Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) seeking to upturn Bola Tinubu’s victory as Nigeria’s president-elect.

A five-member panel of the court led by Haruna Tsammani had on Monday dismissed a petition by the Action Alliance (AA) following the party’s withdrawal of its case against Tinubu’s victory.

Tinubu who contested the 25 presidential election on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), faced five separate petitions challenging his victory in the wake of his declaration by INEC as the winner of the poll.

The petitioners included political parties and their candidates including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi. They lodged their complaints over the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They urged the court to nullify Tinubu’s victory and order a fresh poll amongst other prayers.

But at Wednesday’s proceedings, APP’s lawyer, Obed Agu, informed the court that he filed a notice of withdrawal of the petition on 9 May.

“We are seeking an order of this court for leave to withdraw this petition filed on March 19.

“As well as an order striking out or dismissing the petition, same having been withdrawn,” the lawyer said.

Agu cited paragraph 29(1)(2) and (3) of the Schedule for Election Petitions as basis for the discontinuance of the petition.

He did not disclose reasons for the party’s U-turn.

The APP presidential candidate, Nnadi Osita, polled 12,839 votes, a far cry from the 8.8 million votes received by Mr Tinubu.

Its petition filed on 19 March was anchored on, among other grounds, that Tinubu “corruptly induced” electoral officers at local government and state collation centres in “Kano, Kaduna, Imo, Rivers, Kebbi, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Osun, Kogi and Kwara states” with a view to alter the presidential election results in his favour.

The party alleged that “fictitious figures were ascribed to Tinubu “thereby giving him substantial lead and advantage in the various states.”

Ruling

In a short ruling, the court dismissed the petition.

“Having listened to all the parties, we are satisfied that there is no collusion. The petition having been withdrawn, it is hereby dismissed,” Tsammani said.

Tinubu lauds withdrawal of petition

Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipenkun, did not object to APP’s request to withdraw the petition.

“We want to commend them, with the hope that more will still come. My Lords, we are not asking for cost,” Olanipenkun said, eliciting laughter from other lawyers and observers in the packed courtroom.

In the same vein, APC’s lawyer, Lateef Fagemi, did not oppose the withdrawal of the petition.

Fagbemi urged other litigants like Atiku and Obi to tow the line of the AA and APP by withdrawing their complaints

“We commend the petitioners for doing the right thing. Let those who have not done so, do so immediately,” Fagbemi said.

Abubakar Mahmoud, INEC’s lawyer did not challenge the withdrawal of the petition.

Wednesday’s withdrawal of the APP’s petition leaves Mr Tinubu and his party with three cases to battle.

PT

Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal will today hear the motions brought by the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, over the outcome of the February 25 election.

The presiding justice of the tribunal, Haruna Tsammani, had on Monday scheduled the hearing on the responses to pre-hearing questions by the parties on Obi and LP’s petition.

The proceeding, which has been fixed for 2pm, is for the tribunal to review the compliance of parties to its directive to streamline issues they would rely on in the main hearing.

Similarly, Obi and LP will bring their motion for the live broadcast of proceedings of the tribunal because, according to them, the petitions are of public interest.

Tinubu wants Atiku’s petition on dual citizenship issue struck out

At the proceedings yesterday, the tribunal fixed May 11 for hearing the two motions by the president-elect and candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, challenging Atiku’s petition.

In the first motion brought by his counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, Tinubu is seeking to strike out some paragraphs in Atiku’s petition where he raised fresh issues, which he said were not pleaded in the original petition, while replying to his preliminary objection.

Atiku had contended that Tinubu did not meet the constitutional threshold and is constitutionally disabled from contesting for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he forfeited a sum of $460,000 “as substituted by a competent authority, sequel to a compromise agreement, and for narcotics-related crime (proceeds of crime) in the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, Judge A. Nordberg.”

Atiku also claimed that Tinubu failed to disclose in his Form EC9 that he holds dual citizenship in Nigeria and Guinea, having voluntarily acquired the citizenship of the Republic of Guinea.

