Schalke 04 beat 10-man Freiburg 2-0 on Saturday to delay Bayern Munichs title celebrations by at least another week and tighten their grip on second place with six games left of the season.

Daniel Caligiuris controversial 63rd-minute penalty put the hosts ahead and Guido Burgstaller slotted in their second goal 10 minutes later as Schalke earned their sixth win in a row.

Minutes earlier Freiburgs Nils Petersen was sent off after a second booking and coach Christian Streich got his marching orders and a seat in the stands for dissent.

Schalke are now 17 points behind leaders Bayern, who are on 69 after walloping third-placed Borussia Dortmund 6-0 on Saturday.

But even a win would not be enough for them to secure their sixth straight league title this weekend.

RB Leipzig worked their way back into Champions League contention with a nervous 3-2 victory at Hanover 96.

The victory lifted them to 46 points and fourth place, a point ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who managed only a goalless draw against Augsburg.

The top four teams qualify automatically for the Champions League group stage next season.

Source: NAN

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has challenged the Minister of Culture and Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed to be ready to proof in court that he collected N200m from the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Secondus made the challenge in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr Ike Abonyi, on Friday in Abuja.

He said he is challenging Mohammed to be ready to establish his allegations in court immediately.

Secondus said that the agenda of the minister was to damage his reputation and distract him from serving PDP, adding that such agenda would fail woefully

For the purposes of some gullible public, Prince Secondus never collected any money from the NSA under any guise.

Also listed at the news conference by Mohammed were former PDP Financial Secretary who allegedly collected N600 million from the same source on the Oct. 24, 2014.

Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh, who is on trial for collecting N1.4 billion from the office of then NSA.

Dr Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications, on trial for taking N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA.

Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, on trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies.

Former President Jonathans Cousin Robert Azibaol, on Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA.

Mohammed in giving the teasers, was responding to an earlier challenge by the PDP asking the federal government to name the countrys looters.

Also, the PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan described the teasing list released by the Minister of Information as hollow and laughable.

The party described the list as an extension of Federal Governments media trial and challenged it to come up with names of its members against whom the government had secured convictions.

Ologbondiyan stated that the list put forward by the Federal Government as purported looters amounts to a cheap blackmail, saying that none of those listed have been indicted or convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction or any panel of enquiry in the country.

Source: NAN

Buba Jibril, the House of Representatives member, representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency has been buried at Kabawa Cemetery in Lokoja, amid tears and prayers from families, friends and colleagues.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jibril, 58, a three time member of the House of Representatives and deputy majority leader, died in the early hours of Friday in Abuja.

The burial, which was concluded at around 3 p.m., was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, Kogi Deputy Governor, Mr Simon Achuba, Kogi House of Assembly Speaker, Mr Matthew Kolawole, members of the house, among others.

Reps Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, said: We have lost one of our own, Buba Jibril, of whom if wishes were horses, we wished he would live forever.

But we are mortals and all of us have to answer one day or the other. However, Jibril has answered the call.

He had a dogged spirit. When we recently visited him in London with the leadership of the House; we chatted and laughed together, apparently we didnt know that he would answer this call today.

It is very unfortunate. We have lost a leader and a brother, who was an accomplished legislator par excellence, and for me personally he was my die-hard supporter. We will surely miss him.

It was unfortunate that we have to do this again; our prayer to God is that the death of lawmakers should stop and God should preserve all of us.

I dont think it has happened before, not to my recollection that we have lost about three senators and five members of the House of Representatives.

Our prayer is that God should grant his entire family members, the government and the people of Kogi, and the entirety of NASS the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, Dogara said.

Mr Matthew Kolawole, the Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly, told newsmen that the state Government, the Kogi House of Assembly, would miss him a lot.

Dont forget that he was a former speaker of Kogi House of Assembly. We will miss him a lot.

I pray that God Almighty will give all of us the heart to bear the irreparable lost.

What happened today is a big lesson to all of us who are still living.In any position we are, no matter how rich you are, just remember sometime, someday, you will drop dead, and when you do, you are going to give account of your life and stewardship to God.

It is a debt we will all pay sometimes, someday, Kolawole said.

Source: NAN

Aside the 60 American envoys axed in a retaliatory expulsion by Russia, diplomats from 23 countries have been asked to go in the biggest ever diplomatic row between Russia and the West.

Russia has expelled the envoys from the 23 countries in retaliation against the West in an escalating spy row.

The Russian foreign ministry had summoned the heads of missions from 23 countries to tell them that some of their diplomats had to leave.

France, Germany, Canada and Poland each said that Russia was expelling four of their diplomats.

Other countries including Ukraine, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania and Norway were also told to pull their envoys.

