Nigerian pastor Oluronbi, wife bag 34 years jailterm for raping church members in UK

A Nigerian pastor, Michael Oluronbi and his wife Juliana, have been sentenced to jail for 34 years in the United Kingdom.

Oluronbi was found guilty of sexual offences against six women and a man.

The Nigerian clergyman based in UK was accused of abusing children and adults for over 20 years after convincing them to take part in “spiritual bathing to cleanse them of evil spirits.”

Olurnobi was jailed for 34 years for offences of multiple rapes of members of his congregation.

Birmingham Crown Court convicted Oluronbi of “fifteen counts of rape, seven counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault and at least 88 separate occasions on which he raped his victims.”
The Court heard that some of the victims became pregnant multiple times, but Olurnobi would take them to abortion clinics, as a cover-up for the abuse.

His wife was jailed for 11 years for three counts of aiding and abetting rape, as she assisted Olurnobi in arranging abortions for the victims.

Both defendants will be required to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

Oluronbi was linked to a Christian church in Edgbaston, Birmingham, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, whose roots were in Nigeria.

He had set up his own splinter group at another address and from where he began the “spiritual bathing.” The jury heard how the offences took place in Birmingham and London.
Sentencing “arrogant” Oluronbi, Judge Buckingham said: “You claimed that God was instructing you to conduct holy baths. Its real purpose was to fulfil your insatiable sexual appetite. The children feared you and this enabled you to continue your grip.

“Your offense has had an extreme and severe impact on all of your complainants. Any attempt to suggest otherwise would be without foundation. You abused your position of trust – they trusted you like God.

“You did this because you are an arrogant, selfish and vain man. In my judgment, your offending must be one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of multiple children to come before the courts.”

When confronted about his offences, Oluronbi said “The devil made me do it.”

Police to arraign 2 for alleged defamation of Oba Elegushi

The Police has filed a three-count charge against two persons before the Federal High Court, Lagos, for alleged cyberstalking, illegal publication and defamation of a monarch, Oba Saheed Elegushi.

The two defendants were identified as Adesola James and Odunmosu Azeez Awiye.

DAILY POST gathered that the two will be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, before Justice Abimbola Awogboro.

It was alleged that Adesola James and Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, alongside others at large, between the months of December 2023 and March 2024, in Lagos, conspired to commit felony bordering on cyberstalking, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.

UniAbuja: Any lecturer who resumes duty will be punished – ASUU insists on strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Abuja, UniAbuja, says the union will not call off its strike until all issues are addressed.

The branch Chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, told NAN on Monday in Abuja that the members were not working.

“Those against the strike may possibly be beneficiaries of what the union is fighting against.

“Any member found breaking the strike will be subjected to disciplinary procedure.”

According to him, 90 to 95 per cent of lecturers are on strike.

NAN reports that ASUU, UniAbuja branch, had on May 2 declared an indefinite strike to draw the attention of the school management to issues bordering its members.

One of the issues listed by the union was the university’s refusal to conduct elections for the office of the Deans of Faculties and Provost, College of Health Sciences.

The union also accused the University of carrying out promotion of some members of staff without following due process.

Other reasons for the strike, according to the union, include: “Advertorial for the vacancy of the post of Vice Chancellor without following due process, among others.’’

The chairman said that ASUU as a body in the university had withdrawn the services of its members.

“ASUU do not lock university, what ASUU did was to withdraw the services our members render to the university.”

What we are saying is that our members are not working,” he said.

On the issue of some lecturers indicating interest to lecture, he said that even in a national strike some would still want to go against the action.

However, Dr Habib Yakoob, the Acting Director, Information and University Relations, said the management was not aware of any strike.

Yakoob said that many lecturers have indicated interest to lecture, adding that students were also prepared to receive lectures.

Bullied student sues Abuja school for N500m, public apology

Namitra Bwala, the student at the centre of a recently viral video depicting her being bullied by fellow students, on Monday, has initiated legal proceedings against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

On April 22, an X user, #mooyeeeeeee, posted videos of a female student of Lead British International School, who was seen being bullied by her classmates.

In one of the videos, the victim was seen being slapped repeatedly by another female student while asking “Who broke my heart?”

In another video, the victim was seen sitting next to a male classmate who was heard saying “I spoilt her relationship”.

