Author: straightnewsng.com

Julian Assange, Wikileaks founder, has been granted an Ecuadorian passport just a day after threatening to kick him out of its London embassy, it has been claimed. Assange posted a picture of himself wearing an Ecuador football shirt an hour ago, adding to the speculation he had been granted citizenship. Tuesday, all the talk was that he may be expelled from the Ecuadorian embassy where he has spent the past five years avoiding arrest. But insiders have said they believe the passport was issued to him last month and the Foreign Office turned down a request from the Ecuadorian government to…

More than 900 residents including children of Akata community, a coastal creek in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State were rendered homeless after a mysterious fire swept through the community. The incident, which occurred January 2, affected means of livelihood of the victims as the inferno razed more than 200 houses, outboard engines, fishing nets, boats as well as household properties worth millions of naira. Consequently, Ifum Henry Udoh, Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area accompanied by his Vice, Sunday Isokobo and the 10 councillors of the area during an on-the-spot assessment of the incident, was visibly heartbroken.…

At least, 13 people have died in mudslides and flooding in Southern California and rescue workers are searching for survivors. The death toll is expected to rise. More than 50 people have been rescued already, but many places are still inaccessible. Several roads are closed, including the major Highway 101. Some 163 people have been taken to hospital. Twenty had “storm-related injuries” and four were critically hurt. A group of 300 people are reportedly trapped in Romero Canyon neighbourhood east of Santa Barbara, with rescue efforts due to resume at daybreak. More than 30 miles (48km) of the main coastal…

Under Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) facility, Japanese government granted the Federal government $76 million loan for the eradication of poliomyelitis four years ago. By this arrangement, the facility was structured for repayment this year by Bill and Mellinda Gates Foundation. Fortunately, the country fought and conquered polio before the maturity of the facility. Therefore, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance has authorised Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to repay $76 million polio eradication debt to Japan. Adeosun, who made this known in Abuja on Tuesday when she received a delegation of Japanese House of Councillors Parliamentarians, said the delegates were…

To protest against the anti-workers policies of Kaduna Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has slated Thursday, January 11 for another workers mass rally/protest to compel the government to recant its stand over the sack of more than 21, 000 primary teachers by the state government. The NLC, in a notice by its General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, stated that the National Executive Council of the union was organizing the rally/protest against anti-workers policies of Governor Nasir el-Rufai. The notice sent to different labour unions under the NLC asked the unions to mobilize to Kaduna for the rally/protest. “Your…

China says it has completed the major work of the world’s longest sea bridge after its lighting system was installed and tested. It took six years and eight years to build the 55-kilometre-long bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao. The bridge consists of a 22.9-kilometre-long main bridge, a 6.7-kilometre-long tunnel and an artificial island off the bridge considered the most technically demanding part of the whole construction. In the next few weeks, engineers and constructors will test the coordination, various systems and equipment of the bridge before going for inspection and cleaning work, said Zhang Jinwen, project director with…

With 402 days to the opening of polling units for Presidential elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has issued a time table and schedule of activities for the 2019 General Elections in the country. Mahamood Yakubu, INEC National Chairman, while addressing pressmen Tuesday on new release of 2019 Election Time Table and Schedule of Activities for 2019 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections while at INEC Office Abuja, declared, “Today, it is exactly 402 days to the opening of polling units nationwide at 8 a.m. on Saturday, February 16, 2019. As political parties and candidates canvass…

As a fall-out of the ghastly accident that Yusuf, son of Nigeria’s President was involved in, the three operatives from the Department of State Service (DSS) attached to Yusuf have been given a boot for crossing the red line of duty. It is alleged that Yusuf reportedly struck a deal with the details, who allowed him to always sneak out in the night for racing at Bashir Gwandu’s residence in Gwarinpa District of Bwari Local Government Area. This compromise, according to the source, infuriated President Buhari who ordered the department to deal with the ‘recalcitrant’ details, said a source from…

Steve Bannon, former White House strategist, has fumed at Donald Trump’s administration for what he called “the lack of diversity”, saying the limited number of Black staffers was “inexcusable.” Bannon who spoke at a gathering of Black conservative leaders noted, “You can’t defend it,” Bannon said, adding later, “I hope, and I think, that there’s action … taking place to solve that.” He spoke after the exit of Omarosa Manigault Newman from White House, who was the former an apprentice contestant and ex-White House senior staffer, saying that her departure raises questions about diversity, or lack of it, within Donald Trump’s administration. In an…

Two suspects found to be in possession of a decomposing human head in Mbak Itam, Itu Local Government Area by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Akwa Ibom State are in police custody for interrogation. The suspsects are Ini Ime Effiong, the driver of the vehicle and self-confessed Prophet Israel Effiong Okon, the fleeing passenger with the decomposing head. Mr. Sunday Oghenekaro, the Sector Commander of the Corps, stated this to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday, said his corps initially apprehended a Toyota fore-runner jeep (black) with Registration number DX 147 LSD for  the driver’s failure to use seat…