Global Naija Info

Bayern players celebrate one of their goals Joshua Kimmich hit the target twice and Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Juan Bernat completed the scoring as the coach made a strong start to the group stage Carlo Ancelotti’s first Champions League campaign as Bayern Munich boss got off to the ideal start as his side ran out comfortable 5-0 winners against Rostov. Bayern, who will also face Atletico Madrid and PSV Eindhoven in Group D, controlled proceedings throughout in Munich, though relied on a somewhat controversial penalty call from referee Anthony Taylor midway through the first-half in order to take the lead – Robert Lewandowski drilling home. And, after birthday boy Thomas Muller had doubled Bayern’s tally in first-half stoppage time, the hosts ran riot after the interval, Joshua Kimmich netting twice in the space of seven minutes to end the match as a contest before substitute Juan Bernat added a fifth in the last minute. The victory gives Bayern a 13th consecutive Cham...

Alexis Sanchez Alexis Sanchez salvaged a point for Arsenal from their limp Champions League opener at Paris St-Germain. Edinson Cavani glanced PSG ahead after 42 seconds and should have had a hat-trick before half-time, firing wide after rounding David Ospina before slipping to fluff a simple finish. Sanchez rifled in Arsenal’s first shot on target with 13 minutes left. Alex Iwobi might have had a late Arsenal winner before Olivier Giroud and PSG’s Marco Verratti were sent off. Substitute Giroud was brought on to enliven a tame attacking display and picked up two yellow cards in his 27 minutes, the second for an altercation in which Italian midfielder Verratti also picked up a second yellow. The Gunners were often exposed by the pace of Cavani, Angel di Maria and Serge Aurier and relied on their Colombian goalkeeper Ospina – preferred to Petr Cech – to keep them in it. Iwobi’s low shot was tipped away by Alphonse Areola after Sanchez’s equaliser, while PSG would have had a 94th...

Suarez, Messi and Neymar Lionel Messi scored his sixth Champions League hat-trick as rampant Barcelona inflicted on Celtic their heaviest ever European defeat. The Argentine forward cracked in an early first goal in the Group C match. Celtic’s Moussa Dembele had a penalty saved before Messi poked in his second. In the second half, Neymar’s free-kick sailed into the net, Andres Iniesta volleyed a fourth, Messi slid home the fifth and Suarez scored with a volley and then a side-footed finish. In their two full seasons together at the Nou Camp, Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have scored a combined 253 goals and have assisted 120 more. Those numbers are rising quickly in the early weeks of this season – 266 goals and 128 assists – and in this latest masterclass, Messi got a hat-trick of goals and Neymar a goal and five assists. They are – more often than not – unplayable. All of the weaknesses in Celtic’s make-up – and there were so many – were ruthlessly exposed. Messi scored afte...

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Daura called on Nigerian youths to make Nigeria great again through pursuit of knowledge, patriotism and commitment to values that promote national unity. Receiving over 100 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in Daura local government area, in his residence, President Buhari pledged his unalloyed commitment to the unity and prosperity of Nigeria. He urged them to remain focused in life, pursue their dreams and reject those fanning embers of discord and disintegration of Nigeria. The President, who specially recognised corps members from the Niger Delta and South-Eastern states serving in Daura, praised the vision of former President Yakubu Gowon in setting up the scheme in 1973. The President said the scheme has creditably promoted national unity and cohesion by exposing young people to the uniqueness and cultural diversity of Nigeria. “I asked for those from the other extreme of Nigeria because I very much apprecia...

Simone Biles The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has condemned Russian hackers for leaking confidential medical files of US Olympic athletes. Athletes affected include tennis players Venus and Serena Williams and teenage gymnast Simone Biles. A group calling itself “Fancy Bears” claimed responsibility for the hack of a Wada database. After the leak, Ms Biles said she had long been taking medicine for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The hacker group had accused her of taking an “illicit psycho-stimulant”, but she said she had “always followed the rules”. The Rio Olympics quadruple gold medallist had obtained the necessary permission to take prescription medicine on the Wada banned drugs list, USA Gymnastics said in a statement. Wada said in a statement that the cyber attacks were an attempt to undermine the global anti-doping system. Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was “out of the question” that the Kremlin or secret services were involved in the ha...