The moves came in retaliation for the coordinated expulsion of Russian diplomats by Britain and its allies over a nerve agent attack against former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.

This is certainly not a surprise, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said through a spokeswoman, referring to Moscows expulsion of two of the countrys diplomats.

Britain has said it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the Skripal attack using the Novichok nerve agent developed in the Soviet Union, but Russia has angrily denied any involvement.

After the poisoning, Britain kicked off the global response by announcing it would expel 23 Russian diplomats, suspend high-level diplomatic contact with Moscow and not send any members of its royal family to the 2018 football World Cup hosted by Russia.

Russia then responded by closing a British consulate in Saint Petersburg and the British Council educational and cultural organisation.

In further measures against the UK, the Russian foreign ministry gave Britain a month to cut the number of diplomatic staff in Russia to the same number Russia has in Britain, a move London called regrettable.

This doesnt change the facts of the matter: the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable, a spokeswoman for Britains Foreign Office said.

Two Australian diplomats were expelled, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull saying it was a disappointing, although not unexpected, reaction by the Russian Government to the decision of the Australian Government to expel two Russian diplomats working as undeclared intelligence officers.

In the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin presided over a meeting of the countrys Security Council which discussed the most recent retaliatory steps against Britain and its allies.

Russia did not unleash any diplomatic war, Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Russia never initiated any exchange of sanctions.

Moscow announced Thursday that it would expel 60 US diplomats and close the US consulate in Saint Petersburg after the expulsion of its own diplomats and the closure of one of its US consulates.

In all, more than 150 Russian diplomats have been ordered out of the US, EU members, NATO countries and other nations which are accusing Russia of being involved in the Skripal poisoning.

Read more:

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to follow the example of one its leaders and former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu.

Mantu in a recent TV programme confessed the he took part in rigging elections for the PDP.

Now the APC wants the PDP to borrow this example and confess to their sins against the country instead of indulging in name calling.

Apparently burdened by guilty conscience, the PDP National Chairman had last week apologised to the nation for the years of misrule that his party had brought to the country.

The APC noted this apology but asked the PDP to go a step further and confess to their sins before restitution could be considered.

Instead of taking this path to redemption, PDP has engaged in fruitless you too accusations and name calling.

This is further evidence that PDP is not ready for repentance and only offered the apology with the hope that Nigerians will grant them amnesty and a short-cut back to power, said APCs publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi.

However, now that Senator Mantu has belled the cat, by confessing to how he has helped the PDP to rig elections in the past, we hope that PDP will follow the bold example of the former Senator and confess to their other sins against Nigeria, Abdullahi said.

Source: NAN

Chief Olisa Metuh, the former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he has directed his lawyers to review the implications of including his name in Federal Governments list of looters.

Metuh in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja said he had also asked his lawyer to take appropriate steps for redress.

The former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, said he was reacting to the recent release of names of looters by the All Progressives Congress led-Federal Government through the Minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Metuh said that by the publication, the Federal Government had breached Nigerias Constitution by seeking to burden him with two criminal trials on the same charge, one before Justice Okon Abang and the other before the media.

In response to the scandalous publication, I wish to state as follows :

Since my arrest on January 5, 2016 and subsequent arraignment, I have refrained from publicly discussing my persecution and travails by the government.

This is because as a lawyer, trained in the finest traditions of the Bar, I know that it is wrong to discuss a matter that is subjudice.

However the present action of the government leaves me no option than to defend my name and integrity.

I have therefore decided to avail the public of the true state of the contrived case against me.

The charge against me is that I received the sum of N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser to carry out duties assigned to me as the then spokesman of the PDP by then President.

Metuh added that the major crux of the prosecution argument was that he ought to have known that the money was a part of an alleged and yet to be proven unlawful activity of Col Sambo Dasuki(rtd), former NSA to President Jonathan.

He said that the charge was brought regardless of the fact that neither Jonathan, who directed the release of the funds, nor Dasuki, who effected the release had ever been interrogated nor even interviewed in this regard.

He added that as a matter of fact, officers of the office of NSA had testified in court that the payment made to him followed all due process usually observed in the establishment.

It is of interest to note that the prosecution has not alleged any collusion on my part other than the suggestion that I ought to have known of an alleged unlawful activity.

Also the alleged illegality of the funds has neither been established in law nor in fact.

I have NEVER held a government office and/or position and could not therefore have had any access to government funds.

Metuh said that in view of the weakness of the case against him, the APC led Federal Government resorted to all kinds of tactics to dehumanise and intimidate him.

He said that the party had done everything humanly possible to ensure complete persecution starting from bringing him to court in handcuffs.

He said that he was also paraded as the capture of Nigerias most wanted to media trials and constant interference with my case.

