*Nigeria’s fuel shortage won’t affect Ghana – ACEP*

*Nigeria’s fuel shortage won’t affect Ghana – ACEP*

The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has ruled out any impact of the fuel shortage in Nigeria on Ghana. The energy think tank explains that, Ghana’s decision to review downwards its sulphur content for imported petroleum products, limits it from importing fuel from Nigeria.

Nigeria has for the past three weeks been hit with fuel shortages, particularly in Lagos and Abuja. The development has left commuters and drivers stranded. The government is seeking to improve its refinery system and increase local supply going forward.

Mr. Boakye, however, explained to Citi Business News that the absence of a robust system to improve local production and supply of refined products could have triggered the massive impact of the shortage. In his view, the government should work to improve the local base so as not to lose the hindsight benefit of its local content laws.

*🇸🇦Saudi-Led Airstrikes💣 Kill 68 Civilians in 1⃣ Day of 🇾🇪Yemen's 'Absurd' War*

Sixty-eight civilians were killed in two separate air raids by the Saudi-led coalition in one day of Yemen’s “absurd” war, the United Nations has said. The first airstrike on Tuesday hit a crowded market in Taez province, killing 54 civilians, including eight children, and wounding 32 others, Jamie McGoldrick, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, said in a statement.

The second raid was in the Red Sea province of Hodeida and killed 14 people from the same family. “I remain deeply disturbed by mounting civilian casualties caused by escalated and indiscriminate attacks throughout Yemen,” McGoldrick said. In addition to the casualties from Tuesday’s two air raids, another 41 civilians were killed and 43 wounded over the previous 10 days of fighting, he said.

The Arab coalition intensified its air campaign targeting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels after 19 December, when Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile the insurgents fired at the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

*Osun Workers Commence Strike, Block Secretariat*

*Osun Workers Commence Strike, Block Secretariat*

As Nigerian workers resume from the Christmas holiday this morning, civil servants in Osun have been barred from gaining entry into the Abere secretariat by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The NLC on Wednesday morning at about 7 am took over the entrance gate of the secretariat to ensure total compliance to its directive of going on an indefinite strike over the modulated workers salary being received for over two years now. The Leadership of the state NLC had last week directed their members not to return to work this week as they will no longer take half salary from the state government.

However, the chairman of the NLC, Jacob Adekomi, said the directive by the Head of Service, Festus Olowogboyega, that workers on Grade Level 1-7 resume work got the unions infuriated hence the resolve to ensure they turn any erring worker back home.

*Four Killed, 36 Escape In Akwa Ibom Jail Break*

*Four Killed, 36 Escape In Akwa Ibom Jail Break*

Four inmates were on Wednesday killed while 36 others escaped in a jailbreak at Ikot Ekpene Prison, in Akwa Ibom state. The spokesperson for the prison, Ogbajie Ogbajie in a statement on Thursday said that the prisoners attacked prison kitchen’s staff and proceeded to escape through the rear entrance of the prison.

“At about 11:47hrs on Wednesday, 27 December 2017, there was an attack on kitchen staff that were on duty at Ikot Ekpene Prison in Akwa-Ibom State by some prisoners. “They seized an axe from fellow inmate attached to the kitchen, inflicting a deep cut to inmate’s head in the process and immediately made for the rear entrance to the prison. They broke the door with the axe and engaged the staff that chased after them in battle,” he said.

Ogbajie said further that seven of the fleeing inmates were recaptured while four others who were hit by gunshots died.

*Fuel Crisis: Senate suspends recess, summons Kachikwu, NNPC’s GMD, others*

*Fuel Crisis: Senate suspends recess, summons Kachikwu, NNPC’s GMD, others*

In a bid to end the ongoing fuel crisis, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, directed the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to cut short its recess and immediately convene a meeting with industry stakeholders.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa, who disclosed this in Abuja, said following the directive, the Committee has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Maikanti Baru and other relevant stakeholders in the petroleum sector to a crucial meeting on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

*Athletic warn Kepa: Pay buy-out clause if you want to join Real Madrid*

*Athletic warn Kepa: Pay buy-out clause if you want to join Real Madrid*

Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has been told he must pay his buy-out clause in full if he is to leave the club for Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Liga champions in January as they look to bring in competition for Keylor Navas.

