DOZENS of Iranian schoolgirls across five provinces have been admitted to hospital in a suspected new wave of poisoning attacks, local media has reported. Hundreds of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in recent months among schoolgirls around the country, mainly in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, with some needing hospitalisation. The illnesses remain unexplained and Iranian officials believe the girls may have been poisoned and have blamed Tehran’s enemies. The Tasnim and Mehr news agencies on Saturday reported the latest incidents in western Hamedan province, as well as Zanjan and West Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest,…
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A PROVINCIAL governor in the central Philippines and five other people were shot dead by unknown gunmen on Saturday, his widow said, in the latest attack against local officials. Local police said six suspects carrying rifles and dressed in uniforms similar to those worn by the armed services entered the governor’s home in Pamplona town and opened fire. Roel Degamo, governor of Negros Oriental province, and five others were killed in the shooting, his widow said. “Governor Degamo did not deserve that kind of death. He was serving his constituents on a Saturday,” Janice Degamo, who is also the mayor…
LIBREVILLE, Luanda, Brazzaville, Kinshasa – France’s President Emmanuel Macron is on a whirlwind tour of African capitals as he tries to shift French policy on the continent away from military involvement. He can hardly be accused of ignoring Africa – this is his 18th presidential trip – but this comes at a time of ever-increasing competition from China and Russia, and growing resentment of the close economic ties between France and its former colonial, which some see as a form of continued exploitation. And he insists that he will come back, again and again, to a continent that he regards…
TWO workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross were kidnapped Saturday in Mali, the organisation’s Mali branch said on Twitter. “We confirm the kidnapping of 02 of our colleagues this morning between Gao and Kidal”, it said, adding that the agency had been present in Mali for 32 years, and was “a neutral, independent and impartial organization”. “We ask not to speculate on this incident so as not to hinder its resolution”, it added. ince 2012, Mali has been in the grip of a serious security crisis. Violence, including kidnappings of foreigners and Malians, is common, the motives…
FOR the second time since the Supreme Court ruled that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes will remain legal tender until December 31, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has refused to speak on the judgement. On Saturday, an official of the CBN told our source that the communications department has not been informed of any new developments on the Supreme Court judgement. Asked when the CBN will start releasing cash to banks, the official replied they “don’t have that information”. The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the old bank notes will remain as legal tenders while also…
Man City 2 v Newcastle 0 PHIL Foden’s superb solo goal helped Manchester City see off Newcastle and ensured the defending champions kept up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal. Foden struck after 15 minutes, gliding in from the right and holding off two challenges before seeing his shot deflected home off Sven Botman. Newcastle responded well and were causing plenty of problems until City substitute Bernardo Silva slotted home to put the game out of their reach midway through the second half. The win means City move to within two points of the Gunners, who play Bournemouth later…
THE Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Badaru, has presented staff of office to the new Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Hameem Nuhu Muhammad Sunusi. The ceremony, which took place at Aminu Kano Try-Angle, Dutse, on Saturday, was witnessed by thousands of well wishers across Jigawa and neighbouring states. Badaru said the throne is the emir’s inheritance of his father’s legacy. “We advised you to copy your father’s legacy and perfect leadership,” the governor added. He prayed for the late emir of Dutse Alhaji, Dr. Nuhu Muhammad Sunusi, for his kindness and good leadership before during his lifetime and enjoined Allah…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State has released the comprehensive result of the National Assembly elections conducted in the state last Saturday. Elections were conducted in the three senatorial districts and 13 federal constituencies of the state. The summary of the result shows that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the three senatorial seats and nine out of the 11 federal constituencies where results were published. The other two federal constituencies were won by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party. The elected senators are the current Deputy Governor, Dr Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo (Rivers West); Senator…
OPPOSITION parties in Nigeria’s fiercely contested polls will attempt to do what has been described as the impossible – getting a court to overturn the outcome of a presidential election in Africa’s most populous nation. Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, the second and third-placed candidates in the tightest presidential election since the end of military rule in 1999, are heading to court to challenge the result that saw Bola Tinubu of the ruling party declared the winner with 37% of the vote. While Atiku of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called the result “a rape of democracy” after…
MOROCCO and Algeria, two known adversaries are each racing to build a conduit pumping Nigerian gas to European markets, even as the continent aims to wean itself off fossil fuels, fuelling an age-old rivalry in the process. Both countries have moved to revive long-stalled projects in light of a gas supply crunch following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago. Prices surged and Europe — which was heavily reliant on Russian gas — had to look elsewhere for energy. Rabat is hoping the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, which would skirt the coastlines of 13 West African countries, could pump billions of…
