By Dorcas Elusogbon

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has called for the replacement of the Big Brother Naija show with better show that will boost the strength of Nigerians youths.

Ooni Ogunwusi, made the call when he played host to scores of Nigerian youths from all parts of the country under the aegis of the National Youth Council of Nigeria in Ile-Ife, in his palace on, Wednesday.

Among other things, the Ooni criticised the prominent Big Brother Naija reality show, which he said had been misrepresenting the goodness and integrity of the Nigerian youths.

The monarch described the youths as the countrys untapped immeasurable wealth and resources.

The royal father, who stressed the need for participation of more youths in leadership, lamented that the youths have misplaced their priorities and must redress it as a matter of urgent public importance.

Nigerian youths are found of accusing and abusing our leaders, stop abusing them contribute your own quota. Lets wear our thinking caps and begin to act like the real future leaders that we are.

In the last general election, the total number of vote cast was around 27 million while over 170 million people voted during the 2019 Big Brother Naija reality show.

This is a practical reality of who Nigerian youths are and where our priorities lie as Nigerians.

The funny side in all of these is that we still go to bed, have a good sleep and wake up with the hope to meet a Nigeria we didnt create. Nigerians Youths! Nigerians Youths!! Nigerians Youths!!!

Unfortunately, every time I talk about this kind of attitude, everyone just laugh and move on. What kind of nation are we building?

When people say this country, or what kind of country is this, they are indirectly saying these people it is the people that make a country; so what kind of Nigerian youths are we? Ooni asked.

Speaking further, the monarch offered a suggestion for a reality show, which will project the countrys values, cultures and traditions.

He urged leaders of the National Youth Council of Nigeria to work out plans on the show, which will be called, The Big Nigeria Reality Show.

The proposed show will be structured in a way that young professionals, talented individuals and others across several field of endeavour will be showcased and helped to reach their peak.

This would help the participants and also help viewers to have access to people that can be seen as role models, Ooni added.

Earlier in his address, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, who was represented by Dr. Mariam Abdullahi, a Director in the Ministry, explained that the youths have major roles to play in the countrys development.

According to him, the digital literacy and skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, employability and leadership initiative of the Ministry are ongoing and all geared towards the development of our youths.

As government, we will keep ensuring that we equip our youths towards prosperity, the minister assured.

Representing Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun at the event, the states Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Yemi Lawal, explained that the youths have a lot to learn from the elders towards reaching their goals.

As much as we youths are important, let us be humble enough to learn from our elders because they were once like us. Humility, persistence and patience is the key and we must be upright in our dealings, he said.

In his address, the President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Mr. Sara-Igbe Sukubo, thanked the Ooni for what he described as an unthinkable warm reception for the youths.

Your Imperial Youthfulness as you told us to address you, we are indeed happy and proud to have you as a father and mentor.

We have heard your kind words of wisdom and I want to assure you on behalf of the teeming Nigerian youths that we will put them into action.

Fellow Nigerian youths, as we reflect on youth engagement for global action today, let us realize that a new era of opportunities and responsibilities is now upon us.

Todays youths are now being called upon to rise as practical stakeholders in governance and development. Let us rise to this challenge, Sukubo said.

Meanwhile, the youths at the occasion announced Ooni Ogunwusi as the Royal Father of Nigerian Youths, in recognition and appreciation of his immeasurable commitment towards youth development in the country.

Similarly, the founder of Elizabeth Jack-Rch Aid Foundation, who is equally the matron of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Mrs. Elizabeth Jack-Rich was given an award for her role and stance as a mentor to the Nigerian youths.

Mrs. Jack-Rich had earlier expressed the readiness of her foundation to sponsor the reality show proposed by the Ooni.

She admonished youths to ignore all forms of distraction and negative peer pressure on their way to success.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government says any speech, broadcast or publication that denigrates a person, a group of people on the basis of their sex, religion, political belief or origin is hate speech.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the explanation on Thursday when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum held at the agencys headquarters in Abuja.

Any broadcast or publication that tends to erode social cohesion that is an attack on our inclusion and common value is hate speech.

Those who go to television and denigrate one person or the other with a view to cause social disharmony have breached the hate speech code.

They know what they are doing and they must be made to pay for it, the minister said while justifying the increase of hate speech fine from N500,000 to N5 million in the amended National Broadcasting Code.

The minister said the fine was raised for national security and to serve as deterrent to those bent on destabilising the country through the use of fake news and hate speech.

No country is going to sit down and fold its arms and be destroyed by fake news or hate speech especially in Nigeria where we are divided along ethnicity, religion and culture.

In practice what we found was that when the fine for hate speech was just half a million, people were reckless because they could easily pay the half a million fine.

As a matter of fact, our findings shows that when people take advert to broadcast houses and the broadcast houses refused the advert on ground that if they air them they will be fined half a million Naira, the purveyor of hate speech will say, dont worry, we will pay you N1 million extra.

With the N5 million we want to see whether they will add another N10 million to their advert rate.

For us, it is very practical and for those who said it is primitive, we disagree with them because we want to safe Nigeria from purveyors of hate speech, he said..

Mohammed said that hate speech had a long history and government had been proactive in addressing the menace because of its potential threat to national security and cohesion.

He recalled in 2017, that the ministry devoted an entire National Council of Information meeting to discuss the effect of fake news and hate speech.

The minister said he equally launched national campaign against hate speech and fake news and embarked on advocacy visits to media houses across the country on its dangers.

Speaking on the effects of hate speech, Mohammed said it led to genocide in Rwanda where over 800,000 lives were lost as well as the killings in Bosnia and Cambodia.

What we are doing in terms of sanction is minor when compared to what have been done in other countries like Iceland, Norway, UK, Germany and South Africa where hate speech is criminalised.

Hate speech attracts either fines or jail term or both in many countries, including the UK and South Africa, he said.

The minister added that the social media has aggravated the menace of hate speech and fake news and the government will not relent in its resolve to control the medium without stifling freedom of speech.

Source: NAN News

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed,

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The fashion industry, hospitality and tourism contributed over N3.2 trillion to national economy, a report by the Federal Governments Post Covid-19 Initiative Committee on the Creative Industry has revealed.