However, the lawsuit, filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory under case number FCT/HC/CV/2341/24: MISS NAMTIRA BWALA v LEAD BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LTD, seeks damages from the educational institution for its alleged failure to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for the plaintiff.

According to a public statement on Monday issued by Marvin Omorogbe., the founding partner of the law firm representing Bwala, the legal action is aimed at holding the school accountable for its negligent conduct regarding the highly publicized incident.

The lawsuit further requested, “the Defendant to issue a public apology to the Clamant in two national daily newspapers.

“An order directing the Defendant to pay the Claimant the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) as general damages for the Defendant’s breach of the duty of care it owes to the Claimant, and its negligent conduct in failing to prevent the assault, torment, emotional distress, pain, trauma and breach of privacy suffered by the Claimant while under the Defendant’s custody and supervision.”

The law firm emphasised its client’s hopes that the lawsuit would catalyse meaningful changes and prompt the implementation of adequate measures to prevent similar occurrences within the school premises.

“Our client hopes that this lawsuit will bring about drastic changes and adequate measures to prevent a reoccurrence of similar issues in the school,” the statement added.

The viral video, which sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, depicted Ms Bwala being subjected to bullying by her peers, raising concerns about the school’s ability to ensure the safety and well-being of its students.

Keyamo urges Air France-KLM to lower ticket prices for Nigerian travellers

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called upon a French airline, Air France-KLM, to make its lower-priced ticket fares available to Nigerian travellers, emphasising the importance of fairness in ticketing.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to Keyamo, Tunde Moshood on Monday.

More than two years ago, foreign airlines, including Air France-KLM, suspended their low-priced tickets for Nigerian routes due to ticket revenue, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, being inaccessible in Nigeria.

However, In March, the airlines started to restore their low-priced fares after the Central Bank of Nigeria finalised the payment of approximately $7bn backlog, encompassing over $700m in unremitted ticket revenue.

The statement read in parts, “During the meeting, Air France-KLM expressed appreciation for the improved facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, particularly acknowledging the enhanced experience at wing E. They also extended gratitude for the Minister’s leadership in fostering a smoother relationship between their team and various aviation regulatory agencies.

“Highlighting their commitment to innovation and service excellence, Air France-KLM announced the launch of their new Airbus A330/A350 aircraft, emphasising their dedication to deploying modern and improved aircraft services on routes within Nigeria. This initiative aligns with their overarching goal of providing Nigerian travellers with a superior journey experience.

“Air France-KLM commended the Minister for his intervention and successful facilitation of fund repatriation, showcasing the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in overcoming challenges within the aviation sector.

“In response, the Minister welcomed the Air France-KLM team and expressed gratitude for their visit. He emphasised the importance of equitable pricing for Nigerian travellers, urging the airline to consider offering lower-priced ticket fares to ensure parity with fares in neighbouring regions.”

Keyamo emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to partnering with the travel industry, stressing collaboration with Air France-KLM to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for Nigerians.

“He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to fostering partnerships within the travel industry, emphasising the government’s open-door policy and willingness to collaborate with airlines to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for all Nigerians.

“The courtesy visit by Air France-KLM exemplifies the mutual commitment to advancing the aviation sector in Nigeria and lays the groundwork for future collaborations aimed at delivering unparalleled travel experiences to passengers across the nation.”

Army arrests four during fee hike protest in University of Ibadan

In a tense turn of events at the University of Ibadan, officers of the Nigerian Army have reportedly arrested and detained four individuals amid a protest against fee hikes.

It was gathered that the detained protesters, identified as Aduwo Ayodele, Made Gbadegesin, Olorunfemi Adeyeye, and Nice Linus, were apprehended and bundled into an Army van during a Monday demonstration.

Adeyeye, the National Secretary of the African Action Congress, managed to record a distressing video while inside the van. In it, a man in military uniform is clinging to the vehicle as it speeds towards the Agodi area of Ibadan.

In a distress message sent to our correspondent on WhatsApp chat, Adeyeye said, “UI security officers swooped on us as I joined UI students to raise placards. They dragged us, beat us, and then called soldiers from Operation Burst.”

A student, requesting anonymity for fear of victimisation, disclosed that the arrests occurred concurrently with a swearing-in ceremony for the new Students’ Union executives, with protesters voicing their dissent against the fee hike.

Efforts to reach the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Brig. General Onyema Nwachukwu and the UI Dean of Students Affairs, Prof Adekeye Abiona, were futile at press time.