I have been reliably informed that the Federal Government has ordered a conviction at all cost to ensure that the PDP is tainted before the elections.

The governments determination to achieve this objective is clearly highlighted by the refusal to allow me attend to my deteriorating health notwithstanding several expert medical opinion on the matter.

He condemned the going to the media to name him as a looter without cross-checking the definition and dictionary meaning of the word.

He said that going by that action the Federal Government had not only given a body language but has issued a direct intimidation and threat to the judiciary to get a compulsory conviction.

Source: NAN

By Obinna Unaeze
The Association of Gold Miners (Zone one) in Chanchaga Local Government area of Niger has appealed to the state government to organise the local miners professionally.

Mr Michael Abida, the Chairman of the association, made the call on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

He said that such gesture would make the miners to protect the environment in the course of their operation and contribute meaningfully to the society.

Abida said that the gesture would also expose the miners to modern techniques in mining and ensure that the artisans paid taxes to government.

The chairman said that the miners would surely pay back if government introduced them to modern mining techniques and provided equipment to them.

We want government to organise us into corporative societies and train us on new methods of mining considering local content and issue licenses to us.

We also appeal to government to provide us with locally fabricated machines so that in the end we will pay revenue to government and service our loans, he said.

Abida said that in the past, the state government was not comfortable with illegal miners as they were arrested, but now there was no such thing.

The government realised that right now many Nigerians are jobless, that is why they allowed us to help ourselves, but with a warning not to destroy the natural environment during our operations.

He said that sometimes he made one to two points of gold per day and when you are lucky you make 10 points.

The miner said that a point of gold was sold for N1,500 or at least N1,200.

Abida said that there were also marbles in Chanchaga River, the mining site, but no market for it yet.
The artisan miner, from Benue State, said he was born in 1949 and had been in the local mining business since 1984.

NAN recalls that the State Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Alhaji Idris Amin, at a recent public function, said that the ministry would collaborate with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for a safer and quality environment.

According to Amin: Since my appointment as the Commissioner of Environment and Forestry, I have been concerned with the way our environment has been degraded by artisanal miners and forest depleted by individuals and groups for fossil fuel in commercial quantity.

Source: NAN

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has rescued crash victims involved in a lone accident on the Lagos /Ibadan Expressway and returned over N2million recovered from the scene to the mother of the owner.

Mr Clement Oladele, the FRSC Sector Commander in Ogun, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta on Saturday.

Oladele said that the accident happened around 10:15am and it involved 11 people, comprising of three men, six female adult and two female children.

The sector commander noted that though, there were no deaths recorded, nine of the passengers who included three male and six female adults sustained serious injuries.

The lone crash involved a Yellow Toyota LiteAce bus with registration number WWD 558 XA travelling from Ibadan to Lagos.

The suspected cause of the crash was tyre burst by the speeding bus, which lost control.

The injured victims were taken to Ifeoluwa Hospital, Ogunmakin for medical treatment and the road obstruction cleared, he said.

The FRSC boss said the victims belongings inside the ill-fated bus were conveyed to FRSC Command at Ogunmakin, where on routine documentation the sum of N2. 096million was recovered.

Upon diligent investigation, a female passenger of the crashed bus, Mrs Asabi Adenike of Kuola Street, Apata, Ibadan, who sustained injuries and undergoing medical attention was identified as the owner of the bag containing the recovered money.

After contacting her relatives, she authorised that the FRSC hands over the recovered money to her Mother, Mrs Bisola Adedeji, he said.

Source: NAN

Ahead of Easter celebrations, patronage of local rice has shot up in Enugu as dealers make brisk business,

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that local rice business had been booming since the beginning of the Holy Week.

Mr Edward Nneji, a local rice seller at Garki Market told NAN that many residents now prefer local rice to foreign rice due to the difference in their prices.

According to Nneji, a 25 kg bag of local rice goes for N7, 500 in the market while the 50kg goes for between N15.000 and N16, 500.

A 25 kg bag of foreign rice goes for N9, 500 and the 50kg for between N18, 500 and N19, 500. A cup of local rice sells for N70 and a cup of foreign for N100.

Mrs Juliana Ubochi, a rice seller at Mayor Market confirmed that many consumers now buy local rice for the price difference.

I am sure that it is because of price difference that has been making people to buy more of local rice, since a cup of local rice is N70, many prefer buying in cups than in bags.

Due to the high cost of foreign rice, many people are now going for the local, especially people with large family, she said.

Mr Reuben Obi, who sells rice at the Kenyatta Market, said he had made a lot of profit since the beginning of the Holy Week from selling local rice.

Obi said that he was sure that the patronage would continue even after the Easter Celebration because the price of the foreign rice would continue to rice due to the ban on importation on the foreign rice.

