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Vessels sales hit $121.9 in one week, as firms count earnings May 01,2019 Also, Hong Kong-based Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), delivered stronger revenues in Q1 2019, with the largest rise experienced in the Trans-Atlantic trade.For the quarter ended March 31, 2019, OOCL’s revenues increased by 5.9 per cent to $1.46 billion from $1.37 billion reported in the same quarter a year earlier.   Also, National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), delivered a stronger net profit in Q1, as the company’s net profit rose 45 per cent to SAR 179.3 million ($47.8 million) compared to SAR 123.1 million ($32.8 million) reported in the three months ended March 31, 2018.Operational profit was at SAR 377.1 million for the quarter, rising by 46 per cent from SAR 256.9 million seen a year earlier.    Bahri explained that the rise in profit was driven by the improvement in some of its business units, and the increase in the transportation rates in general despite th...

CBN mulls end to unfit, dirty notes in circulation May 01,2019 CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who gave the assurance in his address at the launch, said the bank has the responsibility of preserving the integrity of the Naira and sustaining public confidence in the national currency as enshrined in Section 2 of the CBN Act 2007. To achieve these, the bank, he said, strives to ensure an optimal supply of clean and quality banknotes in a balanced denominational mix to meet public demand, while also maintaining a balanced currency structure that is both efficient and cost effective. Represented by the Deputy Governor, Operations, Ade Shonubi, he however, noted that the responsibility for clean notes in circulation is not exclusively that of the bank, rather a collaborative effort between the central bank, banknote suppliers, deposit money banks (DMBs), manufacturers of currency management equipment, currency transportation and processing companies, security agencies, and the general pu...

Iran: Rouhani signs bills branding U.S. troops in middle East as terrorists May 01,2019 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday signed a bill into law declaring all U.S. forces in the Middle East terrorists and calling the U.S. government a sponsor of terrorism. The bill was passed by parliament recently in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s decision this month to designate Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards a foreign terrorist organisation. Earlier in April, U.S. branded Iran’s Elite military force a terrorist organisation , marking the first time Washington has formally labeled another country’s military a terrorist group. It was not clear what the impact of the new law might be on U.S. forces or their operations. “Rouhani instructed the ministry of intelligence, ministry of foreign affairs, the armed forces, and Iran’s supreme national Security Council to implement the law,’’ state media reported. The law specifically l...

Hemp dealer to die by hanging for killing policeman May 01, 2019 Tony Okafor, Awka An Anambra State High Court has sentenced an Indian hemp dealer, Chukwuebuka Nneji-Olona, to death by hanging for killing a policeman, Corporal Oluwadaini Temidayo. The policeman was said to have been killed at Oye-Olisa Market, Ogbunike, in the Oyi Local Government Area of the state in 2014. It was learnt that Temidayo used to harass the hemp dealers, which infuriated them. Nneji-Olona was said to have murdered the victim. A source told our correspondent that the dealer, who felt guilty for killing the policeman, went to a witch doctor for a charm that would prevent the police from arresting him. Our source said, “The defendant, feeling guilty that he killed the victim and for fear of being caught, ran to the house of an herbalist for a ritual that would remove the feeling of guilt that was disturbing him. “The witch doctor, rather than obliging Nneji-Olona’s request, reporte...

Three killed, houses burnt in Ebonyi cult clash May 01, 2019 Edward Nnachi, Abakalki No fewer than three persons have been killed and over 10 houses burnt in Akpoha community, in the Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, when two rival cults clashed on Monday, April 29, 2019. Southern City News gathered that one Eze Ikpor, 18, was still in a coma in an undisclosed hospital in the state owing to the injuries he sustained during the clash. It was also learnt that one of those killed was identified as Ogbo Ukpai, a 27-year-old, while the body of a yet-to-be -dentified person was found by the riverside on Monday after the clash. Our correspondent further learnt that in a show of anger, residents of the area set ablaze houses of suspected cultists in the community. The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the incident and hinted that about five persons had been arrested in connection with the incident. The spokesperson of the Command, Loveth Odah, confirmed the incid...

2baba's wife Annie Idibia and his baby mama Pero Adeniyi throw shade at each other April 01,2019 It seems like just yesterday, Annie Idibia and 2baba's baby mama, Pero Adeniyi, ended their age-long rift but it appears the peace is short-lived as they reportedly, recently shaded each other on social media. It was gathered that 2baba recently attended his 13-year-old daughter (Pero's child) birthday party and was seen toasting to her and wishing her all the good things of life. It is also a known fact that Annie Idibia often wishes all of 2baba's children well especially on their birthdays on social media. However, on the occasion of 13-year-old Ehi, Annie did not wish her a happy birthday and fans suspect that it must have triggered something between the two women. It is unconfirmed if the two were indeed throwing shots at each other on social media but following the subject of the attack, it appears that all that peace-making that led 2baba to shed tears has gone i...

US to declare Muslim Brotherhood terrorists May 01, 2019 The Trump administration is working to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organisation, the White House said on Tuesday. The designation will bring economic and travel sanctions against Egypt's oldest Islamist movement, with more than a million members across the Middle East. The decision follows a White House visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in April. Mr Sisi asked US President Donald Trump to make the move, US media said. On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the administration is pushing for the designation. "The President has consulted with his national security team and leaders in the region who share his concern, and this designation is working its way through the internal process," Ms Sanders said in a statement. The Trump administration first directed security and diplomatic officials to find a way to impose sanctions on the Brotherhood aft...

UK's Labour hedges bets on new Brexit referendum May 01, 2019 Labour's governing body has agreed to support a further referendum on Brexit under certain circumstances. The National Executive Committee met to decide the wording of its manifesto for May's European elections. It rejected the idea of campaigning for a referendum under all circumstances - as supported by deputy leader Tom Watson and many ordinary members. But the party will demand a public vote if it cannot get changes to the government's deal or an election. The National Executive Committee (NEC) oversees the overall direction of the party and is made up of representatives including shadow cabinet members, MPs, councillors and trade unions. A Labour source said: "The NEC agreed the manifesto which will be fully in line with Labour's existing policy to support Labour's alternative plan and if we can't get the necessary changes to the government's deal, or a general election, to b...

Details of how Saudi Arabia freed Zainabu Aliyu emerge May 01,2019 Nigerians have hailed the federal government following the release of Zainab Aliyu, the Nigerian lady who was detained in Saudi Arabia over drug-related offence. Zainab's release, which has also attracted a trending reaction from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), was as a result of diplomatic engagements between the federal government and the Saudi Arabian government, a report by The Sun has shown. According to the permanent secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman, Zainab was released to the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia. The release is a sequel to President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, to immediately intervene in the case. How Zainab's ordeal began Zainab is reportedly a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano. Her ordeal started when she travelled from the Mallam Aminu Kan...

Bandits surround Gobirawa village in Katsina, get set to attack. May 01,2019 Bandits have reportedly surrounded Gobirawa village in Safana local government area of Katsina state. Daily Trust quoting a local source claimed the bandits who surrounded the village and numbering over 200, were on motorcycles chanting war songs. Going further, the source was claimed to have said that local vigilantes are getting prepared for battle while they are also expecting help from neighboring villages. The development has left many motorists and passengers unaccounted for just as their belongings were carted away by the kidnappers. A Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who narrowly escaped the attack by the kidnappers reports that the incident happened a few kilometres to Katari village in Kagarko local government area of Kaduna state at about 3.30 pm.

The hidden bias that trips you up May 01, 2019 On 8 November 2016 – US election night – the betting odds of Donald Trump winning the presidency had narrowed to five to one . By the following morning, he'd managed to pull off a feat many thought impossible, but that didn't stop the I-told-you-sos – friends, family members and even online soothsayers – who claimed to have known all along that Trump would triumph despite such bad odds. To a lesser extent it happened in November 2008 too, when Barack Obama won the election. After accepting the Democratic nomination three months earlier, his chance of victory hovered around 60%. When he won, you may well have been one of those who ‘knew’ that was going to be the outcome, and imagined that his odds of winning had been much, much higher. But just because he won didn’t change his odds of winning prior to his victory. You might also like: - The smart guide to procrastination - Norway's disappoi...

