A COURT in Greece has abandoned the trial of nine Egyptian men accused of causing the biggest migrant shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea for a decade. The judges in the southern port city of Kalamata ruled they did not have jurisdiction to hear the case on the grounds the vessel sank in international waters. It is feared more than 600 people drowned last June when an overcrowded fishing boat, the Adriana, sank on its way to Europe from Libya. The accused had faced life in prison if convicted of people-smuggling and causing the sinking of the boat. There were cheers…
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FORMER South African President Jacob Zuma has launched a scathing attack on some of the country’s top judges after he was barred from running for parliament on Monday. In his first interview since the ban, Mr Zuma told the BBC the Constitutional Court was wrong to decide he was unfit to run, based on his 2021 conviction for contempt of court. “I expected that from our judges, but they are definitely wrong. Not correct,” the 82-year-old said, adding that the constitution should be changed. Ahead of next week’s general election, Mr Zuma had been campaigning under the banner of the…
JUSTICE Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja has granted erstwhile Commander of the Force Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, temporarily bail for two weeks on passionate grounds, to go bury his mother. Kyari was granted bail to the tune of 50 million Naira and a surety in like sum. While giving the order, Justice Nwite also held that the surety, which shall be his counsel in the matter, should deposit a copy of his call-to-bar certificate to the deputy registrar of the court. Kyari is to deposit his travel passport with the court and shall always report…
RT. HON Elvert Ekom Ayambem has been impeached as the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly. The Speaker was impeached on Wednesday by 17 members out of the 15-member House over allegations of misappropriation of funds. Majority of the lawmakers passed a no-confidence vote on the Rt. Hon. Ayambem, about 11 months in office. The impeachment motion was moved by Hon. Effiom Ekarika representing Calabar South 1 Constituency and seconded by Hon. Omang Charles Omang representing Bekwarra State Constituency. Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem was elected Speaker of the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly in June…
THE Federal Government has approved a $750m World Bank funding for the construction of 1,200 mini-grids in rural communities across Nigeria. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, disclosed this Tuesday while addressing newsmen at the Alliance for Rural Electrification Energy Access Forum held in Lagos. According to Aliyu, President Bola Tinubu approved the fund for the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up project, which aimed at providing energy access to Nigerians in rural communities. Aliyu noted that about 19 million of the 85 million Nigerians without access to energy would be provided electricity under…
CRISTIANO Ronaldo is set to play in his 11th major international tournament, having been named in the Portugal squad for Euro 2024. The 39-year-old Al-Nassr forward is the most capped player in international football history, with 206 appearances for Portugal and 128 goals. Portugal boss Roberto Martinez included Ronaldo as one of seven forward players in his 26-man squad for next month’s tournament in Germany. Martinez said at a news conference that Ronaldo continued to offer “a quality in front of goal which we greatly appreciate and which we need”. Ronaldo made his tournament debut at Euro 2004 when Portugal…
THE helicopter in the crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was a US-made Bell 212, a model introduced in 1968 during the Vietnam War and last produced in 1998. Here is what we know about the Bell 212: – Decades-old helicopter – Brought into service in 1971, the civilian helicopter had a military version known as Twin Huey, which was used by US troops during the Vietnam conflict. One of its variants, the Huey UH-1 Iroquois, gained notoriety in an iconic scene in the film “Apocalypse Now” during which US troops play Richard Wagner’s The Ride of the Valkyries…
ONE person died and more than 70 were injured Tuesday when a Singapore Airlines flight from London hit severe turbulence and was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok. Flight tracking data suggested the plane dropped more than 1,800 metres (6,000 feet) in just five minutes, causing multiple head injuries to those on board. It is the latest drama involving a Boeing plane, after a fuselage panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX in January as well as two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. Singapore Airlines said flight SQ321 took off from London’s Heathrow airport and…
KENYA’s government has defended the cost of President William Ruto’s trip to the US. The price of hiring the luxury private jet in which he and his delegation travelled is estimated to be $1.5m (£1.2m), according to Kenya’s private KTN TV station. “The benefits from this visit far outweigh such a million times,” government spokesman Isaac Mwaura told the BBC, without confirming the cost. More than 30 people, including a popular comedian, are reported to be accompanying the president, who landed in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday. Mr Ruto is on a four-day visit at the invitation of his US counterpart…
A PROMINENT Malian economist and professor has been sentenced to two years in jail, one of which was suspended, for his criticism of the military junta. Étienne Fakaba Sissoko was also ordered to pay a fine of 3m CFA francs ($4,900; £3,900). The 41-year-old academic, who has been in custody since March, was charged with defamation and damaging the state’s reputation by distributing fake news. The charges relate to a book he published last year, which he defended in court, saying the work was based on fact. Human rights groups say his is the latest case in a widespread crackdown…