At Ogbette Market, Mr David Ngwoke, another rice seller said with the high patronage experienced in local rice, there was need for rice farming to increase so as to have enough in future.

Meanwhile, in Benin, traders are worried over low patronage despite stable price of food items at Benin Market.

A NAN check at Ikpoba Hill Market, a major food market in Benin, shows that the price of food items remain the same unlike Christmas and New Year celebrations.

A 50 kg bag of rice on Saturday at the market sold for between N16,800 and N17,500 while a four litre keg of vegetable oil and red oil sold for N2,000 and N1,700 respectively.

A cartoon of frozen fish, turkey and Chicken went for N13,000, N15,000 and N13,500 respectively while a live chicken sold for between N2,000 and N8,000.

NAN also reports that a basket of tomatoes sells for between N10,000 and N15,000, small bag of fresh pepper goes for N8,000 while big bag sells for N18,000.
(NAN)

Source: NAN

Ballot counting has begun in Sierra Leone after official close of voting at 5 pm (GMT) in the rescheduled presidential run-off election.

A statement issued by a member of the ECOWAS Observation Mission, Mr Paul Ejime, said that Prof Amos Sawyer, Head of the Mission and his team watched the counting process at Freetowns Aberdeen polling Centre.

Sawyer according to the statement had, earlier witnessed the commencement of voting at 7 am.

It noted that agents of the two rival political parties and security personnel also witnessed the process.

Counting and tallying in the 16 Administrative Districts with 3,300 polling centres and 11,122 polling stations nationwide.

This will be followed with tallying at the Regional Centres and then moved to the National Office for the announcement of the final results.

The ruling APC has Dr Samura Kamara as its candidate, running against the main opposition SLPPs Julius Maada Bio, a former head of state, in this second election.

Both emerged front runners from the inconclusive March 7 first round that had 16 candidates.

The run-off was originally scheduled for March 27, but had to be postponed due to a petition filed by a private lawyer. A lower court gave an interim injunction halting the poll.

The vacation of the court order by the Supreme Court and the preventive diplomacy initiate by heads of international observation missions helped to douse the political tension and paved the way for Saturdays run-off, which was generally peaceful.

Source: NAN

Controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh says her much anticipated reality TV show KingTonto will hit screens across the country and beyond soon.

The 33 year-old singer and mother of one revealed this on Thursday via her instagram handle, @tontolet with a 30 seconds sneak preview video of herself in different outfits with a crown on her head.

THE MOST ANTICIPATED REALITY TV SHOWI promise you DRAMA, Love, Motherhood in its purest adorable form, work and everything I am made up of and moreTell your friends to tell their friends the wait is almost Over..

Mr Olakunle Churchill, the estranged husband of the actress had in January filed a suit at the family court of the Lagos Magistrate court against his son, King Andrea appearing in the reality TV show.

Churchill said he filed the suit to save his son from any form of embarrassment in future.

He pointed out that the production was entirely an adult content that would expose the life and times of the boy at a period when he cannot make a decision for himself.

In her swift reaction, the philanthropist from the family of seven with 2.9 million followers on her instagram said she was unstoppable.

She had informed her fans that her reality show produced by Linda Ikeji Media would be air soon.

With this current post on her instagram, she had clear the air on her intention to broadcast the show which she underwent cosmetic surgery before shooting commenced.

Source: NAN

Britains heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua says he aims to be more calculating when he takes on Joseph Parker for the New Zealanders WBO title in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday.

The proud owner of the WBA, IBF and IBO heavyweight title belts is unbeaten in 20 contests with a perfect knockout record, and he wants Parker to be the next man on his hit list to maintain his destructive streak.

Someone asked me, if I get Parker hurt, will I go in and execute? Im trying to be a sniper. Thats my mindset now, said Joshua.

Im dealing with a guy who has his country on his back, that obviously gives him a little bit of fuel as well. Hes a man of pride.

But, no matter about all these positive things I say about him, my job is to knock one off the list as each round goes on and just break him down.

When he goes back to his corner in round one, I just want him to realise his trainer lied to him.

Hell soon realize hes in with a real fighter and I know 100 per cent I will break his spirit and mentality.

Parker is two years younger than 28-year-old Joshua and is undefeated in 24 contests with 18 knockouts.

The Auckland fighter of Samoan descent became his countrys first ever heavyweight champion after winning the WBO belt against Andy Ruiz in December 2016, and he hopes to be boarding a flight back to his homeland with extra luggage.

Im taking all those belts back to New Zealand, Parker said at Tuesdays final press conference in London.

Im young, Im fresh, Im strong and Im determined to win. We respect Anthony Joshua, we think hes a great champion and on the night, therell be no excuses. Im at my best, hes at his best and were here to be part of history and take those belts back.