The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Thursday, gave an insight into the report recently submitted to the government by the committee led by ace comedian, Ali Baba.

Mohammed, who was a guest on NAN Forum in Abuja, said that the recommendations by the committee, set up to advise government on how to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the creative industry, were revealing.

He disclosed that an implementation committee will be set up on Tuesday, to determine which of the recommendations will be sent to the Federal Executive Council for policy decisions and National Assembly for legislation.

Before now, we did not know that the fashion industry accounts for almost N2 trillion revenue that the hospitality and tourism industry accounts for about N1.2 trillion.

The publishing and printing industry accounts for almost N1 trillion and about N720 billion worth of books and paper enter the country annually.

The film industry accounts for about N140 billion, the music industry revenue is over N300 billion while the comedy industry accounts for about N17 billion, he said.

The minister said that besides the revenues generated, the report revealed how many people were employed by each sector.

You will be amazed that though the film industry account for only N140 billion, it employs almost half a million people.

The broadcast and advertising industry which I think accounts for another N500 billion also employs almost 500,000 people.

The beauty and hair care industry does not only account for about 30,000 practitioners, also about 15,000 pieces of hair care, beauty care are sold every month in Nigeria.

We are also able to find out through that report that under hospitality industry, about 20,000 events take place every month only in Lagos while in the year 2016, about 1.9 million events were held, he said.

The minister said the report detailed how the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted on the various industries and suggested what could be done to kick-start and sustain their growth.

Specifically, he said the distancing rules have affected the ability to go out to shoot, produce and distribute films while the lockdown affected musical concerts and invitation of musicians to social functions.

The same goes for the fashion industry because there is nothing to trigger demand for the hair and beauty care. Of course, when there are no parties and with the face masks the people are putting on, the demand for the products has gone down, he said.

The minister said the report equally x-rayed the gaps in some of the industries, such as the lack of enforcement especially in the area of protection of intellectual property.

He commended the committee members for a selfless and detailed work in mapping and giving value to the industries and assured that the report would not be swept under the carpet.

Source: NAN News

Department of State Security Service (DSS)

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government has appealed to the world powers not to be weighed by unsubstantiated arguments to deny the country vital platforms and weapons to fight insecurity.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made the appeal on Thursday when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

I want to use this opportunity to say that the international community can help us better than they are doing right now.

To fight terrorists we need platforms and weapons.

When the international community is weighed by unsubstantiated arguments to deny the country of vital platforms and weapons to fight insucurity, you cannot turn round to accuse the country of not fighting terrorism, he said.

The minister buttress the claim, saying cretain world powers have refused to even sell to us certain vital weapons.

For more than two to three years now, we have paid for certain vital weapons that they have not released to us and they even refused to give us spare parts.

I think our appeal to them is that they should please help Nigeria to provide us with these sensitive platforms so that we can fight insecurity more effectively.

The minister said for Nigerians to fairly assess the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buharis administration in the fight against insecurity, they should compare where the country was pre 2015 and today.

He said to better appreciate what the government is doing in the area of security, they should take a global survey to understand that unrest, terrorism and mindless violence cut accross the globe.

People should recognise the fact that today, people have weaponised the issues of religion and ethnicity.
We are dealing with extremely unreasonable people, whether in the northwest or in the northeast.

They should not forget that we are fighting non conventional war and at the same time, these people have contacts everywhere, he said.

Mohammed said besides kinetic deployment, the government is equally using non-kinetic approach to tackle insecurity like the economy and social intervention programmes meant to empower and engage the youths.

Source: NAN News

Digital Switch Over

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government says it is resuming the roll out of Digital Switch Over (DSO) to revolutionise the broadcast industry, create jobs and take millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this on Thursday when he featured on News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum at the agencys headquarters in Abuja.

He said the DSO, a transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting, is critical to the efforts of the government at repositioning the creative industry and make it the alternative to oil.

The DSO is key to us because it is capable of providing between one to two million jobs in the next couple of years.

President Muhammadu Buhari equally appreciates the fact that it is the DSO that can help to take out 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next ten years.

We are very optimistic that the roll out will resume very soon, he said.

The minister said they would have resumed the roll out of DSO since it was stalled in 2018 but because of constraints mainly on funding.

We have rejigged the DSO campaign and we are going back to the Federal Executive Council in the next couple of weeks to ask for certain impetus that will enable us to roll out more and this is largely about resources, he said.

NAN recalls the roll out of DSO commenced in Jos, Plateau in April 2016 and moved to Abuja, Ilorin, Kaduna, Enugu and lastly in Osogbo in February, 2018

The minister also disclosed that he would be receiving the report of the Task Team on Audience Measurement in Broadcasting in the week.

He said the task team was set up to make recommendations on how to get an objective and scientific audience measurement system.

The audience measurement system is the missing link in the entire ecosystem in the sense that as at today, people use very subjective methods to determine where they are going to place their adverts.

Normally in other climes, where you have an audience measurement system, you are able to know how many people are watching a particular programme, at what time of the day, and through which medium.

And that is going to determine when you are going to advertise your products and at what time belts.

Different programmes attract different rates, just as different programmes attract more number of eyeballs, he said.

Mohammed said the report of the team is expected to give parameters for assessing and measuring the number of eyeballs or ears that watch or listen to a programme that will be a guide for the advertisers.

Source: NAN News

National Broadcasting Commission

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Nigeria Info 99.3FM Lagos the sum of N5 million.

This was for providing its platform to be used to promote unverifiable and inciting views that can incite crime, public disorder.

The full press statement from NBC management:

The National Broadcasting Commission has noted with grave concern, the unprofessional conduct of Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Lagos, in the handling of the Programme, Morning Cross Fire, aired on August 10, 2020, between 8.30am and 9.00am. The station provided its platform for the guest, Dr. Mailafia Obadiah, to promote unverifiable and inciting views that could encourage or incite to crime and lead to public disorder.

The Commission, again, wishes to reiterate that Broadcasters hold Licenses in trust for the people.

Therefore, no Broadcast Station should be used, to promote personal or sectional interests at the expense of the people.

