Slider1
Slider2
Slider3
Slider4
previous arrow
next arrow

Archive May 8, 2019

UBA in partnership with Mastercard Reward Customers with All-Expense Paid Trip to UEFA Champions League Semi’s & Finals

By in News, Nigeria News

Leading Pan-African Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) PLC in partnership with leading global payments and technology company, Mastercard, have announced they are giving away all-expenses paid trips to the Semi-Finals and Finals of the 2019 UEFA Champions League to 12 lucky UBA Mastercard holders and their plus ones. 

Open to all existing and new UBA Platinum Mastercard holders, this amazing giveaway is an opportunity to pamper customers and give them a unique, unforgettable and priceless experience including flights, visas, 5-star accommodation, tickets to watch either the semi-finals or final matches of the UEFA Champions League and so much more with their MasterCard Platinum Access. 

 A total of 12 UBA Platinum Mastercard holders from Nigeria and 11 other African countries will share the enthralling experience of watching the finals live with a loved one as well as enjoy the great ambience of host city of the Semi-Finals or Finals (Madrid). The participating countries are Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia. 

“As we celebrate our 70 years of Banking and excellence, this is our way of rewarding customers for their continued patronage to the UBA brand. There will be many more this year as we want to continue to appreciate all our customers … for now. Customers who qualify should get a UBA Platinum Mastercard and spend a minimum of $10,000 or its equivalent in his or her local currency to stand a chance to win the all-expense paid package. To get your UBA Platinum Mastercard at any UBA Branch, a customer simply needs to contact his or her relationship manager at any UBA branch office” the Group Head, Marketing, UBA Plc, Mrs. Dupe Olusola said.

She said, “The UEFA Champions League is the most sought-after trophy in club football competition, and one of the most followed sporting spectacles in the world. To this end, we decided to partner Mastercard and UEFA in bringing the most iconic and cherished moments in the history of football to our esteemed and loyal customers who are the reason why we are so successful.

“We realize that, a lot of our customers love football and we feel giving them this treasured experience while they are pampered in far-away Spain is the way to go. These are the moments that make football such a passionate sport and we want to share these moments and experiences with our loyal customers across Nigeria and Africa,” Olusola said.

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading pan-African financial services group, operating in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and with presence in France.

Tony Elumelu Foundation to Host the Largest Gathering of African Entrepreneurs at 5th Annual Entrepreneurship Forum, July in Abuja

By in News, Nigeria News
Tony Elumelu Foundation to Open Applications for the 2020 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on January 1, 2020

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s foremost champion of entrepreneurship, will host its 5th Annual Forum — the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurs – on July 26 – 27, 2019. The two-day event will take place at the iconic Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The Forum is the culmination of the annual Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, which this year mentored, trained and seeded over 3,000 young Africans, selected from over [216,000] applicants.  The event provides a unique opportunity for young women and men, from all 54 African countries, to meet, learn and network with the broader African and global entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is also a critical opportunity for political leaders and policy makers to meet, face to face, a new generation of African business leaders, who are transforming Africa’s economic trajectory.

Keynote speakers at the highly anticipated Forum include His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and His Excellency Macky Sall, President of Senegal, who will join Tony O. Elumelu, CON, TEF Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) in an intimate open house discussion. The Presidential Convening is a highlight of the Forum,  allowing the African entrepreneurs in attendance to closely engage with political leaders, to give first hand testimony of the important role government can play in catalysing growth and encouraging business ambition.

The Forum agenda includes masterclasses and panel discussions with leading speakers and sector experts, from Africa and globally, who will engage attendees in specialised training sessions to share insights, deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. The Forum will also feature a pitching event, where select entrepreneurs will deliver exciting presentations on the goods and services they provide to a distinguished judging panel.

