Courtois attacks Conte for substituting Hazard in Chelsea’s defeat to Man United

Chelsea goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois has hit out at manager, Antonio Conte for substituting forward, Eden Hazard during the club’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Conte, who substituted Hazard for Pedro in the 73rd minute of the encounter, had said his decision was purely for tactical reasons in his post-match press conference.

However, Courtois has hit out at the Italian’s decision.

“I have no explanation for the substitution of Hazard,” Courtois told Belgian outlet, Play Sports.

“I had not expected him to take him off but it is a choice of the manager. He must explain. I can’t look into his head.

“Players like Eden should have 90 minutes on the pitch. He can always bring something extra offensive.”

Chelsea will go away to battle Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

N Korea 'providing materials to Syria chemical weapons factories' 51 minutes ago Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share Related TopicsSyrian civil war

North Korea has been sending equipment to Syria that could be used to make chemical weapons, a UN report says.
Some 40 previously unreported shipments were made between 2012 and 2017, the report found. Materials included acid-resistant tiles, valves and pipes.
The report - yet to be released - said N Korean missile specialists had been seen at Syrian weapon-making centres.
The allegations follow new reports of chlorine being used by Syrian forces, which the government denies.
Meanwhile, air strikes were heard in the Eastern Ghouta region outside Damascus as a second daily pause in fighting was due to get under way to allow in relief aid.


Activists blamed government air and artillery strikes, while Russia said rebels had shelled a "humanitarian corridor" meant to let civilians leave.
What are the allegations against North Korea?
North Korea is under international sanctions over its nuclear programme.
Is North Korea just playing the US?
But a confidential report, compiled by a US Panel of Experts which assesses North Korea's compliance with UN resolutions, found evidence of illicit supplies sent to Syria.
Seen by the BBC, the report says the items included high-heat, acid-resistant tiles, corrosion-resistant valves and thermometers.
The Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) - a Syrian government agency - is alleged to have paid North Korea via a number of front companies.


Among the alleged shipments were at least five sent via a Chinese trading firm, Cheng Tong Trading Co Ltd, the report says.
The shipments allegedly contained acid-resistant tiles - which can be used for activities conducted at high temperatures - at a quantity that would cover the area of a large scale industrial project.
While the seized items "do not appear on any control lists", they included "materials that can be used to build bricks for the interior walls of [a] chemical factory", the report noted.
North Korea flouting sanctions, UN told
China responded to the Panel's findings, saying it had no "evidence demonstrating the Cheng Tong Trading Co has business with" any North Korean entities in violation of Security Council violations.
The Syrian government told the UN panel that the only North Koreans present in Syria are sports coaches and athletes.
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric did not say whether the leaked report would be published, but told the New York Times: "I think the overarching message is that all member states have a duty and responsibility to abide by the sanctions that are in place."
In a September 2017 report, which is publicly available, the group said it was "investigating reported prohibited chemical, ballistic missile and conventional arms cooperation" between Syria and North Korea.
It said that two UN member states had intercepted shipments bound for Syria, and that the goods were suspected to be supplied by North Korea's main arms exporter as part of a contract with front companies representing the SSRC.
What is Syria's position on chemical weapons?
Syria signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention and agreed to have its declared chemical weapons stock destroyed in 2013 after a Sarin nerve agent attack killed hundreds of people in rebel-held suburbs of Damascus..
It has been accused of repeatedly using banned chemical weapons in the civil war since then.

Q&A: Syria chemical weapons disarmament deal
Syria 'still producing chemical weapons'
The spectre of nerve agents in Syria - again
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concluded that Sarin was used in Khan Sheikhoun, a rebel-held town in Idlib province, last April in an incident that killed more than 80 people. OPCW and UN investigators are confident the Syrian air force was to blame.
The US carried out missile strikes on a Syrian air base in response but President Bashar al-Assad maintained the incident was faked.
Suspected chlorine attacks have been recently reported in Syria, including on Sunday in the Eastern Ghouta.
The OPCW is investigating those attacks, Reuters news agency reports, citing diplomatic sources. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is among Western leaders who have suggested the Syrian government could be attacked if there is fresh "incontrovertible" evidence that chemical weapons have been used against civilians.
Why is North Korea's involvement controversial?
Experts say that North Korea has long offered military supplies and weapons know-how around the world in exchange for cash.
The UN report is said to highlight its efforts to illicitly trade with dozens of countries and groups in the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America.
US to impose 'largest' N Korea sanctions
Reality Check: How North Korea does business
Syria and North Korea have decades-old military ties.
Last week, US President Donald Trump said Washington was imposing a fresh set of sanctions on North Korea, targeting more than 50 ships and maritime transport companies in several countries.

North Korea is already under a range of international and US sanctions over its nuclear programme and missile tests.
Viewpoint: Chemical weapons ‘threat to West’
North Korea crisis in 300 words
But it continued tests last year, including tests of a nuclear weapon and a long-range ballistic missile capable of reaching the US.
The US says the new sanctions are designed to put a further squeeze on North Korea, cutting off sources of revenue and fuel for

Egypt's Sherine sentenced to prison over Nile joke

Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahab has been sentenced to six months in prison for joking about the cleanliness of the River Nile.

Sherine, one of the country's most famous singers - and a judge on the Arabic version of The Voice TV show - told a fan that drinking from the famous river might give them parasites.

"Drink Evian instead," she joked.

Another singer, Laila Amer, was also sentenced on Tuesday to two years in prison over a music video.

Ms Amer - who is not as well known as Sherine - was found guilty of "inciting debauchery and immorality". The director and another actor were sentenced to shorter terms.

Sherine, meanwhile, has been convicted by a Cairo court of spreading false news. Egyptian news outlet Ahram said she was ordered to pay 5,000 Egyptian pounds (£204) as bail, in addition to a fine of 10,000 pounds and remains free until her case is concluded.

A 'foolish joke'

The lawsuit against Sherine was filed in November after a video emerged online showing her being asked to sing Mashrebtesh Men Nilha (Have You Drunk From The Nile?)

She responded by saying "drinking from the Nile will get me schistosomiasis" - a disease commonly known in Egypt as bilharzia, which once plagued rural water sources.

On top of the legal case against her, the Egyptian Musicians Syndicate announced that it had banned her from performing over her "unjustified mockery of our dear Egypt".

Abdel Wahab later apologised for her "foolish joke" at the concert, which she said took place in the United Arab Emirates more than a year ago.

"My beloved country Egypt and sons of my country Egypt, I apologise to you with all my heart for any pain I may have caused you," she added.

Schistosomiasis was widespread throughout much of Egypt's history, having been discovered in mummified remains from thousands of years in the past. Health programmes in the last century, however, have greatly reduced its prevalence.

It is caused by a parasitic worm that lives in fresh water in subtropical and tropical regions, growing inside the human body.

Attack on society

The controversy surrounding Sherin's case was followed by the arrest in January of Laila Amer, over a video for her song Bos Omak (Look At Your Mother)

Its name is an apparent pun on an Arabic profanity.

