Author: Chronicle Editor

N’Golo Kanté’s and Eden Hazard’s efforts in Chelsea’s Premier League title tilt have been recognised with nominations for the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award. Kanté, shortlisted last year for his part in Leicester’s remarkable season but did not make the top three, is the bookmakers’ favourite, with the winners to be announced in London on Sunday 23 April. Hazard picked up this award two years ago, when Chelsea won the league at a canter under José Mourinho. Alexis Sánchez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane also feature on the shortlist. Lukaku, the Everton forward who is…

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested suspending key subsidy payments made to health insurers offering insurance to low-income Americans in a bid to frustrate the Obamacare and bring Democrats to the negotiating table. Since the failure of the GOP health care bill in the House nearly three weeks ago, the White House and Republicans have been trying to revive Obamacare repeal in new talks. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, Trump suggested the Obamacare would explode soon. “Obamacare is dead next month if it doesn’t get that money,” Trump said. “I haven’t made my viewpoint clear yet.…

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) said Mirinda and Lucozade soft drinks are unsafe for Nigerian consumers. The council said both beverages contained benzoic acid level above the limit approved by the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS). The Council said in a statement obtained by Daily Trust yesterday in Abuja that while the NIS limit for benzoic acid is 250mg/Kg, when combined with Vitamin C and 300mg/Kg without Vitamin C, test revealed that Mirinda, a product of 7UP Bottling Company, contained benzoic acid ranging between 0.56mg/L to 330.9mg/L. It said Lucozade, formerly produced by Glaxo SmithKline, contained the acid between 2.26mg/L to…

A bloody clash between the army and police in Nigeria’s restive northeastern Yobe state left one soldier and three police dead, a security source told AFP. The police confirmed the fracas in the state capital of Damaturu, but did not say if there were casualties. “The Nigeria police force is abreast of the unfortunate incident that occurred in the early hours of today 12th April, 2017 in Damaturu between the personnel of the force and that of the Nigerian army,” police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said in a statement. He said an investigation had been launched to determine “the causes of…

Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has joined United Soccer League side Phoenix Rising as a player and co-owner. Drogba, 39, has not played since leaving Major League Soccer club Montreal Impact in November. He will start out as a player but has also joined Phoenix’s “MLS expansion franchise ownership group”. “To own a team and be a player at the same time is unusual but it’s going to be very exciting,” Drogba said. “It’s a good transition because I want to carry on playing but I’m almost 40 and it’s important for me to prepare for my…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday uncovered yet another stash of foreign currencies and Naira notes in Lagos. At the end of counting, the sums stood at 43.4 million dollars, £27,800 and N23.2 million, the commission said in a statement on its Facebook page. This time, the monies were found in a four-bedroom apartment on the 7th floor of a residential building at Osborne Towers located at 16, Osborne Road, Ikoyi. The facility is said to be owned by Osborne Towers Resident Association. The commission said the discovery followed an operation triggered by a whistleblower’s alert received…

German police have detained a suspect with “Islamist links” following a bomb attack on the bus of the Borussia Dortmund football team. Prosecutors also said the three explosive devices contained metal pieces. Two letters claiming the attack on Tuesday evening were being investigated, they said. Prosecutors are treating the blasts as a terrorist attack but say the precise motive is unclear at present. Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said the attack was “an appalling crime” and praised the fans of both Dortmund and their Champions League opponents, Monaco, for coming together. Fans later filled Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund for…

A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Wednesday dismissed a contempt application filed by some displaced residents of Lagos waterfront settlements against principal officials of the State Government over alleged disobedience of court order on the demolition of shanties and illegal structures. Some residents Otodo Gbame area of Ilado in Lekki numbering about 33, had filed the contempt application against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem; Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Wasiu Anifowoshe; and the State’s Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni for allegedly flouting a ruling which ordered parties…

Borussia Dortmund felt “completely ignored” over the rescheduling of their Champions League game against Monaco, says manager Thomas Tuchel. Dortmund lost 3-2 in the first leg of the quarter-final on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after an attack on their bus caused the match to be postponed. “We were told by text message that Uefa was making this decision,” said Tuchel. “A decision made in Switzerland that concerns us directly. We will not forget it, it is a very bad feeling.” Following Tuchel’s comments, Uefa released a statement saying the decision to play the match at 17:45 BST on Wednesday…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday said that his administration took decisive steps, deployed workable strategies and judiciously utilised resources to cushion the effects of the economic recession witnessed across the nation in 2016. Governor Ambode, who spoke at Lagos House in Ikeja when he received the management team of Unilever Nigeria plc led by its Managing Director Nsakor, explained that the State Government reflated the economy by embarking on more capital projects and also created a conducive environment for small and medium scale businesses to thrive during the period of recession. The Governor said: “We are aware…