Paris Saint Germain has now confirmed that Neymar Jr.’s injury on Sunday was more than a sprain of the ankle and it has ruled him out of the Champions League match against Real Madrid next week and Brazil’s friendly matches in March.

There are even fears that the talented Brazilian attacker will have a race against time to be ready for the World Cup in Russia in June.

According to a short medical report published on the club’s website, the injury to the right ankle also involves a fractured fifth metatarsal, the long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the little toe.

“Complementary examinations performed this day (ultrasound and CT) confirmed antero external sprain of the right ankle but also the associated existence of a fissure of the fifth metatarsal”, PSG said.

The Brazilian was stretchered off in tears as strikes from Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani plus an own goal from Rolando gave PSG a 3-0 win at the Parc des Princes.

Neymar was tracking back behind Bouna Sarr in the second half when his right ankle awkwardly twisted, leaving him in agony on the turf.

It is now certain, the player is ruled out of the Champions League last-16 second leg against Real Madrid on 6 March.

The injury is likely to rule the 26-year-old out of Brazil’s March friendlies against Russia and Germany. And it may leave him with a race against time to be ready for the World Cup in Russia this summer.

In and ill-tempered game, Neymar was brutally tackled twice, each time falling on the field. But the serious injury, was self-inflicted.

PSG star Dani Alves was also subject to a horror tackle by Marseille’s Lucas Ocampos – who only got a yellow card.

But the durable Brazilian was even able to walk away from challenged – and carried on in the match.

Neymar’s sidelining is certainly a devastating blow for the French club, whose season will be defined by their success in Europe – with a 14-point lead in Ligue 1 over Monaco.

EFCC has filed a counter-affidavit asking the court not to give Ms. Bola Shagaya access to the account which was frozen in December 2016.

EFCC filed the affidavit at the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos not to unfreeze the bank account with a balance of N1.9 billion allegedly belonging to Ms Bola Shagaya.

EFCC claimed that the money was the balance of a total of N3.3 billion which Shagaya received as “founder’s fees” on behalf of a non-governmental organization – “Women for Change”, which was allegedly spearheaded by the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.

According to the EFCC, the N3.3 billion was realised through Shagaya’s “fraudulent activities” in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), where she allegedly “influenced the fraudulent allocation of Dual Purpose Kerosene to one Index Petrolube Africa Ltd., with the aid of the former first lady, Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan.”

The N3.3 billion was said to have been paid by Index Petrolube Africa Ltd. and its sister company, Autodex Nigeria Limited.

The companies allegedly belong to one Honourable Ezeani ThankGod.

The EFCC also claimed that out of the N3.3 billion, Shagaya had “paid a cumulative sum of N1.2 billion to the former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, through her account, ‘Women for Change Initiative’ account, to which the former first lady is the sole signatory.”

It said after paying the money to Patience, Shagaya kept the balance of N1.9 billion for herself by “warehousing” same in her personal bank account.

The Commission said it was on this basis that it secured an order of Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos on December 29, 2016, to freeze the account.

It, therefore, begged Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the same court not to unfreeze the account, so that Shagaya would not “use this honourable court as a shield against criminal investigation and prosecution.”

Shagaya, through her lawyer, Mr Napoleon Emeaso-Nwachukwu, argued that she was not given a fair hearing before Justice Hassan who gave the freezing order.

She further urged Justice Oguntoyinbo to set Justice Hassan’s order aside and declare it unconstitutional, null and void on the basis that it violates her right to own movable property as guaranteed by Section 44(1)(k) of the I999 Constitution of Nigeria.

In a 19-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Sulaiman Aliu, Shagaya was worried that the ex parte freezing order made by Justice Hassan appeared, otherwise, to be final as the judge “did not give any return date for further proceedings and did not avail the applicant, who was the respondent therein and owner of the attached properties, a hearing.”

She said there was no criminal charge against her before and after the freezing order was made to justify the EFCC’s action, denying her access to her funds, a situation which she said has caused her business losses and opportunities.”

Justice Oguntoyinbo consequently set May 17 to deliver judgment on the issue.

Source: NAN

Despite all the controversies generated by Olamide’s hit single, Science Student, the official video of the song was quietly released on Sunday on You Tube on Vevo label.

The video is already stirring controversy afresh, trending as number 3 on You Tube in Nigeria. It has within 24 hours garnered close to 85,000 views, with 584 dislikes and over 9,000 likes.

