Author: straightnewsng.com

Defending champion Rafael Nadal powered past Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals on Friday, to move within one victory of a record-extending 12th Roland Garros title after handing his oldest rival his worst Grand Slam defeat in 11 years. The 33-year-old produced a masterful performance to get past Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the last four on Court Philippe Chatrier and set up a final clash with either world number one Novak Djokovic or Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem on Sunday. It will be Nadal’s 12th appearance in the championship match, which he has never lost before. “It’s incredible…

By Akanimo Sampson The massive violence going on all over Northern Nigeria and currently spreading southwards is an alleged attempt by the Global Islamic Caliphate led by ISIS, to capture Nigeria, Lower Niger Congress (LNC) raised the alarm. The group, a pro-restructuring group, galvanised by Tony Nnadi, a lawyer said the entire plan is aimed at seizing and confiscating the West African Sub-Region with the Nigerian State that is being tormented by Boko Haram as its Strategic Operational Base, a mission ISIS could not accomplish in Iraq and Syria. LNC is arguing that if the global community, particularly the United…

A Federal High Court in Abuja, Friday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to the immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha. Justice Okon Abang on Friday ruled that the having been declared by the Returning Officer as the winner of the February 23 senatorial election for Imo West Senatorial District (Orlu Zone), INEC has no reason not to issue him certificate of return. Justice Abang overruled the submission by candidates of the PDP, Jones Onyeriri and APGA, Osita Izunaso that the matter ought to be taken to the election petitions tribunal…

By Akanimo Sampson The Gambia, a tiny West African nation, is working hard to attract more tourists from the African continent to boost her economy. To this end, she has enlisted the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa in the endeavour. Blessed with sweeping stretches of sand and an enchanting river ecosystem that some 560 bird species call home, The Gambia is a bourgeoning tourist destination on Africa’s west coast. Tourism accounts for more than 20 per cent of GDP and is a growing source of employment for a nation with…

By Akanimo Sampson The use of social media by repressive states and extremist groups is adding directly to the threats faced by some of the world’s most vulnerable populations and can exacerbate violence where atrocities have occurred or risk transpiring, new data analysis by Minority Rights Group International (MRG) and the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights (CCCR) shows. While MRG is a leading international human rights organisation working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples, with more than 150 partners in over 50 countries, CCCR is an international initiative to develop civilian-led monitoring of…

The Ibom Air maiden commercial flight has departed Uyo for Abuja on Friday, June 7, Straightnews has gathered. The Ibom Air launched on February 20, 2019 with three aircraft by the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Sarak is the first commercial airline owned and operated by Akwa Ibom state government in Nigeria and Africa. The aircraft which started boarding of passengers at about 11 a.m. left Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 11.55 a.m. The aircraft conveying top government functionaries and passengers may land Abuja in more than one hour. Flagging off the maiden…

Hope is dimming that the armed security operatives deployed to The Wings Office Complex, situated at 17a Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue Victoria Island, Lagos, housing the corporate head office of Oando Plc, on the order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, are yet to vacate the premises. As at 3 p.m. Thursday, reports reaching the media have it that that the armed security personnel were still present in Oando’s head office building and are supposedly situated in the ground floor reception, on all the Oando office floors as well as the stairways. An employee of one of the corporate tenants…

Bukola Saraki, the outgone Senate President, was cautious in predicting that with the unfolding scenario the position of Senate President in the 9th Senate would be occupied by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, All Progressives Congress, APC, Yobe North or former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South. Speaking in Abuja during his valedictory speech to the Senators to end the 8th Senate which started on June 9, 2015, Saraki stressed the need for a better working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature in the 9th Senate. Saraki told the Executive to be aware that the legislature…

The 8th House of Representatives passed 1,643 bills, adopted 1,588 motions, and attended to 1,192 petitions, among others. The Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Edwards Pwajok informed members that the House, said, “In the first session, 685 bills were introduced and 68 were passed. In the second session, 379 bills were introduced and 41 were passed. In the third session, 446 bills were introduced and 94 were passed. In the fourth session, 143 bills were introduced and 63 were passed. Of the 1,643 bills that were presented, 352 were passed. “For motions, 1,413 were resolved, 1,137 were…

The Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, has alerted the public of a plot by unscrupulous individuals to defraud ex-PHCN staff through a phantom verification exercise. The Bureau in a statement issued by Amina Othman, the Head, Public Communications, in Abuja, Thursday, said those behind the plot have invited the ex-staff for the purported verification at various centres across the country. PHCN ex-staff, according to the BPE, have been asked to pay a verification fee of N1, 000 each, with a claim that the bureau had issued 10,000 forms for the exercise. The agency said it was not involved in the…