Tony Iwobi, an Italian man of Nigerian origin, who is the chief immigration spokesman for the far-right League party, has been elected as the first black senator in the country.

Iwobi, whose party has been accused of stirring up xenophobia in Italy, was elected in the industrial city of Brescia in northern Italy a major immigration hub.

It is with great excitement that I can tell you I have been elected senator A new adventure is about to begin, Iwobi said on Facebook on Tuesday following Sundays elections.

Born in Gusau in northern Nigeria but living in Italy since the 1970s, Iwobi has been a supporter of the League for more than two decades and used the campaign slogan #StopInvasion a reference to the more than 690,000 migrants who have landed on Italian shores from North Africa since 2013.

Along with party leader Matteo Salvini, Iwobi has argued that illegal immigration into Italy has led to an increase in racism.

Discrimination begins when there are no rules and the state lets anyone in. Illegality leads directly to violence and a racist response, he said in January.

The League supports healthy and controlled immigration which can act as a bulwark against racism, he said.

Italys general election left the country with a hung parliament in which no single party or coalition commands an overall majority. Political horse-trading is underway as parties bid to form a working coalition government.

The League, led by Matteo Salvini, was the winning party in the right-wing alliance that took the most votes on Sunday but fell short of an overall majority.

Source: NAN

(Sputnik/NAN)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine must embrace peace and stop paying terrorists in order to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Netanyahu said this while on official visit to Washington DC, United States (U.S.).

To get peace, President Abbas has to embrace peace and to stop supporting terror He pays about $350 million a year to terrorists and their families, Netanyahu said during remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference.

The prime minister added that he is committed to achieving peace with all of Israels neighbors, including the Palestinians.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Ministrys Deputy Director-General Alexander Ben-Zvi said Israel is still ready for direct talks with the Palestinians, but a meaningful proposal is needed in order to start the dialogue.

For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

Source: NAN

Agency reports said Bios home was surrounded by police, at about 6pm when counting of votes began at polling stations.

They were initially refused entry, reports said.

After an intervention by former Ghanaian president and election observer John Dramani Mahama, police were allowed to enter, they said, refusing to comment on the purpose of the raid.

He was able to persuade them to allow us access to the building, said Mohamed Kamara, head of the police criminal investigation.

We came in with a warrant, he added, saying officers observed material on several laptops before dispersing by 8pm.

SLPP spokesman Lahai Lawrence Leema said it was an act of intimidation aimed at rigging elections.

The APC and SLPP have dominated Sierra Leones politics since independence in 1961, but third parties are hoping to make their mark after mounting charismatic campaigns based on the two parties shortcomings.

President Ernest Bai Koroma, who cannot run again after two consecutive five-year terms, has anointed former foreign minister Samura Kamara as his successor for the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC).

A statement released by civil society groups mentioned scuffles in a rural area that were quickly brought under control.

An AFP journalist also witnessed riot police being deployed on the streets of the capital Freetown, with Chief Superintendent Mohamed Bangura confirming two arrests after scuffles involving rival parties.

The export-dependent economy of the mineral-rich but impoverished country is in a dire state following the 2014-16 Ebola crisis and a commodity price slump that has driven away foreign investors.

A presidential runoff is likely, according to experts, as the threshold to win outright in the first round is 55 percent.

The APC broadly relies on the Temne and Limba people in its northern strongholds, while the SLPP is more popular in the south with the Mende ethnic group.

The National Grand Coalition (NGC), headed by former UN diplomat Kandeh Yumkella, is challenging the two-party system by appealing to young and better-educated urban voters deemed less likely to vote along regional and ethnic lines.

Its communications chief said it had reported some irregularities to the National Election Commission (NEC).

Source: NAN

The Senate on Wednesday said it would be forced to withhold budgetary approvals for any government agency and parastatalwhich failed to submit at least two previous years audited reports to the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF).

The decision followed the adoption of a report of the Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented to the chamber by its Chairman, Sen. Matthew Uroghide during plenary.

The report indicated that at least 85 agencies of government including the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had never submitted audited reports since their creation.

In adopting the report, the Senate issued a May 2018 deadline to all parastatals to submit audited reports in line with Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution.

According to Urhoghide, out of 447 agencies and parastatals, only 40 have complied with the submission of the 2017 audit reports.

He said that the constitution mandated the AGF to receive audited reports from the agencies and submit the same to the National Assembly.

The lawmaker added that the agencies and parastatals should ensure that their accounts were audited by making use of the recommended auditors from the AGF.

