NewsReports

The US-led coalition has targeted oil refineries in Syria during a third night of air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants. The raids – carried out by US, Saudi and UAE aircraft – killed 14 IS fighters and five civilians in eastern Syria, activists said. The US military said the refineries generated as much as $2 million (£1.2m) per day …

Nnewi, Anambra, Nigeria – By Sonde Ojeikere Confusion and sorrow filled the air in Nnewi, Anambra State recently, when a wonder Bank, Tabak Cooperative Credit and Thrift Bank, operated as a Micro Finance Bank closed down unannounced, allegedly making away with over N105million belonging to customers. The Bank, said to have been established early last year by one Chief Oladipo …

Benin, Edo, Nigeria – By Sonde Ojeikere As the five-year-tenure of the incumbent Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Professor Osayuki Oshodin expires on November 29, 2014, six eminent Professors of the Ivory Tower have started jostling for the plum job. Besides the six UNIBEN Professors who have reportedly indicated interests in the Vice Chancellorship position, the institution’s …

Asaba, Delta, Nigeria – By Sonde Ojeikere Passengers and drivers plying the Asaba-Onitsha Road have appealed to the Federal and Delta State Governments to urgently take steps to rehabilitate the damaged portions of the road in order to ease the traffic gridlock associated with the sufferings of the road users. Our correspondent who was on hand to inspect the level …

BENIN CITY—AHEAD the 2015 presidential election, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has submitted a letter of intent to the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, just as he intensified consultations with stakeholders across the country, including former Presidents, Vanguard has gathered. It was gathered that time table for his nationwide consultation meeting with APC governors, meetings with …

Barack Obama: IS “must be degraded and then ultimately destroyed” US President Barack Obama has urged the world to help dismantle the Islamic State’s (IS) “network of death”. He was speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York as US warplanes stepped up air strikes against IS militants in Iraq and Syria. The UN Security Council later adopted a …

Benin, Edo State – Nigeria  By Oladipo Airenakho. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yesterday presented his 2015 budget proposal of N 156.551 billion to the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus of the State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Uyigue Igbe for approval. Unlike last year when he addressed the lawmakers, representing the different political parties at the Edo …

Ukraine is preparing to withdraw heavy weaponry away from separatist rebel lines in the east, the military says. The two sides agreed on Saturday to set up a buffer zone in eastern Ukraine, more than a fortnight after a shaky ceasefire came into force. Although the truce is still in place, clashes have continued around the cities of Donetsk and …

Two Palestinians suspected of the abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June have been killed by Israeli forces, Israel’s military says. A spokesman said troops searching for Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha surrounded a building in the West Bank city of Hebron where they were hiding. “We opened fire, they returned fire and they were killed in …

The US and five Arab allies have launched the first strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria. The Pentagon said warplanes, drones and Tomahawk missiles were used in the attacks, which targeted several areas including IS stronghold Raqqa. Syria’s foreign ministry said its UN envoy was informed about the strikes against IS, which controls large swathes of Syria and …