Author: Editor

CHINA will once again start issuing a range of visas to foreigners as of Wednesday, the country’s foreign ministry said, in a major easing of travel restrictions in place since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The move marks the latest step towards reopening China to the outside world, as Beijing breaks with the strict zero-Covid strategy that defined its pandemic response until a few months ago. In addition to new visas being reviewed and approved, those issued before March 28, 2020 that remain valid will once again allow entry to China, said a notice posted Tuesday on a social…

THREE Ugandan students were killed after a lorry rammed into their classroom at a school near the capital, Kampala. At least 18 other learners were injured in the incident at Kasaka Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon. The lorry got nearly halfway into the building and tore up part of the roof. Uganda police say the lorry driver lost control and drove through the school fence before hitting the school’s computer laboratory that was occupied by students. The driver, a 26-year-old man, has been arrested to help with investigations, police said. The school is located in the country’s central district of…

TWO Malawian soldiers went missing after their rescue boat was swept away on Tuesday in the southern Mulanje area. A military spokesperson as saying that the mission was hampered by a swollen river. The soldiers were part of a six-member crew that went to rescue people stranded after Tropical Storm Freddy ripped through the region, Minister of Local Government Richard Chimwendo Banda told a local outlet. Two other soldiers and one civilian managed to swim back after the boat malfunctioned on the way to the rescue mission, the minister told Zodiak Online. Mr Banda said one of the missing soldiers…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has renewed call on political parties to consider the Saturday’s Governorship and States Houses of Assembly election as a contest and not a war. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman said this at an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, meeting on Tuesday in Abuja. Mr Yakubu urged political leaders to refrain from acts that may mar the election or compromise the security of INEC personnel, observers and other stakeholders. He said that the governorship election would hold in 28 states, with the exception of Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and…

THE Inspector General of Police Alkali Baba has cancelled the deployment of Feleye Olaleye as Kano commissioner of police. The IGP instead posted CP Ahmed Kontagora to lead the command during the Governorship and State Assembly elections in the state. On March 8, the IGP reversed the deployment of CP Balarabe Sule, a former chief security officer to the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, following protests over the officer’s alleged partisanship. But in a signal released on Monday with reference number TH.5361/FS/FHQ/ABJ/SUB.6/144, the IGP maintains the posting of CP Ita Lazarus Uko-Udom to Kano Central, with DCP Umar Iya…

THE President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent out a message of sympathy and consolation to traders affected by the recent fire outbreaks in Kano State. In a statement released by his media office on Tuesday signed by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Asiwaju Tinubu bemoaned the inferno which affected a section of Singa Commodity Market in the city on Monday, a few days after similar incidents in two other markets. The President-elect described the incidents as disturbing setbacks for the traders and the economy of the state. “I am disturbed to learn of the horrific fire incident which consumed dozens of shops…

GBOYEGA Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, asked the Court of Appeal, Abuja to declared Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun unqualified to have contested the July 16, 2022 poll in which he emerged as winner over alleged certificate forgery. Oyetola, whose candidacy in the poll was affirmed by a tribunal, made the prayer in a cross appeal marked: CA/AK/EPT/GOV/03/2023 filed before the three-member panel headed by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 1st and 2nd cross appellants in the case are Oyetola and the APC respectively. In the matter, the Independent…

PEP Guardiola admits his Manchester City reign will be defined by success in the Champions League no matter how many times his side win the Premier League. City face Bundesliga high-fliers Leipzig in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday looking to advance to the quarter-finals for a sixth successive season. Guardiola’s men were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg, but are fancied to progress in front of their own fans at the Etihad Stadium. For Guardiola, the quest to end City’s wait to win Europe’s elite club competition for the first time…

PARIS Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, charged with rape in France, was called into the Morocco squad Monday for friendly games against Brazil and Peru. One of the stars of Morocco’s historic charge to the semi-finals of the World Cup last year, Hakimi was charged earlier this month with allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman. Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on February 25 in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. “We are behind him and that’s the most important thing,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said. “There is the…

US Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to three African countries this month, a statement said Monday, as Washington looks to strengthen diplomatic ties on the continent. The trip to Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia from March 25 to April 2 comes after a December summit hosted by President Joe Biden in Washington with US leaders and counterparts from Africa, a continent where China and Russia have enjoyed rising clout. Harris’s tour aims to “strengthen the United States’ partnerships throughout Africa and advance our shared efforts on security and economic prosperity,” a statement from the vice president’s office said. She is…

