The Federal government has declared Friday 29th March and Monday 1st April public holidays for the Easter celebration. Declaring the holidays on behalf of the federal government in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, urged Christians and Nigerians as a whole, to emulate the love and sacrifice displayed by Jesus Christ in dying for the redemption of man. In a statement by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Aishetu Gogo-Ndayako, the minister said Easter beyond religious significance, promotes values of love, forgiveness and compassion which are essential for social cohesion and Harmony. He tasks Christians to imbibe these virtues as they impact positively on the socioeconomic development and stability of Nigeria by “fostering unity, reducing conflicts and encouraging cooperation among Nigerians.”He encouraged all to always display acts of charity and to generally help “alleviate the material conditions of the less privileged among them.” This according to the minister, is in tandem with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu. Dr. Tunji-Ojo wishes “Christians at home and abroad a happy and blissful Easter celebration.”He also called on Nigerians to join hands with the government in its quest to bring sustainable development and prosperity for all.

The legal team representing the Aloba family has expressed dissatisfaction with the toxicology test results concerning the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad. PUNCH Metro exclusively reported that the US-based lab refuted the claim by the Lagos State Government that the toxicology test was conducted at its facility. The Aloba family and, indeed, the whole world demand to know where the toxicology test was carried out as this has impugned the integrity. “The Aloba Family remains steadfast in their pursuit of truth and justice for Ilerioluwa. Presently, we have an application before the Coroner Court seeking approval to conduct an independent autopsy and toxicology test.

Thirteen people have died in flooding and landslides in El Salvador and Guatemala as heavy rains pound Central America, authorities from the two countries said. Dozens to hundreds die each year in Central America as the rainy season leaves extensive damage to countries’ infrastructure. Additionally, the death toll from a landslide in Ecuador rose from six to seven people, with 22 others injured, authorities said Monday. The landslide was triggered by heavy rains in the tourist Tungurahua province in southern Ecuador. ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNECitizens need change of mindset for Nigeria to make progress — Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the recent acts of rail track and electricity cable vandalism, labelling them as economic sabotage with severe impacts on the national value system. The delegation, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, included Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Honourable Benjamin Kalu, among others. “It is great pride for me to have the best of partners in the National Assembly. Acknowledging the country’s challenges, President Tinubu assured the nation of his determination to address them. After meeting with the National Assembly leaders, President Tinubu proceeded to meet with the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.

No fewer than 137 institutions across the country have now collaborated with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, data from the NELFUND website on Monday revealed. The data did not, however, disclose the names of the collaborating institutions nor did it specify whether the institutions are Federal Government or state-controlled. President Bola Tinubu, on April 3, signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law. Recall that NELFUND’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, once revealed that students’ accessibility to student loans would be based on the institution’s responses. He had also noted that over 90 per cent of federal institutions had also collaborated with the Fund.

A woman identified as Zara Tua has been stabbed to death by two men who had checked her into a hotel. The incident was said to have occurred on Sunday night at a hotel in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory. A resident living close to the hotel who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the lady was a sex worker. The source said, “We woke up this morning to the news of the death of a commercial sex worker in a hotel in Kubwa here. “A disagreement later ensued between the trio which led to Zara Tua being stabbed with scissors.

Six years ago, Punch launched the Bartender in Residence program with a simple mission: Elevate and amplify rising talent in the bartending community through a combination of editorial coverage, social media, live events and more. The individuals listed below have been selected as 2024 Best New Bartenders finalists. Each possesses a distinctive creative point-of-view behind the bar paired with a genuine desire to push the industry forward. From this talented group, 10 will be named the Best New Bartenders of 2024. Check back on August 13 for the final list.

It did not resolve the bedrock — and seemingly intractable, for now — issue: Ukrainian land occupied by invading Russian forces. Zelenskyy has previously presented a 10-point peace formula that, among other things, demands the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes. That means the Kremlin’s forces have difficulty generating momentum at scale, allowing Ukraine to hold them to incremental gains for now. ___Derek Gatopoulos and Yehor Konovalov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Litvinova in Tallin, Estonia contributed. ___Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

An officer who tried to intercept a fleeing cow by hitting it with a vehicle in England has been removed from duty, police said in a statement on Sunday. Surrey Police said on Sunday that the officer driving the car had been “removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of these investigations.”. The cow ended up with its head and upper body trapped under the police car. On Saturday, police said that after several unsuccessful attempts to recover the cow and taking public safety into account, a decision was made to intercept the cow using the police vehicle. The 10-month-old cow, christened “Beau Lucy,” was examined by a vet and reunited with its owner, who said the animal was “doing better.”.

India's Croatian coach Igor Stimac looks on before the 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC qualifiers football match between Qatar and India at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP)India’s head coach Igor Stimac has been sacked after the team’s poor performance in World Cup qualifiers, the football federation said Monday. India’s 2-1 defeat to Qatar earlier this month dashed their dreams of reaching the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup for the first time. “Noting the disappointing outcome of the Senior Men’s National Team’s FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, the members unanimously agreed that a new Head Coach would be best placed to take the team forward,” the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said in a statement. After India’s defeat to Qatar, Stimac condemned what he called an “irregular” goal.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stopped pilgrims from proceeding to the Jamarat Bridge for the ritual of throwing stones from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to extreme heatThe Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman, issued the directive in a statement on Monday in Mina, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Sulaiman stated that the measures became necessary to ensure the well-being of pilgrims amidst high temperatures and to prevent heat stress. He urged the Office of Hajj Affairs and service providers to ensure compliance, adding that they would be held responsible for any violations thereof. NAN reports that the Jamarat are three pillars located in Mecca and are an important part of the Hajj pilgrimage for Muslims. Over 1.83 million pilgrims performed this year’s hajj, according to the Saudi Gazette.

Eight people have died and about 25 have been injured in a train crash in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. The accident occurred when a goods train hit a stationary passenger train, the Kanchenjungha Express, in the New Jalpaiguri area on Monday morning. Dramatic footage from the accident site showed one wagon of the express train suspended in the air. Federal Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that relief teams were working in close coordination with railway officials to carry out rescue operations. Last year, a devastating crash involving three trains in the eastern state of Odisha had killed around 290 people and left more than 1,000 injured.

Celebrity Looks At 2024 Emmy AwardsBy Odunmorayo OkeThe 2024 Emmys unfolded with a sense of nostalgia and a touch of uncertainty, echoing the post-holiday haze felt by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Following months of postponement owing to Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes, the awards ceremony finally held, accompanied by a delayed red carpet, as expected. Additionally, the fashion landscape featured some unexpected choices, including fisherman sandals paired with socks. In our roundup below, we’ve curated a collection of the best, most eccentric, and debatable looks from the 2024 Emmys, showcasing the diverse fashion statements that graced the delayed red carpet. Author Guardian Nigeria

The rejoinder asserted that last the administration had spent the sum of $1.5 billion monthly to defend the naira. The presidency added: “To be sure, President Tinubu did not create the economic problems Nigeria faces today. “The Tinubu administration and the 36 states are working assiduously to produce food in abundance to reduce the cost. As those countries are trying to confront the problem, the Tinubu administration is also working hard to overturn the economic problems in Nigeria. “Our country faced economic difficulties in the past, an experience that has been captured in folk songs.

Today’s smart leader must spend quality time on framing and reframing decisions. It is definitely not in the interest of the organization if the leader is and myopic and not open-minded. To be the Market Leader “agile organizations must look at the market and analyze it. He is the leader, visionary and entrepreneur. Scenario planning enables decisions that will make organizations “fit for alternatives”.