Dr. Mailafia Obadias comments on the Southern Kaduna Crisis were devoid of facts and by broadcasting same to the public, Nigeria Info 99.3FM, is in violation of the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code:

3.1.1 No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity;

3.1.2 Broadcasting shall promote human dignity, therefore, hate speech is prohibited;

3.3.1 (a) The broadcaster shall ensure that any information given in a programme, in whatever form, is accurate;

3.3.3.1(b) The Broadcaster shall ensure that all sides to any issue of public interest are equitably presented for fairness and balance;

3.11.1(a) The broadcaster shall ensure that language or scene likely to encourage or incite to crime, or lead to disorder, is not broadcast;

3.11.1(b) No programme contains anything which amounts to subversion of constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of Nigeria as a sovereign state;

5.4.1(f) The Broadcaster shall not transmit divisive materials that may threaten or compromise the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign state.

Consequent on these provisions and in line with the amendment of the 6th edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Nigeria Info 99.3FM Lagos, has been fined the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira), only.

This is expected to serve as a deterrent to all other broadcast stations in Nigeria who are quick to provide platform for subversive rhetorics and the expositions of spurious and unverifiable claims, to desist from such.

The Commission wishes to put it on record that it will not hesitate to suspend the Broadcast Licence of broadcast stations that continue to breach the Code.

Stations are, by this statement, admonished to desist forthwith, from airing unwholesome content, or be ready to face appropriate sanctions.

Source: NAN News

NCDMB Headquaters in Yenagoa

By Edith Ike-Eboh/Nathan Nwakamma
Tradition leader and past Executive Secretaries of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his support in ensuring the completion of the boards headquarters in Bayelsa.

They gave the commendation at the Virtual inauguration of the Nigerian Content Towers in Yenagoa on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 17 storey building which construction started in 2015 was built by an indigenous company, Megastar construction company.

The edifice is equipped with a multi-level car park, 1000 capacity conference hall among others.

The pioneer Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Ernest Nwapa, said that the political will of the president made it possible for the project to be completed.

What we are celebrating today is a physical demonstration but the most important thing to note is that a great institution has been established.

I want to challenge all of us that it must be a strong organisation that good people should manage and we must ensure that qualified people are elected to run the place, he said.

He commended Megastar for the work, adding that the good work had proved the strength of local content and the need to support it.

Also, Mr Denzil Kentebe, another former Executive Secretary, said that NCDMB would remain a symbol to be reckoned with in the industry, what we are dedicating today is leadership efficiency, vision and continuity in governance.

I commend the president, the Executive Secretary Simbi Wabote, Bayelsa State government and the staff of the board for all their efforts.

In his remarks, Chief Wilcox Job, paramount ruler, Swali community, thanked the Federal government for ensuring that the headquarters of the NCDMB was located in his community.

He gave the assurance that the community would continue to support all efforts and programmes of the board.

We are proud of the Executive secretary and the work he is doing. We will continue to support what the board is doing for the country, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has destroyed a Boko Haram terrorists logistics storage facility.

It also neutralized several of their fighters at Yamud, along the Gulumba Gana-Kumshe axis of Borno.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Enenche said that the operation was executed on Aug. 11, following credible intelligence reports.

The reports revealed that the settlement was one of the locations where the terrorists store their logistics and assemble to launch attacks.

According to him, series of follow-up aerial surveillance missions also showed significant number of terrorists within the settlement and also identified some compounds that were used as storage facilities and meeting venues.

Accordingly, the Air Task Force detailed its fighter jets to attack the location scoring accurate hits leading to the destruction of the designated target structures as well as the neutralization of several of the terrorists, he said.

Source: NAN News

Court Symbol

By Joy Akinsanya

An Abeokuta High Court has sentenced a 36-year-old man, Ugochukwu Obiakor, to 25 years imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl.

Obiakor, who had pleaded not guilty to a one- count charge, was convicted for forcefully having sexual intercourse with the 11-year-old.

Delivering her judgment, the Chief Judge of Ogun, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, held that all evidences presented before the court by the prosecution was tenable and found the convict guilty as charged.

Dipeolu consequently sentenced Obiakor to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.

The prosecution counsel and Director of Legal Drafting in the state, Mr James Mafe, had earlier told the court during trial that the convict committed the offence on Sept. 4, 2017 at Omu- Aleku Village in Mowe area of Ogun.

Mafe said the convict forcefully had sexual intercourse with the 11-year-old girl while the medical results conducted revealed that the victims hymen and vagina laceration was broken.

He said the victim was in her mothers shop when the convict came to make purchases.

The prosecutor said the convict later came back when the mother left the shop.

He said Obiakor told the girl that her mother was owing him money, adding he wanted to collect the sum.

The prosecutor said the convict opened the shops burglary-proof railings and dragged the victim to an uncompleted building beside the shop where he raped her.

He said the offence committed contravened Section 32 of the Child Rights Law of Ogun, 2006.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River.

By George Odok

Cross River Government says it has successfully executed 838 micro projects in the state through the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) between 2009 till date.

CSDP project is being implemented in collaboration between the state government and the World Bank.

Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River disclosed this in Calabar during a one day workshop on presentation of CSDP outcome evaluation result to stakeholders in Cross River.

Ayade, who was represented by Dr Inyang Asibong, Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, said the CSDP has been the lead agency in rural development in the state.

Ayade said that his administration was focused on industrialisation, hence the need to provide micro projects and critical infrastructure for rural dwellers in the state.

According to him, the micro projects were executed in over 300 communities across the 18 local government areas of the state.

He mentioned the areas of intervention to include provision of water, healthcare centres, education, rural electrification, socio-economic, environment, transport and community housing.

We believe that if these projects are sustained, the industrialisation agenda of this administration will be achieved.

Cross River as a state is committed to sustaining the gains of the project because it is meant to improve social and natural resources infrastructure services in a sustainable manner, he said.

Speaking, Mr Fidel Udie, the Acting General Manager of Cross River Committee and Social Development Agency, explained that the workshop was to ascertain the outcome of benefitting communities over the years through the CSDP project.

