Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is engaging diplomatically with Saudi Arabia but isnt backing down on concerns about human rights

His comments come two weeks into a spat over Ottawas calls for the release of Saudi activists from detention.

We continue to engage diplomatically with Saudi Arabia, I think its important to have positive relationships with countries around the world, Trudeau told reporters after Cabinet meetings in British Columbia on Thursday.

Source: NAN

Australia was bracing for yet another change of prime minister Friday after a revolt against Malcolm Turnbull by hardline conservatives in his Liberal party, with his near three-year reign hanging by a thread.

Former home affairs minister Peter Dutton, an ex-police officer and right-winger, has been the stalking horse seeking to unseat Turnbull after a party backlash against his more moderate approach to politics.

Turnbull survived one attempt to knife him on Tuesday, winning a party room vote 48-35, but since then ministers have been defecting and a second letter adership challenge is likely at noon (200GMT) Friday.

Dutton needs to prove he has majority backing, or 43 signatures from within the partys parliamentary group a requirement for him to force a second crack at the top job ahead of national Ok opelections due by mid-2019.

Reports on Friday said at least 43 lawmakers were onboard for a leadership change. Turnbull has asked for a Verification of the signatures and has promised a meeting for voting.

Turnbull, who accused Dutton and his supporters of bullying and intimidation, on Thursday said he would not contest a second leadership challenge and leave parliament, although he did not put a timetable on when he would go.

If he moves out of politics, it would spark a by-election for his Sydney seat, threatening the governments one-seat parliamentary majority.

Even if Dutton gets the numbers for a challenge, there is no guarantee he will assume the top job after foreign minister Julie Bishop and treasurer Scott Morrison, both Turnbull allies, threw their hats in the ring.

During a three-way vote, whoever comes last in the first round will be eliminated with a second round taking place to decide who becomes leader.

Defence industry Minister Christopher Pyne, a Turnbull ally, refused to say who he would be backing and hit out at elements inside his party.

I think some people should have considered the greater good of the people of Australia, and the government, rather than their own self-interest and ambition, he said.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to emulate two security men who returned a handbag filled with valuables, including dollars, forgotten at the Murtala Muhammed Airport by an American returnee.

He said such conduct reflects the new Nigeria that we all desire.

A Lagos-based medical doctor, Banji Oyegbami, who runs Betta Hospital in Agege, had met a family returning from America at the airport on August 18. In the process of loading their luggage into his car, the handbag of the returnees wife fell, unknown to anyone.

It was not until 90 minutes later that an officer of Halogen Securities, on duty at the airport, called the couple, to come for the retrieved bag.

When the bag was eventually collected, the contents, including a handsome amount of American dollars, phone, wrist watch, and other valuables were intact. The grateful couple offered a generous gift, but Messrs Francis Emepueaku and Achi Daniel, declined, saying they were merely doing their duties.

President Buhari said that despite the scoffing of a minority number, Nigeria is resolutely on the road to a new dawn.

Honesty remains the best policy. We must exhibit such behaviour in whatever position we find ourselves, whether high or low, he submits.

The security men could have chosen to behave differently, following the self-serving principle of if you cant beat them, join them. But they have chosen to be examples of good, honest Nigerians. I commend their conduct to the rest of the country.

The President urged Nigerians to bring out the best in themselves at all times, noting that with such minds, they can never be hoodwinked again by those who seek power for selfish and dubious reasons, and return the country to an inglorious past.

Nigeria will no longer be a byword for corruption and plundering of public resources. That is the path we have chosen to take, and our country will eventually get to a new shore, President Buhari affirmed.

Read Dr. Oyegbamis post that triggered President Buharis Reaction:

I am Dr Banji Oyegbami, a Medical practitioner in Lagos. The following story is my practical experience at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos yesterday night 18th August 2018.

As planned I went to the Airport with my driver to pick up my very close friend and his wife that arrived from Atlanta USA on board Delta Airline.

I parked my car on the first floor of the New Multi level car park and walked briskly to wait for my guests in front of the Arrival hall. About an hour of waiting my friend and wife emerged from the entrance pushing the luggage trolley. I rushed forward to meet them and as expected exchanged pleasantries. My driver immediately took over the trolley and we walk briskly to the car park chatting all along the way. We got there and started loading the bags into the boot of the vehicle. Instinctively Madam dropped her handbag on the floor while trying to help the driver with the loading. Loading done. the 4 of us jumped into the car and drove out of the Airport. But my friends wife forgot to pick her handbag.

We journeyed for about one and a half hour in terrible traffic without realizing this.

We were jolted when I received a phone call from the daughter of my friend
in America. She told us that she received a call via her mothers number. The caller informed her that the owner of the phone forgot her bag at the Airport car park, and that we should turn back to collect it.

Source: NAN

South Africas competition watchdog has approved Glencores roughly $900 million bid for Chevrons local and Botswana assets, bolstering its chances of scuppering a rival bid from Chinas Sinopec.