Olamide - Science Student (Official Video) – 07:36
— OlamideVEVO

The video opens on a note of drama, with Olamide being abandoned by friends in a dumpsite. The rapper is seen alone wading through the place, prodded by a woman with fire in her eyes. The symbolism is telling immediately, afterall this is a song about drug addiction. The woman leads him to a disused building, filled with drug addicts, smoke and drug chemicals.

The video ends with Olamide in a choreography with scores of people and if you wonder, about the relevance of the pulsating steps, you get the answer when the video signs off with ”Say No To Drugs”.

Kaffy is behind the creative direction of the clips while the video was shot and directed by Unlimited L.A.

Source: NAN

The Senator representing Nasarawa West in the National Assembly, Senator Abdullahi Adamu has said that he would always continue to defend President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration.

Adamu who was sacked last week as the Chairman of the Northern Senators’Forum disclosed this as a meeting of All Progressives Congress’ stakeholders in Nasarawa.

The senator was only last week removed as the chairman of the NSF over allegationsof misappropriating N70 million belonging to the forum. He was replaced with Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.

Adamu who was responding to a vote of confidence passed on him by the Nasarawa State APC, assured them of his continued stand in defence of truth, his party and the Buhari administration.

The senator also promised to pursue development issues that would better the lives of Nigerians.

Earlier, APC stakeholders made up of federal and state legislators among others, expressed their confidence on the leadership qualities of Sen. Adamu.

Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, moved the motion for the vote of confidence which was seconded by Rep. Mohammed Ibrahim (APC-Nasarawa/Toto), at the meeting.

Abdullahi told newsmen at the end of the meeting that the confidence vote was passed on Adamu after assessing his positive contributions at the Senate in the last six years as well as his role in the development of humanity.

“We the lawmakers, both at the federal and state levels, under APC from Nasarawa West including the state party executives led by the Chairman, Mr Philip Shekwo, and critical stakeholders are here to discuss on some vital national issues that affect our party and the present administration in general.

“We are loyal and in total support of what our distinguished Sen. Abduallhi Adamu is doing in defence of truth, in defence of our party and in defence of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and we urged him to stand firm on that.

“We told him to continue to stand firm in defence of truth and we are solidly behind him and President Buhari beyond 2019,” he said.

The speaker called on the people to continue to pray and give their maximum support to Adamu and Buhari to enable them succeed in the tasks ahead of them.

He noted that Adamu, who was a two time governor of the state, had performed credibly well in office, hence the need for the people of the senatorial district to support his re-election come 2019.

The Nasarawa state number three citizen also called on APC faithful to remain united and work for the progress of the party at all levels beyond 2019.

Besides, Abdullahi called on Nigerians to continue to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation for the overall development of the country.

After Adamu’s suspension, it was alleged by Sen. Shehu Sani that the unaccounted sum may have been taken by monkeys that invaded the senators farm house.

Source: NAN

The President, Nigeria Youth Organisation(NYO), Abdullahi Wali, says he will sue President Muhammadu Buhari if he refuses to contest in the 2019 presidential election.

Wali, in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, said he was reacting to a statement credited to Buhari during a meeting with APC governors.

He said that the president was quoted as saying that he needed time to decide whether he would run or not.

Wali said President Buhari should run in 2019 in order to consolidate the achievements he had recorded so far.

He listed some Buhari’s achievements as effective implementation of Treasury Single Account(TSA), diversification of the economy, anti-corruption war, war against insurgency, the complete refund of Paris club loan deduction to states among others.

“If Buhari decides not to run in 2019, the achievements recorded by his administration will vanish as the vampires of our common treasury will resurrect and loot everything leaving the masses with nothing.

“Therefore, he needs to solidify his achievement before handing over to hopefully a youth.

“NYO agenda is to build Nigerian youths to actively participate in leadership for national unity and development and will therefore not sit and watch the solid foundation made by this administration for the benefit of Nigerian youths sink.

“ I have directed my lawyers to sue the president if he refuses to run and will also mobilise millions of youths under my leadership to stage the highest rally ever in Nigeria until the president accepts to run,’’ he said.

Wali said that he would be glad to beg the president for the privilege of purchasing a nomination form for him if he decided to run in 2019.

Source: NAN

Neymar Jr., the world’s most expensive footballer, was stretchered off 10 minutes from time at the Parc des Princes on Sunday night as Paris Saint-Germain beat Marseille 3-0 and opened up a 14-point lead in Ligue 1.

