We must control rap music - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he wants to control the popularity of rap music so that it does not lead to "the degradation of the nation".

Alarmed by the growing fondness people in his country have for the genre, Mr Putin has told a meeting of cultural leaders in St Petersburg that they must come up with a means to "lead it and direct it".

He acknowledged that attempting to ban rap in Russia would likely prove futile, as "protest" is one of its "three pillars" alongside "sex" and "drugs".

The latter is what Mr Putin said he was particularly concerned about, as he said any efforts to glamourise the use of drugs was "a path to the degradation of the nation".

He added that he considered "drug propaganda" to be worse than cursing.

His comments come amid a crackdown on contemporary music in Russia, with a rapper known as Husky having been arrested last month after staging an impromptu gig on top of a car.

The 25-year-old - who has garnered more than six million views on YouTube - put on the performance after a planned concert was cancelled because prosecutors deemed it to contain elements of "extremism".

Husky is known for rapping about poverty, corruption and police brutality.

Other Russian artists affected by the crackdown include rapper Gone.Fludd, who cancelled two concerts after coming under pressure from "every police agency you can imagine," and the popular hip hop artist Allj, who scrapped a show in the Arctic city of Yakutsk after receiving threats of violence.

Pop star Monetochka and punk band Friendzona have also had gigs shut down in the last month.

-SKY NEWS 

Body of newborn baby found on beach in Ireland

The body of a newborn baby has been found on a beach on Ireland's east coast.

A volunteer cleaning the area found the infant on Balbriggan strand, north of Dublin, at around 10am on Saturday.

The scene has been sealed off and a post-mortem is due to be conducted.

Irish police say they are concerned about the well-being of the baby's mother and have appealed for her to come forward.

A Garda spokesman said: "We are concerned for her safety and health given what she has gone through."

The main railway line between Dublin and Belfast runs along the inside of the beach.

The area is made up of a mixture of sand and shingle coves and is close to Balbriggan harbour on Ireland's picturesque east coast.

Irish senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee said: "I'm distraught to learn of the discovery of the body of a baby on Balbriggan Beach today.

"I'd appeal for the mother to come forward for medical treatment. You'll be treated with compassion."

- SKY NEWS

Women march against sexual harassment in Lagos markets

Some Nigerian women marched peacefully Saturday against sexual harassment in markets, drawing attention to unspoken incidents of bullying, groping and name calling of their gender by menfolk.

The march in Lagos took off from Ojuelegba and streamed to Yaba, where demonstrators to their surprise were still confronted, despite police presence, with the same abuse by male chauvinists, according to tweets by some of the marchers.

“Yaba boys threw water and stones at us.It was as if we unleashed the beast in them and today I saw the physical demonstration of misogyny. They got aggressive and resorted to physical abuse”, reported Moromoke on Twitter.

“They made derogatory remarks about our person, they called us jobless and said we are prostitutes, they boo’ed us and sang shaming songs after us just because we made our stand known and said we won’t take the harassment no more. I’m still shook, like the entitlement!

“How aggressive can one get over someone else’s body! Those guys were not remorseful, in fact they believe that they have the right to our bodies and they made that quite clear even though we held placards saying “Don’t touch me” they still tried to touch us”, she wrote.

“They threw water at us, called us prostitutes, sluts…ashawo.. They said it was our fault that we got harassed. They claimed it was because of our clothing & asked us to stay home if we didn’t want to be harassed. They tried to shame us because they were ashamed”, Marketmatch tweeted.

The women were rallied for the march under the hashtag #marketmatchYaba.

In another tweet, the organisers believed the demonstration “was a BIG success”.

“Big ups and huge thank yous to everyone who showed up. We had expectations, some were met, others were superseded. We stood firmly with one voice and it was clear. We have learnt a lot and can’t wait to do more with what we know”.

The women have vowed to stage yet another demonstration very soon.

#Marketmatch appears to have all Lagos markets in its purview as it defines its agenda as “Walking & working together to end the normalised sexual harassment & bullying of women in markets”.

