Lagos Red Line Rail will become operational latest by the fourth quarter of 2022, the managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo said. Akinajo made this known at a ceremony where cheques were given to some employees of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).
Akinajo presented cheques to 21 NRC employees whose residential quarters at Ikeja would be pulled down because they were in the way of the rail project. She said that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu resolved to provide the workers with cash to hire temporary accommodation pending the construction of new residential quarters for them by the Lagos State Government.
“In other areas to be impacted by the rail project, we are currently carrying out verification exercises to determine the quantum of compensation to be paid. “We do not wish to remove any building without paying compensation to both the house owners and the tenant. “The contractors to implement the rail project had been mobilised and had promised that barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Red line rail project will commence passenger operations by the last quarter of next year.
She disclosed that the drawing of new staff quarters for the affected staff members had been submitted to the NRC management for consideration. The Managing Director of NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria, who was represented by the Director, Administration and Human Resource, Dr Monsurat Omotayo, described the Red line rail project as part of the state government’s vision for development.
According to her, this is a project that will bring greater good for Lagos residents. Omotayo said that the project was in tandem with the Federal Government’s vision of providing transport infrastructure that best supported the aspiration of the citizenry. The Lagos Red Line rail project is a 37 kilometre rail route from Agbado to Marina.
Entertainment industry players like Davido and dance queen Kaffy have lauded
Nigerian music star, Oladapo ‘D’Banj’ Oyebanjo and Bankulli for settling a two-year-long social media rift.
D’banj and Bankulli had a hot exchange on social media over the latter’s claim on how the former met American rapper, Kanye West, at an airport.
The back and forth between the two music stars degenerated further with fans joining in the hot exchange and further drifting the erstwhile buddies further apart.
However, D’Banj and Bankulli seem to have buried the hatchet to rekindle their once bloomy friendship.
Earlier in the week, D’Banj and Bankulli met and broke the final straw of their rift in Accra, Ghana.
The two music entrepreneurs not only let go of their grievances to embrace peace but also shared the good news with their fans on social media.
In an Instagram post, Bankulli shared a picture of himself and D’banj with the caption “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. Osinawata Buruogaraya 1 cc @iambangalee.”
Other industry heads that have also lauded the reconciliatory moves include international artist manager, Vanessa Amadi, May D, Iyanya, Sesan Ogunro, and music producer, Shizzi.
Also, present on the occasion was D’Banj’s brother, Kayswitch.
Four men who gang-raped a married woman in front of her husband whom they had tied up, were executed on Monday at the Mashhad Central Prison in Iran after a court had sentenced them to death.
Iran International TV reports that the men had gang-raped the woman who was a mountain climber in front of her husband after they tied his hands and feet together before attacking his wife in front of him.
The attack was said to have taken place while the woman and her husband were climbing a mountain in the Khorasan Razavi province in north-eastern Iran.
According to the Justice Organization for the area, the four rapists were later arrested by police following a report by the woman and her husband.
The rapists whose names were given as Ruhollah Javidi Rad, Mohammad Sayadi Baghansgani, Mohammad Hosseini and Mohammad Watandoost, were identified by the city of Fariman’s police force and charged with the “kidnapping and rape of a woman and with threats of violence towards a man.”
The Criminal Court of Khorasan Razavi sent the case to the Supreme Court where the four men were sentenced to death by hanging.
While the men were sentenced in this case in Iran, rape victims are said to often face counter charges of adultery, indecency or immoral behaviour once they report a sexual assault to the police.
In the country’s legal system, consensual sex outside marriage is punishable by flogging, so a victim can be prosecuted if the authorities don’t believe her.
The threat of being charged with adultery, indecency and immoral behaviour in Iran for reporting sexual assault is said to often deter many women from reporting rape crimes against them.
Commenting on the number of assaults against women in Iran, a legal analyst at Iran International TV, Nargess Tavassolian said:
It is hard to say whether these types of crimes have increased in Iran but because of the widespread use of social media, these crimes are being more exposed.”
Iran is one of a handful of countries in the world to execute people found guilty of rape, and the Iranian regime executes more people per capita than any other country.
A report by a Stockholm-based research institute, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), has named the United States of America of being responsible for 36% of global arms sales from 2015 to 2019.
The report, which came out on Tuesday, adds that US accounted for almost half of the conventional weapons sales during the period, increasing by 23% on the previous five years, following a more than 20% growth for the past five years.
The figure puts the US far ahead of Russia which is the second biggest arms trader, who saw an 18% fall in its share of world arms sales for the same five year period.
The remainder of the five biggest arms dealers, China, France, and Germany, accounted for roughly 19.2% of arms sales.
SIPRI also revealed in the report that world arms sales were 20% higher than in 2005–2009, raising concerns that current weapons trading is close to that seen towards the end of the cold war.
