World News for Nigerians Today 8th January 2019
World News Today: Guinea to Host 2025 AFCON and GEJ Reacts to Attempted Coup in Gabon. Continue reading iDonsabi for more…
1. Pope Francis warns Against Isolating Out Migrants
Pope Francis has sounded a warning about what he termed a “resurgence of nationalist and populist movements”.
He openly criticized countries that shy away from the migration crises of the world by taking unilateral and isolationist measures.
The pope, speaking to diplomats in his annual “state of the world” address, suggested that such unilateral approach was simply archaic and is setting the world 100 years back to the periods of world war.
The pope added that such approach to migration problems was hurting no other people but the vulnerable migrants.
He also named countries such as Italy, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Brazil and Poland as gaining popularity for this new resurgence.
READ ALSO >> Dozens of Migrants Found Dead on Mediterranean Sea <<
2. Guinea to Host 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
In 2014, CAF announced its awards for hosting rights as follows: Cameroon (2019), Ivory Coast (2021) and Guinea (2023).
However, a decision was reached to remove this year’s edition from Cameroon following her inability to build stadiums and beef up security in time.
Egypt and South Africa have submitted their bids to host the tournament this year, 2019. CAF will announce on Wednesday which of the two countries has won the right to host the tournament slated to kick off on June 15.
Ivory Coast will now host the tournament in 2023.
Guinea has accepted to stage the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations instead of the 2023 edition.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president also confirmed on Monday that Cameroon will stage the tournament in 2021 instead.
SEE ALSO >> Bad News as world Cup 2022 Host, Qatar Double Tax on Alcohol <<
3. Over 200 Lost Containers Found at the Bottom of North Sea
According to the reports of Dutch Authorities, several containers that sank from one of the World’s Largest Cargo ships have been found at the bottom of the North Sea on Monday.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced that 220 out of the 281 containers have been found via Sonar technology after 18 containers washed ashore since the stormy weather incident on Jan 2, as the MSC Zoe navigated its way from Antwerp, Belgium, to Bremerhaven, Germany.
About 40 containers are still missing however, two of which contained dangerous materials. One that broke open was transporting 250 sacks of toxic peroxide in powder form.
The other container which contained 1,400 kilograms of lithium batteries is still unaccounted for.
The ministry said it does not present an acute risk for the environment. Efforts to recover the containers are on course and could take several months.
4. Oil Price Hovers At $57, Saudi Arabia Cuts Output By 500,000 Bpd
The price of crude oil yesterday hovered around $57.00, after hitting $58.00 on Saturday in the international market, as Saudi Arabia cuts output by 500,000 barrel per day.
The price of many light crude, including Nigeria’s Bonny Light stood, at $53.06, while the price of Brent, West Texas Intermediate, WTI and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, basket of 15 crude stood at $57.06, $47.96 and $52.95 respectively.
The latest oil price showed over $6.00 below the $60.00 per barrel benchmark of Nigeria’s 2019 budget. The price which rose as high as $85 per barrel in October, 2018, dropped to less than $50.00, threatening the implementation of the 2019 budget.
5. Goodluck Jonathan Reacts to Attempted Coup in Gabon
Former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the attempted coup by Gabonese soldiers in Gabon on Monday.
The Soldiers launched a coup in what they claimed was to restore democracy.
President Bongo, who took over power in 2009, suffered a stroke in October and has been receiving treatment in Morocco.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan in a message on his Facebook page, called on the military authorities to restore peace and democracy in Gabon.
In his words, “I stand with the African Union in condemning the attempted coup in Gabon. While urging for calm, restraint and peaceful conduct, I also call on the military authorities to return the country to its status as a constitutional democracy”.
6. Salah Set to Retain African Player of the Year Title
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is set to be named 2018 African Player of the Year the second time in a row at a gala awards ceremony scheduled to hold in Senegal on Tuesday.
The football star is competing against fellow English Premier League stars, Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane from Senegal and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal.
Consistent scorer Salah has already won the 2018 BBC African Footballer of the Year prize and it would be a shock if he did not add to his collection of individual honours in Dakar.
Should he be confirmed as the best footballer in Africa on Tuesday, Salah will become the first player from the north of the continent to claim back-to-back titles.
7. 6 Foreign National on Trial for Financing Islamic State
Six Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationals living in Sweden went on trial in Stockholm on Monday accused of financing terrorism, three of them were also charged with planning a terrorist attack.
“If the terrorist crime had been carried out, it could have seriously hurt Sweden,” the prosecution had announced.
The first day of the trial focused on the prosecution’s claim that the six men sent funds to the Islamic State group (IS) to finance its terrorism operations.
READ ALSO >> The World’s Largest Beer Company to invest $100 Million in Cannabis Beverages <<
8. Over 800 protesters Arrested in Sudan
More than 800 protesters have been arrested from hundreds of anti-government demonstrations held across Sudan since last month, the interior minister had announced on Monday.
“The total number of protesters arrested until now is 816,” Ahmed Bilal Osman told parliament, revealing for the first time the actual number of those detained since rallies erupted after an official hike in bread prices.
9. Wife Tricks Infertile Husband into Believing He Fathered 3 Sons
A woman, Kate Mason, for 21-years tricked her ex-husband, Richard Mason, into believing he was the father of her three sons.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Mr. Mason learned his ex-wife had lied about the paternity when doctors diagnosed him with cystic fibrosis and told him he had been infertile since birth in 2016.
A court has ordered Mrs. Mason to pay him £250,000 following an extraordinary legal case that has allowed her to keep the identity of the real father a secret.
DNA and other tests later confirmed did not father the children who are now 23, and 19 (twins)
The case came to light when Mr Mason launched a legal bid to claw back some of the £4 million his wife received in their divorce settlement, as well as suing her for paternity fraud.
READ ALSO >> A Woman in Coma Gives Birth,Police Investigates Sexual Assault <<
10. Pressure on DRC to Announce Election Results
Public and diplomatic pressure mounted on Monday on the Democratic Republic of Congo to announce the outcome of December 30 elections to replace long-term leader Joseph Kabila.
More than a week after the crucial poll, the volatile central African country’s electoral commission is yet to announce the results or date to be announced after the proposed date was postponed.
On Sunday, election commission head Corneille Nangaa said just over half of ballots had been counted.
But on Monday, the foreign minister of former colonial power Belgium, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council due to discuss the situation in DRC this week urged the commission to make haste.
“The important thing today, he said is to publish the results of the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo even if they do not please the powers that be,” Didier Reynders said.
