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EU: Brexit trade talks still face ‘too many difficulties’
With a deadline looming ever more menacingly, the European Union’s chief negotiator on the post-Brexit trade deal with Britain on Wednesday publicly blamed London for a lack of progress in the two sides’ belated attempt to reach an even rudimentary agreement. “At this stage, there are still too many difficulties remaining on important topics,” Michel Barnier said on his way to brief the envoys of the 27 member states. In a Twitter comment later, Barnier said, “Despite EU efforts to find solutions, very serious divergences remain.” Britain’s chief negotiator, David Frost, said he agreed that “wide divergences remain on some key issues.” “We continue to work to find solutions that fully respect U.K. sovereignty,” Frost tweeted. Barnier’s comments threw a dampener on optimistic reports that p...
Rivers university suspends two students over Facebook posts
The management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAEU), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, has suspended two students for one academic session for allegedly posting inciting posts on their social media handles. The suspended students are Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo of the Department of Political Science and Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management. The institution accused Okpokpo of creating panic and confusion with a post on his social media page calling for the cancellation of the final year examination scheduled to commence on Monday, November 2, 2020 as well as the Matriculation Ceremony scheduled to hold on Saturday, November 7, 2020. It accused Remmy of calling out students in a comment he made on Okpokpo’s post. Remmy had allegedly asked the students to come out for...
Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro hopes Donald Trump wins
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Wednesday he hoped Donald Trump would come out ahead in the down-to-the-wire US election, lashing out at Democratic contender Joe Biden’s comments on protecting the Amazon rainforest. The far-right leader, who has been dubbed a “Tropical Trump,” has cultivated a close relationship with the Republican president, and has not been shy about endorsing his bid for reelection. “You know where I stand, I’ve been clear. I have a good relationship with Trump. I hope he’ll be reelected,” Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace in Brasilia. He denied backing Trump amounted to “interference” in US affairs, saying, “Who are we to interfere anyway?” “How do you want me to interfere? Economically? Militarily? A cyber attack?” he joked. Turning to ...
British parliament approves second national lockdown
The British Parliament has approved a four-week coronavirus lockdown plan to begin Thursday morning. Lawmakers approved the plan Wednesday, 516-38. Beginning 1 a.m. Thursday, all nonessential businesses including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, golf courses, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment and sporting venues will close until at least December 2. The vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s lockdown plan was never really in doubt after the opposition Labor Party said it would support the move, even though it criticized Johnson for acting too slowly. Some in Johnson’s own party, however, voted against the plan, saying a national lockdown was too severe. The plan is an effort prevent COVID-19 from escalating out of control and overwhelming Britain’s National Health Service. It represents ...
Governor Masari: Katsina won’t negotiate with bandits
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State on Wednesday reiterated his charge on the security agencies to be ruthless with bandits terrorizing the state as well as neighbouring Kaduna and Zamfara States. He made the declaration when heads of security agencies in Katsina brought two repentant bandit commanders from Illela village in Safana Local Government Area. The repentant bandit commanders also returned 10 AK 47 rifles. The two bandit leaders, Sale Turwa and Muhammed Sani Maidaji who returned 8 AK 47 and 2 AK 47 respectively, were presented before the Governor by the State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Sanusi Buba, and his colleagues from the 17 Brigade, Katsina, the Department of State Security and Civil Defence. The Commissioner of Police informed the Governor that it was the view and co...
AFCONQ: No fans for Super Eagles, Sierra Leone clash – ministry
The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 have advised the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Football Federation against allowing fans into the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, during the 2021 AFCON qualifier between the Super Eagles and Sierra Leone on November 13. This is coming after the Edo State Government announced that the gates would be thrown open for fans to watch the game at the refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. The ministry said admitting fans into the match venue would amount to a breach of the COVID-19 protocols. In a letter addressed to the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, the ministry stated that the game “will not have any audience and no gathering”. The letter read in part, “The ministry wishes to brin...