The video showed Amer dancing and making suggestive gestures - something the lawyer who filed the complaint called a "great risk" to Egypt and "an attack on society".

News agency EFE reported that Amer's defence in court was that she had simply followed instructions from the director and producer.

The director was sentenced to six months in prison, while another man appearing in the video alongside Amer received a three-month sentence.

Ahram reported that all three defendants in Amer's case deny any wrongdoing.

Another singer, Shyma, wrote that she had not anticipated the backlash against her use of a banana in a music video

Tuesday's rulings bring to three the number of female artists handed prison sentences in recent months.

In December, Shaimaa Ahmed - known simply as Shyma - was jailed for two years after she appeared in a music video in her underwear while suggestively eating a banana.

She was found guilty of inciting debauchery and publishing an indecent film, and was sentenced alongside the video's director.

Before her imprisonment, she apologised to anyone who took the video for the song, I Have Issues, "in an inappropriate way".

Her sentence was reduced to one year on appeal.

BBNaija 2018: Why I will kill Nina, marry Cee-C – Dee-One

Big Brother Naija 2018 evicted housemate, Dee one has shown his support for Cee-C.

The evicted housemate said he would kill Nina, marry Cee-C and date Alex, if given the opportunity.

Speaking with NET television, Dee-One said though Cee-C is possessive, she is a wife material.

According to Dee-One, “I’ll Kill Nina, Marry Cee-c and date Alex because Cee-C is a correct wife material. She can also cook well too, it’s just that she is too possessive.”

Dee-one, alongside Vandora was evicted from the ongoing reality television show on February 18, 2018.

Dapchi attack: Gaidam insists withdrawal of military aided abduction

Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, has stressed that the Boko Haram attacks in Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi and that of Buni Yadi in 2013 were aided by the withdrawal of military from their locations in the area.

The governor, who is angered by recent happening with regards to the abduction of the Dapchi girls said,” l want to put the record straight that there was no military presence at the time Boko Haram attacked Dapchi and we did not even know that the military had been withdrawn from the area.”

The governor stated this, when his counterpart of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima paid him a sympathy visit at Government House, Damaturu.

Gaidam said, the military did not notify them when their men were withdrawn.

“The Dapchi and Buni Yadi attacks are similar because both attacks came weeks after the military withdrawal from those locations. l want the press to quote me on this,” he added.

Ex BBA housemate, Tayo reacts to Teddy A, BamBam’s sex episodePublished on February 27, 20

Former Big Brother Africa contestant, Tayo Faniran, has reacted to Teddy A and Bambam sex scene this morning.

Recall that Teddy A and Bambam set internet on fire after they were caught on Monday night having sex in the toilet.

They were caught having sex while in the toilet thinking they were away from the cameras.

This is coming at a time when Miracle said all housemates have had sex, especially in the toilet the reason for missing condoms.

Reacting, Faniran commended Teddy A on how he handled Bambam in the toilet, adding that Church girls that form ‘holy holy’ like Bambam fall for bad boys.

On his Official Twitter page, he wrote; “I would say I like what Teddy A did, girls like bam bam would form holy holy in the beginning, meanwhile every good girl loves a bad boy, just like her name BAM BAM dat tattooed Boi gave it to her from behind BAM BAM #BBNajia”

Algerian consumers, firms start to feel import bans

Mansour used to buy Swiss chocolate for his daughter but in the past few days it disappeared from the shelves after Algeria’s government banned imports of hundreds of products.

At the start of this year, authorities banned the import of 851 products including foodstuffs and some raw materials in an effort to address a gaping trade deficit.

While browsing the Ardis mall in the capital Algiers with his wife and six-year-old daughter, Mansour said he felt the brunt of the import ban.

“I don’t find the products that I used to find before. We noticed that the prices of local products increased, compared to the past. I think the reason is the absence of competition. They seized this opportunity to raise prices and to monopolise the market,” he said.

Officials say the restrictions will encourage domestic production, protecting it from foreign competition.

But local firms including drinks producers and potters are complaining, saying shortages of raw materials put their businesses at risk.

Ardis, which opened its doors in 2012 and is the largest mall in the country, attracts consumers every day because of the wide range of local and imported consumer goods it stocks.

That range has now been reduced, though Walid Allouni, the mall’s store manager, played down the change.

“The direct impact of this decision, which was taken without consultation with the concerned people, might lead to products no longer available on the market. We also risk having a reduction in the quantity that will be available on the market. Some (importers) are worried; they are worried about the future of their businesses, they worry that they may have to shut down,” said president of the Association of Algerian Producers of Beverages, Ali Hamani.

But many local firm managers are worried and feel that the restrictions may only add pressure on them, leading to a possible collapse of their business because of declining stocks of raw materials.

Strikes and protests occur in Algeria almost daily, echoing social and economic grievances.

China's Geely becomes biggest Daimler investor

Chinese carmaker Geely has become the biggest investor in Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler, saying it hopes to cooperate with the German giant on electric cars.

Geely shares jumped in Hong Kong after the deal to buy almost 10% of the firm was announced over the weekend.

The Chinese carmaker already fully-owns Sweden's Volvo and black cab maker London Taxi Company.

Chairman Li Shufu is expected to meet Daimler executives on Monday and German government officials later in the week.

Geely's 9.7% stake in the high profile German carmaker has raised some concerns that the Chinese firm will seek access to technology and innovation in exchange for the deal.

But the German government said it saw "no need to act in terms of competition rules or foreign investment rules".

'Invaders from outside'

China is widely considered the most important future market for global car manufacturers.

In a statement by Geely, Mr Li said he wanted to "accompany Daimler on its way to becoming the world's leading electro-mobility provider," and was looking for a long-term commitment.

Describing what he called a "strategic vision," he argued that "invaders from outside" the traditional car sector, meant firms needed to cooperate through partnerships and alliances.

Traditional carmakers are increasingly facing competition from newcomers from the technology sector, including Tesla and the Google-associated Waymo.

Also over the weekend, Daimler announced a $1.9bn (£1.4bn) investment into a partnership with another Chinese auto firm, BAIC.

The money will go into modernising a BAIC plant to build Mercedes cars including electric vehicles, the two companies said.

Daimler and BAIC are already cooperating in the Chinese market, where foreign production is often only permitted through partnerships with Chinese firms.

Last week, fellow German carmaker BMW announced a deal with Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor to build electric-powered Mini cars in China for the local market.

The Chinese government has said 20% of cars sold by 2025 should be electric or rechargeable-hybrid vehicles - a target that is spurring many global carmakers to raise their investment in China.

Gov. Okowa’s Govt has betrayed Isoko people – Group

A group under the auspices of Isoko Monitoring Group,IMG has said that Sen.(Dr.) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa-led Delta State Government has betrayed the trust of the Isoko people that voted massively in its favour in the 2015 general elections.

The group made the assertion during a crucial meeting which held in Warri, Delta State.

