Author: Chronicle Editor

Oil prices surged past $100 (£74) a barrel to hit their highest level for more than seven years after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. Global shares fell on worries of the possible impact of the conflict, but US tech stocks rebounded in late trading. Russia is the second biggest exporter of crude oil, and is also the world’s largest natural gas exporter. Brent crude eased from $105 to $98 a barrel, but not before UK petrol prices had hit another record high. The UK imports 6% of its crude oil and 5% of its gas from Russia, but there…

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State on Thursday said the people of the Northeast state will remain with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Zulum stated this on Thursday when Osinbajo visited the state to commission a number of projects including a Senior Secondary School. Zulum commended Osinbajo’s tenacity to uplifting Borno State children especially with the Children Learning Centre. It would be recalled that five years ago, Prof Osinbajo founded the North East Children Trust. The aim is to create an ecosystem for homeless children orphaned by the conflict in North-East Nigeria that will echo the lives of a normal child.…

A court in Pakistan has sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death for raping and murdering Noor Muqaddam, the daughter of a former diplomat who refused his offer of marriage. Muqaddam, 27, was beaten, raped and beheaded by Jaffer, the son of one of Pakistan’s richest families. The brutal killing took place at his home on 20 July last year. CCTV footage showed her trying in vain to escape. The murder caused nationwide revulsion and prompted demands for more to be done to ensure women’s safety. Noor Muqaddam’s murder by a man she knew in the same group of high society friends…

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored again as Barcelona put in an impressive performance to beat Napoli and reach the Europa League last 16. They led by two goals when Jordi Alba finished off a counter-attack from Adama Traore’s ball and Frenkie de Jong curled in a stunning shot. Lorenzo Insigne gave Napoli hope with a penalty to make it 3-2 on aggregate. But Gerard Pique scored and Aubameyang fired into the top corner from Traore’s pass, with Matteo Politano netting a late consolation. Barcelona will discover their last-16 opponents – one of the Europa League group winners – in Friday’s draw. Aubameyang…

Russian military forces have seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials say. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said the “totally pointless attack” on Thursday amounted to “one of the most serious threats in Europe today”. An explosion at Chernobyl in 1986 led to the worst nuclear disaster in human history, both in cost and casualty. Ukraine’s president warned such a disaster could happen again if Russia continued its invasion. “Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated,” President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote earlier on Twitter. “This is a declaration of war…

An own goal from Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa helped Arsenal complete a dramatic late turnaround in their pursuit of a top-four Premier League place. For long periods Hwang Hee-chan’s early effort had looked like being decisive for the visitors. However, Arsenal substitute Nicolas Pepe levelled from Eddie Nketiah’s pass towards the end of a dominant second period in which the hosts had continually pressed for an equaliser. And as the clock ran down Alexandre Lacazette’s effort was inadvertently touched into his own goal by Sa to spark wild celebrations inside the Emirates stadium. The result sees Mikel Arteta’s side move…

Putin launches ‘special military operation’ UN says 100,000 have fled their homes U.S., EU, Britain and others impose sweeping sanctions Russian police arrest 1,600 at anti-war protests Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow unleashed the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in a pre-dawn televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard through the day in Ukraine’s capital and elsewhere in the country, with at least 70 people reported killed. The assault brought a…

The Olubadan-designate, Senator Lekan Balogun has not and will not endorse any aspirant or political party in the forthcoming elections. The claims of an endorsement of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu came after the former Lagos governor visited the Olubadan-designate in Ibadan, Oyo state. Speaking after the recent visit of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant some reports claimed that the Olubadan-designate endorsed Asiwaju Tinubu but the Olori, Ambassador Joyce Anene Balogun says these claim are not true. “I like our people to know that there was no such thing,” she said of the endorsement, adding that the visit of Tinubu, “was…

Manchester United are confident of landing their transfer targets this summer even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, with West Ham’s England midfielder Declan Rice, 23, and Tottenham’s 28-year-old England striker Harry Kane on their shortlist. (ESPN) Chelsea and Paris St-Germain are leading the race to sign France striker Ousmane Dembele, 24, on a free transfer when his Barcelona contract expires this summer. (90Min) Arsenal face competition from Barcelona for Real Sociedad and Sweden striker Alexander Isak, 22, who is one of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta’s top targets this summer. (Daily Express) Barcelona have offered Spain defender…

President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State as the national chairman of All Progressives Congress, (APC), some sources claim. The sources, including governors and former governors, claimed the president endorsed Adamu, who chaired the reconciliation committee of the party, during his meeting with APC governors at the State House on Tuesday. With this arrangement, Sen. Adamu will take over from Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State who has been chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) for 21 months. Buni and other members of the caretaker committee of the party had come under unrelenting…