- PM NEWS

Two powerful people: How Aisha exposed Buhari’s failure – Ango Abdullahi

Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has reacted to statement by Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, wherein she said that two powerful people were slowing her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance.

Abdullahi, while insisting that Buhari had failed and does not deserve a second term, pointed out that the closest person to the President, being Aisha his wife, has confirmed his failure.

The outspoken NEF Chairman said this in an interview with Sun, wondering why two powerful people who were not voted in by Nigerians should be allowed to hijack the presidency.

He added, “It is not out of any consideration, personal or whatever that we are saying that Buhari has failed.

“If one can say so, the closest person to the president is his wife. You are a journalist, what did she say, answer me?

“She said that two people are behind the slow progress of the government. Did we elect those two people? Answer me.
“Why should they hijack the government? Hijacking for good or for worse? So, what do you want someone else to say?

“Two people just hijacked the government and that is why I blame journalists for not helping to correct things in this country.

“You people are not trying. However, I know the problem of journalists in this country, and I appreciate their difficulty because they are all employees and their proprietors have editorial policies and once a journalist deviates from the policy he is kicked out, which is why many of you cannot talk on some issues.

“We understand that you are not as a free as other journalists in other parts of the world, you people should be bold enough to do things that are helpful to the society.

“I was in the University College Ibadan in 1961, and we saw our past leaders, they did very well, from then on we started to fall back. Our first generation leaders did extremely well when you compare them with what we have on ground now.

“Count them – Zik, Awolowo, Sardauna, Aminu Kano and others, they sacrificed, and left nothing behind materially, but can you see what is happening now, the leaders are working for themselves first, for themselves second, for themselves third and for the rest of us fourth.”

- DAILY POST

Dapo Abiodun, APC Ogun guber candidate, in certificate scandal

Dapo Abiodun, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state, is enmeshed in allegations of perjury over his post-secondary school qualifications, TheCable can report.

According to documents seen by TheCable, Abiodun declared only his West African School Certificate (1978) in the Form CF001 that he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on October 23, 2018, ahead of the 2019 general election.

However, when he ran as the APC senatorial candidate (Ogun east) in 2015, he claimed to have attended the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (graduating in 1986) and Kennesaw State University, Atlanta Georgia, US (1989) in his INEC form CF001, backed by an affidavit he swore to at the high court, Abeokuta, Ogun state.

Curiously, while he listed B.B.A. (hons) accounting as the degree he got in 1986 as at then, he was silent on what he studied at Kennesaw State University.

However, in his official curriculum vitae, he claimed to possess another degree, B.Eng (hons) in civil engineering, presumably received in 1989 from the American university.

Also, on the website of Heyden Petroleum Limited where Abiodun is MD/CEO, underneath his name were listed B.Sc civil engineering and BBA accounting.

If he proceeded immediately to Kennesaw after graduating from Ife in 1986, he would not have finished before 1990 as civil engineering is a four-year course at the university.

There are strong suspicions that he did not do the compulsory national youth service, even though he finished his first degree in 1986 — going by the INEC form CF001 that he filled ahead of the 2015 election, supported by an affidavit.

Abiodun was born on May 29, 1960 and was 26 in 1986 when he claimed to have finished his first degree. The age limit for national service is 30.

Apart from the possibility of having committed perjury either in 2014 or 2018, there is also the possibility that he skipped the compulsory national service, which is punishable under the law.

Section 13 of the NYSC Act states:

• (1)Any person (b) who refuses to make himself available for service in the service corps continuously for the period specified in subsection (2) of this section, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N2,000 or to imprisonment for a term of twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.

A criminal conviction will also mean the offender is barred from holding public office.

Section 182 of the 1999 constitution states:

• 182. (1) No person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if – (e) within a period of less than ten years before the date of election to the office of Governor of a State he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or he has been found guilty of the contravention of the code of Conduct.

Earlier this year, he was appointed chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2012, he was appointed chairman of the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association (DAPPMA), a position he still holds.