For first time the Forum will be hosted in Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria and will bring together leading policymakers, business leaders, development agencies and the entire entrepreneurship ecosystem including alumni of the Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme. Last year, a significant highlight was the launch of TEFConnect, the digital networking platform for African entrepreneurs, which provides a unique digital hub for the African entrepreneurship, facilitating networking, mentorship and most importantly business beyond borders. Previous Forums have been headlined by African leaders, including President of Ghana, HE Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Kenya, HE Uhuru Kenyatta, Former President of Nigeria, HE Olusegun Obasanjo, Former Prime Minister of Benin and TEF Advisory Board Member, HE Lionel Zinsou, Vice President of Nigeria, HE Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s determination to bring change in scale, across Africa and its relentless focus on entrepreneurship is rooted in the inclusive philosophy of Africapitalism, created by its Founder, which recognizes economically empowering Africa’s youth — the continent’s future wealth creators — and thereby creating sustainable economic and social wealth, as one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. In 2015, the Foundation committed $100 million to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs from across the continent, over 10 years. Now in the 5th year, the Foundation has funded, mentored and provided business management training to over 7,500 start-ups and small businesses, from all 54 countries in Africa.

“The TEF Entrepreneurship Forum will not just convene the most important stakeholders in the African entrepreneurship ecosystem, it provides an opportunity for everyone to make a commitment to advance entrepreneurship and scale the impact of our entrepreneurs if we are to accelerate the development of the continent,” TEF CEO, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu said.

She added: “We are constantly inspired by the stories we receive from our entrepreneurs who are creating jobs, employing people and impacting their local communities and ultimately, the continent. We believe that these entrepreneurs are our future. Invest in them now and reap the Africa of our dreams tomorrow. This is what we are committed to.”

For more information on the Forum, please visit www.tonyelumelufoundation.org.

Leak from secret UK gov't meeting on Huawei 'not a crime'

By in News

Prime Minister Theresa May sacked Gavin Williamson as defence secretary over laeak of information about Chinese telecoms company Huawe [File: Sergio Perez/Reuters]

British police have declined to investigate the leak of details from a secret government discussion about Chinese telecoms company Huawei, saying the disclosure did not amount to a crime. 

In a statement on Saturday, Neil Basu, Britain’s counter-terrorism chief, said he was satisfied the leak, which brought down the defence secretary, did not breach the Official Secrets Act.

“No crime has been committed and this is not a matter for the police,” he said.

Opposition politicians had called for an investigation after Prime Minister Theresa May sacked Gavin Williamson as defence secretary over media reports that Britain had agreed to let Huawei participate in some aspects of Britain’s new 5G wireless communications network.

The decision was reportedly made at an April 23 meeting of the National Security Council (NSC).

The council’s discussions are only attended by senior ministers and security officials who first sign the Official Secrets Act that commits them to keep conversations private or risk prosecution. 

190501190436153

Basu, whose section is responsible for investigating alleged breaches of the act, said a probe would be inappropriate.

“I am satisfied that the disclosure did not amount to a criminal offence, either under the Official Secrets Act or misconduct in a public office,” the assistant commissioner said. 

“The leak did not cause damage to the public interest at a level at which it would be necessary to engage misconduct in a public office. It would be inappropriate to carry out a police investigation in these circumstances.”

‘Royally screwed’ 

Williamson has strenuously denied he was the source of the leak, which appeared in The Daily Telegraph newspaper and suggested May had cleared Huawei to be involved in “non-core” elements of the 5G network, such as antennae.

On Saturday, he told the Daily Mail newspaper: “I have been royally screwed over. It is pretty painful. The only thing I want to do now is clear my name.”

190307181920819

The 42-year-old was once a trusted ally of the prime minister.

He was May’s parliamentary campaign manager when she successfully ran to become Conservative Party leader in 2016.

He was duly rewarded with the job of chief whip – tasked with enforcing discipline for the Conservatives in parliament and wielding power over misbehavers.

May appointed International Development Minister Penny Mordaunt to replace Williamson. 

