Military police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse a crowd of more than 1,000 marching to the centre of the Ugandan capital, Kampala, in protest against steep rises in food and fuel prices, Reuters witnesses said. Opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, President Yoweri Museveni's closest rival in February elections, marched with the demonstrators, who had gathered in a Kampala suburb…
Uncomfortably high oil prices, unsustainable sovereign debt burdens, and Japan's uncertain future cloud the global economic outlook, as world finance leaders gathered yesterday. Group of Seven members, who met behind closed doors in the evening, tried to assess the economic damage from Japan's earthquake to uprisings in the Arab world. "There's very high uncertainty about Japan's outlook," said Naoyuki Shinohara,…
Royal Dutch Shell said on Thursday it had resumed production at its Nigerian Bonga offshore oil and gas facility after routine maintenance which started in February. Bonga has a nameplate oil production capacity of more than 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) -- around 10 percent of total Nigerian output -- but produces less. It also has the capacity to produce…
15 April 2011 Ghana giants Asante Kotoko have been handed a tough draw to face Heart of Lions in the quarter final of the MTN Cup. League leaders Berekum Chelsea were handed a favourable draw with a clash against third tier side Bolga All Stars. Wa All Stars will play fellow premier league campaigners Medeama in another match of the…
15 April 2011 The progress of Ghanas senior national team the Black Stars over the past five years present the perfect picture perception of the country. Quarter-finalists at the 2010 World Cup and finalists at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in the same year are the highlights with the recent away 1-1 draw with England showing progress in…
A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has disqualified the state House of Assembly candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), for Umuahia East state constituency, Chibueze Apugo from contesting the April 26 elections. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the seat, Chidiebere Nwoke, had filed a suit for the disqualification of Mr Apugo based on…
The Kebbi State Community and Social Development Agency has identified 18 communities that will benefit from the N58 million World Bank-assisted rural development projects. The General Manager of the agency disclosed that selected members from the benefitting communities had been trained on the rudiments of management. He said the 18 benefitting communities will be the fourth batch to be trained,…
A coalition of civil society organisations monitoring the 2011 general elections has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), must investigate and prosecute all those involved in various election malpractices and violence during the National Assembly election. It said that the commission must conduct a presidential poll that the credibility of the election should not be in doubt like…
The name Kayode Babatunde Peters may not mean anything but Coco, the famously intelligent layabout character in Flat Mates would definitely ring a bell. Peters started acting while he was an English undergraduate at the University of Lagos and made his postgraduate acting debut in Wale Adenuga’s Papa Ajasco television series in 1998. Later on KP, as he is also…
Jaiyeola Jeffery has a master’s degree in Applied Geophysics from the University of Lagos and currently works as a geologist in an oil firm in Lagos. His alter ego Plumbline, however, is a poet who makes rap music and expresses himself at spoken word performances. The video for his most recent single, “Dead President”, was directed by Nodash and has…
15 April 2011 The UEFA Europa League quarterfinals wrap up on Thursday evening with second leg fixtures, though only one tie is still in the balance. The Iberian trio of Porto, Benfica and Villareal all look to have one foot already in the last four after comprehensive first leg victories over Spartak Moscow (5-1), PSV Eindhoven (4-1) and FC Twente…
The Edo State government yesterday announced the sack of two serving commissioners, two transitional committee chairmen and some special advisers to the governor, Adams Oshiomhole. No reason was given why the former commissioners and aides were relieved of their appointments. Investigations by NEXT, however, revealed that the removal of the affected officers was not unconnected with their failure to deliver…
The controversy over who is liable to pay the severance packages of retired judicial officers of the Oyo State judiciary was laid to rest yesterday after a court ruled that it is the responsibility of the state government to pay the entitlements of jurists who served in the state till their retirement. The trial judge, Muktar Ladi Abimbola, made the…
The Commander of the National Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State, Sumaila Ethan has said that the agency has arrested 160 drug suspects and impounded six vehicles allegedly used in conveying hard drugs into the ancient city. Mr Ethan revealed that the feat was recorded in the past two months, saying that the seized hard drugs include: cannabis…
20th Century Fox (1990) Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard and Catherine O’Hara. Seeing this classic comedy at Christmas was as good as having your birthday right after the festivities. Although it was released around Christmas, the unavailability of cinemas in Nigeria at that period ensured that it took a while before it gets listed in the…