Author: straightnewsng.com

Naomi Osaka has again beaten Serena Williams to deny her a shot at record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title at the 2021 Australian Open. The Japanese tennis star, 23, defeated her American opponent, 39, 6-3, 6-4 in the Australian Open semifinals at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday morning, February 18. Osaka, who also beat Williams in the 2018 US Open final, has now reached her fourth major title match and stretched her winning streak to 20 matches by claiming the last eight points. “I don’t know if there’s any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid…

By: Israel Umoh Created 45 years ago, Ukanafun Local Government Area in Nigeria’s 21st state, Akwa Ibom is not lucky in having a secondary health-care facility. Unlike her counterparts created same day- Ikono in Akwa Ibom and Odukpani in Cross River State, Ukanafun is the only oldest but odd local government area and appears to be itinerantly consigned to perish the thought of Health is wealth fad. Hence, the inhabitants are daily living in the shadows of death and death is the only visitor that strikes them without any stud. In March 2015, Okon Uwah, the one-time executive Chairman of Ukanafun…

Pope Francis led the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics into Lent on Ash Wednesday, as they scaled back a centuries-old ritual to help stem the spread of the Coronavirus. Francis, who normally marks the start of the penitential season with an outdoor procession between two ancient churches in Rome, instead said a Mass for about 120 people in St. Peter’s Basilica. During Lent, which ends with Easter, Christians are called on to fast, practise more good deeds, give alms, be close to the needy and suffering, and give up something, such as sweets. Last month the Vatican issued guidelines for…

Some All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators have vented anger against the Nigerian Government over the kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara in Niger State. Senators Mohammed Enagi (APC-Niger South), Sani Musa (APC-Niger East), and Aliu Sabi Aliu (APC-Niger North) described as unacceptable, the worsening state of insecurity in Niger State and Nigeria in general. Arguing on a motion sponsored by Senator Musa, the lawmakers expressed worries that the state had become unsafe for education, agriculture, and other socio-economic engagements. Musa in defending his motion informed his colleagues that the number of students in that school was more than…

A 33-year-old Nigerian has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an American court over a fraud of $11 million. He is Obinwanne Okeke who was engaged in a multi-year global business email and computer hacking scheme. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels. A press release on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia on Tuesday read: “A Nigerian national was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a computer-based intrusion fraud scheme that caused approximately $11 million in known losses to his victims.” The…

Bitcoin broke the dollar barrier on Monday, hitting $50,000 for the first time. The world’s largest cryptocurrency reached $50,000 earlier in the day. It’s now up almost 70 per cent so far this year. Rival cryptocurrency Ether hit a record on Saturday and is up about 150% year-to-date. Bitcoin has been buoyed in recent months by endorsements from the likes of Paul Tudor Jones and Stan Druckenmiller. Bloomberg reported on Saturday that Morgan Stanley may bet on Bitcoin in its $150 billion investment arm, following news late last week that BNY Mellon plans to service cryptocurrencies for its clients. And that’s after…

Nigeria recorded 16 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, according to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. This is as Nigeria recorded 1,368 new cases of the pandemic on Tuesday, bringing overall number to 148,296. Anambra State, for the first time, led 27 states including Federal Capital Territory with 344 confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing total number to 1,615. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control tweeted ”On the 16th of February 2021, 1368 new confirmed cases and 16 deaths were recorded in Nigeria.’’ It further wrote ‘’The 1368 new cases are reported from 28 states- Anambra (344), Oyo (172), FCT (148), Benue (107), Rivers…

A Nigerian woman in her 50s from Koluama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has given birth to sextuplets six years after delivering twins. One Mrs Doris Levi Wilson gave birth to the sextuplets, four girls and two boys on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. Mrs Wilson, a deaconess in Winners’ Chapel, Azikoro, had given delivered a set of twins- a male and a female, after 28 years of childlessness. Rhythm 94.7 FM Yenagoa presenter, Kos-Ikah Onisoma who shared the news on Facebook, thanked God for blessing the woman with twins and six more children after 28 years of…

Tennis maestro, Serena Williams has made it through to the Australian Open semi-finals clash, setting up a blockbuster clash against Naomi Osaka after beating Simona Halep.  The quarter-final clash which took place on Tuesday morning at Rod Laver Arena was a revenge match for Serena, who lost Wimbledon’s final clash to Halep at the All England Club in 2019.  The 23-time grand slam champion put in a dominant performance against the Romanian, winning 6-3, 6-3, to make it through to the Australian Open semi-finals clash. It will be the 40th grand slam semifinal of Williams’ career as the 39-year-old looks…

The Consumer Price Index measuring inflation in the country rose to 16.47 per cent in January 2021, the National Bureau of Statistics stated on Tuesday February 16. Though this is the highest point since April 2017, the new report also revealed that food inflation rose to 20.57 per cent in January while core inflation, which excludes the price of volatile agricultural produce stood at 11.85 per cent. It read, “The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending January 2021 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 13.62 percent, representing a 0.37percentage point increase…