AFRICA

Pope prays for Nigeria church attack victims

Pope Francis has prayed for the victims of an attack on a Nigerian church in which at least 25 worshippers were killed by gunmen. A Vatican statement said he had learned of the deaths of dozens of people. The assault took place in the southern town of Owo, in Ondo state. Officials …

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Student dies while writing examination in Kumasi

A Level 200 Student of the Akenten Appiah Minka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, AAMUSTED in Kumasi collapsed and died while writing his final end of Semester Examination. The student according to sources close to the University Management, the student complained dizziness soon after the question papers were …

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Many worshippers killed as terrorists attack Ondo church

Suspected terrorists have attacked a church in Ondo State, with a yet-to-be-ascertained number of people killed while scores were injured. The incident was said to have occurred at St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. SaharaReporters gathered that the church is behind Olowo …

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Pupils abandon school to harvest tomato

Pupils of Nsuta Dahomey D/A Basic School in Fanteakwa South District in Eastern region have abandoned school to harvest tomatoes and assist their parents in selling at the market. Absenteeism is high during tomato harvesting season in June and July every year. The situation is affecting academic performance of the …

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Abuja mob burns man to death over row with Muslim cleric

Nigerian police say a man who had a row with a Muslim cleric died in the capital, Abuja, after being set ablaze by a mob supporting the cleric. The 30-year-old man, Ahmad Usman, was in a local vigilante group and police say about 200 people were mobilised against him. There …

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Oil prices drop significantly ahead of OPEC+ meeting

Oil prices came under pressure on Thursday ahead of an eagerly awaited meeting of the OPEC oil alliance in Vienna. In early trading, a barrel of North Sea Brent cost $114.46. This was $1.83 less than the previous day. The price of a barrel of US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) …

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The Nigerian boss who applied to be Queen’s footman

In our series of letters from African writers, novelist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani looks at whether Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee is being celebrated in Nigeria, the largest former British colony in Africa, which remains an influential member of the Commonwealth. “The fascination for me is that the monarchy hasn’t died out,” …

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Bangladesh: Five killed, scores injured in depot blast

At least five people were killed and scores injured in an explosion at a depot in a south-eastern town in Bangladesh, officials say. The explosion happened after firefighters were called to put out a fire at a container storage facility in the town of Sitakunda. Twenty of the injured are …

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Search continues for missing 5-year-old Upington boy

The search for a five-year-old boy who did not return home after he went playing in Louisvaleweg, Upington, four days ago continues. Le-Virno Van Wyk was last seen on Tuesday after school, when he went to play, but he never returned home. Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Omphile Masegela said …

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Gov’t earmarks $1.2m World Bank cash for dilapidated structures

Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has assured Council of Heads of Basic Schools their concerns over poor infrastructure are being addressed. The council in a communique outlined a number of challenges confronting basic education including poor infrastructure. Addressing the media after the World Bank cleared him of any …

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Malawi bans South African dancer who performs ‘without pants’

A controversial South African entertainer has been banned from entering Malawi on moral grounds. Authorities in the southern African country announced that Zodwa Wabantu was banned from entering or performing in the country because her revealing dance moves were out of sync with the nation’s moral standards. Malawi has thus …

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Baby abandoned at uncompleted building

A yet-to-be-identified woman abandoned a newborn on Wednesday at an uncompleted building in the Sarkin Kudu area of Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Our correspondent learnt that the baby was found bare on Thursday morning with his placenta yet to be removed. It was also learnt that security …

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Three siblings found dead in parked car

Three siblings were on Thursday evening June 3, found dead inside a parked car they were playing in the Owode Elede area of Ikorodu, Lagos. The Nation reported that it is speculated that the kids identified as Oliseh, Daniel and Destiny Egba, three, six and eight years respectively, suffocated. It …

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Guinea junta bows to economic pressure, increases pump prices

Guinea’s military-led transition government has announced a new set of prices for petroleum products, despite repeatedly promising it would not increase the cost of the commodity. The decision announced on Tuesday saw the prices of petrol, diesel, and oil go up 12,000 GNF ($1.36) per litre, up from 10,000 GNF …

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Kenya plans to seize LPG logistics business from Tanzania

Kenya seeks to dominate in the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by constructing the biggest import and storage gas facility in Mombasa and licensing more private companies to compete with Tanzania which has dominated the business for years in the region. The announcement to construct a 25,000 tonnes storage …

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Five killed, 56 injured in another horror bus crash

Five people were killed and 56 others injured when a bus overturned on the N1 north outside Louis Trichardt in Limpopo. The provincial transport and community safety department said on Thursday that it was alleged that the driver had lost control of the bus – that had been pulling a trailer …

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Former Miss France charged over ex-Gabon president’s US$750K gift

A former Miss France, Sonia Rolland has been indicted in a corruption enquiry involving former Gabonese president Omar Bongo. The French portal, Le Parisien, reports that Sonia is being held over the case of the “ill-gotten gains” of the Gabonese presidency. Ms Rolland is a Rwandan-French actress and was Miss …

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Tunisia president sacks 57 judges

Tunisian President Kais Saied has sacked 57 judges, accusing them of corruption and protecting terrorists. In a television address, he said he had given the judiciary multiple opportunities and warnings to “purify” itself. Among the sackings announced in the government’s official gazette was Youssef Bouzaker, the former head of the …

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SA ex-spy chief sues president over alleged crimes

A former head of South African intelligence agency has sued President Cyril Ramaphosa for alleged crimes that include “kidnapping” and bribing robbers who stole millions of dollars from one of his properties. Arthur Fraser accuses the president of concealing a theft incident in which alleged criminals entered Mr Ramaphosa’s property …

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Methodist Church leader shares harrowing kidnapping experience

The head of Nigeria’s Methodist Church, Samuel Kanu has said a ransom of 100m naira ( $240,000, £193,000) was paid to secure his freedom and two other priests who were kidnapped with him. Dr Kanu was kidnapped on Sunday on a highway while returning from a church event in the south-eastern part …

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Two pupils killed, 8 injured after minibus veers off bridge

Two pupils were killed and eight others seriously injured after a minibus they were travelling in veered off a bridge before plunging down an embankment in the North West on Wednesday morning. The two children, aged six and seven, died on impact. The provincial education department said the minibus, belonging …

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South Africa pilot dies in crash at Zimbabwe airshow

A Cape Town aviator’s life ended tragically in Harare, Zimbabwe, as he crashed to his death on Tuesday night during an airshow. One witness said: “Four planes were taking part in a sunset aerobatics display for the Mashonaland Flying Club when tragedy struck.” Another said the plane had spun several …

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