Coalition takes protest to UN House, wants El-Zakzaky, Iran sanctioned for terrorism May 01,2019 - A coalition on Tuesday, April 30, protested at the United Nations House - The protesters urged on the UN to call the Islamic Republic of Iran to order to desist from sponsoring instability against Nigeria - Agenda for Terrorism-Free Nigeria (ATFN) also called on the UN to sanction Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and the Iranian government over alleged terrorism Protesters on Tuesday, April 30, stormed the United Nations office in Abuja against the alleged alliance between Iranian government and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (INM). The protesters in their numbers called on the federal government to sanction Iran and the leader of IMN, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky for terrorism. Organised by members of the Agenda for Terrorism-Free Nigeria (ATFN), the protesters urged the United Nations to call the Islamic Republic of Iran to order to desist from sponsoring instability against Nigeria. Speaking at the p...

Hailing revolt, US says Venezuelan trio plotted to oust Maduro May 01,2019 The United States cheered on a military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday as it revealed that it knew that three senior leaders were plotting to oust the leftist leader. President Donald Trump tweeted that the United States "stands with the People of Venezuela and their Freedom!" as his administration threw full support behind a revolt that Maduro denounced as a coup attempt. Amid signs that Maduro remained in charge, Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, publicly named three officials who, he said, the Venezuelan opposition knew had "committed to support ousting Maduro." "And it is time for them now, if the Cubans will let them do it, to fulfill their commitments and it is time for the rest of the military to show what their own families believe ought to happen -- and that is Maduro needs to go," Bolton told reporters at the White House. Bolt...

Oil Prices to remain Buoyant in 2019 Amid Iran Waivers, OPEC Output – Reuters Survey May 01,2019 Oil prices are likely to stay buoyant this year as the U.S. decision to end waivers on Iranian oil and OPEC output curbs are expected to keep supply tight, a Reuters survey showed on Tuesday. A monthly survey of 31 economists and analysts forecast Brent crude would average $68.57 a barrel in 2019, more than 2 percent higher than the $67.12 forecast in the previous poll in March. U.S. light crude is seen averaging $60.23 per barrel this year, compared with $58.92 forecast in March. The latest figures are the highest projections this year as analysts raised oil forecasts for a second straight month. “The elimination of U.S. waivers for Iran will take another 0.5-1 million barrels per day from the oil market,” said Frank Schallenberger, head of commodity research at LBBW. “Together with political tensions in Libya and chaos in Venezuela this will make the tight s...

US cop guilty of murdering Australian May 01,, 2019 A former policeman in the US state of Minnesota has been found guilty of murdering an unarmed Australian woman. Mohamed Noor shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond as she approached his patrol car to report a possible rape behind her Minneapolis home in 15 July 2017. Noor, 33, testified last week that he opened fire because he feared he and his partner were being ambushed. Ms Damond, a 40-year-old yoga instructor of Sydney, had been engaged to marry a month after the shooting. Noor was taken into custody immediately upon being convicted by a jury on Tuesday of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The trial heard the victim, a dual US-Australian citizen, lay dying from a gunshot wound just over a minute after ending a phone conversation with her fiance. She had told Don Damond that police had just arrived after she called them to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind their home. No such attack was ever fo...

Tracing the path that led to the Kashmir attack May 01, 2019 The suicide attack that killed more than 40 Indian soldiers in February was carried out by a young Kashmiri from Pulwama. Ahead of voting in the region in India's general election, Sameer Yasir reports on the rise in youth militancy over the past two years. Around 15:15 local time (09:45 GMT) on 14 February, Adil Ahmad Dar drove a vehicle packed with explosives into a convoy of 78 buses carrying Indian paramilitary police in Pulwama, on the heavily guarded Srinagar-Jammu highway. It was a devastating attack - the worst carried out against Indian forces in decades. It shocked the country, as newspapers and TV screens were filled with stories of soldiers and their shattered families. Some had just returned from a visit home; others had called a family member hours before the attack; a few were speaking to them on the phone when the explosives went off. Adil Ahmad Dar was identified hours later, when the Pakistan-base...

'No sex without fighting' - tackling toxic masculinity May 01, 2019 The Democratic Republic of Congo has some of highest rates of sexual violence in the world. But a new approach is trying to tackle this by encouraging men to confront and question their toxic masculinity. Moises Bagwiza is one of the men who now reflects with regret on his past, and his recollections of how he treated and raped his wife, Jullienne, are frank, graphic and disturbing. "Sex with her was like fighting. I didn't care what she was wearing - I would just tear it all off," he says. In a modest bungalow in the quiet village of Rutshuru, eastern DR Congo, Mr Bagwiza recounts one particular assault when his wife was four months pregnant. "I turned around and gave her a small kick on her stomach," he says, explaining that she fell to the floor, bleeding, while concerned neighbours rushed over to take her to hospital. Her crime? She had secretly been saving up money for hous...