Udie explained that the vision of the agency was to be an agency championing sustainable infrastructural development of poor communities and vulnerable groups in the state.

On his part, the Chairman of Board of the Agency, Mr Tony Ikpeme, said that the workshop was to help them assess the beauty of the impact of infrastructure carried out across the state.

Ikpeme, who disclosed that the project will have new phases going forward, said that the rural dwellers were the direct beneficiaries of the projects.

In his goodwill message, Mr Fabowale Gbadebo, the Head of Operations, Federal Project Support of CSDP, commended the state government for sustaining the execution of the projects to improve the social economic and health status of rural dwellers.

Source: NAN News

Pregnant Woman,

Abortion: Seeking exceptions to the Global Gag Rule

By Nyisom Fiyigon Dore, News Agency of Nigeria

Nana, 14, wakes up petrified. It is 5:30 a.m. She was supposed to be up by 4:00 a.m., but was deep asleep and did not hear her angry aunt howling for hot water to bath with.

Though scared, she slowly and quietly walks into the kitchen, greeted her aunt, but the response was discomforting.

Are you just waking up? Mrs. Alfred growled. I am sorry, Nana muttered, shaking.

The angry woman rains slaps on poor Nana, sending her to the ground. Not done, she made to give more slaps but suddenly stopped on realising that Nana appeared to have fainted.

Unsure whether the girl had indeed fainted or was just pretending, she took a more critical look at the almost naked teenager and the woman in her told her that something was wrong somewhere. Her little breasts appeared firmer and her complexion lighter.

Further checks confirmed Mrs Alfreds fears. The poor girl was pregnant! That was not even the most devastating news for the woman. Little Nanas father was responsible for the 14-week-old pregnancy.

Nana was just seven when she started living with her aunt following the death of her mother. An only child, the responsibility became huge for the father, Mr Dimas, a trader, who had always been heavily dependent on his wife.

Though his daughter often visits on holidays, Dimas is yet to get over his loss and always wished Nana, who is a complete replica of her mother, and reminded him so much of her, could live with him permanently.

Nana had returned from one of such holidays just two months ago.

Since this reality dawned on Mrs Alfred, she has been pondering over what step to take to help her late sisters daughter. She had considered terminating the pregnancy and ran to an NGO for counseling but was turned back by the outfit over fears of running foul of the Global Gag Rule.

U. S. President Ronald Reagan enacted the GGR, which prohibits foreign NGOs, who receive U.S. global health assistance, from providing legal abortion services or referrals, while also barring advocacy for abortion law reforms, even if it is done with the NGOs personal, non-U.S. funds.

The policy allows access to abortion only in very rare cases.

Reagan first enacted the GGR, also known as the Mexico City Policy, in 1984. Every administration after Reagan, always took fresh decisions on the policy, making NGO funding vulnerable to political changes happening in the U.S.

The rule forces organisations to choose whether to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care and education without U.S. funding, or comply with the policy in order to continue accepting U.S. funds.

In 2017, President Donald Trumps Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy expanded the global gag rule, applying it to recipients of any U.S. global health funding, totaling an unprecedented 8.8 billion dollars. This means that everything, from HIV and AIDS programming and health systems strengthening to programmes that support water, sanitation, and hygiene, are negatively impacted.

In 2019, the Trump administration announced a further expansion of the implementation of the global gag rule, restricting gagged organisations from funding groups that provide abortion services and information, even though those organisations do not get any U.S. aid. This means that organisations, donor governments and funders will be bound by a U.S. government policy, even if they do not accept any U.S. government funding.

Nigeria, with so many challenges, has recently become a breeding ground for monsters that have continued to prey upon innocent women and girls. Rape and sexual assault has continued to rise unabated with many of such cases leading to deaths of little girls, young women and even infants. Most of the offenders, unfortunately, are usually relations or supposed loved ones.

Unarguably, cases of rape, child abuse, trafficking in persons and other sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) have increased in recent times in Nigeria, as the scary statistics of women and girls being raped and abused on daily basis from different parts of the country keep rising, sparking wild and wide reactions.

Figures released by the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, showed that the Police received 717 cases of rape between January and May.

Adamu said that 799 suspects were arrested over alleged rape offences, 631 of the cases successfully investigated, 57 persons prosecuted and convicted, while 52 cases are still under prosecution.

What can the populous African nation do to mitigate the impact of such a dangerous trend that threatens to tear the fabric of its existence, seeing that it certainly cannot be able to tame all these monsters that are on the prowl?

What other means can Nigeria employ to create an exception to the GGR without risking effective operations of donor agencies such as Ipas, which is in the frontline of this battle?

It is not a secret that nearly 50 per cent of global HIV and AIDS funding comes from the U.S. government; and unfortunately, under Trumps expanded global gag rule, the quality and availability of HIV services, including treatment, testing, and prevention, arebeing threatened.

With the GGR effectively in place, if a foreign NGO on reproductive health refuses to sign up to uphold the policy, it will lose all U.S funding and technical expertise provided by its agencies such as the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID).

This means that under the expanded GGR, non-U.S. NGOs will not be able to receive any of the countrys funds if they provided safe abortion services, counseling, referrals or advocacy work, even if they used personal funds.

With this, NGOs, who are already suffering from significant funding shortages due to their decision to continue to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, will have to struggle to help those in need.

Important coalitions, networks and movements that advocate for human rights, such as abortion reforms and sex workers rights, will lose momentum due to the chilling effectthe global gag rule has on advocacy and collaboration between groups that are gagged and those that are not.

At a recent three-day Media Training for Journalists on Womens Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights/Global Gag Rule, in Keffi, Nasarawa State, organised by Ipas, stakeholders had made attempts to study and understand the GGR, and its implications and consequences on the health of the Nigerian woman.

The stakeholders expressed worry that the lives of millions of Nigerian women, who would want to avoid pregnancy, but lacked access to modern contraception, were at risk.

The Country Director of Ipas (Nigeria), Mr Lucky Palmer, in a presentation, noted that every eight minutes, a woman in a developing country dies of complications from unsafe abortion.

In addition, an estimated 285,000 women, within the same period, have complications from unsafe abortion serious enough to require treatment in health facilities, but will not obtain the care they need, Palmer said.