Expressing condemnation and demanding the protesters’ release, human rights group, the Take It Back Movement, in a post on X, said, “Here is @activistfemi being moved to an unknown location by @HQNigerianArmy officers. He was arrested by operation burst during an ongoing protest around the University of Ibadan. We condemn this as despicable, and demand his immediate release.”

The National Association of Nigerian Students in April denounced the “outrageous” fee hike for new UI students, citing financial burdens imposed on families already grappling with economic challenges.

According to NANS Public Relations Officer Victor Igbudu, the fee increase for the 2023/2024 academic session, which ranged from N230,000 to 412,000, was deemed unacceptable.

Lady laments as Lagos issues demolition notice two months after property purchase

A viral video circulating on social media shows a woman lamenting the demolition notice served on her property in Lagos State allegedly just two months after moving in.

In the video that surfaced online on Monday, the yet-to-be-identified woman cried as she recounted the ordeal.

A picture of a demolition notice dated May 7, 2024, was also attached to the video.

She said, “We bought that property in February, and we’ve only been there for two months. All the hard work, all the sleepless nights, everything… If you’re in Lagos, you’ll know how much property in Eti Osa costs.

“Each time my son sees me crying, he will always ask me why I am crying. How do I explain this to our son? What do I tell my children? I’m trying so hard to be strong, but this is very painful.

“I don’t wish for anybody to work so hard and face something like this. I don’t.”

The video, which was shared on X.com on Monday by Spotlight Abby, tweeting with the handle #Spotlight_Abby, has garnered reactions from netizens, with some sympathising with the couple and others criticising the decision to invest in Lagos real estate citing recent incidents of demolitions.

It also raised concerns about the need for thorough due diligence before investing in real estate in the state.

One Nneka Busy Body tweeting as #Nnekabusybody wrote, “While this is sad I’m a bit confused. With the uncertain investment landscape of Lagos and everything we see and read about, you still went and bought property in Lagos in 2024? How? Why?”

Another user tweeting anonymously as #ideniyor wrote, “She and her husband deserve it. They bought a land without lawyers and due diligence. Cry me a river. The seller landed a fast one on them.”

This is not the first time property demolitions in Lagos have sparked controversy.

Last week residents of Mende Estate Villa in the Maryland area of Lagos State decried the demolition of their multimillion-naira houses in the area by the state government while seeking compensation for a new shelter.

Speaking on the incident, the state commissioner for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed that the government issued the residents of Mende Villa Estate two demolition notices in 2021 and 2023.

On Wednesday, Wahab, in a post on X.com, also hinted that illegal builders whose houses are demolished may soon be asked to pay for the demolition.

World record holder, Amusan wins Jaimaca Invitational

World record holder Tobi Amusan, is the fastest woman in the women’s 100m hurdles this year after running a blistering 12.40s to win the first Jamaica Athletics Invitational in Kingston, to win the race ahead of Jamaican and world champion, Danielle Williams.

For most part of the race, Amusan was behind reigning world champion Williams and America’s Nia Ali but surged ahead in the closing stages, beating the previous world-leading time of 12.42s set by Tonea Marshall of the USA on April 20.Williams finished second in 12.46s seconds, with Christina Clemens of the USA taking third place in 12.54s.

Another Jamaican athlete, Yanique Thompson, secured fourth in 12.59s while Ali slipped to fifth with a time of 12.65s.

Amusan and other prominent athletes snubbed the Doha Diamond League to attend the Jamaica Invitational.

The Nigerian ended last season on a high by winning the Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon for a third consecutive time, silencing critics about her disappointing performance at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest where she placed fifth and lost the title to Williams.

Ogun police arrest woman for trafficking 16-year-old to Libya

A middle-aged woman, Abike Olonade, has been arrested for trafficking a 16-year-old student to Libya.

It was reliably gathered that the victim, whose name is yet to be disclosed, is a student of Adeoye Lambo Secondary School in Obada Oko, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Confirming the arrest, the command’s spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, in a statement in Abeokuta, on Saturday, said the suspect confessed to trafficking the victim to Libya.

She said, “One Abike Olonade has been arrested for trafficking 16 year old student of Ademoye Lambo Secondary School in Obada Oko, Ogun State.

“She confessed that the victim has been trafficked to Libya.”

