Cheap oil is causing a currency crisis in Nigeria. Banning imports is no solution

MORE than 30 years ago, a young general swept to power in the fifth of Nigeria’s military coups since independence in 1960. The country he inherited was a mess: bled dry by pilfering politicians within and hammered by falling oil prices without. Last year that general, Muhammadu Buhari, became president again—this time in a democratic vote. The problems he has inherited are almost identical. So are many of his responses.

Lebanon returns Israeli vulture cleared of spying

A huge vulture detained in Lebanon on suspicion of spying for Israel has been returned home after UN peacekeepers intervened, Israeli officials said.
The bird, which has a 1.9m (6ft 5in) wing span, flew over the border from an Israeli game reserve and was caught by Lebanese villagers on Tuesday.
They became suspicious as the griffon vulture had a tracking device attached to its tail.
It is part of a conservation project to reintroduce raptors to the Middle East.

The length to which fathers go to see their child's birth

Tennis star Andy Murray, who is preparing for Sunday's Australian Open final, has said he would leave the competition if his wife went into early labour.
What lengths have other expectant fathers gone to so they don't miss the birth of their child?
Andy Murray will have his fingers crossed as he prepares to take on Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open Final on Sunday.

PDP has overcome defeat trauma − Metuh

Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has said the party has overcome the initial trauma that he said accompanied the electoral setback of the 2015 general elections.

Court denies Kanu bail

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has denied bail to the  leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and his two other co-accused.

Drama in Court as Nnamdi Kanu rejects own lawyer

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has asked that the lawyer who served as his lead counsel in previous sittings, M. U. Udechukwu, step down for Chucks Muoma.

Mr. Kanu wrote to the court, ahead of Friday’s sitting, asking that there should be a change in his representation.

Nnamdi Kanu arrives court for consideration of bail [PHOTO]

Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has arrived the Federal High Court Abuja for consideration of his bail application.

Ancient Babylonians 'first to use geometry

Sophisticated geometry - the branch of mathematics that deals with shapes - was being used at least 1,400 years earlier than previously thought, a study suggests.
Research shows that the Ancient Babylonians were using geometrical calculations to track Jupiter across the night sky.

Death row executioners discuss life on the other side of the needle

IN Missouri, one of a handful of US states where the death penalty still applies, executioners are handed an envelope filled with hundred-dollar bills.
On the envelopes are instructions not to open until services have been completed. The envelopes vary in weight, depending on the nature of the assignment.
The nurse, for example, gets less than the anaesthesiologist. The anaesthesiologist gets less than the drug supplier.

Virginity tests given to freed ISIS sex slaves after brutal rapes

THEY were kidnapped and then subjected to months of brutal sexual assaults.
And is if being the sex slave of an Islamic State fighter isn’t horrific enough, countless women and girls were then subjected to further humiliation — barbaric and appalling virginity tests.
Those who escaped and survived to reveal the horrors that they endured at the hands of Islamic State militants were forced to undergo the tests conducted by Kurdistan officials, according to Human Rights Watch.

Jodie Arias: Rapper Kareem Williams in phone call supporting killer

SHE became known as the most hated woman in America.
But Jodie Arias, who was convicted in 2013 of the brutal slaying of her boyfriend, has hit back at her critics saying “haters are gonna hate” as well as revealing her cushy life behind bars.
Arias, 35, made headlines around the globe when she was arrested and later sentenced to life behind bars without parole over the 2008 murder of Travis Alexander, who was stabbed more than 30 times and had his throat cut in the shower.

Is South Africa's education system really 'in crisis'?

South Africa's minister of education openly admits that the country's schools are in a state of crisis. How did we get here and what needs to be done?
Angie Motshekga did not mince her words when she addressed her colleagues at a recent African National Congress (ANC) gathering.

Undergraduates rape, rob job seeker, take nude photos

Samson Folarin

The police in Lagos have arrested two undergraduates for allegedly raping a job-seeker, identified only as Nike, and robbing her of valuables in the Igando area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects, identified as Valentine and Kusimo, allegedly took turns to rape their victim after luring her into a hotel.

Porn film accidentally shown at funeral of father and baby who died in a car crash

The grieving family of a father and baby killed in a car crash were horrified when hardcore porn was accidentally played at the funeral.

Simon Lewis, 33, and Simon Lewis Jr died after a head-on collision on New Year’s Eve on Lamby Way in Cardiff, Wales.

