Oriontimes

  Ecuador's former vice president Jorge Glas has been hospitalized, days after his arrest during a high-profile raid of the Mexican embassy in Quito. Glas was taken to a hospital in Guayaquil after falling ill, the country's national prison agency SNAI said Monday. He became ill after he refused to eat food provided to him while in detention, CNN reports . SNAI said Glas was in a stable condition and would be under observation for the next few hours before being returned to prison.  The news came as Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa on Monday defended the controversial police raid on Friday that led to Glas’s arrest. Glas, who has been accused by Ecuadorian authorities of embezzling government funds meant to help rebuild after a devastating 2016 earthquake, was seeking asylum at the embassy when the raid took place. He was subsequently transferred to the maximum security La Roca prison in Guayaquil.

 Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has tasked Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company IBEDC to urgently  just as he unveiled the power sector agenda for the state. The Governor made this known when he met the Managing Director of IBEDC in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital. Addressing the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company IBEDC at a private meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke described Osun as a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian power sector with Osogbo hosting the National Transmission Control Centre. He said it is therefore unacceptable that the State will be having epileptic power supply, the situation which the Governor stressed has been affecting local economy and businesses badly. Apart from the fact that power outages contribute to growing insecurity, the Governor harped on the extortion of customers through transformer procurement, estimated billing that exploits the consumers and inability...

  ....senegal swears in its  president Senegal inaugurated Bassirou Diomaye Faye as its youngest-ever president on Tuesday, days after he was released from jail where he had been held as a political prisoner. The 44-year-old former tax inspector pledged to clean up corruption and help the country’s unemployed youth as he was sworn in at a ceremony attended by his two wives. “The results of the election showed a profound desire for change,” he said. “Senegal will be a country of hope, at peace, with an independent justice system and a stronger democracy.” Faye was released from prison less than two weeks before the 24 March election following a political amnesty announced by outgoing president Macky Sall. It is his first time in any elected office. The smooth transition was a welcome boost after three years of turmoil in Senegal that had raised concern about democratic backsliding in the coup-prone region of west Africa, where juntas have seized power and cut ties with traditio...

  President Biden and Xi Jinping, China’s leader, discussed issues both cooperative and combative during a rare telephone conversation yesterday. The call was an attempt to buoy a relationship that hit a decades-long low last year. Biden brought up China’s support for Russia in the war in Ukraine, fighting narcotics production, the Middle East conflict, North Korea’s nuclear program and TikTok. He also raised the issue of China’s aggression toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea. Xi criticized U.S. measures to suppress China’s economy, science and technology and called for “concrete actions” from the U.S. to show that the country would not support Taiwan’s independence, according to a Chinese summary of the call. In another news, Janet Yellen, the U.S. treasury secretary, heads to China this week for economic talks, and Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, will follow soon after.   President Biden said that an “outrageous” decision by a Florida court to uphold a restricti...

  In a recent gathering in Abuja, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) reaffirmed its commitment to discipline members found guilty of undermining the party’s interests during the 2023 general elections. The National Organising Secretary (NOS) of the PDP, Capt. Umar Bature (Retd), conveyed this determination during a crucial meeting between the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and the 36 State Chairmen. The Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Umar Damagum, reiterated the party’s stance, particularly emphasizing the potential repercussions for figures like former Rivers State Governor, now Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike. Damagum emphasized, “…If Wike believes he is above this party, we will be able to show him that he is not above this party.” In its efforts to ensure accountability, the PDP urged state party chairmen and stakeholders to identify and report individuals involved in anti-party activities. Capt. Bature urged, “You are to tell us who did anti-party ...

