Author: Chronicle Editor

Leaked documents released by the South African media on Thursday alleging improper dealings in government contracts will open President Jacob Zuma up to renewed scrutiny. The media also feared that the documents could deepen divides in the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Zuma has survived calls to resign from within the usually united ANC in recent weeks due to disputes over political appointments and his friendship with the Indian-born Gupta family, wealthy businessmen whose companies have contracts with state-owned firms. Investigative journalists at AmaBhungane, a non-profit group that has a strong track record of exposing what it says are government…

The Nigerian senate has confirmed 15 of the 27 resident electoral commissioners (RECs) of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) sent by President Muhammadu Buhari in March. This followed the adoption of the report submitted by Senator Suleiman M. Nazif, who chairs the Committee of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Nazif said that the remaining 12 nominees were still undergoing screening though all the 27 have been cleared by the security agencies. 1. Report of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (@inecnigeria) by Sen. Suleiman M. Nazif pic.twitter.com/3exl1BgdzF— The Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) June 1, 2017 President Buhari had sent the…

Manchester City have agreed a deal with Benfica for the £35m signing of goalkeeper Ederson Moraes, according to the Portuguese champions. The 23-year-old broke into the Benfica team last March and has made 37 appearances for the club. “Benfica has reached agreement with Manchester City for the amount of 40m euros,” the club told the Portuguese stock exchange. They also confirmed 50% of the fee will be paid to “third parties”. City sources say the transfer cannot be concluded until the third-party element is resolved to the Premier League’s satisfaction. After Sunday’s 2-1 Portuguese Cup final win over Vitoria Guimaraes,…

Atletico Madrid will not be able to sign new players this summer as their transfer ban has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Spanish side were banned in July 2016 from registering players for two transfer windows for breaching FIFA rules over the signing of minors. “This ruling is unfair and causes an irreparable damage to our club,” said Atletico in a statement. In December, Real Madrid had their ban for the same offence halved on appeal. Atletico added that the decision amounts to “comparative disadvantage and discriminatory treatment” of the club, given rivals Real will…

NBA superstar LeBron James took aim at racism in America on Wednesday after police said a racial slur was painted on a gate of the home he owns in Los Angeles. The incident came on the eve of Game One of the NBA Finals, which pits James’s reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors. “No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America — it’s tough,” James told reporters in Oakland, California, where Game One will take place. “It just goes to show…

Bolanle Ambode, wife of the governor of Lagos State has urged women to embrace skill acquisition by applying to any of the skill acquisition centres provided by the State government for their economic and personal empowerment. She made the remarks at the commissioning of Funmilayo Mobolaji Johnson Skill Acquisition Centre, in Ajah, a suburb of Lagos, donated by two firms, Huawei Technologies Limited and Fortis Project Services. She noted that the Akinwunmi Ambode administration was committed to ensuring that residents are gainfully employed, stressing that, this can be achieved through direct employment or skill acquisition. She explained that it is…

A woman who may have been trying to reach Canada on foot from the United States probably froze to death in a remote part of northwestern Minnesota, authorities said. The body of 57-year-old Mavis Otuteye, who authorities believe was a citizen of Ghana in western Africa, was found Friday in a field a half-mile from the Canadian border near the tiny town of Noyes, according to the Kittson County Sheriff’s Office. Otuteye was reported missing a day earlier and was likely headed to Canada on foot to try to reunite with her daughter, Chief Deputy Matt Vig told WDAZ-TV (http://bit.ly/2smrUJb…

As the world marks this year’s World No Tobacco Day, Nigeria’s Health Minister, Isaac Adewole, has announced nine regulations in the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act that would be implemented by the federal government. The National Tobacco Control Act was signed into law in 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The theme for this year’s event, ‘Tobacco: A Threat to Development,’ aims at highlighting the link between tobacco use and development as well as show that tobacco control can break the cycle of poverty, contribute to ending hunger, promote sustainable agriculture and economic growth, and combat climate change. Ahead of this…

Chelsea will begin the 2017/18 Premier League season as champions, but where should they strengthen this summer? Antonio Conte’s side romped home to the league title in the most recent campaign, finishing seven points above Tottenham and claiming a Premier League record of 30 wins in the process. But the Chelsea boss will know that his squad needs strengthening as they prepare for their title defence and the return of Champions League football. The 2017 summer transfer window is set to open on Friday June 9 for English clubs, but big-money deals have already been agreed with managers keen to…

More than 40 West African migrants died in the Sahara desert this week after their truck broke down in arid northern Niger, the Red Cross told Reuters on Wednesday. Six survivors walked to a remote village where they said that 44 people, mostly from Ghana and Nigeria and including three babies and two other children, died of thirst, said Lawal Taher, the department head for the Red Cross in the Bilma region. Reuters and the authorities in Niger were unable to immediately confirm their account, but Taher said the Red Cross had told officials and that a search for the…