He said: EFCC is of the opinion that once they come for budget defence, it amounts to submitting their audited reports. The EFCC Act itself says they have to submit their audited reports six months into the financial year.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki condemned the development saying that the situation was unhelpful to the war against corruption.

He said: Imagine that out of 447 parastatals, only 40 have complied with the 2017 audited reports. When they say we are not making much progress in the anti-corruption fight it is because of the fundamental issues, they are right, the foundation is still very weak.

If we have 447 parastatals and only 40 have sent their audited reports, there is a serious problem. Now, we find out that the agencies that are even meant to supervise are part of those who have not sent in their audit reports.

Now, we have taken a resolution here today to say that unless the remaining agencies do that their budgets for 2018 is withheld.

Therefore, let us remember that when we are passing the 2018 budget, the committees that are presenting the reports of the parastatals should please confirm to us whether they have complied with the auditors report.

In the meantime, we will make sure that we also communicate to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF) to ensure that all these parastatals get their accounts audited and submitted, Saraki said.

Source: NAN

UNAIDS is elated with mid-way results from two studies that show a vaginal ring releasing long-acting antiretroviral medicine to prevent HIV infection in women.

Reports say that the results show that studies is up to 54 per cent effective in preventing HIV.

The ring, which is replaced monthly, slowly releases the antiretroviral medicine dapivirine and could give women an additional HIV prevention option that is discreet and that they can control.

Michel Sidib, Executive Director of UNAIDS, said: These results are significant. Structural, behavioural and biological factors make women more vulnerable to HIV infection.

So it is extremely important that they have the opportunity to protect themselves from HIV, on their own terms.

The interim results are from two large open-label studies conducted in South Africa and Uganda, which trials enrolled women between the ages of 20 and 50 years.

Open-label studies are studies in which the participants know which medicine is being used; that is, no placebo substance or treatment with no active therapeutic effect is used.

The HOPE trial, which began in August 2016 and enrolled more than 1,400 women by October 2017 the time of the interim review found a 54 per cent reduction in HIV risk.

This means that the rate of new HIV infections was 1.9 women newly infected for every 100 participants in a given year.

Based on statistical modelling, the researchers determined that the rate of new infections would have been 4.1 for every 100 had the women not been offered the ring.

The DREAM trial, which enrolled 940 women from July 2016, had similar findings, with a 54 per cent reduction in the HIV incidence rate.

However, the final results from both studies are expected in 2019, according to the UN HIV/ AIDS agency.

UNAIDS said adherence was shown to be high in both of the trials, although the measures of adherence were not able to determine whether the women used the ring all of the time, most of the time or just some of the time.

It said the DREAM study showed that more than 90 per cent of the women in the study used the ring at least some of the time, based on residual drug levels, and the HOPE study showed that 89 per cent of returned rings indicated that the ring was used at least some of the time within the previous month.

This is the first time that efficacy of more than 50 per cent has been observed in HIV prevention trials involving only women.

Two previous phase III trials presented in 2016 ASPIRE/MTN-020 and the Ring Study/IPM 027 which did include a placebo group showed only modest protection (30 per cent) against HIV infection for women.

Women from both ASPIRE and the Ring Study were included in the HOPE and DREAMS trials, UNAIDS explained.

Other scientific advances in HIV prevention presented in recent years, according to UNAIDS, included the PROUD and IPERGAY studies, which in 2015 reported an 86 per cent reduction in HIV acquisition among HIV-negative men who took antiretroviral medicines to prevent HIV.

Another is the 2011 HPTN 052 trial announcement, which showed that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy can reduce the risk of transmission to an uninfected partner by 96 per cent.

Similarly, the 2011 Partners PrEP and TDF2 studies, showed that a daily antiretroviral pill taken by people who do not have HIV infection can reduce their risk of acquiring HIV by up to 73 per cent.

Finally, the South Africa Orange Farm Intervention Trial, funded by the French Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le SIDA (ANRS) and published in 2005, demonstrated more than a 60 per cent reduction in HIV infections among circumcised men.

These important breakthroughs show just how critical it is to continue to invest in research and development into new and effective HIV prevention options, Sidib said.

The latest reports show that in 2016, funding for HIV prevention research and development was its lowest level in a decade, with no indications that investments are set to increase.

UNAIDS stressed that in spite of the recent scientific discoveries, there was still no single method that was fully protective against HIV.

To end the AIDS epidemic, UNAIDS strongly recommended a combination of HIV prevention options.

These could include the correct and consistent use of male or female condoms, waiting longer before having sex for the first time, having fewer partners, and voluntary medical male circumcision.