ACCORDING to Il Corriere dello Sport, Manchester United, Chelsea, and PSG remain interested in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, while the Partenopei have been monitoring Real Madrid-owned defender Rafa Marin. Napoli are preparing to part company with their star striker Osimhen. The Nigeria international is expected to make his final appearance in a Napoli shirt this coming weekend in a Serie A match against Lecce at the Stadio Maradona. Osimhen has a €130m clause included in his contract with the Partenopei and according to Corriere dello Sport, Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG are among the clubs watching closely last season’s Serie…
ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has angrily condemned the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants for him alongside Hamas’s leaders over alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict. Mr Netanyahu said he rejected with disgust that “democratic Israel” had been compared with what he called “mass murderers”. Mr Netanyahu’s comments have been echoed by US President Joe Biden, who said there was no equivalence between Israel and Hamas. The chief ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, said there were reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant bore criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and…
THE United States on Monday offered condolences after the president of arch-enemy Iran died in a helicopter crash and said it saw no immediate security impact from Ebrahim Raisi’s death. “The United States expresses its official condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other members of their delegation in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. “As Iran selects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms,” he said. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pre-emptively…
SOUTH Africa’s highest court has barred former President Jacob Zuma from running for parliament in next week’s general election. The Constitutional Court ruled that his 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court disqualified him. Mr Zuma was convicted in 2021 for refusing to testify at an inquiry investigating corruption during his presidency which ended in 2018. He has been campaigning under the banner of the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party after falling out with the governing African National Congress (ANC). MK secretary general Sihle Ngubane said the party was disappointed with the ruling, but it would not affect the…
KENYA’s President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on Monday (May. 20) ahead of a state visit to Washington. The visit to Atlanta is the first segment of Kenya’s diplomatic engagement with the United States. President Ruto delivered a speech on governance and democratic values at the Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta. “I welcome President Ruto’s engagements with civic leaders on issues of democratic governance while in Atlanta, as well as his focus on our people-to-people ties, public health partnerships, educational exchanges, investments in shared prosperity, and his engagements with Atlanta’s African…
JURGEN Klopp punctuated his opening-day mission statement as Liverpool manager by insisting it is not important what people think about you when you arrive, the true measure of achievement is what they think about you when you leave. As a beaming Klopp disappeared down the tunnel for the final time as Liverpool manager in front of packed stands at 6.46pm on a glorious Merseyside Sunday night, the German was in no doubt about Anfield’s feelings. Klopp, clad in a red T-shirt with ‘I’ll Never Walk Alone Again’ on the rear and ‘Thank You Luv’ – the phrase he closely associates…
THE Iranian government will continue to operate “without the slightest disruption” following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, said a cabinet statement on Monday. “We assure the loyal nation that the path of service will continue with the tireless spirit of Ayatollah Raisi,” said the statement, stressing that government’s work will continue “without the slightest disruption”. The development follows a condolence message by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi said on Monday, that he was “deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise” of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. “My heartfelt condolences to…
THE man suspected of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico may not have been working alone, Slovakia’s interior minister says. A team is investigating the possibility Wednesday’s attack was not carried out by a “lone wolf”, as previously believed, Matus Sutaj Estok told reporters on Sunday. Mr Fico’s life is no longer in danger following hours of surgery, but the 59-year-old still requires intensive care, his deputy said earlier. On Saturday, the man charged with his attempted murder was placed in custody until his trial. The alleged assailant has not been formally named, but Slovak reports have widely identified…
THE US and Niger have agreed that American troops will leave the country “no later” than 15 September, they announced in a joint statement on Sunday. They said the two countries had “reached a disengagement agreement to effect the withdrawal of U.S. forces, which has already begun”. The US has relied on Niger as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity The statement commended the “joint sacrifices of Nigerien and U.S. forces in the fight against terrorism”. The statement said the withdrawal would not affect the continuation of US-Niger relations. “The United States and Niger are committed to ongoing…
SOUTH Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma put on a show of strength in the historic township of Soweto as he campaigned for votes in the build-up to the 29 May general election. Zulu warriors marched around Orlando Stadium with their spears and shields, men in camouflage sang and danced to revolutionary songs, while some of South Africa’s famous singers – including rapper Big Zulu – provided entertainment to the near capacity crowd at Saturday’s rally. For Mr Zuma’s supporters a major coup was the presence of the man known as a disco king, Papa Penny. Having announced his resignation from…