Abiodun has been having a running battle with Ibikunle Amosun, governor of the state, and the state working committee of the APC over his endorsement by the national body of the party for the 2019 governorship election, instead of Adekunle Akinlade, the governor’s choice.

The APC candidate had accused Amosun of plotting to upturn the decision of national working committee (NWC) of the ruling party to recognise him as the guber candidate of the state, while accusing the governor of being “desperate to install” Akinlade at all cost.

All calls and SMS to his phone by TheCable went unreplied and unreturned.

- THECABLE

Thousands march in Rome against anti-migrant law

Several thousand people marched in Rome Saturday in protest at Italy’s tough new anti-migrant law which makes it easier to expel new arrivals.

The protesters waved flags and donned yellow vests emblazoned with the slogan “Get up! Stand Up! for your right” in a reference to the famous Bob Marley song.

The new law would “only increase the number of people without papers in Italy and force people underground”, protester Kone Brahima, originally from Ivory Coast, told AFP.

Another, Tony Scardamaglia, from Palermo, said: “We are still building more walls, more barriers,” adding that the anti-migrant and security degree adopted last month would just cause more “difficulties”.

The decree, adopted by parliament on November 28, also limits residence permits in a country that has become the main gateway for migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

A populist coalition government made up of the far-right League and anti-establishment Five Star Movement took power in Italy in April 2018.

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini’s anti-immigrant League has since surged in popularity, with opinion polls putting the party on 30 percent, up from the 17 percent it won in the election.

“First of all, we started two years ago criminalising those who save thousands of lives at sea” and ended up “closing ports to boats loaded with survivors”, said Project Rights, a collective bringing together various human rights groups.

“Today with the Salvini decree, we have abolished humanitarian protection, creating an endless stream of people forced into hiding,” it said in a statement.

The decree also ends two-year “humanitarian protection” residency permits — a lower level of asylum status based on Italian rather than international law — that were awarded to 25 percent of asylum seekers last year.

Instead, residency permits will be awarded under stricter conditions such as a one-year “special protection” status or a six-month “natural disaster in country of origin” status.

A new procedure to fast-track the expulsion of “dangerous” asylum seekers will also be implemented.

The Italian Refugee Council has said it is “seriously concerned” by the new law.

The United Nations refugee agency has also said it does “not provide adequate guarantees, especially for the vulnerable or those with particular needs such as victims of abuse or torture”.

This year some 22,500 migrants landed on Italy’s coasts, representing a drop of more than 80 percent compared to 2017, AFP reports.

- PM NEWS

Ronaldo’s penalty gives Juventus win over Torino

Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty gave Juventus a seventh consecutive Serie A victory as Torino’s Simone Zaza endured a nightmare moment in a 1-0 defeat to his former club in the Derby della Mole.

Goal.com reports that Torino held their own for 70 minutes in a cagey affair until Zaza dribbled haphazardly back towards his own box with Leonardo Bonucci in pursuit.

The forward then sold Salvador Ichazo short with a terrible backpass and the substitute goalkeeper brought down Mario Mandzukic.

Ronaldo converted despite Ichazo’s best efforts for his 11th Serie A goal of the season, extending Juve’s lead at the summit to 11 points.

Salvatore Sirigu took a heavy blow to the hip early on and the Torino goalkeeper writhed in agony after making a fine reaction save from Ronaldo.

Sirigu finally accepted defeat in the 20th minute, making way for Ichazo to make his first Serie A appearance for Torino since January 2016.

His opposite number Mattia Perin – preferred to Wojciech Szczesny by Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri – kept out Andrea Belotti’s header and prevented Armando Izzo from scrambling home the rebound.

Izzo had a better chance in the 52nd minute when he got in front of Leonardo Bonucci but headed Cristian Ansaldi’s in-swinging free-kick over.

Belotti then had a strike deflected behind and Juventus full-back Alex Sandro was fortunate not to be penalised for pulling Zaza to the floor in the penalty area.

It had been largely lacklustre from the champions but a combination of Koffi Djidji and Ichazo thwarted Blaise Matuidi when he was on the end of Ronaldo’s excellent low cross.

ncreasing pressure told – certainly when it came to Zaza’s decision making – and Ronaldo netted decisively before collecting a needless booking for bumping chests with Ichazo after the keeper almost saved his penalty.

