Author: Chronicle Editor

Russia is supporting and even supplying arms to the Taliban, the head of US forces in Afghanistan has told the BBC. In an exclusive interview, Lt Gen John Nicholson said he’d seen “destabilising activity by the Russians.” He said Russian weapons were smuggled across the Tajik border to the Taliban, but could not say in what quantity. Russia has denied such US allegations in the past, citing a lack of evidence. But the new claims come at a sensitive time in Russia’s ties with NATO powers. Britain and Russia are locked in a dispute over claims that Russia was behind…

Same-sex couples who chose to travel to Africa and other countries across the world risk safety threats, criminal charges, time spent languishing in foreign prisons or even the death penalty. This is because many countries continue to treat homosexuality as a crime especially in Africa and the Middle East. Australia shares increasingly tolerant attitudes towards homosexuality, but it’s not an attitude shared by 72 other countries and territories across the world where identifying as gay can be downright dangerous. A world map, identifying danger zones and national attitudes towards homosexuality, has been released to give LGBTI travellers a safety guide…

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann wants his future resolved before he travels to this summer’s World Cup with France. The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Barcelona. (L’Equipe via Sky Sports) Tottenham are considering triggering the £3m release clause in Jonny Evans’ West Brom contract if the Baggies are relegated. The 30-year-old Northern Ireland defender could also be a target for Arsenal. (Telegraph) Juventus will not move for Arsenal’s Spanish full-back Hector Bellerin, 23, as they are confident of signing 28-year-old Italian defender Matteo Darmian from Manchester United. (Goal) Arsenal striker Lucas Perez, 29, wants to return to…

The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has suspended by one month, the withdrawal of policemen attached to VIPs across the country. The suspension of the order, which was billed to be immediate, when announced on Monday, followed Idris’ meeting with the Commanders of Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Special Protection Unit (SPU). The meeting was held on 20 March. But a day before the earlier announcement, Idris also had met with state police commissioners and assistant inspectors-general at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, explained the twist in Idris’ order. “IGP Idris has…

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed security agencies to stop the killings and criminality across Nigeria, stressing that, they ‘need to do much more’. He also ordered the agencies to improve on their strategies on intelligence gathering, surveillance and accuracy in deployments. The President gave the order on Thursday during his official visit to Zamfara State, where he held an interactive meeting with political leaders, traditional rulers, elders and victims of criminal attacks. Femi Adesina, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, quoted the President: “As far as I am concerned, our security agencies have recorded some successes, but they…

The Senate on Thursday confirmed three nominees for appointment as members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Those confirmed for the appointment are Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, Dr Aliyu Sanusi and Dr Robert Asogwa. The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of the screening report of Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the committee was mandated on March 14 to screen the nominees following President Muhammadu Buhari’s request that they be confirmed. READ: The lies & petulance of Abimbola Adelakun’s latest tantrum Presenting…

By Felicia Obasa-Adejuwon Abimbola Adelakun’s opinion ‘Osinbajo confirms Buhari’s impotence’ in The Punch newspaper got me laughing until I dropped a tear. It was no different from Donald Trump’s position on Climate Change, ‘a hoax’. Don’t get me wrong, it is her opinion but its that of a kid to say the least. It is an opinion without facts and figures, and one with very little intelligence put into it. For starters, even the ‘Father’ of all critics, former president Olusegun Obasanjo admitted in his rather long open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari that the incumbent president has fought corruption…

The data analytics firm that worked on the Donald Trump election campaign was offered material from Israeli hackers who had accessed the private emails of two politicians who are now heads of state, witnesses told the Guardian. Multiple sources have described how senior directors of Cambridge Analytica – including its chief executive, Alexander Nix – gave staff instructions to handle material provided by computer hackers in election campaigns in Nigeria and St Kitts and Nevis. They claim there were two episodes in 2015 that alarmed members of staff and led them to refuse to handle the data, which they assumed…

Africa’s leading industrialist Aliko Dangote and Microsoft founder and philanthropist, Bill Gates are expected to address a special session of the National Economic Council on Thursday. A media advisory released by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s office said the two businessmen will deliver opening speeches at the meeting. The Special session underscores the Buhari administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) for inclusive growth and human development, the statement added. The National Economic Council (NEC), is chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who is also expected to deliver an address at the occasion. READ: Easter Promo: DStv Explora price slash still ongoing…

MultiChoice is offering its DStv customers the opportunity to take control of their viewing experience with the DStv Explora at a discount of up to 64% on the Explora decoder and subscription bundles. The offer which, which began on 9 March remains valid till 31 March and is open to new and existing customers. DStv Explora decoder offers full Personal Video Recorder (PVR) functionality, which enables viewers to record TV shows for later viewing as well as rewind and pause live TV. It also boasts of an increased hard drive capacity, which allows customers to record more movies, TV shows…