Osun State Governor , Ademola Adeleke has approved the immediate enforcement and implementation of new retirement age and length of Service for the teaching profession, directing action to restore normalcy across schools in Osun State. According to a Circular issued today from the Office of the Head of Service, Mr Ayanleye Aina, all those interested in enjoying the new retirement age must comply with the guidelines as stipulated, Oriontimes reports. Consequently, the Ministry of Finance and the State Universal Basic Education Board(SUBEB) have been directed to stop forthwith, the payment of salaries to those who have been enjoying the new retirement age without fu lfilling the conditions attached. The circular reads as follows: "I wish to refer to our Circulars Ref. Nos. SMD.61/VOL.III/36 dated 31st May, 2022 and SMD.61/Vol.IV/52 dated 20th October, 2023 on the above subject, and reiterate that the conditions stated in the aforementioned Circulars still subsist. Consequently, all ...

Mike Johnson, the U.S. House speaker, has started laying out conditions for a fresh round of American military assistance to Ukraine, the strongest indication yet that the aid could pass within weeks. The Senate already okayed a $9 5 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, but it has been stalled on Capitol Hill for months amid Republican opposition in the House. Johnson, who is facing pressure from the Biden administration and NATO allies to pass the aid, has been searching for a path forward on the bill that would provoke the least political backlash from the hard-right flank of his party. Now the question appears to be not whether Mr. Johnson will allow aid to come to the floor, but in what form and when.

  The Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA), has issued congratulatory  message in honor of its General Secretary, Francis Ezediuno on the occasion of his birthday, April 1st, 2024.  OOPA, in congratulatory text by the Publicity Secretary, Comrade Yusuf Idowu described Ezediuno as a professional Journalist who always stand for the truth.  The association extolled Francis sincere love, humbleness and passion for his work, truthfulness, adding that strong sense of integrity set him apart.  “On behalf of the association, we wish you a very blissful birthday. “Today, we honor both your wonderful existence on earth and your extraordinary contributions towards raising the standards of journalism. You are necessarily one of the best gifts God gave the world of journalism. “On this occasion of your birthday, We wish you the best in life. Happy birthday."

  Governor Ademola Adeleke is administering Osun state with a people centric approach and with an eye on good legacies rather than material acquisition, his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed has declared. Speaking on Diamond FM programme, Enun Onikan, Mallam Rasheed rebuffed what he called “several lies and untruths being peddled by the opposition in the state”, declaring that “Mr Governor is delivering so well across the sectors. “ The opposition APC and their operatives are simply overwhelmed by the superlative performance of Mr Governor, hence their resorting to bare faced lies and untruths . Unfortunately, the more the lies, the more the unpopularity of the opposition among the people. “ Let me point out that no member of the Adeleke family is a contractor with the Osun State Government. Neither our revered leader, Dr Deji Adeleke nor the global music icon, David Adeleke, is involved in the Osun contract. It is a lie from the pit of hell to say Pacific Holding is involved in...

  The Olowu of Kuta Kingdom, HRM Oba Oyelude Makama has beseeched members of Osun Online Publishers Association to advance their current trend of professionalism in their work. The royal father who is the Patron of the Association, made the assertion on Sunday during the visit of the New Executive members of the association at his Kuta palace. Oba Makama applauded the Jare Tiamiyu led-administration, urging the new leadership led by Mukhtar Ajelogbon to continue the proactiveness in their work for the progress and development of Osun State, adding that all eyes on the media for professional and balanced reportage as the Osun 2026 governorship trend is drawing closer. He promised not to relent in supporting the association wholeheartedly in the capacity of Patron, as he always proud of the association. Olowu-Kuta, however, prayed for the successful tenure of the new OOPA leadership.

  Thousands of people gathered outside Israel’s Parliament yesterday in one of the largest demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since the start of the war in Gaza. He has faced increasing pressure, abroad and at home, over Israel’s handling of the war, and many Israelis are calling for him to resign. Close allies like the U.S. have criticized the war’s heavy civilian toll and have urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza. And many Israelis have demanded that Netanyahu prioritize the release of the hostages held by Hamas as part of a cease-fire deal. Thousands demonstrated against Netanyahu’s government in Tel Aviv on Saturday. The protests in Jerusalem, which were expected to continue through Wednesday, came as in-person talks about a potential cease-fire resumed in  Pro tests against Netanyahu over his plan to overhaul the judiciary largely subsided after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel, but public dissatisfaction with the war has now driven Israelis...