The group also stated that the State government failed in its constitutional responsibility to make adequate, equitable and respectable provisions to carter for the developmental needs and welfare of the Isoko ethnic group in its 2018 budget.

The President of the group, Comrade Sebastine Agbefe described the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Kingsley Emu’s comment on behalf of the Delta State Government as, “The most unfortunate and the highest of insult on the good people of Isoko nation.”

Agbefe said, “though the totality and content thereof reveals a peacock-like impudence and cat-like carelessness, we will not deviate from our time honoured values and go so low as to respond to Emu in his trademark tone and language.

“We remain focused on the issue and want to state emphatically that the projects in Isoko that have received paltry sums in the 2018 budget, an example of which is the Erowha Road which the government voted 49 million Naira for, are projects which Dr. Okowa and the PDP during campaigns promised to deliver to the Isoko people. Voting a mere 49 million Naira for such a massive flagship project while billions are voted for ordinary walkways and streets in other areas of the State is a total betrayal of trust and smacks of insincerity on the part of the government.

“Additionally, The stake of Isoko in DESOPADEC is as a result of the environmental degradation associated with Oil and Gas exploration which the Isoko areas have suffered since 1958, when oil was discovered in Uzere.

”This, which is largely insignificant and not commensurate with what is frittered away from our land, is provided for by law as a way to give back to the environment and the people what is taken away and it is not a privilege. We find it troubling that Mr. Emu will seek to justify the failure of his office in relation to the 2018 budget by suggesting that Isoko areas are taken care of by DESOPADEC. This is a deeply seated misplaced grudge that does not address the failure of the State government on the path of the Isoko people.

“We believe that the reference to the omnibus heads to explain away the obvious lack of the budgetary provisions for Isoko areas is an afterthought, which the Delta State government wishes to employ to correct the anomaly. However, such measures cannot address the imbalance which is a total disrespect for our people and a total disregard to our democratic stake in Delta State.

“Hence, we want to reiterate that except the government of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa give the Isoko people a fair deal in its 2018 fiscal year and address the continuous marginalization of the Isoko people, the “Vote Of No Confidence” passed on Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and its administration by the Isoko Monitoring Group stands. Dr. Okowa can be rest assured that the Isoko people will massively vote against him in 2019 because we can not entrust our future into his hands anymore while this outright betrayal and political negligence persists.”

Father pleads Nigerian government to find abducted daughter

The father of a 14-year-old girl who is among 110 believed to be abducted by Boko Haram has pleaded with the Nigerian government to act quickly.

Kachalla Bukar was speaking to Newsday this morning.

We don’t want these girls to stay long with those militants. Anything can happen to them. We are begging the government to control the situation quickly. It has to take maximum action to control the situation. Up to now they haven't rescued even a single one."

His daughter Aisha was in a group of girls who went missing after jihadists stormed their school in the town of Dapchi in the north-eastern Yobe state on 19 February.

Mr Bukar says his wife cannot stop crying and he cannot sleep:

My Love For Dangote And Otedola- Mc_Actually

One Of The Nigeria Comedian Known As mc_actually,Share His Interest between Dangote and Otedola.

 Sometimes I Ask Myself, WHAT MUST HAVE KEPT THIS FRIENDS FOR LONG.....
Would Love To Know The Secret Behind This Relational Relationship.

To An Extent, Even When They Travel For Holidays They Both Appear On Likely Same Apparel... Then I Began To Have This Old School Hard-age that Says, "Two Heads Are Better Than One. " Well Of A Truth.

I Realized That To Every Successful Man, They Have A Listening Ear To Tips Of An Iconic Individual. Business They Say 'Rules The World', But With Your Means Of Strategic Input, You Win Their Interest.
To The Boss @femiotedola &  @alikodangote.official Best Of Friends.... I Now Know the Secret From This Friends, Love And Understanding Matters In Friendship To Make A Successful Plan. If You Value Little Money Big Once Will Value You.... This Two Business Guru Are Blessed Today Not Because They Where Made Right But Have A Different Insight Of Establishing More Unit To Their Tens.

Have A Focused Mind Today, Plan Big With You Little Capital..... You Want To Know How It Works? Ask This Two Business Gurus!

Dragon flew away with our newly world bank loan, $486 million- Lai Mohammad

A Dragon has reportedly made away with $486 million, a loan given to Nigeria by the world bank.
This was revealed to newsmen by Lai Muhammad minutes after the money was received from world bank…however, on landing the Nigerian soil, the money was made away by unknown Dragon.

This is coming after a shocking confession of an official of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, who claimed that a mysterious snake swallowed N36 million, from the Board’s vault.

Briefing Newsmen after Plenary, Lai Muhammad said, “I think, this country is becoming a huge joke. First of all, it was the rodents that drove away the president and then we now have snakes consuming about N36 million and now we have monkeys raiding farmhouse. So, they don’t want this to be said but I believe that we should be very clear.”

Bauchi PDP vows to unseat APC

Bauchi state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has vowed not to leave any stone unturn in its renewed commitment to wrestle power from the ruling party come 2019.

The publicity secretary of Bauchi state PDP chapter, Alhaji Yayanuwa Zainabari told DAILY POST in an interview in Bauchi.

He added that already the party is prepared as efforts to mobilize people has yielded positive result with the failure of the APC government.

Zainabari disclose that PDP is now a united and formidable party and stands the chance to return to power and rescue Nigerians from the hands of APC.

He regretted that APC under Governor Abubakar has totally failed the people in spite of its claims to effect a change agenda.

The PDP spokesman expressed dissatisfaction that insecurity and poverty has put the APC administration in bad light with the recent kidnapp of Tobe schoolgirls by Boko Garam under APC’s watch.

“In Bauchi state PDP is just waiting for returning to power with the great set back the state has recorded during APC administration,” said Zainabari

RBS reports first profit in 10 years

Royal Bank of Scotland has returned to profit for the first time in a decade as it continues its recovery.

Chief executive Ross McEwan told the BBC it was "a really symbolic moment."

The bank, which is majority-owned by the taxpayer, made an annual profit of £752m compared with a £6.95bn loss the year before.

RBS still faces a potentially massive fine from the US Department of Justice over the sale of financial products linked to risky mortgages.

The bank had expected to settle the case in 2017, but is now hoping it will reach an agreement this year.

RBS set aside an extra £492m for US litigation, taking the total set aside for US court action around the sale of those products to £3.2bn.

The issue complicates government plans to start selling down its stake in RBS.

"We have been constantly hit with the sins of the past with conduct and litigation issues and I've been heavily restructuring the business to bring it back to the UK," Mr McEwan said.

The bank, which is 71%-owned by the taxpayer, has spent the past decade restructuring itself.

Mr McEwan said that 10 years ago RBS was the largest bank in the world, with a balance sheet of £2.2 trillion. This has now sunk to about £750bn.

"We've been restructuring the bank to being a really good UK/Republic of Ireland business," he told the BBC.