In the US, a day on Chinese goods

The US is a great place to invest - just ask the Chinese.
Chinese investors have been putting their money in US companies, US real estate and recently US dating.
They aren't the only ones. The US reclaimed its position as the top stop for foreign investors in 2015, knocking China back down to second place.

Eritrea 'appalled' by hoax forced polygamy story

A satirical story that Eritrean men have been ordered to marry at least two wives, which has been shared across Africa, has upset Eritrean officials.
"Even a madman in [the Eritrean capital] Asmara would know that this story was not true," an Eritrean official told the BBC.

Italian town welcomes first baby for 28 years

A small town in northern Italy is celebrating the arrival of its first baby since the 1980s.
The mayor of Ostana, which lies in the mountains of the Piedmont region, says the new arrival is a "dream come true" for the tiny community, which has seen its population plummet over the past 100 years. Baby Pablo, who was born in a Turin hospital last week, takes the number of inhabitants to 85, although only about half live there permanently, La Stampa newspaper reports.

Lebanon detains vulture suspected of spying for Israel

Israel Nature and Parks Authority officials are pleading for the release of a vulture after residents of a southern Lebanese town captured the bird, claiming it was being used for spying.

Russia's iconic AK-47 to be made in USA

It’s as Russian as borscht, but the AK-47 will soon be made in Florida.

The weapon of choice for guerrillas, terrorists and the soldiers of armies around the world, some 100 million AK-47s have been made in Russia since it rolled off the line in 1947. But now, the company’s U.S. arm is planning to manufacture the gun at a plant in Pompano Beach, Fla.

What happened to Gynnya McMillen?

FAMILY and friends of a 16-year-old girl said their goodbyes at a packed funeral on Tuesday but nobody in attendance knew how the teenager died.
Gynnya McMillen was last seen alive by police on January 10. She spent the night alone in a cell at the Lincoln Village Juvenile Detention Center in the US state of Kentucky after being picked up over a domestic dispute. When police checked on her the following morning she was unresponsive.

Mitchell Pearce video: Highs and lows of Roosters star’s career on and off the field

MITCHELL Pearce has experienced a roller coaster ride as a rugby league player with the highs of Origin selection and an NRL premiership mixed with constant questions over his form and dumping from the NSW team.

Love letter to a serial killer: Unabomber’s unlikely relationship

HE was a notorious serial killer who mailed and planted homemade bombs in a bid to spread anarchy.
Yet the terrifying “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski was a popular pen pal, inspiring reams of correspondence from adoring male and female fans as he languished in a jail cell.
Some letter-writers shared their secrets, others helped the former Berkeley maths professor order books, and several confessed sexual desires for the murderer.

Russian Mafia whistleblower poisoned by a plant called Heartbreak Grass

POLICE have denied a cover-up after withholding documents relating to the mysterious death of a Russian Mafia whistleblower.

Those close to the case believe the secret documents could be vital to the inquiry into the death of Alexander Perepilichny who collapsed and died while out running near his luxury Surrey home.

Stalin 'used secret laboratory to analyse Mao's excrement'

A former Soviet agent says he has found evidence that Joseph Stalin spied on Mao Zedong, among others, by analysing excrement to construct psychological portraits.
By the sound of things, it was a top secret and rather smelly experiment.
According to Russian newspaper reports, in the 1940s Stalin's secret police had set up a special department to get its hands on people's faeces.

North Korea may be preparing for rocket launch - US

North Korea may be preparing a rocket launch, US officials say, citing increased activity around the Sohae Satellite Launching Station.
One official told the AFP news agency that the launch might be "for a satellite or a space vehicle".
But nothing indicated it would be for a ballistic missile, the official added.
It comes as the UN Security Council discusses imposing fresh sanctions against North Korea after it conducted a fourth nuclear test on 6 January.

Buhari fighting insurgency with the arms I bought – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, said President Muhhamadu Buhari administration’s is prosecuting the war against the Boko Haram insurgency with the arms his administration procured .

Olisa Metuh regains freedom

The embattled National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, has regained his freedom. Metuh is facing trial over alleged N400 million fraud.