Atiku had further submitted that the grounds for non-qualification are competent, being a constitutional issue.

Tinubu, in his second motion, also asked the tribunal to dismiss the entire petition seeking the nullification of the election for being a breach of the Electoral Act, 2022, filed by Atiku at the pre-hearing stage for being incompetent.

Tinubu also contended  that the petition was “vague, non-specific, nebulous, inchoate, incompetent, imprecise, fraught with ambiguity; and liable to be struck out by the court.”

PDP, Atiku seek live broadcast of proceedings

Still on Thursday, the tribunal will also hear the motion by Atiku seeking live broadcast of the proceedings.

Counsel to Atiku, Chris Uche, said the application is “an order directing the court’s registry and parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and equipment into the courtroom.”

Atiku contended that the application for live broadcast of the tribunal’s proceedings was backed by the Nigerian constitution as well as that the matters of the 2023 general elections were of national concern and public interest.

Court fixes May 11 for Tinubu’s motion seeking dismissal of APM’s petition

Meanwhile, Tinubu has also filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the petition by the All Peoples Movement (APM) challenging his election at the pre-hearing stage.

The presiding justice of the tribunal, Tsammani, on Tuesday, also fixed May 11 for the hearing of the motion.

The panel adjourned the application after the lawyers in the matter submitted that they had responded to the pre-hearing questions raised in Form TF 008 over the APM petition.

At the proceeding on Tuesday, APM, through its lawyers O. A. Atoyebi, and S. A. T. Abubakar informed the tribunal that the party has responded to pre-hearing questions raised by respondents in its petition – INEC, APC, Tinubu, Shettima and Masari. In his response, Fagbemi told the tribunal that he had on May 8 filed two motions challenging APM’s petition and they are ripe for hearing.

Fagbemi said the APM’s petition was worthless and disclosed no reasonable cause of action, maintaining that it has no leg upon which to stand.

He insisted in the motion that the election being challenged by APM was lawfully conducted and a clear winner declared in line with the provisions of the law.

Similarly, Olujinmi said he had filed responses on behalf of Tinubu and Shettima on May 3, 2023, adding that the processes are ready for determination and that he will respond at the pre-hearing date.

On his part, the lead counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, said he has filed answers to the questions raised on the pre-hearing proceedings.

Tsammani advised the parties to examine all the applications filed and decide which they would object to and which they wouldn’t before the next pre-hearing session.

In its petition, APM contends that Tinubu is not qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election because he has not produced a validly nominated running mate.

APM contends that Shettima was still the nominated senatorial candidate of the APC for Borno Central Senatorial District, Borno State, as of the date he was nominated as the vice presidential candidate on July 14, 2022.

The party argued that despite withdrawing his senatorial candidature on July 15, 2022, he had breached the Electoral Act, 2022, via double or multiple nominations.

APM and its presidential candidate, Chichi Ojei, also contended that the election was marred by widespread irregularities.

Daily Trust

Nigerian businessman Femi Otedola has described his interest in the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) as one driven by the need to unlock the company’s full potential and create value for shareholders.

Otedola made the revelation in a statement that marks his first public intervention in the recent battle for the soul of Transcorp. He was responding to repeated enquiries made to him by PREMIUM TIMES regarding why he acted the way he did in the Transcorp transaction.

“I offered to buy Transcorp Plc for N250 billion, but unfortunately, my offer was rejected,” Otedola said.

The billionaire recently divested his newly acquired stake in Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) to Elumelu, pulling the plug on the scramble for the top ownership of the group.

Otedola sold his substantial shareholding of 6.3 per cent, a haul of 2.6 billion shares bought in separate transactions, to Mr Elumelu.

Earlier, within days of his acquisition of a substantial shareholding, Elumelu had racked up his interest from 2.07 to 25.9 per cent.

