Kenyan Wins First Paralympic Gold

Kenya's Samwel Kimani has won the first gold medal of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in the Men’s T11 5000m (for blind competitors with guides)

400 Acres Donated To US Yosemite National Park

This undated photo provided by The Trust for Public Land shows Ackerson Meadow in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Visitors to the park now have more room to explore nature with the announcement on Wed. Sept. 7, 2016 that the park's western boundary has expanded to include Ackerson Meadow, 400 acres of tree-covered Sierra Nevada foothills, grassland and a creek that flows into the Tuolumne River. This is the park's biggest expansion in nearly 70 years, and will serve as wildlife habitat. (Robb Hirsch/The Trust for Public Land via AP)

Robin Wainwright could have cashed-in on pristine grassland and forest he owned along the border with Yosemite National Park — building an upscale resort for a few fortunate guests.

Buhari Calls For Behaviour Change, Says Change Isn’t All About Economic Progress (VIDEO)

#ChangeBeginsWithMe

Politicians are fond of promising change in their election campaign, but that usually involves changes to the country.

#BringBackOurGirls Vows To Continue Rally Despite Police Ban

The #BringBackOurGirls group on Wednesday said it would defy the ban on public protests by the Nigeria Police Force and carry on with its rally.

Nigerien Female Soldier Wins Peacekeeper Award

Inaugural winner of the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, Major Aichatou Ousmane Issak. Photo: MINUSMA

A female soldier from Niger has been awarded the UN's first ever prize for peacekeepers who focus on the impact that armed conflict can have on women.

At a ceremony in London, the UK Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Baroness Joyce Anelay, presents Major Aichatou Ousmane Issak of Niger with the inaugural Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her work in integrating gender perspectives into peacekeeping activities. Photo: UK Ministry of Defence

Boko Haram Factions In Bloody Clash In Borno

Abubakar Shekau began leading Boko Haram in 2009 AFP Photo

Two factions of the Boko Haram sect in Monguno area of Borno State engaged in a bloody fight over leadership tussle, sources told the AFP on Thursday.

IS declared Abu Musab al-Barnawi Boko Haram's leader last month Boko Haram video

Paralympics: Rio Opens Games To Samba Beat

Opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, on September 7, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Tasso Marcelo

Rio de Janeiro opened the Paralympic Games on Wednesday with samba, parading wheelchairs, giant balloons — and political protests — at the famed Maracana stadium.

Son Of Equatorial Guinea’s President To Face French Trial

Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue denies the charges

The son of Equatorial Guinea’s president, who also serves as his deputy, is face trial in France on money-laundering and corruption charges, French judges have decided.

FOR THE RECORD: Nigeria’s Four Major Airports Must Be Concessioned — Aviation Minister

Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos

The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Tuesday said there was no going back on the Federal Government’s plan to concession the four major airports in the country.

US Open 2016: Serena Williams Beats Simona Halep In Quarter-Finals

Williams is trying to win her seventh US Open

Serena Williams was pushed hard by fifth seed Simona Halep before coming through in three sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open in New York.

US Open 2016: Kei Nishikori Stuns Andy Murray In Five Sets To Reach Semis

Nishikori (left) beat Murray for only the second time in nine meetings

Britain's Andy Murray made his earliest Grand Slam exit of the year as Japan's Kei Nishikori fought back to win their US Open quarter-final in five sets.

Council Of State Ratifies 6 INEC, 5 NPC Commissioners

From left: Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; President Muhammadu Buhari; former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; and former President Goodluck Jonathan, during the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday Image source: The Punch

The Council of State yesterday ratified the appointments of six additional commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Father Of Former Nigeria Militant Dies Following Military Incursion

Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo Photo credit: Paul Iseme/image source: lindaikeji’sblog

The father of a former Nigerian militant leader has died after sustaining injuries during a government military campaign aimed at halting attacks on infrastructure in the oil-producing Delta region, his spokesman said late on Wednesday.

US Man, Ferguson Protest Organizer Found Shot To Death In Burning Car

© Darren Seals / Facebook

Darren Seals, a prominent organizer for the Ferguson protests in response to the killing of a black teenager by a white police officer in 2014, has died. He is the second Ferguson, Missouri activist to be found shot and in a burning car.

No Poisonous Rice In Nigeria — FG

Mischief makers claiming country had been flooded with ‘poisonous’ rice -Ebegba

The National Biosafety Management Agency on Wednesday described as untrue claims that there were genetically modified rice in the Nigerian market.

Wozniacki, Kerber To Clash For US Open Final Spot

Caroline Wozniacki defeated injured Latvian Anastasija Sevastova in a two-set match ©Kena Betancur (AFP)

Caroline Wozniacki's dramatic resurgence continued when the former world number one defeated a hobbling Anastasija Sevastova to reach a fourth US Open semi-final.

US Open 2016

Sharon Olds Wins US$100,000 Poetry Prize

Sharon Olds had aslo won the TS Eliot prize for poetry 

One of the country's leading poets, Pulitzer Prize winner Sharon Olds, has won a US$100,000 lifetime achievement award.

FOR THE RECORD: 7 Steps Sanusi Says Buhari Must Take To Revive The Economy

Muhammad Sanusi II, emir of Kano and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has recommended steps President Muhammadu Buhari must take to revive the Nigerian economy.

Nigerian Army Faces New Dangers In Boko Haram Campaign

Nigeria's military has liberated large swathes of land from Boko Haram but a ride with an army convoy, all guns firing for fear of ambush, shows how far the northeast is from normality after a brutal Islamist insurgency that has displaced millions.

Côte d'Ivoire Evicts Thousands Of Cocoa Farmers To Save Forests

Cocoa farmer inside Mont Peko National Park Image source: lesoir.be

Before the morning mists had broken over Côte d'Ivoire's Mont Peko National Park, thousands of newly homeless cocoa farmers and their families began to stir, fetching water and lighting cooking fires outside Sylvain Zongo's church at the forest edge.