December 2019

Students Defiant As Uni Charter Cuts Freedom Of Thought

December 19, 2019 5:22 pm

A top Chinese university has removed references to “freedom of thought” from its charter, triggering a rare act of student defiance, while two other institutions added language stressing fealty to President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party.

A video circulating this week showed students at Shanghai’s Fudan University singing the school song — which extols “academic independence and freedom of thought” — in an apparent protest.

Fudan’s charter change was announced by the Ministry of Education on its website late Tuesday and criticism quickly trended on social media before China’s ever-vigilant online censors acted to delete posts and block …

Trump Seeks Rapid Exoneration In Senate After Impeachment

December 19, 2019 5:21 pm

US President Donald Trump pressed his Republican allies Thursday to exert rigid control of his Senate trial and ensure a swift exoneration, a day after he was impeached in a historic rebuke by the House of Representatives.

A bitter fight looms over the coming hearings, expected to begin as early as the second week of January, with Senate leaders already drawing battle lines over the evidence that will be allowed.

Trump is charged with abuse of office and obstruction of Congress but Democrats, who led the three-month House investigation, are threatening to delay sending the articles of impeachment to …

FSB Agent Killed, Attacker ‘Neutralised’ In Moscow Shootout

December 19, 2019 5:21 pm

An officer in Russia’s FSB security service was killed and five people were wounded Thursday when a gunman opened fire near its central Moscow headquarters.

The FSB, a successor to the KGB, said the lone attacker was “neutralised” after the attack outside its notorious headquarters on Lubyanka Square close to a busy shopping area in the heart of the Russian capital.

Footage shot by passers-by showed people running in panic while armed officers made their way towards the scene after the late evening incident, taking cover behind parked cars.

“An unknown individual opened fire near building… there are casualties. …

2 Dead After Police Open Fire Amid Raging India Protests

December 19, 2019 5:21 pm

At least two people are dead after police opened fire at a demonstration, an official said Thursday, as fresh protests erupted across India against a contentious citizenship law that critics say is anti-Muslim.

The men — Abdul Jalil, 49, and Samshir Kudroli, 23 — “died in police firing during the protests”, Qadir Shah, a spokesman for the deputy commissioner of the southern city of Mangalore, told AFP, adding that a curfew had been imposed in the city with schools, restaurants and bars shut.

Another man taken to the King George’s Medical University Trauma Centre in Lucknow in the northern …

Ganduje’s New Emirs Shun Emir Sanusi At State Function

December 19, 2019 1:58 pm

The lingering crisis in Kano State emirate council has deepened as four new emirs, recently appointed by governor, Abdullahi Ganduje on Thursday shunned emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll at a Passing out Parade Ceremony of Regular Course Cadets, holding now in the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil.

The governor, recently signed into law, the bill for the creation of four additional Emirates with first-class emirs in Bichi, Gaya, Karaye and Rano after a high court nullified the first law in November.

However, the four emirs, who arrived at the venue of the ceremony earlier than Mr Sanusi, did not pay …

NDDC: Revelations Emerge As Buhari Sacks Board

December 19, 2019 1:57 pm

Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC) has commended the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to dissolve the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

CHURAC president, Cleric E. Alaowei, in a statement sent to NAN on Thursday, said the sack was a victory for public interest litigators.

The statement revealed that NDCC was in a mess and alleged massive corruption in the agency.

He recalled that the body and other well-meaning Nigerians had challenged the legality of the President to appoint Chairman of the Board from Edo State without following the rotational circle as provided by the …

NLC Speaks On Effect Of Border Closure In Nigeria

December 19, 2019 1:55 pm

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Bayelsa on Thursday applauded the Federal Government for the border closure, saying the policy was yielding positive results in various local products, especially rice.

The NLC Chairman in the state, Mr. John Ndiomu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that the border closure was doing more good than harm.

According to Ndiomu, the border closure is a good thing to happen to this country.

“I thought there would be no rice, but now, look at our rice everywhere because of the border closure.

“All these rice are locally made in Nigeria. …

Power Sector: Nigerian Govt Inaugurates Task Force

December 19, 2019 1:47 pm
The Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman, on Thursday, inaugurated a Ministerial Task Force on Power which will serve as an advisory team on policies and innovative technology in the sector.

The 22 member Task Force has Prof. Abubakar Sambo as Chairman, Mr. Lateef Ogunleye as Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, while Mr. Haruna Ladan, Deputy Director, Appointment, Promotion and Discipline (APD) in the Ministry of Power will serve as its secretary, NAN reports.

Inaugurating the committee in Abuja, Mamman said that the Task Force became necessary following plans by the Federal Government to accelerate the pace of reforms

…

Buhari Tells Police Officers How To Gain Trust Of Nigerians

December 19, 2019 1:46 pm

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday urged the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, to uphold the trust reposed on them by Nigerians by maintaining professionalism in their operations.

Buhari made the appeal during the commissioning of 628 Cadets of the Regular Course Two of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil in Kano and was contained in a statement signed and sent to NAN by his Media Aide, Femi Adesina.

The President, who was the Special Guest of Honour, also charged the police to be gallant and courageous in the fight against crime in the country.

Buhari reaffirmed that his administration would continue …

Reps Query Hadiza Bala-Usman, NPA Over ₦5bn Renovation

December 19, 2019 1:46 pm

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has queried the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over a ₦5.1 billion contract.

The contract was awarded for the renovation of its corporate headquarters in Lagos.

Chairman of the committee, Rep. Woke Oke, queried the NPA management led by its Managing Director, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, at an investigative hearing on Thursday.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Auditor-General of the Federation had raised a query on the contract awarded in 2011.

The contract had a completion period of 15 months, but without a valid signed contractual agreement with …

Yuletide: Police Deploys 3, 300 Personnel In Plateau

December 19, 2019 1:44 pm

In its efforts to ensure a hitch-free Christmas and new year celebration, the Plateau State Police Command said it has put in place a robust and elaborate security arrangements by deploying 3, 300 personnel for the yuletide.

The command also said visibility policing has commenced on the highways in the state and security has been beefed up in relaxation centres; and has advised travellers to use authorised motor parks while boarding vehicles to travel.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede, while briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Jos, the state capital.

“Accordingly, conventional …

Nigerian Govs State Final Position On ₦30,000 Minimum Wage

December 19, 2019 1:42 pm

Governors of the 36 States in Nigeria have declared that decision to pay the ₦30,000 minimum monthly wage.

Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman and Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday at the forum secretariat.

“Governors have all indicated without any equivocation that we subscribe to the Act of Parliament that has been passed on the 30,000 minimum wage. There is no debate, we have accepted that”, Fayemi said.

“The negotiation team you are talking about is about the consequential impact and each state has started that process.

“If the NLC is not fully aware …

TRENDING

Breaking

𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

follow on social media

Facebook Twitter Youtube Telegram Linkedin

subscribe to newsletter

© 2018 - 2020 Africa digital news, New York
Powered by

People and Polity