Sources with details of the matter told PREMIUM TIMES that Otedola’s move to take the peak spot in the conglomerate’s ownership upset the Transcorp chair, prompting him to open talks. He eventually agreed to compensate the businessman with millions of dollars, sources said.

In his new statement, Otedola recalled how he “enthusiastically gave him (Mr Elumelu) $ 20 million, which was N2 billion at that time” to buy the necessary shares for the acquisition of UBA in 2005.

The businessman also alleged that Elumelu stabbed him in the back a number of times in the past.

He said in 2012, he told Elumelu about his interest in Ughelli Power Plant and the Transcorp chair “quietly went ahead” to outbid him in the acquisition of the plant.

Otedola also said the UBA Chairman also took advantage of his (Otedola) business misfortune and eventual bankruptcy in the past to acquire shares he held in a number of entities, including Transcorp Hotel.

PREMIUM TIMES’ could not immediately reach Elumelu as of press time Tuesday morning.

Read the full statement below:

FULL STATEMENT

In 2005, while Tony was the Managing Director of Standard Trust Bank he approached me to get funds to acquire UBA. I enthusiastically gave him $ 20 million, which was N2 billion at that time to buy the necessary shares in UBA for the acquisition. After a short period of time the share price moved up and I decided it was a good moment to sell and get out of the bank. However, Tony appealed to me to hold on to the shares as he was convinced that there were future prospects – so I kept the shares.

I became Chairman of Transcorp Hotel in 2007 with a shareholding of 5% and unknowingly Tony gradually started buying shares quietly.

By the following year in 2008 I went bankrupt in Nigeria. Tony proceeded to take my shares in UBA to service the interest on my loans and he also took over my shares in Africa Finance Corporation, where I was the largest shareholder.

Shortly after, Albert Okumagba informed me that an American firm wanted to acquire my shares in Transcorp, which I then agreed to sell. However, this supposed American firm turned out to be Tony Elumelu. The revelation of this prompted me to resign as Chairman of the hotel.

Years later in 2012 Tony said he wanted to see me so we met in my office where I had previously had a meeting with foreign investors who had not yet departed the premises. Curious to know, he asked what sort of meeting I had had and I disclosed that I wanted to go into the power business, specifically Ughelli Power Plant. Tony quietly went ahead to bid for Ughelli and he outbidded me by offering to buy the plant for $300million.

And as some would say: the rest is history.

Fast forward to the present…

I offered to buy Transcorp Plc for N250 billion, but unfortunately, my offer was rejected. My goal was to maximize the company’s potential as a Nigerian conglomerate with a market cap of at least N2 trillion instead of the current N40 billion, but it seems some shareholders have a different vision.

As a businessman, I believe in healthy competition and market dynamics. Two captains cannot man a ship, and I respect the majority shareholder’s decision to buy me out. This is the nature of the game.

But let me be clear: my offer was made with the best intentions for Transcorp Plc and its shareholders. I saw an opportunity to unlock the company’s full potential and create value for everyone involved.

It’s important for investors to understand that free entry and free exit are crucial to healthy markets. The scramble for shares after my acquisition is a testament to the value that Transcorp Plc can offer, and I hope the company continues to thrive under new leadership.

My message to Transcorp Plc and its shareholders is this: I remain committed to the growth and success of Nigerian businesses, and I will always be looking for ways to create value for all stakeholders. Stakeholders are unfortunately always shortchanged by getting stipends while the owners and managers of the business live a jet-set lifestyle, which is detrimental to the stakeholders. Thank you for the opportunity to engage in this exciting chapter of Transcorp’s history.

PT

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his London trip by a week over an appointment with his dentist.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

Buhari had travelled to the United Kingdom last week for the coronation of King Charles 111.

The president, who joined world leaders for the historic occasion, had told the British monarch that the trip was his last official trip to the UK.

He had thanked him and other leaders for the cooperation he enjoyed during the 8 years he spent with them.

The president was supposed to return to the country this week.

But in his statement, Adesina said Buhari was currently undergoing dental care.

