Goods worth millions, property razed in Iddo (Guardian)
Property and goods worth millions of naira, including cartons of batteries, candles, hand sanitisers, nails, face masks and others were burnt yesterday evening at the Iddo Terminal of the Nigeria Railway Corporation.
The fire incident, which started on Sunday, was said to be a result of power surge following the restoration of electricity.
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and Fire Service were still at the scene battling to put out the fire.
It was gathered that the two agencies mobilised to the scene of the fire incident almost immediately it received distressed calls. However, the fire was yet to be put out when The Guardian left the scene around 3.p.m. yesterday. Read more
Lagos to shut 3rd Mainland Bridge for 48 hrs from Friday (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to shut the Third Mainland Bridge from midnight, Friday, February 19 to midnight Sunday 21, 2021 for final rehabilitation works. The bridge which has been under repairs for the past six months will be shut to allow the contractor to cast the final rehabilitated expansion joint before it will be finally reopened for traffic end of February.
The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, who announced this on Tuesday, in a statement in affirmation to an earlier statement by the Federal Controller of Works, Mr Kayode Popoola, stated that the bridge will be shut off completely from vehicular movement to enable the contractor set the expansion joint concrete without vibrations caused by vehicular movement to achieve the desired strength of the concrete. Read more
NSCDC officers charged on discipline, integrity (Guardian)
Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Lagos have been urged to observe a high level of discipline and integrity while carrying out their duties.
The call was made at a three-day public relations training for NSCDC officers across the state command, on the theme, ‘Building the image of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps through inter-agency collaboration.’
Public Relations Officer (PRO) Lagos State Command, Oluwaseun Abolurin, said: “We are focused on training and retraining personnel to boost their morale, develop and make them better officers on the job. We want officers to see themselves as PR personnel because they are constantly communicating with the public. Hence, it is important for them to learn the skills.
“Since I have been trained, I decided to impart it in others to boost our knowledge. We have officers in the 20 divisions and commands. We also have representatives from units and departments from the command.” Read more
Court jails two Internet fraudsters
(Punch)
Two Internet fraudsters, Ridwan Garuba and Adebayo Agbabiaka, have been sentenced by the Federal High Court in Abeokuta for their involvement in fraud.
The convicts were arraigned on separate charges of fraud and impersonation.
They pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, the counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shamsuddeen Bashir, urged the court to convict them. Read more
Trading reverses on NSE, indices down by 0.19% (Independent)
Trading on the nation’s bourse returned to the negative territory on Tuesday with the market indicators dropping by 0.19 per cent, amid profit taking in Stanbic IBTC and Nigerian Breweries.
Specifically, the All-Share Index lost 75.32 points or 0.19 per cent to close at 40,494.35 from 40,571.67 recorded on Monday.
Consequently, the month-to-date loss increased to 4.5 per cent, while the year-to-date gain moderated to 0.60 per cent.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation which opened at N21.224 trillion shed N40 billion or 0.19 per cent to close at N21.184 trillion. Read more
Marketers raise petrol price to N170, depots suffer shortage (Punch)
Fuel marketers have started adjusting their petrol pump prices amid the supply shortage facing private depots in Apapa.
Our correspondent observed that some filling stations in Lagos and Ogun states increased the pump price of petrol to N170 per litre on Tuesday from N162 per litre.
Some of the stations were Capital Oil and Gas, Fatgbems and Amo Oil, all along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Another station, Enyo Retail, adjusted its pump price to N165 per litre from N162. Read more
Children killed of explosion after playing with “explosive devise” in Zamfara bush (Guardian)
Six children have been feared killed following an explosion in Magami village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The state’s Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs Abubakar Dauran on Tuesday said the victims went to the bush in search of firewood when they picked an explosive devise.
Dauran said the kids began to play with it, and shortly after, it exploded.
While six were killed instantly, others were left with various degrees of injuries. Read more
Police arraign restaurant worker over N2.1m theft (Punch)
A 24-year-old man, Ahmed Fadulilahi, on Tuesday, appeared before an Osun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Osogbo, for stealing N2,117,850 belonging to a fast food joint, Captain Cook Bakery and Stores.
Addressing the court, the prosecutor, Taiwo Adegoke, said the defendant committed the crime while working at the joint.
According to him, the defendant committed the crime in December 2020 in Osogbo, adding that the offence contravened Section 390 (9) (6), of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Vol. 2 of the Laws of Osun State, Nigeria, 2002.
The defendant, who is facing a count bordering on stealing, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Read more
Ihejirika, former chief of army staff, joins APC (DailyTrust)
Former Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ihejirika, whom former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Chief of Army Staff in 2010 remained in the position till 2014.
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He joined the APC at his Isuikwuato country home in Abia-North Senatorial District, Abia State, on Tuesday and subsequently registered at Ezere ward 2 in Isuikwuato.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who represents the Senatorial district, witnessed Ihejiriaka’s entry into the party.
The retired General he joined the APC to contribute to the “progress of the party” at the state and national level. Read more
“Game of Thrones” couple Kit Harington and Rose Leslie step out with baby boy (PageSix)
Welcome to the wildling family.
Game of Thrones couple Kit Harington and Rose Leslie — who announced in September that they were expecting their first child — were photographed in London on Tuesday with their new baby.
Harington’s rep confirmed to Page Six that the couple welcomed a baby boy and are “very, very happy!”
A smiling Harington held tightly onto Leslie’s hand as she cradled the infant in a carrier on her chest, while he carried a large bag from the shop Sainsbury’s. Read more
Bong Joon-ho has finished writing Parasite follow-up film (Metro)
Parasite director Bong Joon-ho has revealed he’s finished writing the first follow-up to his Oscar-winning movie. The filmmaker made history at the Academy Awards with his movie, which won best picture, as well as landing him best director, best original screenplay, and international feature film. However, it seems we could have more of his genius in store, as he’s writing two follow-ups to the movie. ‘I’m currently writing two scripts at the same time and it feels like I’m splitting my brain in half left and right writing these two scripts,’ he said. ‘But I finished one last week.’ Read more
Central Park: Amy Cooper has criminal case against her dismissed (BBC)
A white woman who called police on a black man bird watching in New York’s Central Park has had the criminal case against her dismissed.
Prosecutors say Amy Cooper completed a therapy course addressing racial bias and asked for her charge to be dropped.
A video of Ms Cooper went viral in 2020 and sparked outrage across the US.
In it she was seen threatening Christian Cooper, no relation, with the police after he reportedly asked her to put her dog on a lead. Read more
Fake Amazon reviews are being sold in bulk online (NYPost)
Online hucksters are selling Amazon reviews in bulk to help merchants manipulate the e-commerce platform’s rating system, a watchdog group says.
British consumer advocacy group Which? found 10 websites offering “review manipulation” services that rely on vast networks of users to drum up positive reviews for Amazon Marketplace sellers in violation of the site’s policies.
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Some of these operations promised prospective customers they could secure a coveted “Amazon’s Choice” label for their products in two weeks or less, Which? said in a report published Tuesday. Read more
Governor Cuomo admits to withholding nursing home deaths (BBC)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has accepted blame – but has not apologised – for a lack of transparency about Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes.
More than 15,000 New Yorkers in care homes have died since the start of the pandemic.
But – until late last month – the state’s health department had logged just over 8,500 fatalities.
The governor confirmed the discrepancy in a press conference on Monday. Read more
WTO needs to show results on economic crisis, vaccines: Okonjo-Iweala (France24)
Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, newly selected head of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said Tuesday she will push for concrete results in addressing the dual economic and health crises facing the globe.
Her immediate goals are to ensure vaccines are produced and distributed worldwide, not just for rich nations, and to resist the push towards protectionism that worsened during the pandemic, so that free trade can help the economic recovery.
“I think the WTO is too important to allow it to be slowed down, paralyzed and moribund,” she told AFP in an interview. “That’s not right.” Read more
European Space Agency: Astronaut recruitment drive for greater diversity (BBC)
The European Space Agency says it wants to recruit someone with a disability as part of its call for new astronauts.
Esa will be accepting applications in March to fill four-to-six vacancies in its astro corps but it wants this draft process to be as inclusive as possible.
The search for a potential flier with additional functional needs will be run in parallel to the main call.
The agency has asked the International Paralympic Committee to advise it on selection. Read more
Arsenal star Kieran Tierney spotted back in training ahead of Benfica clash (Metro)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been boosted ahead of his side’s Europa League clash against Benfica by the return of Kieran Tierney to training. The Scotland international has missed Arsenal’s last six matches in all competitions with a leg injury and Arteta was unsure whether he would return in time for the first leg against Benfica, which is being played in Athens, Greece. Tierney has been Arsenal’s standout performer this term alongside Bukayo Saka and the Gunners have missed the Scot’s attacking prowess down the left hand side in his absence. However, Tierney was pictured back in training today before Arsenal jet out to Greece and the former Celtic captain could feature against the Portuguese giants. Read more
Mbappe hat-trick as PSG thump Barcelona at Nou Camp (BBC)
Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick as Paris St-Germain ripped Barcelona apart in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Nou Camp.
The night did not start well for last year’s runners-up when they fell behind to Lionel Messi’s 27th-minute penalty.
Messi, regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, was then upstaged on his own turf by France World Cup winner Mbappe as PSG ruthlessly exposed the hosts.
Mbappe danced past Clement Lenglet and smashed in the equaliser before stroking home from 10 yards to turn the game around. Read more
Novak Djokovic melts down at Australian Open: ‘I have my own demons’ (NYPost)
Will Novak Djokovic ever learn?
The hot-headed No. 1 men’s tennis star lost his cool again Tuesday, slamming his racket against the court en route to a quarterfinal win at the Australian Open.
Djokovic became enraged and scarred the court after losing a point to Alexander Zverev in the third set.
The 33-year-old Serbian rebounded for a 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over the No. 6 seed, as he looks to add a ninth Australian Open title to his men’s record. Read more
We defied expectations, says Klopp after Liverpool take control of Leipzig tie (BBC)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says his side defied many people’s expectations with their first-leg victory over RB Leipzig in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane struck in the space of five minutes near the start of the second half in an away leg played in Budapest’s Puskas Arena because of Covid-19 restrictions.
It came after the Reds had fallen to three straight defeats in the Premier League – results that have led Klopp to concede defeat in their defence of the English top-flight title.
But Tuesday’s display was far more like the dominant side of last season, with their greater experience and quality ultimately telling against an error-prone German side.
“A lot of people probably expected us to slip again because of the situation, and the boys didn’t and I’m really happy about that,” Klopp told BT Sport. Read more
Dana White puts UFC, ESPN in middle of Gina Carano controversy (NYPost)
UFC president Dana White ensnared his own company in the Gina Carano cancel controversy.
White was asked about Carano, the MMA fighter-turned-actress, on Saturday night after UFC 258.
“Leave her alone. We make mistakes, we all make mistakes,” White said. “For everybody to go in on her … I love how Ariel Helwani made it all about him, such a douche.”
Carano was recently fired from “The Mandalorian” by Disney after a series of bizarre social media posts, including one in which she compared today’s political climate to the Nazi era. Read more
Swiss prosecutor to appeal against acquittal of PSG president Al-Khelaifi (France24)
Swiss prosecutors are appealing the acquittal of Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on accusations of corruption in the attribution of football broadcasting rights, a spokeswoman told AFP on Tuesday.
Khelaifi, head of broadcasting group beIN Media, was acquitted in October after a trial in which he appeared alongside former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.
The first of the many football scandals to result in a judicial decision, the trial before the Federal Court of Bellinzona ended in an almost total setback for the prosecution in October. The Swiss Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPC) received the formal judgement in January and “filed a statement of appeal in February” to seek “the conviction of the three accused”, the spokeswoman said. Read more