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Islamic council sets July 31 as Tobaski
Islamic council sets July 31 as Tobaski
Standard Newspaper said the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council has make know that the feast of eid-ul-adha, Tobaski, will be observed in the Gambia on Friday 31st July 2020.
According to Standard, the statement from the Council said the new month, Zul Hijjah, started yesterday.
The council also ‘reminded’ Muslims the importance of the first ten days, while urging them to keep fast on the 9th day of Arafat.
Suspected Boko Haram Fighters Execute Five Aid Workers In Borno State of Nigeria.
A video has been circulating online showing the execution of five persons by masked men in military camouflage, suspected to be Boko Haram fighters.
Channels TV said a voice was heard speaking in Hausa before the execution, saying that the five persons were working for infidels
“Those of you that are being used by infidels to turn others to infidels, know this today oh, you who work for infidel groups, you satisfy their aims but they do not care about you and that is why when we catch you they do not show concern. Our call to you is to repent and follow Allah; we shall waylay you in all the roads that you follow and if you don’t listen, the fate of these ones will befall you,” the voice said.
The execution immediately followed his speech at the cue of another voice that said “bisimillah.”
The slain persons are believed to be aid workers captured during a raid in Monguno Local Government of Borno State on June 13, 2020.
According to Channels TV, they include staff of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Action Against Hunger, Rich International, International Rescue Committee and a security guard.
The execution came after the insurgents demanded the sum of 500,000 dollars to release them.
Eyitayo Jegede Wins Ondo State PDP Primary
Eyitayo Jegede has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s flag bearer for the Ondo State governorship election which is expected to take place on October 10th 2020.
Jegede was announced earlier today as the winner after the delegates cast their votes at the party’s primary which held at the International Culture and Events Center, the dome in Akure, the state capital in Nigeria..
According to Channels TV he polled 888 votes to defeat his closest rival and incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi who garnered 657 votes and other seven aspirants.
The other aspirants include Eddy Olafeso who polled 175 votes, Banji Okunomo who polled 90 votes, Olabode Ayorinde who polled 95 votes and Boluwaji Kunlere who polled 33 votes.
While Olusola Ebiseeni and Godday Erewa polled 29 and 14 votes respectively, the total number of invalid votes stands at 64.
Channels TV said after gathering the highest number of votes in the indirect mode adopted by the party, Chairman of the PDP Primary Election Committee and Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi declared Jegede the winner of the exercise.
Also present at the primary is Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri among other members.
Arotile, Nigeria’s First Female Helicopter Combat Pilot, Laid To Rest In Abuja
The burial of Nigeria’s first female helicopter combat pilot, Tolulope Arotile, has taken place at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
Arotile, who died in a tragic car accident on July 14 in Kaduna, is being buried in strict compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said.
Akintunde Arotile, father of the desist described her daughter as a gift from God.
According to him, his daughter was blessed with a high intelligent quotient and that informed her decision to become a pilot.
Source__Channels TV
Protests in Turkey over brutal murder of young woman
The brutal murder of yet another Turkish woman has triggered widespread outrage in the country, with many taking to the streets and social media to express their anger.
Women hit the streets and take to social media after ex-partner reportedly confesses to killing Pinar Gultekin, 27.
University student victim Pinar Gultekin was 27 when she get killed in the Aegean province of Mugla. She was reported missing last week and was found dead in the woods on Tuesday.
Demonstrators hold placards and portraits of women killed in recent years during a protest in Istanbul.
According to Aljazeera, her former partner Cemal Metin Avci, a bar manager in the resort town of Akyaka, has been arrested for the murder. Police said he confessed to the killing during questioning, according to local media.
Aljazeera said more protests are expected as anger over the killing continues on social media, with users calling for further action by the authorities.
Source___Aljazeera
Presidents of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal heading to Bamako in bid to defuse political crisis.
Aljazeera said the foreign leaders are expected to meet Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and key figures of the opposition coalition behind the protests, known as the June 5 Movement.
