Kim Clijsters, who retired for a second time in 2011, confirmed on Monday that she was making a comeback starting in Mexico in March. “A few more weeks of patience and I’ll be ready to go,” the Belgian four-time major winner said in a video posted on social media. “The absence has been long enough.” Clijsters first retired in May 2007, before returning in August 2009 after giving birth to her first child. The 36-year-old originally planned to return to competition in time to play in January at the Australian Open, a Grand Slam she won in 2011. But she…
Author: Peter Phillips
Members of the Japan team who won the 2011 women’s soccer World Cup will start the Japan leg of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay, organizers said on Tuesday. More details of the route were revealed along with the approximately 10,000 people who will carry the Olympic flame as it tours all Japan’s 47 prefectures ahead of the Games opening ceremony in July. The ‘Nadeshiko’ holds a special place in the hearts of the Japanese people because their World Cup victory in Germany came months after the devastating 2011 tsunami and earthquake. With Tokyo 2020 billed by organizers as the…
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will “get Brexit done” by Jan. 31 and then agree a new trade deal with the European Union by the end of 2020, cabinet office minister Michael Gove said on Sunday, vowing to deliver on the government’s top priority. Johnson and his team were triumphant last week when he won a commanding majority of 80 at an early election he said he was forced to call to break the Brexit deadlock. Winning over many traditionally Labour voters in northern and central England, Johnson has proclaimed he will lead a “people’s government”. First, the Conservative leader…
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on Thursday approved a $ 124.2 million loan to finance the Urban Water Sector Reform and Akure Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Nigeria. The amount includes an African Growing Together Fund (AGTF) loan of $20 million. The overall project cost is $222.69 million and will span five years from 2020-2025. The project is set to address bottlenecks in critical water supply services to households in the densely populated project area. It would provide residents of Akure city (Ondo State) and its environs, access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The…
Twenty cases of Ebola have been recorded in three days in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where deadly violence is hampering efforts to end the 16-month-old epidemic according to health authorities. Ten cases were reported on Wednesday alone in Mabalako in North Kivu after six on Tuesday, according to the Multisectoral Committee for Epidemic Response. Three out of the six cases involve traditional medicine practitioners. This is a significant increase in new cases of transmission, which had fallen to “10 per week”, according to health authorities. On November 28, a vaccination officer and two drivers were killed in an…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a resounding election victory on Friday that will allow him to end three years of political paralysis and take Britain out of the European Union by Jan. 31. Brexit represents the country’s biggest political and economic gamble since World War Two, cutting the world’s fifth-largest economy adrift from the vast trading bloc and threatening the integrity of the United Kingdom. For Johnson, who campaigned on a vow to “Get Brexit Done”, victory was a vindication after anti-Brexit opponents tried one maneuver after another to thwart him during his first chaotic months in office. “We will…
Suicide blasts in Afghanistan killed one person and injured more than 60 in an attack on Wednesday on the United States’ main military base of Bagram that was repulsed after a 30-minute clash, Afghan and NATO officials said. The attack comes as the United States looks to revive stalled peace talks with Taliban militants who control more territory than at any point since being ousted from power by coalition forces in 2001. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday’s blast, but a provincial official said the casualties were all Afghans. “A 30-minute clash also happened between the attackers,…
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, who has been at the center of a sex abuse crisis in his diocese, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The Vatican said Francis had appointed the bishop of Albany, Edward B. Scharfenberger, to administer the Buffalo diocese until a new bishop can be appointed. Malone, 73, who has been under pressure to resign for years, is stepping down two years before the normal retirement date for bishops. Malone, who met with the pope last month, has been accused of covering up or mishandling the abuse…
French President Emmanuel Macron told his country military leaders to consider all options as it seeks to review its operations against Islamist militants in West Africa. Macron’s first public remarks since 13 French soldiers died during a combat mission in Mali included an earnest plea for his international allies to do more. France, a former colonial power, is the only Western country with a significant military presence waging counter-insurgency operations in Mali and the wider Sahel region south of the Sahara desert. What happened? The 13 French soldiers were killed in Mali on Monday when two helicopters collided in the…
President Muhammad Buhari says investments cannot thrive in an atmosphere of social and political instability, so, the Federal Government would do all within its powers to safeguard the interest of investors. The President spoke at State House, Abuja, Thursday, while playing host to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Total Group Worldwide, Mr Patrick Pouyanne. “The relationship between us and Total has been long and mutually beneficial. We want it to remain so. We have to be honourable, honest, and work together, so that we can improve. At our end, we promise social and political stability, so that you can recover…
