A PROMINENT Tunisian journalist has been arrested on charges of insulting President Kais Said. A judge ordered the detention of Zied el-Heni ahead of a trial in which he could be sentenced to five years in prison. Tunisian activists have expressed concern over his health as he reportedly suffered a stroke some time ago. In recent months, Tunisian judges have detained or opened investigations into more than 20 political, judicial, media and business figures associated with opposition to President Said. The main opposition parties have condemned the arrests as politically motivated.
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THE absence of counsel for the Federal Government, on Wednesday, stalled the trial commencement of Tukur Mamu, who is being tried over his alleged relationship with terrorists that were involved in last year’s attack on a Kaduna-bound train. The matter was fixed for trial before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja. When the matter was called, only Mamu’s counsel, Obiabo Francis-Amedo, was in court. The lawyer told the court that he was notified through a letter from the prosecution that the prosecuting counsel in the matter had gone on training and that they suggested a date before…
THE Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has approved a 114 per cent increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders. RMAFC is saddled with the responsibility of determining the remuneration appropriate for political officeholders including the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Legislators and the holders of the offices as mentioned in Sections 84 and 124 of this Constitution. The commission urged the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly to hasten efforts on amendment of relevant laws to give room for…
PORTUGAL captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored a last-minute winner on his historic night as he became the first men’s player to win 200 international caps in their Euro 2024 qualifying win over Iceland. The 38-year-old turned home Goncalo Inacio’s header from close range. The goal was initially ruled out for an Inacio offside but was awarded by the video assistant referee. That was Ronaldo’s 123rd international goal, extending his world record. Al-Nassr’s Ronaldo broke Kuwait forward Bader Al-Mutawa’s 196-cap record in March – and was given a certificate by Guinness World Records before kick-off to mark this latest landmark. “For me…
CHELSEA and France midfielder N’Golo Kante has agreed to sign for Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad. The 32-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires at the end of June. Kante has struggled with injuries and made nine appearances for Chelsea during the 2022-23 campaign. He will join Karim Benzema at Al-Ittihad after his fellow Frenchman left Real Madrid and agreed a three-year deal with them this month. The move brings to an end a highly successful period in English football for Kante. He helped Leicester City win the Premier League in the 2015-16 season before moving to Stamford Bridge. At Chelsea Kante…
FOUR Israelis have been killed in a shooting attack near a settlement in the occupied West Bank, paramedics say. Four others were wounded, one of them seriously, when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a restaurant and petrol station on a highway outside Eli. Israel’s military said the assailants were “Hamas-affiliated terrorists”. One was shot dead at the scene by an armed civilian, while the second fled in a stolen car and was later killed by Israeli forces in the town of Tubas. Israel’s prime minister said “all options are open” in response to what he called the “shocking and…
AT least 41 people have been killed in a riot at a women’s prison in Honduras on Tuesday. It is understood that a fight broke out between rival gangs, after which one gang set a cell alight. Officials say the fire caused the majority of the deaths but some of the victims were shot. The country’s Deputy Security Minister, Julissa Villanueva, has declared a state of emergency and promised to crack down on the violence. She also authorised the “immediate intervention” of firefighters, police and military. “The loss of human lives will not be tolerated,” Ms Villanueva said. It is…
LAWYERS representing Rwandan genocide suspect Fulgence Kayishema, who had been on the run for 22 years before his arrest last month, have told the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court that their client will apply for asylum on political grounds in South Africa. It could delay his possible extradition to Rwanda for several years and significantly delay his trial on charges of genocide, complicity to genocide and crimes against humanity. He is accused of directly participating in the killings as well as ordering the massacre on 15 April 1994 of 2,000 ethnic Tutsi people who were hiding in a Catholic Church in…
AS the number of migrants trying to reach Europe grows so does the number of deaths in the Mediterranean. While European Union officials struggle to contain the exodus the plight of those fleeing poverty and persecution is leaving its tragic mark on the shores of Tunisia. As the sun creeps above the horizon off the shores of its eastern coast, fisherman Oussama Dabbebi begins hauling in his nets. His face fixes anxiously on its contents, because sometimes fish are not all he finds. “Instead of getting fish I sometimes get dead bodies. The first time I was afraid, then step…
THE Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has recommitted itself to creating the enabling and sustainable environment that upholds press freedom and protection of journalists’ rights, in order to ensure the sustainability of democracy and good governance. Conscious of its constitutional and social responsibility, the professional body of all editors in Nigeria also said that its commitment to professionalism will help shape the narratives, influence public opinion, and help forge a society that thrives on transparency, inclusivity, justice and a system of government that is accountable to the citizens. The editors stated these at the end of its two-day national biennial…
