Comrade Chinonso Obasi, the immediate past President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has been appointed the Executive Director of African Students Education Support Initiative (ASESI).

Obasis Media Aide, Comrade Samson Ggbemiga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

ASESI is a Non-governmental and Non-profit organisation which mandate revolves on education, good governance, anticorruption, accountability and rule of law.

Its operational jurisdiction is within the 54 Countries of Africa.

According to Ggbemiga, ASESI is a child of necessity as issues and projects that will uplift Africa shall be addressed judiciously as Obasi resumes officially on Sept. 24 at the ASESI head office, Gudu Abuja.

Obasi was the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) 2017/2018.

His administration as the then leader of the Nigerian Students body was one that regained the lost voice of Nigerian students.

He carried out interventions for the betterment of Nigerian students and Nigerian students leaders, supported masses oriented demands-call for local Government Autonomy by NULGE.

Obasi had represented Nigerian students in the 2014 Nigerian national Conference where he fought patriotically for the removal of the BSC and HND dichotomy in tertiary institutions.

He had also represented Nigerian students in the first Nigerian Petroleum Summit in 2018 where he also made case for the students of Petroleum Training Institute(PTI) Effurun Delta State, Ggbemiga said.

Obasi was the 2009/2010 Student Union Government (SUG) President of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana Ebonyi State and was later the zonal coordinator of NANS zone B (South-South/South-East).

Heis a graduate of Mechanical Engineering (Production option) and also a graduate of Welding Engineering and offshore Technology of the prestigious Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun, Delta State.

Obasi, who hails from Ebonyi State, was born on April 27, 1987. He is married and has two children.

Source: NAN

At least 44 people died and scores were missing after a Tanzanian ferry, MV Nyerere, capsized in Victoria, Africas largest lake, with a desperate search for survivors set to resume in Tanzania on Friday.

There were more than a hundred passengers on board the vessel when it sank Thursday afternoon near Ukara Island in the southeast of the vast lake, which also extends into Uganda and Kenya, a local official said.

It is feared that a significant number have lost their lives, said George Nyamaha, the head of Ukerewe district council of which the island is a part.

Regional governor John Mongella said late Thursday the toll had reached 44 while 37 others had been rescued, though some of the survivors were in a very bad condition.

He added that rescue operations had been suspended and would continue on Friday morning.

A statement from Tanzanias Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere.

The ferry was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize and cement, when it overturned close to the dock.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but overloading is frequently to blame for such incidents.

President John Magufulis spokesman Gerson Msigwa also said on state television TBC 1 that the death toll stood at more than 40.

With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland.

Capsizes are not uncommon in the massive lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many people in the region cannot swim.

Source: NAN

Vietnamese ceremonial President Tran Dai Quang has died in a military hospital at the age of 61, Vietnamnews.vn reported.

The newspaper quoting the National Commission of Health Services for Officials said Quang died at 10.05am at the 108 Military Hospital on Friday despite the efforts of both Vietnamese and foreign doctors.

Quang was born on October 12, 1956 in the northern rural province of Ninh Bnh.

A career policeman, he enrolled in the Peoples Police Academy at the age of 16 and served in the police force throughout his life. He became the Minister of Public Security in 2011 and was elected President of Vit Nam in 2016.

His official term was due to end in 2021.

Quang was also a professor in security science

Source: NAN

Presidency has said the political career of Sen. Bukola Saraki, has shown that he is a very dangerous person who can go any length to promote his personal interests.

The language of the campaign of the PDPs presidential aspirant is such that could not be used against a domestic help.

Is he just knowing that the President lacked vision?

Presidency said that Buhari was someone that the Saraki had worked with very closely for more than three years. Amazingly, he never said all that he is now saying against him.

Rather, his word for and on the President were always respectful and reassuring. Thats the man he called My Father, about him there is no cause for alarma President who is healthy, witty and himself. What then changed, all of a sudden?

Is he saying these blatantly false and crude things against the President because he is gunning for the same office?

Could it be that he is targeting President Buhari because the party he has just joined does not have any real issues to highlight?