“What a man can do, a woman can do just as well,” Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda “History will judge us if we don’t work together to take action now,” Chief Executive Officer of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu “Investments in gender equality are critical to realizing demographic dividend, but we need to ensure that women have the tools to overcome the barriers they face,” First Lady of Rwanda, Jeannette Kagame told participants at a panel at the Global Gender Summit in Kigali on Monday. The panel, made up of First Ladies Kagame, Margaret Kenyatta, ministers and…
The data-collection business model fuelling Facebook and Google represents a threat to human rights around the world, Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday. The organization argued that offering people free online services and then using information about them to target money-making ads imperils a gamut of rights including freedom of opinion and expression. “Despite the real value of the services they provide, Google and Facebook’s platforms come at a systemic cost,” Amnesty said in its report, “Surveillance Giants.” “The companies’ surveillance-based business model forces people to make a Faustian bargain, whereby they are only able to enjoy their human…
Burkina Faso’s army says 32 Islamic extremists were killed over the weekend in the country’s north and several women used as sex slaves were freed. An army statement says one soldier was also killed in the latest clashes as the extremist presence grows in the West African nation. The statement says 24 extremists were killed in hours of intense fighting Friday in Yorsala after a military patrol was ambushed. The following day, an army offensive near Bourzanga killed eight extremists and recovered a stash of weapons. Burkina Faso’s president earlier this month vowed to hunt down extremists after they killed…
A woman politician in Lagos State, Ms Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, on Friday advised women to get more involved in political and social activities to achieve adequate female representation in governance. Ransome-Kuti gave the advice in Lagos at the 2019 Thrive Women Conference, with the theme: “Today’s Women: Influencing and Shaping the Future.’’ “We need more women in politics; as a woman, are you politically savvy, and are you engaged with the political and social developments of our country? “We need to have adequate representation to sit at the table with men to draft policies and set agenda for equity and good…
Global debt is on course to end 2019 at a record high of more than $255 trillion, the Institute of International Finance estimated on Friday — nearly $32,500 for each of the 7.7 billion people on planet. The amount, which is also more than three times the world’s annual economic output, has been driven by a $7.5 trillion surge in the first half of the year that shows no signs of slowing. Around 60% of that jump came from the United States and China. Government debt alone is set to top $70 trillion this year, as will overall debt (government,…
Africa is winning…Africa is bankable- African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina It was deals that brought participants to the 2019 Africa Investment Forum and they were not disappointed. The second Forum ended on a high note Wednesday, with 56 boardroom deals valued at $67.6 billion tabled – a 44% increase from last year. Fifty-two deals worth $40.1 billion secured investor interest compared with $37.8 billion dollars last year. During the 2018 edition of the Forum, 61 transactions valued at $46.9 billion were tabled for discussions in boardroom sessions and 49 deals worth $38.7 billion, secured investment interest. Presiding over the session:…
Facebook Inc.’s Instagram plans to remove the number of “likes” visible on posts for some users in the US to decrease competitive pressure among people on the photo-sharing service. Instagram has been hiding like counts in some markets since April, beginning in Canada, and later expanding to Japan and Brazil. The U.S. is one of Instagram’s largest markets with more than 106 million users, according to data analyst EMarketer. “What we’re hoping to do is depressurize Instagram a little bit, and make it a bit less of a competition,” Instagram boss Adam Mosseri told Bloomberg after announcing the new test…
China and France signed contracts totaling $15 billion during a visit by President Emmanuel Macron, a Chinese government official told a news briefing on Wednesday. Deals were struck in the fields of aeronautics, energy and agriculture, including approval for 20 French companies to export poultry, beef and pork to China. They also agreed to expand a protocol for poultry exports reached this year to include duck and geese as well as foie gras, and to work on a protocol allowing France to export pig semen to China, according to a statement from the French president’s office. Macron arrived in China…
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has urged citizens to resist forces threatening the country’s progress, adding that the death toll from last month’s protests had risen to 86. “We have to stop those forces who are trying pull us two steps back while we are going one step forward,” Abiy told a news conference with local news organisations broadcast by state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting. Supporters of activist Jawar Mohammed took to the streets on Oct. 23 and 24 to protest after he said police had surrounded his home in the capital Addis Ababa and tried to withdraw his government security detail.…
Grammy award-winning American singer, Solange Knowles and her husband, Alan Ferguson are officially divorced after five years of marriage. The “Cranes in the Sky” singer, 33, shared the news via Instagram on Friday, November 1. She confirmed that the pair “separated and parted ways” earlier this year. Her statement, which was accompanied by three selfies of herself, noted that the last two years brought her “more physical and spiritual transition and evolution than ever before” as she prepares to enter this next stage of her life. “My body left me with no choice but to listen and be still. Within…