Five questions for US attorney general May 01, 2019 Attorney General William Barr will return to Capitol Hill for the first time since his justice department released a redacted version of the Mueller report into 2016 Russian election meddling. Democrats will be waiting and ready to grill him. At the moment the attorney general is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and the equivalent House committee on Thursday - although there's ongoing dispute over the format of the latter hearing. (Democrats want to have a staff lawyer conduct extended questioning outside of each member's five-minute allotted time.) It's unclear at this point how this will all play out, but what is clear is that there are a number of lines of inquiry awaiting the attorney general. Here's a look at some of the questions that might be in store. When did you decide there was no obstruction - and why? Donald Trump, in an interview last week with Fox News host Se...

Wedding guest accused of UPSTAGING the bride with 'tacky' white dress April 30,2019 A WOMAN was blasted for turning up to a wedding in a white dress. Many thought the lace gown looked too much like bridal attire. FROCK HORROR: Facebook users are horrified that a wedding guest would wear this (Pic: FACEBOOK/THAT'S IT, I'M WEDDING SHAMING) A wedding guest was accused of upstaging the bride by wearing white to the ceremony. The attendee opted for a plunging gown with lace detailing – which would be the perfect option for someone tying the knot. When pictures of her went viral online, she was branded “tacky” and “attention seeking”. But while many criticised her outfit choice, others said it wouldn’t bother them. So what do you make of the frock? A Facebook user shared a snap of the dress in a “wedding shaming” Facebook page. The image shows a woman wearing a floor-length white dress in some changing rooms. It was captione...

Priyanka flies home 'after wedding postpone' April 30, 2019 Priyanka Chopra made a fashionable arrival at Mumbai airport to fly home to the US on Tuesday after her brother Siddharth's wedding was reportedly postponed. Siddharth's wedding was said to be rescheduled because his fiancée Ishita Kumar needed time to recuperate from her recent surgery, Mumbai Mirror reported. The actress, 36, looked glamorous in white trousers and a lightweight duster as she headed home after her fleeting visit to India. A source told the publication: 'There are rumours that the wedding has been called off, but it's not true. 'Ishita needs sometime to recuperate from her surgery and the families are looking for another.' MailOnline has approached Priyanka Chopra's representatives for further comment. Last week, Priyanka had reportedly touched down in her native Mumbai last week to attend her brother's nuptials. During her trip, the Bollywood star cast her v...

26 Killed As Boko Haram Invades Adamawa Village April 30, 2019 Twenty-six people have been feared killed and several others critically injured following a Boko Haram attack on a village in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the insurgents, riding motorcycles, stormed the Kudakaya village in large numbers around 7pm on Monday. A local vigilante member said, “Many victims fell to the attack. I saw corpses of 26 people and there are several others that were critically injured and taken to hospital.” A former chairman of the Madagali LGA, Abawu Ularamu, supported the anonymous vigilante member’s account, and added, “They (Boko Haram) burnt several shops and many homes. They also stole food items. As I am talking to you now, we are living in an atmosphere of despair and agony for this attack. Over 20 people were killed while many were injured and rushed to hospital.” He said the insurgents must h...

House Help Absconds With Employer's N5.1m Gold Necklaces April 30, 2019 The police Tuesday arraigned a 19-year-old house help, Alice Egun, before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing five gold necklaces worth N5.1 million belonging to her employer. Egun, who lives with her employer in Iju Ishaga area of Lagos as at time of incident, is facing a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing before Chief Magistrate O.A. Layinka. The Prosecutor, Akeem Raji, a Superintendent of Police (ASP), told the court that the defendant committed the offence with others at large on March 8, at 2 p.m. at her employer’s house. ASP Raji alleged that the defendant stole the gold necklaces belonging to the complainant, Hajiya Joke Kudehinbu. According to him, Egun ran away from her employer’s house with the stolen items to an unknown destination. He said it was the complainant’s sister who later sighted the defendant at Ojota and alerted the police...