Arrested after falling for another woman

When Sanjida left home to study, she met the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The only problem - her partner was another woman, and same-sex marriage is not accepted in Bangladesh. Now, instead of finding happiness, she's facing criminal charges, accused of abduction.
In January 2013, Sanjida, a 20-year-old Bengali Muslim woman travelled from her village in south-western Bangladesh to a small town, to continue her studies. Her father, a schoolteacher, had chosen to send his cleverest child to college so she could help lift the family out of hardship.

Arrested after falling for another woman

When Sanjida left home to study, she met the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The only problem - her partner was another woman, and same-sex marriage is not accepted in Bangladesh. Now, instead of finding happiness, she's facing criminal charges, accused of abduction.
In January 2013, Sanjida, a 20-year-old Bengali Muslim woman travelled from her village in south-western Bangladesh to a small town, to continue her studies. Her father, a schoolteacher, had chosen to send his cleverest child to college so she could help lift the family out of hardship.

The man who built an arm out of scrap metal

When a man in a small village in Bali claimed to have made a functioning bionic arm out of scrap metal at home he became a local sensation. But even as serious doubts emerged about the technology behind it, BBC Indonesian's Christine Franciska found his fellow villagers remained enthralled by the mystical aspect of his story.

The key ingredients of South Korea's skincare success

If you have never used a Korean face cream made from snail slime, then you may be missing out.
Likewise you may be being left behind if you don't spend an hour or two each week wearing a Korean face mask made from seaweed.

The privileged world of Thailand's supernatural dolls

A craze for eerily lifelike supernatural dolls has swept Thailand in recent months.
Their name, "luk thep", literally translates as "child angels" and people believe they bring good fortune and they are pampered by their owners as if they were children.
But the privileges lavished upon them have also drawn a backlash and warnings from Thai authorities.

Needle-phobic pancreas transplant 'world first'

A British woman has become the first person in the world to have a pancreas transplant because of a severe needle phobia, her doctors have said.
Sue York - who has had type-1 diabetes since she was seven - would shake uncontrollably and vomit when injecting herself with insulin.

Why rat poison is big business in Nigeria

In our series of letters from African journalists, novelist and writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani looks at Nigeria's current war on rats.
A recent headline in a local newspaper captured the reaction of many Nigerians to the latest disease outbreak in our country: "From Bats To Rats As Lassa Fever Takes Off Where Ebola Stopped".
Rats are the newest terrorists in town.

US election: The 11 cards that sum up the Republican race

Think too much about the possible permutations in the Republican battle for the White House and your brain starts to hurt. But help is now at hand.

The school on the front line

In one of Benghazi's poorest neighbourhoods, right on the front line of Libya's fight against the so-called Islamic State group, a brave head teacher is keeping her school open. She is determined that shelling and sniper fire will not get in the way of her pupils' education.

Laurent Gbagbo: Ivory Coast ex-leader denies war crimes at Hague

Ivory Coast's ex-President Laurent Gbagbo has denied charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, as his landmark trial began at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The charges relate to the country's civil conflict that erupted after Mr Gbagbo lost elections in 2010.
He is the first ex-head of state to stand trial at the ICC in The Hague.
Former militia leader, Charles Ble Goude, 44, is also on trial and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Saraki replies Obasanjo, says Senate committed to transparency

The senate president, Bukola Saraki, has reacted to a letter from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to Mr. Saraki and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in which Mr. Obasanjo accused the National Assembly of corruption, greed, impunity and lawlessness.
Mr. Obasanjo’s letter, published exclusively by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, said most members of the 469-member National Assembly were receiving constituency allowances without maintaining constituency offices as the law requires of them.

Homeless man may finally have giant growth removed from his face thanks to Facebook campaign

A HOMELESS man may finally be able to have a giant growth removed from his face thanks to a campaign on Facebook.

Whisky maker uses fryer oil to fire ‘liquid gold’

Just near Bagdad on the road to Jericho in Australia's island state of Tasmania, Peter Bignell is making "liquid gold".
But whereas many other whisky producers use an internal element to heat their stills, the ecologically minded artisan fires his with used cooking oil reclaimed from a local chip fryer.
"With the odd chip strained away, she burns a beaut," he says amid the bald hills of the Tasmanian Midlands.

Clinton 'would consider' Obama as a Supreme Court justice

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has said appointing President Barack Obama as a Supreme Court justice is a "great idea".
At a campaign event in Iowa, a voter asked Ms Clinton if she would consider appointing Mr Obama to the Supreme Court if she is president.