“President Muhammadu Buhari will be in London, United Kingdom, for an additional week, at the behest of his Dentist, who has started attending to him.”

“The specialist requires to see the President in another five days for a procedure already commenced.

“Buhari had joined other world leaders to attend the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023.”

Daily Trust

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia holds Victory Day Parade on Moscow’s Red Square

A military parade to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War took place on Moscow’s Red Square on Tuesday.

The parade began with the march of the Honor Guard’s banner group carrying the Russian national flag and the legendary Victory Banner across Red Square. The Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag by soldiers of the Soviet 150th Idritsa rifle division in May 1945.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, war veterans and guests watched the parade from the central reviewing stand on Red Square. Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Alexander Lukashenko, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Sadyr Japarov, Emomali Rahmon, Serdar Berdimuhamedow and Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the Victory Day Parade on Moscow’s Red Square.

Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu reviewed the military parade commanded by Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief Army General Oleg Salyukov.

This year, Russia’s Victory Day Parade on Moscow’s Red Square involved over 8,000 troops, including 530 fighters of the special military operation in Ukraine, and more than 100 items of military hardware.

This year, the infantry column comprised 30 parade units. A legendary T-34 tank traditionally led the mechanized column at the Victory Day Parade. The military parade’s mechanized column also involved Tigr-M armored vehicles, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, Bumerang infantry fighting vehicles, Iskander-M tactical missile systems, S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile systems and Yars road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers. Spartak and 3-STS-Akhmat armored vehicles took part in the military parade for the first time.

The air parade over Moscow’s Red Square did not take place this year.

After the final column of military hardware rolled through Moscow’s Red Square, the consolidated military band returned to the square’s center and completed the military parade by performing the song Pobeda (Victory).

In 2020, the May 9 military parade to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War was rescheduled for June 24 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the parade’s airborne part involved 75 aircraft and helicopters. In 2021, the number of aircraft flying over Moscow’s Red Square during the May 9 Victory Day Parade was increased to 76. In 2022, the air parade over Moscow’s Red Square was cancelled due to bad weather.

** Russian forces strike Ukrainian army reserves, ammo depots by precision weapons

Russian forces delivered a massive strike by seaborne and airborne precision weapons against the Ukrainian army’s reserves and ammunition depots, hitting all the designated targets over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.

"During the past night, Russian forces delivered a massive strike by long-range seaborne and airborne precision weapons against the temporary deployment sites of the enemy’s reserves, and also against ammunition depots. All the designated targets were struck. The strikes thwarted the [enemy] reserves’ advance to the areas of combat operations," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 35 Ukrainian troops, artillery gun in Kupyansk area

Russian forces destroyed roughly 35 Ukrainian troops and a motorized artillery system in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft and artillery from the western battlegroup struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region. The enemy’s losses in the past 24 hours amounted to 35 Ukrainian personnel, one tank, two motor vehicles and an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminate 75 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area

Russian forces eliminated roughly 75 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

In the Krasny Liman direction, operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery from Russia’s battlegroup Center struck the enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the spokesman specified.

"As many as 75 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three pickup trucks, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed," the general reported.

Russian forces destroy over 400 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance

Russian forces destroyed over 400 Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Over 465 Ukrainian personnel and mercenaries, two tanks, six armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, two D-20 and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed in that direction in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.

Russian assault teams continue battles in western Artyomovsk

Russian assault teams continued fighting Ukrainian troops in the western part of Artyomovsk over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, the assault teams continued battles in the western part of the city of Artyomovsk. Airborne Force units provided their support, immobilizing the enemy on the flanks," the spokesman said.

Operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery from Russia’s southern battlegroup struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Chasov Yar and Bogdanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general specified.

"Aircraft flew five sorties in that area in the past 24 hours. The battlegroup’s artillery accomplished 73 firing objectives," Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces destroy over 90 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas

Russian forces destroyed over 90 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas in the past day, he said.