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will close their case on Thursday, June 22. This followed the decision of the court to add two extra days to the party, after losing the said days during the matter. According to the timetable, the party was scheduled to close its case Tuesday, but due to the Democracy Day holiday on Monday, June 12, and last Saturday, they lost two days meant to tender documents and field witnesses. Speaking off camera, counsel to PDP, Chris Uche said they had fielded 25 witnesses and would make it a round…
BUKAYO Saka scored the first hat-trick of his career as England made it four wins out of four Euro 2024 qualifiers by thrashing North Macedonia at Old Trafford. Gareth Southgate’s side are well on course to qualify for the tournament in Germany next summer and, even though North Macedonia provided meagre opposition, England still demonstrated the dazzling array of attacking options they have at their disposal. And at the heart of it all was Arsenal’s Saka who struck a superb treble before departing to a standing ovation with the game won. England actually laboured in the early stages in the…
FRENCH champions Paris St-Germain are close to appointing Luis Enrique as their new manager. PSG have not yet confirmed the exit of boss Christophe Galtier, but it is widely assumed his spell at the club will come to an end this summer. Galtier, 56, was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino’s successor in July 2022 but fell short of expectations. Luis Enrique has been linked with numerous jobs since leaving Spain after the World Cup in Qatar. PSG turned to the 53-year-old after talks with former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann ended without agreement. Luis Enrique made his name as a player…
THE face of a girl who died more than 1,300 years ago has been revealed through facial reconstruction. Her skeleton was found buried on a wooden bed, with a gold and garnet cross on her chest at Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, in 2012. The image will go on display as part of a Cambridge University exhibition. Anglo-Saxon specialist Dr Sam Lucy said “as an archaeologist I’m used to faceless people” so it was “really lovely” to see how she may have looked. Forensic artist Hew Morrison created the likeness using measurements of the young woman’s skull and tissue depth data for Caucasian…
A GUNMAN opened fire Monday in a school he used to attend in southern Brazil, killing one pupil and wounding another before being arrested, authorities said. The ex-student arrived at the school in the Londrina metropolitan area saying he needed a transcript, but took out a gun once inside and began shooting, said authorities in the state of Parana. Brazilian media reports said the shooter was 21. A 16 year old female student was killed, and a male student taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds, the state security ministry said in a statement, adding that the attacker had been…
THE Ugandan authorities say they have arrested three people in connection with an attack on a school on Friday in which about 40 people were killed. Most of the victims were students at the Lhubiria school in the western town of Mpondwe. Many were burnt to death in their dormitory. District Commissioner Joe Walusimbi said the arrests followed tip-offs from local residents. But he added that the Ugandan army was still hunting for the Islamist militants who have been blamed for the attack and reportedly fled into the Democratic Republic of Congo.
BRITISH actor Idris Elba, who also has Sierra Leonean citizenship and heritage, has called for a peaceful general election in Sierra Leone, which will take place on Saturday. “This election please let it be peaceful,” he said in a message in Pidgin English. He reminded young people that they have the “power” in this vote, and that if the country is destroyed due to violence, it will be down to Sierra Leoneans to have to patch it back up again. “Not only is the world watching,” he said, but the whole of Africa. Saturday’s vote will be the country’s sixth…
CROATIA missed out on their first international trophy after losing on penalties to Spain in the Nations League final. Dani Carvajal calmly chipped home the winning effort to seal a 5-4 victory on spot-kicks after Unai Simon had saved from Bruno Petkovic. The contest in Rotterdam had finished goalless after extra time. It is Spain’s first international trophy for 11 years, since their victory at Euro 2012. “We’re so happy, it was a really tough game and this is so difficult to do,” said Spain midfielder Rodri, who was named man of the match and for whom this trophy follows…
LUKE Shaw has been selling Manchester United to his England team-mates and would welcome Harry Kane and Declan Rice to the club “in a heartbeat”. Monday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia is being played at United’s home ground Old Trafford. Tottenham striker Kane and West Ham midfielder Rice are said to be summer transfer targets for the Red Devils. “I would love a few of them to join – I am not going to lie,” said United defender Shaw, 27. “I am speaking to them, telling them how good Manchester is, because I know their qualities. “I know they…
AN Ecuadorean woman has died days after mourners at her funeral were shocked to find her alive in her coffin. Bella Montoya, 76, was first declared dead by a doctor at a hospital in the city of Babahoyo last week. But when mourners attending her wake heard her knocking on her coffin, she was immediately rushed back to the same hospital for treatment. After seven days in intensive care, Ecuador’s health ministry confirmed she died on Friday from an ischemic stroke. The ministry’s statement added that she had remained under “permanent surveillance” while at the hospital. Speaking to a local…