The United States is adamantly opposed to Huawei’s involvement in developing Britain’s 5G network due to the firm’s obligation under Chinese law to help its home government gather intelligence or provide other security services when required.

David Lidington, May’s effective deputy, said on Thursday there were no plans to pass information from an internal leak inquiry to the police, saying the prime minister regarded the matter as closed.

UK to allow limited 5G access to Huawei despite concerns

               

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

Russian, Syrian forces escalate attacks on rebel-held areas

By in News

Russian and Syrian forces have stepped up air raids and shelling on rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria, the heaviest assault in the area since it was declared a demilitarised zone last year.

Villages and towns in northern Hama province and southern Idlib that were targeted overnight on Wednesday are part of a “safe zone”, agreed in September between Russia and Turkey, as part of a deal that averted a major offensive on the area.

Schools and residential areas have been hit, Panos Moumtzis, the UN regional humanitarian coordinator, told Al Jazeera.

“There have been a number of casualties that have taken place in many locations: in health facilities, in schools, in residential areas,” he said, adding about 250,000 people had been displaced

Separately, he told Reuters news agency “the barrel bombing is the worst we have seen in 15 months”.

190426132054703

A war monitor and activists said on Thursday that four members of a family, including two children, were killed in an air attack in Kansarfa village, in the Idlib countryside.

Since Tuesday, attacks have forced thousands of civilians to flee to camps further north along the Turkish border and damaged four medical facilities, according to civil defence officials and a US medical aid agency working in the area.

“Medical facilities are being evacuated, leaving the most vulnerable with no access to medical care. We are on the edge of a humanitarian catastrophe,” Khaula Sawah, vice president of the US-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Syrian army helicopters have dropped barrel bombs, which are drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel that cause indiscriminate destruction, killing at least 15 civilians and injuring dozens, rescuers in Idlib said.

Opposition-run civil defence agencies say hundreds of people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Russian and Syrian attacks since the September deal, which prevented a potentially devastating offensive on Idlib and nearby areas held by fighters and now home to more than three million people.

Syrian state media, quoting army sources, blamed rebels for the assaults and said it targeted “terrorist groups” in towns in northern Hama including Kfr Nabouda.

Seven countries to hold Geneva talks

The military escalation is expected to be a focus of talks in Geneva on Friday between envoys from seven countries, including US Ambassador James Jeffrey and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen.

190415115814142

Idlib is the last major area of Syria still in rebel hands after a string of government offensives backed by Russian air power since 2015 turned the tables in a protracted civil war.

President Bashar al-Assad has regained control over most of the country, with the northeast held by Kurdish groups backed by the United States.

Idlib is held by an array of rebel groups, including the powerful Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham, a coalition of armed groups including those formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda.

Turkey, which has supported the rebels and has troops to monitor the truce, has been negotiating with Moscow to halt the air attacks with little success.

The main Turkish-backed rebel grouping said they were rushing extra fighters to the main fronts to face all “possibilities”.

In response to the escalation, rebels said they mounted several rocket attacks on army positions including the Breideej army base in northern Hama, wounding and killing at least four Russian soldiers in a mortar attack that hit their vehicle.

“We have stepped up our readiness and sent troop reinforcements to confront any attack [by] the regime and the Russians on any area,” said Naji al-Mustafa, spokesman for the National Liberation Front coalition of rebel groups.

“We cannot leave matters like this… We are preparing for any possibility,” he added.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

Tesla's Elon Musk expects 'robotaxis' to start in US next year

By in News

Elon Musk, the chief executive of electric car company Tesla, has said he expects the firm to have self-driving “robotaxis” on the road by 2020.

The entrepreneur made the pledge as he announced an improved microchip for its driverless vehicles.

Mr Musk told investors he expected regulators to approve ride-hailing in some areas for autonomous vehicles.

He added: “I feel very confident in predicting autonomous robotaxis next year.”

