US President Barack Obama will welcome four African leaders to Washington this month, the White House said Monday.

Pope Francis received the ring and pallium symbolising his new papal powers at a grand ceremony in St Peter’s Square on Tuesday in front of world leaders and tens of thousands of pilgrims.

United States of America dealt a hard blow on Nigeria, yesterday, with the cancellation of a planned visit to Nigeria by one of its richest men, Bill Gates, to the country, following the controversial pardon granted the former Bayelsa State Governor, Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha, by President Goodluck Jonathan, last week, and the lack of safety of health officials in the north.

Three pastors David Eshiet, Samson Ugbara and Adesanmi Aderoju, were yesterday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N7.9 million fraud .

As the controversies generated over which region controlled more of Nigeria’s oil assets intensify, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has said that such controversies are baseless considering that oil blocks are awarded based on bids offered for them globally.