April 1, 2019

Why we didn’t confirm Magu, by Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday explained the controversial refusal of the Senate to confirm Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Saraki said that Magu’s appointment may have been confirmed but for the failure of the Presidency to explore the established channel of lobby.

Besides, he said that “political solution” should have been applied after the Senate rejected nomination  twice.

The Senate President spoke at the orientation programme organised for Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect ahead of the inauguration of Ninth National Assembly in Abuja.

Saraki attempted to parry questions on

Obasanjo to PDP: purge yourselves of bad eggs ahead of 2023

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to purge itself of “bad eggs and hypocrites” who “lack the commitment” to return the opposition party to its lost glory.

Obasanjo rued that many of the PDP leaders still preoccupy themselves with what ministers to “their pockets and stomach”.

He wondered why some of them left the party and others lost hope as soon as the results of the 2019 presidential election were announced.

The former president spoke on Sunday evening when Southwest PDP leaders, led by the party’s National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Dr. Eddy Olafeso, visited him …

Five dead from suspected food poisoning in southern France

Five residents at a retirement home in southern France have died and more than a dozen others are in a serious condition after a suspected case of mass food poisoning, officials said Monday.

Twenty-two people at the privately operated Cheneraie residence in Lherm, a town south of Toulouse, began showing symptoms including vomiting after dinner on Sunday, police said.

Four deaths were initially announced by officials, and a source close to the investigation later told AFP that a fifth person had died.

The victims — four women and a man — were aged between 72 and 95.

Toulouse prosecutor Dominique …

Oil rises on Iran sanctions threat, Venezuela shutdown

Price were also underpinned by a Reuters survey showing OPEC oil supply sank to a four-year low in March, and positive data from the world’s biggest economies, the United States and China.

Brent crude rose 26 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $69.27 a barrel by 0025 GMT, having earlier touched $69.29, a new high for 2019.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures rose 28 cents, or 0.5 percent to $61.87 a barrel, earlier reaching $61.89, also a new high for 2019. WTI closed up 2.4 percent on Monday.

The U.S. government is considering additional sanctions against Iran that would target

Boeing to submit 737 MAX software upgrade soon

Boeing Co said on Monday it planned to submit a proposed software enhancement package for the grounded 737 MAX in “the coming weeks” after the company had previously said it planned to deliver the fix for government approval by last week.

The company on Monday confirmed a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration that it would submit the upgrade later than previously announced.

“We are working to demonstrate that we have identified and appropriately addressed all certification requirements and will be submitting for FAA review once completed in the coming weeks,” Boeing said. “We will take a thorough and methodical …

Senate rejects ₦15bn budget of Trade & Investment Ministry

The Senate Committee on Trade and Investment has rejected the ministry’s 2019 Budget of N15.63 billion.

The rejection followed alleged discovery of an illegal Special Economic Zone Company, listed for appropriation when the Minister of Trade and Investment Dr Okechukwu Enelamah appeared for budget defence on Monday.

The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Sabo Mohammed while referring to item two on page seven of the budget booklet presented by the ministry, said the company was not known to be one of the 17 agencies under the ministry.

The ministry had in the course of the defence, presented the booklet containing …

Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s death: Rihanna, Snoop Dogg react

Nipsey Hussle, Grammy-nominated rapper was shot dead in the US city of Los Angeles Sunday, sparking an outpouring of grief from fellow celebrities, such as Rihanna, Drake and Snoop Dogg.

The city’s mayor blamed “senseless gun violence.”

According to local media reports, Hussle was shot in front of his clothing store Sunday afternoon at close range, by a man who fled in a getaway car.

“Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy,” LA Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted.

A police spokesman said the suspected shooter remained at large.

“L.A. is hurt …

Driver testifies for Justice Onnoghen(Full Report)

The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has opened his defence in the ongoing trial for alleged questionable assets declaration.

The suit was filed against Onnoghen by the Federal Government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

At the resumed sitting of the case in Abuja on Monday, a witness, Lawal Olarewaju-Busari, told the tribunal that he was Onnoghen’s driver from 1999 till date.

”On Nov. 3, 2010, His Lordship gave me N200 to get the assets declaration form. When I got back, I gave him the original receipt after the payment.

”On Nov. 4, 2010, I …

At least 10 dead as boat full of Haiti migrants sinks

At least 10 Haitian migrants died when their boat sank off the coast of the Turks and Caicos Islands, officials said Monday.

Rescue services managed to save 14 people when the boat went down Sunday in shark-infested waters off the archipelago, which is just southeast of the Bahamas and some 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Haiti.

Police said there was little hope of finding any more survivors.

The authorities “are not yet in a position to say exactly how many people were on the boat. However, 10 lifeless bodies were found,” rescue officials said in a statement.

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Trial begins for ex-US cop who fatally shot Australian lady

Jury selection began Monday in the murder trial of a former Minnesota police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman in 2017, provoking outrage in the United States and in the victim’s home country.

Police say Mohamed Noor shot Justine Damond in Minneapolis in July 2017 while in the passenger seat of his police car.

She had approached the cruiser after calling police to report a possible rape in the dark alley behind her home.

Damond was shot once in the abdomen and died at the scene.

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