Subsidy: NLC, TUC suspend strike (Vanguard)
The Organised Labour made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, yesterday agreed to suspend its planned strike scheduled to begin tomorrow to enable further negotiations with the Federal Government.
This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of the meeting late yesterday evening.
Monday’s meeting and resolution were attended and signed by Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President; Festus Osifo, President, TUC; Nuhu Torò, Secretary General, TUC; Joseph Ajaero, President, NLC; Emmanuel Ugboaja mni, General Secretary, NLC and Ms Kachollom S. Daju, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Other resolutions arrived at the meeting include: “Continued engagements by the TUC and the NLC with the Federal Government and secure closure on the resolutions above. Read more
Court stops NLC strike over subsidy removal (DailyTrust)
A National Industrial Court in Abuja has stopped the planned strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the fuel subsidy removal.
Justice Olufunke Anuwe on Monday restrained the NLC and all its affiliates from further embarking on the strike planned for June 7 until the hearing and determination of the main suit.
Tinubu’s Cabinet: I’m Not Too Big To Serve, Says Wike
Subsidy removal, meetings, other key events of Tinubu’s one week in office
The court further ordered the service of the originating summons and motion on notice on the NLC against the next adjourned date of June 19. Read more
TUC demands N200,000 minimum wage (Vanguard)
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, demanded payment of a new minimum wage of N200,000 monthly.
It also demanded that the government reverted to the old N185 pump price of petrol per litre to allow for a conducive environment for negotiation.
In a statement the President and Secretary General, Festus Osifo and Nuhu Toro, respectively, TUC said: “For immediate implementation: Status quo ante of PMS pump price should be maintained while discussion continues. The minimum wage should be increased from the current N30,000 to N200,000 before the end of June 2023, with consequential adjustments on the cost of living allowance, COLA, like feeding, transport, housing, etc.
“A representative of state governors will be party to this communiqué and all the governors must commit to implement the new minimum wage. Read more
Customs seizes N400m worth of Cannabis Sativa from Ghana in Lagos (Tribune)
The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday said that it intercepted and seized 9,857 parcels (5,338kg) of Cannabis Sativa brought into Nigeria from Ghana through the creeks around Ajah area of Lagos.
Addressing the media in Lagos, acting Controller of the Unit, Hussein Ejibunu explained that upon investigation, the Cannabis Sativa was found to have a Duty Paid Value of over N400.
According to acting Controller Hussein Ejibunu, “In our continued quest to enforce Customs laws, and fight against the activities of saboteurs that attempt to undermine and weaken the nation’s economy and its viability, this Unit in May 2023, intercepted some smuggled items for contravening various sections of our laws as part of our resolve to protect the well-being of citizens. Read more
I won’t pay N18m tax, Iyabo Ojo tells Lagos govt (Punch)
Popular Yoruba Nollywood actress has tackled Lagos State Government on the exorbitant tax levy of N18,640,092 she got from Lagos Internal Revenue Service on Monday with seven days ultimatum, adding that she is not ready to pay.
Sharing the pictures of the personal income tax signed on the letterhead of the LIRS on her verified Instagram handle, Ojo said she will not pay and is ready to be arrested because she doesn’t understand the methodology behind the frequent issuance of the tax levy.
In the currently-deleted post, she wrote, “Jidesanwoolu @lagosstategovt, please, how do you people come up with these outrageous personal income taxes you send on a daily basis? Read more
Lack of 25% in FCT disqualifies Tinubu, Atiku’ (Tribune)
In a dramatic twist, a witness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has testified that both the party’s candidate and President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not qualified to be declared as president for not scoring 25 percent in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The witness, Mohammed Babaji Madaki, who is also the chairman of the PDP in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stated that Atiku and Tinubu did not get up to 25 per cent of total votes cast in the FCT.
During cross-examination by counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mohammed Aliyu, at the resumed hearing of the petitions on Monday, June 5, the witness affirmed that receiving 25 per cent of total votes cast in the FCT was a prerequisite for a candidate to be declared. Read more
EFCC to appeal Oronsaye’s acquittal in N2b fraud trial (Channels)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja, which on Monday, acquitted a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye of a N2bn money laundering charge brought against him and others by the Commission.
In dismissing the charge, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the Commission failed to establish the charges against the defendants.
However, EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement said the trial judge erred by overlooking the evidence of the 21 witnesses called by the prosecution in the course of the trial as well as the confessional statement of one of the defendants, Osarenkhoe Afe. Read more
Transport Hike: Kwara reduces workdays to 3 (DailyTrust)
The Kwara State Government on Monday directed that work days be reduced from five days to three per week for every worker in the state.
This according to the government is following the astronomical hike in transport fares.
This is contained in a statement in Ilorin, by Murtala Atoyebi, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazak. Read more
Reuben Wilson, organist who helped usher in soul jazz, has died at 88 (NPR)
Few are the folks who could cast a literal shadow over the iconic Hammond B-3 organ, nicknamed “the Beast” by many of the jazz musicians who have helmed the hefty 425 lb. instrument.
But Reuben Wilson — who died on May 26 at the age of 88 — was one such organist. When he perched his athletic 6 ft. 5 inch frame behind the dual-manual keyboard, quick hands and size 15 feet sparring with the drawbars, pedals and electromagnetic tonewheels housed in a wooden box that could be mistaken for living room furniture — it didn’t seem so big after all.
The funk-ridden grooves of his music could feel larger than life, however, particularly those he created for Blue Note Records in the late 1960s and early ’70s. These landmark LPs provided his peers with “a groovy situation,” (as one album was titled), and would inspire acid jazz DJs and hip-hop luminaries worldwide a generation later. Read more
Lily-Rose Depp’s The Idol character’s house revealed to be The Weeknd’s real-life Bel Air mansion (People)
Lily-Rose Depp’s The Idol character hits close to home for her costar Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye.
On the show, aspiring pop star Jocelyn, portrayed by the 24-year-old actress, lives in Tesfaye’s actual Bel Air mansion, a new Max featurette revealed.
According to Architectural Digest, the $70 million, 33,000-square-feet mansion, purchased by the 33-year-old singer two years ago, is outfitted with a movie theater, gym, sauna and indoor pool. In other words, it provides the perfect digs for the stylish, young artist Depp portrays in the new music-industry drama. Read more
Montreal Mafia leader Francesco (Chit) Del Balso gunned down in West Island (MontrealGazette)
Francesco (Chit) Del Balso, a very brash and aggressive leader in the Montreal Mafia, was killed in the West Island early Monday afternoon.
“It was inevitable,” one of the sources told the Montreal Gazette with a sigh.
Two attempts were made on Del Balso’s life in recent months and he was reportedly a suspect in the attempt to kill alleged Mafia leader Leonardo Rizzuto. Read more
Arnold Schwarzenegger finally admits groping women was wrong in new Netflix documentary (Mirror)
Arnold Schwarzenegger apologises for groping women in his new Netflix documentary.
The Terminator actor, 75, has previously denied claims by 15 women who came forward to accuse Schwarzenegger of groping them over three decades.
And now he’s finally admitted that his behaviour was “wrong” in new documentary Arnold that will be released on Wednesday, 20 years after the accusations first came to light. Read more
Taylor Swift accidentally swallows bug during Chicago concert (MusicNews)
Taylor Swift accidentally swallowed a bug during her concert in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday.
The All Too Well singer suddenly fell silent during her performance at Soldier Field and started coughing, before revealing that she had “swallowed a bug”.
“I just swallowed a bug, I’m so sorry,” she said from the stage, prompting a laugh from her fans, according to footage from concertgoers. Read more
Ukraine war: Girl, 2, killed and many injured in Dnipro after Russian strike (BBC)
A two-year-old girl has been killed and 22 injured after an alleged Russian air strike in a residential area of Ukraine’s central city Dnipro.
Her body was pulled from the rubble of a house in the Pidhorodnenska community overnight, the region’s governor said.