Jonathan at Geneva: How I tackled Boko Haram

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Wednesday gave a press conference at the Geneva Press Club to a packed audience of diplomats, policy makers and journalists where he gave details of his post presidential focus and touched on some of the roles his administration played in key areas of the Nigerian and West Africa polity, with particular emphasis on Security and Education.

I won’t speak on arms scandal now – Jonathan

Eniola Akinkuotu

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says he cannot speak on the current $2.1bn arms scam now because the matter is in court.

A former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, and others are currently standing trial for their alleged role in the scam.

ENUGU RITUAL KILLINGS: Tricycle operators identify victims, demand justice

CLO asks security agencies to unmask masterminds

By Francis Igata

ENUGU—In the heat of the   trepidation that  enveloped Enugu State due to  the discovery of three decomposed bodies and eight human skulls that were exhumed from a building site at Ugwuaji area of Enugu metropolis last Monday, theTricycle Riders’ Association, popularly known as “Keke Riders,” yesterday identified three of the victims in the suspected ritual killing at Ugwuaji as their members.

Fox News cuts down Trump over Megyn Kelly debate boycott

Fox News has fired back at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his refusal to participate in their debate on Thursday night.
The network said in a statement that Mr Trump's decision is "unprecedented" and rooted in his dislike for one of the debate hosts, Megyn Kelly.
Mr Trump clashed with Ms Kelly at a Fox News debate last year and had demanded she be removed from Thursday's panel.
His decision to pull out has been mocked by his Republican rivals.

Yahoo under pressure over ivory sale on its auction site

Yahoo Japan has said it will strengthen its policies to remove illegal ivory from its online marketplace.
Some 1.1 million people have signed a petition saying it supported a trade fuelling wild elephants' slaughter.

Germany warns Russia over teen 'rape' case

Germany has warned Russia against politicising a case involving the alleged rape of a German-Russian girl.
The teen, named only as 13-year-old Lisa F, said she was abducted and raped by migrants, but German police have said there is no evidence of either.

Chibok: Deadly suicide blasts hit north-eastern Nigerian town

Suicide bombers have hit the north-eastern Nigerian town of Chibok during market day, killing at least 13 people, reports said.
At least three attackers were involved, some of them female, witnesses said. More than 30 people were injured.

Hard times ahead, CBN warns Nigerians…says low oil revenue to linger

Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday warned Nigerians to brace for a longer period of low revenue from oil sources, which would necessitate hard and uncomfortable choices.

Why I shunned Bello’s inauguration – Faleke

Simon Ejembi

Deputy Governor-elect of Kogi State, Mr. James Faleke, has said he was not invited to Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony and that he had no reason to attend the event.

Rivers: Supreme Court upholds gov Wike’s election

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA——The Supreme Court has upheld the outcome of the April 11 governorship election that ‎brought Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to power.

Halliburton/Siemens’ Scams: Fayose tasks FG on quick prosecution of alleged culprits

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said that the Federal Government must do more than just talking about whether or not the Halliburton and Siemens corruption scandals, will be reopened, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari should disabuse the minds of Nigerians who believed that his fight against corruption was selective and political by going ahead to try those indicted in the Halliburton and Siemens scams.

Alleged corruption: I’ll respond to your letter in a formal manner,Saraki tells OBJ

I ‘ve not seen the letter,can’t comment now–Senate spokesman

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

ABUJA–SENATE President,Bukola Saraki,Wednesday,acknowledged receipt of a letter from former President Olusegun Obasanjo,drawing his attention to alleged corruption in the National Assembly.

The discovery, which was made on Monday, January 25, has moved resident to tears. The corpses were reportedly buried in the foundation of a church building which was still under costruction.

Afenifere ​tackles Buhari​, wants confab report implemented​

The Pan-Yoruba Socio Political group, Afenifere, has described the contents of the 2016 national budget as unrealistic and not targeted at recovering the failing economy.
It also suggested that restructuring of the country as recommended by the ​2014 national conference report was the only way out of the present economic woes.

Tinubu’s wife slams 2016 budget, says women used, dumped

A senator representing Lagos Central, Oluremi Tinubu, says the 2016 national budgetary allocation of N4 billion to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is inadequate as it would not cater for the welfare of women who supported the ruling party.