Kenneth Gbagi Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has berated Nigeria commercial banks for their roles in the nation’s financial and economic woes. He accused most of the commercial banks of financial activities endangering Nigeria’s economy through shady and malicious disbursement of foreign exchange to cronies, associates and foreigners. The former minister who was a guest on BEN TV’s current Affairs programme, ‘Dialogue in Diaspora,’ said that the fight against corruption by the current Buhari administration in Nigeria would be unable to solve Nigeria’s perennial foreign exchange scarcity until commercial banks and their operators were made to account for the disbursement of all dollar allocations from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Gbagi, who dismissed the claim that Nigeria currently did not have enough foreign exchange, claimed that Nigeria had enough dollars to meet the demands of genuine end use...

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare In bid to ensure zero tolerance for waste in all parts of the state, especially after the Sallah festival, officials of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have intensified waste evacuation operations at notable ‘black spots’ across the metropolis. According to the Authority, about 40 tonnes of waste had already been evacuated from earmarked black spots at Abule Egba and Oshodi railway lines on Abeokuta express roads, while evacuation work is ongoing around Ajah axis. It would recalled that the Executive Chairman of LAWMA, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejokun recent stated that the Authority would leave nothing to chance in its efforts to clear waste from all black spots across the state. Adejokun charged residents in Lagos to shun the act of indiscriminate dumping of refuse in open canals and other unauthorised places, which he said worsen the problem of flood and other negative environmental consequences.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, says his opponents in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have already admitted that Edo is working, and that they are bound for defeat in the September 28 governorship election. He said there was no need to return to the dark past when nothing worked in the state. Speaking during an inspection of work on the on-going New Era Model School in Benin City, Oshiomhole said the college was by far the most beautiful public secondary school anywhere in the South-South region of the country. He said: “I’m glad that even our opponents have to concede that Edo is working and the task of taking Edo to the next level is on and it will be sustained, which is why we have no apology when we say to our opponent the choice in the election that is coming is between consolidating projects such as this and building more of these projects in different parts of the state or returning to the dark era where everybody was ...

The burnt building Kazeem Ugbodaga An 80-year old man was on Tuesday burnt to death as fire razed a one story building at Surulere area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. It was gathered that the octogenarian, Godwin Oyia was in the house when the fire razed the building at No 5 Aborishade Close, Lawanson, Surulere. General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Michael Akindele said the agency received a distress call on Tuesday morning which prompted the immediate activation of the agency’s Emergency Response Team, ERT to the scene of the incident. He said investigation carried out by the ERT at the scene of the incident revealed that a boiling ring was being used in the last room on the top floor, which led to the outbreak of fire that engulfed the whole building. The remains of the octogenarian being gathered “Unfortunately, a man aged 80 years old identified as Godwin Oyia lost his life to the inferno as he was burnt dead in the room where the fire started f...

The new baby A Nigerian woman has given birth to a boy on board a rescue ship in the Mediterranean after being plucked from an overcrowded rubber dinghy. Medical charity MSF said because the baby was born in international waters, his nationality was still under debate. A midwife on board the ship MV Aquarius described the birth as “normal… in dangerously abnormal conditions”. Thousands of refugees and migrants risk the dangerous crossing from Libya to Europe in search of a better life. Last year, more than 3,700 people are believed to have died attempting the journey. The baby boy MSF said that the baby’s parents, Otas and Faith Ogunbor, had named him Newman Otas. They had been making the perilous crossing with their two other children, aged seven and five, and were rescued just 24 hours before the baby was born. MSF communications officer Alva White reported the baby’s birth in a series of tweets on Monday from the Aquarius – a search and rescue vessel run by the group SOS ...