Other options are avoiding penetrative sex, the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis for people at higher risk of HIV infection and ensuring that all people living with HIV have immediate access to antiretroviral medicine. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Kenyan health officials have issued an alert after samples taken from patients confirmed the presence of H1N1 prototype 9 influenza virus.

The samples were taken from the patients suffering from flu in Laikipia County, central Kenya, reports.

Mr Donald Mogoi, a chief officer in charge of health in the area, said a child is suspected to have died of the flu two weeks but the deadly virus was confirmed on Tuesday by the National Public Health Laboratories.

The five-year-old boy died at the Nanyuki Cottage Hospital and was being treated for pneumonia, his dad said.

Mrs Evelyn Obongo, a clinical officer at the regional hospital, Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, said Wednesday that her team is attending to at least 60 cases with 15 cases already admitted to the wards.

Most of the patients are children, Mrs Obongo said.

Cases of the flu have been on the rise in the last two weeks, she added.

The diseased is characterised by high fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, dry cough and general body weakness.

Source: NAN

Eleven ships laden with various products, including petrol, are at the Lagos ports waiting to berth, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Tuesday.

The NPA, in its daily bulletin Shipping Position said nine of the vessels, carrying petroleum products, were already waiting to berth.

It said that two other ships with bulk fertiliser and containers would also berth at the ports.

According to NPA, 31 other ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected at Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports between March 6 and March 24.

The expected ships are carrying containers, steel products, containers, bulk sugar, empty container, crude palmolein, bulk gypsum, bulk fertiliser, diesel and petrol, NPA said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Africas richest business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday described Lagos as the most convenient and peaceful state for doing business.

I am not advertising for Lagos, but try another state, you will see hell, he said in a terse remark at the forum of `Lagos Means Business.

He also supported the Governor Akinwumi Ambodes appeal to Lagos residents and business community to continue to pay tax.

You should pay your taxes to Lagos state, Dangote said.

During the question and answer session, Ambode assured every Lagosian that he would make their taxes work for them with a transparent and incorruptible government with good value for taxes paid.

We are not true citizens until we become responsible tax payers.

If the vision of a prosperous Lagos is to be achieved, the State must retreat from borrowing to finance its infrastructure and pay back later in the future with high interest rate.

He also appealed to residents to embrace the Land Use Charge and ensure that commercial property owners pay the charge.

The governor explained that pensioners, owner occupiers, NGOs, churches and Mosques are exempted from the payment of Land Use Charge.

The good part of the arguments trailing the Lagos Land Use Charge is that the State Government is ready for dialogue and will welcome the complaints of dissatisfied members of the public in this regard.

The good part of the arguments trailing the Lagos Land Use Charge is that the State Government is ready for dialogue.

Business owners paying Land Use Charge should see it as part of their Corporate Social Responsibilities.

He also urged citizens to have a change of orientation on how governments properties were handled.

The properties should be protected so that resources expended on repairs could be channelled to other areas of needs.

Although the state spends a large chunk of its revenue on recurrent charges, but could not retrench civil servant.

They are only about 103,000 taking care of 24 million people. They help to keep the social fabric together, he said.

Source: NAN

Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) has commended President Mohammadu Buharis refusal to sign the Peace Corps bill as a decision in national interest.

The group said the action of the president was anchored on the need to avoid proliferation of security agencies and unnecessary overlapping of their functions.

BMSG emphasised the need for Nigerians and federal lawmakers to appreciate the restraint exercised by Buhari in refusing assent to the 2017 Peace Corps Bill, and to shun any form of dissention against the action.

The Coordinator of the group, Mr. Austin Braimoh and Secretary, Mr. Cassidy Madueke, stated on Tuesday in Abuja they the group stood by the reasons adduced by Buhari for rejecting the bill.

Taking into cognizance his concern of Peace Corps, if created
by law, would in no small measure, duplicate the functions of the Nigerian Police which constitutional role of providing security at the grassroots is already being complemented by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

To us, the President could not have accepted to impose additional financial burden with the government through a new security outfit being canvassed, given that the existing security agencies have at the moment been struggling with financial constraints.

The group appealed to sponsors of the Peace Corps Bill in the House of Representatives to reconsider their threat of working to over-ride the Presidents veto of the Bill.

As doing so will expose them as having ulterior motives in ensuring that the Bill becomes law by fire by force.

BMSG said the Peace Corps has been in existence since 1998 when it got registered by one of its founders, with the stated objectives of capacity building for youth development, empowerment in agriculture; peace, education and conflict resolution.

We believe that nothing stops it from continuing to operate as a voluntary organisation to fulfil its aims.

In advanced economies, organisations such as Peace Corps operate on voluntary basis, making huge impacts in the societies in very diverse ways without necessarily transmuting into government outfits.

