Saturday
French president says he ‘understands’ Muslims shock over Prophet Muhammad cartoons
French President Emmanuel Macron said he can understand why Muslims were shocked by caricatures depicting the prophet Muhammad. But in an interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Saturday, he said he could never accept the issue being used to justify violence. “I understand and respect that we can be shocked by these caricatures,” Macron said. “I will never accept that we can justify physical violence for these caricatures and I will always defend in my country the freedom to say, to write, to think, to draw.” Tensions flared with some Muslim majority countries who have held anti-Macron protests and called for a boycott of French products after he publically promised France would not “renounce the caricatures”. Macron made the comments following the October 16 murder of French school teacher...
UFC: Israel Adesanya to fight Jan Blachowicz next
UFC star, Israel Adesanya, can expect to get back in the Octagon fairly soon, though it won’t be to defend his middleweight title. UFC President Dana White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that Adesanya will move up to light heavyweight to face Jan Blachowicz. White and Adesanya reportedly spoke about the move Friday with the undefeated Nigeria-born New Zealander on board to switch weight classes. Adesanya was spotted at UFC Fight Night 181 in Las Vegas on Saturday and had a small back-and-forth with middleweight Kevin Holland after the latter defeated Charlie Ontiveros via technical knockout. Holland appeared to call out Adesanya for a shot at the title after winning four straight bouts in 2020. It appears such a fight will have to wait—as will any potential middleweight title fight, which White...
Barcelona’s domestic woes continue with Alaves 1-1 draw
Antoine Griezmann helped to salvage a point for Barcelona as their struggles in La Liga continued with another disappointing result; a 1-1 away draw against 10-man Deportivo Alaves on Saturday. The visitors, who had lost their prior two league matches, were behind in the first half after a goalkeeping blunder by Neto allowed Luis Rioja to open the scoring. Barca actually started the match brightly. Their gifted youngster Ansu Fati raced clear of the Alaves defence early on but could only strike his effort wide. However, the visiting defence appeared to lack confidence and looked vulnerable on the counter. Alaves left midfielder Luis Rioja tried to exploit this but brought a smart save out of Barca keeper Neto after fine play by Brazilian centre forward Deyverson. It was from another such A...
Kylian Mbappe on target as PSG win without injured Neymar
Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as Paris Saint-Germain eased to their seventh straight Ligue 1 win on Saturday, beating Nantes 3-0 away to move provisionally three points clear at the top of the table. All the goals came in the second half at the Stade de la Beaujoire, with Ander Herrera opening the scoring two minutes after the restart and Mbappe converting a 65th-minute spot-kick before Pablo Sarabia secured the points late on. PSG have now taken maximum points since starting the season with back-to-back defeats and the reigning champions are three clear of Lille and Rennes at the summit. Lille, who are unbeaten, can rejoin the club from the capital at the top if they beat Lyon on Sunday. Rennes beat Brest 2-1 on Saturday. “I am very happy. We made lots of changes because we f...
Nigerian government clarifies position on social media regulation
File Photo The Federal Government says it has no intention of shutting down social media. It said its plan is to regulate social media to be responsible and refrain from being purveyor of fake news and hate speech. The Minister of Imformation and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the clarification on Saturday in Lagos when he inspected the headquarters of The Nation newspaper and TV Continental (TVC) that were attacked during the #EndSARS protest. Newsmen report the minister was accompanied on the inspection by heads of parastatal agencies in his ministry. Speaking at the premises of The Nation, the minister said the Muhammadu Buhari administration has high regards for freedom of the press. He said his recent call for the regulation of the excesses of the social media should not be miscon...
Top Turkish officials close to President Erdogan test positive for coronavirus
Two top Turkish officials who work closely with Turkey’s president have said they tested positive for COVID-19. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said on Saturday he had light COVID-19 symptoms and was nearing the end of treatment. He did not say how long he has been sick. His comments came hours after Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said he, his wife and daughter all tested positive after feeling unwell on Monday. They are being treated in a hospital. “Thankfully we are a bit better,” he said. Soylu was criticised in April for announcing Turkey’s first weekend-long coronavirus lockdown just two hours before it went into effect, leading to scenes of chaos at markets. The president rejected his resignation. Both men routinely meet Erdogan, who was travelling on Sat...