Edward Snowden Edward Snowden argued in a new interview that his massive leak of NSA surveillance activities was “not only morally right” but also “left citizens better off,” as he called on President Obama to grant him a pardon before he leaves office in January. Speaking to The Guardian via a video link from Moscow where he is in exile, the former NSA contractor said that when assessing the consequences of his disclosures, it should be clear that people had benefitted. “Yes, there are laws on the books that say one thing, but that is perhaps why the pardon power exists—for the exceptions, for the things that may seem unlawful in letters on a page but when we look at them morally, when we look at them ethically, when we look at the results, it seems these were necessary things, these were vital things,” he said. Snowden has been charged in the U.S. with violations of the Espionage Act for revealing classified information, though Obama, former Attorney General Eric Holder and othe...

Arik plane Passengers of Arik Airline are stranded across different airports in the country as a result of suspension of operations by the company. An official at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport confirmed this to journalists saying none of the company’s flight had taken off as at 4:15pm on Tuesday. “Passengers are stranded at the airport now. The situation is even better because today is a public holiday,” he said. “We don’t know what will happen by tomorrow.” The development comes barely a week after Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide, chairman of Arik Air, said surviving airlines were only doing national service. Arumemi-Ikhide said the policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) do not favour local airlines. Aero Contractors and FirstNation suspended operations two weeks ago. Leadership Newspaper

Senator Bukola Saraki The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki on Tuesday, assured Nigerians that the present economy recession rocking the country will soon be tackled through legislative support. Saraki, gave the assurance in Ilorin during an interaction with Journalists, while also affirming that Nigerians were really suffering. According to him, the major preoccupation of the Senate upon resumption in September 20, will be on finding solutions to the economic recession. “We are going to have an exhaustive and comprehensive debate on fixing the country’s economy when we resume next week. “Already, all the economic priority bills are being analysed and collated so that we can hit the ground running when we resume. We understand the pains that Nigerians are going through and we do not take this for granted. “Additionally, the Senate intends to invite everybody involved in the management of the economy to address the Nigerian people through the parliament on the steps that are be...

Shoppers at a mall The Agodi garden and Shoprite, Ibadan, witnessed large turnout of fun seekers on Monday and Tuesday who trooped out to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir in spite of the economy recession. Both old and young, including suckling babies, were seen at the centres eating, drinking, and having fun. In spite of the N500 gate fee at the Agodi garden and N300 paid by children to access the playground at Shoprite, many parents still brought a number of children to celebrate. A father, Mohammed Sani, said that his family tried to celebrate in their own little way in spite of the economy situation. “Witnessing another Sallah alone is worth celebrating and thanking God, even though we may not slaughter ram now, but we will sometime; we know that God’s time is the best. “We believe the government is aware of the economic situation and trust God that something will be done soon,” Sani said. Similarly, a mother, Mrs Olabisi Ali, said it was not easy for them to celebrate in such a time...

Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Dr. Joseph Odumodu Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) declared on Tuesday that it would sustain the ongoing war against fake and substandard products in the country until the nation is rid of the menace. The Head of the Ekiti state office of the agency, Mrs Sarah Idowu, made the assertion in Ado Ekiti at a prayer session. She decried the rising cases of fake and substandard products across the country, despite relentless war against same by the agency and others law enforcement agencies. According to her, it is unfortunate that some people could deliberately choose to be specialists in the manufacturing and distribution of killer goods to fellow humans in the name of “get-rich quick syndrome.’ She said that the SON in Ekiti had mapped-out fresh strategies capable of unveiling the identities as well as hideouts of all those involved in the nefarious activities and circulating items classified a...

NCC Logo Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has discovered 41 fake and unlicenced service providers operating in the country’s telecommunications landscape. The regulatory body made this known in its ”2016 Q1 Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Reports”, in Lagos. It said there was compliance monitoring regarding the engagement of unlicenced service provider, providing internet/data access in Nigeria. The report stated that following the commissions’ surveillance and intelligence gathering exercise, it was discovered that some financial institutions engaged the illegal providers for their internet and data services. According to the report, in line with the commission’s compliance processes, these banks were requested to provide the names and details of their service providers in this regard. ”Arising from this compliance check, the Commission has discovered that 41 companies engaged were operating without the requisite authorisation. ”To this end, the Commissio...