In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aircraft and artillery from Russia’s battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Gulyaipole in the Zaporozhye area, the spokesman specified.

"Over 90 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles and a Msta-B howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours. In addition, in the area of the settlement of Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 128th mountain assault brigade was obliterated," the general reported.

Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian ammo depots in DPR, Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed Ukrainian ammunition depots in the Kherson area and the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Antonovka in the Kherson Region, an ammunition depot of the 124th territorial defense brigade was destroyed. In the area of the community of Verkhnekamenskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 54th mechanized brigade was obliterated," the spokesman said.

In the Kherson direction, as many as 30 Ukrainian troops, five motor vehicles and two Gvozdika artillery systems were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower, the general specified.

"Operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 72 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 94 areas," Konashenkov reported.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack plane

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack aircraft and intercepted three rockets and a ballistic missile over the past day, he said.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 plane near the settlement of Belozyorka in the Kherson Region. In the past 24 hours, they also intercepted three rockets of the Uragan and HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and a Tochka-U tactical missile," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian air defense systems destroyed ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Golikovo in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Spornoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Removka in the Zaporozhye Region, Novaya Mayachka and Belozyorka in the Kherson Region, the general said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 419 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 230 helicopters, 4,052 unmanned aerial vehicles, 421 surface-to-air missile systems, 9,046 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,098 multiple rocket launchers, 4,774 field artillery guns and mortars and 10,077 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia marks Victory Day with new strikes on Ukraine, but pared-back parade

Russia fired cruise missiles at Kyiv on Tuesday and paraded troops across Moscow's Red Square for its annual celebration of victory in World War Two, pared back amid shortages of manpower and arms at the front after a failed winter campaign in Ukraine.

In a fiery 10-minute speech in front of the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin thundered against "Western global elites" and said civilisation was at "a decisive turning point".

"A real war has been unleashed against our homeland," said the Russian leader, who last year ordered what the West calls an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, destroying cities and killing thousands of civilians.

Underlining how the war has isolated Russia from most of Europe and pushed Ukraine closer to the West, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was visiting Kyiv, where she called Ukraine "the beating heart of today's European values".

The holiday commemorating the Soviet victory in World War Two is the most important day in the calendar in Russia under Putin, who casts his invasion of Ukraine as analogous to Russia's fight against the Nazis. Ukraine, which suffered proportionally greater losses than Russia in World War Two, calls that an abuse of shared history to justify aggression.

The parade was full of traditional pomp but unmistakably scaled down from previous years. In place of phalanxes of modern battle tanks, a single World War Two-vintage T-34 rolled across Red Square. The usual fighter jet flyover was cancelled.

Putin's message was also undermined by a new profanity-laced tirade from the boss of Russia's Wagner private army directed at Moscow's generals for failing to give his forces enough weapons.

"A combat order came yesterday which clearly stated that if we leave our positions (in Bakhmut), it will be regarded as treason against the motherland," Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message. "(But) if there is no ammunition, then we will leave our positions and be the ones asking who is really betraying the Motherland."

MISSILE ATTACKS OVERNIGHT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow had failed to capture Bakhmut despite a self-imposed deadline to give Putin a battlefield trophy in time for the holiday. Moscow regards capturing Bakhmut as a stepping stone towards taking other cities in Ukraine's industrial east.

Ukraine said its air defences had shot down 23 of 25 Russian cruise missiles fired chiefly at the capital Kyiv overnight, and there were no reported casualties.

Russia's defence ministry said it had "launched a concentrated strike using high-precision, long-range sea and air-based weapons aimed against enemy barracks and ammunition depots".

After a weeks-long hiatus, Russia in late April resumed its tactic of long-range missile strikes against Ukraine and has launched a flurry of attacks in recent days.

The day provided Zelenskiy an opportunity to demonstrate Ukraine's clear break from Moscow by hosting von der Leyen.