Customs intercept smuggled petrol worth N10.8million enroute to Cameroon

The Adamawa/Taraba states command of the Nigerian Customs Service has said it recently seized 12,435 litres of Premium Motor Spirit worth N10.8 million.

The Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the command, Bashir Garba-Bature, made the disclosure while briefing journalists in Yola.

According to him, the seized items included 491×25lt and 8× 20lt jerrycans of the commodity, saying that the petroleum was intercepted in Mubi enroute to the Cameroon Republic.

“The command officers while on anti-smuggling operations along the border frontiers within the period of two weeks had recorded 05 incidents of interception of PMS on its way to the neighbouring Cameroon Republic,” he said.

He assured that the command would sustain the fight against the menace of smuggling, saying: “we have strategically deployed our operatives along the flashpoints.”

Mr Garba-Bature solicited the cooperation, understanding and collaboration of relevant stakeholders such as the media, sister security agencies and patriotic citizens to effectively put an end to the ugly trend of smuggling.

He stated, “We attributed the successes recorded to the unwavering support and encouragement being extended to us by the current leadership of the service under our Comptroller-General, Mr Bashir Adeniyi.’’

Kenyan President Ruto announces plan to create one million jobs

The government is implementing new laws and policies that will facilitate growth in IT-enabled services in the country, President William Ruto has said.

The objective, the President announced, is for these measures to help the government unlock opportunities in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services sector.

Consequently, the government is enhancing the country’s competitiveness and aligning it with global standards to accelerate the growth of the BPO market and other IT-enabled services.

The goal, he noted, is to scale up government investments in the relevant infrastructure, including the national broadband and digital hubs, to create jobs for at least one million digital workers in the next five years.

“We are determined to claim our fair share of the BPO pie for the benefit of our young men and women who are eager to contribute to growing our economy,” he said.

He noted that Kenya’s strength is in a large, skilled youthful workforce, government policies which give priority to the digital economy as a strategic pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, an education system that stresses digital skills, a strategic geographical location aligning with global time zones and proficiency in English, a language widely used in major economies.

President Ruto made the remarks during the launch of Call Centre International (CCI) Global Contact Centre at Tatu City in Ruiru, Kiambu County, which has already created more than 5,000 jobs.

Present were Cabinet Secretaries Rebecca Miano and Eliud Owalo, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, among others.

The President said the government is strengthening existing laws to create a conducive environment for the ICT-BPO industry to thrive.

“Our goal is to develop sector-specific legislation that aligns with international standards in the short, medium and long term,” he said.

Government efforts in strengthening the sector, President Ruto explained, include enforcing BPO standards that meet international best practices, updating fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to keep pace with technological advancements and investing in green energy.

He said the government is also working with the private sector in enhanced skills training for Kenyan youth to ensure that they are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.

“These efforts demonstrate our commitment to fostering a thriving, sustainable and globally competitive BPO sector in Kenya,” he said.

The President appealed to investors to collaborate with the government in its digital hubs programme for BPO operations to succeed and expand.

Emir of Tikau, Muhammadu Abubakar Ibn-Grema, dies at 70

The Emir of Tikau in Yobe, Muhammadu Abubakar Ibn-Grema, is dead.

The emir’s younger brother, Abubakar Talba, confirmed the death in an interview with journalists in Damaturu on Saturday.

Mr Talba, a prince of the Tikau Emirate Council, said the emir died in Potiskum at about 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

“ Yes, I can confirm to you that the emir died after a brief illness. He was over 70 years old at the time of his death,” he said.

The prince said the deceased, a first-class chief, would be buried by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, according to Islamic rites.

Mr Ibn-Grema, whose palace is located in Nangere Local Government Area, was the paramount ruler of the Karekare people.

He was installed as emir on July 25, 2001, and spent 23 years on the throne before his demise.

Prince Harry visits wounded soldiers in Kaduna military hospital

The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, visited Kaduna State on Friday and met with wounded and injured Nigerian soldiers at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.

PUNCH Online reported that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, visited Kaduna State on Friday, where they were welcomed by Governor Uba Sani, who gifted the Duke traditional Hausa attire and photo frames of the prince with his late mother, Princess Diana, and another with his wife.

The duo arrived in Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games, an initiative Prince Harry founded to support the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service members and veterans, including Nigerian soldiers engaged in a 14-year conflict against Islamic extremists.