Peace Corps over the past few years of its existence has been enmeshed in crises and controversies, getting into conflict with security agencies, which viewed its existence as questionable.

This is needless in a country like Nigeria that is currently battling with security challenges.

It is against this background that we salute the courage of President Buhari to withhold assent to the Bill on Peace Corps, his action having demonstrated that he has a good grasp of the incongruities surrounding efforts to pass the Bill into law.

Source: NAN

Liverpool strolled 5-0 into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in nine years despite settling for a goalless draw with Porto, in an uninspiring last 16, second leg at Anfield on Tuesday.

Sadio Mane inflicted most of the first-leg damage on the Portuguese league leaders with a hat-trick and came closest to breaking the deadlock with a first-half effort that came back off the post.

With the job done three weeks ago, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could even afford the luxury of starting top-scorer Mohamed Salah and club-record signing Virgil van Dijk on the bench with one eye on Saturdays vital visit to Manchester United in the Premier League.

Klopps men have made a habit of fast starts in Europe this season, but took time to warm to their task with the German having made five changes in all from the side that beat Newcastle at the weekend.

It took 17 minutes for the hosts to threaten when Joe Gomezs cross was acrobatically flicked towards goal by Mane, but looped just over the bar.

Porto coach Sergio Conceicao made 10 changes from the first leg, but top-scorer Vincent Aboubakar was one of those to come back into the side having missed the first leg through injury.

And the Cameroonian showed what Porto missed in their heaviest-ever European home defeat as he got in behind the Liverpool defence only to be denied by Loris Karius rushing off his line to mop up the danger.

Mane was inches away from his fourth goal of the tie on the half-hour mark when he controlled James Milners lofted pass on his chest before smashing the inside of Iker Casillass far post.

Dejan Lovren then headed narrowly over as Liverpool threatened to raise the pulse of an understandably more subdued Anfield than is customary on a European night.

Casillas was given a standing ovation by the Liverpool fans in the Kop end as he took to the field after the break on his record 167th and possible farewell appearance in the Champions League.

However, that was one of few moments that got the home fans off their feet as Liverpool settled on their substantial lead.

Milner sliced a good opening wide just two minutes into the second half, whilst at the other end Karius was stretched to turn Majeed Wariss shot behind.

Roberto Firmino had one clear chance to add to his seven Champions League goals this season when his shot was blocked by Porto captain Felipe before the Brazilian was protected by Klopp for the weekend as Danny Ings was introduced for the final half hour.

Salah was given 15 minutes to find the winner when he replaced Mane.

The Egyptian had one opportunity to extend his scoring streak to eight straight games, but Casillas smothered his low effort.

And the Spanish veteran made his best stop of the night two minutes from time to deny Ings and hold onto his clean sheet.

Speaking about Portos opponents on Tuesday, Porto coach Srgio Conceio said: Liverpool are definitely one of the teams who can win the Champions League this year. They might not have been at their best this evening, but theyre definitely one of the contenders to win the competition.

Source: NAN

Justice Mojisola O. Dada of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, refused the bail application of notorious fraudster, Emmanuel Nwude, who allegedly conspired with two others to tamper with a property that had been forfeited by a court order.

Nwude alongside Emmanuel Ilechukwu and Rowland Kalu were, on March 2, 2018, arraigned on a 15-count charge bordering on forgery and dealing in forfeited property.

One of the counts reads: That you, Emmanuel Nwude, Emmanuel Ilechukwu and Rowland Kalu, on or about 12th day of January 2011, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, conspired to forge a Power of Attorney dated 12th day of January 2011, issued in the name of Mankris Venture Limited purporting that Mankris Venture Limited is the owner of Plot Y, Mobolaji Johnson Street, Oregun, Alausa Lagos, whereas you knew that the property was forfeited to the victims of crimes as restitution in the judgment delivered on 18th day of 2005 by Honourable Justice Joseph Oyewole in ID/92c/04- FRN vs. Emmanuel Nwude

Vice President: Of course, our health system has long suffered. That is one of the chief concerns that we have been focusing on; getting the diaspora to work with us to improve our health system. We are also looking at how healthcare insurance can improve it. I agree that if all of us put our resources and our time in local medical care, we will improve it. I have no doubt in my mind that our local healthcare system is what most of us subscribe to at least, and our doctors are some of the best in the world. But thats one of our commitments to make it work.

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First of all, the dialogue started in 2016 and it continues. We began to dialogue with all the groups in the Niger Delta and we hold very regular meetings with PANDEF, which is the umbrella body. We also hold regular meetings with many of the groups in the Niger Delta and they are all actively involved with us.