"Our efforts for a united Europe, for security and peace, need to be as strong as Russia's desire to destroy our security, our freedom, our Europe," Zelenskiy said at their joint press conference in Kyiv.

Russia's increasing diplomatic isolation has drawn Moscow closer to China, and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday that Beijing would maintain lines of communication with all parties to the war in Ukraine in seeking a ceasefire.

"As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and responsible major country, China will neither watch the fire from the other bank nor add fuel to the fire," Qin told reporters alongside German counterpart Annalena Baerbock during a visit to Berlin.

European nations have criticised China for declining to describe Russia's sending troops into Ukraine as an invasion or call for a Russian withdrawal.

In Washington, the White House announced a new security package for Ukraine that includes additional air defence systems and artillery rounds.

VICTORY DAY SPEECH

Putin struck a rousing note in his Victory Day speech, saying all of Russia was praying for its heroes at the front and concluding with a cheer for "Russia, for our valiant Armed Forces, for victory!"

After he spoke, a band struck up and cannon fired a salute. Soldiers marched through Red Square followed by armoured vehicles and nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.

But the Moscow parade was much shorter than usual. Security concerns following attacks including drones that exploded over the Kremlin citadel last week meant parades in some other cities were scaled back or called off. Traditional "Immortal Regiment" processions, in which people carry portraits of relatives who fought against the Nazis, were cancelled.

In Kyiv there were no reported casualties from Russia's latest volley of air strikes on the capital. Debris fell on a house in the Holosiivskyi district in the southwest of Kyiv but caused little damage, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said. Debris lay in a road in Kyiv's central Shevchenkivskyi district.

"As at the front, the plans of the aggressor failed," said Sergei Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration.

The Agence France Presse news agency said late on Tuesday one of its video journalists had been killed by rocket fire near Chasiv Yar, 10 km (6 miles) west of Bakhmut.

Russia has stepped up its attacks in anticipation of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, after Moscow's winter campaign captured little territory despite the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since World War Two.

Russia marks the Nazi surrender of May 8, 1945 on the following day, because it took effect when it was already after midnight in Moscow. Ukraine symbolised its break from Moscow on Monday by announcing it was shifting its observance to May 8.

Instead, Kyiv proclaimed May 9 as Europe Day, a date observed by the EU to commemorate the post-war integration movement that led to the founding of the European Union.

"Kyiv, as the capital of Ukraine, is the beating heart of today's European values," von der Leyen said at her news conference with Zelenskiy. "Courageously, Ukraine is fighting for the ideals of Europe that we celebrate today."

TASS/Reuters

Sudan capital rocked by air strikes, looting

Residents of Sudan's capital reported heavy air strikes in central Khartoum on Tuesday amid a surge in looting while Saudi Arabia said negotiators were working toward a short-term ceasefire.

Witnesses said the army unleashed intense air bombardment in the centre of Khartoum and around the presidential palace. The rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary said the palace, which it claims to control, was hit by an air strike and destroyed, but an army source denied the claim.

The fighting in Khartoum, which erupted April 15, has prompted hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes and triggered an aid crisis. The number of people internally displaced within Sudan more than doubled in a week to 700,000, the U.N.'s migration agency said.

The two forces, which have failed to abide by repeated truce deals, sent representatives to talks in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Saturday.

In the first report on the talks thus far, the Saudi foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the negotiations aimed to reach "an effective short-term ceasefire", Saudi state TV Al-Ekhbariya said.

Amid warnings that Sudan is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths proposed the warring parties back a declaration guaranteeing safe passage of aid supplies and the proposal has been discussed in Jeddah, a U.N. spokesperson said.

Griffiths "hopes the declaration can be endorsed as soon as possible so that the relief operation can scale up swiftly and safely to meet the needs of millions of people in Sudan," Deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters.

The United Nations estimates that 5 million additional people will need emergency assistance inside Sudan while 860,000 are expected to flee to neighbouring states that were already in crisis at a time when rich countries have cut back on aid.

