Miyetti Allah debunks rumoured attack on South East (Punch)
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has said it has a cordial relationship with the governments and people of the South East Zone of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. AIh. Gidado Sidikki, Chairman of the Cattle Breeders in the zone, made the disclosure in Awka on Tuesday while reacting to a publication on a social media platform entitled, ‘South East Will Boil any Moment from now Because of their Stubbornness.’ Sidikki, in a statement, condemned the publication alleging looming crisis between his Miyetti Allah members and the people of the South East geopolitical zone. Read more
Speak against corruption in Nigeria, Akeredolu tells bishops (Punch)
The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday called on the Christian clerics in the country to always speak against corruption in its entirety. The governor said there was a need for clerics to always live above board so as to earn the respect of the people, noting that the clergy stood in the place of nobility and truth for the people. Akeredolu stated this at the official opening ceremony of the Methodist Church of Nigeria’s 37th Council of Bishops and the Wesley University, Ondo 10th Founder’s Day Celebration, held on the main campus of the university in Ondo town. Read more
Supreme court ruling: APC still strongest party in Zamfara —Yari (Punch)
The immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari, said his party, the All Progressives Congress, remain a strong political party in the state in spite of its loss at the Supreme Court. Yari stated this on Tuesday while addressing APC supporters who paid him Sallah homage in his residence in Talata-Mafara town in the Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of the state. According to him, despite the Supreme Court verdict which ceded leadership of the state over to the Peoples Democratic Party “Our party remains the strongest party in the state. Read more
Saraki mourns as Emir of Ilorin loses mother (Punch)
The outgoing President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, over the death of his mother, the late Alhaja Aishat Nma Zuluqarnain Gambari. A statement by Saraki’s spokesperson, Yusuph Olaniyonu on Tuesday, said the Senate President received with immeasurable pain, the news of the passing of the monarch’s mother. Saraki’s statement read, “I find it extremely difficult to accept that our mother and our revered queen-mother has departed. Read more
Speakership: Bago alleges character assassination, threatens legal action (Punch)
One of the All Progressives Congress members contesting the position of the Speaker, in the nation’s House of Representatives, Umaru Bago, on Tuesday alleged desperate attempts by some people to smear his image. A statement by the spokesperson for his campaign organisation, Victor Ogene, described the move as a feeble attempt to derail Bago’s principled quest for equity, justice and fairness in electing principal officers of the National Assembly. He alleged that the detractors came under the guise of a judicial inquest into the decade of long sparkling career of Bago, spanning through three banks, including the nation’s apex financial institution. Read more
Sudan crisis: ‘Paramilitary unit’ puts Khartoum under lockdown (BBC)
Sudanese paramilitary forces are pushing deeper into Khartoum, witnesses say, after a crackdown on protesters killed at least 30 people on Monday. Heavily armed members of the Rapid Support Forces are said to be fanning out across the capital and the neighbouring city of Omdurman, clearing barricades and firing into the air. The military has faced international condemnation for the deadly crackdown. Read more
Mozambique top court declares multi-million secret govt loan void (Punch)
Mozambique’s constitutional court declared Tuesday that hundreds of millions of dollars in secret government loans were void, signalling that they did not need to be repaid in a ruling hailed by civil society campaigners in the impoverished nation. The court ruling focused on one of the secret loans — which combined totalled around $2 billion — taken out by the government between 2013 and 2015 for supposed financing for a tuna-fishing fleet and a maritime surveillance project. Read more
Ex-Burkina leader’s brother risks extradition over journalist’s murder (Punch)
The brother of Burkina Faso’s ousted leader Blaise Compaore risks being sent home from France to face prosecution for the 1998 murder of a journalist, after a Paris court on Tuesday approved his extradition. The French government must still approve the ruling to hand over Francois Compaore, and Tuesday’s decision by France’s highest court can be appealed in France’s State Council, which rules on constitutional matters. Read more