I dont know whether you are familiar with the Maritime University. The Maritime University has taken off, you know. Only a few days ago, the announcement was made that they are eligible for JAMB (the University was recently granted approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence undergraduate degree programmes effective from the 2017/2018 academic session). Interviews are taking place for the Maritime University, forms have been provided and we are talking to all of the principal parties in that zone who are interested in the work the Maritime University is doing. Many people are involved in that process. That is the kind of thing we are talking about to provide the kind of facility to help people in the Niger Delta, especially in Maritime University.

Also, look at modular refineries, 38 licensed modular refineries investors have indicated interests (10 of the licensed refineries are at an advanced stage of development). One, of course, has started in Bayelsa; another is being shipped in at the moment. There are about three or four different engagements with modular refineries operators. So we are putting that together, and one of the critical things with modular refineries is that we are trying to ensure that, first of all, it is private-sector driven. Government has to provide the licenses, but also there is community involvement; communities also have a stake in the modular refineries. So we are doing that as well. We are working very hard on that.

(Also read:

I dont know when Chief Clark made that statement. I think that, by and large, all of what Im saying is being done. It is obvious for everyone to see. Ive no real problem demonstrating this, but as a matter of fact, if you look on our website (www.ndnewvision.gov.ng), on the all of the Niger Delta issues, we have almost a blow-by-blow account of what we are doing, including the Ogoni clean up.

I think there is a lot going on. You cant address all of the problems at once. We have provided plenty of information. We have Inter-ministerial meetings where the different stakeholders meet constantly with leaders of the Niger Delta. I think you can imagine development is something that no one can be completely satisfied with at any point in time; thats why its called development.

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: I think it was for those people that we designed our visa-on-arrival policy. It is for people who are bringing in their resources and money.

Not necessary. Let me explain what we are trying to do with visa-on-arrival: you apply online so you get a visa, and this is where we are issuing the I-Step so that there is passenger information ahead of your arriving in Nigeria. That is one of the infrastructure we are putting at the airport now. You arrive at our port, we can give you a visa right there; that is what Singapore and other countries do, irrespective of where you are coming from you can get the visa there. When you arrive in Nigeria we have advance passengers information, even the visa-on-arrival thats where we are heading. The most important thing is that there is a record.

: Let me just say that the President has pointed out that the South East wasnt the region that voted heavily for the APC, but that is not in any way stopping the President from appointing four senior ministers from that part of the country. He could have appointed junior ministers. By appointing four senior ministers, I think that it shows that he is interested in the South East region of Nigeria.

Secondly, previous government merely talk about the second Niger Bridge. We have moved to site, we are working on the second Niger Bridge. Weve provided for the second Niger Bridge in our budget we have also provided infrastructure fund for the second Niger Bridge. Also, we are doing the Lagos-Calabar Rail. The Lagos-Calabar Rail goes through the South East region, thats one of the very important thing we are doing and we put money behind it. The President himself negotiated the loan from the Chinese government. He actually went to China to negotiate and these are ongoing projects.

Ariaria market today is possibly the largest MSME hub in the whole of West Africa. The Federal Government, with the private sector, is powering Ariaria market so that every of the 21,000 shops in Ariaria market has power. The roads to the market are in the budget. Lets bring it down to what we are doing; the first of our MSME clinics was in Aba and we are committed to ensuring Aba is a hub that it ought to be.

This is where we spend a lot of time and energy to move regulatory agencies so that they actually have a one-stop centre there, so that NAFDAC, SON can move into that place. There is a lot of work thats going on. The truth is that we do what needs to be done. We were elected to do the right thing by everyone and we are doing it. Ive gone to the South East several times. Ive visited Nnewi and many parts of Anambra as well, where we look around and look at ways of supporting industries there and we are still committed to that zone.

: Let me say that one of the very important things for me, I think we could have done far more in terms of jobs, direct jobs now, because weve done enough. We first created jobs in agriculture. Perhaps we are hoping we would be able to provide by now 500,000 of our N-power jobs, but because of the income we are able to provide 200,000. We have another 300,000 waiting to be employed. So maybe a year into our government, we could have done 500,000. So for me I think if we have the kind of resources that people had 10 years ago when oil was $115 per barrel we could have provided far in excess.

I also think that, perhaps in the area of power, especially trying to do much more, but power is privatized. A lot of the power companies, a lot of the GENCOs, the DISCOs in particular, simply dont have the resources to replace assets, so they slow down. How I wish they have more funds to pump into assets and we hope they have more resources to do so. Weve put in place the over N700 billion payment assurance scheme, but that is insufficient.