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday raised the confirmed death toll in the conflict to more than 600, with 5,000 injured, though the true figure is thought to be much higher.

Lawlessness has taken hold in Khartoum and the two adjoining cities of Omdurman and Bahri, witnesses said. "The biggest danger is the spread of robbery and looting and the total absence of the police and the law," said Ahmed Saleh, 45, from Bahri.

Homes, shops and warehouses have all been targeted, residents said. Sudan's Banks Union condemned burglary and vandalism at some branches, saying banks were seeking to restore services if conditions allowed.

The eruption of conflict between Sudan's army and RSF risks a prolonged war that could draw in outside powers and unleash a new humanitarian crisis across the region.

The army, under General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF under General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, had joined forces in a military coup in 2021, reconfiguring a planned transition to civilian rule.

But the rival military factions fell out over the terms and timing of the transition, leading to the sudden explosion of fighting in Khartoum in April that quickly spread to the Darfur region where a conflict had already rumbled since 2003.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday the U.S. will not give up the goal of putting Sudan back on track to civilian democratic governance, adding that Washington is working in Jeddah for a ceasefire and agreement on humanitarian aid.

Burhan said in a phone interview with an Egyptian TV station on Monday that the talks in Jeddah were aimed at relieving pressure on civilians, not at any political settlement. He accused the RSF of cutting off power and telecoms in areas they controlled.

The RSF has said in statements that it is seeking to keep services running in Khartoum and has rejected reports of looting and other abuses. It said on Tuesday that the army had been hitting residential areas with air strikes.

Reuters

FOR KOLE OMOTOSO AT 80

 (With the world still learning how to borrow a wondering leaf)

               I

That number sounds so heavy
     I can hardly lift it with my tongue
Its span springs a distance un-measurable
     By the stretch of any ruler

The sun’s silent steps across
     The infinity of the sky
The concourse of the clouds
     Which drill and drop the rains

Night after night after night
     We sleep in the songs
Which sleep in us, dance with the dawn
     Whose drum provokes our day

We rise, unaware,
     As those songs sizzle into see-suns
Stir into seasons when the tree’s green promise
     Yellows into edible consumations

And the seeds which broke the sod
     Laugh soundlessly at harvestide
Time always tells its story
     Even when our ears are usurped by jubilant echoes

Unforgettable,
     Those dusky days in Akure Oloyemekun
When Dawn lifted its delicate dust
     And a new and complex day was born

           II

You frolicked through that dawn
     Distilled its dew
Rose above its grass
     And foresaw its noon

Those were days of stirring drums
     And soulful dances
Of songs which sewed the seasons*
     Into skeins of wisdom and timeless wardrobes

Baked brave by the native sun
     Your feathered heels embraced the world
From Ibadan-Ife to Edinburg, land of the Scotts
     Then to our Caribbean of rooted bondings and kindred voices

When our fledgling letters cried out for a way
     Out of History’s pit, yours was a clear
Refreshing voice  in the chorus which pledged
     Our commitment to the common good

The aching necessity of Positive Change,
     And the possibilities of Hope
Values which build the Whole Person
     Visions which enable the Future

In every brick of The Edifice is a story
     Which foretells the blind bullets of The Combat
To Borrow a Wandering Leaf longs for a key
     Which unlocks those Memories of Our Recent Boom

The Scales have not fallen from the eyes
     Of those who pronounce The Curse
Season of Migration to the South
     Surely needs a new compass

Having gone from The Theatrical Into Theatre
     Our painted faces crave a million mirrors
The traffic between street and stage
     Is loud with unquenchable visions

It is still Just Before Dawn
     Countless seasons after the primal moon
Woza Africa. Behold your faithful Griot    
     As he joins the Venerable Conclave of Elders

 *Riff on Sew the Old Days, Molara Ogundipe’s  memorable collection of poems.

Twitter Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk on Tuesday revealed details about new features including adding calls and encrypted messaging coming to the platform.

