NIGERIAN NOTCH

A man has been arrested after a large fire severely damaged the Houses of Parliament in the South African city of Cape Town. The suspect, who is not a parliamentary employee, will appear in court on Tuesday, facing charges of arson, housebreaking and theft, police said. Firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the blaze. President Cyril Ramaphosa called it a "terrible and devastating event", as he vowed parliament's work would continue. Footage from the scene on Sunday showed a plume of black smoke filling the sky, with huge flames coming out from the roof of the building. Officials say the fire started on the third floor offices and quickly spread to the National Assembly (the parliament's lower house) chamber, reports the BBC's Nomsa Maseko in Cape Town. The parliament is not currently in session because of the holidays, and no-one was injured. However the building is home to thousands of treasures including historic books, photographs and important works of

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the last truly global figure from an era when South Africa taught the world what courage and reconciliation could achieve. The last of an extraordinary generation of moral giants - of men and women who, in the 1980s and 1990s, steered a turbulent, traumatised country away from cruelties of racial apartheid and the cliff-edge of civil war. With Desmond Tutu gone, South Africa finds itself not quite rudderless or leaderless, but fully untethered, at last, from the years of its greatness. The contrast between those times of sacrifice and glory, and today's far shabbier political realities can certainly appear stark. The country Tutu finally leaves behind is a troubled one, gripped by deep economic malaise, by chokingly high unemployment and enduring inequality, and governed by a former liberation party, the African National Congress (ANC), which is at open war with itself. Tutu was too frail to comment on the political violence that erupted in July this yea

  As Omicron cases continue to surge across the world, health experts have raised concerns over the detection of the first case of  “Florona disease” –  a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza – in Israel. Reports say the first case of Florona was detected in an unvaccinated pregnant woman admitted to the Rabin Medical centre to give birth. However, there has been no confirmation that the woman was diagnosed with either COVID-19 or influenza. The ‘Florona disease’ it was gathered is not a new variant of COVID-19 and so far, there has been no fresh information available on the symptoms. According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, it is possible to catch both COVID-19 and the flu at the same time as the viruses share similar symptoms, and both can be fatal.   Israeli doctors said the disease is being studied as the country witnessed a spike of influenza cases believed to be fuelled by the Omicron variant in the last few weeks. Dr Nahla Abdel Wahab, a doctor at Cairo University

All is set for the Imo State Stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold today, Tuesday, 4th January 2022 at Sam Mbakwe Exco Chambers, Government House, Owerri as all relevant stakeholders have been invited and Imolites expectant of the outcome. In running an all inclusive governance, His Excellency the Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma had upon resumption of office, announced a routine Stakeholders Meeting with Ndi Imo across board. The meeting which is in series presents an opportunity for the Governor of Imo State to account to Ndi Imo the activities and direction of the Government in fast-tracking development to the State and as well, a discuss on the recent events in the State.  The Governor has kept to his pledge of running an all inclusive Government with transparency to the people. The meeting usually held periodically has greatly contributed in the policies and programs of the administration as reactions form the participants  are usually taken into account afterwards by the Gove

GOVERNOR HOPE UZODIMMA of Imo state has advocated a renewed and collective effort by the people of Imo state to stamp out violence and other forms of criminality in the state this year. In his  new year Message to the people of the state, Uzodimma pledged that the government will work in concert with the security agencies to ensure a safer Imo state in 2022 and beyond  He also pledged that his administration will this year redouble efforts to redress the infrastructural deficit it met on assumption of office. According to him, the huge capital outlay in this year's budget of over 74% of the total budget, was a sign that there would be more developmental projects in the state. Uzodimma however noted that progress could only be made in an atmosphere of peace. He noted that some opposition elements had sought to destabilize the state and arrest its progress, but expressed gratitude to God that they have been overwhelmed. He also expressed appreciation to all the patriotic citizens who

The executive members of Okofia Development Union in Nnewi North LGA of Anambra state has passed a vote of no confidence on their President General for what they termed gross misappropriation of funds.  In a letter made available to our correspondent in Nnewi, and signed by 12 executive officers who consist 2/3 majority of Okofia Development Union which translates as well to the general Community are of the view that the gross misappropriation of funds without resolutions from the executive or ratification of the said financial transactions pending is illegal and can no longer be condoled.  The stated that the exclusion and non recognition of women in the leadership of the community is appualling and needs to be addressed, while they bemoaned the exclusion of other executives in running the affairs of the community which led to the incompetence shown by the PG in uniting the NGO Abor quarters.  They therefore asked the President General to honorably resign or justify his actions, while