Author: Opalim Lifted

Pope Francis will have abdominal surgery in Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Wednesday afternoon, the Vatican announced in a statement, adding that the 86-year-old pontiff will be hospitalised for several days. The procedure is the latest in a string of health issues for the pope, who has presided over the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics for the last decade. He arrived to Rome’s main hospital, a short drive from the Vatican, at about 1130 local time (0930 GMT). The upcoming procedure was not mentioned by Francis during his weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday morning, where he looked to be in…

The House of Representatives has called the reported inauguration of Nigeria Air towards the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government a fraud. Nigeria Air will soon start flying – Sirika Nnolim Nnaji, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, termed Nigeria Air’s debut a fraud as the primary partners in the contract between the Federal Government and Ethiopian Airlines denied knowledge of the launch. The Ministry of Aviation stated that it had merely been presented and had not yet been launched, which the committee regarded as an attempt to distract legislators’ attention. Members of the committee were taken aback…

Ariyibi Ahmed Olaseinde, 49, was found guilty and sentenced to five years in jail today by a Lagos Federal High Court for attempting to unlawfully transport 11.5 kilogrammes of cocaine to Saudi Arabia. Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke convicted and sentenced the drug trafficker after he pleaded guilty to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) two charges of conspiracy and illicit drug exportation. According to the prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, the convict was arrested with the drug on February 20, 2023, at the Screening Hall of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers on a Qatar…

The Senate confirmed President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of 20 special advisors on Tuesday. This followed the President’s request for approval in a letter to the Upper Chamber. However, the names of the special advisors were not attached to the letter delivered by Senate President Ahmad Lawan during the plenary session. The appointment comes just a week after the president was inaugurated in. Tinubu also selected the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as Chief of Staff last Friday, and Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, as Deputy Chief of Staff. Tinubu will overcome…

Real Madrid’s Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema has agreed to a three-year contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, beginning next season. The news comes only days after Real Madrid confirmed that the 35-year-old will be departing the club after 14 seasons, and just one day after coach Carlo Ancelotti stated that there was “no doubt” Benzema’s future lay in Madrid. “Benzema has signed a three-year contract with Al-Ittihad starting next season,” a Saudi club source informed reporters. If the move is confirmed, Benzema will join his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in the Gulf kingdom after the five-time world player…

US officials sued Binance and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao on Monday, for allegedly running a “web of deception,” putting more pressure on the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange and pushing bitcoin to its lowest level in over three months. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., charged Binance, Zhao, and the operator of its ostensibly independent US exchange with 13 counts. The SEC charged crypto giant with inflating its trading volumes, diverting client funds, failing to ban US consumers from its platform, and misleading investors about its market surveillance mechanisms. The SEC also claimed…

Tottenham Hotspurs have agreed to a two-year deal with Ange Postecoglou to succeed Antonio Conte as the new head coach. The 57-year-old Australian has just ended his second season with Celtic, where he led them to the Scottish title both years and the domestic triple this season. Tottenham Hotspurs have been seeking for a new manager since Conte’s departure in March, with interim managers Cristian Stellini and subsequently Ryan Mason. Before an announcement, the last details of the agreement are being worked out. Before joining Celtic in 2021, Postecoglou’s sole experience in Europe was as manager of Greek lower league…

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has appointed Oluwatomiwa Omolewa as the new chairman of the Park Management System (PMS) and Kasali Ajisafe Lawal as the secretary. He sacked Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary, and also dissolved the PMS committee for being a threat to state control. The State Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday. Olanrewaju said Omolewa’s appointment was part of the state government’s reorganisation of the PMS, adding that the new management team comprises members from all the major factions in the transport union. Oyo police can’t declare…

The National Industrial Court on Monday granted an interim order restraining the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on a strike on Wednesday. Justice O. Y. Anuwe issued the order and adjourned further hearings until June 19. Details later…

Chelsea have announced the signing of exciting teenager Kendry Paez from Independiente del Valle. Paez is the first signing for the Blues this summer after the announcement of Mauricio Pochettino as the new manager. The Ecuadorian, who will join Chelsea after his 18th birthday, has already built a reputation in South America as one of the brightest and most creative young talents around, thanks to his combination of skillful dribbling along with the vision and technique to open up defences with his passing. Paez caught the eye by finding the net on his senior debut for his club this year,…