Kepa's contract expires at the end of the season and talks over a new deal appear to have broken down, despite months of negotiations.

However, club president Josu Urrutia insists the player will not be sold next month unless his release clause, reportedly set at €20m, is paid in full.

"We are aware of what has been reported but we have had no confirmation from the player's representatives or those from Real Madrid [about interest in a transfer].

"Athletic are not a selling club and if a player wants to leave then first of all it has to be his wish and then they need to pay the buy-out clause."

Urrutia compared Kepa's situation to that of striker Fernando Llorente, who joined Juventus on a free transfer in July 2013 after agreeing terms over a move in January of the same year.

*Heavy use of generators puts Nigeria’s climate plans in jeopardy*

*Heavy use of generators puts Nigeria’s climate plans in jeopardy*

The continued heavy reliance on fossil fuel-powered generators in Nigeria by government institutions, businesses and households for electricity supply constitutes a major threat to the nation’s climate change plans, ‘FEMI ASU writes

Diesel or petrol generators are often used in most countries as backup or emergency power when the national grid fails or during power outages or to provide energy in remote areas. But in Nigeria, generators have become the primary source of electricity for most businesses and households, as supply from the national grid remains abysmally low.

The use of diesel/petrol generator has over the years spread to almost every part of the country despite its negative health and climate effects. The proliferation of generators, or what Schneider Electric described as “the alarming reality of mass generator dependency,” exposes communities to harmful emissions of greenhouse gases.

*Federal Government Justifies $1 Billion For Boko Haram*

*Federal Government Justifies $1 Billion For Boko Haram*

The criticisms trailing the approval of $1billion for Boko Haram war and violent crimes across the country is unnecessary and unhelpful, the Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Lai Muhammed said yesterday. The minister said the $1bn was meant to fight security challenges including Boko Haram, illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping and cattle rustling, as well as the acquisition of military ammunition and hardware.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, the minister expressed dismay that an action intended to make the country safer had been subjected to attacks by people with ulterior motives. The minister said that it was wrong to sacrifice the issue of security on the altar of politics, saying opponents of the fund were taking politics too far.

The National Economic Council (NEC), comprising the 36 state governors, approved the fund from the Excess Crude Account, a move that generated controversy. “I said unnecessary and uninformed because everyone knows the role the military is playing in helping to tackle the numerous security crisis facing the states, much less the war against Boko Haram."

*Osun Govt Admits Paying Modulated Workers’ Salaries For 14 Months*

*Osun Govt Admits Paying Modulated Workers’ Salaries For 14 Months*

Osun State Government on Wednesday admitted that some civil servants in the state have not been receiving their full salaries for at least 14 months. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Adelani Baderinwa, said during a phone interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“We are owing workers on levels eight to 13, 25 per cent of their salary for about 14, 15 months now; and those of levels 14 and above, 50 percent of their salary,” he said. “As a matter of fact, and to be sure that government is very keen on the welfare of workers; when the second tranche of Paris Club refund came, we quickly paid two months of the 25 and 50 percent being owed.”

Baderinwa’s comments come hours after the workers embarked on an industrial action over what they termed government’s inability to pay their full salaries. Prior to the strike, the state government had appealed to the aggrieved workers to be patient with a promise that the trying times would end soon.

*Two children disappear during Jumat service in Lagos*

*Two children disappear during Jumat service in Lagos*

The parents of three-year-old Muhaisin Awaz and Abdallah Abdulazeez, 6, are distressed after the two children allegedly disappeared during a Jumat service at Oniyanrin, in the Mile 12, Ketu area of Lagos State. PUNCH Metro learnt that the families of the two children are friends and Abdulazeez’s mother had visited Muhaisin’s parents on that Friday to inform them of her plans to travel to her hometown in Kano State.