The 26-year-old was on his own when he innocuously rolled his ankle and flopped to the ground in pain.

“The first examination in the locker room revealed that it was a twist to the ankle. Now we will do a medical examination to find out what this twist is,” said Unai Emery, whose team face Real Madrid at home on March 6 in the Champions League last 16 where they need to overturn a 3-1 deficit.

“We will wait for the examination, we will be optimistic. If I had to say today (whether or not he will face Real) I would rather say yes to being optimistic.

PSG skipper Thiago Silva told Canal+ added: “Neymar already had a swollen ankle. I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think he’ll be available on Wednesday (when PSG face Marseille again in the French Cup). He has to rest.”

It was an otherwise easy night for the big-spending Parisians as teenager Kylian Mbappe became the youngest scorer in the French ‘Classique’.

Uruguayan goal-machine Edinson Cavani was also on the scoresheet while Neymar had a hand in PSG’s other goal.

With Monaco drawing 3-3 at Toulouse on Saturday and Lyon held 1-1 at home to local rivals Saint-Etienne earlier on Sunday, it meant none of PSG’s three nearest challengers managed to win.

Monaco remain second with Marseille third, two points behind, and Lyon a further five adrift.

This result was never in doubt and Emery even had the luxury of bringing off Mbappe, 19, after an hour to give Argentine international Angel Di Maria a half-hour run out.

PSG were off to a flying start through Mbappe but Marseille were in part the architects of their own downfall.

France midfielder Adrien Rabiot tried to thread a through ball on 10 minutes to Mbappe, cutting in from the right.

Source: NAN

The meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will not hold on Wednesday, February 28, according to a statement by media and publicity adviser, Femi Adesina.

He said the meeting was shelved because of the participation of President Muhammadu Buhari and a significant number of ministers at the High-Level Meeting of the International Conference on Lake Chad Basin.

The conference will hold at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, for the better part of Wednesday, Adesina said.

He did not indicate whether the meeting will hold later in the week.

Source: NAN

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guineas Southern-Highlands-province early on Monday, disrupting communications and oil and gas operations.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the tremor hit near the centre of Papua New Guineas main island around 560 km (350 miles) from the capital, Port Moresby, at around 3.45 a.m. local time (1545 GMT Sunday), according to the USGS. It was about 35 km (22 miles) deep.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, although PNGs disaster management authourity did not respond to a request for comment.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said there was no risk of a tsunami in the aftermath of the quake.

ExxonMobil Corp said it had shut its Hides gas conditioning plant, close to the quakes epicentre, to assess if there was any damage.

All of ExxonMobil PNG Limiteds employees and contractors at its Hides facilities have been accounted for and we are pleased to report they are all safe, ExxonMobils PNG spokeswoman said in an email.

Gas is processed at Hides and transported along a 700 km (435 miles) line that feeds a liquefied natural gas plant near Port Moresby for shipping.

PNG oil and gas explorer Oil Search said in a statement it had shut production in the quake-affected area and there had been several aftershocks with magnitudes greater than five.

It said there were no reports of injuries.

Several aid agencies said poor communications in the densely forested area made damage and injury assessment difficult.

Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea, which sits on the Pacifics Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN

Chinas Communist Party has handed President Xi Jinping an open path to indefinite rule a move analysts warn carries enormous risks by abandoning a succession model that brought stability after turbulent decades under Mao.

Xi, who has concentrated power, accumulated titles and purged potential rivals since becoming head of state in 2013, could remain president for life after the party proposed abolishing a rule limiting the top leader to two five-year terms.

But giving all the levers of power to one man could further erode human rights, unsettle other nations and even set up traps for Xis rule at home, analysts warn.

The two-term limit was supposed to increase stability. By ruling beyond the standard 10-year tenure, Xi will be subject to much closer scrutiny by Chinese citizens and the political elite, said Simone van Nieuwenhuizen, Sydney-based co-author of China and the New Maoists.

The announcement made abruptly on Sunday further chips away at the era of collective leadership that was championed by reform leader Deng Xiaoping to prevent the return of another Mao-like cult figure.

Xis two predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, both served two five-year terms, providing a smooth succession that accompanied Chinas rise to become the worlds second-largest economy.

But Xi, 64, has adopted Maos playbook, tightening his grip with a relentless crackdown on civil society and corruption, enshrining his name in the party constitution and building his own personality cult.

