Lekki looting: Sanwo-Olu promises owners tax relief, support (Punch)
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has promised to assist the tenants and shop owners at the Circle Mall in Lekki to bounce back to business following the recent looting and burning of several shops and stores at the mall by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protests.
Sanwo-Olu in a statement on Monday said the state government would give tax break and some financial assistance to all the business owners affected by the ugly incident.
Recall that some hoodlums went on the rampage on October 21 after the #EndSARS protests were hijacked and looted property worth billions of naira at the Circle Mall and also set parts of the building ablaze.
“The Lagos State Government will not leave the people to bear the pains alone; the government will assist them to return to their respective businesses. Read more
Mixed reactions over Lagos probe panel (Guardian)
Osun youths reject state’s team Group sets up independent committee
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George; former President of Igbo think-tank, Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike; President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima; former PDP governorship candidate in Lagos, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, have expressed mixed feelings over the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution For Victims of SARS-Related Abuses and Lekki Toll Gate Incident.
But Alliance for the Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) has set up an independent panel to probe aftermath of the protests. The panel was set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, after the #EndSARS protests, to look into cases of police brutality and other issues in the state. Read more
Soldiers detained for flogging lady over ‘indecent’ dressing, shaving youths (Punch)
The Oyo State security outfit, Operation Burst, said on Monday that it had arrested some of its personnel for allegedly assaulting a lady in the Beere community, Ibadan.
The lady was alleged to have been beaten by some soldiers attached to the security team over allegation of ‘indecent dressing.’
Footage showing the assault on the lady, whose identity has yet to be ascertained, went viral at the weekend.
In the viral video, officials of the outfit were seen using horsewhip on her in the full glare of residents of Beere. Read more
FG’s VAT revenue on steady rise despite COVID-19, lockdown (Vanguard)
The federal government generated N424.7 billion as Value Added Tax (VAT) in the third quarter of the year (Q3’20). This represents a rise of 30 percent in VAT revenue when compared to N275.12 billion in Q2’20.
The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, VAT Report for Q3’20 released yesterday also indicated that this is the third consecutive quarterly rise in the VAT revenue occurring throughout the period of the Coronavirus (COVID-10) induced lockdown of commercial activities across in the country.
The Bureau said the “other manufacturing sector” category generated the highest amount of VAT amounting to N47.07 billion while pharmaceutical, soaps & toiletries sector generated the least amount of VAT with N386.2 million. Read more
ASUU insists on strike, describes IPPIS as cesspool of corruption (Guardian)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has vowed to continue the strike embarked upon by its members, describing the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) as a cesspool of corruption.
It stated this yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State, at a media briefing where its leaders insisted on continuing the nationwide industrial action.
Coordinator of the Calabar Zone of ASUU, Dr. Aniekan Brown, said government’s claim that 71,000 members of ASUU had already accepted to register with the IPPIS was incorrect, noting that the claims amounted to distraction for ASUU. Read more
Boko Haram killed 11, abducted nine women in Chibok – Residents (Punch)
Nine women were reportedly abducted by suspected insurgents during an attack on Takulashi village of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.
Details of the attack on the remote village further revealed that 11 persons might have been killed in the attack as against the seven members of the Civilian Joint Task Force earlier reported to have been killed in Sunday’s siege.
Some residents of the village had told our correspondent in early report that seven members of the CJTF and local hunters, who were part of the group that engaged the insurgents, were killed. Read more
NECO resumes 2020 SSCE November 9 (Guardian)
The National Examinations Council (NECO) says it will resume the postponed 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in all states and the FCT from Monday, November 9.
Mr Azeez Sani, NECO Head Information and Public Relations, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that NECO Governing Board had after its Special Meeting on Oct. 21 reviewed the postponement of some papers in the 2020 SSCE (Internal) nationwide.
The Council had also in a press release on Oct. 25 informed the general public of indefinite postponement of the examinations due to the EndSARS protest. Read more
Why MDAs’ October salary is delayed – FG (Punch)
The federal government on Monday attributed the delay in the payment of salaries in some ministries, departments and agencies to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed into law before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
It said the provision made for salaries of some MDAs based on previous salaries had been exhausted, hence the delay in the payment of the October salary of some workers.
The Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, in a statement made available to journalists, quoted the HOCS, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, as making the clarification. Read more
Indians asked to eat more sugar to tackle oversupply (BBC)
A glut of sugar has prompted India’s industry body to start a campaign to encourage Indians to eat more.
The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said it wants to bust myths about sugar and its health effects.
On average, Indians eat around 19kg a year, which is well below the global average.
Still, the country is the world’s biggest consumer of the sweetener overall.
India’s production is expected to rise by 13% this year to 31m tonnes but the government has indicated that it might stop export subsidies aimed at clearing surpluses. Read more
Attack on synagogue ‘leaves police officer fighting for his life’ in Vienna (Metro)
At least two people have been killed and several people have been wounded in Vienna in what the Austrian Chancellor has labelled a ‘hideous terror attack’. Gunmen armed with rifles opened fire in multiple locations in the city centre, according to police, as drinkers sat outside bars on the last night before the country went into a second lockdown. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said police had killed one of the suspects, while the interior ministry has confirmed one of the dead was a civilian. Local media reports indicate a police officer guarding the city’s main synagogue near the central square of Schwedenplatz was shot. Read more
Pakistani girls’ school stages mock beheading as cleric vows vengeance on France for ‘insulting the Prophet’ (RT)
A girls’ religious school in Islamabad staged a mock beheading in front of its young students as a cleric preached that Muslims would exact vengeance on France – and on the West in general – for “insulting” Prophet Mohammed.
A woman in full face veil uses a scimitar to behead an effigy in front of hundreds of assembled students, many holding signs sporting protest slogans, in video posted to the official Facebook account of Jamia Syeda Hafsa, a Pakistani girls’ seminary, last week.
The disturbing scene and excerpts of a fiery sermon that accompanied it have since been picked up by Muslim-skeptical English language outlets, at least one of which claimed the effigy is of French President Emmanuel Macron, though there is no evidence in the video that this is the case. Read more
T-cell response ‘lasts six months after Covid infection’ (BBC)
Scientists have found evidence of immune cells responding to Covid-19 six months after people were infected.
In a study of 100 people with the virus, those with symptoms had a much higher T-cell reaction.
But it is still not clear whether this leads to better protection against re-infection.
The UK research team says the findings are “just one piece of the puzzle” on immunity and there is still a lot to learn. Read more
Borat 2 babysitter to star in new comedy from South Park writer (Metro)
Borat 2’s babysitter, Jeanise Jones, has been confirmed to star in a new comedy written by South Park writer Jane Bussman. In the film, Jones is shown trying to talk sense into 15-year-old Tutar Sagdiyev, who Borat wants to have breast implants and marry a rich American man. Of course, it was all for show but Jones was under the belief she was appearing in a documentary, and that Tutar’s plight was real; she has since said that she had no idea it was Sacha Baron Cohen and that she wanted to ‘kick his butt’ during filming. However, it has now been revealed that she will star in a new feature called Reincarnated Royal. Read more
Anxious world watches the countdown to US election (VOA)
Governments across the world are anxiously watching the race for the White House, as they prepare for either Republican Donald Trump securing a second term as U.S. president or for an electoral win by his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Who will be the international winners and losers from Tuesday’s U.S. election?
“The last four years have confirmed that the choices the U.S. makes are highly consequential for international politics,” according to a commentary by Britain’s leading foreign policy research group, Chatham House. Read more
US Election 2020: Biden and Trump make final pitches to voters (BBC)
US President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden have spent the final hours of the White House race delivering their closing pitch to voters in critical states.
Mr Biden campaigned in Pennsylvania and Ohio, as Mr Trump toured the voting battlegrounds of Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
National polls suggest a firm lead for Mr Biden in Tuesday’s election.
But his lead is narrower in the handful of states that could decide the result. Read more
Nigeria’s Aina scores in Fulham victory (BBC)
Fulham secured their first Premier League win of the season as they beat West Brom to move out of the bottom three.
Bobby Decordova-Reid headed Scott Parker’s side ahead from close range after Aleksandar Mitrovic’s cushioned header had set him up.
The hosts doubled their lead four minutes later and Mitrovic was again involved as he laid the ball off for Ola Aina, who struck spectacularly from 20 yards out.
The Cottagers came close to scoring a third but both Tom Cairney and Decordova-Reid had efforts cleared off the goalline within seconds of each other. Read more
Ryan Giggs arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend (Metro)
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend Kate Greville. The 46-year-old was questioned on the suspicion of actual bodily harm and assault after police were called to his property Worsley, Manchester on Sunday night. ‘Police were called at 10.05pm on Sunday to reports of a disturbance. A woman in her 30s sustained minor injuries but did not require any treatment,’ a spokesperson from the Greater Manchester police told the Sun. Read more
Jamie Vardy produces another ‘masterclass’ – but can Leicester fight for the title? (BBC)
A Jamie Vardy “masterclass” helped Leicester move within a point of the Premier League leadership on Monday – so are they ready to challenge for the title?
Vardy was involved in three goals, scoring one, as Brendan Rodgers’ side produced a “devastating” performance to win 4-1 at Leeds.
At 33, Leicester’s prolific goalscorer shows no sign of slowing down.
Chris Sutton – a title winner himself with Blackburn Rovers in 1995 – told BBC Radio 5 Live that Leicester’s victory was “another statement” to suggest they can repeat their triumph of 2016. Read more
Mauricio Pochettino insists he’s ready to return to management amid Man Utd links (Metro)
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he’s ready to return to club management after nearly a year out of the game. The Argentine was sacked by Spurs 11 months ago and just four months after guiding the club to the Champions League final. Pochettino is widely considered one of the finest coaches of his generation but he’s yet to accept a new job. The 48-year-old has been heavily linked with taking over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United and the club showed interest in the Argentine in 2016 when Louis van Gaal left the club. Pochettino was keen on taking over from Jose Mourinho in December 2018 but United hired Solskjaer following an impressive period in interim charge. Read more
Lukaku ruled out of Inter’s Champions League tie with Real (BBC)
Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku will miss their Champions League tie with Real Madrid due to a thigh injury.
The Belgium forward, 27, has scored seven goals in as many matches for the Italian side this season.
Inter are third in Group B with two points from two games. Lukaku earned one of the points with both goals in a 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Lukaku scored seven goals in six games as the Serie A side were Europa League runners-up last season. Read more
Spanish goalkeeper scores last-gasp equalizer, then gets lobbed from resulting kickoff (RT)
Spanish goalkeeper Carlos Torres went through the full range of emotions in a recent lower league game where he scored a late equalizer with a stunning shot – only to concede a long-range lob seconds later.
The action-packed finale came in a Spanish sixth-tier game between Torres’ Vinaros CF and rivals Peniscola when, with Peniscola a goal to the good as the clock ticked down, Torres marched upfield when his side were awarded a free-kick. The set-piece was initially defended by Peniscola, but a follow-up attack saw the ball land at the feet of the giant Vinaros CF goalkeeper, who blasted the ball into the bottom right corner of the net from 25 yards. Read more