"It's taken time but it's also taken a lot of cost to come out of countries and businesses that we just didn't want to be in.

"We are now operating in 12 countries as opposed to what was 38, so very focused on the UK."

The return to annual profit caps a year in which RBS brought down the curtain on its so-called "bad bank" which was set up to handle toxic assets stemming from the 2008 financial crisis.

However, Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the return to profit was "a stay of execution rather than a pardon".

He said "two big shadows still loom over RBS" - the impending US fine, and the sale of the taxpayer stake.

The sale could cause the bank's share price to fall further, so until it this is completed, "the market isn't going to get too excited about RBS", he said.

"Indeed with the price now standing at around half of the government's breakeven point, the taxpayer's still going to come out of this nursing a significant loss," he added.

RBS shares dropped more than 4% to about 269p in early trading on Friday.

Critical report

On Tuesday, after months of wrangling, MPs released a report by regulators into the mistreatment of small business customers by the bank.

Mr McEwan said the report "did make for really tough reading".

"We did not get it right for customers at the time they needed us when their businesses were struggling," he said.

"We just didn't look after them well enough".

The bank has now put in place a complaints process overseen by a former high court judge, Mr McEwan added.

Cameroon opposition leader steps down from presidential race

The national chairman of the main opposition party in Cameroon, Ni John Fru Ndii, has declared that he will ‘not be presenting his candidature for the 2018 presidential elections’.

The veteran politician founded the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in 1990 and has led the party since then.

Speaking at the special congress of the party held in Bamenda, 77 year old Ndii reportedly said he was leaving the stage for the younger generation.

“I will not present my candidature for the Presidential election, i want you to chose who is best to be the flag bearer,” Ndii tells the congress

Ndii has recently been embroiled in a war of words with secessionists in the Anglophone region who wanted the SDF congress moved from Bamenda to Yaounde.

Ndii maintains that he is an Anglophone citizen who is not pro-secession.

Analysts will now watch whether 49 year old Joshua Osih, who is currently the deputy of the party, will now seek to be nominated as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

Electoral activities ahead of the presidential election , have already started, and the opposition party recently met in the restive Bamenda region and declared that it would participate in the March 25 senatorial polls.

President Paul Biya is expected to seek another term in office after over three decades in charge of the Central African nation. The country is currently riled by secessionist elements in the Anglophone regions – northwest and southwest

How Davido, Wizkid reacted to fan who tried to compare them

Nigeria’s top artistes, Wizkid and Davido on Thursday slammed a fan who tried to stir a dispute between them.

A Twitter user, @Starling vibes, had told Davido to stop having a good time and focus on coming up with hits like Wizkid.

He wrote: “Be living, loving and laughing while @wizkidayo drops another hit.

Davido in reaction shunned the fan, as he stated that he has no problem with making hits.

“Lmao baba go and sleep this is so last year .. and yea I’m sure the world knows by now say me I no get problem wen it comes to HITS!” Davido tweeted.

However,Wizkid, ‘Davido’s new best friend’ came to his defence, asking the OBO crooner to ignore such comments.

“forget dem Obo!” Wizkid replied

The bond between both artistes seems to be waxing stronger since they reconciled in December 2017.

Buhari to address the nation on second term

The Chairman of the APC  Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha of Imo, said President Muhammadu Buhari would soon address the nation on whether he will seek re-election in 2019.

Okorocha stated this when he briefed State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting between the President and the APC governors held on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the president would also address the caucus of the APC on the matter.

“We discussed so many issues that affect the nation, our party and Mr President’s ambition to run for 2019 elections.

“Anyhow, Mr President in his usual manner has requested that we give him time and that he will address the nation and the caucus of the party very soon.

“So we should be full of expectations that Mr President will make officially known to Nigerians his intentions.

“But we hope that his response will be in line with what the governors are thinking,’’ he said.

According to the governor, it is the desire of the governors that the President seek re-election in view of his tremendous performances in the last two and half years.

He said: “We believe that if he continues Nigeria will be better for it.’

South Africa court finds finance minister violated constitution

A South African court has found Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba violated the constitution in statements he made about his decision to revoke his approval of a company’s bid to open a private airport immigration facility.

The judgment is the latest legal blow to a senior South African government official and came with new President Cyril Ramaphosa considering a cabinet reshuffle after replacing scandal-plagued predecessor Jacob Zuma last week.

Handed down in December, the judgment only came to public light this week. Gigaba, whose job security under Ramaphosa is unclear, said he would challenge the decision.

The judgment was issued after an application by Fireblade Aviation, a company owned by the wealthy Oppenheimer family, seeking to compel Gigaba to stick to his decision while home affairs minister to allow the firm to operate an immigration service for wealthy VIPs at Johannesburg’s main airport.

The court ruling reversed Gigaba’s decision to revoke his approval, saying that the minister had lied in having “denied ever having approved the application”.

“By telling a deliberate untruth on facts central to the decision of this case, the minister has committed a breach of the constitution so serious that I would characterise it as a violation,” the ruling read.

Speaking to the media in Cape Town ahead of his budget speech to parliament, Gigaba said: “My lawyers are studying the judgment and we will respond to it in due time...It’s important to highlight that the decision of the court is being challenged.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the official opposition party, said that based on the judgment, it had filed a complaint against Gigaba with the Public Protector, South Africa’s constitutionally-mandated anti-graft watchdog.

PDP attacks Buhari, Lai Mohammed, APC for failing Nigerians

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being responsible for Nigeria’s economic woes.

The main opposition party also told the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed that he will fail in his attempt to censor the media.

In a post shared on its official twitter handle on Thursday, the Prince Uche Secondus-led party also said the All Progressives Congress, APC, was peddling cooked-up performance indices.

It wrote, “ You Can’t Censor The Media, PDP Tells Lai Mohammed …Insists FG, APC Peddling Cooked-Up Performance Indices.

“Nigerians know that the @APCNigeria has failed and the @MBuhari-led Presidency is directly responsible for the collapse of our economy, which was thriving under the PDP.”

Secondus had earlier told the ruling party that it would face “tsunami” of defection to PDP.

Amnesty accuses President Trump of human rights violations

Human rights group Amnesty International has accused Donald Trump of "hateful" politics and of being a threat to human rights.

"President Trump takes actions that violate human rights at home and abroad," the group said.

Amnesty put Mr Trump in the same group as the leaders of Egypt, Russia, China, the Philippines, and Venezuela.

The organisation was launching its annual report, staging the event in Washington for the first time.

"The spectres of hatred and fear now loom large in world affairs, and we have few governments standing up for human rights in these disturbing times," said Salil Shetty, head of Amnesty.

"Instead, leaders such as al-Sisi, Duterte, Maduro, Putin, Trump and Xi are callously undermining the rights of millions," referring to the leaders of Egypt, the Philippines, Venezuela, Russia, the US and China.

It also called Mr Trump's travel ban - implemented days after he took office - a "transparently hateful move".