He added: I havent decided how Im going to beat him but whether its a knockout or on points, those belts are mine.

Joshua and Parker will meet in the middle of Cardiffs Principality Stadium in front of an 80,000 sell-out crowd. Its a sight Joshua has become familiar with in his last two fights against Carlos Takam and Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in London.

The atmosphere can swallow you up, said Joshua.

Its crazy. A certain amount of noise can smash glass, based on the frequency. And that sort of noise, booming, it gets you in a fight.

Its an experience Parker hasnt faced yet. It is daunting, it is overwhelming.

The fight is won or lost in training camp but the last bolt is screwed on during the spell from your changing room to the first bell.

He added: Its going to be electric. You know when you come here to fight myself, you know theres going to be blood, a fighter hurt and 20 times out of 20 Ive been victorious, so expect the same routine.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

Stanley Okumbi, the stand-in coach for the Kenyan soccer team, the Harambee Stars, has been demoted to the youth ranks to take charge of the Kenyan Under-20 team.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa on Wednesday confirmed the changes, which pave the way for the country to name a new foreign coach to lead the Harambee Stars after the resignation of Belgian Paul Put last month.

FKF is expected to announce a foreign tactician soon with Dutchman Ruud Krool tipped to take over as coach.

Okumbis demotion was catalyzed by Kenyas failure to win in their last two international friendly matches against lowly-ranked opponents in Marrakech, Morocco.

The Harambee Stars lost 3-2 on Tuesday to the Central African Republic, just three days after forcing a 2-2 draw with the tiny island state of Comoros. The result will have a negative impact on Kenyas ranking by FIFA.

Okumbi has been redeployed to handle the Under 20 side. Coach Frank Ouna will now focus on the Kenyan Premier League side Wazito FC while goalkeeper coach Haggai Azande goes back to Tusker FC. Both Ouna and Azande will be redeployed soon for other national team roles, Mwendwa said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

Okumbi was first named Harambee Stars coach in Feb. 2016 but failed in his core mandate to guide the team to win qualification to the 2017 African Nations Cup.

Mwendwa said Kenya was still on course to qualify for the 2019 Africa Nations Cup, which will be the main goal of the new foreign coach once named.

Kenya lost in the first leg match against Sierra Leone and must up their game against giantsGhanaand Ethiopia if they are to make it to the finals in Cameroon in 2019.

In addition to hosts Cameroon, the 12 group winners will qualify alongside the three best runners-up. Enditem

Source: NAN

US Open champion, Sloane Stephens has rallied her way to her first Miami Open tennis final, beating Victoria Azarenka in three sets.

It was the second time in three weeks that the American would halt Victoria Azarenkas comeback from maternity leave. She did it in the second round of Indian Wells.

On Thursday, the No.13 seed did it again but via a tougher route, overcoming the wildcard 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 and ending an 11-match Floridian winning streak that stretched back to 2015 for Azarenka.

This time last year, Stephens foot was in a cast as she recovered from surgery and Azarenka was nursing a three-month old. Both returned to competition during the grass season last year; but while the past nine months have seen the American make a phenomenal Slam-winning comeback, the former World No.1 has been confined to just four events in the same time-frame due to personal issues.

Stephens was excited about her feat: This is so cool! Ive been playing tennis in Key Biscayne since I was 11 years old. For me this is so incredible to have friends and family here. Just have to take advantage of the last year here!

I just knew I had to keep fighting. In the first set I was down but I battled back so I knew if I did that in the second, Id be right in there, the 25-year-old American said in an on-court interview.

I ended up winning a lot of games in a row and I just tried to keep the momentum going.

Wednesday night, qualifier Danielle Collins overpowered her childhood idol Venus Williams 6-2 6-3 in a stunning quarter-final upset.

Collins, belying her 93rd ranking, pounded winner after winner to beat fellow American Williams at her own game and set up a semi-final against French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Latvian Ostapenko overpowered Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina in two tiebreaks to win 7-6(3) 7-6(5) in an afternoon match to reach the Miami semis for the first time.

The two players will meet at 2am Friday Nigerian time to decide the second finalist.

Source: NAN

Fourth seed Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start on Thursday to wear down Borna Coric 6-4 6-4 and set up a Miami Open semi-final against Pablo Carreno Busta, who earlier defeated Kevin Anderson.

After a power failure delayed the start of the match by more than an hour, Zverev faced two break points in the second game but then settled down and took command.

One break in each set was enough for the German to clinch his first win in three career attempts against the Croat.

Zverev advances to a Friday semi-final against Spanish 16th seed Carreno Busta, who survived a match point to upset South African sixth seed Anderson 6-4 5-7 7-6(6).