A senior researcher with the SIPRI, Pieter Wezeman said in an interview with the BBC:
It is too early to say whether the period of rapid growth in arms transfers of the past two decades is over.
“The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic could see some countries reassessing their arms imports in the coming years.
“However, at the same time, even at the height of the pandemic in 2020, several countries signed large contracts for major arms.”
The US was responsible for 73% of all arms imported by Saudi Arabia, a country accused of human rights abuses, for the five year period, according to SPRIRI.
It was thought to include deals for combat aircraft and other weapons that were signed-off by former president Barack Obama as far back as 2010.
Saudi Arabia, as well as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan, were more recently the beneficiaries of action taken by former US President Donald Trump, who stopped Congress from blocking $8.1 billion (£6.9 billion) worth of “emergency” arms for the three Middle Eastern countries.
While the regions reliance on the US and other western countries for arms imports could also prove to be a leverage point for the Joe Biden administration in future, the White House reportedly froze its deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE while a review is carried-out into the sales in January. Of concern are the implications of the United States’ arms sales to authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, which recorded the fastest growth in regional arms imports.
The Central Bank of Nigeria has set new charges payable by customers using USSD services for their financial transactions.
The apex bank said the transaction fees are effective Tuesday, setting a flat rate of N6.98 per transaction.
This was contained in a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the apex bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi; and Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde.
The announcement was released in a statement titled, ‘Joint Statement By Central Bank Of Nigeria and Nigerian Communications Commission On Pricing Of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Services’.
The document reads;
“Effective March 16, 2021, USSD services for financial transactions conducted at DMBs (Deposit Money Banks) and all CBN-licensed institutions will be charged at a flat fee of N6.98 per transaction. This replaces the current per session billing structure, ensuring a much cheaper average cost for customers to enhance financial inclusion. This approach is transparent and will ensure the amount remains the same, regardless of the number of sessions per transaction.
The new rates come after the meeting held by the banking sector and telecommunications under ALTON on Monday to discuss and resolve the N42 billion debt owed mobile operators by banks.
The federal government had last week asked telecommunication operators to suspend their threatened withdrawal of USSD services over a N42bn debt owed by banks, a move that stood to affect estimated 40 million consumers, who rely on the short codes as opposed to internet services.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had convened a meeting with financial institutions and mobile network operators on Monday.
Finnish telecoms giant Nokia is to axe between 5,000 and 10,000 jobs worldwide in the next two years as it cuts costs.
It is unclear where the bulk of the cuts will fall, but it said about 96 jobs in the UK were under threat as part of the €600m (£518m) cost cuts.
Nokia is playing catch-up on 5G, and also plans to invest in cloud computing and digital infrastructure research.
The company currently has 90,000 employees around the world, and has cut thousands of jobs since 2015.
“We currently expect the consultation process in the UK to cover an estimated 96 roles,” a Nokia spokesperson said.
“At this stage, however, these are only estimates. It is too early to comment in detail, as we have only just informed local works councils and expect the consultation processes to start shortly, where applicable.”
Last year, Nokia employed almost 40,000 people in Europe, 20,500 in the Asia-Pacific region, 13,700 in China, 12,000 in North America and 3,700 in Latin America.
In Finland, the company’s base, about 300 jobs are likely to go, mainly from its Helsinki headquarters, a union representative said.
France, where the company slashed more than 1,000 jobs last year, will be spared in the latest round of cuts.
Chief executive Pekka Lundmark said: “Decisions that may have a potential impact on our employees are never taken lightly. My priority is to ensure that everyone [that will be hit] is supported through this process.”
After taking the top job last year, Mr Lundmark has made changes after product missteps under the company’s previous management hurt Nokia’s 5G ambitions and dragged on its shares.
The restructuring is intended to boost Nokia’s performance against rivals such as Sweden’s Ericsson and China’s Huawei.
Nokia was once the biggest handset manufacturer in the world, but it failed to anticipate the popularity of internet-enabled touchscreen phones such as Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy and was spectacularly knocked from its perch by rivals.
After selling its handset business to Microsoft, which the software giant later wrote off, Nokia concentrated on telecoms equipment. It also later went into a licensing deal for Nokia-branded handsets.
The Duke of Edinburgh is said to be in good spirits on leaving hospital after a month-long stay for treatment.
Prince Philip, 99, was admitted to King Edward VII’s hospital in central London on 16 February after feeling unwell.
He later underwent a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at another London hospital – St Bartholomew’s.
The duke has now returned to Windsor Castle.
In a statement on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace said the duke was discharged “following treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition”.
“His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him… and everyone who has sent their good wishes,” the statement said.
Prince Philip left through a side entrance of the hospital in a wheelchair and was helped into the rear passenger seat of a waiting car.