She was said to be heavily pregnant and wanted to give birth in Kano. During the visit, the two children were said to be playing together when they heard the call to Islamic prayers. Our correspondent learnt that the two children hurried downstairs to join other Islamic faithfuls for the prayers.

They were said to have gone missing during the payers as they could not be found afterwards. Muhaisin’s sister, Sekiyat, told PUNCH Metro that the incident happened around 1.30pm on December 16.

*One-month-old baby escapes death as fire razes building in Lagos*

*One-month-old baby escapes death as fire razes building in Lagos*

A tragedy was averted in the Akowonjo area of Lagos State on Tuesday as residents rescued a one-month-old baby while fire razed a building on Adesina Street. Our correspondents gathered that the mother of the baby was sewing in a shop in front of the bungalow when the fire started around 10 am.

The mother was reported to have said she smelt something burning, but she could not tell what it was until her neighbours raised the alarm. It was gathered that the mother rushed out of the shop, as occupants of buildings on the street also came out. She discovered that it was her house that was on fire.

_PUNCH Metro_ gathered that she rushed inside the house and she discovered that many apartments in the building were already on fire with thick smoke billowing from the building.

*Banks set up fund to fight e-fraud*

The Deposit Money Banks in the country have set up a multimillion-naira fund to fight scammers as the banking sector continues to record rising cases of electronic fraud. Part of the funds will be deployed in massive anti-fraud campaigns to expose the tricks of e-fraudsters beginning January 2018.

The Chairman, Committee of Electronic Banking Industry Heads, the umbrella body for the heads of e-banking in all the commercial banks in the country, Mr. Dele Adeyinka, made the disclosure in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Tuesday.

Adeyinka said, “Six months ago, in mid-2017 we realised that we needed to set aside some amount of money (running into hundreds of millions of naira) to create awareness about electronic fraud. We decided that an ‘X’ amount of all the transactions going through the NIBSS platform for the purpose of fighting fraud.

*Law School’s position on hijab unlawful –Muslim lawyers*

The Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria has described as unlawful the recent refusal by the Nigerian Law School to allow Firdaus Amasa entrance into the venue of the ‘Call to Bar’ ceremony recently in Abuja because she put on hijab.

MULAN made the declaration in a communique on Monday in Katsina shortly after its three-day extra-ordinary National Executive Committee meeting. It read: " the refusal to allow the appellants wear it (the hijab) on their uniform is a clear infraction of their rights."

The National President of MULAN, in his presentation, encouraged lawyers to rise up to the challenge of ensuring the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians with respect and obedience to the rule of law. Justice Musa Abubakar, who represented the Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice A. Yusuf, on the occasion, urged Muslims not to be discouraged by what he described as recurring global persecution but to hold on tenaciously to the tenets of Islam.

*India 🇮🇳 police 👮 kill Kashmir 'Merchant of Death' 😱*

Police in Indian-administered Kashmir say they have killed a militant separatist leader in a shoot-out outside the city of Srinagar.

Noor Mohammad Tantray was a commander in the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group.

Police said they engaged in a fierce gun battle with Tantray.

As the news of his death spread, hundreds of residents came on to the streets shouting anti-India slogans and clashing with police. Police said a tip-off led them to the house in Pulwama district where Tantray was hiding and two other suspected militants were hiding.

A police officer who arrested Tantray in Delhi in 2003 said he had originally been recruited because at 4ft 2inches (1.27m) he did not look like a militant. "No-one would suspect him to be a terrorist and that is why JeM recruited him as an over-ground worker," the officer said.

But his short stature and a limp also made it easy to identify him.

Tunisia 🇹🇳 suspends Emirates flights ✈ following female passenger 👩 travel ban*

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Tunisian authorities say their decision to suspend all Emirates airline flights into the country "cannot be described as a diplomatic crisis" between the North African country and the United Arab Emirates.