The other semi-final pits Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro against American 14th seed John Isner.

Zverev did not use the power failure as an excuse for his slow start.

I didnt particularly care, he said, adding that he spent the time watching an NBA game on a locker room television.

I think I lost the first six points of the match. It wasnt the best start. Im just happy to get through.

For Carreno Busta, who arrived on court in fine form having dropped only 12 games over his previous tee matches, the win was his first in five meetings against Anderson and avenged his fourth-round Indian Wells loss to the world number eight.

It was an amazing match, no? Carreno Busta said.

He played some unbelievable points, passing shots.

I lost to him, 7-6 in the third set (at Indian Wells). And today, well, at the beginning of the match I started playing really good, returning good, serving good, being very aggressive.

Anderson saved a pair of match points in the second set and shifted momentum in his favor but Carreno Busta, seeded 16th at Crandon Park, regrouped in the decider where the two players stayed on serve until the tiebreak.

Carreno Busta was staring at defeat when 6-5 down in the tiebreak but was let off the hook when Anderson missed with a forehand.

From there the South African pushed a backhand volley wide and then mishit a second serve that handed the win to Carreno Busta after two hours, 42 minutes.

Anderson, whose year already includes an ATP Tour title at the New York Open and runner-up finishes in Acapulco and Pune, has now lost all 10 of his quarter-final matches at the Masters 1000 level the highest-tiered tournaments after the four grand slams.

Source: NAN

French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will meet US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the Miami Open final after putting a decisive end to American qualifier Danielle Collins dream run.

The match will be played at 18.00 Nigerian time on Saturday.

The 20 year-old Latvian needed just two sets and just under two hours to defeat Collins 7-6(1), 6-3, and become the youngest player to reach the Miami final since 2009, when 19-year-old Victoria Azarenka claimed the title.

Her opponent Collins came into the matchup having already played almost 12 hours of tennis in Miami alone, battling through two rounds of qualifying to bring her total of matches to seven. Along the way shes knocked out the likes of childhood hero and No.8 seed Venus Williams as well as CoCo Vandeweghe and Monica Puig, putting together a fairytale run into the semifinals.

But she finally met her match in Latvian powerhouse Ostapenko, who notched wins over No.9 seed Petra Kvitova and No.4 Elina Svitolina in to register multiple Top 10 wins in the same tournament for the first time in her career.

Ostapenko found herself under pressure from the get-go against Collins gutsy tennis. The American was crushing the returns and brought up five break opportunities in Ostapenkos first two service games alone, pushing her to deuce seven times.

But despite the pressure it was the Latvian who broke first, getting ahead with a break to love at 3-1 on a sloppy Collins service game. Collins was undaunted, and kept apace with Ostapenkos heavy hitting the gambit worked and she broke straight back to level the score.

The pair stayed toe-to-toe as they marched into the first set tiebreak. Here it was Ostapenko who has yet to lose a tiebreak here in Miami that rose to the occasion, extending that record against Collins. She played almost perfect tennis to snap up four points in a row and allow her opponent just one point, closing it out 7-1.

Ostapenko carried the momentum into the second set, starting off with a break right away. Although Collins was able to create seven break chances in the first set converting two she wasnt able to make a dent at all on the Ostapenko serve in the second set. Instead the big-hitting Latvian bracketed the set with another break of serve to finish, closing out the match after an hour and 41 minute battle.

Through to the final without dropping a set, the win guarantees Ostapenko will reach a new career-high ranking come Monday, jumping up one spot to World No.4. I think now Im playing more consistent and Im just really happy to be here,she said.

Reported by

Source: NAN

The three senators from Kaduna state, led by Shehu Sani on Thursday blocked the approval for a $350million loan request by Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

It was like a vengeance of sort as all the senators spoke against the loan.

El-Rufai has had a very poor relationship with the trio, even demolishing the home of one of them Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, used as an office for a faction of the All Progressives Congress in the state.

The position of the senators was clearly demonstrated during the debate at the Senate on Thursday before the rejection of the loan request.

Too bad for the governor. His most trenchant political opponent, Senator Shehu Sani heads the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans and Debts.

In the report presented as the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Shehu Sani, said the committee rejected the request.

Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and Danjuma Lai, also spoke against the approval of the loan.

The committee said if approved, the loan will make the state the second most indebted in the country.

Sani said the loan obtained by the state from 1960 till now was $232 million, adding that if approved, the additional $350 million will bring the states indebtedness to $582 million.

Source: NAN

As of March 29, 2018, 33 months after its inauguration, the 8th Senate had passed a total of 200 bills including Senate Bills, concorrence bills and constitution amendment bills.