Nigeria has temporarily lifted a suspension of the operations of two aid groups, Mercy Corps and Action Against Hunger, in the country’s northeast, the minister of humanitarian affairs said. The army forced both groups to close some of their offices in September, accusing Action Against Hunger of aiding terrorist groups and alleging that a large amount of money in a car found in northeastern Borno state belonged to Mercy Corps. The two groups did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Action Against Hunger has rejected the accusation of “aiding and abetting” a terrorist organization and Mercy Corps has expressed…
UEFA has fined France 20,000 euros ($22,200) for playing the wrong national anthem for Albania ahead of a Euro 2020 qualifying match last month, according to multiple sources. The Andorra national anthem was played instead of Albania’s prior to the September 7 fixture, triggering confusion and a delay in the start of the game as the correct anthem was subsequently aired. Amid the embarrasment, France coach Didier Deschamps apologised for the mistake to his opposite number Edoardo Reja while French President Emmanuel Macron took the matter a step higher by apologising to the Albanian President Ilir Meta. France won the…
The European Union agreed on Friday to London’s request for a Brexit deadline extension but set no new departure date, giving Britain’s divided parliament time to decide on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s call for a snap election. “There was full agreement on the need for an extension,” an EU official said after ambassadors to the 27 countries staying together in the bloc met to discuss postponing Britain’s exit, less than a week before the current deadline of Oct. 31. “Work will continue over the weekend” and the envoys will meet again in Brussels on Monday or Tuesday, the person said.…
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu has varied Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare’s bail conditions. The court had on October 4 this year granted Sowore and Bakare bail on certain conditions, which they considered stringent and which they could not meet, prompting them to apply to the court for variation. In a ruling on Monday, Justice Ojukwu waived the earlier requirement that one of Sowore’s deposits N50 million as security and reduced the amount attached to Bakare’s bail from N50 million to N30 million. Justice Ojukwu said all other conditions should remain. She said the decision to retain[Sowore and Bakare] the defendants from…
Rapid urbanization has provided most cities in the world with opportunities to provide more sustainable, vibrant, and prosperous centers for their citizens. But they must first address challenges such as inadequate infrastructure investments, pollution and congestion, and poor urban planning, according to a new report released today. The report, Creating Livable Cities: Regional Perspectives, looks at urbanization trends across emerging and developing economies in Africa; Asia and the Pacific; Eastern Europe, Southern and Eastern Mediterranean; and Latin America and the Caribbean. It is a joint publication by four regional development banks (RDBs) operating in these regions—African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development…
Are you tired of battling with grease and grime in your microwave? Cleaning your microwave is one of the most tedious tasks. Unsightly food splatters in microwave look unattractive and smell bad. They will eventually decrease the efficiency of your microwave/oven. There are several easy ways to clean your microwave using kitchen ingredients. As you’ll be warming food in the microwave, you’ll want to avoid using harsh chemicals to clean. So, all of our suggested methods use only natural ingredients. Lemon Place lemon slices in a microwave-safe bowl with a tablespoon of water. Microwave the bowl on high power for…
It’s only been a few months, but audiences are still digesting Ava DuVernay’s Netflix masterpiece, “When They See Us.” After multiple Emmy nominations and a well-deserved win by its star Jharrel Jerome, the limited series is still inspiring fans to watch it again and again. Unfortunately, DuVernay and Netflix have found themselves in the middle of a lawsuit regarding the controversial interrogation scene. @Variety reports, the company behind a controversial police interrogation technique featured in “When They See Us” has filed a federal lawsuit against both Ava DuVernay and Netflix, claiming that it was defamed in the award-winning limited series based on the…
Nigeria and Cameroon have become the latest African nations to seek ways of jointly negotiating with cocoa buyers for a better premium, a move that is inspired by the decision of top growers Ivory Coast and Ghana to boost prices for their crops. The plan suggested by Nigeria, the world’s fourth-largest cocoa producer, is part of a drive by growers in West Africa and Latin America to try to address a perceived imbalance between farmers’ incomes and money made by big commodities traders. Ivory Coast and Ghana, which account for nearly two thirds of global output, have imposed a fixed…
Norway will provide Gabon, which is almost 90 percent covered by forest, with $150 million (136 million euros) to battle deforestation, according to the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), which the UN launched to bring together the region’s nations with Western donors. The “historic” 10-year deal will be awarded to Gabon for “both reducing its greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation, and absorptions of carbon dioxide by natural forests,” CAFI said in a statement. According to AFP, the announcement comes ahead of a major UN climate summit on Monday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called to ask countries to raise their…
WhatsApp is possibly one of the simplest instant messaging apps. The company also takes its time to update WhatsApp with new features. But there is a lot that users can do on WhatsApp which they may not be aware of. WhatsApp has a bunch of features that may not offer much customization but make the app more interactive. There’s additional security with two-step verification, adding contacts to the home screen, custom notifications, and more. Here’s a look at five tips and tricks for every WhatsApp user. Two-step verification WhatsApp offers a seamless way of switching phones while retaining your account…