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa South Africa’s economy is not in “recession territory” and there is a more than 50 percent chance ratings agencies will not downgrade it to “junk” status this year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Tuesday. Reports say agency rate has identified a lower growth rate. Treasury also plans to stick to its deficit and debt targets set-out in a budget delivered in February, Gordhan told business leaders in Johannesburg. “We will retain and sustain our fiscal credibility notwithstanding lower growth, which will put pressure on the revenue and the expenditure side,” Gordhan said.

FILE PHOTO: World Trade Centre was rocked by terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 It is 15th calendar year that the twin towers were brought down in New York, USA by radicalized Islamists under the cloak of Islam following a mid-air hijack of two US-bound commercial jetliners that wreaked a large-scale destruction of the World Trade Centre and a part of The Pentagon in a most daring attack. That harrowing incident goes down in history as a savage attack on civilisation which resulted in a monumental loss of human lives. On the day in question four hijacked jetliners reportedly flew over the United States hitting targets below. I often sit back, hand on chin, cudgeling my brain to unravel the motive behind the attacks at the period under sad review, the more I try to find an answer the more I keep failing at every turn. The men who carried out September 11, 2001, attacks were doubtless a band of radicalized Islamists who loathed western values and cultures and in their campaign of...

Diezeani Allison Madueke Detectives have been deployed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in the ongoing probe of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. Of interest are five choice houses believed to be Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s. The Nation newspaper reports that it is all part of the last leg of the investigation of the ex-minister in collaboration with the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom. Amid the Port Harcourt operation, another asset of the ex-Minister in Abuja, allegedly worth over N500million, has been confiscated pending her trial. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier seized a mansion worth N3.58billion from the ex-minister, bringing the haul in Abuja to about N4.08billion of assets believed to be hers. The EFCC received intelligence report on the property allegedly acquired by Mrs. Alison-Madueke in Port Harcourt. The tracking of the assets is said to be part of the probe of about $10billion alleg...

By SKC Ogbonnia Donald Trump, official Republican Presidential nominee Let me start by disclosing that I have been a Republican throughout my donkey’s years in America . This affinity is shaped by my values as an African. For we are fundamentally religious, pro-life, support prayers in school and advocate school choice. More profoundly, we promote traditional marriage between a man and a woman. We also work very hard, strongly oppose higher taxes, and are very cold to radical feminism. These conservative principles are widely shared by most people of colour as well as the Republican Party. Therefore, even as the minorities have generally owed their allegiance to the Democratic Party in recent decades, there is always a high possibility for a dramatic shift. Such shift had seemed ripe in the 2016 presidential election that determines which party takes over from President Barack Obama. Vaulted to power on the mantra of hope and change, Obama has been painted as opaque by the minori...

Bomb blast in Iraq Bomb blast killed seven members of a Iraqi family who were fleeing a besieged town in Iraq’s Salahudin province on Tuesday, a provincial security source told Xinhua. The bomb, planted by the Islamic State (IS) militants, was detonated on a road taken by many civilians to flee the besieged town of Shirqat, some 280 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source said on condition of anonymity. The victims, a man, his sister, his wife and four sons, were killed early in the morning, when they fled their home in Shirqat to seek help from security forces, who have imposed siege on the town for several months, the source said. According to latest report by Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and the Displaced, more than 15,000 families fled Shirqat and nearby villages due to the power blackouts, acute food shortages, scarce drinking water and medicine. The liberation of the town, which is the last one still under the IS control in Salahudin province, is part of a majo...

David Cameron David Cameron Britain’s former prime minister resigned his seat in the House of Commons on Monday, less than three months after losing an EU referendum in which he had campaigned to stay in the bloc. Cameron stepped down as prime minister in June, hours after Britain’s dramatic vote to leave the European Union (EU), handing power to his successor Theresa May in July. “The circumstances of my resignation as prime minister and the realities of modern politics make it very difficult to continue (in parliament)… without the risk of becoming a diversion,” Cameron said in a statement. “I fully support Theresa May and have every confidence that Britain will thrive under her strong leadership,” the 49-year-old added. The former premier was pilloried after the shock referendum defeat. Critics accused him of recklessness in holding the vote in the first place and mismanaging the Remain campaign in the face of anti-EU populism. His decision to stage the referendum was seen in...