Wednesday
Microsoft sees growth amid pandemic computing demands
Microsoft on Wednesday reported rising revenues in the past quarter amid strong demand for cloud computing services from pandemic-hit businesses and consumers and big gains in its Xbox gaming operations. Profits in the quarter ending June 30 fell 15 percent to $11.2 billion, the result of increased tax charges compared with a year ago. Revenue meanwhile rose 13 percent to $38 billion, led by strong gains in its cloud computing and its Xbox gaming services. Chief executive Satya Nadella said Microsoft was equipped to deal with the coronavirus pandemic with its “integrated, modern technology stack.” “We are seeing businesses accelerate the digitization of every part of their operations from manufacturing to sales to customer service,” Nadella told a conference call. Microsoft shares dipped s...
Customs promotes 2,634 officers, appoints 5 ACG
File Photo The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has approved the the appointment of five Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) of Customs and promoted 2,634 Officers. Mr Joseph Attah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the service, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. Attah said the newly appointed ACG of Customs were Mohammed Boyi, Training and Coordination, Adewale Adeniyi, Commandant C&SC Gwagwalada and Jack Ajoku, Strategic Research and Policy. Others are Olakunle Oyeleke Doctrine, Development and Administration and Emmanuel Edorhe, Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C. He disclosed that the board also approved the dismissal of ACG Aminu Dahiru for serious misconduct, while ACG Bashir Abubakar got compulsory retirement for act of negligence. The spokesperson said the d...
Speaker Gbajabiamila: House of Reps to provide funds for fight against gender-based violence
Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila says the house will provide funds for the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the 2021 budget to be presented to the National Assembly in September. Gbajabiamila said this in response to a request by Ulla Mueller, the Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja. Mueller led a delegation of United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) Spotlight Initiative on a courtesy call to the speaker, a statement issued by Mr Lanre Lasisi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity said. Gbajabiamila said that apart from budget funds, the house would also provide all necessary support and partner with relevant stakeholders for the fight against GBV to succeed. According to the speaker...
Transactions close flat on NSE
Trading at the nation’s bourse closed flat on Wednesday with the All-Share Index (ASI), which opened at 24,174.45, closing at 24,173.53. Newsmen report that the ASI dropped by just 0.92 points or 0.004 per cent. Similarly, the market capitalisation lost one billion naira to close at N12.610 trillion against N12.609 trillion recorded on Tuesday. The marginal downturn witnessed in the market was due to losses in GlaxoSmithKline, Africa Prudential, Caverton, Sterling Bank and Consolidated Hallmark Insurance. Analysts at APT Securities and Funds Limited urged investors to position in fundamentally justified stocks. They noted that the market was set to rally in response to impressive half year earnings results. Eterna dominated the gainers’ chart in percentage terms, gaining 8.89 per cent, to ...
Boko Haram eliminates aid workers abducted in Borno
The Boko Haram terrorists on Wednesday released a video showing the assassination of five humanitarian workers who were recently abducted along Monguno area of Borno state. The insurgents had earlier demanded about $500,000 dollars ransom before the abducted workers can be released. In a video released on Wednesday, the abducted humanitarian workers were all executed. The message, left by the Boko Haram terrorist, reads: “We are sending this as a very strong message to you unbelievers and infidels. And to those of you that are being used by these infidels to repent. “You are working for them but they do not have any concern about you. “You worked for them to achieve their goals but they are very far from your plight. They do not show you any care. Look at you now. When we kidnap you they d...
Senate demands review of Power Sector Reform Act
The Senate on Wednesday called for the review of the Power Sector Reform Act 2005. According to the upper chamber, a new and more dynamic Electricity Act would among others, “consolidate the roles of regulators and policy makers; bridge existing gaps in the legal and regulatory framework; and cater to post-privatization operational issues in Nigeria’s power sector. The position of the Senate was contained in resolutions reached following consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Power on “Addressing Nigeria’s Power Problems.” Chairman of the Committee, Gabriel Suswam (PDP – Benue North East), in his presentation stressed the need for more consumers to be metered to avoid estimated billing. He added that the Federal Government’s intervention since the privatization of the power...
Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane catches fire at Shanghai airport, no casualties
An Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 777 cargo plane caught fire while loading cargo at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Wednesday, the airline said, adding that fire has been contained and none of the crew or ground staff were harmed. The cause of the incident was under investigation, Ethiopian Airlines said in a Facebook post. The aircraft was on a regular scheduled cargo service from Shanghai to Sao Paulo-Santiago, it added. Pictures and videos circulating on Chinese social media showed heavy smoke pouring from an Ethiopian aircraft, and a large section of the upper fuselage appeared scorched. After the fire broke, flights bound for Shanghai Pudong International Airport were diverted to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, said aviation data provider Variflight. Get more stories li...
President Buhari, others honour Isa Funtua as FEC meeting begins
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, led other members of the Federal Executive Council to honour his late ally, Isa Funtua, with a minute silence as the council’s weekly meeting started. Although the meeting is virtual, some members are joining Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja from where he is presiding while others are attending virtually from their offices. At the commencement of the meeting, after the recitation of the National Anthem, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, called for a minute silence in honour of the late Funtua, who died on Monday. Funtua, the founding Managing Director of The Democrat Newspaper and former President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, was a minister in the Second Republic...
Bayelsa set to pay hazard allowances
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated its readiness to pay special allowances to frontline health workers combating the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the state. Mr Doubara Atasi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, stated this in a statement on Wednesday. It would be recalled that Gov. Douye Diri, had given the assurance to pay the allowances on Tuesday. He said it at a meeting with the representatives of the labour unions including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Association of Resident Doctors in Government House, Yenagoa. Other unions represented at the meeting include the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Association of Medical Laboratory Sci...
Leeds beat Derby 3-1, Barnsley score late to keep survival bid alive
Champions Leeds United mounted a second half comeback to win 3-1 at Derby County while Barnsley’s hopes of staying up in the second-tier Championship were given a huge boost when they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 with a stoppage time goal on Sunday. Leeds, who sealed promotion on Friday and won the title on Saturday after West Bromwich Albion and Brentford failed to close the gap, extended their lead to eight points with one more round of fixtures left. Derby, who gave Leeds a guard of honour, took the lead when Chris Martin pounced on a pass inside the box and curled his shot past the keeper. The visitors struck back two minutes later when Pablo Hernandez fired home from the edge of the box. Tyler Roberts then threaded a weighted pass through the Derby defence to find Jamie Shackleton and t...
Ondo guber: Chief Imam of Akure urges politicians to embrace peace
Sheikh AbdulHakeem Yayi-Akorede, Chief Imam of Akure, Ondo State, has urged all politicians to embrace peace before, during and after the forthcoming governorship primary election Yayi-Akorede made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Akure on Sunday as the political parties prepared for primary elections in the state. Newsmen report that All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will hold the governorship primary elections on Monday, July 20 and Wednesday, July 22 respectively while governorship election holds Oct. 10 in the state. According to him, all aspirants and their followers must shun any act that can be inimical to the peaceful coexistence of the people living in state. The cleric said that the contestants should have it at the back of t...
Grand jury indicts Woodberry for ‘wire fraud’
Olalekan Ponle, a Nigerian held in the United States for alleged multi-million-dollar fraud, has been indicted by the grand jury, a group of lawyers empowered to conduct legal proceedings and investigate potential criminal conduct. Ponle, popularly known as Woodberry, alongside Ramoni Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi, was arrested in the United Arab Emirate on June 10 for multiple fraud charges after a raid by operatives of the Dubai crime unit. According to the complaint, an unnamed Chicago company was defrauded into sending wire transfers totalling $15.2 million. Companies based in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York and California also were victims of the fraud, prosecutors say. Newsmen reported how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) nabbed Ponle through details accessed from his What...
