Author: straightnewsng.com

Former US Vice-President Joe Biden has joined 19 other hopefuls to declare his presidential bid, putting an end to months of speculation. In a video announcement, Mr Biden argued that the “core values of the nation… our very democracy, everything that has made America America, is at stake.” The 76-year-old, who has already run twice for the presidency, enters a crowded race for the 2020 Democratic nomination. They include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders. Mr Biden, who served as President Barack Obama’s deputy for two terms, recalled President Donald Trump’s much-criticised remark that there were “very fine…

A Nigerian social media commentator and critic has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari for embarking on a private visit to London instead of paying such to any known tourist centre in the country. President Buhari, Thursday, left Nigeria for the United Kingdom on a private visit, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement. Buhari had in 2017 spent about six months in London on medical tourism, an action many Nigerians saw as depleting the country’s hard-earned external reserve. Reno Omokri, a one-time aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, tweeted “President @Mbuhari NEVER goes on…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side showed more spirit than they did at Everton at the weekend but still slumped to a 2-0 derby defeat at Old Trafford It was far better than Sunday, but it couldn’t have been any worse. This time it came down to a lack of quality rather than a lack of desire or heart. Manchester United went down to a seventh defeat in nine games with a 2-0 derby loss to Manchester City on Wednesday, as the reigning champions and favourites for this season’s crown helped to underline just what is missing from the ranks at Old…

Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, beheaded 37 Saudi citizens for terrorism-related crimes and publicly pinned two bodies to a pole for several hours as a warning to others, the Interior Ministry said. Those executed hailed from Riyadh, Mecca, Medina, Asir, and Shiite Muslim populated areas of the Eastern Province and Qassim. The mass execution which was ratified by a royal decree came a day after the Islamic State group said it was behind an attack on Sunday on a Saudi security building in the town of Zulfi in which all four gunmen were killed and three security officers were wounded. HINDU reporter…

Death toll in the Sri Lanka’s worst ever terrorist attack in a decade left 321 dead and 500 wounded after eight targeted bombings hit three churches and three five-star hotels on Easter Sunday. GULF NEWS reported that Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday said he expected to change the heads of the country’s defence forces within a day following their failure to prevent suicide bombs that killed more than 300 people, despite the fact they had prior information about the attacks. “I will completely restructure the police and security forces in the coming weeks. I expect to change the…

Members of the Muslim sect, also known as Shi’ites, however, vowed to continue in their expression of dismay over the refusal of the government to obey multiple court orders directing the release of their leader, Shiekh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, through every legitimate means at their disposal. Sheikh El-Zakzaky, who had been held since 2015 by the Department of State Services, DSS, marked his 68th birthday last weekend under ‘protective’ custody. Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, has said it was not at odds with either the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari or any other constituted authority in Nigeria, in spite of…

Impelled by a renewed war between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups, House of Representatives, Tuesday, charged the nation’s security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the killings in Taraba State. The House also sought thorough investigation to unravel the forces behind the crisis with a view to providing a lasting solution to it. The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Danjuma Shiddi (PDP, Taraba) and Emmanuel Udende (APGA, Benue) at Tuesday’s plenary on the need for intervention in the crisis in Wukari local government area of Taraba State. While further directing the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Presidential…

Nigeria lost a substantial $32 million due to its inability to export about 450,000 barrels of crude oil, bpd, for three days, owing to razing of Nembe Creek pipeline. The export disruption took place from April 21 to 23 due to destruction of the facility, culminating in the declaration of force majure. Meanwhile, Aiteo has tackled the fire incident, thus paving way for inspection and rehabilitation of the facility. This is even as Neconde Energy Limited has invented an Alternative Evacuation Technology, AET, to tackle oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria. In a statement Tuesday, Aiteo stated: “Aiteo confirms…

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP, Mohammed Adamu, Tuesday ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of persons involved in the unprovoked and gruesome attack on police officers in Cross Rivers State. Adamu said the police operatives who were attacked were on a legitimate mission to arrest some suspected armed robbers and receivers of a stolen vehicle in a community in the state. The FPRO, Frank Mba in a statement explained that the attack occurred on April 17, at Ogoja community of the state. He added, “It was masterminded and executed by one Ikenga, a notorious receiver of stolen property,…

After exchange of blames and accusations, the legal team of Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom Northwest) on Tuesday inspected election materials used on February 23, 2019 Senatorial election in the area. Akpabio’s team of lawyers led by Patrick Umoh was at the state headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state by 10 a.m. for the inspection. It was gathered that the ongoing inspection process was stopped last Tuesday because of the Easter holidays after Akpabio’s lead counsel Umoh had accused INEC of preventing them from accessing and inspecting the materials. They were led…