Thats not true. Let me put it this way; first lets take the Magu example. One of the things that the President decided to do is to ensure that every agency does its work without direct interference from the President. So the President does not call the EFCC, and say, Go and arrest Mr Ekpeyong, no. And thats one of the most important things about the style of this government, and we want the agencies to do their work. No one has showed up and called Magu and say, Look go and arrest. Thats what it is.

While you will find, for example, that the DG, SSS, upon the request by the Senate, wrote a security report and sent it, yet it is up to the President to decide whether hes going to present this candidate. Interfering with the process of a security report is not leadership, thats obstructing. He is not supposed to interfere. If you say, Send your report, whatever report you want to send, the man defends himself, and we still believe he is the right person for the job. That is the position that we took when he was presented the second time.

Of course, the Senate has had their own say on that and they are entitled to take some of the positions they are taking. But the President believes that this is the right man for the job, so he presented him the second time.

With respect to the arrest of DG, NIA, and some of what took place, I think the fair thing to say is that the President has said that the EFCC has the absolute right to go ahead and do whatever it needs to do to ensure that anybody who has committed a crime, or who is suspected to having committed a crime, is brought to justice, and thats the position that the EFCC has taken. You know the EFCC has issued a notice for the DG, NIA, and SGF to attend interview with the EFCC; but we are sure that that process would be followed to a logical conclusion.

To ensure that you allow government agency do their business, thats very important; thats institution building. Look at what is happening in the US today; the President is sometimes angry with the FBI because the FBI is doing its independent work, and thats what we hope to achieve: when you see countries where agencies are doing their work the way they are supposed to do it.

Source: NAN

Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, former Nasarawa state governor, is dead. He was aged 75.

He died in an Israeli hospital, according Mamman Alakayi, his information commissioner when he governed the state..

I got a call from the late governors son, Umar, this evening, that Baba Doma died in an Israeli hospital at about 7:45 p.m. Nigerian time, he said.

Alakayi said that the former governor had gone to the hospital to treat an undisclosed ailment three weeks ago.

We are currently making arrangement for some family members to travel to Israel and convey the remains back home for burial, he said.

NAN reports that Akwe was the governor of Nasarawa State from 2007 to 2011, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Born on Sept. 1, 1942 in Doma Local Government of Nasarawa State, Akwe attended theUniversity of Ibadan from 19641966, and also attendedAhmadu Bello UniversityZaria in 1976.

The former governor obtained a Masters Degree in Public Administration fromAmbrose Alli University,Ekpoma in 2002.

He worked in the old Plateau civil service from1976 to 1983, and rose to the position of a Permanent Secretary.

a Deputy Governor of Plateau State, and was later elected Governor of Nasarawa State(NAN)

Source: NAN

U.S. White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, is set to resign from his post following President Donald Trumps planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum.

Cohn departure would increase the number of White House officials who had either been sacked or resigned from the Trumps administration.

Reports say Cohn who opposed Trumps planned tariffs, hinted the White House about his resignation last week, and reportedly tried getting the president to change course.

Cohn who served as President Trumps chief economic adviser since the beginning of the administration, would likely step down from his post in few weeks from now after several weeks of talk with the president.

It has been an honor to serve my country and enact pro-growth economic policies to benefit the American people, in particular the passage of historic tax reform, Cohn said in a statement to Fox News.

I am grateful to the President for giving me this opportunity and wish him and the Administration great success in the future.

Cohns policy portfolio included tax and retirement, infrastructure, the financial system, energy and environment, healthcare, agriculture, global economics, international trade and development, and technology, telecommunications and cybersecurity.

Source: NAN

A mysterious fire has destroyed over 300 tents at Ajiri Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Mafa Local Government council of Borno.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fire started at about 5:30 pm on Tuesday and gutted the entire camp settlement, which provided shelter to hundreds of persons displaced by Boko Haram insurgency.

A witness, Bukar Abba, told NAN that the fire rapidly spread and engulfed the entire camp due to the strong wind.

Abba said that the fire ravaged tents, thatch houses, household utensils, dresses and other property, adding that there were no causalities in the incident.

The cause of the fire has not been ascertained. It destroyed the camp. The affected families now stay in the open, he said.

Abba noted that the affected persons had returned and took shelter at the camp following the liberation of the community from the insurgents control.

He called on the state government and humanitarian organisations to assist the victims to alleviate their sufferings.

The national and state emergency management agencies are yet to comment on the incident. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Rwanda has shut 714 churches in different parts of Kigali over the last one week for failure to meet minimum standards.

