SABINEWS MORNING NEWS UPDATE NOVEMBER 8, 2018
Power outage at Lagos airport, disrupts operations
Flight operations were on Wednesday evening disrupted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos following a power outage. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the outage occurred at about 6.05pm and lasted for over an hour before it was restored. The situation placed the nation’s busiest airport in total darkness, leaving airline officials, passengers and other airport users frustrated as they could not proceed with the boarding processes.
I will not meet Putin, says Trump
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he had no plans to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Paris at the weekend, despite an earlier announcement from Moscow that the pair would talk there. The two leaders will be in France on November 11 for events to mark the centenary of the end of World War 1, which more than 60 heads of state and government are expected to attend. “I believe that President Putin will be there, we do not have anything scheduled,” Trump said at a White House news conference.
‘God don butter my bread,’ Prince Charles speaks Pidgin in Lagos
He’s better known for speaking the Queen’s English but the Prince of Wales on Wednesday turned to pidgin as he visited Nigeria’s commercial capital. “How you dey? (How are you?)” he asked assembled dignitaries, including former heads of state, presidential candidates, leading politicians, and stars from the world of fashion, music and the arts. Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son and heir, who turns 70 this month and winds up a tour of The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria on Thursday, said he was pleased to be back in “Lasgidi” (Lagos).
Buhari swears-in Chairman, members of CCB, 23 NPC Commissioners
The President also sworn-in 23 Commissioners of the National Population Commission at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting. President Buhari had, in exercise of his powers as provided in Section 154(1) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), forwarded the names of the chairman and members of the CCB to the Senate for confirmation and the inauguration followed their confirmation on the 17th of October this year.
Senate to Probe Corruption Allegations in NHIS, NPHCDA
The Senate Wednesday mandated its Joint Committees on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, and Health to wade into the emerging crisis of confidence and alleged corruption in the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA. It directed the committees to carry out thorough investigation into the matter and other infractions, and report back to the Senate within two weeks.
Carry us along in building of Eko Atlantic City, Estate surveyors tell Lagos govt
The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has asked the Lagos State government to carry them along in the building of the new city, Eko Atlantic City. The National president, NIESV, Mr. Rowland Abunta made this known during the third council meeting in Lagos, Saturday. Speaking to journalists, Mr, Rowland said: ‘While we appreciate the Lagos state government for their patronage, we must also recommend that in the building of the new city, Eko Atlantic City, Estate surveyors be carried along as the ultimate managers of the Eko Atlantic City, because what happens in our nation is that we do not plan for after development management, and for the volume of investment being made in the Eko Atlantic City, we recommend the state government to partner with our professional body, to get value for their investment in Eko Atlantic. ‘I am talking about
Ex-Assistant Commissioner of Police, others docked for allegedly stealing over N1bn from police purse
Former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Okpalugo Ifeoma, and three others accused of diverting N1,301,334,108 from the treasury of the Nigeria Police Force, have been docked. They, however, denied the allegations against them. At their arraignments yesterday before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Lagos Special Offences Court, the six defendants: Okpalugo Ifeoma, Olumide Odumosu and his company Olu Osmond Nigeria Limited, Sule Yusuf Tegina and his Jemmy Yus Investment Nigeria Limited, and Helen Nwafor, took their plea and they all pleaded not guilty.
115 students get scholarship to Russian, Algeria
No fewer than 115 Nigerian Students have benefited from the 2017/2018 Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Programme to Russia and Algeria. Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, during an Orientation Programme held for the scholars in Abuja on Wednesday, said 94 scholars will be going to Russia while 21 of them would be going to Algeria. Adamu represented by Dr Lami Amodu, Director, Basic and Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, urged the scholars to be of good character and abide by the laws of the countries they were going.
Nigeria fear the worst as Ighalo suffers hamstring injury against Tianjin Quanjian
The striker was taken off on Wednesday, meaning he is likely to miss the trip to FNB Stadium on November 17 and the friendly three days later. Nigeria face an anxious wait to discover the extent of Odion Ighalo’s hamstring injury after the forward was stretchered off in Wednesday’s Chinese Super League clash. With only 17 minutes played in Changchun Yatai’s clash with Tianjin Quanjian, the 29-year-old was taken off the pitch after a knock. Ighalo left Changchun Stadium in pains, amid fears he faces a lengthy lay-off. That would be a dagger blow to the Super Eagles’ quest to defeat South Africa in November 17’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Oshoala, Oparanozie headlines list of Super Falcons for AWCON 2018
Thomas Dennerby, Head Coach of the Super Falcons, has released a list of 21 players that will represent Nigeria at the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana. With the championship set to begin on Saturday, September 17, Dennerby dropped two players from the list o 23 players that he took to the camp in Abidjan. The Swede coach dropped Ogonna Chukwudi of Krstianstand DFF, Sweden and Ugochi Emenayo of Nasarawa Amazons. The Super Falcons are placed alongside South Africa, Zambia and Kenya in Group B of the competition. The eight-time AWCON champions will look to the star power of three-time Africa Women’s player of the year, Asisat Oshoala. Weeks after winning her second Chinese Women’s Super League with Dalian Quanjian, Oshoala will look to combine with Desire Oparanozie of En Avant Guingamp to power the Falcons to a ninth title on the continent.
