needs of youths and communities in the Niger Delta region. NDDC Board Chairman Lauretta Onochie disclosed this today when she and a member of the Board representing the North West, Prince Sani Iko Sami, received a delegation of the Ogoni Youths Peace Movement at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. She said: “We are determined to ensure that youths of the Niger Delta are empowered according to their needs because everyone is different. So, we are going to carry out a needs assessment to be sure of…
FORWARD Marcus Rashford will be out for “a few games” with a muscle injury, Manchester United have said. The 25-year-old England international left the field holding his groin during the second half of United’s win over Everton on Saturday. United did not give a specific timeline for his return but said he is expected to play again this season. “I can’t give more details of it because we don’t know,” manager Erik ten Hag said. “We have to see how it develops, the injury. “Of course it’s a setback and he’s disappointed about it, but he’s not totally broke because…
STEFANO Pioli said that AC Milan should have given themselves more than a one-goal lead in their Champions League quarter-final derby with Napoli after their fellow Italians finished the first leg with 10 men. Milan had a quarter of an hour to extend their advantage earned from Ismael Bennacer’s first-half strike when Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa was sent off for two quick-fire bookings. “It’s the only regret we have, we should have been more clear-headed,” Pioli told reporters. “It’s a shame but they gave a lot. It’s a good result after a good performance, let’s hope for the next one.” Milan…