“It will be difficult to rebuff presidents who come to help bring back peace and stability to your country,” said researcher Demba Moussa Dembele, president of the Dakar-based African Forum on Alternatives.
“The government and the opposition would likely avoid being blamed if the mission were to fail,” Dembele said.
According to Aljazeera, the dissatisfaction came over the country’s economic woes, corruption and worsening security situation has been simmering for a while, the spark for the current crisis was a decision by the Constitutional Court in April to overturn the results of parliamentary polls for 31 seats, in a move that saw candidates with Keita’s party get re-elected.
The protests turned violent earlier this month when three days of clashes between security forces and protesters left 11 people dead. Several opposition leaders were also briefly detained.
US ambassador to UK Woody Johnson denies making any racist comments
The US ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson has denied reports that he made “insensitive” remarks about race and gender to US embassy staffs.
CNN said Woody Johnson had been investigated by US officials after making “generalisations about black men” and “cringeworthy” comments about women’s looks.
But the diplomat tweeted that the claims were “totally inconsistent with my longstanding record and values”.
Mr Johnson was named ambassador to the UK by President Donald Trump back in 2017.
CNN also reported Mr Johnson had sought to promote the president’s business interests in the UK by asking politicians if the Open Championship golf tournament could be played at Mr Trump’s Turnberry course.
But Mr Johnson, who is part-owner of NFL team the New York Jets, denied that claim too.
“I have followed the ethical rules and requirements of my office at all times,” he wrote on social media.
When questioned about the allegation at a White House press conference on Wednesday, President Trump said he had never spoken to Mr Johnson about the matter.
Source___CNN
Canada court rules US ‘not safe’ for asylum seekers
Canada’s federal court has ruled that an asylum agreement the country has with the US is invalid because America violates the human rights of refugees.
The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) was in place since 2004 and it requires refugee claimants to request protection in the first safe country they reach.
But on Wednesday, a judge declared the deal unconstitutional due to the chance that the US will imprison the migrants.
The Safe Third Country Agreement is a policy implemented to better manage refugee claims and to avoid so-called “asylum shopping” between countries.
Lawyers for refugees who had been turned away at the Canadian border had challenged the agreement, arguing that the US did not qualify as “safe” for asylum seekers.
“We’re all too familiar with the treatment that the US metes out to asylum seekers,” Maureen Silcoff, president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, told Reuters news agency.
Source___BBC
Gambia confirms 19 new Covid-19 cases
The Gambia has confirmed 19 coronavirus cases yesterday, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases to 112.
This is the third consecutive time the country registers record daily confirmation of cases.
According to the health ministry, 6 healthcare workers contracted the virus, 5 from EFSTH and 1 from the MRC Gambia.
The ministry also disclosed that the source and chain of infection of about 58% of the new cases could not be established which is evidence of the existence of community transmission.
There are also 3 confirmed cases still on the run.
The country currently has 668 people in quarantine; 47 active and 4probable cases, while a crude case fatality rate of 3.6%.
Source___Standard Newspaper
IEC VICE CHAIRMAN RETIRES
The vice chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission in the Gambia has retired from the job, according to The Standard.
Malleh Sallah, has been working with the electoral body for about 20 years, he submitted his letter requesting to be retired since on 24 June, according to Standard.
Mr Sallah is still waiting for official response to his decision.
The Standard last night contacted Mr Sallah, who confirmed his decision to retire. “I have retired after 20 years or more with the Commission since when it was called PIEC. I strongly believe that I have done enough and it is time for the young ones to take over,” he said.
Asked by the Standard if his decision has anything to do with not agreeing with his colleagues over principles and conduct, as The Standard was tipped, Mr Sallah replied in the negative.
For now, according to various political parties quoting the law governing the IEC both Mr Sallah and his boss, Alieu Momarr Njai are due for retirement from the commission after serving two terms in office.
Their retirement is due next month. The Standard tried contacting the IEC’s director of communications on these issues without success.
Source___Standard Newspaper
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