A report on the official website of the Duke of Sussex stated that Prince Harry toured the hospital facilities alongside the Chief Medical Director, Col. NS Onuchukwu.

The report partly read, “Designed to help wounded servicemen and women recover after injury, the hospital includes a leading physiotherapy gym and a high-tech prosthetics lab which offers state-of-the-art replacements to those who have lost limbs – a donation offered by Germany that has been transformational for on-site prosthetic fittings.

“Prince Harry met up with around 50 courageous soldiers across two wards, hearing about their stories of service and sacrifice and wishing them all a speedy recovery. Two of the men he had seen at last year’s Invictus Games, and their smiles were a reminder of what they’d seen was possible post-injury.”

The report also added that Prince Harry “was especially pleased to be able to congratulate Princess Owowoh in person since her graduation from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.”

Fuel scarcity will soon be over, Senate leader assures Nigerians

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the fuel crisis being experienced in the country will soon be a thing of the past.

Mr Bamidele gave this assurance in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the Oil Technology Conference in Houston, Texas on Friday.

He said the legislature is working tirelessly to ensure that fuel scarcity and frequent queues at filling stations are resolved.

He said there were plans to involve more private-sector players in the construction of new refineries.

“The Senate is working to ensure that more private-sector players are licensed to own and operate refineries. This is to support other smaller ones that are springing up in several parts of the country.

“In addition to licensing new refinery operators, the Federal Government and Senate are working to ensure that the existing refineries are turned around with repairs and replacement of parts carried out where necessary,” he said.

Bamidele said the Senate had received an assurance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that two of its refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt would come on stream before the end of the year.

He also noted that the commitment to licensing new refinery operators and revitalising existing refineries remained vital for increasing domestic oil production.

Opeyemi maintained that the focus was to ensure that Nigeria meets its OPEC production quota.

He explained that achieving such milestones would provide more revenue for the government and halt lack and borrowings.

By enhancing local refinery capacity, he said the country could reduce its dependence on fuel imports leading to a potential decrease in petrol prices.

He explained further that what drives pricing is the ability to meet demand in the face of every product, finding its level and place in a free market.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee of Downstream, Ifeanyi Ubah, said the last Turn Around Maintenance that happened at the refineries was about 15 years ago, which led to the comatose state of the facility.

Ubah said that the non-deregulation of the downstream sector had put undue pressure on NNPC Ltd., as the entire industry depends on the company for its petroleum needs.

He pointed out that no country could meet its energy needs by having a single entity; importing its petroleum product needs.

However, to be self-sufficient, Ubah urged the government to create a cluster of five to eight modular refineries within the riverine communities.

Over the month, thousands of commuters in the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Niger, Gombe, Sokoto and Anambra states have been left stranded at various bus stops due to the scarcity of PMS required by transporters to run their vehicles.

It’s OK to have a bad day-Prince Harry tells students as they begin three-day Nigeria visit

Prince Harry told students in Nigeria it was okay to have a bad day, as he and Meghan began a three-day visit to the country.

The Duke of Sussex told children at a mental health summit in Abuja “there’s no shame to acknowledge that today is a bad day, that you left school feeling stressed”.

The visit comes after Harry concluded a brief visit to London, where he told the BBC it had been “great” to be back in the UK.

Their visit is part of a series of events linked to the Invictus Games, the sporting event for injured servicemen and women founded by Prince Harry which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

The couple landed in Abuja on Friday morning, and began their visit with a tour of Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital city.

They were greeted by traditional dancers and met some of the primary schoolchildren.

One group of year five pupils told the BBC they were really excited about the visit, saying they hope it will raise their school’s profile.

During their tour the couple visited a kindergarten class where children aged up to five danced and sang – at one point, the visitors got to their feet and joined the class in singing Jump Up, Turn Around.

The couple mentioned their own family: Archie, who turned five earlier this month, and two-year-old Lilibet.

Meghan said that dancing was Lilibet’s favourite class, adding: “Maybe it’s all the jumping around.

“During a visit to a STEM class, when pupils showed the robot cars they had created, the duchess said that Archie also liked construction.

When told by the class that they would be showing the robot cars in class one day, Meghan said: “We will have to come back for the exhibition.”

The couple then spoke to students to deliver remarks launching a two-day mental health summit.

Meghan began by telling the audience: “We have got to acknowledge those amazing dance moves” saying Harry was excited and nearly jumped up to join.