Obasanjo writes Saraki, Dogara, accuses National Assembly of corruption, greed, lawlessness, impunity

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written the National Assembly accusing the lawmakers of corruption, impunity, greed and of repeatedly breaking the nation’s laws.
In a letter dated January 13 and addressed to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the former president specifically accused the lawmakers of fixing and earning salaries and allowances far above what the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission approved for them.
He also alleged that most of the 109 senators and 369 members of the House of Representatives were receiving constituency allowances without maintaining constituency offices as the laws required of them.

Afenifere to Buhari: Don’t make anti-graft war your only agenda

By Dayo Johnson

Akure—PAN-Yoruba Socio- Political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against making the anti-corruption fight his only agenda but to tackle the nation’s dwindling economy.

The Indian girls who survived being raped

Photographer Smita Sharma has been chronicling the lives of rape victims in India for years.
Helped by local health workers and non-governmental organisations, Ms Sharma has travelled the length and breadth of the country to meet survivors of rape and record their stories.
The subjects of the photographs, many of them children, have not been identified. All names have been changed in this article.

Kenya judge Phillip Tunoi probed over '$2m bribe'

Kenya has begun a judicial inquiry into allegations that a Supreme Court judge accepted a $2m (£1.4m) bribe.
Phillip Tunoi denies taking money to rule in favour of Evans Kidero, whose election as Nairobi governor was challenged in 2014.
Mr Kidero, who became governor in March 2013, has also denied that he paid a bribe to influence the ruling.

'No progress on African corruption' says watchdog

Corruption is a "serious problem" in 40 of sub-Saharan Africa's 46 states, says an anti-corruption watchdog.
Transparency International (TI) says it has seen no improvement in powerhouses Nigeria and South Africa.

The world of Nigeria's sex-trafficking 'Air Lords'

Last year, the BBC's Sam Piranty was given access by the Catalan police, Mossos D'Esquadra, to an investigation into a Nigerian sex-trafficking gang. He spoke to traffickers and women rescued from sexual slavery before filming an early morning raid in November, which led to 23 arrests. He also discovered that the gang is now using London as a gateway into Europe.

Russia steps into Berlin 'rape' storm claiming German cover-up

The alleged rape of a 13-year-old Russian-speaking girl in Berlin, supposedly by asylum-seekers, has fuelled anti-migrant protests from Germany's large Russian community.
But the outrage was sparked by Russia's media propaganda machine. And now the Kremlin is stepping in.
Thousands of Russian-speakers took to the streets across Germany at the weekend protesting against what they say is a cover-up by police.
"Our children are in danger," read one banner. "Hands off my child," read another.

Bikram Choudhury: Yoga guru fined $6.5m over sexual harassment

The founder of hot yoga has been ordered to pay more than $6m (£4.18m) to a lawyer who says he sexually harassed her and sacked her for investigating allegations against him.

US-based millionaire Bikram Choudhury, 69, is famous for the yoga method he began performing in a hot room in 2002.

Calling the new branch of IS – in Afghanistan

In recent months, the so-called Islamic State group has captured territory straddling Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan - claiming it as a new province of the "caliphate" it has declared in parts of Syria and Iraq. The BBC's Justin Rowlatt spoke to one of the IS leaders in this remote region.

Israeli veganism takes root in land of milk and honey

Israel has the highest number of vegans per capita in the world, activists say

On a typical evening at Nanuchka, a popular Georgian restaurant in the middle of Israel's bustling Tel Aviv, music fills the air and alcohol flows freely.

Egypt steps up security for fifth anniversary of uprising

Security has been stepped up in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on the fifth anniversary of the start of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

The last Defender: Is Land Rover's off-road heyday over?

Jaguar Land Rover's classic vehicle is perhaps the most recognisable off-road car of them all

The last of Jaguar Land Rover's classic Defenders will roll off the production line this week, ending 68 years of production - does this mean the carmaker's best off-road days are behind it?

'Putin is corrupt' says US Treasury

The US Treasury has told a BBC investigation that it considers Russian President Vladimir Putin to be corrupt.
The US government has already imposed sanctions on Mr Putin's aides, but it is thought to be the first time it has directly accused him of corruption.
His spokesman told the BBC that "none of these questions or issues needs to be answered, as they are pure fiction".

Manhunt for 'dangerous' escaped US inmates

A manhunt is under way for three "dangerous" inmates who escaped from a maximum security jail in California.
The men, who may be armed, crawled through plumbing tunnels and climbed down the building using bed sheets for ropes.

