Author: straightnewsng.com

The entire Italian football fraternity were Sunday morning, March 4 thrown into deep mourning following the untimely death of Fiorentina defender Davide Astori. Astori was said to have been found dead in his room inside the hotel where he was with Fiorentina ahead of their Sunday’s clash with Udinese. Fiorentina have also confirmed the tragic demise of their captain Davide Astori who passed away suddenly on the eve of his side’s trip to face Udinese in Serie A. The 31-year-old center-back had been capped 14 times by Italy and had enjoyed a professional career spanning 12 years. ”Fiorentina are profoundly…

Residents are reported to be fleeing the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta enclave in Syria as the situation there was described as “beyond critical”. Syria’s military appears to be increasing pressure on several fronts to try to retake the enclave just to the east of the capital, Damascus. Government forces have taken 10 per cent of the area, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitors say. A UN aid convoy planned for Sunday has not been able to enter the enclave. A UN statement said it had failed to obtain permission from Syrian officials for 40 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies for the key…

“I saw cars that park by themselves; cars that are powered by solar energy and lots of incredible machines,” Ime Bishop Umoh, popularly known as Okon Lagos, Nigerian actor, shared fond memories of his trip to Germany. Okon who shared his memories with The Punch correspondent in Lagos also said “I went for a car exhibition where I saw car technologies that will function in the future. I also saw cars that run on water. I saw an electric car for the first time in Germany. “I went to the Nigerian consulate and I did a lot of shopping in…

The 2019 general elections in the country are raising the body temperature of politicians of all hues. The craving to capture political offices tops their agenda. Scheming, spins, intrigues and subterfuge are massed by different players and gladiators for the forthcoming “war.” The usual soapbox gerrymandering is mastered by political office seekers. Parties’ manifestoes, rehearsed. Slogans recited like nursery school rhyme.Then consultations are in high gear. Old alliances that spell failure are let go and new ones forged. Political “marriages” are struck. The stage is set for the big party- victory. Of the 68 political parties registered by the Independent…

The cisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to abate as three former ministers are leading an exodus of top members of the party after efforts to heal the wounds of the last national convention of the party hit the rocks. They accused Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state of hijacking the party. The Nation reports that Jerry Gana, the ex-information minister; Tunde Adeniran, former education minister, and Godsday Orubebe, ex-Niger Delta minister are moving to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which is merging with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Peoples Salvation Party (PSP) to form a…

Total, a French transnational oil corporation that is also very active in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s gold pot, has acquired Marathon Oil Libya Limited which holds a 16,33per cent stake in the Waha Concessions in the North African country. This acquisition will give Total access to reserves and resources in excess of 500 million barrels of oil equivalent, with immediate production of around 50.000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) and a significant exploration potential across the area of 53.000 square kilometers covered by the Concessions in the prolific Sirte Basin. The consideration payment for the transaction is 450 million…

Obio ekpo (land of death) is his nickname. In official circle, he is known as Peter. But his late father’s name remains Itim. An indigene of Anua in Uyo local government area of Akwa Ibom State, he is publicity shy. He hates seeing his picture in the mass media. We assured that his picture would not be used before he granted the interview. Peter served Akwa Ibom government for 35 years and retired as a senior mortuary attendant from the civil service in 2016. He bares his mind on a dreaded job- embalment of corpses. Odyssey in Work:  I started…

Isine Ibanga Two senior staff, Nana Mustapha and Akingbade Olufemi, whose names appeared in two separate training vouchers in the sum of N35 million and N21 million respectively, said they had no idea of the vouchers being raised in their names. The head of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, who was recently reinstated by President Muhammadu Buhari after being suspended for alleged corruption, misused nearly N1billion of public funds within 90 days of taking office, and committed serial violations of federal procurement laws, NEXT EDITION can authoritatively report today. The staggering amount could have helped save sick…

The exacerbating security situations in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have led to mass exodus of some people from the areas to Abak, Ikot Ekpene, Uyo and some adjoining villages, Straightnews has discovered. Mostly affected are some civil servants, teachers and petty traders who have fled the troubled areas to safer zones for fear of being kidnapped or being killed by the blood-thirsty secret cultists-turned robbery suspects. Also, the aged, school children and subsistent farmers are not left out in the exodus, thus resulting in dwindling schools’ population and church attendance in the areas.…

A one-time Akwa Ibom governor, Victor Attah has rejected the report of the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, on restructuring that recommends the re-introduction of obnoxious onshore/offshore oil dichotomy in the country. A section of report of the APC’s Restructuring Committee headed by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai states ” if this amendment that we are proposing is passed, it means that all minerals including oil and gas that are onshore will be vested in the states of the federation. However, all offshore oil shall remain absolutely vested in the government of the federation.” Attah bared his mind…