Speaking during a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall to a pop-up vaccination centre in London, Prince Charles, who visited his father during his stay in hospital, told reporters it was “very good news” and he was “thrilled” that his father had gone home.
He also confirmed that he had spoken to the duke. Prince Charles said it was “very good news” that the duke had left hospital
Prime Minister Boris Johnson “continues to wish Prince Phillip a speedy recovery,” his spokesman said, adding the PM was “of course” pleased to see the duke return to Windsor.
Prince Philip and the Queen, 94, have spent the most-recent lockdown in England living at the Berkshire residence with a small group of household staff, nicknamed HMS Bubble.
The couple, who have been married for 73 years, received their first Covid-19 jabs in January.
The exact reason for his initial admission to hospital was not disclosed, but the Palace said at the time it was not related to coronavirus.
image captionPrince Philip returned to Windsor Castle where he has been living with the Queen during the recent lockdown
The Queen performed her first face-to-face event of the year last month when she knighted a royal aide during a private socially-distanced ceremony at Windsor.
She also attended numerous virtual meetings, including with scientists, members of the armed forces, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, and kept up her weekly audience with Mr Johnson via telephone.
Prince Philip’s hospital stay coincided with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which allegations of racism and a lack of mental health support were levelled at the Royal Family.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement afterwards that the issues were concerning, and while “some recollections may vary”, the matter was a family one that will be dealt with privately.
In the interview, Meghan told Oprah that she phoned the monarch directly “just to check in” after hearing the duke had been taken to hospital.
US TV presenter Gayle King said on Tuesday that she had spoken to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and was told discussions between Harry and his brother, Prince William, and father, Prince Charles, were “not productive”.
Ms King told CBS This Morning that despite the talks not bearing fruit, the couple were “glad” that conversations had begun.
She added: “I think what is still upsetting to them is that the Palace keeps saying they want to work it out privately, but yet they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan still – no one in the Royal Family has talked to Meghan yet.”
One mother, whose name was withheld to protect her identity, said her eldest child had been beheaded near where she and her other children were hiding.
“That night our village was attacked and houses were burned,” she said.
“When it all started, I was at home with my four children. We tried to escape to the woods but they took my eldest son and beheaded him. We couldn’t do anything because we would be killed too.
Another woman said her son had been killed by militants while she and her other three children had been forced to flee.
“After my 11-year-old son was killed, we understood that it was no longer safe to stay in my village,” she said.
“We fled to my father’s house in another village, but a few days later the attacks started there too.”
Chance Briggs, Save the Children’s country director in Mozambique, said the reports of attacks on children “sicken us to our core”.
“Our staff have been brought to tears when hearing the stories of suffering told by mothers in displacement camps,” he said.
The United Nations special rapporteur on extra-judicial executions described the militants’ actions as “cruel beyond words”.
Who are the militants?
The insurgents are known locally as al-Shabab, which means The Youth in Arabic. This reflects that it receives its support mostly from young unemployed people in the predominantly Muslim region of Cabo Delgado.
A group with a similar name has existed in Somalia for more than a decade. It is affiliated to al-Qaeda, unlike the Mozambican group which allied itself with the rival IS movement in 2019.
IS sees the insurgents as being part of what it calls its Central Africa Province. It released images last year showing fighters in Cabo Delgado with AK-47 rifles and rocket propelled grenades.
This alarmed counter-terrorism experts, as it suggested that global jihadists were exploiting a local insurgency for their own gains.
What do the insurgents want?
Some analysts believe the insurgency’s roots lay in socio-economic grievances, with many locals complaining that they have benefited little from the province’s ruby and gas industries.
image captionMozambique has a Muslim population of about 18%
In a video last year, one militant leader said: “We occupy [the towns] to show that the government of the day is unfair. It humiliates the poor and gives the profit to the bosses.”
The man spoke about Islam and his desire for an “Islamic government, not a government of unbelievers”, but he also cited alleged abuses by Mozambique’s military, and repeatedly complained that the government was “unfair”.
Mr Briggs told the BBC World Service it was difficult to determine their exact motivations as they did not have a manifesto.
“They co-opt young people in to joining them as conscripts and if they refuse they are killed and sometimes beheaded. It’s really hard to see what is the end game.”
After visiting Cabo Delgado’s capital Pemba last year, a delegation from the South African Bishop’s Conference said that “almost everyone spoken to agrees that the war is about multinational corporations gaining control of the province’s mineral and gas resources”.
What is Cabo Delgado like?
Cabo Delgado is one of the poorest provinces in Mozambique, with high rates of illiteracy and unemployment.
Discoveries of a huge ruby deposit and a giant gas field in 2009-10, raised hopes of jobs and a better life for many local people, but those hopes were soon dashed.