THE International Criminal Court will open two cases against Russian officials over the invasion of Ukraine, the New York Times reported on Monday. A spokeswoman for the office of ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said it “offers no comment about this story.” In its report the New York Times said the first case involved Russia’s alleged abduction of Ukrainian children, who were then sent for adoption or to re-education camps. The second case alleges that Russian forces deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure such as power and water plants with missile attacks. The court would also seek arrest warrants for several people, said…

SIX Zimbabweans, all suspected armed robbers, escaped from custody while on transit on Monday morning after their accomplices engaged South African police in a shoot-out. In a statement, South African police said they have launched a manhunt for the “heavily armed” suspects who freed the six prisoners during the gunfight. The daring attack was staged some 120 kilometres south of Beitbridge – a border town near Zimbabwe. “People are advised not to approach the suspects under any circumstances as they are considered dangerous but must instead call the police,” South African police said. Zimbabwe has the largest migrant population in…

SOUTH African Health Minister Joe Phaahla has said the death of at least four patients can be “attributed directly” to an ongoing nationwide strike action by health workers. He has warned that this number may grow, as his team continues to assess clinical reports and visit affected health centres. Strike action by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) from last week saw the shutdown of some hospitals, with workers being violently barred from entering and patients in need of care being turned away. The army has now been deployed to key hospital entrance points to stop the…

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has noted with concern the recurrent fire incidents in the past few days, which have affected some communities and markets. According to a statement signed by the Director-General NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, Monday, it is on record that the unfortunate incidents have been characterized by complete razing down residential buildings, markets and other public buildings thereby leading to loss of lives and livelihoods. “Fire, like any other disaster has been part of human existence, but the frequency and impacts of this in recent weeks has necessitated a serious concern and call for action by…

THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it will continue to arrest and prosecute those involved in the production and circulation of fake redesigned Naira notes. The Commandant-General of the corps, Ahmed Audi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that the number of cases of circulation of fake Naira notes had become worrisome. He warned perpetrators to desist, adding that the corps would not relent, but continue to arrest and prosecute those involved in economic sabotage of the country. According to him, in less than a month, the corps had arrested and seized fake Naira…

ARSENAL restored their five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League in outstanding fashion with a ruthless victory at Fulham. Mikel Arteta’s side responded to Manchester City’s narrow victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday night by wrapping up this win by half-time as they opened up a 3-0 lead with a devastating attacking display. Gabriel Martinelli had already had a goal narrowly ruled out for offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), before defender Gabriel headed in Leandro Trossard’s corner after 21 minutes – the first of a trio of assists for the Belgian. Trossard then crossed for Martinelli…

REAL Madrid say they will support the corruption charges faced by Barcelona over money paid to the vice-president of Spain’s referees’ committee. Real are prepared to “defend their interests” when proceedings are opened. On Friday, a court heard Barcelona have been indicted for “corruption”, “breach of trust” and “false business records”. Prosecutors allege Barca paid 8.4m euros (£7.4m) to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira and his company in return for favourable refereeing decisions. Barcelona, who deny any wrongdoing, acknowledged the payments were made to Dasnil 95 between 2001 and 2018. The Catalan club described the company as “an external technical consultant”…

SAUDI Arabia has executed a Jordanian man whose family say he was tortured into confessing to drugs charges. Hussein Abu al-Khair, 57, had eight children and was a driver for a wealthy Saudi. He was arrested in 2014 while crossing the border from Jordan into Saudi Arabia, accused of smuggling amphetamines. He was later sentenced to death, after a trial criticised by Amnesty International as “grossly unfair”. His sister, Zeinab Abul Al-Khair, said he had told her from jail that he had been strung up by his feet and beaten. “He never imagined a forced confession would be allowed in…

THOUSANDS of demonstrators staged fresh protests in Greece on Sunday as anger grows over the country’s deadliest rail crash, ratcheting up pressure on the government over the tragedy. Protesters flooded Athens’ Syntagma Square in front of parliament, waving banners that read “We won’t forget, we won’t forgive” and “We will become the voice of all the dead”. Fifty-seven people, many of them students, were killed when a passenger train and freight train collided head-on in central Greece on February 28. Four railway officials have been charged but public anger has focused on long-running mismanagement of the network, and the country…

SUSPECTED rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces have killed at least 17 people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo – the second mass killings in less than a week. They also set fire to buildings during the dawn raid on Kirindera in North Kivu province. On Wednesday, 45 people were killed during a raid on two villages by the same rebels – who are said to have links to the Islamic State group. Peace talks have been tried, but the international response to the crisis in eastern DR Congo is to send in more soldiers. The Ugandan army has…