Europe’s main stock markets diverged at the start of trading Tuesday, with London down and eurozone indices higher. The FTSE 100 index dropped 0.2 per cent to 8,279.32 points, while the Paris CAC 40 rose 0.3 per cent to 7,466.46 as data showed the French economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter. Frankfurt’s DAX index won 0.3 per cent to 18,374.89 points.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has appealed to traditional rulers, leaders of religious organisations, and other community leaders to advise their people against resorting to violence, even as youths across the country plan to start the #EndBadGovernance protest on August 1, 2024. The governor also expressed concerns that the planned national protest may escalate into violence, potentially harming vulnerable and weak individuals in the country. Otti acknowledged that Nigerians have the right to protest against poor conditions but expressed concern that any good intentions of the original organisers of the national protest may be undermined if opportunists and hoodlums hijack the protest to incite disorder. “Abia State civil servants have received the April tranche of the Wage Award, as promised by our administration, among other commitments. Therefore, I plead with Abia people to shun violence.”

The International Police Organisation (Interpol) has revealed that hundreds of thousands of dollars are being laundered out of Nigeria every hour. Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Kazuyoshi Matsunaga, lauded the workshop as a significant joint initiative between Japan and Nigeria to combat financial crimes. He underscored the necessity of international cooperation in tackling border-transcending financial crimes. Isaac Oginni, Director of Interpol Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), emphasized the need to deny fraudsters the financial gains of their crimes. It included participants from the Police, EFCC, NFIU, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Nigeria Customs Service.

Peaceful demonstrations to convey felt needs are rights enshrined in our nation’s constitution, which also highlights ways and means by which such rights and dissents are disposed. But are protests and demonstrations necessary at the time our national ecosystem is recovering from a grievous pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the great depression? They only seek to use our people to fund their plot having failed in previous successive attempt to destabilise the federal government. They foist back on society the very issues the present protest hope to achieve. This should provide a renewed source of hope for us as we look forward to a greater, bigger, and better Nigeria.

Nigeria Police Force, High Command has clarified that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr Kayode Egbetokun, has not declared any curfew over the planned nationwide protest in the country. “We urge all media outlets and the general public to disregard this misinformation and rely on official statements from the Nigeria Police Force or other authorized government agencies. “The NPF hereby categorically states that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has not declared any curfew. Additionally, it is pertinent to state that such information would have been communicated via the official Nigeria Police Force platforms were it true. “The false publication suggesting otherwise is a product of the author’s imagination and does not represent the position of the Nigeria Police.

Landslides in India triggered by pounding monsoon rains have killed at least 45 people with at least 250 others rescued from a landscape transformed by mud and debris, officials said Tuesday. The southern coastal state of Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours, with blocked roads into the disaster area at Wayanad district complicating relief efforts. Kerala state excise minister M.B. Rajesh said more than 250 people in total had been rescued so far, The Hindu newspaper reported. More rainfall and strong winds were forecast in Kerala on Tuesday, the state’s disaster management agency said.

The Federal Government has urged Nigerian youths to opt for dialogue rather than protests, emphasizing that protests could lead to negative consequences. Idris explained that the FEC’s stance is that many of the issues raised by protesters are already being addressed by the federal government. He acknowledged that while peaceful protests are a democratic right, there is concern that such demonstrations might be co-opted by malicious actors and potentially turn violent. The government’s main concern is that protests could be hijacked and escalate into violence,” Idris warned. Meanwhile, Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the approval of three key memos focused on combating crime and corruption.

A mother has become the first person to be jailed under Australia’s forced marriage laws, for ordering her daughter to wed a man who would later murder the 21-year-old. Six weeks after the nuptials, Halimi killed his new bride – a crime for which he is now serving a life sentence. Forced marriage laws were introduced in Australia in 2013 and carry a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment. There are several cases pending, but Jan is the first person to be sentenced for the offence. In a statement on Monday, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus described forced marriage as “the most reported slavery-like offence” in Australia, with 90 cases brought to the attention of federal police in 2022-23 alone.

Nigerian telecommunication companies have provided clear guidelines to help subscribers unblock their SIM cards, following recent disconnections due to the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) -SIM harmonisation exercise. This initiative, aimed at enhancing the integrity of the national SIM registration database, has left many users facing temporary service disruptions. Glo: Dial 109 followed by your NIN number (e.g., *109*12345678901#) and follow the prompts to submit your NIN. Spectranet: Call 8002345678 or email [email protected] to submit your NIN. KYC verification at a Spectranet store is required.

Nigerian telecommunication companies have provided clear guidelines to help subscribers unblock their SIM cards, following recent disconnections due to the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) -SIM harmonisation exercise. To assist affected customers, telecom companies outlined in a statement on Monday step-by-step to restore connectivity. Glo: Dial 109 followed by your NIN number (e.g., *109*12345678901#) and follow the prompts to submit your NIN. Spectranet: Call 8002345678 or email [email protected] to submit your NIN. KYC verification at a Spectranet store is required.

French energy giant TotalEnergies said on Monday it was withdrawing from two offshore gas fields in South Africa as they did not appear economically viable. A subsidiary of TotalEnergies owns a 45 per cent stake in a block off the country’s southern coast where the fields, Brulpadda and Luiperd, were discovered. Qatar Petroleum, which holds a 25 per cent interest in the block, also announced its intention to withdraw from the project, said Africa Energy Corp, a Canadian oil and gas exploration company with a 10 per cent stake through a subsidiary. Another partner, CNR International which owns 20 per cent of the block, had announced its departure earlier in July. Africa Energy Corp said it did not intend to withdraw from the project and noted that under a joint agreement, companies that pull out of the block would give up their stakes for free to those that stay.

Since Roe was overturned in 2022, 14 states have enacted near-total abortion bans, while four states – Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Iowa – have banned abortion past roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Other states have enacted laws or held ballot referendums to protect abortion rights. Several states are also likely to hold ballot measures on abortion rights during the November elections, including key battleground states like Arizona and Nevada. The map below shows where state abortion laws stand as of 29 July 2024. Latest headlinesView states by status:Sources: Abortion laws come from Center for Reproductive Rights, AbortionFinder and state statutes.

Created in 2012, the Lone Ranger was not originally a viral star. But 12 years later, after some have deemed this French 75 riff the Drink of Summer, it’s been thrust into the spotlight. Jeffrey Morgenthaler, the cocktail’s creator, designed it as a brunch pairing—“tequila is underrated in morning, low-ABV cocktails,” he says—and is surprised, but thrilled, by its success. “I love sharing my recipes, because I just want people to be able to enjoy my drinks anywhere,” he says, “not just while seated at my bar.”

As the countdown to the proposed national protests gets nearer, a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Dr Kazeem Abidikugu, has described the proposed national protests against bad governance as one of the essential ingredients of democracy. This means they shouldn’t interfere with protests unless there is a legitimate threat to the safety and rights of others. “However, in many cases, intervention from state authorities is what causes otherwise peaceful protest to turn to violence. “I therefore urge the government and most especially the security agencies to please guarantee and maintain peaceful protest devoid of bloodshed and brutality. “in a democracy, you don’t force people to join protests and protesters should not inhibit the peaceful movement of Nigerians.

Esther OgunlowoI am writing to express my concern about the ongoing fuel shortage in Nigeria. Fuel shortage has become a major concern in Nigeria. First, it was removal of subsidy, now there is fuel shortage. The government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies has led to higher fuel prices making it difficult for many Nigerians to afford fuel. The citizens of Nigeria need fuel to survive!