The ban - which targeted a number of Muslim-majority countries - "set the scene for a year in which leaders took the politics of hate to its most dangerous conclusion", Mr Shetty said.

The 400-page report summarises human rights issues of concern to Amnesty in 159 countries across the world.

Among the many issues highlighted in the report are:

.The "horrific military campaign of ethnic cleansing" against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

."Crimes against humanity" and war crimes in Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

.Attempts to roll back women's rights in the US, Russia, and Poland.

.Sweeping crackdowns on LGBT communities in Chechnya and Egypt.

.President Duterte's "contempt" for rights in his war on drugs in the Philippines.

.Northern Ireland's abortion restrictions and UK police counter-terrorism powers.

It criticised what it called a "feeble response" by world leaders to human rights issues and what it called the willingness to tout "fake news" in order to manipulate public opinion.

But the group also highlighted the work of activists and protest movements around the world inspired by what it called regressive policies.

"Donald Trump's policies may have marked a new era of human rights regression but they are not unique," Mr Shetty said.

She called on world leaders to "tackle the big challenges" in the year ahead.

Rivers lawmaker implicated in recent murder

The member representing Omuma Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Kelechi Nworgu has been implicated in the murder of one John Nwala.

John, who is on the wanted list of the Rivers state government,and Stream Nwafor were earlier reported to have been killed last weekend in Omuma by men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, AKU.

However, a sibling of the deceased, Linus Nwala told newsmen that his brother was not killed by officials of the AKU as reported.

He acknowledged that his brother’s name was in the list of wanted persons by the state government but claimed that this was done out of hatred and as a result of his brother’s membership of a rival political party.

Linus accused the sitting lawmaker, Kelechi Nworgu of playing a role in the killing of his brother, adding that the Police was not aware of any operation in Omuma.

According to him, “My brother is not a criminal. He is not a kidnapper. They killed him because he has been having problems with Kelechi because of the role he played during the 2015 elections.

“They have been after him since then. Kelechi was the one who submitted his name as a wanted person. Those who saw where my brother was killed said they saw the leader of Kelechi’s security.”

Meanwhile, the lawmaker is yet to respond to calls put across to his phone line.

When contacted, spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni said the command was yet to be briefed about any operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Omuma.

I almost died giving birth - Williams

Former world number one Serena Williams said she almost died giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr in September.

The American, 36, made her competitive return earlier in February when she teamed up with sister Venus for the United States in the Fed Cup.

But the 23-time Grand Slam winner has revealed that giving birth "sparked a slew of health complications".

"I am lucky to have survived," she wrote in an article for CNN on Tuesday.

"My daughter was born by emergency C-section after her heart rate dropped dramatically during contractions. The surgery went smoothly.

"But what followed just 24 hours after giving birth were six days of uncertainty."

Williams, the most successful female player of the Open era, has previously said she was bedridden for six weeks after giving birth.

'I live in fear of this situation'

Williams' victory at the Australian Open in 2017 was her 23rd Grand Slam title, achieved while she was eight weeks pregnant.

The American is now just one shy of the all-time record held by Australian Margaret Court, but missed this year's Australian Open in January to give her more time to recover from the birth.

Speaking about the birth, Williams continued: "It began with a pulmonary embolism, which is a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs becomes blocked by a blood clot.

"Because of my medical history with this problem, I live in fear of this situation. So, when I fell short of breath, I didn't wait a second to alert the nurses.

"First my C-section wound popped open due to the intense coughing I endured as a result of the embolism. I returned to surgery, where the doctors found a large haematoma, a swelling of clotted blood, in my abdomen.

"When I finally made it home to my family, I had to spend the first six weeks of motherhood in bed."

Williams, who has not yet decided whether she will compete at this year's remaining three Grand Slams, has thanked the medical team for keeping her alive.

"I am so grateful I had access to such an incredible medical team of doctors and nurses at a hospital with state-of-the-art equipment.

"They knew exactly how to handle this complicated turn of events. If it weren't for their professional care, I wouldn't be here today."

Walmart shares fall 10% as online sales slow

Walmart shares suffered their biggest percentage fall for more than three decades on Tuesday after reporting disappointing online sales figures for the Christmas period.

Online sales were 23% higher in the three months to December.

However, that was less than half the growth recorded in the previous quarter and lower than in the same period of 2016.

Shares in the world's largest retailer fell just over 10% to $94.11.

The retailer said its online revenues totalled $11.5bn last year, but it lost money on those sales. Chief executive Doug McMillon said e-commerce losses would be "about the same" for 2018.

He told analysts the company was making progress in its efforts to compete with Amazon and other competitors.

"We're confident in our strategy to transform the company," Mr McMillon said. "It's really about providing more convenience to customers."

It plans to spend more on Walmart.com and cut back on marketing for its Jet.com site, which aimed at younger and better off shoppers. Walmart paid $3.3bn to buy Jet.com in 2016.

While sales at Walmart's US stores rose by a better than expected 2.6% in the fourth quarter, net profit sank 42% to $2.2bn (£1.6bn).

Asda, Walmart's UK supermarket, reported a 0.5% rise in like-for-like sales - its third consecutive quarter of sales growth.

Mr McMillon said he was encouraged by Asda's continued recovery, but said there was "more work to do".

Bryan Roberts, retail analyst at TCC Global, said the company "played a good game over Christmas", adding: "We've seen a marked improvement in service levels and sharper all-round availability."

Asda lost its place as the UK's second-biggest supermarket to Sainsbury's in late 2015 and the likes of German discounters Aldi and Lidl have also eaten into its market share.

Mr Roberts said the latest sales figures hinted at a return to form.

"In its heyday, Asda really appealed to younger families. Its supermarkets were fun places to be," he said.

"It's lost some of that spirit over the years, but its recent seasonal campaigns - such as at Christmas and Halloween - show it still has that capability in the locker. A focus on recapturing a year-round family appeal could catalyse its ongoing recovery."

Champions League: Why Manchester United cannot score six against Sevilla – Mourinho

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has said his team will struggle to repeat convincing Champions League wins for Manchester City and Liverpool, when his team take on Sevilla today.

City won 4-0 against Basel in Switzerland and Liverpool beat Porto 5-0 in Portugal.

Both Premier League clubs are all but guaranteed their passage into the Champions League quarter-finals.

But Mourinho thinks it will be a different story against Sevilla.

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s possible to score six goals here,” he said.

“Betis scored five, but I only see a club like Real Madrid or Barcelona with [Cristiano] Ronaldo or [Lionel] Messi on their best days to come here and smash and score five or six goals.

“The game they had against Betis was special because it was the local derby. Normally Seville is a team that defends well.”

El-Rufai finally reacts to his ‘suspension’ by APC

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has described those who suspended him from the All Progressive Congress (APC) as “impostors”.

This was made known by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, when he appeared on Channels Television on Monday night.

When asked whether his principal stands suspended, Aruwan replied: “What I would want you to know is that His Excellency Governor Nasir El-Rufai is not suspended by APC in Kaduna state.