Thieves ‘re in Buhari’s government – Secondus

ABUJA—The acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has said that some of the 55 Nigerians identified by the Federal Government to have stolen N1.34 trillion are presently part of Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.

Dropping price of crude oil out of Buhari’s control, says Okupe

Former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on Monday, lamented over the precarious state of the nation’s economy, particularly as it relates to crude oil production and sale.

EFCC should get remand order from H’Court – CJ

Ade Adesomoju

The Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Justice Ishaq Bello, has denied stopping the issuance of remand orders to anti-corruption agencies when he recently directed magistrates to stop granting the agencies such orders.

ICC Probe: Okonjo-Iweala says Falana ‘integrity-challenged charlatan

Former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has reacted to a call by senior lawyer, Femi Falana, for her prosecution for crimes against humanity.
Mr. Falana had written to the International Criminal Court urging the trial of past and serving military and civilian Nigerian officials, indicted in an ongoing investigation into the diversion of billions of money meant for purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram.

Nnamdi Kanu attends trial in handcuffs as court postpones bail ruling

A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned ruling on the bail application filed by the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Mr. Kanu is facing a six-count charge bordering on allegations of treasonable felony, maintaining an unlawful society and illegal possession of firearms, among others.
The Biafran agitator was brought to court by the Nigerian Prisons Service officials in handcuffs on Monday.

BREAKING: Court rules on Kanu’s bail application Friday

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
Justice James Tsoho of a Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday for ruling on a bail application filed by leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and two others with respect to the charges of treason preferred against him by the Federal Government.

Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive without rule of law – Ekweremadu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has said that no democracy in the world can survive without strict adherence to the rule of law.
This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, and issued to journalists on Saturday in Abuja.

Buhari’s anti-corruption war getting out of hand – Falae

Ade Akanbi

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae, has said the anti-corruption campaign by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is “beginning to look selective”.

The mysterious power of old Bollywood LPs

There are few things that put me in such a nostalgic mood than a vinyl record of Bollywood songs from my childhood. I recently discovered it is the same for my elderly aunt, for whom records from the 1950s bring back a mixture of precious and painful memories.

China tourism: Crossing the new glass bridges

Visitors have been flocking to China's central provinces to climb glass-bottomed suspension bridges, like this one at Shiniuzhai national park

For some in China the sky does not need to be the limit, especially when you can build a glass-bottomed suspension bridge across it.

Woman delivers conjoined twins in Enugu

An Enugu-based couple, Segun and Mary Ayeni, have shown great hope despite birthing a set of conjoined twin girls.

Speaking with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, the parents of the girls, Miracle and Testimony, expressed optimism despite the condition of their twin daughters born on November 16, 2015, who are joined at the groin.

Jose Mourinho: Man Utd letter report absurd - agent

A report claiming Jose Mourinho wrote a six-page letter to Manchester United outlining his suitability to succeed Louis van Gaal as manager is "totally absurd", says his agent Jorge Mendes.
The Independent on Sunday  also claims Mourinho offered a "forensic analysis" of the Old Trafford squad in what it called a "love letter" to the club.

Could a Chinese herb stop you drinking too much?

New alcohol guidelines have stressed the importance of cutting back. Could an ancient Chinese herbal remedy help you get that pleasurable buzz while drinking less, asks Michael Mosley.
One of the main reasons we drink alcohol is because it makes us feel more sociable. But when we drink too much it also does huge damage. Recent guidelines recommend we stick to 14 units a week, which will be harder for some than others.

Donald Trump and the politics of paranoia

One startling feature of the latest race to become the next president of the US - which begins in earnest with next week's Iowa caucuses - is the runaway success in the opinion polls of the outspoken billionaire, Donald Trump. But this should not be so surprising, says Michael Goldfarb, as Trump is just the latest example of a tendency in American politics that goes back a very long way.
Fear.

How President Buhari is hurting Nigeria’s electoral process

•Like Madam Zakari, INEC REC in Kogi remains in office beyond tenure
•Why Nigerians must compel FG to obey the Constitution

By Jide Ajani

Perhaps, because the more  vocal sector of Nigeria’s civil society has been co-opted into the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Federal Government, there is a creeping danger into Nigeria’s electoral system as President  Muhammad Buhari has serially  refused to obey the provisions of the 1999 Constitution regarding the composition of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the same body that was reformed and structured to deliver an election that ironically brought him to power.  