He said that the figures suggest that unsafe abortion has become a major contributor to the countrys high levels of maternal death, ill health and disability.

According to the Ipas representative, of the 85 million women who get pregnant annually, 40 million of them usually end up having abortions, with developing countries accounting for 98 per cent of the unsafe abortions.

Ipas also said that Africa and Latin America accounted for the highest number of unsafe abortions globally.

The organisation expressed sadness that Nigeria was yet to reform restrictive domestic laws and policies that placed women and girls health and lives at risk.

It also said that Nigeria was preventing women from exercising rights that the government had committed to, under the international law.

Ipas noted further: In 2012 alone, 1.25 million Nigerian women had an abortion, doubling the number estimated in 1996, and with the GGR, the numbers will increase and the situation can only get worse.

Ipas emphasised that deliberate urgent steps must be taken by all stakeholders to make exceptions to the rule or find ways of mitigating its impact on the future of women because only 16 per cent of all women of reproductive age were using contraceptive, and just 11 per cent are using the modern methods.

That results in almost 10 million unintended pregnancies out of which more than half end in an induced abortion, Palmer noted.

The country director also blamed the worrying global health challenge on the Global Gag rule, noting that the training of journalists to help with awareness and advocacy was one of the ways the organisation was exploring to tackle the issue.

According to him, a big burden is on the media to work closely with relevant organisations in advocating for the enforcement of laws and domestication of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, to promote womens sexual rights and health, create awareness, and educate the public on consequences of unsafe abortions.

Delivering a paper on GGR and its impact on womens sexual health, Dr Abiola Afolabi of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), said the rule was limiting women from legally accessing abortion and further taking away their right to make informed choices about their future.

Afolabi suggested that exceptions could be made to the GGR by opposing the policy, pressing government to increase the countrys health budget, and making available information on the implication of failure to address the issue.

She consequently called for the de-criminalisation of abortion by those saddled with the mandate of making responsible and responsive policies that were in the overall interest of citizens and the world at large.

Also in a presentation, Mr Emma Ugoji, a journalist and a facilitator at the workshop, highlighted the role of the media in achieving the set goals.

Ugoji stressed that without the media, there would continue to be misconceptions about Womens Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (WSRHR), which is currently being threatened by the GGR.

He said that women, girls and children, especially the vulnerable and poor, were suffering, adding that pregnant women also keep suffering from disruptions in reproductive health services.

According to him, the policy causes more unintended pregnancies, higher rates of maternal mortality, and an increase in unsafe abortions.

The veteran journalist noted that the global gag rule hadnot decreased rates of abortions.

It has, instead, increased the number ofunsafe abortions, he said, urging stakeholders to speak out on the need for safe abortions since U.S. funded NGOs had been gagged and could not drive home any campaign.

Ugoji urged the media to be the instrument through which campaigns for exceptions to the GGR would be made and the goal achieved.

Analysts agree with Ugoji and have pointed out that it is only through such exceptions that little Nana will be saved the trauma of giving birth to a son or daughter that will be both her child and brother or sister, in addition to the even more severe consequences of a bleak, blank and black future. (NANFeatures)

Source: NAN News

Construction site of AKK gas pipeline project in Ajaokuta

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Stakeholders in the Nigerian economy have asked the Federal Government to ensure early delivery of Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK), gas pipeline project for its economic importance.

They made the call at a Webinar on Economic and Investment opportunities of the AKK gas pipeline project, organised by Valuechain Magazine.

The stakeholders were mainly drawn from the petroleum industry, academia, organised private sector and regulatory agencies.

They urged the government to expedite the realisation of the full AKK project scope in order to provide the critical infrastructure for industrialisation.

They agreed that the project was a potent strategy for rapid industrial development and economic diversification agenda.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2.8 billion dollars gas pipeline project is a 40-inch x 614km pipeline that would originate from Ajaokuta, in Kogi and traverse Abuja (FCT), Niger, Kaduna and terminate in Kano.

The project, projected to be completed in 24 months, is expected to inject 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day to the domestic market.

The Rector of the Kaduna Polytechnic, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said AKK should be completed in 18 months in order to pave way for activation of the second phase of the Trans-Nigeria gas pipeline.

The pipeline (Trans Nigeria) would run from Eastern Niger Delta through South-East and Middle Belt to North-East.

He added that speedy delivery of the project would compensate for its late conceptualisation.

He said that the AKK pipeline was coming 25 years late after numerous textile, manufacturing, and agricultural enterprises in the Northern parts of the country collapsed under costly, unstable and inefficient industrial fuel.

He also traced the collapse and relocation of industries from Northern Nigeria to Lagos to the rising rate of banditry and insurgency in the region.

Baguje also added that the social crisis in the Northern part of the country was as result of worsening business environment and consequent surge in the number of unemployed youth.

He noted that withering of industries, Boko Haram insurgency and growing banditry could be efficiently addressed by restoring industrial vibrancy in the region.

He also noted that the military campaigns against insurgency had remained costly and ineffective because of the failure to adopt economic measures in the prevailing counter-insurgency efforts.

He listed investment opportunities surrounding the AKK pipeline to include businesses in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), petrochemicals, fertiliser plants, as well as captive and embedded power production.

He, however, warned against regulations that would limit power producers to the national power transmission grid currently managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which, according to him, has proved inefficient and commercially unviable.

In his remarks, Mr Seyi Omotowa, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a unit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), gave the assurance that the project would be realised in good time.

He added that a presidential inter-agency project management team was working with other stakeholders to overcome all failure factors.

He said that the AKK pipeline was an NNPC project while the project loan was hedged against the corporations revenue, with government providing the required sovereign guarantee.

He said the funding model, quality and pedigree of contractors, structures for transparence and accountability, as well as improved security would enable the AKK project management team to overcome foreseeable challenges and deliver the project promptly.

Omotowa noted that the economic values of the pipeline was huge adding that it was part of the national gas infrastructure blueprint designed to deepen the domestic, regional and continental market for Nigerian gas.

Also, Mr Umar Gwandu, the Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources on Regulation, said that challenges of cost and security which could encumber early delivery of the project would be addressed by the commercial nature of the pipeline operations upon completion.