“And I also want you to know that in Kaduna there is only APC that is legally recognized by the national leadership and majority of the members on

“I want you to know that the man who declared El-Rufai suspended is an impostor and is not recognized by the national leadership of the party neither he is recognized by the leadership of the APC in Kaduna.

“Some people are not comfortable with the progress El-Rufai is making in the state and that is why they are bringing all kind of antics to distract the Tinubu-led committee that would be coming to Kaduna very soon, as part of the initiative to reconcile different interest groups across the country.

“I want you to know there are no factions of APC in Kaduna.”

Aruwan went on to display some documents backing his claim via Skype.

On Sunday, two factions of the party — the ‘Akida APC’ and the ‘Restoration APC’ — had, after a stakeholders’ meeting on Sunday, announced the suspension of the Governor for six months over what they described as “anti-party activities”.

Those who attended that meeting include an aspirant during the party’s governorship primaries in 2015, Isa Ashiru; Chief of Staff to Senate President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed; owner of Kaduna-based Liberty FM radio, Dr. Tijjani Ramalan; Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani; and his counterpart from the Northern Senatorial District, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, among others.

Nigeria's child comedienne Emmanuella lands Disney role

Popular Nigerian child comedian Emmanuella Samuel has announced that she is to feature in a Walt Disney project.

The seven-year-old broke the news to her fans on her Instagram account, posting a picture of herself on set.

The comedian who has put smiles on the faces of millions of fans around the world, then went on to crack a joke about her costume.

She had posted on Saturday, “Thanks @disneystudios God bless everyone whose support has added to bringing us here. I never dreamed of being here so soon. I miss Success. I love you all.”

In her characteristic hilarious manner, Emmanuella also appeals to the officials in Disney’s costume department to “please package me well.”

It, however, appears that she doesn’t know the Disney character she will be playing yet, as she notes in the IG post, “Worris dis? What character am I playing today? Ngkbeke in America?”

Emmanuella stars as one of the characters in a hugely successful comedy channel on YouTube, Mark Angel Comedy.

Many congratulated her on social media, with Nigerians particularly calling the Disney project a stamp of approval that should silence all who doubted her talent.
In 2016, Emmanuella was awarded the Best New Comedienne and Princess of Comedy at the Afro-Australia Music and Movie Awards in Australia while Mark Angel Comedy won Best Sub-Saharan Channel at the YouTube Awards in 2017.

Drogba's teenage son signs for Guingamp

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba's 17-year-old son Isaac has joined Ligue 1 side Guingamp as part of their under-19 academy, the French team said on Monday. The teenager follows in his father's footsteps with Drogba making 50 appearances at Guingamp before his move to Marseilles and then Chelsea, where he scored 164 goals in 381 appearances for the Premier League club.

"Couldn't be more proud of you Isaac Drogba," the 39-year-old said on his verified Instagram account.

Didier Drogba won four league and FA Cup titles, one Champions League trophy and several individual honours during his nine seasons at Chelsea.

Brazilian game abandoned after 10 red cards

Brazilian footballers are traditionally known for their skill on the ball, but there wasn't much on show in the Bahia state championship match between Vitoria and Bahia.

After a feisty first half featuring six bookings and Denilson's goal for the hosts, things really got out of hand after the break.

Bahia were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute, and chaos ensued when Vinicius' celebrated scoring it by dancing in front of the home supporters.

Both sets of players piled in, punches were thrown, and - after a delay of 16 minutes to restore order - the referee sent off eight players.

Three red cards were shown to Vitoria players, and five to Bahia players, with Vinicius and three substitutes among those dismissed.

The match continued, but when Vitoria had two further players dismissed 11 minutes from time, it was abandoned, with Bahia likely to be awarded a 3-0 victory.

Champions League: Chelsea vs Barcelona: Team news, injuries, possible lineup

Antonio Conte’s Chelsea will continue their campaign for the UEFA Champions League title at home against Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Conte will have to make some changes in defence with David Luiz and Tiemoue Bakayoko both currently dealing with injury problems.

Ross Barkley also remains out of the side with a hamstring problem, whilst Marcos Alonso is expected to return to the team after missing the last two Chelsea games.

Chelsea have struggled to repeat their performances of last season and Antonio Conte’s team currently sits 4th in the league, but they will be boosted by a convincing FA Cup win against Hull City on Friday.

However, Barcelona saw defender, Gerard Pique return to the side over the weekend after a brief stint on the sidelines and he is likely to start again against Chelsea. Thomas Vermaelen, who was expected to miss the game at the Stamford Bridge returns to the squad whilst Nelson Semedo is suspended.

January signing, Philippe Coutinho will miss the game, the Brazilian is cup-tied for the Champions League after featuring for Liverpool earlier this season.

The Catalan club have been in great form in the La Liga and manager, Ernesto Valverde has seen his side remain undefeated in the Spain topflight league.

Potential Chelsea starting XI (3-4-3):

GK: Courtois

Defense: Azpilicueta (RCB), Christensen (CB), Rudiger (LCB)

Midfield: Moses (RM), Fabregas (RCM), Kante (LCM), Zappacosta (LM)

Attack: Pedro (RW), Hazard (CF), Willian (LW)

Potential Barcelona starting XI (4-3-3):

GK: Ter Stegen

Defense: Roberto (RB), Pique (RCB), Umtiti (LCB), Alba (LB)

Midfield: Rakitic (RM), Busquets (CDM), Paulinho (CM), Iniesta (LM)

Attack: Messi (CF), Suarez (ST)

The Kick off time for the UEFA Champions League match is 8.45 pm Nigerian time.

Trump India 'dinner and chat' property offer criticised

Investors in a luxury property development in India are being offered the chance to have "conversation and dinner" with Donald Trump Jr.

The eldest son of the US president is visiting India this week and will promote the Trump Towers development near Delhi.

Critics say the Trump family is cashing in on the president's name.

But Mr Trump Jr has said he has been building relationships in India for years.

India importance

The full-page advertisement, which ran as the front cover of several Indian newspapers over the weekend, featured a picture of Mr Trump Jr together with text: "Trump is here. Are you invited?" and "Trump has arrived. Have you?"

Historian and biographer Patrick French was one of those criticising the advert:

The 47-storey towers in Gurgaon, close to the Indian capital, are being developed by the Trump Organisation and local partners - with some apartments selling for more than $1m.

The Trump Organisation, formerly headed up by President Donald Trump, is an umbrella company for hundreds of investments in businesses including real estate. Donald Jr is now its executive director.

India is the group's biggest property market outside the US, and in 2016 the Trump family earned up to $3m (£2.14m) in royalties from ventures in India, according to a financial disclosure report.

Trump brand defies comatose property market

Analysis by Devina Gupta, BBC News, Delhi

Selling two towers with 254 ultra-luxury flats might seem like a tall order. But if the brand name was not enough, offering buyers a chance to meet the US president's son seems to be working.
The company claims to have already done $77m worth of deals, with an average selling price of about $1.1m. This makes it the fastest-selling project in a comatose Indian property market.