STAMP DUTIES: Policy will stunt financial institutions patronage — Expert

By Udeme Clement

As the Federal Government continues to put measures in place to prevent Nigeria’s economy from sliding into a recession in 2016, the system faces numerous challenges with a telling effect on the citizens. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all commercial banks to charge customers N50 on deposits from N1,000 and above, as part of Nigeria’s stamp duties law on financial transactions.  The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) wants to increase electricity tariff by next month. The CBN said no more sale of dollars to Bureau De Change (BDC) due to scarcity of forex. The naira is depreciating beyond the control of the apex bank, despite monetary policies formulated to shore up the  currency. A financial expert and the National President, Constance Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Shehu Mikail, speaks on issues in the economy and how government can prevent Nigeria’s economy from going bankrupt.

FALAE FIRES BACK Over $2.1BN ARMS PROBE:‘Nobody can prosecute me for the N100million we collected’

BY Dayo Johnson

A former presidential candidate of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD), and  Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, has been in the news in the last few months.

We must advise Buhari correctly —Ebun Adegboruwa

Lagos lawyer, Ebun Adegboruwa, says President Muhammadu Buhari ought to be properly advised on human rights issues amid to the on-going anti-corruption crusade so that he is not accused of vendetta.

Corruption has become a big issue in Nigeria. What is your take?

Buhari is not fighting corruption

By Obi Nwakanma

The minister for justice just announced that judges found to be corrupt will be tried by this administration. This is problematic. Though this sentiment is much shared, it should not be left to the president and his administration to define “corruption,” or determine which judge is corrupt. For the avoidance of doubt the writ of this republic does not make the president the supreme authority of the land.

South Sudan misses deadline to form unity government

South Sudan has missed a key deadline to create a transitional government, after the president increased the number of provinces from 10 to 28.
The plan for a unity government was part of a peace deal in August to end the civil war which began in 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his then-deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup.
The two sides blame each other for violating the terms of the agreement.

'Miracle baby' born with half a head amazes doctors by battling for life

A BABY girl born without a developed head managed to survive, against the odds, for 48 hours.

The tot, from northern India, was born with an unformed brain and shockingly protruding eyes and was dubbed a ‘miracle baby’ by locals – who flocked to the hospital to get a glimpse of her.

Researchers puzzled over why more babies being born with organs outside the body

Anna, Avery, Genevieve, Ian: Those are a handful of the names of American children with gastroschisis— whereby the intestines are born outside of the body, protruding from a hole beside the belly button— and who are featured in a new story series published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week.

Middle school student suspended for helping classmate during asthma attack

A student in Killeen, Texas, was suspended on Tuesday after he picked up a classmate who was having an asthma attack and carried her to the nurse's office against his teacher's instructions.

Human skull found at Los Angeles-area spiritual shop

California police said Friday they have found at least one human skull and eight containers with potentially more human remains at a Los Angeles-area shop that sells spiritual items.

The power of one woman

An exhibition of early pen and ink works, delicate watercolours, acrylics, jewellery and Adire textiles by the Nigerian artist Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye is on show in London.
Feminine Power, 1994, Acrylic on canvasImage copyrightNike Davies-Okundaye

A Point of View: Does cosmetic surgery really make people feel better about their bodies?

Cosmetic surgery is a booming industry. Tom Shakespeare worries about people's urge to alter their bodies.
I don't much look in mirrors. But my friends have hung little looking glasses in their hall, and as I wheel out, I see my face up close. I'm not sure I like those crow's feet that have sprouted at the corner of my eyes. But I don't have to put up with them. Cosmetic surgery is becoming normalised. Year on year, getting "work done" becomes more accessible and more acceptable. In other words, we are becoming normalised, both by delaying the impact of ageing, and by tweaking young bodies into conforming.

Shkreli asks for immunity to testify on drug price rise

Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli has asked for immunity in order to testify before a US congressional hearing.
He was subpoenaed to testify about a 5,000% price increase for a drug.
Reuters reported that Mr Shkreli's lawyer asked for immunity because of an ongoing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation into the price rise.

Could 'method writing' be the future for novelists?

Could writers benefit from the same tactics as method actors, who immerse themselves in extreme surroundings in order to prepare for a role?
Every February, as the Oscars roll around, movie fans revel in stories about actors who have gone to extreme lengths to prepare for parts.