It was alleged that any benefits were being taken by a small elite in the Frelimo party, which has governed Mozambique since independence in 1975.
image captionThousands in Cabo Delgado have been forced to flee their homes
New Islamist preachers, both East Africans and Mozambicans trained abroad, established mosques and argued that local imams were allied to Frelimo and its grab for wealth.
Some of these new mosques provided money to help local people start business and create jobs – and the Islamists argued the society would be fairer under Sharia.
This proved attractive to youth, who form the backbone of the insurgency.
What has been the government’s response?
Its main focus is on seeking a military solution, but its army is poorly equipped to combat the insurgency.
image captionNearly a million people face hunger because of the conflict, Save the Children says
On Monday, US embassy officials in the capital, Maputo, said American military personnel would spend two months training soldiers, as well as providing “medical and communications equipment”.
The European Union also announced last year that it would provide training to Mozambican forces.
Five miners and two rescuers have died of suffocation after a methane gas fire broke out at a Pakistani coal mine in Balochistan, located in the southwest of Pakistan, making it the second such disaster in the region in a week, officials have confirmed on Tuesday.
The fire took place at a mine in the Tor Ghar area of Harnai district, about 170km (105 miles) west of the provincial capital Quetta, a government official, Sohail Anwer Hashmi, said.
“The coal miners entered inside the mine to fill the cracks caused by the fire, but they died of asphyxia caused by the deadly methane gas.
The coal miners were working 1,400ft (427m) deep inside the mine when the incident was reported. The bodies of the seven miners were recovered after rescue operations,” Hashmi said.
The accident was the second coal mine disaster in Balochistan within days, after six miners were trapped and killed in a methane gas explosion in the Marwar coalfield on Thursday.
A month earlier, four miners had been killed by an explosion inside a coal mine in Harnai while in 2020, 99 coal miners and labourers were killed in 72 incidents in Balochistan, according to government data.
“Unfortunately, the poor coal miners are not well-trained to handle any emergency-like situation and they don’t have adequate safety equipment,” said Hashmi.
Shafqat Fayaz, chief inspector of the provincial mines department, also blamed the accident on a lack of training.
“The five coal miners entered into the mine but forgot to open the ventilation which filled the mine with methane gas. Later, two rescuers also died in attempt to extract the trapped miners,” Fayaz said.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated region, is rich in minerals and natural resources such as coal, natural gas, copper, sulphur and other reserves.
The province is also Pakistan’s poorest and regularly ranks at the bottom of the country’s socio-economic indicators on healthcare, education and population welfare.
The Catholic Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions, the Vatican office responsible for doctrine has said.
It is “impossible” for God to “bless sin”, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) said on Monday.
But the CDF did note the “positive elements” in same-sex relationships.
In October, Pope Francis said in a documentary that he thought same-sex couples should be allowed to have “civil unions”.
In the Catholic Church, a blessing is given by a priest or other minister in the name of the Church.
image captionIn 2013 Pope Francis famously broke with doctrinal tradition, saying: “Who am I to judge gay people?”
On Monday, Pope Francis approved the response by the CDF, saying it was “not intended to be a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite”.
Some parishes in recent months, including in Germany and the US, have started giving blessings to people in same-sex relationships as a way to welcome gay Catholics to the church, Reuters news agency reported.
The CDF’s response was in answer to the question posed to it: “Does the Church have the power to give the blessing to unions of persons of the same sex?”. It replied: “Negative”.
The CDF noted that marriage between a man and a woman is sacrament and therefore blessings cannot be extended to same-sex couples.
“For this reason, it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex,” it said.
In 2013, Pope Francis famously said: “Who am I to judge gay people?”
Last year the pontiff said in a documentary by Evgeny Afineevsky that “homosexual people have a right to be in a family… they are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or made miserable over it”.
The Vatican later attempted to clarify the comments saying they were taken out of context and did not indicate support for same-sex marriage.
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated singers Burna Boy and Wizkid after they won the Grammys in two different categories on Sunday, March 14, 2021.
Burna took home the Grammy Award for ‘Best Global Music Album’ with his 2020 project Twice as Tall, while Wizkid’s win came courtesy of his feature on Beyonce’s ‘Brown Skin Girl’, which won the award for Best Video.
Buhari says Burna Boy who was born Damini Ogulu,has made notable contributions in the world of music, something the world has come to recognise with the Grammy award.
“Congratulations to Burna Boy on being conferred the 2021 Grammy, the world’s most prestigious musical awards.
“He has made notable contributions in the field of music which have brought glory to Nigerians at home and abroad. We are proud of his path-breaking achievements,” the president says.
President Buhari
He also congratulates Wizkid for his win and adds that the efforts of forerunners like King Sunny Ade and Femi Kuti “whose creative exertions earned them Grammy nominations, paved the way and brought Nigerian music to global reckoning.