He noted that the target was to ensure that domestic utilisation of gas could ride on the overall infrastructure blueprint that involved the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), the AKK pipeline and eventual Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.

He reiterated the role AKK pipeline could play in rehabilitating moribund industries in Northern Nigeria.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sen. Ita Enang

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Federal government has urged International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta Region to honour Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with host communities to avoid crises that might lead to shutdown of operations.

Sen. Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, said this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Edet Etuk on Wednesday in Abuja.

Enang spoke during a meeting with representatives of Umusadege Community, Utagba kingdom/Ogbe Kingdom in Ndokwa, Delta.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting focused on the non-payment of ground rent and for peaceful resolution with the Oil and gas operating companies in the region.

He said that the Federal Government would not tolerate any form of violence between the companies and the host Communities, given the fragile nature of the economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to him, the Nigerian Government will not also tolerate disruption of its economy due to irreconcilable differences between the host communities and IOC which may lead to violations of the terms contained in the MoUs.

This is because revenue from oil and gas transactions and the sustainable peace of the Niger Delta Region is strategic for the implementation of government policies and programmes at all levels, he said.

Earlier, Chief Augustine Maduagwu, representative of Umusadege Ogbe Community appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene by calling to order all defaulting Oil and Gas Companies to pay compensation and penalties for non-renewal of MoUs and failure to pay ground rent to the host communities.

According to Maduagwu, the difficult and provoking situation of the companies have made their agitation to be tense and restive as people in the community are seriously threatening total shut down of their operations.

We want the president to save us from the high handedness of the companies by urging them to promptly engage with the community to develop, produce and sign a mutually beneficially Agreement between the two parties.

We also want the companies to pay without further delay the long accrued compensatory benefits, including projects funds and unpaid 42 years land rents to Umusadege-Ogbe community. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Oil tank farm

By Solomon Asowata

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it was desirous of achieving a win-win solution to the dispute between petroleum depots and tank farm operators and residents of of Ijegun-Egba and Kirikiri areas.

The government acknowledged that the tank farm owners had made over N450 billion investments in the facilities.

It, however, said the depots must operate with the highest safety standards to protect lives and property of the people in their host communities.

Mr Idris Salako, Lagos State Commissioner for Planning and Urban Development and his Energy and Mineral Resources counterpart, Mr Olalere Odusote, spoke for the government at a stakeholders engagement to resolve the lingering dispute.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the meeting wasorganised by theHouseof Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Relocation of Tank Farms from Residential Areas.

Salako noted that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had received several complaints from the communities regarding the operations of the tank farms within the residential areas.

He said the former administration of Gov. Babatunde Fashola had, about eight years ago, banned the issuance of construction permits for setting up of petroleum depots due to its proliferation.

According to him, since the tank farms are already in operation, the current government has therefore directed the owners to regularise all their documents and prerequisite permits to enable them continue their operations.

The governor has directed that we develop a development master plan for these communities.

We are also to constantly engage with the residents, the depot owners and other stakeholders.

We believe that they can manage the situation so long as the depots operate with the highest safety standards and carry out Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in the host communities.

Also, Odusote said the government had approved plans to build two fire service stations in the area and construct some strategic roads to ease the pain of residents.

He said the government would construct one of the fire stations while the other one would be financed by the tank farm owners for emergency response purposes.

Mr Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said the depots were critical to the supply chain of the nations petroleum products.

Kyari, represented by Mr Jonathan Madumere, Manager Storage, NNPC, said the corporation would continue to ensure that they comply with all safety protocolsthat would enable them operate in the localities.

On his part, Mr Adebowale Olujimi, Chairman, Ijegun-Egba Tank Farm Operators Association, commended the state government and the lawmakers for intervening in the dispute with the residents.

Olujimi said the depots had not only employed over 3, 000 workers, including those from their host communities, but had also been doing various CSR programmes.

In his submission, the committee Chairman, Rep. Sergius Ogun (PDP-Edo), said after visiting 17 of the tank farms and interfacing with stakeholders, he believed it was possible for the depots and the residents to coexist side by side.

Ogun said: This committee was inaugurated by the Speaker, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila to look into the petitions from the residents on the activities of the tank farms and its effects on their lives.

As a Parliament, it is our responsibility to make sure that lives are preserved while also protecting the investments of businesses that contribute to the economy.

The relocation of the tank farms will disrupt the petroleum supply chain and we believe that there should be no need for that as long as they comply with the safety protocols outlined by the relevant agencies and governments.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Minister of Finance

By Emmanuel Afonne

The Federal Government has inaugurated a 128-member committee to drive the National Localisation Framework and ensure effective and efficient humanitarian response in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the members of the committee were picked from different Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society Organisations and other government donors and partners from the six geo-political zones of the country.

Mrs Olusola Idowu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, who inaugurated the Localisation Working Group (LWG), on Wednesday in Abuja, charged them to ensure their activities were locally driven to foster development.

Idowu, represented by Mrs Elizabeth Egharevba, Director, International Cooperation, said the government was already collaborating with donors, development partners as well as local and international non-governmental organisations to ensure operational change for humanitarian response in the country.

With the current humanitarian crisis facing the country and influx of international organisations supporting us, localisation agenda has become imperative and provides the unique opportunity for the nexus of humanitarian, peace building and development efforts.

You will recall that during the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, the Grand Bargain on improving humanitarian efficiency and effectiveness was launched and was subsequently endorsed by more than 50 donors and aid organisations.

Ten work streams commitments were agreed to lead the work and in a bid to operationalise these commitments, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), supported the implementation of Accelerating Localisation Through Partnership (ALTP), programme in four countries.

The programme was activated in Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria and South Sudan by a consortium of Christian Aid (as the lead), CARE, Tearfund, ActionAid, CAFOD and Oxfam.

The programme aims to accelerate localisation through the strengthening of local and national leadership of humanitarian response; it focuses on operational change for humanitarian response over the identified time frame and beyond, Idowu said.

The permanent secretary added that on the long run, the programme was expected to help identify capacity, funding and coordination needs of local and national NGOs as well as proffer solutions to the identified gaps.