Jose Mourinho clashes with Juventus players after taunting fans
Jose Mourinho riled Juventus’ players and fans with his celebrations after Manchester United’s win over Juventus. United fought back from a goal down to strike twice late on to secure another famous Champions League victory in Turin. Cristiano Ronaldo had volleyed Juve ahead before Juan Mata equalised with a free-kick. Alex Sandro then turned Ashley Young’s free-kick into his own net to spark jubilant scenes in the away end and on the touchline.
Craig Goodwin named in FIFA 19 Ultimate Team of the Week
The flying winger is the first Australian-based player to be picked in this version of the popular video game. On fire Adelaide United star Craig Goodwin has been selected in FIFA 19’s Ultimate Team of the Week after his extraordinary form in the A-League and the FFA Cup. The 26-year-attacker has taken the Australian domestic football scene by storm recently, scoring twice in the Reds’ FFA Cup final victory over Sydney FC last week, while also nabbing two goals and an assist in the 3-0 league win over Central Coast on the weekend.
Arsenal U21s progress as Rochdale secure top spot
Arsenal Under-21s qualified for the last 32 of the Checkatrade Trophy after they won 3-1 at Forest Green Rovers. A quick-fire brace from Joe Willock put the Gunners 2-0 up at the break and, after Dayle Grubb pulled a goal back, Tyreece John-Jules sealed victory. Elsewhere, Leicester City U21s gave themselves a slim chance of qualification as they fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Rochdale. The Foxes took an extra point by winning the shoot-out 4-3. Calvin Andrew and Jimmy McNulty had put the League One hosts in control after 17 minutes but Alex Pascanu reduced the arrears on 28 minutes.
Angela Merkel’s Jewish legacy
Israeli author Eldad Beck regards Angela Merkel’s engagement with Israel and Judaism as “spectacular.” Germany’s chancellor has “developed a very personal connection to the State of Israel and the Jewish people, [becoming] one of the rare German politicians who – when speaking about lessons learned from the past – really knows what she is talking about, and really means it,” said Beck, whose book, “Chancellor Merkel, Israel and the Jews,” was published in Hebrew last year by Yedioth Books. “Not like so many other German politicians who repeat slogans they have learned to say.” Yet it can be argued that Merkel the politician may have become a victim of her own humanitarian convictions – opening doors to more than a million people and showing the world a kinder, gentler Germany.
Yemen President Appoints New Minister of Defence, Chief of Staff
Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi appointed Mohammed al-Maqdishi as minister of defence, state news agency SABA reported on Wednesday. Hadi appointed Abdullah Al-Nakhi as new Chief of Staff, the agency said. Saudi Arabia is leading a Western-backed alliance of Sunni Muslim Arab states to try to restore Hadi’s internationally recognised government, ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Iran-aligned Houthis in 2015. The United Nations has no up-to-date estimate of the death toll in Yemen. It said in August 2016 that according to medical centres at least 10,000 people had been killed. The humanitarian situation has worsened sharply since 2015, putting millions on the brink of starvation and ravaging the already weak economy.
McConnell expresses little appetite for tackling immigration
Despite President Donald Trump’s alarm that a caravan of migrants heading to the US border from Central America was causing a “crisis” in the run-up to the midterm elections, Republican leadership in the Senate expressed little desire Wednesday to tackle the immigration issue. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who appears on track to oversee an even greater Republican majority in the next Congress, responded, “oh my goodness” when a reporter asked about the possibility Republicans would pursue a legislative solution for participants of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — more colloquially referred to as “DACA” — and other undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as minors whose futures are in limbo. Their work permits and deferrals from deportation are uncertain as their fate is being held up in the courts.
Obama urges reconciliation, praises Democrats for midterm victories
Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday expressed his desire for the nation to reconcile following the midterm elections while praising Democrats for “competing in places we haven’t been competitive in a long time.” “I’m hopeful that going forward, we’ll begin a return to the values we expect in our public life — honesty, decency, compromise, and standing up for one another as Americans, not separated by our differences, but bound together by one common creed,” Obama wrote in a statement.
Facebook denies request for Zuckerberg to appear before Canadian, British lawmakers
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg declined an invitation to testify before British and Canadian lawmakers about the social media giant’s data privacy. Facebook’s head of U.K. public policy Rebecca Stimson and head of Canada public policy Kevin Chan, responded to the request by British Member of Parliament Damian Collins and Canadian Member of Parliament Bob Zimmer in a letter released Wednesday, informing the lawmakers it isn’t possible for Zuckerberg “to be available to all Parliaments.”