Last year, Musk flagged plans for "Twitter 2.0 The Everything App", which he said would have features such as encrypted direct messages (DMs), longform tweets and payments.

"Coming soon will be voice and video chat from your handle to anyone on this platform, so you can talk to people anywhere in the world without giving them your phone number," Musk said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The call feature on Twitter will bring the micro-blogging platform into line with the likes of Meta's social media applications, Facebook and Instagram, which have similar features.

Musk said a version of encrypted direct messages will be available on Twitter starting Wednesday, but did not say if calls will be encrypted.

Twitter this week said it will start a cleansing process by removing and archiving accounts that have been inactive for several years.

Reuters

The cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has discovered a new Android subscription malware on Google Play, the official Android app store. The new malware has been given the name Fleckpe and is the newest addition to the realm of malware that generates unauthorized charges by subscribing users to premium services.

How is the new malware being spread?

Fleckpe is a subscription trojan that is spreading via Google Play as part of photo editing apps and smartphone wallpaper packs. What's worse is that even though this malware was just discovered, it's now known to have been actively spreading for a year and has already infected more than 620,000 devices.

How does it sign people up for paid subscriptions?

Once you have downloaded an app on your Android that has been infected with Fleckpe, the app will have access to your notifications, where a confirmation code can be found.

A malicious code will begin to run on your device, and that will contact the hackers through a command and control server. The hackers will then send over your device’s Mobile Country Code and Mobile Network Code, which are used to figure out where you live along with your mobile carrier.

Once they have this information, the hacker will then send a paid subscription page that is opened in an invisible browser by the trojan. It then signs you up for a paid subscription using the code it got once it was granted access to your notifications. This confirms the subscription, all while being invisible to you, as the app itself works completely normally.

What apps should I delete?

If you have any of the apps listed below on your Android, you should delete them immediately. These have all been infected with the Fleckpe malware, and the Google Play Store has removed them from the platform.

Beauty Camera Plus

Beauty Photo Camera

Beauty Slimming Photo Editor

Fingertip Graffiti

GIF Camera Editor

HD 4K Wallpaper

Impressionism Pro Camera

Microclip Video Editor

Night Mode Camera Pro

Photo Camera Editor

Photo Effect Editor

How else can I keep myself safe from these malicious apps?

Although these apps have been discovered and removed from the Google Play store, you should still be cautious because you never know what apps out there could get infected with malware. Here are some of my tips for avoiding getting malware on your Android.

Double-check the reviews

To avoid malware infection and subsequent financial loss, we recommend you always make sure that the apps you're downloading are from a legit source. For Android users, you should always be downloading apps from the Google Play Store, and remember to check the reviews on the app before downloading. If it looks like the app has a ton of negative reviews or very few reviews at all, then it is best to avoid downloading that app.

Make sure your devices, operating systems, and apps are up-to-date

Always keep your devices, operating systems, and apps up to date. You should always make sure that you have the latest software version available. These updates have stronger security features, so the newer the software, the better protected your Android will be.

Here's how to check if you need to update your Android:

Open your Settings app

Near the bottom, tap Software update

Then tap Download and install 

You'll see your update status. Follow any steps on the screen

Here's how to check if you need to update your Android apps:

Open the Google Play Store app

At the top right, tap the profile icon

Tap Manage apps & device. Apps with an update available are labeled Update available

Tap Update

Note: settings may vary depending on your Android phone's manufacturer.

Have good antivirus software on all your devices

This story is also another reminder to always have good antivirus software running on your devices, as malicious apps can be found on any platform, even if it is a legit one like the Google Play Store. Having antivirus software on your devices will help detect this type of trojan on an app you may have downloaded that may not have been removed yet from the Google Play Store.

Final thoughts

With the unnerving discovery of this latest subscription malware on Google Play called Fleckpe, it is crucial to only download apps from legitimate sources and double-check reviews, keep your devices, operating systems, and apps up-to-date, and have reliable antivirus software on all your devices.

Fox News