“The president believes that the record breaking musical achievements are a recognition of the Nigerian creative talents and the awards will open doors to other aspiring citizens.”
A 21-year-old Nigerian woman, who’s simply identified as Itunu, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being set up by the police.
Investigative journalist, David Hundeyin who narrated Itunu’s ordeal in a series of tweets, said the Bondoukou-based trader’s ordeal began after she returned home from a visit to her sick mom who lives in Ibadan, a Southwest State in Nigeria.
Shortly before Itunu was due to travel, her flat was burgled and items worth more than N300,000 were stolen including her TV and gas cooker.
Despite the blow, she decided to travel anyway after reporting the incident to the police. She returned from her trip in October 2019.
Upon returning, she was informed by a lodger she left in her flat that the thief had been identified.
The thief turned out to be a 14-year-old boy who lived nearby. His embarrassed dad apologized and admitted that his son was a habitual thief. The items had already been sold. Itunu reported this to the police who told her to return on Tuesday, Nov 5, 2019. The appointment held on Wednesday, Nov 6 that same year.
There she says, the DPO informed her that the suspect was in fact his nephew. He then offered her a settlement worth roughly N100,000 to drop the case.
Newsrand learnt that Itunu refused the settlement, citing the disparity between the value of the stolen items and what was offered. Next, she says, the visibly enraged DPO tried everything to frustrate her into dropping the case, including making her travel to Abidjan for a police appointment.
On her arrival at Abidjan, Itunu hired a lawyer to attend the appointment with her, all to no avail as the police refused to cooperate. Frustrated, she returned home to Bondoukou.
Itunu
Around 5PM the following day, a convoy of police vehicles showed up outside her house and publicly arrested her.
On getting to the station, she was charged with theft (the theft of her own items) in her own apartment.
She spent the next 4 days in police custody, after which she was taken out of the cell and offered her freedom if she agreed to sign papers dropping her case but Itunu rejected the offer and chose to go to court instead.
Itunu says she then overheard an officer saying “Elle est une Nigériane? Elle mourra ici!” meaning (“She’s a Nigerian? She will die here!”).
The decision to go to court turned out to be a monumental error of judgment compounded by her own naivety about the Ivorian justice system.
The (French-speaking) court did not allow her adequate legal representation or give her a chance to properly state her case. She was speedily convicted and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
Further complicating this was her decision to identify herself to the court as “Becky Paul”. She says she did this to avoid getting her family name mixed up in bad news and potentially upsetting her aged mom.
As a result, for the past one year and 4 months since her conviction, Itunu alias “Becky Paul” has become, to all intents and purposes, a forgotten inmate at the notorious Maison d’arrêt et de Correction Bondoukou (Bondoukou Remand and Correction Facility).
The response of the Nigerian government to address these issues bordering on the incessant attacks of the murderous herders against farmers and their communities has been shallow.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase has said Nigerians in the Diaspora have no right to query the Nigerian government about the issues of insecurity in the country.
He said this while sitting in for the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila during a plenary session on Thursday, as he rejected a petition presented by Mark Gbillah representing Gwer East/Gwer West of Benue State.
The criminal herders have killed tens of thousands of Nigerians in the Middle Belt and Southern part of Nigeria. There are others that have been displaced as a result of their wanton killings. Aside from the killings, they rape women and their daughters, destroy farmlands worth millions of naira and also abduct villagers to demand ransoms.
And the response of the Nigerian government to address these issues bordering on the incessant attacks of the murderous herders against farmers and their communities has been shallow.
Gbillah while submitting a petition filed by Mzough U Tiv Amerika (MUTA) on insecurity in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba, said, “Mr Speaker, I have a petition from the Mzough U Tiv Amerika, who are the Tivs in America against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And the issue has to do with the ancestral land of the Tiv people, to have been possessed in recent times through various attacks and the fact that they are languishing in IDP camps till date which needs (government) intervention.”
Responding, Wase said, “Honourable Gbillah, did you say Tivs in America? What do they know about Nigeria? What is their business? They can’t sit in their comfort zones and know what is happening in Nigeria. If this petition is coming from those who are within the country.
“Those who (Nigerians) live comfortably abroad do not have the right to file petitions against the federal government on issues regarding a spate of violent crimes committed linked to herdsmen.”
The petition, which was presented by Mark Gbillah from Gwer East/Gwer West, accused the Nigerian government of nonchalance towards the perils facing those who have been displaced as a result of killer herdsmen activities.
In his reaction, Gbillah argued that Nigerians abroad should be able to file grievances because they have family members residing in the state.
The Benue lawmaker also upheld that, “some of them are just studying, some just went there to do courses and they’re a union and are Nigerian citizens.”
But the Deputy Speaker demanded whether or not MUTA was even registered with the Corporate Affairs of Commission to begin with.