Chevron agreed last year to sell its stake to state-owned Sinopec before miner and commodities trader Glencore swooped in after reaching a deal with minority shareholders, who backed it and exercised preemptive rights on the sale.

At stake is a 75 percent share in Chevrons South African subsidiary that runs a 100,000-barrels-per-day oil refinery in Cape Town, a lubricants plant in Durban and 820 petrol stations and other oil storage facilities.

The sale also includes 220 convenience stores across South Africa and Botswana.

For Glencore, the deal would secure the traders first refining asset since it ventured into downstream investments. For Sinopec, it would mark its second major refinery investment as the company looks to expand overseas amid a saturated home market.

Both deals have now been given the green light from the Competition Commission subject to several conditions that include the preservation of jobs after the deal.

It is now up to the Competition Tribunal, which makes the final ruling on deals, to decide whether to accept the Commissions recommendations.

The Tribunal has already approved Sinopecs bid.

Source: NAN

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned all those calling for his head about the consequences of his impeachment.

In an interview with Fox and Friends host Ainsley Earhardt in White House, Trump said the market would crash if he were forced out of office.

I think everybody would be very poor, he said, before pointing to his head. Because without this thinking, you would see numbers that you wouldnt believe.

Calls for Trumps impeachment came in the wake of revelations by his longtime lawyer Michael Cohen that he paid hush money to two women, on Trumps instruction.

But in the interview broadcast early Thursday, Trump questioned why there are calls for his impeachment because hes somebody whos done a great job.

Fox and Friends host Ainsley Earhardt asked Trump if Democrats will move to impeach him if they retake the House during Novembers midterm elections.

I dont know how you can impeach somebody whos done a great job, Trump responded.

If Hillary Clinton had been elected, Trump said, the gross domestic product rate would not have hit 4.1 percent this last quarter.

Had Hillary and the Democrats gotten in, had she been president, you would have had negative growth, he said.

Trump also touted his great relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping days before he is expected to impose another round of tariffs on China. Beijing is then expected to retaliate.

When I came in, China was a dominant force, he told Earhardt. Now they like me very much.

Trump has previously warned that Republicans need to maintain the House majority, otherwise he could face impeachment from Democrats.

Calls for Trumps removal have renewed this week after his former longtime lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and implicated the president.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), however, said on Wednesday that Trumps ouster is not a priority.

Source: NAN

British Airways will suspend flights between London Heathrow and Tehran from in September.

The airline said its last outbound service will operate on September 22, with the final inbound flight returning on September 23.

We are suspending our London to Tehran service as the operation is currently not commercially viable.

We are sorry for any disruption this may cause to our customers travel plans and we are in discussions with our partner airlines to offer customers rebooking options.

Alternatively, they will be offered a full refund or the opportunity to bring their flights forward.

BA relaunched flights to the Iranian capital in September 2016 following a gap of four years. Business Traveller reviewed the service shortly after its launch.

It was not clear whether the flight suspension is rooted in the collapse of Iranian currency and soaring food prices following President Trumps re-imposition of sanctions on the country.

Source: NAN

A legal practitioner, Mr Realwan Okpanachi says that President Muhammadu Buhari is likely to be re-elected in 2019 due to his sterling quality of trust.

Okpanachi, of Joe Abrahams (SAN) & Company, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, many Nigerians, especially those in the north trust him more than any other leader.

Okpanachi, also a political analyst and social commentator said no candidate would be able to beat Buhari in the 2019 general elections.

According to Okpanachi, though Senate President Bukola Saraki is in-charge of Kwara politics, he can do minimal harm because the voting strength of Kwara is limited.

“Although Buhari got more than 300,000 votes from Kwara in the 2015 general elections, yet this is a figure that can simply come from one federal constituency in the north where he is very popular.

“For example, in Katsina north with 12 Local Government Areas, there are almost a million registered voters,’’ Okpanachi said.

Analysing the political space further, the lawyer said that from the geo-political point of view, it was only few zones that the president lost ground in 2015, compared to those he won, which includes the north central.

He opined that although, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso could pose a threat if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave him a presidential ticket, but this threat could be doused because Buhari was also popular there.

The social commentator noted that with the power of incumbency, Buhari could influence and shape the political space, adding that besides, he also had support from the governor of Kano State, and members of the National Assembly.

“So, the combination of all these forces can completely neutralise Kwankwaso to such an extent that he cannot cause serious damage even if he has his supporters across the northern states,” Okpanachi said.

According to him, the president is very much on ground in Kano State, and so “if Kwankwaso saw himself as a son of the soil, he can as well see himself as a son of the soil.”

Okpanachi said that Buhari’s popularity had been tested and proven in Kano even while Kwankwaso was the governor.

The analyst said that since Buhari ventured into politics in 2003, he had never lost elections in his strong hold which comprises Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna and Borno.

“And these are states the opposition has not been able to make any serious inroads, besides, the people are not even interested in the opposition.

“What they know is that there is an element in the president which is very scarce in other politicians in those areas, and that is trust,” he said.

