Author: Chronicle Editor

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has won Sweden’s Olof Palme human rights prize for 2020. Organisers said the movement was honoured for promoting “peaceful civil disobedience against police brutality and racial violence” across the globe. They noted that about 20 million people had taken part in Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in the US alone, along with millions more around the world. An online prize-giving ceremony is due to take place in Stockholm on Saturday. The $100,000 (£73,000) annual prize commemorates Olof Palme, the Swedish prime minister and prominent human rights advocate who was assassinated in Stockholm in…

A Dutch appeals court has ruled that the Nigerian branch of oil giant Shell is responsible for damage caused by leaks in the Niger Delta. The court ordered Shell Nigeria to pay compensation to Nigerian farmers, while the subsidiary and its Anglo-Dutch parent company were told to install equipment to prevent future damage. A group of farmers launched the case in 2008, alleging widespread pollution. Shell says the leaks were the result of “sabotage”. In a statement on Friday, Royal Dutch Shell said it was “disappointed” with the verdict. The ruling can be appealed against. The judgment could have implications…

Organizers of the world-famous Coachella music festival, due to be held in April, have been forced to cancel the event because of coronavirus concerns, the second year in a row it has been shut down. Cameron Kaiser, a public health officer for California’s Riverside County, where the massive gathering is held, said Friday the order to cancel was based on concerns of “resurgence of Covid-19 both within the county of Riverside and worldwide.” He said the Coachella and Stagecoach music and arts festivals, both scheduled to take place in April, attract “hundreds of thousands of attendees from many countries, including…

Callum Wilson scored twice as Newcastle relieved the pressure on manager Steve Bruce with a much-needed win at Everton. Bruce has endured intense criticism from Newcastle’s fan base as his team lost their past five Premier League games to slip towards the relegation zone. But after switching to a 4-4-2 diamond formation they secured their first win in 12 games, with Callum Wilson’s superb double helping to beat a passive Everton. Wilson, who had drawn a classy save from Jordan Pickford in the first half and shot wide after the break, ended a seven-game goal drought by heading in Jonjo…

The United Arab Emirates has adopted amendments that would allow the Gulf state to grant citizenship to investors and other professionals including scientists, doctors and their families, the government said on Saturday. “The UAE cabinet, local Emiri courts and executive councils will nominate those eligible for the citizenship under clear criteria set for each category,” Dubai’s ruler and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a twitter post. https://twitter.com/HHShkMohd/status/1355426283505770498?s=20 “The law allows receivers of the UAE passport to keep their existing citizenship,” Sheikh Mohammed added. It was unclear if new passport holders would benefit from the…

A Nigerian woman, has vented her anger online saying she wished men never existed. The cause of her frustration was not quite known as at the time of filing this report. The woman had tweeted via her twitter handle Uloma @Ulxma: “Imagine a world without men. The way I’ll be free and safe from all this bullshit. The world will never be a safe space for women until these predators cease to exist.” https://twitter.com/ulxma/status/1355055363792531458?s=20 However, some Nigerian men have ‘retaliated’ by replying that her wishes can never come true, stating that they are alive and well and that will continue…

A one-off tax on Argentina’s richest people comes into effect to help pay for medical supplies and relief for businesses struggling due to Covid-19. Those with assets of more than 200 million pesos ($2.3m; £1.67m) will have to pay about 3% on assets declared within the country and over 5% on assets held abroad. It will apply to around 12,000 people. The government hopes to raise around $3bn. The money will also help fund scholarships and social aid. Senators passed the one-off levy dubbed the “millionaires’ tax” by 42 votes to 26 in December. The measure, brought in by centre-left…

A group under the auspices of Concerned Nigerians has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and all lovers of democracy and human rights in the world to investigate and prosecute Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd.), who was just relieved of his post as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), for crimes against humanity. In a letter signed by its Convener, Deji Adeyanju, the group said that in 2015, Buratai ordered the army to kill over 300 defenceless Shiites on the ground that they “touched a General’s chest.” https://twitter.com/adeyanjudeji/status/1354778655621308418?s=20 https://twitter.com/ConcernedNIG/status/1355124860591210500?s=20 According to the group, that event has been appropriately tagged the ‘Zaria…

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Daura, his hometown, at the start of a four-day official visit including membership registration for his party. He was welcomed on arrival at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina by the Governor, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge. In Daura, the Emir, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, led District Heads and traditional title holders to receive the President at the Helipad. In the course of his stay in Daura, he is expected to, among other engagements, participate in the All Progressives Party,…

The Presidency claims there are is a plot to smear President Muhammadu Buhari through the media, deploying articles and supposed investigative stories. In a statement by Femi Adesina on Friday, the spokesman to President Buhari said the smear campaign will be launched soon. “There is compelling reason to alert the nation of another orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari, using some online newspapers and blogs,” he said. “The campaign, scheduled to be launched anytime soon through editorials and purported special investigative stories, is designed to further exacerbate tension in the land, by portraying the President as pandering to ethnic…