Be that as it may, our appeal to our supporters is to ignore Saraki and any such politicians bent on lowering the quality of political discourse. Let them drown in their own waters.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, condemned Sarakis remarks in Abuja and enjoined all groups and supporters of President Buharis candidature in 2019 presidential election to always ignore the offensive speeches by the PDP aspirant.

He advised support groups to ignore the crude and extremely derogatory speeches by Saraki and other PDP presidential aspirants against President Buhari.

It urged supporters to always put their points in more decent language and display maturity instead of joining issue with Saraki and other PDPs aspirants.

Saraki, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is one of the PDP presidential aspirants.

The Presidency wishes to react to the crude speeches hitting the news from Senator Bukola Saraki who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party with the sole ambition of running as the president of Nigeria.

In response to the condemnable and extremely derogatory speeches by the PDP aspirant, we urge all Buhari supporters to display restraint in language and conduct and to always put across their points of view in a decent language.

Source: NAN

The Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu says he will not succumb to blackmail and intimidation byGov. Umaru Al-makura of Nasarawa state.

Adamu in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by his Legislative Aide, Alhaji Jibrin Abdulahi, was reacting to the constitution of a nine-man probe committee by his state governor.

Al-makura had on Thursday set up the committeeto investigate the circumstances that led to the abandonment of the N5.4 billion Farin-Ruwa Independent Power Plant project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Farin-Ruwa hydro-electricity power project was awarded in May 2004, by Abdullahi Adamu who at that time was governor of the state.

The lawmaker said that he welcomes the setting up of the committee by the governor to investigate certain activities carried out during his stewardship as Chief Executive of Nasarawa State.

He however stressed that if the probe were an avenue to blackmail or intimidate him into succumbing to the whims of the governor then it would not work.

I will not succumb to blackmail andintimidation over my political differences with that of the governor.

Everything we did while I was governor of Nasarawa State were done openly and transparently, and the records are there for public scrutiny.

The Farin Ruwa Projectwas never abandoned as insinuated but that since government is a continuum, I expected my successors to complete the project after his two terms in office, he said.

The statement further explained that it was in view of the viabilityof that project that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources had now taken over the completion of the project.

This isnot only withthe intention of completing the proposed 20MW power component, but is also considering thepossibility of incorporating other components like irrigation and water supply, he said.

He noted that the Farin Ruwa dam project had reached over 60 percent completion stage by 2007 when he left Office as chief executive of the state.

This was duly acknowledged by Governor Al-Makura when the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources visited him in Lafia barely two months ago to announce the FederalGovernments decision to take over the project.

It is therefore pure mischief and an attempted blackmail for him (Governor Al-Makura) to turn round and say he is investigating the handling of that project under my watch, Adamu said.

On the lease agreement for management of Keffi Hotels, Adamu said a privatecompany with which he was associated with, Pan-Afric Resources Limited, entered into a lease agreement with the then Plateau State Military Administration of Col. Joshua Madaki (now late)in 1990-91, which was about five years before Nasarawa State was created.

I believe the great value addition that we have done to the hotel made successive governments in our state, including Umarus which is due to leave Office in a few months, to allow us tocontinue as concessionaires in the hotel.

I think the fact that Pan-Afric Resources has complied with the terms of the lease agreement and has turned the abandoned property to what it it is and it have now become a source of jealousy for Governor Al-Makura, who has now turned into a hotelier since becoming governor, Adamu said.

The senator described the setting up of the probe panel as a political misadventure and an exercise in futility that was clearly misguided.

It was hastily done to see if I would be forced into accepting the abuse of the democratic process enshrined in the Constitution of our party, the rulingAll Progressives Congress (APC), in the process of selecting a governorship aspirant of the partyfor the 2019 election.

That, I believe, shouldnt come from a person who is politically matureand wants to be reckoned with even after he leaves office, Adamu said.

The former governor said that as a law abiding citizen, he would continue to accord Al-Makura due respect as governor of his home state.

Adamu therefore urged Al-makura to ensure that the 2019 elections goes through the democratic tenets in line with thepartysConstitution.