Remaining in power beyond 2023 gives Xi a chance to push through his vision of a rejuvenated China with global clout, a prosperous society, a revived Silk Road trade route and a powerful military.

Chinas rubber-stamp legislature is expected to give Xi his second term and remove the 10-year limit at its annual meeting opening on March 5.

Term limits were a crucial part of the institutionalisation of the leadership transition, something that has plagued Communist parties leading to both tyrannical reigns and catastrophic party decline, said Jonathan Sullivan, director of the China Policy Institute at Nottingham University.

The rule enabled smooth transitions and preserved party unity, he said.

The removal of term limits is a rejection of all this and it comes with real risks for stability in the long term.

Xi provided a major hint that he intended to stay in power when no heir apparent was anointed at the five-yearly party congress in October.

The state-run Global Times tabloid said the Central Committees proposed amendment to lift term limits would improve leadership.

From the anti-corruption campaign to comprehensively advancing the rule of law to profound economic restructuring, the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core has sturdily opened a new era for a hopeful China, the daily said in an editorial.

Source: NAN

Gennaro Gattuso has sparked a fire in AC Milan.Unbeaten in 12 games with five wins in a row, the Italian coach has transformed the demoralised squad he took over three months ago from Vincenzo Montella.

Sundays 2-0 win against AS Roma in the Stadio Olympico was an important one, against a direct European rival which allows AC Milan to dream even of Champions League qualification.

Gattusos side are just seven points adrift of the last spot for the elite European competition. When he took over fourth place was 11 points away.

At the end of the match I congratulated the group, but I also said that we have to keep our feet on the ground, said 2006 World Cup winner Gattuso whose appointment last November raised eyebrows.

In Gattuso, the Chinese-owned club who spent 230 million euros ($270 million) in last summers transfer market turned to a member of one of their most successful sides, but one with little coaching pedigree who was training Milans youth team at the time of his appointment.

But the former defensive midfielder, who also spent a season at Scottish club Rangers during his playing career, has proved an astute choice and wants to seize his chance.

I need to thank (directors Marco) Fassone, (Massimiliano) Mirabelli and (owner) Mr Li (Yonghong) for the opportunity they gave me. I love Milan and they are my priority. Its like a family for me, said the 40-year-old after Sundays win.

A beautiful relationship was born between me and these guys.

The secret? Hard work

But what is the secret that has got the seven-time European champions winning consistently again.

For the players the answer is simple hard work.

Gattuso is making us work harder, especially on tactics, explained Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie, 21.

With Montella we did very little work in training, but its different with Gattuso and you can see the results on the pitch.

Its like a family here and the results are arriving.

Patrick Cutrone, 20, who scored the opener on Sunday for his 13th goal in all competitions his season, added: Its an important win, one that will make a difference.

The coach really cares about the squad and weve come together under him. We are really united now.

Gattuso made us understand from the first day what it means to wear this jersey, added left-back Davide Calabria, who scored the second goal against Roma.

The winning mentality that Gattuso brings is incredible, as he focuses on every detail. We are working with great intensity.

Older players have benefited as Giacomo Bonaventura has scored five goals under Gattuso. Their defensive base is also strong with just four goals conceded in the last 12 games.

AC Milan will play Lazio in Wednesdays Italian Cup semi-final back in the Stadio Olympico, Inter Milan in next weekends derby clash and Arsenal in the Europa League round of 16 on March 8.

From tomorrow the head goes to the Lazio, said Gattuso. We are playing something important and we will think about the (Milan) derby from Thursday.

Has Arsenal lost today (League Cup final)? We are not Manchester City, we have to put on a helmet and go to battle.

AFP

Source: NAN

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) will collaborate with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through education.

This partnership was signed by Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, ACU Chief Executive and Secretary General, Dr Joanna Newman, and COL President and Chief Executive Officer Professor Asha Kanwar at the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers.

Ministers of Education from Commonwealth countries and other stakeholders witnessed the event.

At the signing, Scotland acknowledged the increased collaboration between Commonwealth education organisations, adding that even closer partnership would deliver concrete outcomes for member states.

On her part, Kanwar welcomed the partnership saying it would synergise the specific strengths of the three organisations for greater impact in member states.

Speaking, Newman expressed delight in working with the Commonwealth Secretariat and COL to achieve the SDGs through education.

The Commonwealth Education Partnership for Sustainable Development will see the three organisations working together to support member states to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Through this partnership, the three organisations will develop joint programmes and support policy development across the Commonwealth, in response to the evolving needs of member states.

Source: NAN

Up to 134 flights have been rescheduled as Phuket International Airport in Thailand closed a cracked runway for urgent repairs, airport officials said on Monday.

The decision to close a runway during the early hours of Monday and Tuesday followed reports of cracks late Sunday, said the Aiport Director, Phet Chancharoen.

Chancharoen blamed heavy air traffic during the high tourism season for wear and tear on the runway, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand estimated that 300,000 tourists travelled from China on Feb. 16 for Lunar New Year alone.

A total of 75 flights were rescheduled on Monday, while at least 59 others will be cancelled due to repairs on Tuesday.

Most of the flights cancelled were for international routes.

Runway closure for maintenance is conducted four times a year at the airport and airlines and passengers are informed months in advance.

This weeks sudden closure, however, was unavoidable after cracks covering almost 100 square metres were discovered, Chancharoen said.

Phuket, an island in the Andaman Sea popular among international tourists, is located 840 kilometres south of Bangkok.

Its airport manages up to 300 flights daily.

Source: NAN

The newly elected Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, has sponsored 52 indigent students to two Universities in Kwara state.

According to a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bashir Rabe Mani, the students are to attend Al -Hikmah and Crown Hill Universities.

The students were drawn from the twenty three local governments in all the three Senatorial Zones of the state.

This gesture is coming after another batch of 40 undergraduate students were sponsored by the senator to attend the Maryam Abacha American University in Maradi, Niger republic.

The new batch of 52 lucky students who are set to depart Sokoto for Ilorin on Sunday are to study different courses in Humanities, Medicine and other Sciences.

Addressing the students at his Gawon Nama residence in Sokoto, the Senator who represents Sokoto North Senatorial District said that more opportunity was given to educationally disadvantaged local governments of Gudu, Silame and Illela.

The former Governor of the state, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, said: the gesture is in continuation of my undying commitment to ensure that, poverty does not inhibit indigent youths from across the state from acquiring education at all levels.

The gesture is also aimed at bolstering the religious, scientific, technological and socioeconomic developments of the state and Nigeria in general.

It will further bridge the existing wide religious and cultural gaps between the Muslims in the core north and their brothers in other parts of the country, especially the north central states, he said.

Senator Wamakko admonished the students to shun all acts capable of jeopardizing their students, warning that any indolent and lazy student will be withdrawn and replaced with a more serious one.

He further urged them to be good Ambassadors of their respective families, local governments and the state, in general.

Source: NAN

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel is preparing to name her ministerial team for a new German government, to give a new face to her administration.

This is coming amid reports that she had planed to promote an ambitious conservative critic.

Merkel had signaled she would put fresh faces in her Cabinet after a coalition deal with the center-left Social Democrats, who won the powerful finance ministry, drew criticism.

She pledged to name her Christian Democratic Unions proposed ministers Sunday, a day before a party congress considers the coalition accord.

The deal must still be approved in a ballot of the Social Democrats members to take effect.

Much attention had focused on whether Merkel give a Cabinet job to 37-year-old Jens Spahn, a leading advocate of a more conservative approach.

The Bild am Sonntag newspaper and the news agency dpa reported she will name him health minister.

Source: Washington Post

The Segun Oni-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on Kaduna Chapter Crisis has given an assurance that the different factions will soon reconcile their differences as it begins a fact finding mission to the state on Sunday.

Oni, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the APC, gave the assurance, when he addressed newsmen shortly after he led other committee members to the site of the demolished factional secretariat of the party at 11B, Sambo Road, in Kaduna.

The APC stalwart said the committee was on a fact finding mission and its report would be used by the Bola Tinubu Presidential Committee to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Let me say that we are here on a fact finding mission; the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party is very concerned with the crisis rocking the party in the state.

We do not want acrimony within our family and we dont want a situation where some members will feel bad and aggrieved. That is why we are here.

We are also here to appeal to both sides or all the sides that you should sheathe your swords and give us time to put this report together, Oni said.

Oni, who apologised to the factional party leaders led by Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi and owner of the demolished Secretariat building for arriving at the venue behind schedule, agreed to hold the meeting behind closed doorsat 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee billed to meet with the leadership of the Danladi Wada faction of the APC at its demolished secretariat by 11:00 a.m., arrived the venue at 3:41 p.m.