Juve thought they had a second when Mandzukic converted Miralem Pjanic’s free-kick at the back post, but Ronaldo flicked on from an offside position.

Use your platforms for disseminating voter education and non-violent messages to citizens -INEC Chairman urges celebrities

The Chairman of Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has called on Nigerian celebrities to utilise their platforms to promote voter education, youth inclusion and non-violent participation in the 2019 elections.

Yakubu made the call at an INEC Interactive Session/Dinner with INEC Youth Ambassadors/Celebrities held in Lagos on Saturday night.

The interaction was put together by INEC in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES).

The chairman, who was represented by Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, the National Commissioner of INEC in charge of Ogun, Ondo and Lagos States, reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring that youths are central in the electoral process.

“INEC, in line with its electoral policies, prioritises the participation of disadvantaged groups, including the youth in electoral process.

“The commission has overtime developed electoral cycle-based interventions and creative innovations on electoral issues affecting the youths.

“In 2014, the commission in collaboration with youth organisations conceptualised the idea of identifying from the entertainment industry, the media and outstanding youths influencers, while commissioning them as voter education youth ambassadors.

“We want you to utilise your platforms for disseminating voter education and non-violent messages to citizens,” Yakubu said.

“He recalled that some young celebrities were unveiled in 2015 as INEC Youth Ambassadors at an INEC Youth Summit held in Abuja with specific responsibility to engage citizens on peaceful participation,” he said.

NAN reports that preparatory to the 2019 elections, INEC, with support of European Union (EU), ECES and Youth Initiative Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), embarked on a Campus Outreach.

According to the INEC boss, the ambassadors were prominent individuals who had distinguished themselves in the field of entertainment, arts, sports, democratic development and literature.

The chairman added that the ambassadors were selected based on profile and fellowship, reputation, credibility nonpartisan ship and commitment to volunteerism.

He said that the commission wanted increased participation of youth, women and persons with disability in order to boost citizens’ trust and confidence in electoral process.

Earlier, Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine, INEC National Commissioner, said the interaction was aimed at sharing ideas on how to promote youths participation, calling for voter education and publicity

Okoosi-Simbine said the interaction was organised in a bid to upscale citizens’ mobilisation and outreach in order to deepen democracy.

She disclosed that the ambassadors were role models in mobilising youths for positive participation and as campaign for violence free elections.

Okoosi-Simbine pointed out that the scheme was guided by neutrality, professionalism, service, patriotism and volunteerism, adding that the aim was to mobilise large population of Nigerian youths through their various platforms.

She urged the ambassadors to use their platforms to disseminate electoral messages to the youths.

Also Speaking, Korede Bello, musician, and newly-inaugurated new ambassador, commended the commission for its strides to bridge voters education, urging the youths to come out to vote.

Gimba Umar, a presenter and new ambassador, decried the possession of PVCs by foreigners, vote buying and other illegal electoral activities.

In his goodwill message, Mr Rudolf Elbing, ECES Project Coordinator, said that the country needed free and fair elections in 2019.

Elbing, who was represented by Mr Dominic Weerts, said the youths are the future of Africa and democracy, hence the need to collaborate with INEC to deliver credible and peaceful elections..

The event also witnessed decoration of 22 new Ambassadors and presentation of plaques.

The commission had before the 2015 general elections inaugurated a team of successful Nigerian Youths as its first crop of youth ambassadors for the purpose of working with INEC in reducing and curtailing electoral violence.

The ambassadors, who included singers, comedians, actors, actresses, journalists were: Innocent Idibia (2Baba), Ime Okon (Bishop), Michael Ifeanyichukwu, Ijeoma Okoye, Ibrahim Adra, Alex Ibe, Ali Muhammed and Gideon Okeke.

Others are: Helen Paul, Adam Zango, Seun Okinbaloye, Frank Edwards and Akintayo Faniran.