From its inauguration on Juna 9, 2015 the 8th senate had surpassed the 7th, 6th and 5th Senate in the number of bills passed. While the 7th senate passed only 128 bills in four years, the 6th passed 82 and the 5th senate passed 129 bills.

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki took to his twitter handle @BukolaSaraki to make the announcemnet and to congratulate his colleagues for a job well done.

Saraki expressed optimism that in the 15 months that were left, the senate would pass more bills that will affect the lives of Nigerians.

As of today, the Senate has passed 201 Bills. We still have 15 months to go, yet, we have reached this milestone. I would like to thank my Distinguished Colleagues for their hard work and cooperation over the last 33 months.

As of today, the Senate has passed 201 Bills. We still have 15 months to go, yet, we have reached this milestone.

I would like to thank my Distinguished Colleagues for their hard work and cooperation over the last 33 months.

See the full list here:

Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki)

Below is the full list of the bills passed by the senate.

1. National Railway Corporation Act 1955 N129 LFN 2004 (Repeal & Re-enactment Bill 2015)

2. Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act CAP B2 LFN 2011 (Repeal and Re-enactment) 2015

3. National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (est,etc) Bill 2015

4. Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (est., etc) Bill 2015

5. Electronic Transaction Bill 2015

6. Agriculture Credit Guarantee Scheme Act (Amendment) Bill 2015

7. Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (Est,etc) Bill, 2015

8. Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill 2015

9. National Poverty Eradication Commission (Est,etc)Bill 2015

10. North East Development Commission (NEDC) (Est,etc) Bill 2015

11. Erosion Control and Prevention Commission (Est, etc) Bill, 2015

12. Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous provision) Amendment Bill 2015

13. Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effuru (Est, etc) Bill 2015

14. Food Security Bill 2015

15. Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

16. Environmental Managers Registration Council of Nigeria (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

17. Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

18. Nigeria Football Federation (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

19. National Sports Commission (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

20. Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2015

21. Witness Protection Programme Bill 2015

22. Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2015

23. Defence Space Agency (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

24. High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja (Amendment) Bill 2015

25. Air Force Institute of Technology (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015

26. Credit Bureau Reporting Bill 2015

27. 2015 Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill 2015

28. 2016 Appropriation Bill

29. Federal Roads Authority (Establishment, etc) Bill 2016

30. National Assembly Budget and Research Office (Establishment, etc) Bill 2016

31. Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2016

32. Federal Capital Territory Statutory Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill 2016

33. Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun Bill 2016

34. National Lottery Act 2005 (Amendment) Bill 2016

35. Electoral Act №6 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2016

36. Public Procurement Act (Amendment) Bill 2016

37. Petroleum Industry Governance Bill 2016

38. National Inland Waterways Act Cap N47 LFN 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2016

39. Nigerian Ports and Harbours Authority Act (Amendment) Bill 2016

40. JAMB Act (Amendment) Bill 2016

41. Nigerian Customs Service Bill 2016 and Nigerian Customs Service Act (Repeal and Re-enacment) Bill 2016

42. Warehouse Receipts Bill 2016

43. Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Bill 2016

44. Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institution Bill 2016

45. Federal University of Wukari (Establishment, etc) Bill 2016

46. Maritime University of Nigeria, Okerenkoko (Establishment, etc) Bill 2016

47. 2016 FCT Appropriation Bill

48. Appropriation Bill, 2017

49. Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015 (SB 173)

50. National Unity and Peace Corps (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015 (SB 183)

51. National Open University of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill 2017

52. Federal University of Maritime Studies, Oron Bill, 2017

53. National Institute for Legislative Studies Act (Amendment) Bill 2017

54. National Research and Innovation (Est, etc.) Bill, 2017

55. Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2016 and Universal Basic Education Act 2003 (Amendment) Bill 2016

56. Nigeria Financial Intelligence Agency (Est, Etc.) Bill, 2017

57. Institute of Chartered Biochemist and Molecular Biologist Bill, 2016

58. Whistle Blowers Protection Bill 2015

59. Abduction, wrongful restraints and wrongful confinement for ransom bill 2017

60. Prohibition and Protection of persons from lynching, mob action and Extra Judicial Executions Bill, 2017

61. Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2017

62. Hydroelectric Power Producing Area Development Commission (Amendment) Bill 2015

63. Chartered Institute of Entrepreneurs (est., etc.) Bill 2015

64. Chartered Institute of Capital Market Registrars Bill 2017

65. Presidential Inauguration Bill 2016

66. National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (Establishment, etc) Bill 2016

67. FCT Statutory Appropriation Bill 2017

68. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017

69. Federal University of Agriculture Kaaba (Establishment, etc) Bill 2016

70. Federal Colleges of Education Act (Amendment) Bill 2017

71. Niger Delta Development Commission (Amendment) Bill 2017

72. Nigeria Arabic Language Village, Ngala (Establishment, etc.) Bill, 2017

73. Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry (est., etc.) Bill, 2017

