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Sant’Egidio organization president Marco Impagliazzo (front, L) and Republic of Central Africa foreign minister Charles Armel Doubane (front, 2-L) address a political delegation from Central African Republic on June 19, 2017 inside the Sant’Egidio community church in Rome. Central African Republic’s government on June 19 signed an “immediate ceasefire” deal with rebel groups during a meeting in Rome aimed at ending violence in the strife-torn country. The truce will see armed groups be given representation in the political arena in exchange for an end to attacks and rebel blockades.  At least 40 people were killed in clashes on Tuesday in the Central African Republic, aid and security sources said, the day after the signing of a ceasefire deal. The violence in the central town of Bria was between members of Christian ‘anti-balaka’ militias and ex-Seleka fighters, the sources said. In addition, 43 people were injured as of 2100 GMT, according to medical charity Doctors ...

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said it has arrested a 45-year-old woman, Rhoda Omorogie, alias Mama Bobo, for her alleged involvement in the trafficking of young girls from Benin to Europe. The NAPTIP Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr Josiah Emerole, said in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that the operatives of the agency in Benin Zonal Command arrested the suspect in an early morning operation on Tuesday. Emerole explained that Omorogie, a nurse by profession and an indigene of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo, was nabbed by the operatives at about 5 a.m at her residence located at No. 65 Osayande St. off Upper Sakponda Road, Benin City. He said that the suspected trafficker had been in hiding since June 16 following the arrest of one of her gang members, Monday Ugbo, by NAPTIP operatives and rescue of three victims. According to him, the “notorious trafficker’’ is presently in NAPTIP’s custody for interrogation. Th...

Germany’s midfielder Leon Goretzka (L) is tackled by Australia’s defender Milos Degenek as he shoots to score a goal during the 2017 Confederations Cup group B football match between Australia and Germany at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on June 19, 2017.  with their World Cup winners absent in Russia, Germany’s rising stars are relishing their chance to shine at the Confederations Cup. None of the side that won the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil is present in coach Joachim Loew’s squad in Russia, with some having retired and others either injured or rested. After a season in a struggling Schalke team, central midfielder Leon Goretzka was one of those who seized his chance in Monday’s opening 3-2 win over Australia. He scored Germany’s third goal in the Group B game with a deft strike from Joshua Kimmich’s pass having won the penalty which Julian Draxler converted for the second goal in Sochi. But it was not all completely smooth and Germany’s young guns know t...

PHOTO: Sparkonline The power sector is said to have lost about N1.43 billion to constraints associated with grid and gas in one day (June 17, 2017), according to statistics released by the Presidential Advisory Power Team (PAPT) overseen by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. The constraints involved 1,724 mega watts (MW) for gas while line constraints involved a total of 1,252.1MW of which, 1,078.5MW had high frequency constraints. The implications included shortage of electricity supplies to end users, frustration of businesses and decline of revenue generation to the sector. The average power sent out was 2,786MWh/hour (down by 687/h) against 3,474MWh/hour sent out on June 16, 2017. Also, the peak was 3,948 MW lower than 3,960MW generated on June 16. This was attributed to the loss of Distribution Companies (DisCOs) feeders arising from heavy rainfall leading to frequency management reduction in generation output across the grid. Meanwhile, against the back...

• ‘How restructuring will affect subscribers’  Lending bankers yesterday took over telecommunications company Etisalat and subsequently announced changes in the shareholding structure of the company. Access Bank Plc and other Nigerian banks eventually took over the management of the company, effective June 15 after a protracted $1.2 billion debt impasse. Other lenders in the loan deal are Zenith Bank, GTBank, First Bank, UBA, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank, FCMB, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Union Bank. A source privy to the arrangement told The Guardian that the affected banks had requested a new management of the telecoms firm. While it is certain that there will be some job losses, (may not be in the immediate), and possible management changes, there are also worries in the industry about the fate of the 20 million customers on Etisalat’s network in Nigeria. The Guardian learnt that Etisalat’s employees at different cadres were seen going about their normal duties at the major ...