Serhiy Lysak said five of those injured were children, with three boys in a serious condition in hospital. Read more
US releases video of encounter with Chinese warship near Taiwan (VOA)
The U.S. military Monday released a video of what it described as an “unsafe” Chinese maneuver in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend in which one of Beijing’s navy ships cut sharply across the path of an American destroyer, forcing the U.S. vessel to slow to avoid a collision.
During the Saturday incident, the U.S. military said a Chinese guided-missile destroyer overtook the USS Chung-Hoon on its port side, then veered to the right across its bow at a distance of about 137 meters (150 yards), according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The American destroyer held its course, the video showed, but the military said its speed was reduced to 10 knots “to avoid a collision.”
The close encounter occurred as the American vessel and the Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal were conducting a so-called “freedom of navigation” transit of the strait between Taiwan and mainland China, which China claims as part of its economic zone, while the U.S. and its Western allies say it is governed by the freedom of international passage. Read more
Dillian Whyte offered Anthony Joshua rematch – Eddie Hearn (BBC)
Promoter Eddie Hearn says he has made an offer to Dillian Whyte for a rematch with Anthony Joshua this summer.
On Saturday Joshua, who beat Whyte in 2015, posted on social media to say he was unaware of any talks of a rematch.
But Hearn said both men want the fight, and Joshua is also closing in on a deal to face Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia in December.
“Our plan, which we’ve stressed, is for AJ to box on 12 August and in December again against Deontay,” Hearn said. Read more
Gombe FA hails Doma United, Gombe United, other clubs (DailyTrust)
The Chairman Gombe State Football Association, Mr. Filibus Yakubu Sarma, has congratulated all Gombe State football teams that are representing the state in various domestic leagues.
In a statement, the Chairman said he was proud of the progress made by the clubs especially the two Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs, Gombe United and Doma United in the 2023 abridged season.
He said “I congratulate the Gombe state football family for what we have achieved together so far, especially this year. I am proud of what Gombe United and Doma United have done in the NPFL. Read more
Fans who racially insulted Vinícius set to be fined, banned from games
(ESPN)
Spain’s anti-violence commission on Monday proposed fines of €60,001 ($64,290) and two-year bans from stadiums for each of the four men accused of hanging an effigy of Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior by the neck off a bridge in Madrid in January.
The commission also proposed fines of €5,000 and one-year bans from stadiums for each of the three Valencia fans accused of racially insulting Vinícius during a Spanish league match on May 21.
The punishment was expected to be imposed by local authorities. Read more
Leicester release 7 players including Youri Tielemans as summer rebuild begins (Mirror)
Leicester are attempting to tie down skipper Jonny Evans despite releasing seven stars following their relegation from the Premier League.
The Foxes officially let go out of contract stars Youri Tielemans, Daniel Amartey, Ayoze Perez, Caglar Soyuncu, Papy Mendy, Ryan Bertrand and loanee Tete.
The 2015/16 champions are preparing for a major rebuild after dropping into the second tier on the final day of the Premier League. Read more
Canberra man pleads not guilty to pointing gun at Nick Kyrgios’s mother and stealing tennis star’s Tesla (ABC)
A man has pleaded not guilty to threatening the mother of tennis star Nick Kyrgios with a gun and stealing the athlete’s luxury car.
The Canberra man aged in his 30s allegedly pointed a long-barrelled gun at Norlaila Kyrgios on the morning of May 1 this year, and demanded she hand over the keys to the athlete’s green Tesla.
Police say officers then pursued the man through Canberra’s northern suburbs, before he was later stopped and arrested. Read more
Mohammed queries Flying Eagles’ failure against South Korea (DailyTrust)
The Chairman of the FCT Football Association, Alhaji Adam Mouktar Mohammed, has queried the performance of the Flying Eagles in the 0-1 quarter-final loss to South Korea at the ongoing 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
The national U-20 team of Nigeria was gunning for a first semi-final berth since 2005 which was the last time the Flying Eagles went all the way to the finals before losing 0-2 to Lionel Messi inspired Argentina.
However, even as they dominated proceedings from the start to the end of the match, the Ladan Bosso tutored side couldn’t take their chances and were punished by the Koreans when Sun Choi scored in the fifth minute of extra-time to send the seven-time African champions crashing. Read more