New Times of Rwanda reported that the churches were found to lack basic infrastructure, hygiene, safety standards and had issues related to their legal status.

The crackdown is being carried out by respective urban district authorities in partnership with the Rwanda Governance Board, the newspaper said.

Justus Kangwagye, the Head of Political Parties and Civil Society Department at the Rwanda Governance Board, said places of worship are required to meet basic requirements in terms of safety, hygiene, infrastructure and legality which those affected were found to be lacking.

Kangwagye said most of the affected places of worship were asked to halt operations until they meet the expected standards.

Worshiping should be done in an organised way and meet minimum standards. Exercising your freedom of worship should not encroach on other peoples rights. They have been asked to halt operations until they meet the requirements, he said.

Some may not be able to resume operations any time soon, he said.

Kangwagye said some premises exposed worshipers to risks.

For instance, if the infrastructure is deemed likely to cause danger to those worshiping, it is obvious that it fails to meet the requirements, he explained.

Others were found to have inadequacies such as lack of parking lots which would lead to their members parking by the roadsides and causing traffic jam.

Other churches which were closed operated from tents.

Churches that are hosted in tents were also asked to review their premises before they can continue their operations. As for hygiene and sanitation, you cannot have a gathering where there is no water for washing hands, no toilets among other issues, he said.

Others, he added, were warned on the lack of safety and security installations and asked to look into it or risk closure.

Kangwagye explained that setting up a church, requires a temporary certificate which expires after 12 months.

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Source: NAN

Crown-wearing worshippers of World Peace and Unification Sanctuary in Pennsylvania, United States scared the hell out of people and a school on Wednesday, when they arrived the church, each clutching an AR-15 rifle.

Brides were clad in white and grooms in dark suits, all arriving with dozens of AR-15s, though unloaded.

Inside the church, they drank holy wine and exchanged or renewed wedding vows in what was called a commitment ceremony, which alsodoubled as an advertisement for the Second Amendment.

Though the state police kept watch as the ceremony unfolded, neighbours were not at ease.

A smattering of protesters stood outside the church and anearby school cancelled classes, the AP reported.

The church, which has a worldwide following, believes the AR-15 symbolizes the rod of iron in the book of Revelation, and encouraged couples to bring the weapons. An AR-15 was used in the Florida high school massacre on Feb. 14.

The Rev. Sean Moon, who leads the church, prayed for a kingdom of peace police and peace militia where the citizens, through the right given to them by almighty God to keep and bear arms, will be able to protect one another and protect human flourishing.

Moon is the son of the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, a self-proclaimed messiah who founded the Unification Church, which critics regard as a cult. The younger Moons congregation is a breakaway faction of the Unification Church, which had distanced itself from Wednesdays event.

An attendant checked each weapon at the door to make sure it was unloaded and secured with a zip tie, and the elaborate commitment ceremony went off without a hitch. Some worshippers wore crowns made out of bullets.

Tim Elder, Unification Sanctuarys director of world missions, said the ceremony was meant to be a blessing of couples, not inanimate objects, calling the AR-15 a religious accoutrement.

But Wednesdays event, coming on the heels of the high school massacre in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17, rubbed emotions raw.

Its scaring people in the community, one protester told a church member. Are you aware of that?

The ceremony prompted Wallenpaupack Area School District to move students at an elementary school down the street to other campuses.

Lisa Desiena, from Scranton, protested outside the church with a sign that called the group an armed religious cult.

She said she owns a gun, but I dont need a freaking assault weapon to defend myself. Only thing theyre good for is killing. Period. Thats all that weapon is good for, mass killing. And you want to bless it? Shame on you.

But Sreymom Ouk, 41, who attended the ceremony with her husband, Sort Ouk, and came with their AR-15, said the weapon is useful for defending her family against sickos and evil psychopaths.

People have the right to bear arms, and in Gods kingdom, you have to protect that, she said. You have to protect against evil.

Reported by AP

Source: NAN

Saudi Arabia began issuing licences Thursday to operate cinemas in the kingdom ahead of their reopening after a decades-long ban was lifted as part of a far-reaching liberalisation drive.

The move is another step towards opening the Saudi market to regional and international theatre chains, which have long eyed the kingdom as the Middle Easts last untapped mass market.

The culture and information ministry said it had finalised the terms of licencing to restore cinema in Saudi Arabia.

Licencing commences immediately, the ministry added in a statement.

The news comes as Dubai-based VOX Cinemas, the leading operator in the Middle East, launches its first public screening in Saudi Arabia, which runs through Saturday and aims to raise awareness about Alzheimers disease.