Source: NAN

By Joshua Olomu

The film adaptation of Wole Soyinkas classic autobiographical novel, Ake: The Years of Childhood, is now available to viewers on Amazon.com.

Amazon is the worlds acclaimed largestinternet retailer of video and MP3downloads and streaming.

Mr Dapo Adeniyi, Executive Producer and Director of the film, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

According to Adeniyi, efforts to put the film, which has been screened in Lagos and some international film festivals, on Amazon is to make it accessible around the world because ofits international appeal.

Ake, as a novel, is read in secondary schools in California and manyother parts of the world, and that kind of material with stronginternational appeal and acceptance must be made accessible to everyone.

A distributor may not have the resources to market it to wherever it is needed in all parts of the world.

People have been calling from all over the place to ask how they can get Ake film, and now under this arrangement someone can buy it online or rent it, he explained.

Adeniyi described the Ake story as an epic that was very significant in Nigerias history and must be immortalised for reminiscence, especially for the younger generation.

He added that film adaptation would send the readers ofAke back to the book and we hope we will really succeed in doing that.

Shot at various locations in Abeokuta, Ibadan, Lagos and East Grinstead, UK, Ake is a scintillating film adaptation of one of the most captivating childhood reminiscences of all time.

It combines a beautiful child-view narrative technique with direct echoes from the war as heard or imagined down in Ake, Abeokuta.

NAN reports that Ake: The Years of Childhood, set in the years just before World War II, is a memoir by Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, that was first published in 1981.

It tells the story of Soyinkas boyhood before and during World War II in a Yoruba village in western Nigeria called Ak, where the author spent the first 12 years of his life.

The story ends with Egba womens riot of 1945, a major historic event in Nigeria.

The film adaptation, produced by Back Page Productions, has a cast of about 1,000 persons, which includes some veteran Nigerian artistes.

Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, featured as one of the outspoken Egba women in the famous Egba women riots of 1945.

Others are Yinka Davies, the musical icon, featured as Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, and Lanike Onimisi and Gbenga Ajiboye are Mr and Mrs Soyinka (Woles parents) respectively.

Source: NAN

Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit plans were declared dead by the British media on Friday after what they cast as a humiliation at the hands of European Union leaders at an informal summit in Salzburg.

After a dinner of Wiener schnitzel in Salzburg, EU leaders said they will push for a Brexit deal next month but warned May that if she will not give ground on trade and the Irish border by November they are ready to cope with Britain crashing out.

For the British media, the message was clear.

Your Brexits broken, the Daily Mirror newspaper said on its front page.

British newspapers led their front pages with a Reuters picture showing May, attired in a red jacket, standing apparently aloof and alone from a mass of suited male EU leaders.

May humiliated, The Guardian newspaper said.

Humiliation for May, said The Times on its front page.

Mays Salzburg hopes dashed as EU leaders reject Chequers deal, said the Financial Times. The BBC said: Embarrassing rebuff for PM in Salzburg.

The Sun went much further: EU Dirty Rats Euro mobsters ambush May, it said alongside a mocked up picture of French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Donald Tusk cast as American gangsters with guns.

Macron bluntly said Mays Brexit proposals, known as Chequers after the country house where they were agreed by the British cabinet in July, were unacceptable.

Tusk was criticised for posting a picture of him offering May a choice of delicate cakes beside a message: Sorry, no cherries. That is a reference to what EU leaders cast as British attempts to cherry pick elements of EU membership.

Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, yet little is clear: there is, so far, no divorce deal, rivals to May are circling and some rebels have vowed to vote against a possible Brexit deal.

Both London and Brussels say they want a divorce deal, though there is limited time if the British and EU parliaments are to ratify a deal by March 29. Any deal must be approved by British lawmakers.

The Spectator used the headline: Chequers goes pop: Theresa Mays Salzburg catastrophe.

May will emerge as unique in the annals of history if she survives as PM much longer in the face of setbacks on this scale, British journalist Robert Peston wrote.