Gbillah, however, disputed Wase on the grounds that Nigeria has been pursuing a policy of inclusiveness for its citizens living abroad, and the objective would not be achieved if the same set of Nigerians cannot be allowed to speak on violent matters of national concern.
“I’ll refer you to the functions of the committee on diaspora, if you go through that, it is nothing relevant to what you’re now presenting, I’m not convinced that we have to take that petition,” Wase said.
Meanwhile, while condemning Wase’s comment on his Twitter page, human rights activist, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu wrote, “So, @HouseNGR can so blithely strip #Nigerians outside the borders of the country of their citizenship & rights….? Is it ignorance or bias or biased ignorance that drives this presiding officer in this piece of inspired parliamentary silliness in @HouseNGR?
“The same ninnies who pull this kind of nonsense habitually will show up tomorrow & tell u how ‘#Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable,’ when they themselves have made it a tradeable commodity & have made good bartering it for convenience all their lives, even in Parliament.
“Every #Nigerian who’s crossed borders shd watch this clip over & over & decide for themselves what they wish to do,” he said, adding that politicians cannot continue to preside over the affairs of a country in whose existence and unity they don’t believe.
Also, the Chairperson of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on her Twitter page wrote, “I am confident @SpeakerGbaja will handle the issue appropriately.”
Pele congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portugal forward’s hat-trick against Cagliari took him past the Brazilian legend’s tally of goals scored in official matches.
Ronaldo netted three times inside the opening 32 minutes to take his career total to 770 – three clear of Pele’s tally of 767.
“Life is a solo flight. Each makes his own journey. And what a beautiful journey you are having. I admire you a lot, I love watching you play and this is no secret to anyone. Congratulations on breaking my record of goals in official matches,” Pele posted on Instagram.
Some reports suggest this is a world record tally but that is disputed by the Czech Football Association, which claims former Austria and Czechoslovakia striker Josef Bican is football’s true all-time top scorer with 821 goals.
Meanwhile, data from Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) says Bican scored 805 career goals. But among them were 27 goals for Rapid Vienna’s reserve and amateur teams, as well as strikes which were not in official international games. Remove those and Bican finished his career on 759 goals – short of Pele and Ronaldo’s total.
‘My ever-lasting and unconditional admiration for Pele’
Ronaldo said he ‘can’t wait for the next challenges – trophies’ after surpassing Pele’s goals tally
After the game against Cagliari, Ronaldo explained on Instagram why he is only now acknowledging the “record”.
“The last few weeks were filled with news and stats considering me the world’s top scorer in football history, overcoming Pele’s 757 official goals,” he said. “Although I’m thankful for that recognition, now it’s time for me to explain why I didn’t acknowledge that record until this moment.
“My ever-lasting and unconditional admiration for mister Edson Arantes do Nascimento [Pele], such as the respect that I have for mid-20th century football, led me to take into account his 767 score, assuming his nine goals for Sao Paulo State Team, as well as his single goal for the Brazilian Military Team, as official goals. The world has changed since then and football has changed as well, but this doesn’t mean that we can just erase history according to our interests.
“Today, as I reach the 770th official goal in my professional career, my first words go straight to Pele. There’s no player in the world who hasn’t been raised listening to stories about his games, his goals and his achievements, and I’m no exception. And for that reason, I’m filled with joy and pride as I acknowledge the goal that puts me on top of the world’s goalscoring list, overcoming Pele’s record, something that I could never have dreamed of while growing up as a child from Madeira.”
Beyoncé’s 28th Grammy was presented in honour of Black Parade, a celebration of black power and resilience, which she released on June teenth last year.
“As an artist, I believe it’s my job to reflect the times, and it’s been such a difficult time,” she said as she collected the award.
“So I wanted to uplift, encourage, celebrate all of the beautiful black queens and kings that continue to inspire me and inspire the world”.
The star has now equalled super-producer Qunicy Jones’ total of 28 Grammys. Only classical conductor Sir Georg Solti has more, with 31.
Beyoncé was also part of another historic moment – when Megan Thee Stallion became the first female artist to win the best rap song award.
The Houston musician picked up the prize for her breakout hit Savage (Remix), on which Beyoncé delivers a guest verse.
image captionH.E.R. also won best R&B song for Better Than I Imagine
Black Parade was not the only award-winner song to reflect the Black Lives Matter movement: R&B Singer H.E.R. won song of the year for I Can’t Breathe, which quotes the last words of George Floyd.
The 46-year-old died while being arrested by police in Minneapolis last year. His death, along with that of Breonna Taylor, sparked a global wave of protests.
Accepting the prize, H.E.R. said she never imagined “that my fear and my pain would turn into impact”.
“That’s why I write music,” she added, “and I’m so, so grateful”.
The singer, whose real name is Gabriella Wilson, was accompanied by her co-writer Tiara Thomas, and she recalled how they’d written I Can’t Breathe “over FaceTime” last summer.
“I recorded this song by myself in my bedroom at my mom’s house,” she said. “And I want to thank my dad – he cried, he was in tears when I wrote the song and I played it for him. He was the first person I played it for.”
“But remember,” she concluded. “We are the change that we wish to see and you know that fight that we had in us the summer of 2020, keep that same energy. Thank you.”
‘Bringing the concert to you’
Aside from the awards, the four-hour ceremony deliberately put the focus on live music.
“I know that you haven’t been able to go to a concert in a long time,” said host Trevor Noah. “So tonight we’re bringing the concert to you.”
image captionHarry Styles was the first performer of the night
The show kicked off with three back-to-back performances from Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Haim, who performed from a circle of stages that recalled the set-up of Jools Holland’s BBC TV show.
Styles raised the curtain with his hit single Watermelon Sugar, sporting a lime green feather boa and an open-chested leather jacket.
The song went on to win best pop solo performance later in the ceremony, making him the first member of One Direction to win a Grammy – either as a solo artist or as part of the group.
“It’s crazy to think someone that talented and handsome is from the same place as Boris Johnson,” joked Noah as Styles’ performance ended.
Billie Eilish, who dominated last year’s ceremony, followed with her ballad Everything I Wanted; while Haim played The Steps from their album-of-the-year nominated Women In Music Pt III.
Earlier in the day, Eilish was awarded best song written for visual media, for her Bond theme No Time To Die.
“It was a dream to make the song,” said the singer. “I have no words. I can’t believe this is real. I couldn’t believe it was real then…”
image captionElish won the “big four” Grammy prizes last year: Album of the year, record of the year, song of the year and best new artist
The majority of the ceremony was held in a marquee outside the LA Convention Center, with nominees sitting at socially-distanced tables.
“So there’s more tension in that tent than at a family reunion at Buckingham Palace,” joked Noah, who added: “Tonight is going to be the biggest outdoor event this year, besides the storming of the capital”.
Other prize-winners included Dua Lipa, who picked up best pop vocal album; and Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, who became the first female duo to win best pop collaboration for Rain On Me.
image captionMegan Thee Stallion’s speech for best new artist was interrupted by passing traffic
One of the most emotional speeches came from Megan Thee Stallion, who dedicated her best new artist prize to her mother, who died of a brain tumour in 2019.
“She couldn’t be here with me tonight,” she had said on the red carpet earlier in the night. “But she always knew that I would be at the Grammys, and I would be like, ‘Oh mom, that’s so far away’ but it came so quick.
“And I’m just so appreciative that I’m here.”
Performance highlights included Taylor Swift, who sang a medley of songs from her lockdown albums Folklore and Evermore, from an enchanted forest set.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion got together for the first ever TV performance of their X-rated single WAP. While Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak unveiled their new “supergroup” Silk Sonic, channelling the 70s soul sounds of Earth, Wind And Fire.
The show also highlighted the plight of music venues by having staff from venues, including New York’s Apollo Theater and LA’s Troubador, present some of the awards.
Tens of thousands of people have turned out to marches across Australia, protesting against the sexual abuse and harassment of women in the country.
They are spurred by a recent wave of allegations of sexual assault, centred around Australia’s parliament.
The allegations have focused scrutiny on the conservative government.
The protests were organised a week ago, after Attorney General Christian Porter revealed he was the subject of a 1988 rape allegation – which he denies.
A separate case – that of Brittany Higgins, an ex-political adviser who alleged in February that she was raped in a minister’s office in 2019 – has also fuelled public anger.
Protesters feel the government’s response to the sexual assault allegations has been inadequate.
Ms Higgins spoke to the thousands of protesters outside Parliament House on Monday, saying: “There is a horrible societal acceptance of sexual violence experienced by women in Australia.”
image captionMs Higgins’ story has inspired other women to speak out
“My story was on the front page for the sole reason that it was a painful reminder to women that if it can happen in Parliament House, it can truly happen anywhere.”
What is happening at the protests?
The protest rallies – known as the March 4 Justice – formed from noon on Monday across 40 cities and towns in Australia including the major capital cities of Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne as well as smaller country towns.
Organisers predict it will be the “biggest uprising of women that Australia’s seen”.
Many protesters carried placards and wore black in protest. In Melbourne, protesters carried a long banner listing the names of women killed in acts of gendered violence in the past decade.
image captionThousands are estimated to have attended the march in Sydneyimage captionSmaller gatherings also took place in country towns like Mullumbimby
Organisers at the Canberra rally also presented a petition to lawmakers with over 90,000 signatures calling for greater accountability of sexist behaviours in parliament.
They have also called for Mr Porter to stand aside. Police have closed their case against the attorney general, but others have argued for a separate inquiry into the allegation against him.
How has the government responded?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison declined to meet the protesters despite their urging. On Sunday, he had invited a delegation to meet with him in Parliament House.
But this was rejected by the protest organisers who said the prime minister, as well as the government’s minister for women, should attend the rally and address their concerns there.
Most government lawmakers declined to join the rallies. However the Labor opposition leader as well as several other prominent lawmakers joined the crowd in Canberra.
A recent US opinion poll showed as many as 49% of Republican male supporters did not want to get vaccinated.
Mr Trump last month said “everybody, go get your shot” at a conservative forum.
It was the first time he publicly encouraged Americans to do so. He has not commented on the issue since then.
Mr Trump, who was privately vaccinated in January, was absent when four other ex-presidents – Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter – appeared last week in a public service announcement for the vaccination.
The US is by the world’s worst-hit country by the pandemic, with more than 530,000 Covid-related deaths and nearly 29.5 million infections, according to Johns Hopkins University.
What did Dr Fauci say?
Dr Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, told Fox News Sunday: “If he [Trump] came out and said ‘Go and get vaccinated, it’s really important for your health, the health of your family, and the health of the country’, it seems absolutely inevitable that the vast majority of people who are his followers would listen to him.
“He’s such a strongly popular person. I cannot imagine that if he comes out that they would not get vaccinated.”
Dr Fauci said the Trump administration was “very successful in getting us the vaccines we have right now”.
“It seems like an intrinsic contradiction, the fact that you have a programme that was started during his presidency, and he’s not out telling people to get vaccinated.
“I wish he would. He has such incredible influence over people in the Republican party – it would really be a game-changer if he did,” Dr Fauci said
Two men have been arrested in India following a violent assault on a 14-year-old Muslim boy who entered a Hindu temple to drink water, police say.
Footage of the incident, which occurred in Ghaziabad in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, sparked outrage after it was widely shared online last week.
In the video, posted on Instagram, one man can be seen beating and kicking the boy as a second person films it.
Rights groups have expressed concern over an apparent rise in such assaults.
In Uttar Pradesh, there has been an increase in recent years of reported targeted attacks on minorities, including Muslims, by “extremist Hindu groups”, according to Human Rights Watch.
Some Hindu temples in India do not permit entry to non-Hindus, and the site in Ghaziabad had a sign stating that it was “forbidden” for Muslims to enter, The Indian Express newspaper reported.
The incident involving the boy in Ghaziabad, named as Asif, reportedly took place last Thursday and was later posted online by one of the suspects, police said.
It showed the teenager being struck in the head, forced to the ground and then repeatedly kicked, including in the groin.
However, managers of the Hindu temple in Ghaziabad have questioned whether the incident was a dispute over water, stating that there was a tap outside and that Asif should not have entered the temple grounds.
Another man, named only as Shivanand, has been arrested in connection with the filming of the incident, police confirmed on Sunday.
Ghaziabad police Supt Kalanidhi Naithani said the main suspect was arrested shortly after the incident was first reported, and that “strict action” would be taken.
The reaction on social media was swift – and angry.
“What kind of sick person [do] you have to be to mercilessly assault a child?” journalist Rifat Jawaid tweeted.
Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, has once again showered encomium on Regina-Hanson Amonoo, his Ghanaian wife, for always standing by him regardless of his shortcomings. The accolades were lavished on Regina, also known as Gina Hall, on Sunday — less than 24 hours after she defended the ex-minister over allegations of abuse levelled against him by Precious Chikwendu, his fourth and estranged wife. Fani-Kayode has been in a heated tussle with Chikwendu for the custody of their four children since their marriage of seven years collapsed last year. The former beauty queen had earlier alleged that the ex-minister abused her on numerous occasions while they were still together — a claim he dismissed.
Amid the face-off between the pair, Gina Hall had in a statement on Saturday debunked Chikwendu’s allegations, while backing Fani-Kayode. In an ostensible reaction to Regina’s gesture, the ex-minister took to his social media pages to commend the Ghanaian, while reiterating his love for her. Fani-Kayode also described Regina, his third wife, as “my everything” who always stands by him even when he makes mistakes. “The one and only and the best of the best. As faithful as always and as constant as the northern star. Even where I made the wrong choices you forgave and stood by me. You are my everything. Love you forever G!” he wrote. This is not the first time Fani-Kayode will be applauding Regina for backing him whenever there are controversies. He had last year described her as the “most powerful force in his life” after she came to his defense amid allegations of domestic violence reports against him. The ex-minister tied the knot with Gina Hall in 1997 after which he married Chikwendu in 2014. Fani-Kayode had earlier married Saratu Attah in 1987 but the duo split three years later. In 1991, the ex-minister also married Yemisi Adeniji but they were separated by 1995.
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