A man tries to salvage valuables from burnt shops after deadly clashes between the northern Fulani and southern Yoruba traders at Shasha Market in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria, on February 15, 2021. AFP
A man tries to salvage valuables from burnt shops after deadly clashes between the northern Fulani and southern Yoruba traders at Shasha Market in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria, on February 15, 2021. AFP
A man tries to salvage valuables from burnt shops after deadly clashes between the northern Fulani and southern Yoruba traders at Shasha Market in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria, on February 15, 2021. AFP
A man tries to salvage valuables from burnt shops after deadly clashes between the northern Fulani and southern Yoruba traders at Shasha Market in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria, on February 15, 2021. AFP

Hundreds of boys kidnapped as gunmen storm Nigerian school


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Gunmen believed to belong to a criminal gang kidnapped hundreds of schoolboys and some teachers in central Nigeria, an official and a security source said on Wednesday.

The attackers, wearing military uniforms, stormed the Government Science College in “huge numbers” in the town of Kagara, in Niger state, late on Tuesday, herding the captives into a nearby forest, the sources said.

One pupil was killed during the kidnapping, the official said.

Northwest and central Nigeria are increasingly targeted by criminal gangs who kidnap for ransom, but also rape and pillage throughout the region.

“Bandits went into GSC Kagara last night and kidnapped hundreds of students and their teachers,” an official said.

“One of the kidnapped staff and some students managed to escape. The staff confirmed a student was shot dead during the kidnap operation,” the official said.

Troops with aerial support were tracking the bandits hoping to effect a possible rescue, the security source said.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari sent security chiefs to co-ordinate the rescue operation, his spokesman said.

Mr Buhari condemned the incident and said they had not yet ascertained the number of staff and pupils abducted.

About 1,000 pupils attend the school and security sources confirmed a head count was under way.

Two months ago, hundreds of schoolboys were abducted in north-west Katsina state and released days later after negotiations with the government.

The gangs are driven by financial motives and have no ideological leanings, but security officials fear they are being infiltrated by extremists from Nigeria’s north-east, where the army is battling a decade-long insurgency.

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

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About Tenderd

Started: May 2018

Founder: Arjun Mohan

Based: Dubai

Size: 23 employees 

Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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FINAL RESULT

Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)

Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2

Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

Match info

Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Malcolm & Marie

Directed by: Sam Levinson

Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya

Three stars

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AndhaDhun

Director: Sriram Raghavan

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Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan

Rating: 3.5/5

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The specs: 2019 BMW X4

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Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm

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The specs

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Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

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Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

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On sale: now

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea