Friday
Brazil court fires Rio governor over corruption
Brazil’s High Court of Justice removed Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel from office Friday, as police raided his official residence in a probe into accusations he stole emergency funds to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The raids also targeted the far-right governor’s wife and inner circle. Among those arrested was Pastor Everaldo, an evangelical preacher and leader of Witzel’s Christian Social Party. Helicopters circled over the stately governor’s residence, Laranjeiras Palace, starting at dawn as federal police executed a sweeping series of search and seizure orders and arrest warrants. The court ruling suspends Witzel, 52, from office for at least 180 days as authorities investigate claims he took a reported 274.2 million reals ($50 million) in kickbacks. “This criminal organizatio...
Italy begins delivering new socially distancing desks to schools
Italy on Friday began the delivery of new school desks adapted for COVID-19 safety regulations, part of a large-scale effort to re-open classrooms after a six-month shutdown. A government commissioner ordered more than 2.4 million desks, and the first 799 were delivered to schools in Bergamo province, which was worst hit by the pandemic. Schools are being equipped with one-seat desks to facilitate social-distancing. Students are supposed to sit at least 1m apart; if not, they will have to wear face masks. he new desks are smaller than previously used one-seat models, and in some schools with older equipment, are due to replace two-person desks. Schools are scheduled to re-open on Sept. 14, but the government is struggling to put everything in place. The delivery of the new desks is for ins...
Preventing sexual violence starts with what parents teach boys about girls – experts
Experts on Friday said preventing sexual violence starts with what parents teach young boys on girl-child sexual rights. Speaking during a three-day capacity training for journalists on Women’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Ibadan, the experts said changing men’s perception and attitude towards girls, starts with parents. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the training was organised by IPAS, an international non-profit advocacy group, and was focused on improving and expanding women’s sexual and reproductive rights. An Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Dr Steve Lemadoro, said that parents had the responsibility to raise boys who would grow up to become men who respect and protect women’s sexual rights and dignity. Lemadoro said that it was time parents questioned themselves on how...
West African delegation ‘very hopeful’ after meeting Mali junta
A West African delegation visiting Mali to push for a speedy return to civilian rule following a coup said it was “very hopeful” on Saturday after meeting with the country’s military junta and the president it ousted. The head of the delegation from the regional Ecowas bloc, former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, said that detained Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was doing relatively well. “We saw him, he’s very fine,” said Jonathan, who had earlier met for half an hour with the soldiers who seized power on Tuesday, including new strongman Colonel Assimi Goita. Jonathan told AFP that negotiations were going well and he was “very hopeful”. Rebel soldiers seized Keita and other leaders after a mutiny on Tuesday, dealing another deep blow to a country already struggling with a b...
#BBNaija: Uti Nwachukwu apologizes to Laycon
Nollywood actor and winner of Big Brother Africa Season 5 reality TV show, Uti Nwachukwu, has apologized to 2020 Big Brother Naija Lockdown housemate, Laycon, for his insulting comments. Nwachukwu had on Friday stated on his Twitter handle that Laycon is not on the same level as female housemate, Erica, yet, it appears Erica has put “jazz” on him. His tweet elicited backlash from other Twitter users, especially fans of Laycon. However, the reality star has apologized as he took to his Twitter handle saying that he got carried away. He wrote: “OK, I got a little carried away watching #Bbnaija guys. What I said really wasn’t cool, and I acknowledge it so it’s deleted. “Just a little reminder to all of us to remember that even though it’s a show, they’re real people. So make una no vess #BBNa...
Lagos East: APC has no candidate yet – Lagos chair
Contrary to the news trending on social media platforms announcing the emergence of Polaris Bank MD, Tokunbo Abiru, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Lagos East Senatorial district, Chairman of All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the State, Hon Tunde Balogun, has said the party has not chosen any candidate for the bye-election. According to Balogun, the news flying around on social spaces is nothing but fake news stressing that no candidate would emerge without a primary. Speaking to newsmen, Hon Balogun said the party is yet to begin sales of Expression of Interest form and that it is impossible for any candidate to emerge without the primary. He said: “This is news to me. We have not even started selling nomination forms. I don’t know where the news of his (...
Tehran, Brussels reject Donald Trump’s ‘snapback’ plan for Iran sanctions
Iran and the European Union have both rejected United States President Donald Trump’s plan to trigger the “snapback” mechanism in the Iranian nuclear deal to impose sanctions on Iran. “The Americans got out of the atomic deal in May 2018 and they know very well that the implementation of the snapback is something illegal and, therefore, absolutely unacceptable,’’ Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Sunday, according to state media. The snapback was granted to the participants in the 2015 Vienna nuclear agreement between major world powers and Iran in the event that Tehran violates it. However, under Trump, the United States withdrew unilaterally from the agreement in 2018. “Since Washington withdrew from the agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of...
CUPP condemns call for arrest of its spokesman
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has strongly condemned the call made by a group called the Emerging Leaders Forum (ELF) for the arrest and prosecution of its spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, for allegedly making inciting statements with plans to topple the Mohammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government. CUPP, while denouncing the call and describing it as one made by hungry and faceless hoodlums, said it had become aware of the clandestine campaign of calumny being perfected to take out of circulation its spokesman, Ugochinyere “as was seen by the amateurish and poorly attended press conference by a faceless group that called itself Emerging Leaders Forum.” The Emerging Leaders Forum (ELF) led by Godstime Samuel had addressed a press conference on Fri...
Bayern must stay focused – coach
Bayern Munich players will only let their stunning 8-2 UEFA Champions League quarter-final victory on Friday sink in for a day. Club head coach Hansi Flick believes, however, that if they are to win the title they still need to work hard. Flick, who was assistant coach of Germany in their historic 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil en route to the World Cup title in 2014, said his players now needed to stay grounded. He said this was necessary ahead of a semi-final against either Manchester City or Olympique Lyonnais. Hi. Today we had a game against the junior team. I scored two goals. Now at home watching a movie. bye — Philipe Coutinho (@Phil_Coutinho) September 3, 2011 “You know that I do not look back because only the here and now matters,” Flick told reporters when asked about comparisons...
PDP reconstitutes Kaduna caretaker committee
File Photo The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), acting on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC), has reconstituted the Kaduna State Caretaker Committee. The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Friday, said that committee would be chaired by Bashir Dutsen, while the Secretary would be Abdullahi Kano. Other members of the committee according to him, are Ashiru Abdullahi, Dr Abdu Usman, Ahmed Zaria, Lawal Balarabe, Jerry Ishaya, Imam Lawal Adamu, Edward Masha ,John Ayuba and Maria Dogo “The action of the NWC, which is pursuant to Section 29(2)(b) and 31(2) (e) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as Amended), is consequent upon the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing state caretaker...
Cross River Basin Authority managing director suspended
The Managing Director of Cross River Basin Development Authority has been suspended from office by the board of the agency. Bassey Nkposong was suspended on Thursday after an ad-hoc committee which looked into how the agency was being run accused him of irregularities in the award of N250 million worth of contracts and other “breaches.” The committee was set up by the board in September 2019. “The committee observed from the various breaches that the Managing Director has advertently arrogated to himself the status of a sole administrator regardless of the extant provisions of the Establishment Act of the Authority,” the committee noted in its report which was submitted in February 2020, five months after it was set up. “The above scenario has led to many breaches where contracts which cle...
Lagos Assembly proposes N20 million licence fee for lottery, betting operators
Pool Photo The Lagos State House of Assembly says a bill that will make operators of lottery, pools and betting in the state to pay N20 million as licence fees to the state government is underway. The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, made this known at a public hearing on the bill in Lagos on Friday. Newsmen report that the bill was entitled; “Lagos State Lotteries And Gaming Authority Bill Arrangement of Sections”. Obasa, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Sanni-Eshinlokun, explained that the new bill, when it becomes law, would consolidate all the laws in the sector. “The new bill will also repeal existing laws such as the Lagos State Lotteries (Amendment) Law 2008, the Lagos State Lotteries Law (2004), and the Casino and Gaming Regulatory Authority Law (2007). “Others are...