Mr Musk said he expected the scheme to operate on a model similar to that of Uber or Airbnb.

The company unveiled computer hardware for what it said was “full self-driving” capabilities in the form of the new microchip.

There are still technical and legal challenges ahead for driverless cars, which currently are not deemed as sophisticated or roadworthy as cars with drivers, nor safe enough for public roads.

Mr Musk said its custom-designed chip was the best available and a significant milestone in self-driving.

Tesla’s vehicles are not yet at the standard of autonomy needed to earn the tag “self-driven”.

Level 4 autonomy means a vehicle can drive itself with a human on standby, with level 5 the standard needed before it can be called truly autonomous of human agency.

No Tesla car is at either level so far.

Mr Musk had promised previously that self-driving cars would be on the road in 2018.

Amir Khan: British boxer should retire after being pulled from Terence Crawford fight, says Steve Bunce

By in News
Amir Khan is floored by Terence Crawford

Amir Khan “should retire now” after being pulled out of his fight with Terence Crawford, says Steve Bunce.

Briton Khan, 32, took a low blow from American WBO world welterweight champion Crawford in the sixth round at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Unbeaten Crawford, 31, later accused Khan of quitting which the former two-weight world champion denied.

“We can’t keep applauding him for his heart and guts and bravery,” BBC pundit Bunce told the 5 Live Boxing podcast.

“He’ll be throwing punches until the cows come home.”

Khan was knocked down in the first round by Crawford and was behind on all three judges’ scorecards when the fight ended.

Crawford – who has held world titles in three weight divisions – drove a left hook into Khan’s groin 47 seconds into the sixth, leaving him in “too much” pain to continue.

“I thought Amir Khan looked awkward, his balance looked poor, his shot selection wasn’t great,” Bunce added.

“Sometimes his feet can be bad when he’s lazy. That’s not a criticism, that’s a fact.

“We’re looking at a kid who should retire now. I’m looking at the end of the fight, being outclassed even though you’re fighting your heart out, how poor his feet were, how desperately he missed sometimes.”

‘He wasn’t looking for a way out’ – did Khan quit?

Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter said the boxer was “incapacitated” by Crawford’s low punch, with Khan adding he “couldn’t think straight” after the blow.

On Sunday, Khan once again rejected Crawford’s claims that he had quit, saying on Twitter “I’d rather get knocked out cold” – before revealing he was “peeing blood”.

“I don’t think there is any suggestion he got hit with a half shot and decided to quit,” said Bunce.

“Crawford doesn’t think he hit him low, so of course Crawford thinks he quit because he thinks he hit him with a legitimate shot.

“I’ve looked at it in some detail and it definitely comes from the leg and looks like it goes into the groin protector. Can that catch you at such an angle? Yes it can.”

Khan has faced criticism throughout his career, both in and out of the ring, and Bunce believes Saturday’s finish could add fuel to the fire.

“It’s going to run and run, because it will suit some people’s agenda to add ‘quitter’ to ‘glass chin’, to add ‘quitter’ to ‘flash so-and-so’,” Bunce added.

“I can’t say with certainty that he quit. I can’t say with certainty that at that point he was hurt enough.

“But I know for one thing that he wasn’t looking for a way out.”

Former world champion Barry McGuigan said it was “very dangerous” to call Khan a quitter.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme, McGuigan said: “You look at Khan’s career and the fights he’s been in and the one thing he always had was immense courage, determination and getting up off the floor.

“You think of the Breidis Prescott fight, the Canelo (Alvarez) fight, the Danny Garcia fight – there’s no quit in him.

“I just think he took the intelligent option and got out because he was down.

“If he’d gone on and been humiliatingly knocked out and dropped several times and then flattened, then people would have been calling for him to stop.

“Now I suppose with Virgil Hunter’s decision, he’s got the chance of resurrecting the possibility of a fight with Kell Brook somewhere down the line.”