It would be recalled that the national headquarters of the APC had set up the committee following the demolition of the Kaduna APC factional office which was trailed by public outcry.

The committee chaired by Onihas asmembers the partys National Auditor, George Moghalu, and National Woman Leader, Rahmatu Alliyu.

Oni said on arrival that the committee would meet with Gov. Nasir el-Rufai and later proceed to the residence of the partys National Chairman, Northwest Zone, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, whose house was also demolished by el-Rufai on April 6, 2017.

He appealed to the aggrieved party leadersto allow peace to reign in the state.

Hunkuyi, who received the committee on arrival, told members of the committee how leaders of the party had waited for six hours before leaving the venue of the interface.

The federal lawmaker also informed the committee that while the chairman of the other faction was invited by the NWC for the next National Executive Committeemeeting, its own chairman (Danladi Wada) was not invited.

If there will be reconciliation, there should fairness and justice shown to all, Hunkyi said.

Earlier, Sen. Shehu Sani (APC,Kaduna Central) had addressed newsmen on behalf of the group, insisting that the factional APC chairman, Wada,remains the authentic acting party chairman in the state.

Sani, who passed a vote of confidence on the Oni-led committee, however, left with other leaders of the party before the arrival of the visiting reconciliation team.

The notice was that they would here by 11:00 a.m.,but all communication to hear from them has remained futile.

We still have confidence in the committee, Sani said.

Source: NAN

UN staff in Geneva are planning a half-day strike on Tuesday , as dozens of ministers and other dignitaries attend high-level events at the organisations European headquarters.

The strike is over pay cut.

We have tried other forms of protest before, to no avail They have left us no choice, Ian Richards, who heads the UN staff unions association in Geneva, said onSunday.

He said it remained unclear how many of some 9,500 UN staff members in Geneva would participate in Tuesdays work stoppage, or what impact it would have, pointing out that this is not like a bus company where the buses just stop.

But we certainly expect this to have an impact, Richards said.

The half-day work stoppage will come during what is arguably one of the busiest weeks of the year at the UN in Geneva, with around 100 heads of state, government ministers and country representatives from around the world set to attend the main annual sessions of the UNs top human rights and disarmament bodies.

Speaking on behalf of the UN in Geneva, spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told AFP in an email that staff should be reminded that actions which disrupt or interfere with official activity of the Organisation may be considered contravening staff obligations.

She stressed though that UN Geneva recognises and respects the right of staff to freedom of association and acknowledges the dissatisfaction of staff linked to pay cuts.

She said contingency plans had been put in place to minimise the consequences of the possible work stoppage in a period of intense diplomatic activity at the UN in Geneva.

According to a letter sent to all UN agency chiefs late last week, Tuesday will mark only a first day of action, (and will) be followed by others.

The letter, sent by the unions and representatives of civil servants working for the UN, went out as staff received their first pay slips showing a 3.5-percent salary cut, and with the knowledge that the cut will swell to five percent by June, Richards said.

The signatories said staff had lost confidence in the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) a body appointed by the UN General Assembly to govern UN employees which has ordered deep cuts to pay and benefits for many staff around the globe.

Source: NAN

The Federal Government has confirmed that 110 students of theGovernment Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, are sofar unaccounted for, after insurgents believed to be from a faction ofBoko Haram invaded their school on 19 Feb.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,announced the figure after a meeting in Damaturu between a Federal GovernmentDelegation and representatives of Yobe state government,the college, the parents, security agencies andBursari local government, where Dapchi is situated.

He said, based on the briefings from the Principal of the College,Hajia Adama Abdulkarim, and the state Commissioner for Education, Mohammed Lami, 110 out of 906 students, have not been accounted
for. All the students were in the school on the day of the attack

Alhaji Mohammed also announced that the Federal Government hasdirected the police and civil defence authorities in Yobe State toimmediately deploy their personnel to all the schools in the state inorder to ensure the security and safety of the students and theirstaffers.

The Minister disclosed that the Federal Government has stepped upefforts to rescue the girls and return them safely to their parents,saying the security agencies are working on many leads regarding the
whereabouts of the girls.

This is the second time in four days that a Federal Governmentdelegation would visit Yobe State since the unfortunate incident. Thisis a measure of the seriousness with which we are addressing theissue. The security forces are leaving no stone unturned in theirsearch for the girls.