Mays former Brexit minister David Davis has said up to 40 lawmakers from the Conservative Party will vote against her Brexit plans.

Davis told Huffington Post there was a rock-solid core of party lawmakers who belonged to the European Research Group (ERG), a grouping which wants a sharper break with the EU and were willing to vote down her plans.

If a possible deal were rejected by the British parliament, Britain would face leaving the EU without an agreement, delaying Brexit or calling another referendum.

If all conventional roads lead to a hard no-deal Brexit, the notion of Parliament exerting control and forcing another referendum on us would begin to look not wholly fanciful, Peston wrote in the Spectator.

If it left without a deal, the country would move from seamless trade with the EU to customs arrangements set by the World Trade Organization for external states.

Many business chiefs and investors say a so called no-deal Brexit would weaken the West, panic financial markets and block the arteries of trade. Brexit supporters say such fears are exaggerated and Britain would thrive in the long term.

Source: NAN

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on the Chinese military for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

Chinas Foreign Ministry has strongly urged the United States to withdraw the sanctions, according to spokesman Geng Shuang at a daily news briefing in Beijing.

The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on Chinas Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in significant transactions with Rosoboronexport, Russias main arms exporter.

The sanctions are related to Chinas purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.

They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating in the U.S. financial system.

It also adds them to the Treasury Departments list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.

The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.

CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syrias civil war.

Doing significant business with anyone on that list can trigger sanctions like those imposed on China.

Some of those added to the list, which now contains 72 names, were indicted in connection with Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, the official said.

Earlier on Thursday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order intended to facilitate implementation of the sanctions.

A federal special counsel is leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election, and any possible cooperation with Trumps presidential campaign.

Trump has insisted there was no collusion with Russia. Moscow denies any effort to meddle in U.S. politics.

One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.

The ultimate target of these sanctions is Russia. CAATSA sanctions in this context are not intended to undermine the defense capabilities of any particular country, the official told reporters on a conference call.

They are instead aimed at imposing costs upon Russia in response to its malign activities, the official said.

In Moscow, Russian member of parliament Franz Klintsevich said the sanctions would not affect the S-400 and SU-35 contracts.

I am sure that these contracts will be executed in line with the schedule, Klintsevich was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency. The possession of this military equipment is very important for China.

Security analysts in Asia said the move appeared to be largely symbolic and would serve only to push Moscow and Beijing closer together.

The imposition of U.S. sanctions will have zero impact on Russian arms sales to China, said Ian Storey, of Singapores ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

Both countries are opposed to what they see as U.S. bullying and this kind of actions will just push Beijing and Moscow even closer together, he said, adding that Moscow needed Chinese money and Beijing wanted advanced military technology.

Collin Koh, a security analyst at Singapores S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the sanctions would do little to counter the evolving research and development relationship between China and Russia.

Source: NAN

However, his consolation will be that Juventus was cruising to a crushing victory against the Spanish team, despite being reduced to 10 men. Score was 2-0 in 60th minute.

Ronaldo was shown a red card by German referee Felix Brych in the 29th minute at Estadio Mestalla after an altercation with Valencia defender Jeison Murillo.

The decision seemed harsh. Ronaldo was being tracked by Murillo in the penalty box and aimed a small kick at his opponent as they tussled.

Murillo instantly fell to the ground and, after consulting his assistant on the goalline, Brych sent Ronaldo off.

The striker dropped to the floor in disbelief and had tears in his eyes when he finally walked down the tunnel.

Ronaldo will now miss Juventus next game in Group H, which is at home to Young Boys on October 2.

The red card received by Ronaldo today was his 11th in his stellar career.

1. Saturday, May 15, 2004, Aston Villa 0 Manchester United 2

Ronaldo scored in Uniteds 2-0 win away to Aston Villa on the final day of the season, but was booked twice for diving and time wasting late on.

His first booking was eventually rescinded meaning he didnt have to serve a suspension.

2. Saturday, January 14, 2006, Manchester City 3 Manchester United 1

The Portuguese was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on former United favourite Andy Cole as the Red Devils went on to lose the Manchester derby 3-1.