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, represented by Mr Charles Anaelo, a Deputy Director in the ministry, said government was doing everything possible to ensure sustainability.

It is important to note that the ministry focuses at ensuring grassroots mobilisation so that the response will get to all nooks and crannies.

This programme is not focused on a specific area or geopolitical zone of crisis, but every aspect of Nigeria where there are humanitarian issues.

We believe that this platform being set up is one of the veritable ways of creating strategic roadmap for exit plan for international partners and donors so that, with or without them, we will have a framework of operation.

Under the ministry, we have NEMA, we have Refugees Commission, NAPTIP and SDGs, but beyond that in terms of information, we are collaborating with the National Orientation Agency in all the LGAs in the country to ensure proper mobilisation.

So, we are coordinating other partners and key stakeholders to ensure we deliver as one and the sustainability depends on government apparatus and administrative process and that is why partnership and collaboration is key to sustainability, Farouq said.

Mrs Mimidoo Achakpa, Coordinator, Women in Humanitarian Response in Nigeria Initiative, who spoke on behalf of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), said they had been working on the programme for two years now.

For us as CSOs, we have embraced the localisation agenda in Nigeria and on behalf of my colleagues in other geopolitical zones represented in the LWG we are going to domesticate this localisation agenda.

For every activity that we plant, we must ensure that localisation agenda will definitely be part of the activities and we will spread the word in different networks we have because localisation cuts across every sphere of life, not only humanitarian, she said.

NAN also reports that a document containing the operational framework for local and international NGOs in the country was also unveiled at the programme.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

NCDC Boss

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control(NCDC) has on announced 423 fresh cases of the COVID-19 in the country.

The NCDC, which made this known on its official twitter handle on Tuesday, also said six deaths were recorded in the country.

The health agency said that the new cases were spread across 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

According to the NCDC, the new cases take the countrys total tally to 47,290.

It, however, added that out of the number, 33,609 patients were discharged while 956 died.

The NCDC said that Lagos, the countrys pandemic epicentre, witnessed 117 new cases followed by the FCT with 40 cases, while Ondo and Rivers states recorded 35 and 28 cases respectively.

It stated that Osun recorded 24 more cases, Benue, 21, Abia, 19, Ogun,19, Ebonyi, 18, Delta and Kwara, 17 each while Kaduna and Anambra recorded 15 and 14 cases respectively.

Among other states with new cases were Ekiti, 11, Kano, 9, Imo, 6, Gombe, 4, Oyo, 3, Bauchi, 1, Edo 1 and Nasarawa, 1.

The health agency said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated at Level 3 had continued to coordinate the national response activities across the country.

Meanwhile, the NCDC advised Nigerians that the ease of the lockdown did not mean that the COVID-19 outbreak was over.

Please #TakeResponsibility as guidelines are updated to protect yourself and loved ones by:Wearing a mask, Adherence to guidelines in public spaces.

Avoiding bars/clubs, gyms, cinemas and event centres, it tweeted.

The health agency also called on Nigerians to engage in the #MaskOnNaija campaign.

According to NCDC, a face mask is a personal item and must not be shared. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari and State Governors on Tuesday ended their meeting on the state of the nations security with call for a joint strategy to bring various conflicts to an end within time limits.

They also called on field commanders to take measures to protect civilian communities as a confidence-building mechanism between the military and those communities.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja said Buhari and governors made their feelings known at the end of the virtual meeting coordinated from the State House, Abuja.

The president and the governors believed that when the trust that has been lost between both parties is re-established, there would be improved cooperation in intelligence-gathering and sharing.

The presidential aide revealed that the meeting also agreed that poverty and youth unemployment were at the root of the nationwide security challenges, and needed to be addressed with greater vigour by all tiers of government.

Shehu said the meeting also focused on the countrys security policies and approaches in tackling the internal security challenges with a charge that intelligence-gathering and sharing must be optimised.

The President used the opportunity to dispel commonly held assumptions that the terrorists in the Northeast had far more weapons and money than the government, stressing that what is left of them are mere scavengers desperate for food, raiding shops and markets, and killing innocent persons in the process.

Buhari also expressed concern that in spite of the fact that borders with neighbouring countries had been shut, bandits and terrorists continued to have access to small weapons.

These terrorists are in the localities. How is it that they are not short of small arms? he queried the security and intelligence chiefs.

He said: We have said enough on the need for them to rejig their operations. I am glad that there is better synergy and cooperation which are very important.

I have directed the Service Chiefs to meet among themselves in-between the National Security Council meetings.

The services have resources; yes, they need more, and mobility, and are doing their best, but there is a need for better gathering and interpretation of intelligence. Our intelligence-gathering must be improved.

The President informed the governors of the imminent shipment of military weapons and aircraft from Jordan, China and the United States.

He, therefore, asked for patience on the part of the public because the new weapons and aircraft must be manned by trained fighters and pilots who must first receive appropriate training.

Buhari also expressed satisfaction with the level of support from neighbouring countries in the war against terrorism.

They are cooperating with us. On Boko Haram, we are making progress with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, he said.

He, however, restated that intelligence-gathering must improved to be able to track small arms in the Northwest, North Central and Northeast States.

The President also expressed satisfaction with the level of Naval activity in the Gulf of Guinea, using newly-acquired equipment.

The president, however, demanded that hard-to-reach areas of Lake Chad where Boko Haram terrorists have found new havens, as well as the forests now inhabited by bandits, must be accessed and rid of nefarious elements.

The Chief of Defence Staff has spoken about their study of the forests and their potential danger to security. We must make sure we follow the bandits and terrorists, but there must not be deforestation in view of the climate situation, said Buhari.

In their submissions anchored by their Chairman, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, the governors highlighted the problems of poverty, unemployment, trust deficit between the military and civilian populations and the inflow of small arms into the country.

The governors also pointed to the problem of coordination among military and security chiefs and played up their own security roles which included one billion dollars they allowed the President to withdraw from the Excess Crude Account for weapons procurement two years ago.

They, therefore, urged the President to consider a bail out for security for the States in view of the enormity of the resources they now expend in support of the military and the police.