We are back here in Yobe as part of efforts to provide some succourto the parents of the girls, to let them know that they are not aloneand also to reassure them that we will not rest until we have foundthe girls. We will carry the parents along on the efforts we aremaking, he said.

For his part, the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Danbazau said the delegation embarked onthe trip in order to get the facts right so that the approach to thesolution can be correct.

We must get back the girls and also ensure that this does not happenagain, he said.

The Federal Government delegation, which comprised the Ministers ofInformation and Culture as well as that of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retired), held an enlarged meeting that was attended by Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State; members of the state cabinet, the Principal and Vice Principal of the school, representatives of the parents of the missing girls and security agencies, among others.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Army has postponed its 77 Regular Recruitment exercise earlier scheduled to hold from Feb. 26 to March 9 till further notice.

A statement issued by Col. Aliyu Yusuf on behalf of the Director of Army Public Relations on Sunday, said that a new date for the exercise would be communicated in due course through the media and Nigerian Army Recruitment Portal (recruitment.army.mil.ng).

Yusuf said the authority highly regretted inconveniences caused by the postponement.

Source: NAN

Manchester City won the Carabao Cup on Sunday, the first trophy of the Pep Guardiola, brushing Arsenal aside 3-0.

It was an impressive statement of intent from Guardiolas team at Wembley after a shock FA Cup defeat to lowly Wigan last week ended their bid for an unprecedented quadruple.

City opened the scoring in the 18th minute when a long punt upfield from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was controlled by Aguero, who coolly lifted the ball over a helpless David Ospina in the Arsenal goal.

Captain Vincent Kompany doubled the lead in the second half with just over half an hour to go and David Silva put the game out of the reach of Arsene Wengers team.

The runaway Premier League leaders will be hoping to use the victory as a springboard to greater glory as the season approaches its final stretch but defeat for Wenger means he has never lifted the League Cup.

On a bitterly cold, clear day in London, City, in their light blue kit, took control early, playing measured football and enjoying the lions share of possession against a side who have made Wembley a second home in recent years.

But Arsenal went closest to taking the lead within the first 10 minutes, with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seeing his scuffed shot saved by a sprawling Bravo.

Seconds later Aguero found the side netting after an incisive break from City, who looked short of their fluent best.

But it was Aguero who broke the deadlock, controlling the ball as Arsenals defence failed to deal with the danger, silencing the boisterous Arsenal fans.

The Argentine striker has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and this was his 199th goal in City colours.

It was an unusual goal for Guardiolas team, who have been lauded for their silky passing game this season, which has already seen them hailed as one of the finest sides in Premier League history.

City made a bright start to the second half and captain Kompany was in the right place to steer home Ilkay Gundogans shot from the edge of the box after a Kevin De Bruyne corner in the 58th minute.

It was no more than City deserved against a lacklustre Arsenal and the Belgian celebrated wildly in front of his own fans.

Just seven minutes later Arsenal were left with a mountain to climb when Silva smashed the ball past Ospina into the far corner of the net to make it 3-0.

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola kept faith with reserve goalkeeper Bravo for the Wembley showpiece ahead of first-choice Ederson. Bravo has played in every round of the competition so far.

Wenger also played his number two between the sticks, fielding Ospina ahead of Petr Cech.

City look nailed on to win the Premier League and have virtually guaranteed a place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 4-0 first win in the first leg of their last-16 tie against Basel.

Source: NAN

The Police have confirmed that a man, Stephen Nnadiogo, committed suicide by drinking poison after stabbing his four children and sister-in-law to death at Awada area of Onitsha in Anambra.

The kids were aged two, six, eight and 10 years, neighbours said.

Confirming the incident on Sunday, the Divisional Police Officer of Awada, Mr Martin Chijioke, said the police command had begun investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the multiple murder by the 48 year-old man.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect, after committing the murder, took poison and died, Chijioke said.

Neighbours of the suspected killer said the incident occurred at about 8.00 p.m. on Saturday at the mans residence at 21B Ntueke street, Awada Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area.

The source said the suspects wife was not at home when the killings occurred while the house maid reportedly ran away. Another report said the man sent the housemaid on an errand before he killed his victims.

It was the cry of the housemaid that alerted residents of the area. We have never seen this type of incident before, one neighbour said.

Another neighbour said the suspect had been taken to psychiatric hospital several times and had shown signs of recovery before the murder.

The police later took the bodies of the victims and the suspected murderer to a mortuary.

Source: NAN