Kebbi begins free registration for youth investment fund
Kebbi State Government has commenced the free registration exercise of Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) for youths across the 21 local government areas of the state. The state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Gidado Kaliel, who inaugurated the exercise on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi, urged the youths to come out enmass to utilize the opportunity for their progress. He said,”I want to urge the youths in the state to make use of this opportunity and take the advantage of this scheme. “It is for your benefit. I also want to urge those of you who are not youths but you have youths in your houses to please, tell them to come out for this registration. “There is no cost for it, it is free. They can access money from N250,000 to N3 million. This is one of the initiatives o...
#EndSARS: Enugu governor begs police officers to return to duty posts
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, passionately appealed to men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to fully renew their ultimate commitment towards the provision of security of lives and property by returning to their duty posts across the state. Mr Ugwuanyi made the appeal when he visited the Senior Police Officers Mess, Agbani Road, Enugu, to address and commiserate with the members of the Enugu State Police Command, over loss of lives of private citizens and security personnel, grievous bodily injuries as well as destruction of private and public properties including security infrastructure. The governor who described the mayhem unleashed by miscreants and hoodlums that hijacked the hitherto peaceful #EndSARS protests as “an unusual and challenging perio...
#EndSARS: ICC begins probe into shooting of protesters
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has disclosed that it’s conducting a preliminary investigation into the recent #EndSARS protests in Nigeria, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Wednesday. In a statement, the office of the ICC prosecutor had earlier said it had received information on alleged crimes. The examination will “assess whether the legal criteria for opening an investigation under the Rome Statute are met.” For weeks crowds of peaceful protesters gathered in streets in major towns of the country to demonstrate against police brutality, leading to a crackdown. Rights group Amnesty International said security forces opened fire on protesters, killing and injuring a number of people. Both the police and the army have rejected Amnesty’s allegation. The ICC sai...
Governor Wike: Security operatives have arrested two IPOB kingpins over Oyigbo killings
Two alleged kingpins of proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) have been arrested by security operatives in connection with recent violence that left four policemen and six soldiers killed in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State. Governor Nyesom Wike disclosed this Tuesday when Rotary District 9141 Governor, Mrs Virginia Major led a delegation of Rotarians on a visit to Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt. The Governor told the Rotatians, “If we did not take the steps we took by imposing curfew in Oyigbo, it would have been the Hausa and Igbo that will have been fighting and nobody knows what level it would have taken today. “I will not support criminality. I won’t because the soldiers don’t like me, then you go and kill them. And then, I will come out and clap, tha...
US election: Republicans hold back Democrats, narrowing path to Senate control
The battle for power in the Senate tightened into Wednesday as Democrats picked up a seat in Colorado, but suffered a setback in Alabama, and Republicans held their own in high-profile races in South Carolina, Iowa, Texas and Kansas, dramatically narrowing the political map. Republicans fought to retain their Senate majority by turning back a surge of Democrats challenging allies of President Donald Trump, and the Democrats’ various paths to seizing control were growing more limited. With several contests still too early to call, and one Georgia race heading to a January runoff, the final verdict is expected to drag on. Democrats gained a seat when ex-Gov. John Hickenlooper ousted GOP Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado, a must-win to flip the Senate, but couldn’t hold on in Alabama, where forme...
Ola Aina thrilled to score first Premier League goal
Ola Aina says he feels special after scoring his maiden Premier League goal in Fulham’s 2-0 home win against West Bromwich Albion on Monday. Aina scored Fulham’s second goal of the game, thunderous left-footed strike into the top corner, to help the hosts on their way to a comfortable win over the Baggies. “It is always special getting your first Premier League goal,” he said. “It has been a long time since I made my League debut,” Aina told Standard Sport. “I am just glad that the goal came and I was able to help the team with it. “It is a dream to play in the Premier League and score, and get games in the Premier League. When I left Chelsea, it was kick-starting a career for myself. “I always wanted to come back and play in the Premier League. I am just happy that I am making it a realit...
