Author: Chronicle Editor

The co-founder and chairman of the giant Chinese conglomerate HNA Group has died in a fall in southern France, his company has confirmed. Wang Jian, 57, “accidentally fell” in Provence, while on a business trip to France, a company statement said. Police said he fell off a wall in the village of Bonnieux on Tuesday as he was having his picture taken. Mr Wang helped turn HNA into one of the world’s biggest companies, with assets in aviation, tourism and finance. It has major stakes in Deutsche Bank, hotel chain Hilton and skyscrapers in London and employs more than 400,000…

FIFA has picked Emmanuel Amuneke and Didier Drogba as members of panel to shortlist candidates for Men’s Footballers and Coaches of the year for the 2017/18 season. Another panel will do the shortlist for Women’s players and Coaches for the season. The Best FIFA Football Awards is the premier annual awards celebration held by football’s world governing body. The men’s panel also include legends Ronaldo, Fabio Capello and Frank Lampard, while stars Mia Hamm, Sun Wen and Maia Jackman form part of the women’s panel. The judges will shortlist ten candidates for each category, which will be unveiled on 23…

A 92-year-old US woman shot and killed her son, 72, in order to avoid being sent into a care home, police say. Anna Mae Blessing, who is charged with murder, contemplated her son’s intentions to put her into care for days, according to court documents. “You took my life, so I’m taking yours,” she reportedly said as she was escorted out of the Arizona home she shared with her son and his girlfriend. Mrs Blessing told police she had intended to kill herself, too. The incident happened in the morning of 2 July in the town of Fountain Hills, Maricopa…

French President, Emmanuel Macron, has described the Afrika Shrine as a place of strength, music and culture during his visit to the iconic to Nigeria. Macron, 40, also urged Nigerian youths to get involved with politics to change the narrative of the nation. Macron, while describing politics as important, said only Nigerians could change their image before the comity of nations. The French President, who was accompanied by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, gave the challenge during a visit to the Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, on Tuesday night at an event tagged “Celebrate African Culture.” Very touched, congratulations to…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is set to hit the Capital market to fund its new projects which include the NNPC/NAOC JV Idu-Re-development, South Gas Project, North Gas Project and Central Gas Project. Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, made this disclosure at the ongoing Nigeria Oil and Gas Strategic Conference and Exhibition (2018 NOG) in Abuja. With the theme: “Driving Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry Towards Sustained Economic Development and Growth”, Dr. Baru explained that funds from the Capital market would also be used to develop the NNPC/TEPNG JV’s Ikike Project, NNPC/SPDC JV Southern Swamp…

Nigeria and France on Tuesday in Abuja signed three agreements worth US$475 million on social amenities and reforestation. The agreements cover Urban Mobility Improvement Programme of Lagos State, sustainable water supply in Kano city and reforestation in Ogun. President Muhammadu Buhari and the visiting French President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing of the agreements during their bilateral talks held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Lagos agreement involved a letter of intent for the financing of urban mobility improvement project through a loan of 200 million dollars. The urban mobility project will involve development of eight priority bus corridors connected…

Google has confirmed that private emails sent and received by Gmail users can sometimes be read by third-party app developers, not just machines. People who have connected third-party apps to their accounts may have unwittingly given human staff permission to read their messages. Report claims that about 1.3 billion Gmail users unknowingly let third-party apps read their e-mails. One company told the Wall Street Journal that the practice was “common” and a “dirty secret”. Google indicated that the practice was not against its policies. One security expert said it was “surprising” that Google allowed it. Gmail is the world’s most…

President Emmanuel Macron of France arrived at Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s iconic Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday evening. He arrived the night club in a casual white shirt, with sleeves rolled and was seen at the balcony, acknowledging cheers from a large crowd of Nollywood actors, actresses and entertainers. French President @EmmanuelMacron arriving at the Afrika Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria’s business capital pic.twitter.com/kdbAbrRwbC— CNBC Africa (@cnbcafrica) July 3, 2018 Macron after his discussions with Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, headed to Lagos. He arrived at the Presidential Lounge of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) exactly 9:05 p.m.…

A limited liability company, Gitto Costruzioni Generali Nigeria has slammed N2,664,202,540.90 (2.6 billion) suit on Diamond bank Plc for allegedly mismanaging its account domicile with the bank by making illicit profits and deductions. In a statement of claim filed before a Federal high court in Lagos by barrister Dr B. A. M.Ajibade SAN, the company alleged that, its banking relationship with Diamond bank Plc started sometimes in 2004. Gitto said it opened its main account to execute several construction projects and in its banking relationship with the bank, it was granted numerous banking facilities, in form of, overdraft, loan and…

England’s ended the World Cup penalty jinx by knocking out Colombia on spot kicks to reach the quarter-finals. Eric Dier scored the winning kick after Jordan Pickford’s brilliant save from Carlos Bacca’s attempt, with England’s first ever World Cup shootout win setting up a meeting with Sweden in Samara on Saturday. Gareth Southgate’s side had been seconds away from the last eight during normal time, with Harry Kane’s penalty after he was fouled by Carlos Sanchez in the box – his sixth goal of the tournament – looking as though it was going to send them through. But deep into…