Egyptian bodybuilder Big Ramy outmuscles the competition at the 2015 Arnold Classic in Brazil, Schwarzenegger presents trophy. Sean Carberry reports.

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Filmmaker Dan Edge investigates why the Ebola crisis of 2014 was not contained sooner and visits the tree thought to be the source of the outbreak. …read more      

Egypt faces widespread criticism over the increasing numbers of Islamists being sentenced to death, reports the BBC’s Sally Nabil. …read more      

In good will gesture, tribal leaders loyal to unrecognized government in Tripoli release detainees from rival party. Sean Carberry reports.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the first set of appointments into his administration.

The President on Sunday evening, May 31, 2015 named Mr Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu as his spokesmen.

Femi Adesina will serve as Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) while Garba Shehu will be the new Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity).

The President has also approved the appointment of Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure as the State Chief of Protocol (SCOP).

Mr Adesina is the current President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and serves as the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun newspapers.

Garba Shehu served as the Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. He was the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors sixteen years ago.

Abdullahi Kazaure is a career Foreign Service official and currently serves in Aso Rock Villa as a Special Assistant (Presidential Matters).

The post President Buhari Appoints Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu as Spokesmen appeared first on Channels Television.

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A UK based Nigerian writer and newspaper columnist, Simon Kolawole, believes that people expect too much from an inaugural speech.

This was part of his comments on the varying reactions that have trailed the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural speech.

Speaking to Politics Today on Channels Television, he said that an inaugural speech, as delivered by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, is only expected to give an hint and not define the agenda of the new administration.

“His first budget, his first appointments, those are the things that will really define the direction of his administration,” he said, urging Nigerians not to worry much about the things President Buhari said or failed to say during his inauguration.

Reminded about the inaugural speeches delivered by world leaders including U.S. President, Barrack Obama, and how they are seen to be laden with quotable quotes that successfully raise the hopes of their citizens, Kolawole expressed the view that Nigerians should take the statement “I am for everybody and I belong to nobody” by President Buhari as a notable quote to hold on to.

“That talks a bit about what you call elite capture in Nigeria. The moment you become President you become a hostage to the interests around you, the powers around you, and the supporters around you. This, I believe has been a major hindrance to the performance of Nigerian presidents over the years.

“So if you’re looking for quotable quotes I belong to those who believe it is a quotable quote and it has become very popular both on the social media and even in the traditional media,” he said.

On the general quality of President Buhari’s speech, Kolawole begged not to judge the speech writer but noted that “we have had better inaugural speeches before”.

“You need to go back to former President Umar Musa Yar’adua, the …read more      

Schools across Nepal begin to reopen and students reunite with friends and teachers more than a month after a massive earthquake devastated the country. Sean Carberry reports.

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Hundreds of people at the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, have called for fresh action by the new administration on the terrorist group, Boko Haram to enable them return home.

Many of them, who have found refuge at the camp for close to six years, complained of lack of attention by the government, save for the charity or religious groups who donate clothing and food items from time to time.

Surrounded by a thick forest, the IDP camp is complete with everything from utility store, to market and recreation centres.

Most of the camp’s residents have been there for more than six years since their villages came under attack by the Boko Haram sect, while others from surrounding towns have lived here for close to ten years.

Thousands of children reside in the camp with limited educational opportunities, lack of basic amenities and common health challenges.

A Businessman in the camp, Andrew Davies, expressed that with a new administration in place, all they want is visible change that would enable them return to their normal lives.

Another resident, Ladi Isaac, told Channels TV that she heard the news of the hand-over over the radio and hoped that it would bring greater progress in the battle against the terrorists.

It has been a particularly bitter experience for 34 year old John Peter, who had his mother and sisters abducted by Boko Haram. He also expressed hope that President Buhari’s administration would help bring them home.

The extent of the camp for several years is largely unchanged but the population has grown and the residents wait in anticipation to see what the change in government would translate to in their lives.

The post IDPs Call For President Buhari’s Help To Return Home appeared first on Channels Television.

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Ekiti State government has described as falsehood and dishonesty, an alleged claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers that they have not been paid their entitlements.

The government said in a statement issued on Sunday by the State Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo, that the lawmakers duly acknowledged receipt of cheques for their payments last week Wednesday through his office.

The government was reacting to a statement supposedly issued by one Wole Olujobi, who claimed to be the lawmakers’ spokesperson, that Governor Ayodele Fayose placed an embargo on the lawmakers’ bank accounts and did not pay them their entitlements.

The statement read; “We would have remained silent in deference to the agreement reached at the last Monday meeting in Akure that all parties should maintain silence on the outcome of the meeting, especially because the lawmakers said they do not want their leaders to know the outcome of the meeting.

However, since the lawmakers have chosen not to abide by this agreement by first issuing press statement to deny and reveal what was discussed in the meeting, and now going to the press to say that they have not received any payment, the government does not have any other option than to tell the public the truth and set the records straight.

“The government is by this press statement putting the records straight since the money paid to the lawmakers belong to Ekiti people.

“The payment was made in cheques because the lawmakers pleaded that their accounts should not be credited directly so as to avoid the banks from making deductions for loans taken from the banks.

“Saying that they have not been paid is quite unfortunate and unbecoming of honourable members of the State House of Assembly and this is sad.

“We will want to keep our fingers crossed and we wish to caution the …read more      

Police Scotland will conduct a review as Motherwell’s win over Rangers ends with players, including Tunisia’s Bilel Mohsni, fighting on the pitch. …read more