Author: Chronicle Editor

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote later Thursday on a Senegalese draft resolution that would back efforts by West African regional bloc ECOWAS to ensure Gambian President Yahya Jammeh hands over power to his successor, diplomats said. Senegal has deployed hundreds of soldiers to its shared border with Gambia, and Nigeria has pre-positioned war planes and helicopters after ECOWAS said it would remove Jammeh if he did not hand over power to challenger Adama Barrow, who won an election in early December. The draft United Nations resolution would express the Security Council’s “full support to ECOWAS in…

Ahead of his swearing-in as the 45th President of U.S. on Friday, a new endangered species of moth has been named in honour of President-elect, Donald Trump by scientists because the insect shares his hairstyle. The new moth, officially described as “Neopalpa donaldtrumpi”, stands out with yellowish-white scales present on the head in adults, according to the research published in the journal ZooKeys. It was in these scales that evolutionary biologist Vazrick Nazari from Ottawa, Canada found an amusing reference to Trump’s hairstyle and turned it into an additional justification for its name. “With its hair tufts, its presence in…

Manchester City have been cleared to play 19-year-old Brazilian winger Gabriel Jesus against Tottenham on Saturday after formally completing his £27m move from Palmeiras. Brazil international Jesus agreed a five-year deal with City in August. He stayed with Palmeiras until the end of the Brazilian season in December. “He has the potential to become one of the best attacking players in the game,” said City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain. Jesus arrived at City at the start of the month but registration to play for his new club was reportedly delayed while the Football Association examined documents relating to his…

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker, who is yet to play this season because of injury, has signed a one-year contract extension. The 32-year-old, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, is recovering from a knee injury he suffered in pre-season. “He has an option that we have taken,” said Wenger on Thursday. “He is back in training, but not with the squad. I think he is a few weeks away.” Mertesacker’s contract was due to expire in the summer. He joined Arsenal from Werder Bremen in August 2011 and has won two FA Cups with the Gunners. Meanwhile, Wenger does…

Adama Barrow, the man expected to be sworn in today as Gambia’s new president, has declared Alhaji Yahya Jammeh’s era over. “My dearest Gambians — the presidency of Yahya Jammeh is officially over. The new era of Gambia is here at last. #NewGambia“, Barrow wrote on his Twitter handle this morning. Barrow, going by the vows of West African leaders, is expected to be sworn in today. Where it will be done, is yet unclear as Jammeh ignored military threats and stay put in Banjul, refusing to step down. The country’s national stadium was initially the choice venue for the…

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to proceed on a 10 day vacation beginning from Monday January 23 to Monday February 6, 2017. In a letter read by the President of the Senate Dr. Bukola Saraki during plenary on Thursday, Buhari said the vacation would be a working leave. The letter read that the 10 day period formed part of his annual vacation for 2017. According to the letter, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is to act as President during the period which he would be away. Buhari was last in London in June 2016 for treatment to what the presidency described…

The Gambia’s President-elect Adama Barrow has tweeted that he is to be sworn in as president in The Gambian embassy in the Senegalese capital Dakar at 16:00 local time (16:00 GMT). Earlier reports had suggested he would be inaugurated at a location in The Gambia. It follows the failure of last-ditch negotiations to persuade defeated President Yahya Jammeh to step down. A deadline has now passed without Mr Jammeh leaving power. A BBC correspondent in the capital, Banjul, says it is eerily quiet and everything has come to a standstill; people are staying indoors: West African military forces are poised…

Defending champion Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat by world number 117 Denis Istomin in the second round of the Australian Open. The six-time winner struggled for rhythm and lost 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in four hours and 48 minutes. It is the first time Djokovic, 29, has lost in the second round of a Grand Slam since 2008 at Wimbledon. The result leaves world number one Andy Murray as favourite to win his first Australian Open title in Melbourne. Britain’s Murray, who has already reached round three, has lost five finals in the last seven years,…

Manchester United are planning to make a £70m bid for Monaco’s 22-year-old midfielder Bernardo Silva this summer. (Sun) The Sun back pageMarseille are preparing a third bid for West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet, 29, after having a £20m offer rejected. (Sky Sports) Payet, who has been forced to train with West Ham’s youth team, is willing to take a pay cut to rejoin the French side. (Daily Mirror) West Ham winger Michail Antonio, 26, is set to sign a five-and-a-half-year contract worth £70,000 a week. (Guardian) Arsenal are yet to open contract talks with midfielder Jack Wilshere, 25, winger Alex…

Lucas Leiva scored his first goal in seven years to send Liverpool into the fourth round of the FA Cup at the expense of League Two Plymouth. Jurgen Klopp’s side had to make the 293-mile trip to Home Park after they were held to a frustrating goalless draw in the initial meeting between the two at Anfield. However, Lucas ensured the long journey was not a wasted one when he headed home Philippe Coutinho’s corner early in the first half. The win should have been more comfortable for the Reds but Divock Origi’s poor penalty was comfortably saved by home…