74. Demutualization Bill, 2017

75. The Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Bill, 2018

76. 2017 FCT Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018

77. Arbitration and Conciliation act cap A18 LFN 2004(Repeal and re-enactment) Bill 2018

78. Emergency Powers (Repeal and re-enactment) Bill, 2018

79. Federal University Gashua (establishment, etc.) Bill, 2018 (SB459)

80. National Transport Commission (Est., etc.) Bill, 2018 (SB. 242)

81. Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2018 (SB. 216)

82. River Basin Development Act CAP R9 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (SB. 358)

83. National Centre for Disease Control Prevention (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2018 (SB. 256)

See More Here: NAN

As the World celebrates Easter, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on Christians and Nigerians across the nation to work towards emulating the virtues of Jesus Christ as epitomized by his passion, persecution, death and resurrection.

In a message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, Saraki also stated that all Nigerians must remain constant in their efforts to promote unity across all lines.

He noted that it was imperative for all Nigerians to come together in order to build a country that both present and future generations can take pride in just like the work of Christ which has endured for over 2000 years and has continued to inspire generations.

This weekend, we join our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria and across the world to celebrate the Easter festivities.

This commemoration is a time for deep reflection as it marks the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his victory over death. It is a time to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need.

It is also a time for all of us regardless of faith, or ethnicity to come together to pray for the peace of our nation.

We must all remain constant in our efforts to promote unity across all lines because united, our nation remains stronger and we thrive as a people.

As we do this, we must all collectively work towards playing our part in the development of our nation and its economy, Saraki stated.

Source: NAN

The Security operatives have raised the alarm of plans by some groups to disrupt the processes leading to the 2019 elections.

The evil plan, according to security, was for the groups to create a stalemate.

They warned the media against the activities of some unregistered groups that had lately been active in trying to undermine critical institutions such the law-enforcement agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, said the security chieftains made this known at an interactive meeting with owners and decision makers in the media industry.

The meeting which was held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Tuesday, was addressed by the Directors-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura , and his counterpart in National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Ahmed RufaI as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin.

The security heads, however, assured that security situation in the country was within the control of the government but could be helped where the media reduced sensation from their daily coverage.

In their own assessment, our state of national security is not as bad as it is painted by the media.

Shehu said: In seeking the support from the media towards the achievement of security for everyone, the heads of the agencies emphasized that sharing and coordination among security agencies and the media is essential to counter the ever-changing threats faced by the nation.

The security chieftains also called for closer cooperation from the media to prevent terrorists and radical ideologies directed from abroad from undermining the ongoing efforts to restore security in parts of the country facing the challenges of terrorism, economic sabotage, criminality, farmers-herdsmen clashes and the spread of illegal weapons.

In a special submission by the NIA, its Director-General, Ahmed RufaI, recalled unsavoury developments of the last one year, which had put the agency in a negative limelight, but said that such developments were not peculiar to the Agency.

Similar institutions across the world have passed through this phase. What is, however, important is for the right lessons to be learnt from these developments.

I see these challenges as impetus to reposition the Agency for effective service delivery in realization of its core mandate, as a critical component of our National Security Architecture, he said.

He appealed for media support to enable the agency to reform and remain focused on tackling the challenges of international nature facing the nation which included terrorism and violent extremism manifested in activities of Boko Haram (BH), ISIS, AQIM, Al Shabaab, Al Qaeda, Ansaru, among others.

He said the nation also faced threats from the human trafficking and illegal migration, smuggling, slavery, forced labour, prostitutions, drugs trafficking, activities of drug cartels and their networks, as well as trafficking in small arms and light weapons (SALW).

He pledged that the NIA would henceforth accord much attention toward addressing the challenges of financial Crimes, identification of financial resources and properties suspected to be obtained by corrupt means belonging to Nigerians especially Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

RufaI said Herdsmen and Farmers clashes, cattle rustling etc; Piracy and Militancy, particularly in the Niger Delta: Oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism; and Cyber Crimes/ Cyber security: activities of online fraudsters and hacking would also receive priority attention.

The intelligence and security chieftains also expressed the view that the Nigerian media has a role in securing Nigerias national interest.

This expected role of the press is in tandem with global best practices, particularly on issues that have bearing on national security, they observed.

They, therefore, invited the media as partners to continue to be security conscious and exercise restraint in disseminating information that could expose the Services to ridicule or harm our National Security.

They therefore maintained that prior consultation with appropriate members of the Intelligence Community is the best way to go.(NAN)

Source: NAN