3. Wednesday, August 15, 2007, Portsmouth 1 Manchester United 1

A straight red card and three-match ban was again dished out to Ronaldo for an apparent headbutt on Portsmouth midfielder Richard Hughes in a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park.

4. Sunday, November 30, 2008, Manchester City 0 Manchester United 1

Ronaldo saw red in a Manchester derby once more, this time for two bookable offences after a trip on Shaun Wright-Phillips and then an inexplicable handball.

5. December 5, 2009, Real Madrid 4 Almeria 2

A first red card in La Liga came in Ronaldos debut season for two petulant late bookings coming after he had missed a penalty and also scored Los Blancos fourth goal in a 4-2 win.

6. January 24, 2010, Real Madrid 2 Malaga 0

Just a month later Ronaldo doubled his count of red cards at the Bernabeu when he elbowed Malaga midfielder Patrick Mtiliga in the face as he tried to escape the Danes clutches. Earlier, the Portuguese had scored both Madrids goals in a 2-0 win.

7. May 17, 2013, Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 2

On a disastrous night for Real as they lost a Madrid derby for the first time in 14 years, Ronaldo kicked out at Atletico captain Gabi in the final few minutes and was shown a straight red.

8. February 2, 2014, Athletic Bilbao 1 Real Madrid 1

Ronaldo was given a three-game ban after clashing with Athletic defender Carlos Gurpegi and then showing his disagreement with the referee when he was shown a straight red card as he left the field.

9. January 24, 2015, Cordoba 1 Real Madrid 2

Arguably his most violent discretion as he kicked out at Cordoba defender Edimar.

10. August 13, 2017, Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 3

Ronaldo packed plenty of action in a 24-minute appearance as a second-half substitute as he smashed into the top corner to give Madrid a 2-1 lead.

However, his decision to celebrate by removing his shirt to flex his muscles proved costly as he was booked and just two minutes later saw a second yellow card for diving in the referees eyes in an attempt to win a penalty.

Source: NAN

England champions Manchester City were beaten by Ligue 1 club Lyon 2-1, with goals recorded in the first half byMaxwell Cornet andNabilFekir.

With coach Pep Guardiola banished to the touchline, his assistant manager Mikel Arteta admitted the English champions were handed a wake-up call in the shock home defeat to start their Champions League campaign on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola was serving a touchline ban for being sent-off in last seasons quarter-final exit to Liverpool.

And Guardiola could only watch on in horror as Lyon punished a sloppy first 45 minutes from the pre-tournament favourites through Maxwel Cornet and Nabil Fekir.

Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back in an improved second-half performance, but couldnt prevent City slumping to their first defeat of the season.

When you are not at the races at the start of a game in the Champions League after, it doesnt matter how good you are, it is too late, said Arteta.

In contrast to their stunning domestic form, City have now lost their last four Champions League games.

And this was even more humiliating. Lyon are seventh on their domestic league.

Shakhtar Donetsk hosting Hoffenheim in the second match of the Group F, played 2-2 draw.

In Bern, Switzerland, Paul Pogba was the driving force with a brace as Manchester United recovered from a shaky start to record an ultimately convincing 3-0 win away to Young Boys in their opening Champions League game in Group H.

Skipper Pogbas superb opening goal cut down the Swiss champions in their prime, and he then doubled the English sides lead from a penalty just before the break.

The France star also set up the third goal for compatriot Anthony Martial in the second half, as Jose Mourinhos side safely negotiated this fixture on the synthetic surface at the Stade de Suisse.

Seemingly a club in crisis at the end of August following their 3-0 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, this was Uniteds third straight win since then, all away from home.

In Valencia, Juventus, despite losing striker Cristiano Ronaldo to a red card, prevailed 2-0, with the goals by Miralem Pjanic, coming off penalties awarded either side of the two halves.

In Group G, Real Madrid triumphed over Roma at the Santiago Bernabeu, with goals by Isco, Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz, giving them emphatic victory.

In the other match of the group, Viktoria Plzen were held 2-2 at home by visiting CSKA Moscow.

Source: NAN