Some of the new ambassadors/celebrities included: Bright Okpacha, Ayo Makun, Uti Nwachukwu, Korede Bello, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Chidinma Emile, Jude Abaga, Yakubu Mohammed, Cabhams Asuquo, Gimba Umar and Aituaje Wake.

Others are: Adesuwa Etomi, Ikubese Emmanuel, Anti Lecky, Above Ugboma, Stanley Chibuna, Chioma Omeruah, Jephthah Bowoto, Uche Okechukwu, Fati Washa, Sank Danja and Yinka Ayefele.

- PM NEWS

Police arrest 31 suspected robbers, kidnappers in Delta, blow hot over their dreadlocks

The Delta State Police Command has cracked down on criminals, particularly armed robbers and kidnappers arresting 31 suspects, and recovering 16 vehicles, 150 ammunition in stop and search operations in the last two weeks.

The police commissioner in the state, Anthony Michael Agbizi stated this while briefing newsmen on Saturday on efforts so far made by the command to rid Delta of criminals including kidnappers.

He confirmed that the suspects were arrested from different locations in the state, especially in Ughelli, Warri, Asaba, Ibusa and Agbor communities that have been flash points in the recent times.

CP Agbizi said, “We can’t sit down and watch Delta State be taken over by criminals. In the last few weeks, the police have arrested thirty one Suspected Criminals, recovered Sixteen Stolen vehicles, one hundred and fifty ammunition, the police went after them and have made tremendous successes. Elements among us as police force supplying criminals arms will be fished out.

“So, the command under my watch will not tolerate lawlessness, aid and abit, the law is not a respecter of anybody,” he said, adding that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.

The CP disclosed that with the arrest of many of the suspected criminals, many of whom with dreadlocks hair style, the police have embarked on shaving their dreadlocks hair to ensure that others not yet arrested, will cut it off before the long arm of the law catches up with them.

He added that many of the criminals have abandoned vehicles they stole and took to their heels, and urged members of the public to report any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood to the nearest police for investigation and arrest where necessary.

The police boss further disclosed that many of the abandoned and recovered vehicles include: Benz G wagon, Toyota Venza, adding that the vehicles were being used by armed robbers and Yahoo, Yahoo boys who operate in the state.

He stressed that the police will also go for native doctors who allegdly prepare charms for ritualists and armed robbers to succeed especially for undergraduate students in desperate move to make money.

- DAILY POST

PHOTO NEWS : Charlyboy weds in Abuja

Maverick entertainer and rights activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlyboy, has formally tied the knot with his American wife, Diane, after 40 years of marriage.

Charlyboy, who has earlier stirred reactions after he announced he was divorcing, exchanged marriage vows on Saturday evening at the Chapel of Sisters of Jesus the Redeemer Catholic Church in Gwarimpa, Abuja.

The low-keyed wedding was officiated by the outspoken Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Bishop Mathew Kukah, and had in attendance close friends and relatives of the couple, including the aged mother of Charlyboy.

The Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, was also in attendance among some other clergymen.

Onaiyekan, in his exhortation, hailed the couple for staying together for over four decades.

He, however, urged them to be committed to their marriage vows by showing mutual love, understanding and respect for each other.

”I specially congratulate Charles and his wife for this Godly decision, and I pray God to keep them together.”

On why he decided to get married, Charlyboy told NAN that he and his wife decided to wed in church to honour his aged mother who had been ‘pleading that we do the right thing’.

He told NAN that he got married as a teenager in 1974, and secured divorced after the union produced one child.

”This is not that kind of marriage with fanfare; I am doing it to please my aged mother and meet certain demands of the society.

”She has been pleading that we do the right thing, saying this is the woman I have been living with for 40 years.

”We have been following through with the process of annulment of my last marriage, and my former wife who has since remarried cooperated very well, and then in 2017, the marriage was formally annulled.

”My mother actually got the wife for me at the age of 19 because I was a little rascally with women as a young man; she thinks it would curb my sexual excesses,” he said.

Charlyboy, who is 67 years, has nine children from different women, and has 16 grandchildren.

- DAILY POST