Changes in tax rules and attempts to clamp down on corruption cooled India's real estate industry.

But in the case of the Trump Towers and its Indian partners that's not been the case, as they use the Trump name to target wealthy Indians living both inside and outside the country.

'Bizarre'

Daniel S Markey, who worked on South Asia policy for the State Department during the George W Bush administration, said he was surprised by the involvement of Mr Trump Jr in an Indian business deal.

"The idea that the president's son would be going and shilling the president's brand at the same time Donald Trump is president and is managing strategic and foreign relations with India - that is just bizarre," he told the New York Times.

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) - a watchdog group - added the Indian promotion to a list of instances it believes show the Trump name being used for commercial gain.

In an interview last week, cited by The Guardian, Donald Trump Jr said he had spent nearly a decade "cultivating relationships in India" and that the firm was "now seeing the response of that effort".

He said his itinerary was designed to steer clear of politics.

However, he is listed as a keynote speaker at a global business conference, which will be attended by Indian politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some of India's business elite.

President Trump handed over control of his business empire to Donald Trump Junior and Eric Trump before his inauguration last year.

But the director of the US Office of Government Ethics said at the time that this did not go far enough to ensure there would be no conflict of interest between his politics and personal business.

Since taking office, critics have claimed the US president is continuing to profit from his family's business interests.

They have also accused the Trump family of playing up its connections with the White House in order to influence business deals.

In May last year, the company owned by the family of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, pulled out of a real estate presentation in China.

Kushner Companies had been scheduled to pitch opportunities

Kalu speaks on Tinubu’s role to reconcile aggrieved APC members

Orji Kalu, former Governor of Abia State, has urged Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to accelerate the mandate of reconciling aggrieved members of the party.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, on Sunday, the APC chieftain expressed confidence that the former Lagos State governor would settle the rift within the party.

The former governor also hinted on the possibility of President Muhammadu Buhari seeking re-election in 2019.

According to Kalu, “We need to thank Mr President in his wisdom in giving the mandate to the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the opportunity to reconcile members of the party . I am very excited that such a thing is happening.

“I am confident it will be a good beginning for me brother and friend, Tinubu to execute the reconciliation task very well. I am confident Tinubu will be blunt to settle feuding members of the APC.”

Describing Buhari as ‘an honest man,’ Kalu said the president would tell Nigerians at the right time whether he would seek re-election or not.

”Buhari is an honest man. If he is interested in running, he will tell Nigerians that he will run. You know Buhari is also a man of conscience , if he feels his health will not allow him to seek re- election he will not go ahead. But, if he feels he capable of running he will seek re- election. We pray that his health gets better and that his doctors give him a clean bill of health,” he added.

Gambia suspends death penalty en route to abolition

Gambian President Adama Barrow on Sunday announced a moratorium on the death penalty as the West African country rebuilds its international standing following the removal last year of its longtime authoritarian ruler Yahya Jammeh.

Capital punishment is on the decline across Africa, where governments executed 22 people in 2016 compared to 43 the previous year, according to Amnesty International.

“I will use this opportunity to declare a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in The Gambia, as a first step towards abolition,” Barrow said in a speech to mark the 53rd anniversary of the country’s independence from Great Britain.

Jammeh, who fled Gambia a year ago after losing his latest re-election bid, drew international criticism in 2012 when his government abruptly executed nine prisoners by firing squad.

Since taking office a year ago, Barrow has tried to repair damage done to Gambia’s reputation by Jammeh’s 23-year rule, which was marked by human rights abuses and spats with foreign governments.

Earlier this month, Gambia rejoined the Commonwealth, which Jammeh withdrew from in 2013, calling it a “neo-colonial institution”.

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N400m fraud: Presidency speaks on Olisa Metuh’s appearance in court on stretcher

The Presidency has mocked Olisa Metuh, former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for arriving an Abuja Federal High Court on a stretcher.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, described Metuh’s appearance in court as a scene from Nollywood movies.

The presidential aide also mocked the former ruling party for claiming it is strong, hale and hearty during its convention.

Onochie made the remarks while sharing photographs of Metuh’s arrival in court in an ambulance and been carried to the court room on a stretcher.

In a tweet via her social media, Onochie wrote: “NOLLYWOOD drama Starring Olisa Metuh. Act 2 scene 1.

“PDP CONVENTION: Strong, hale & hearty and even throwing punches!

“FRAUD TRIAL IN COURT: Weak, tired & bandaged to the neck on a stretcher & ambulance to complement the nollywood drama.”

Metuh, who is facing charges for allegedly collecting the sum of N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, in 2015 appeared before the Justice Okon Abang-led Court on Monday on a stretcher

Frasier star John Mahoney dies aged 77

The British-born actor John Mahoney, who played Martin Crane in the US sitcom Frasier, has died aged 77.

He died on Sunday while in hospice care in Chicago.

Mahoney enjoyed a distinguished career in theatre, winning a Tony award, and had a long list of film and TV credits.

But he will be best remembered for playing the unpretentious, blunt father of Frasier and Niles Crane in the hit comedy, which ran for 11 seasons from 1993-2004.

Mahoney won a SAG award in 2000 for the role, and was also nominated for two Emmys and two Golden Globes.

Much of the comic spark in Frasier came from the relationship between the down-to-earth retired police officer Martin Crane and his pompous sons Frasier and Niles, played by Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce.

Evacuee childhood

Mahoney was born in Blackpool, where his pregnant mother had been evacuated to escape Nazi bombing raids.

He moved to the US as a young man, serving in the US army for three years, which he credits with eradicating his native British accent.

It was only in 40s that he became a professional actor, after actors John Malkovich and Gary Sinise invited him to join the new Steppenwolf Theatre Company.




He was a member of Steppenwolf for 39 years - and became a well-known part of the Chicago theatre scene.

The company announced on social media that Mahoney had passed away "due to complications from cancer".

"John was a beloved member of our Steppenwolf family who was known for his extraordinary kindness, generosity of spirit and quick smile," it said in a statement.

In a 2004 interview with the Chicago Tribune, he said he preferred his theatre work to the high-profile national television scene, saying: "I don't care if I never go in front of a camera again."

He also lent his voice to a number of animated projects, including Atlantis: The Lost Empire, The Iron Giant, and Antz.

'Remember him well'

Tributes to the actor have been pouring in. Actor Gary Sinise, who co-founded Steppenwolf, said: he remembered "so many wonderful plays together over the years. A wonderful actor, I'll never forget his 1985 performance in Orphans."

Jeff Greenberg, the casting director for Frasier, called him a "brilliant actor".






Director Greg Berlanti tweeted that Mahoney had been "so kind and supportive of me early in my career", helping to get the film The Broken Hearts Club made.

"He never wavered in his belief in me - a first time director," Berlanti wrote. "And he was even more kind than he was brilliant."
Peri Gilpin, who played Roz Doyle in Frasier, tweeted a photo of Mahoney singing at her wedding.