Lagos government lifts curfew
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has lifted the curfew he imposed on the state after the #endsars protest was hijacked by looters and hoodlums. Lagos residents are now free to go about their businesses without any restriction or hindrance. The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on New Media, Jubril Gawat announced this in a statement posted on Twitter on Saturday, October 31, 2020. However, the 12 am to 4 am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID19 remains. The statement reads, “The curfew imposed on Lagos State after the hijack of the peaceful #EndSARS protests has been lifted immediately. The 12 am to 4am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID19 remains. “Lagosians are free to go about their businesses with...
Kano restates commitment to sanitation, hygiene
The Kano State Government has reiterated its commitment to the improvement of sanitation and hygiene for sustainable development in the state. Dr Kabiru Getso, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, stated this while inspecting the monthly sanitation on Saturday in Kano. Getso said that the state government had introduced the monthly exercise to mobilise residents’ participation in waste and drain clearance in their communities. He said that the exercise was designed to enhance cleanliness, protect the environment and public health. “I call on the people to participate in the exercise to clear waste and keep a clean environment. “The exercise is being conducted between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on the last Saturday of the month. “It is good for the people to support the government and particip...
#EndSARS: No plan to dismiss police officers who fail to resume work – PSC
The Police Service Commission (PSC) says contrary to media reports, it has no plans to dismiss any police officer who fails to return to work after the #ENDSARS protests which turned violent following the hijack of the otherwise peaceful protests by hoodlums, leading to wanton looting as well as the destruction of lives and properties across the nation last week. Recall that near breakdown of law and order in some parts of the country last week led to the gruesome murder of 22 policemen with 26 others critically injured while a total of 205 police stations and formations were also attacked and razed by hoodlums who hijacked the protests. Many police officers across the country, fearing their lives and those of their families and loved ones, stayed away from their duty posts to avoid becomi...
Osun government says 14 local councils affected by looting
Osun State Government on Thursday said looting of government and private property in the state cut across 14 Local Government Areas, as it commenced return of the looted property items to owners who can identify their property Governor Adegboyega Oyetola had granted 72-hour amnesty period to the looters to return the stolen items which expired on Wednesday, during which some of the looted materials were returned. Supervising the return of the looted items at the Parking lot of the Government House in Osogbo, Secretary of the ad-hoc committee on recovery of stolen items, Mr Samson Owoyokun, said the looting affected fourteen local governments areas of the state. The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties added that most of the looters dropped the items at either roadside...
Security operatives begin house-to-house search to recover looted items in Cross River
Following Governor Ben Ayade’s order for Search of the looted items & Police Inspector General’s order for all police units to put an end to looting/destruction of lives & property and restore peace & order, the security operatives in Calabar, Cross River State on Monday began a house-to-house search for the looted items. You would recall that between Friday and Saturday last week, hoodlums and looters broke into over 35 government and private properties, looted several items and set some buildings ablaze. An eyewitness revealed that the search began at Anantigha, Calabar South local government area of the state and the security operatives were seen in two truckloads, Searching for looted items. He said “Some unknown looters returned looted items (Chair, Laptop & Television...
Italy closes theatres, gyms as virus cases mount
Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tightened nationwide coronavirus restrictions Sunday after the country recorded a record number of new cases, despite opposition from regional heads and street protests over curfews. Cinemas, theatres, gyms and swimming pools must all close under the new rules, which come into force on Monday and run until November 24, while restaurants and bars will stop serving at 6pm, the prime minister’s office said. Italy, the first European country to be hit hard by the pandemic and impose a nationwide lockdown, on Saturday clocked nearly 20,000 new cases in a 24-hour period. “Semi-lockdown for a month,” said the Repubblica daily, noting Conte had done little to appease regional heads who had appealed for much softer measures to save ailing businesses devastated ...