He said that come 2019, Buhari would garner nothing less than 25 per cent from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

According to him, this is attainable with the likes of former governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr Godswill Akpabio defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and other strong politicians who are already on ground.

“Before the last election, someone like Sen. Ndoma Egba was not with the president, but now he’s with him. There are also appointees he has from that place who were not there before,” he said.

Okpanachi opined that in Rivers state, the president would surely do better than he did in the 2015 elections.

He said even though former Gov. Rotimi Amaechi supported Buhari, his powers were neutralised by federal might. But now the federal might was in favour of Amaechi.

“All Amaechi has to do is to ensure that the kind of rigging that allegedly took place in Rivers state during 2015 elections should not repeat itself.

“And with what is going on in Delta state where political heavy weights are going into the ruling party, Buhari is sure to get 25 per cent which he needs,” Okpanachi said.

Mr Timothy Agbaragu, the Head, Public Relations/Protocol Department, Delta High Court, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Asaba.

The governor said the order took effect from Aug. 20, 2018.

Okowa said the order was in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 24 (1) of the Magistrate Court Law, Cap M1, Vol. 3, Laws of Delta State, 2006.

The law empowers the governor to increase the jurisdiction of magistrates in civil and criminal matters.

By the order, the maximum monetary limits of Chief Magistrates (Special Grade), Chief Magistrate Grade 1 and Chief Magistrate Grade 2, has been increased to N10 million, N8 million and N5 million, respectively.

Senior Magistrate Grade 1 and Senior Magistrate Grade 2 now have jurisdiction on matters within N3 million and N2 million.

Magistrate Grade 1 and Grade 2 shall have jurisdiction on matters within in N1 million and N500, 000, he stated.

The governor said that the order followed the recommendation of the state Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro.

The recommendation provides that in all actions relating to landlord and tenant, the claimant may in addition claim arrears of rent and the profits.

This is irrespective of the fact that the total claim exceeds the amount assigned to the cadre of magistrate concerned.

Okowa also increased the criminal jurisdiction of magistrate courts to Chief Magistrate Special Grade.

The governor said that Chief Magistrate Grade 1 and Grade 2 were now empowered by the order to impose sentences/fines of 14 years or fine not less than N250, 000.

He said they now had powers to impose sentences of 10 years or fines not less than N200, 000 and six years imprisonment or fine not less than N150, 000.

The governor said these were applicable where the law creating the offences did not make any specific provisions.

Similarly, Senior Magistrate Grade 1 and 2 can now sentence convicts to four years and three years, while their criminal jurisdiction has been expanded to sentence convicts to two years and one year.

Source: NAN

The Ondo State Police Command on Thursday paraded a 43-year-old man, Francis Oladapo, who was arrested for allegedly issuing fake number plates to some motorists and motorcyclists in the state.

The commands spokesman, Mr Femi Joseph, said that the suspect collected over N4,000 from each of his victims while carrying out his illegal activities.

Joseph said that detectives from the command swung into action by arresting Oladapo after they had received information regarding his illegal act from the members of the public.

It was unfortunate that on sighting the police, the suspects accomplices escaped arrest.

This illegal act no doubt must have depleted the revenues that should have accrued to the state government revenues, the spokesman said.

Joseph, however, advised the members of public to only register their motors and motorcycles at the State Board of Internal Revenue or at the office of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The suspect told newsmen that he was introduced to the illegal business two years ago by a gang member now at large.

He said that he was not aware that his accomplices were engaged in criminality.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari said the combined efforts of defectors and their backers in the opposition will not distract his administration from the good work it is doing for the benefit and development of Nigeria.

President Buhari, who spoke in Daura on Thursday stressed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has the full understanding of Nigerias challenges and is encouraged by the support of Nigerians in addressing them.

The President spoke at a lunch with some APC Governors accompanied by some members of the National and State assemblies and commissioners.

We are always encouraged when all our constituents are happy with the work we are doing and our genuine efforts to make sure that what we campaigned for in 2015 is still very much in our minds and we have not lost focus.

In terms of security, economy and the fight against corruption we have maintained focus. Even the opposition with all their resources cannot fault our identification of Nigerias priorities and the efforts being made to better them.

We will continue to do what we ought to do in the leadership position God has placed us and we thank the constituents for the support, he said.

On the defections within the major political parties, the President reiterated his earlier message to them: for those who have decided to change camp for whatever reason, we wish them good luck.

The leader of the delegation and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State commended the President for his great efforts in keeping the nation together through visionary leadership.

He noted that President Buhari had remained focused and unshaken by situations and circumstances, adding that it shows that your administration is approved by God.

Okorocha told the President, we are here to encourage you to keep doing what you are doing as Nigerians are very very pleased with you.

We also want to inform you that we had wonderful and peaceful Sallah celebration across the country because of security of lives and property you have guaranteed in our nation.

Governor Okorocha was accompanied by the Governors of Katsina, Kebbi, Kano and Niger States.

Source: NAN