Harry asked the children to put their hands up if the words “mental health” scare them or if they know what they mean, before going on to talk about the stigma surrounding mental health worldwide.

The duke told the children the message he wanted them to remember was that mental health affects everyone in the world.

“The more you talk about it, the more you can kick it in the long grass”.

He made the children promise, after Friday, not to be scared of talking about their mental health, and ended his speech with: “It’s okay, not to be okay.”

He then handed the microphone to Meghan who joked: “Do you see why I married him he’s so smart.

“She then went on to encourage the children to share their stories, saying that Lilibet once said to her: “Mama, I see me in you.”

Even though she meant literally, Meghan said she hung onto the words, saying she sees herself in her daughter but also all the students there.

“I believe in you”, she told them.

The couple were also joined on stage by Brian, one of three Lightway Academy students who spoke on stage about mental health.

“Both boys and girls have feelings and emotions they bottle up because they can’t really express it… it can lead to suicide,” he said.

He went on to add that he hoped the summit would enlighten him and teach him more about mental health.

Lightway Academy’s School Director, Joyce Agbese, told the BBC mental health is a topic not often talked about in Nigeria.

She praised Prince Harry’s message to the students, which was to “speak up and speak out, don’t bottle things up”.

“He nailed it, basically yes. We want to encourage them to speak out, speak up, express their emotions in the right way,” said Ms Agbese.

“When somebody this popular or this famous speaks about mental health it makes people realise that it’s normal and so they don’t have to be afraid to talk about it.”

Three dead after bus falls into river in St Petersburg

At least three people have died and several more are in hospital after a bus crashed and fell into a river in the Russian city of St Petersburg, local officials say.

The accident took place on the Potseluev Bridge over the Moika River in the historic city centre on Friday afternoon.

Footage shows the bus swerving into oncoming traffic, colliding with two cars before breaking through the bridge barrier and falling into the water – sinking within seconds.

The driver of the bus has been detained, authorities say.

An estimated 20 people were on board at the time of the incident, according to Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Authorities said the accident left four people in critical condition and two more seriously injured.

Officials say the incident happened after the driver of the bus lost control when turning into the bridge from Bolshaya Morskaya Street.

“Rescuers took nine people out of the sunken bus,” the Emergency Ministry said on social media. “Unfortunately, three people died.

“CCTV footage from the scene – unverified by the BBC – appears to show passers-by jumping in the water to attempt to rescue passengers.

Footage later released by the authorities shows emergency services lifting the bus out of the river using heavy machinery.

The Emergency Ministry later said rescue operations had been completed.

The Potseluev Bridge is in the centre of St Petersburg, close to tourist attractions including the Peter the Great Naval Museum and around 1.5km (0.9 miles) from the Hermitage Museum.

Former Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama jailed for a year

Fiji’s long-serving former prime minister Frank Bainimarama has been sentenced to a year in prison for obstructing a police investigation into corruption.

Bainimarama, 70, is one of the most high-profile politicians in the Pacific Islands, having led Fiji for more than15 years until he was voted out in 2022.

On the international stage he was also a leading representative lobbying for climate change action for vulnerable Pacific countries.

He was taken away in handcuffs after the High Court’s ruling on Thursday.

Last month he was convicted of perverting the course of justice during a police investigation into university fraud.

Prosecutors alleged he had told his friend, the former Fijian Police Commissioner, to drop a 2020 investigation into abuses of finances at the University of South Pacific which included alleged bonuses, promotions and pay rises to staff.

Bainimarama pleaded not guilty to the charges but a court in April found he and the police chief Sitiveni Qiliho had used their power to sideline the investigation at the university, one of the leading tertiary educations in the region.

He was initially spared a jail term last month at his sentencing when a lower court magistrate also ruled for his conviction to not be recorded.

But that verdict was challenged by Fiji’s top prosecutors who launched an appeal.

On Thursday, the country’s high court quashed the lower court’s ruling and handed down prison sentences for both men.

Qiliho, who has been suspended from his role, was sentenced to two years in prison.

Outside the court, supporters of Bainimarama who had gathered to hear the verdict sung hymns while governing politicians praised the verdict.

“The court case and sentencing shows… that people who break the law, doesn’t matter who they are, they are brought to account,” Unity Fiji party leader Savenaca Narube said.