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will, on Saturday, March 4, leave for the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LCDs) in Doha, the capital city of Qatar. This follows an invitation by the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The conference which is from 5th to 9th March, 2023 under the theme: “From Potential to Prosperity,” holds once in a decade and provides an opportunity to garner the support of the international community for accelerating sustainable development in the LDCs as well as assist them make progress towards achieving prosperity. In Doha, President Buhari…
NEYMAR will miss Paris St-Germain’s Champions League round of 16 second leg at Bayern Munich through injury, manager Christophe Galtier has said. The Brazil forward was carried off with an injured right ankle during PSG’s 4-3 home win over Lille on 19 February. “We will not have [Neymar] available for the next two games,” Galtier said on Friday, calling it a “big loss”. “Instead of having two midfielders, we will have three midfielders and two attackers.” Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are likely to form PSG’s forward line for Wednesday’s second leg. The Ligue 1 leaders are 1-0 down from…
BORUSSIA Dortmund beat RB Leipzig to move top of the German Bundesliga. Dortmund thought they had scored when England midfielder Jude Bellingham’s fine ball over the defence was converted by Julian Brandt but the goal was ruled out because of a handball. The hosts went ahead in the 20th minute when Marco Reus scored a penalty he had won, before Emre Can made it 2-0. Leipzig pulled one back through Emil Forsberg from David Raum’s cross but it was not enough to stop Dortmund. The victory takes them three points clear of Bayern Munich, although the reigning champions will regain…
SERIE A leaders Napoli suffered only their second league defeat of the season as they lost at home to Lazio, who moved up to second in the table. Matias Vecino scored the only goal in the 67th minute with an excellent strike from outside the penalty area. Serie A top goalscorer Victor Osimhen, with 19 goals in the league, came closest to an equaliser but saw his header bounce off the crossbar. Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic also hit the woodwork with a free-kick. Vecino’s goal was the first goal Napoli had conceded in six games. Napoli are aiming to become Italian…
SOCIAL media sensation Khaby Lame, who was born in Senegal and raised in Italy, has joined the judges’ panel of reality TV show Italia’s Got Talent. Lame is currently the world’s most-followed content creator on TikTok, where he is known for his famous shrug and for myth-busting various “life hacks”. He launched his page in 2020 after losing his job in a factory, and quickly built a huge following. The BBC profiled him a year ago, asking his fans in Senegal what they made of his fast rise.
A MAN who sold potato chips cooked in dirty oil from a power transformer has been sentenced by a court in Kenya. Elijah Mwangi Muthoga was arrested just over a year ago in possession of 11 litres of the oil at a hotel he runs in Nyandarua County. He must now serve a two year prison sentence or pay a fine of 200,000 shillings ($1,570; £1,300). A harsher sentence of 10 years in prison or a 10m shilling fine was handed to Zachary Mwangi Gitau, the man found guilty of procuring the oil for Muthoga by vandalising a power transformer.
THE United States announced a new $400 million security aid package for Ukraine on Friday that features various types of ammunition for Kyiv’s forces. “This military assistance package includes more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS and howitzers, which Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself,” the US State Department said in a statement, referring to precision rocket systems and artillery pieces. The package also includes ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, as well as Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges for use in crossing rivers and other water obstacles. The United States has spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly…
BELARUS on Friday handed a 10-year jail term to Nobel Prize-winning activist Ales Bialiatski, drawing strong international condemnation. Bialiatski, who founded the authoritarian nation’s most prominent rights group, has repeatedly run into trouble with security forces in Belarus, which is often described as “Europe’s last dictatorship”. He was in the dock with two allies after they were jailed in the aftermath of historic demonstrations against the disputed re-election of the country’s strongman President Alexander Lukashenko in 2020. The 60-year-old and his associates had been convicted of smuggling and financing “activities that grossly violate public order”, said the Viasna (Spring) rights…
FORMER South African president and Head of Commonwealth Observer Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Thabo Mbeki, has urged the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, not to forget the African continent when he assumes office. Mbeki spoke on Thursday when he visited the president-elect in his Abuja residence on the completion of the Commonwealth Observer Mission, according to a statement by Tinubu’s Media Aide, Tunde Rahman, on Friday. Mbeki, who noted that the election was fair and credible, asked Tinubu to make the entire African continent his compass when he takes over the reins of government. “Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa…
IN the dead of night, two men fired shots at a closed supermarket belonging to the family of Lionel Messi’s wife, before leaving a threatening message on the ground aimed at the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. “Messi, we’re waiting for you. Javkin is a narco, he won’t take care of you,” said the handwritten message left on the ground by the men who shot 14 bullets into the supermarket’s metallic facade in the early hours of Thursday. Pablo Javkin is the mayor of Messi’s hometown, Rosario, where the supermarket is located, some 320 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires. Javkin confirmed…