Pelosi promises US will never forget Tiananmen (Guardian)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed Tuesday that the United States would preserve the memory of the crushed Tiananmen Square movement, as China imposed a wall of silence on the 30th anniversary. Pelosi, a longtime advocate for human rights in China, said she was making the promise to the families of the hundreds or more who were killed when tanks and troops forcibly put down the pro-democracy movement on June 4, 1989. Read more
US moves to bar American tourists from visiting Cuba (Punch)
The Trump administration clamped down on US tourist visits to Cuba on Tuesday, aiming to cut the flow of dollars to a country Washington accuses of helping prop up Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The Treasury banned group educational travel and cruise ship and private yacht visits by Americans, taking aim at the most common ways US tourists visit the Caribbean island. The move could constitute a heavy hit on Cuba, which saw more than a quarter-million US visitors in the first four months of 2019, almost double a year earlier. Read more
Killer dad Timothy Jones convicted of murdering all five of his young children (Metro)
A father faces being executed after he was convicted of murdering all five of his young children. Timothy Jones, 37, was convicted by a jury Tuesday who unanimously found him guilty of killing his children: Merah, 8, Elias, 7, Nahtahn, 6, Gabriel, 2, and Elaine, 1, in August 2014 in Lexington, South Carolina. Jones reportedly showed no reaction as the jury announced its verdict. Read more
Florida school shooting: Parkland officer arrested over inaction (BBC)
An armed officer who stood outside a Florida school as a gunman killed 17 people has been arrested and faces multiple charges, including child neglect and perjury. Scot Peterson, a security guard at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, did not enter as shots rang out last year and later resigned. US President Donald Trump called him a “coward” for not acting. Mr Peterson said he did not know where the gunfire was coming from. Read more
Donald Trump explains Meghan Markle ‘nasty’ comments in interview with Piers Morgan (Metro)
Donald Trump has explained his recent ‘nasty’ comments against Duchess Of Sussex Meghan Markle, which he recently denied ever saying. In an interview with Piers Morgan set to be aired on Good Morning Britain, Donald Trump addressed the comments he stated to The Sun in response to Meghan’s criticisms of his presidency. Speaking to the paper about Meghan’s past criticisms, Trump said: ‘I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.’ Read more
FIFA reinstates Sierra Leone after officials acquitted (Vanguard)
FIFA has lifted the suspension of Sierra Leone after the authorities in the country acquitted the national football federation’s former president and secretary general of corruption. Football’s world governing body FIFA suspended the Sierra Leone Football Association in October due to “government interference.” The Confederation of African Football (CAF) then disqualified the country from the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifying competition. Read more
Neymar will play Copa America despite scandal – CBF (Vanguard)
Brazilian football superstar Neymar will play at the upcoming Copa America despite a rape accusation made against him, Brazilian Football Confederation president Rogerio Caboclo said on Tuesday. “There is no chance of him not taking part in the Copa America,” Caboclo told press on the sidelines of the FIFA congress in Paris. “We are following the matter closely and we have complete confidence in Neymar, we know what kind of man he is and what of sportsman he is,” he said. Read more
Anthony Joshua needs to axe his coach Robert McCracken, claims Lennox Lewis (Metro)
Lennox Lewis has urged Anthony Joshua to axe his trainer Robert McCracken ahead of his rematch with Andy Ruiz. Joshua was stripped of his world titles and undefeated record by Ruiz last weekend, in what will go down as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. McCracken, Team GB’s most recognised coach, has trained Joshua since his amateur days, but heavyweight legend Lewis believes a change is needed. Read more
Cricket World Cup: Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan in low-scoring thriller (BBC)
Sri Lanka denied Afghanistan a famous victory by winning a low-scoring thriller in the World Cup at Cardiff. After a dismal batting collapse by Sri Lanka, Afghanistan needed a rain-revised target of just 187 from 41 overs but were beaten by 34 runs. Afghanistan slipped to 57-5 in their chase but a partnership of 64 by Najibullah Zadran and captain Gulbadin Naib gave them hope. Read more