The three-hour meeting was attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, heads of defence, security and intelligence agencies, and members of the Security Committee of the Nigerian Governors Forum represented by one governor from each of the six geo-political zones. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dollar holds firm as U.S. bond yields jump

The dollar inched ahead on Wednesday, as a jump in U.S. yields pushed it higher against the Japanese yen, while the kiwi briefly hit a one-month low after the central bank extended its bond-buying programme.

The yield on 10-year U.S. debt, which rises when bond prices fall, made its steepest gain in two months on Tuesday ahead of the largest ever 10-year auction later on Wednesday.

That triggered a wave of gold selling, which deepened in Asia, and it has pressured the yen as better returns on U.S. debt lures investment from zero-yielding Japan.

The yen fell 0.24 per cent to 106.76 per dollar, its lowest since July 24.

The tumbling gold price, which has dropped roughly seven per cent in two days, also dragged on the Australian dollar since Australia is the worlds second-biggest gold producer.

The Aussie fell 0.35 per cent to sh.7120 while the New Zealand dollar fell 0.5 per cent to sh.6547.

Elsewhere in financial markets, the focus was on the political holdup in Washington over a new stimulus package, which capped broader investor sentiment.

The jump in yields was driven by both repositioning ahead of big debt issuance this week and a sense that the global recovery is looking broader and more robust a mood helped somewhat by Russia hailing the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Investors have been positioning themselves to buy back dollars they had sold against the yen, said Mitsuo Imaizumi, chief FX Strategist at Daiwa Securities.

Imaizumi added that a short squeeze was seen as the U.S. yields spiked.

Against a basket of currencies, the dollar extended a bounce made last Friday as U.S.-China tensions ratcheted higher with President Donald Trumps ban on TikTok and WeChat.

It last sat at 93.846. Against the euro, the greenback was a tad firmer at .1718 and against the pound it extended Tuesday gains that followed a weak British jobs report to hit .3021 per pound.

The dollar index has slumped nine per cent from a three-year high it hit in March and lost four per cent in July alone.

The leaves investors divided over whether the support the greenback has found in August amounts to a bounce or a pause in its decline.

In New Zealand, the central bank kept rates on hold, as expected.

But it surprised markets a little by extending the duration of its bond-buying programme, flagging an increase in purchases next week, and putting a little more emphasis on the possibility of negative rates in the future.

Taken together, thats why interest rates have fallen a few basis points and why the kiwi fell, said Westpac FX analyst, Imre Speizer.

Thats a modest dovish reaction.

Ten-year New Zealand government debt was last down about five basis points, reflecting a small drop across the curve and the kiwi recovered slightly from a one-month low sh.6524.

On the horizon are U.S. inflation figures due at 1230 GMT, which are expected to show consumer price growth drift down to 1.1 per cent on a year-on-year basis from 1.2 per cent in June.

Investors are also looking for signs that the political impasse in Washington over the next stimulus programme can be overcome, with the stalemate weighing on U.S. equities as Democrats and Republicans blamed each other for the deadlock. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Britains Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R), and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have secretly moved out of Los Angeles after buying a private mansion 95 miles away.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been at their new Santa Barbara pad since early July after moving out of the Beverly Hills mansion owned by movie producer Tyler Perry.

The couple reportedly plan to settle in the area and put down lasting roots for themselves and young son Archie having quit the Royal Family and left the UK in March.

A source told PageSix : Harry and Meghan have been quietly living in their own home in Santa Barbara since early July.

They are not houseguests of Oprah or anyone else, they bought this home themselves.

This is where they want to continue their lives after leaving the UK.

This is the first home either of them has ever owned. It has been a very special time for them as a couple and as a family to have complete privacy for six weeks since they moved in.

They intend to put down their roots in this house and the quiet community, which has considerable privacy.

This is where they want to bring Archie up, where they hope he can have as normal a life as possible.

The source added the Sussexes never intended to remain in LA, but saw it as a good place to touch base when arriving in the US as Meghans mum Doria Ragland lives there.

The pair are said to have disliked the press intrusion during their stay in LA.

Last month they filed a lawsuit against photographers after drones were allegedly used to take pictures of their son Archie.

Filed to the LA County Superior Court, the complaint alleges that photographers captured pictures of the 14-month-old at the Sussexes Beverly Hills home during lockdown.

The invasion of privacy lawsuit is against unnamed defendants and references Californias laws that make photographing or filming someone in their home illegal.

A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry confirmed they had moved into their new home in July, describing the location as having a quiet privacy and hope their arrival will not disturb this.

Source: NAN News

Serena Williams

Serena Williams came back from the brink to start her in six months with a win.

A rusty Williams overcame fellow American Bernarda Pera 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the opening round of the inaugural Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky.

Williams, the Open era Grand Slam record-holder, was in trouble at 4-4 in the second set and 0-40 on her own serve but dug herself out a hole and eased through the decider.

Honestly, I knew Ive been practicing really well and I wasnt getting a good rhythm out here, and I just kept thinking: Serena, play like youve been practicing, Williams said in a post-match interview. So I knew that I could play a little bit better if I just hung in there.

Williams last match had been in early February, when Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia handed the former top-ranked American her first loss in Fed Cup team competition on home soil. A month later, the coronavirus pandemic shut down all competitive tennis, including Wimbledon, which was canceled for the first time since World War II.

In contrast to her last match before the pandemic, which took place in a raucous atmosphere at a packed Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, her match against Pera in Lexington was played behind closed doors, with players touching rackets instead of shaking hands at the end of the match and strict biosecurity measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Ive played through so many different generations and so many different things, Williams told reporters during a pre-tournament news conference on Zoom on Sunday.

Its something that the whole world is going through. Its not just us as tennis players or us as athletes, its literally the whole world thats going through this pandemic.

Right now I think sport has been one of the few things that can actually provide a breath of fresh air or a sigh of relief for people that are still stuck in their homes.

Although Williams had enjoyed every part of the lengthy break, she said she also became super, super careful during the pandemic and a bit of a recluse.

The American, who has a history of blood clots and pulmonary embolism, said she now travels with like 50 face masks.

Source: NAN News