You are selfish – Kogi PDP slams Gov. Bello over planned sale of state assets

The Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi State has rejected proposed plans by Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration to sell some of the state asset.

The opposition party while admonishing the governor to immediately perish the thought, considered the plot to be selfish, devilish and myopic.

A statement released on Monday by the party’s state publicity secretary, Mr Bode Ogunmola, he said “it is shameful and the peak of rascality that a government which is saddled with its inability to pay workers salaries let alone executing people oriented projects more than half way into its tenure, will now scheme to mortgage out collective future.

“During a budget defence appearance at the State House of Assembly, Asiwaju Idris Commissioner for Finance in the clueless Governor Yahaya Bello maladministration hinted at plans of selling off some properties of the Kogi people as a way of financing the 2018 budget.

“List among victims of the proposed ill policy are Kogi Liaison Offices in Lagos, and Kaduna, Kogi Hotels, Confluence Beach Hotel, Confluence Beach Hotel, Confluence Millennium Park, the 12 storey Kogi House in Abuja and the Confluence Stadium Lokoja.”

Ogunmola noted that the party was not unaware of the grand plan of the state government to sell the legacy projects to its officials as a decoy of his possessing the state.

He called on the government to beat a retreat and listen to saner counsel adding that, rather than frittering the state heritage in loose living, the government should champion their protection.

China accuses US of 'Cold War mentality'

China has accused the United States of having a "Cold War mentality" after the latter announced its plans to diversify its nuclear arsenal by developing smaller bombs.

On Sunday, the Chinese foreign ministry said that the US should focus instead on promoting regional stability, and condemned a US government report that listed Beijing as a potential nuclear enemy.

"The country that owns the world's largest nuclear arsenal should take the initiative to follow the trend instead of going against it," the ministry said.

The US has 7,000 warheads compared with China's 300.

The US report, titled the National Posture Review (NPR), was released on Friday and claims that developing smaller nuclear weapons would bolster its deterrent.

It also included Russia, North Korea and Iran as potential threats.

Both Iran and Russia have also criticised the report, with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, saying that it is bringing the world "closer to annihilation".

Ren Guoqiang, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, said that "the Chinese side expresses firm opposition" to the report.

"We hope that the US will abandon a Cold War mentality and earnestly shoulder its special and prior responsibility for its own nuclear disarmament," Ren said.

'US fighting everybody'

Einar Tangen, a China political affairs analyst, told Al Jazeera that while the US is battling many fronts, it is unclear how long they can maintain this.

"The problem is that the US is fighting everybody at the same time, both in terms of trade, NAFTA, and strategy and nuclear ambitions," he said.

Tangen also pointed out that nuclear deterrents can "blow up the world many hundred times over with the existing stockpile".

The idea that you can have a battlefield nuclear weapon is very attractive to generals who want to win battles, but they are not going to win a war," he added.

"So the danger here is that somebody thinks that they can start a limited nuclear war against an objective, for instance, Iran and that somehow this will not go into a fully diverged nuclear catastrophe."

Benue killings: IG deploys 15 police units, special forces, intelligence teams

The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed 15 additional police units, special forces, technical and intelligence teams to contain further attacks in Benue.

Fatai Owoseni, the Commissioner of Police in the state, disclosed this on Monday in Makurdi while addressing newsmen.

”The inspector-general is seriously committed to bringing to an end the killings in the state and the country.

“It is that commitment that informed the reinforcement of our command continuously on daily basis to nip in the bud the act of criminality and killings in the state.

“The inspector-general has continued to support us, as of today 15 units squadrons from 15 states have been deployed to support the existing officers on ground.

“We also received the deployment of Police Special Forces, Intelligence and Technical teams in the state,” Owoseni said.

He stressed that relative peace had been restored in Yogbo village and that the command had deployed forces in Kwande, Agatu, Gboko, Makurdi, Buruku, Katsina-Ala, Gwer West and Vandeikya local government areas for proactive measures”.

The CP further confirmed that the command had rescued a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) who got missing during the February attack in Yogbo community in Guma Local Government Area in the battle between police and suspected herdsmen.

He said that the rescued “officer was unhurt, his weapon was safe, he was in high spirit and has rejoined his colleagues in the ongoing operations in Guma”.

The commissioner said that security operatives were able to flush out the mercenaries from the community and hoped to sustain the success recorded.

Apple sells fewer phones but profits rise

Apple sold slightly fewer iPhones in the final months of 2017 than it did the year before, but higher prices compensated for the dip.

The firm reported a record $20bn (£14bn) in quarterly profits, driven by strong growth in Japan and Europe.

The results, released on Thursday, were the first to provide a glimpse of sales of the firm's expensive iPhone X.

Apple boss Tim Cook said sales of the product, which starts at about $1,000, had surpassed the firm's expectations.

Apple released the 10th anniversary phone in November. It has been the top-selling phone every week since, Mr Cook said.

Investors had been worried that demand for the firm's products may be dimming, concerns that appeared to be bolstered by a weaker-than-expected sales forecast for coming months.

The number of iPhones sold in the period also slipped 1% year-on-year to 77.3 million, but Apple executives said it was important to remember that the quarter was one week shorter than in 2016.

Quarterly revenue climbed 13% year-on-year to a record $88.3bn.

"I have long believed that a 90-day clock on unit sales is a very surface way to view Apple," Mr Cook said on a call with financial analysts.

'Extremely engaged'

Mr Cook said he was watching figures such as the 1.3 billion active Apple devices around the world, which provide a strong customer base for the firm's growing services businesses, which include Apple Pay and other revenue streams.

And analyst Carolina Milanesi, of California-based Creative Strategies, tweeted that "1.3 billion users most of whom are extremely engaged with their devices is why the services numbers will be more and more interesting going forward".

Apple has been under a cloud after the firm revealed that it deliberately slowed batteries in older phones, prompting investigations in several countries.

It has since apologised, offering customers cheaper batteries and other modifications, but analysts have said that could reduce replacement purchases, potentially affecting the firm's bottom line.

After an initial fall, Apple shares climbed more than 3% in after-hours trade.

Analysis: Dave Lee, BBC North America technology reporter, San Francisco

Last year Apple launched three new iPhones, but one was not like the others.

The iPhone X was the main event, the talk of the town. In contrast, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus felt obsolete before Tim Cook had even finished his presentation. Investors were worried that the presence of the iPhone X would put off people buying the cheaper iPhones. And, given the X started at $999, those people may decide not to buy an iPhone at all.

And that appears to be basically what happened. Apple sold marginally fewer iPhones compared with this time last year (though the company blamed that on a shorter accounting period compared with the same time in 2016).

With the average selling price going up by around $100, to $796, it means Apple may be selling fewer iPhones, but it is making more from each one.

Apple investors will be seeing it like this: selling fewer iPhones but dramatically upping the price is certainly one way to solve that ever-present supply chain headache.

So, a timid quarter by Apple's unparalleled standards. But by no means a problem.