Political watchers have noted the timing of the criminal cases brought against Bainimarama.

He is facing several allegations of political abuse after losing the tight vote in December 2022 to current PM Sitiveni Rabuka, who led a coalition of parties.

Last year, Bainimarama as an opposition leader was also suspended from parliament for three years after giving a speech where he criticised the new government.

His political party FijiFirst is standing by him. “Bainimarama will continue to be the leader of the FijiFirst party. Come 2026, we will deal with it,” party senior Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said according to local media reports.

Bainimarama, a former military commander, first seized power in Fiji in a 2006 bloodless coup. He retained office through winning democratic elections in 2014 and 2018.

Zelensky fires head of bodyguard after failed plot

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the head of his personal protection unit after two of its top officials were detained over an alleged assassination plot.

Serhiy Rud has led the president’s security detail since 2019.

No reason was given for his dismissal, which was announced in a brief presidential decree.

However, the state guard administration (UDO) is critical for the safety not only of the president but other key figures in Ukraine and their families.

The two colonels in the state guard who were detained on Tuesday are suspected of belonging to a network of agents run by Russia’s FSB security service.

Mr Zelensky has spoken of repeated Russian plots to assassinate him, but the latest revelations involved his own entourage and also targeted military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov and the head of the SBU state security service, Vasyl Malyuk.

Mr Malyuk said this week that the plot was due to culminate with a “gift to Putin” before his fifth term as president was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Individuals close to President Zelensky’s bodyguard were meant to kidnap and kill him, while Mr Budanov would have been attacked with rockets, drones and anti-tank grenades, the SBU said.

There was no suggestion that Serhiy Rud, 47, had any link to the allegations, although one of the two colonels in detention, Andriy Huk, was seen as a personal friend. Ukrainian reports said they had studied together in the border troops academy many years ago.

Maj Gen Rud has served in Ukraine’s military for most of his adult life, and much of his career has been focused on state security.

Ever since Russian paratroopers attempted to land in Kyiv and assassinate President Zelensky in the early hours and days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, plots to assassinate him have been commonplace.

The Ukrainian leader said at the start of the invasion he was Russia’s “number one target”.

President Zelensky has frequently replaced key figures in Ukraine’s security forces, and on Thursday he also announced that the commander of special forces, Col Serhiy Lupanchuk, was being moved from the role only months into the job.

The man who led Ukraine’s defence in the first two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi, was replaced in February. He has now been appointed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK and given the title “Hero of Ukraine”.

Lebanon requests Qatar’s assistance to evacuate Lebanese women from Gaza

Lebanese foreign affairs minister Abdallah Bou Habib on Friday said his country asked for assistance from Qatar to evacuate Lebanese women from Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

“We requested Qatari assistance to get Lebanese women and their families out through the Rafah crossing, as they have been stuck since the start of the aggression on Gaza, in spite of all our previous attempts to bring them home,” Mr Bou Habib said.

This is according to a report by the Lebanese National News Agency.

Mr Bou Habib made the remarks after meeting with Qatar’s ambassador to Lebanon, Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani.

Meanwhile, Mr Bou Habib praised Qatar’s constructive role in helping Lebanon emerge from its presidential crisis.

He said Qatar is working through the five-nation group on Lebanon, which comprises Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, France, and the United States, to help the country accelerate its presidential election and financial and economic reforms.

The position of Lebanese president has been vacant since the end of the term of former President Michel Aoun in October 2022.

The parliament failed to elect a new president for the country in light of the division of political forces and the failure of the parliamentary blocs to agree on a consensual figure to assume the presidency.

Argentina to carry out targeted vaccination against dengue

Argentina’s health ministry announced a “targeted” vaccination campaign against dengue after the country logged more than 420,000 cases this year.

The ministry said in a statement that a vaccination program targeting affected areas would be established based on recommendations from the National Immunisation Commission (Conain) and as part of a comprehensive strategy against the endemic.

The ministry said the vaccination drive “will begin in stages, with the population between 15 and 19 years old” in priority districts.

According to official data released on May 5, Argentina has detected 420,867 cases of dengue and 291

According to official data released on May 5, Argentina has detected 420,867 cases of dengue and 291 deaths so far this year.

The mosquito-borne disease is circulating in 19 of the country’s 24 districts.

Dengue, a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, causes an acute illness that usually develops symptoms such as headache, high fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands, vomiting and rash.