Leo Varadkar wins: Ireland elects first openly gay Prime Minister

Ireland's governing party Fine Gael have elected Leo Varadkar as its new leader, meaning the once staunchly Catholic country will get its first openly gay premier and the youngest person ever to hold the office.

$1 billion Israeli solar commitment to ECOWAS

Under the MOU signed today between the State of Israel and ECOWAS, Israel’s leading solar developer will invest $1 billion over the next four years to advance green energy power projects across the 15 member states of the West African economic community.

“In honor of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s two terms in office, and Liberia’s friendship with the State of Israel, Energiya Global and our international partners will finance and build a commercial-scale solar field at the Roberts International Airport, which will supply 25% of the country’s generation capacity,” says Yosef I. Abramowitz, CEO.  “We are prepared to finance and build the first National Demonstration Solar Projects in all ECOWAS-affiliated countries in order to promote political stability and social and economic development, as well as to advance knowledge transfer.”

Governors Pledge To Pay Salaries As Soon As They Get Second Paris Club Refund

After allegations of fraud trailed the first release approved last December, Nigerian governors have pledged to judiciously utilise the second tranche of Paris Club refund recently approved by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, to offset a backlog of salaries and allowances owed civil servants in the states.

The refund is as a result of over-deductions from statutory financial allocations to the 36 states between 1995 and 2005 for debt servicing. The first tranche of the funds was released towards the end of last year for paying salaries, but some of the governors are said to have still defaulted in their commitment to workers.

Sani hails Buhari’s achievements

Sen. Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna Central) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for rescuing the country from the abyss.

Sani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Zaria, Kaduna State, that the APC government was striving to restore dignity of the country at different levels.

FG Alerts Nigerians To Outbreak Of Birdflu In FCT, Six States

The Federal Government on Friday alerted members of the public to the outbreak of Avian Influenza, popularly called Birdflu in the federal capital territory, FCT, and six states of the federation.

The Director of Veterinary and Pest Control Services in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Gideon Mshelbwala, made this known while meeting with state Commissioners of Agriculture in Abuja.

New Video: Davido drops new video - FALL

Music video by Davido performing Fall. (C) 2017 Sony Music Entertainment International Limited

TVC sacks 145, rests Africa channel

A Lagos based broadcast station, Television Continental (TVC), has rested one of its major arms, throwing about 145 members of its work force into the labour market, owing to restructuring process going on in the company.

The management of the media outfit, believed to be owned by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Friday delivered the bombshell to the members of staff after a general meeting with the company’s staff in Lagos.

UK govt to charge Nigerians, others for visa email enquiries

The British High Commission has announced that email enquiries by visa customers applying from outside the UK would attract a fee as from June 1.

The high commission made this known in a brief report on changes to UK Visas and; Immigration customer care operations made available by the Media Officer, Joseph Abuku, in Abuja on Monday.

“I love you daddy” — DBanj’s Son to His Father on Instagram

Proud dad, Dbanj can’t get over the excitement of the birth of his baby boy, whose face remains hidden from the media.

Dancer Kaffy celebrates 5th wedding anniversary with husband

Nigeria famous dancer and Guiness Book Record holder, Kafayat Shafau-Ameh popularly known as Kaffy is celebrating her 5th wedding anniversary with her husband Joseph Ameh AKA Papi J.

Osinbajo Rues Ceding Of Bakassi To Cameroon

The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has stated that the ceding of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon in line with the judgement of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, is a development that “we all consider a loss”.

He however assured the people of Bakassi and government of Cross River state that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari remains committed to addressing the plight of the displaced persons of Bakassi.

Breaking: Kabul attack: Police shoot hundreds of protesters calling for better security in Afghanistan

Authorities in Afghanistan say several protesters have been killed after police opened fire on a demonstration calling for better security in the wake of a bombing in Kabul which killed 90.

The protest march calling for improved security measures which began early on Friday turned violent as it reached the gates of the Presidential Palace.

Sanusi Vows To Continue As Change Agent Despite Resistance

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, on Thursday asserted that he would never be discouraged as an advocate of change in the society, even though such advocacy is always met with resistance.

Court discharges Lagos textile dealer who attempted suicide

There was a mild drama at an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after a 58-year-old textile dealer, Mrs. Taiwo Momoh, was discharged for offences bordering on attempted suicide.

Stephanie Okereke-Linus accused of script theft in ‘DRY’

Delectable Nollywood actress and producer Stephanie Okereke-Linus may soon be embroiled in a copyright infringement battle over her much acclaimed movie DRY.

Displaced women, fleeing hunger, raped in camps

He was thin but strong, in a new uniform and boots. After forcing his way into Hawo’s ragged shelter the man put a gun to her throat, then raped her, twice.

Jealous boyfriend attacks man with razor blade for talking to his girlfriend

21-year-old, Ibrahim Oyebanji, who allegedly assaulted a man with a razor blade for talking with his girlfriend, was on Thursday brought before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Brexit: Five signs that leaving the EU is starting to hurt the UK economy

Canada this week became the last of the world’s major advanced economies to report quarterly economic growth figures, confirming that the UK is indeed the worst-performing of its G7 peers so far this year.

The UK economy expanded by 0.2 per cent in the first three months of 2017, a sharp slowdown from just under a year ago, when it was outpacing Germany, Japan and the US.

Nursing student allegedly impregnated by lecturer gives birth

A former nursing student of the Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese Ijebu, Mosunmola, has been delivered of a baby boy.

The 28-year-old gave birth without any complication at the General Hospital, Epe, Lagos State, on Thursday.