The screening in Riyadh will feature content from local producers including Myrkott Production and Telfaz Company, VOX said.

Major cinema chains are seeking to break into the market of more than 30 million people, the majority of whom are under 25.

In December, US giant AMC Entertainment signed a non-binding agreement with Saudi Arabias vast Public Investment Fund to build and operate cinemas across the kingdom.

AMC will still face stiff competition from regional heavyweights, including VOX.

The move to reopen cinemas is part of a modernisation drive by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is seeking to balance unpopular subsidy cuts in an era of low oil prices with more entertainment options despite opposition from religious hardliners.

The reform stems partly from an economic motive to boost domestic spending on entertainment as the kingdom reels from a protracted slump in oil prices.

Saudis currently splurge billions of dollars annually to see movie shows and visit amusement parks in neighbouring tourist hubs like Dubai.

Source: NAN

There has been an outpouring of rage in the social media after a neurosurgeon at Kenyas largest hospital performed brain surgery on the wrong patient.

The Kenyatta National Hospital, which admitted the horrific error has suspended the doctor, as well as two nurses and an anaesthetist, according to a statement on Friday.

Health Minister Sicily Kariuki also suspended the Chief operating officer of the hospital, Lily Koros, over the blunder. Lily Koros had suspended the four medics.

It was the latest scandal to hit the hospital in recent weeks, after allegations of staff sexually assaulting patients, and the theft of a baby.

An investigation by the Daily Nation newspaper revealed that two men had been taken to the hospital last Sunday.

The two men were wheeled into the hospital unconscious. One needed head surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain, while the other only required nursing and medication to heal a trauma swelling in his head, medically known as closed head injury.

Hours into the surgery doctors discovered there was no blood clot in the brain of their patient, and that they were in fact operating on the wrong man, the newspaper reported.

The hospitals chief operating officer, Lily Koros, issued a statement announcing the suspension of four medics who were at work on that night. The hospital also expressed regret over the incident.

The hospital deeply regrets this event and has done all it can to ensure the safety and well being of the patient in question, read the statement from the hospital, adding the patient was in recovery and progressing well, Koros said.

Kenyatta National Hospital is Kenyas oldest and largest hospital, and also serves as a teaching hospital.

AFP

Source: NAN

Britains food industry was challenged by the government Tuesday to reduce the amount of calories in products used by families by 20 percent as part of a new strategy to cut childhood and adult obesity.

Health officials say if the 20 per cent target is met within five years, more than 35,000 premature deaths could be prevented.

Officials also said that around 12.5 billion U.S. dollars in National Health Service (NHS) healthcare and social care costs could be saved over a 25 year period.

The calorie drive follows new evidence revealing overweight or obese boys and girls consume up to 500 and 290 calories too many each day respectively.

The food industry has been given three ways to reduce calories, changing the recipe of products, reducing portion sizes or encouraging consumers to purchase lower calorie products.

Categories of food covered by the program include pizzas, ready meals, ready-made sandwiches, meat products and savoury snacks.

The new major steps to cut excessive calorie intake were unveiled by Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

PHE says too many children and most adults are overweight or obese, suffering consequences from bullying and low self-esteem in childhood, to type II diabetes, heart disease and some cancers as adults.

An obese parent is more likely to have an obese child, who in turn is more likely to grow up into an obese adult, said PHE.

A PHE report includes new data on childrens daily calorie consumption.

Depending on their age, overweight and obese boys consume between 140 to 500 calories too many each day and for girls, it is 160 to 290 when compared to those with healthy body weights.

Adults consume on average 200 to 300 calories too many each day.

A PHE report includes new data on childrens daily calorie consumption. Depending on their age, overweight and obese boys consume between 140 to 500 calories too many each day and for girls, it is 160 to 290 when compared to those with healthy body weights. Adults consume on average 200 to 300 calories too many each day.

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of PHE, said: Industry can help families by finding innovative ways to lower the calories in the food we all enjoy and promoting UK business leadership on the world stage in tackling obesity.

Steve Brine, parliamentary under secretary of state for public health and primary care, said: Obesity is now one of our greatest challenges.

It is fuelling an epidemic of preventable illnesses like type II diabetes and cancer.

These not only shorten lives but put unsustainable pressure on our health service.

Our calorie reduction program, the first of its kind from any country in the world, will continue to build on the progress of our world-leading childhood obesity plan, which has led to positive steps by industry.

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, said: Its hard for people to make healthy food choices. Thats why we are challenging the food industry to take 20 percent of the calories out of everyday foods.

The NHS spends around 8.3 billion U.S dollars a year treating obesity-related conditions. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN