Sanwo-Olu warns against COVID-19 4th wave (Sun)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, said there may be possibility of the fourth wave of COVID-19 as the Yuletide approaches.
He said the only way to prevent the pandemic is for all hands to be on desk.
The governor made the assertion while speaking at the end of a three-day National Women’s Conference (NWC) organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).
He said part of the strategies his government adopted to prevent the fourth wave of the pandemic, which he believed is imminent, was launch of the mass vaccination campaign. Read more
Suspected cultist caught with pistol in Ogun school during exam (Punch)
Men of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a student suspected to be a cultist, Ojo Iyanu, while attempting to disrupt an examination at the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Oyeyemi said the police were hinted that some students, suspected to be cultists, had concluded plans to disrupt the school examination.
The police spokesman said the exam was rescheduled after the reconciliation of a disagreement between the school management and the students. Read more
Governor’s wife tasks teachers and students on digital literacy (VON)
The Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, says the acquisition of both digital literacy and Information Technology skills has become imperative, more than ever, for individuals to remain relevant and enhance their future.
Mrs Makinde disclosed this while speaking at an event to commemorate the 2021 International Day of the Girl Child, themed, “Digital Generation, Our Generation.”
She urged Students and Teachers of Secondary schools across the state on the need to be digitally literate to be relevant now and in the future.
At the event, held at the House of Chiefs, House of Assembly Complex, Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, Mrs Makinde noted that the emphasis over time had been on the Students, but that it is crucial for Teachers to also equip themselves technologically, to be on the same page with their students, whom she described as “tech-savvy”. Read more
P&ID scam: Court issues arrest warrant against Irishman (Sun)
A Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, yesterday, issued a warrant for the arrest of an Irishman, Neil Murray, over his involvement in the alleged Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) scandal.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the order, following an ex-parte motion moved by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bala Sanga.
Sanga told the court that the ex-parte motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/143/2020 dated August 20 and filed August 25, was brought pursuant to Sections 3, 35, 36 and 37 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and under the inherent power of the court.
While the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the EFCC, is the applicant, Mr Murray is the respondent. Murray, an employee of P&ID, is also a director of Lurgi Consult Ltd., an associate company of P&ID. Read more
Bandits collecting taxes doesn’t mean they’ve taken over – Lai Mohammed (Punch)
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the fact that bandits are imposing levies on communities does not mean they have taken control.
Mohammed said this during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to an article by The Economist magazine titled, ‘Insurgency, secessionism and banditry threaten Nigeria.’
The minister said the London-based magazine was wrong to claim that terrorists had carved caliphates for themselves in the North-East.
While answering questions from journalists on banditry in the North-West where bandits now impose levies on communities, Mohammed argued that imposing levies does not mean criminals are in charge, adding that it takes place in many parts of the country, including in the South where touts commonly referred to as ‘area boys’, impose levies. Read more
Ogun Assembly demands implementation of anti-grazing law (PMNews)
As the dry season approaches, the Ogun State House of Assembly has demanded immediate implementation of the State Animal Grazing Regulation and Cattle Ranch Establishment Law, 2020, passed by it and recently assented to by Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
The lawmakers said implementation of the law would prevent the recurrence of attacks on human and farmlands, which often happened in the dry season, especially in the Yewa axis of the State.
To this end, the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo has directed the Special Adviser on Security to the State Governor, AIG Olusola Subaru (Rtd) and other concerned government officials to immediately set machinery in motion towards liaising with all security formations in the State for the strict compliance with all sections of the Law.
Oluomo made the request while responding to the submission of a member representing Yewa North I State Constituency, Adegoke Adeyanju during plenary on Thursday on the need for government and necessary stakeholders to prepare towards curbing the incessant clashes between herders and farmers that often happened during the dry season. Read more
Firm expresses readiness to support NDLEA on reducing substance abuse among youths (Vanguard)
As insecurity turns out to be nightmare in the country, an agricultural firm, SWEER Global Farms, Thursday, expressed readiness to support National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on reducing substance abuse among young people in the country.
This was made known by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, SWEER Global Farms, Dr Thaddeaus Thompson, while speaking with Vanguard on the company’s plans on tackling drug abuse through its Corporate Social Responsibility, CRS, programmes and projects in order to abate the illicit use of dangerous drugs that have heightened insecurity across the country.
According to Thaddeaus, the issue of drug abuse among young people is a great concern to him as a person and also to his company, because of the grave implications it has on the future of Nigeria as a country.
He also explained why his company is out to collaborate and support effort of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Gen. Muhammad Buba Marwa (Retd), which he acknowledged his impact and proactive approach to tackle the monster called drug abuse. Read more
GoG Security:Royal Navy warship arrives Lagos (Vanguard)
The Royal Navy Ship, HMS Trent, and her embarked contingent of Royal Marines from 42 Commando, the United Kingdom, UK, arrived Lagos weekend, as part of their three months deployment to the Gulf of Guinea.
Lagos State is the first port that HMS Trent is visiting in the Gulf of Guinea and the second port the ship has visited since leaving Gibraltar, earlier in October.
Welcoming the Ship, the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, said, “Nigeria’s security and prosperity matters to the UK. The Royal Navy is here because the UK is a committed partner for Nigeria and the wider West African region. We will continue to work with the Nigerian authorities to address illegal activity; improve maritime security; counter-piracy and tackle the Illegal Wildlife Trade. To do this, we will draw on the experience we have of cross and multi-agency co-operation in the UK to promote peace, development, and prosperity.”
The Ship and her contingent are expected to carry out various capability demonstrations and training, with 42 Commando delivering their specific Vessel Boarding, Search, and Seizure training to the Nigerian Navy. Read more
ASUU seeks law compelling local schooling for public officials’ children (Punch)
The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Emmanuel Osodeke, has lamented that the government has abandoned education, vowing that the union will soon sponsor a bill at the National Assembly making it mandatory for public officials to train their children in Nigerian public schools.
He said that Nigerian leaders had killed local education and looked for other countries to send their children to study.
Osodeke said ASUU would mobilise Nigerians to march to the National Assembly to demand that the bill be passed for all elected public officers to send their children to Nigerian public schools.
Osodeke stated this in his speech at a one-day ‘state of the nation summit’ organised by the Bauchi zone of the union with the theme, ‘Nigeria: The state of the nation’ was held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi on Thursday. Read more
New House of Gucci trailer shows different and darker side to Lady Gaga and it’s getting fans hyped (Metro)
Lady Gaga takes centre stage in the second official trailer for the upcoming crime drama House of Gucci.
The 35-year-old singer-songwriter is worlds away from the girl next door character she played in A Star Is Born, and is now showing off her murderous side as Patrizia Reggiani.
House of Gucci will tell the true story of the assassination of Maurizio Gucci played by Adam Driver, and the breakdown of the Gucci family’s fashion dynasty, where Patrizia was convicted of orchestrating her ex-husband’s murder in 1998.
The trailer highlights how Patrizia is introduced to the wealthy fashion family, and shows how her husband fails to accept her even after they marry.Read more
We’re in Dubai Expo 2020 to network, showcase Africa for investment — AU Expo Commissioner (Tribune)
The African Union has promised to leverage on the longstanding economic partnerships between Africa and the United Arab Emirates as well as showcase the continent-wide commitment to sustainable development through the AU Agenda 2063.
The AU Expo Commissioner-General, Dr Levi Uche Madueke, who disclosed this at a TV interview on Newzroom Afrika said “for the African Union, Expo 2020 Dubai offers an opportunity to further entrench the relationship between the two regions and to showcase, connect Africa as safe for investment.
Dr Madueke said “We are maintaining strong ties with the United Arab Emirates and as a matter of fact, UAE understands the importance of the relationship with Africa and that is why they have invited the African Union (AU) to participate in the ongoing Dubai Expo 2020.
“Also we are going to capitalise on the mega project management skills that exist within the UAE and see how we can begin to assure connectivity between our private sector and the private sector of the region circle/circuit. Read more
Donald Trump plans last-minute event ahead of Virginia governor election (Examiner)
Former US President Donald Trump is stepping into the hotly contested Virginia governor’s race with a tele-rally planned on Monday for Republican Glenn Youngkin.
Mr Trump will not be appearing with Mr Youngkin, and the call-in event will take place the day before an election in which Mr Youngkin appears to be running neck-and-neck with Democrat Terry McAuliffe.
Mr McAuliffe has tried throughout the race to tie his opponent to the former president who lost the state by 10 points in 2020.
Throughout the campaign, Mr Youngkin has played a delicate dance, trying to win over Mr Trump’s loyal base, which he needs to win the election, while at the same time avoiding more extreme positions that might turn off more moderate voters, particularly those in suburban Washington and Richmond. Read more
Thailand cave rescue: UK diver says boys were in ‘mortal danger every second underwater’ (SkyNews)
It was the evening of 2 July 2018 when British divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen emerged from the murky, dank monsoon rainwater that had flooded Thailand’s Tham Luang Nang Non cave system, immediately realising they had found what they were looking for.
Twelve young football players and their coach had been trapped underground about two kilometres into the cave for 10 days by this point, and both Stanton and Volanthen had mentally prepared themselves to find bodies in the water.
But one by one, the divers’ torchlight slowly made out 13 desperate faces in a pitch-black chamber. “Thank you,” the exhausted boys can be heard telling the pair, in footage that was later beamed round the world. “Thank you, thank you.”
This hugely emotive scene is one of the many dramatic moments featured in The Rescue, a new National Geographic documentary that chronicles the against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018. It turned out to be part of hours of footage, the majority of which had been kept locked away. Read more
Japan ruling party LDP on defensive to maintain sole Lower House majority: Polls (StraitsTimes)
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faces a fight to maintain its sole majority in the weekend’s Lower House election, opinion polls on Friday (Oct 29) showed, although the coalition government itself is likely to remain safe.
The Sunday election is proving tough for the LDP, whose image was battered by its perceived mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Losing its sole majority in the more powerful Lower House of Parliament could weaken recently appointed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and make him vulnerable to being replaced before next year’s upper house vote, some analysts say.
A former banker whose lacklustre image and pledges of a “new capitalism” have failed to inspire voters, Mr Kishida has set a coalition target for a majority 233 seats in the 465-seat lower chamber, well below the 276 seats held by the LDP alone before the lower house was dissolved earlier this month. Read more
Amazon spending big in effort to ensure timely holiday deliveries (Digital Trends)
Amazon says it expects to incur “several billion dollars” of additional costs this holiday season in order to ensure customers receive their orders on time.
Andy Jassy, who replaced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as CEO of the company in July, said this week that the online shopping behemoth would be spending big to deal with “labor supply shortages, increased wage costs, global supply chain issues, and increased freight and shipping costs,” to ensure minimal impact on customers and selling partners in the coming months.
“It’ll be expensive for us in the short term, but it’s the right prioritization for our customers and partners,” Jassy said.
His comments came as the company released financial data for the third quarter showing revenue of $110.8 billion, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of revenue hitting $100 billion. The figure also marked a 15% increase on the same period a year earlier, but was significantly lower than the 27% increase seen with the second quarter. Profit came in at $3.2 billion, about half of that of the same period a year ago. Overall, the figures missed Wall Street expectations, causing Amazon shares to drop more than 4% on Thursday. Read more
Facebook rebrands, changes name to ‘Meta’ (Leadership)
Facebook has changed its name to “Meta” in a shift away from social media and towards developing “the metaverse,” a digital world that could be the next generation of the internet.
Here’s what they have planned.Social media giant Facebook is changing its name to “Meta” as part of a rebrand meant to highlight the company’s new focus on developing “the metaverse.”
“From now on, we’re going to be metaverse first, not Facebook first,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday.
A week after teasing the news of the name change, Zuckerberg made the announcement on Thursday in a keynote address at Facebook Connect, the company’s annual in-house virtual reality conference. The 37-year-old founder has spent much of the past year talking up this pivot. He has said he expects people will one day know Facebook as a “metaverse company” more than a social network. Read more
Adeleye rated Nigeria’s best keeper in Europe (Punch)
Former U-20 goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye is Nigeria’s best shot stopper in Europe so far this season, according to statistics website Tranfermarkt.
The Nigerian has kept more clean sheets than any of his compatriots in Europe this season.
The in-form Hapoel Jerusalem goalkeeper has kept three clean sheets in seven games, conceding 11 goals so far this term – the best return so far among the Nigerian goalkeepers in Europe.
Lugano’s Sebastian Osigwe is the second-rated Nigerian goalkeeper in Europe as he has kept one clean sheet in six games this season, conceding six goals, while Eagles’ first choice Maduka Okoye is ranked third, having kept only one clean sheet for Sparta Rotterdam in 19 games this term. Read more
Joel Quenneville out as Florida Panthers coach amid Blackhawks sexual assault claim (GlobalNews)
Former Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has resigned as the coach of the Florida Panthers following the release of an investigation into a 2010 sexual assault allegation by a former Blackhawks player.
In a statement from National Hockey League (NHL) Public Relations Thursday, Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the NHL “agrees” with Quenneville’s decision to step down as head coach.
“In his former role as Chicago Blackhawks head coach, Mr. Quenneville was among several former members of the Club’s senior leadership group who mishandled the 2010 sexual assault claim by former player Kyle Beach against the Club’s then-video coach, Brad Aldrich,” read Bettman’s statement.
“I admire Kyle Beach for his courage in coming forward, am appalled that he was so poorly supported upon making his initial claim and in the 11 years since, and am sorry for all he has endured.” Read more
Blue Jays Semien and Ray honoured by peers (Calgary Herald)
They are both pending free agents coming off career years with the Blue Jays and now each will hit the biggest off-seasons of their pro baseball lives as award-winners.
Second baseman Marcus Semien and starting pitcher Robbie Ray were both honoured on Thursday by the Major League Baseball Players Association, peer-driven kudos for their outstanding 2021 campaigns.
Semien, who hit a career-best 45 homers (the most by a second baseman in MLB history) was named the Marvin Miller man of the year, while lefty Ray was named the American League’s outstanding pitcher.
Both honours were part of the MLBPA’s Players Choice Awards, with voting conducted by players across the league. Read more
Pep Guardiola finds perfect fit in Man City false nine role after double transfer failure (Mirror)
Pep Guardiola has been told so many times about Manchester City’s supposed lack of a centre forward, it appears he has fallen victim to the theory about the illusory truth in pursuing two strikers.
For those unfamiliar, it is a modern psychological term that suggests if a person is repeatedly told something untrue, they will eventually believe it. And Guardiola’s apparent desperation for a focal point up front has become so vast, their memories have significantly clouded.
Their monopoly on the Carabao Cup came to an abrupt end on Wednesday as West Ham United became the first side in five seasons to knock the Citizens out of the competition.
In that game, they attempted 25 shots, seven of which landed on target and their efforts yielded no goals. But their failure to overcome David Moyes’ high-flying Hammers and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was more down to a blunt evening, rather than a severe absence of a striker. Read more
Warner shines as Australia beat Sri Lanka (Nation)
David Warner smashed his first half-century in the ongoing T20 World Cup as Australia defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the Super 12 match of Group 1 on Thursday.
Warner hit 65 off 42 balls while skipper Aaron Finch and Steve Smith scored 37 and 28 runs respectively as Australia got home. Warner was going through a lean patch but the batter made sure he smashed his fifty right when Australia needed him the most.
Chasing 155, Finch and Warner put on the biggest powerplay score (63) of the ongoing T20 World Cup as Australia got off to a flying start.
Wanindu Hasaranga gave Sri Lanka a much-needed breakthrough as he dismissed Finch in the seventh over. Minutes later, Glenn Maxwell also departed leaving Australia at 80/2. Read more
NAACP urges pro athletes to avoid signing with Texas teams over abortion, voting laws (Washington Times)
The NAACP sent a letter to the players’ associations of five professional sports on Thursday urging them to “reconsider” signing with Texas teams because of recently passed measures on abortion, voting and COVID-19.
The letter, signed by NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, mentions laws passed by Texas’ Republican-led legislature on abortion and voting rights, as well as moves by Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration to go after mask mandates as reasons to shy away from teams in the state. The letter was sent to the players’ associations in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and WNBA.
Last month, an abortion law went into effect barring most abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected at six weeks gestation. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a challenge to the law by the federal government on Monday. Read more