A tit-for-tat dispute began on Friday when Emirates prohibited female Tunisian passengers from being able to board flights to the UAE -- without giving a reason.  
Speaking Tuesday, Tunisian presidential spokeswoman Saida Garrach said the UAE had "voiced fear that an attack will probably be committed by Tunisian women or women with Tunisian passports."  
The travel ban triggered confusion and anger at the Tunis airport and on media. In response, the Tunisian transport ministry on Monday suspended all Emirates flights into Tunis. Emirates employees were first informed of the news the night before in an internal company email that read: "Any passengers holding TUN as final destination are not to be accepted for travel at point of origin."  
Emirates announced on Twitter that the Dubai-Tunis service had been stopped "based on instructions by the Tunisian authorities."

Medical evacuations have begun in a rebel-held suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus, the Red Cross has said. In a tweet, it said that "critical" patients were being moved from the Eastern Ghouta area to the capital. Last week, a UK charity said President Bashar al-Assad had been considering a request to evacuate seven children with cancer from the area, which has been under government siege for four years.

They are among more than 130 children needing urgent medical treatment there. Nearly 12% of children in Eastern Ghouta - which has a total population of 400,000 - are suffering from acute malnutrition, the UN has said.

Earlier this month the Red Cross said life in Eastern Ghouta was becoming "impossible" and the situation there had reached a "critical point". The UN has been trying for weeks to arrange medical evacuations.

Brazil has declared Venezuela's most senior diplomat in Brazil, Gerardo Delgado, as persona non grata. The move came days after Venezuela's decision to expel Brazil's own ambassador to Caracas, Ruy Pereira. Explaining its decision, Venezuela said Brazil had acted illegally in impeaching its former left-wing president, Dilma Rousseff.

On Saturday, Venezuela also expelled Canada's charge d'affaires, accusing him of interfering in internal affairs. Canada's foreign ministry retaliated on Monday, announcing that ambassador Wilmer Barrientos Fernández, who was already abroad, would not be allowed to return. Venezuela's charge d'affaires, Ángel Herrera, was also asked to leave.

*Bayern Munich Sign German Striker Sandro Wagner*

Bayern Munich said Thursday they had signed experienced German international striker Sandro Wagner from Hoffenheim as a backup for Robert Lewandowski.

German press reports said Bayern paid a fee of around 13 million euros ($15.4 million) for the 30-year-old.

"We are convinced that Wagner will improve the quality of our team with his class and his experience," Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said.

Wagner's contract runs until June 30, 2020.

Polish international Lewandowski had complained about a lack of rest.

Herdsmen shoot at NAF fighter jet in Adamawa*

*

Gun-wielding herdsmen have fired at the Alpha Jet and the EC 135 Helicopter deployed by the military in an attempt to resist the interventions by the Nigerian Air Force in the troubled communities of Numan and Demsa Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.

The herdsmen, who were dressed in black, reportedly attempted to bring down the fighter aircraft which were flown to fire “only warning shots” and not to kill any of the attackers.

Reports two weeks ago said that the NAF, on the invitation of the Nigerian Army in Adamawa, deployed some fighter aircraft to support the ground forces in stopping the crisis.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice-Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, who confirmed the deployment of the air assets, had said it would be “a continuous exercise.”

The police in Adamawa State also confirmed attacks by the rampaging Fulani militia on Dong and Lawura villages in the Demsa LGA, saying that many buildings were razed, scores were killed while many other residents fled the communities.

*NNPC can’t sustain 100% fuel importation, says LCCI*

As the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) continues to rock many parts of the, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation cannot continue to be the sole importer of the product into the country.

Private oil marketers had since last year stopped fuel importation due to shortage of foreign exchange and increase in crude prices, which they said had made it unprofitable to import petrol and sell at N145 per litre.

The LCCI advised the Federal Government to stop treating petrol as a social product by encouraging private sector operators to play a bigger role in the nation’s downstream petroleum sector.

The Director-General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday, said, “It’s unfortunate that we are having fuel queues back. But there is a very fundamental problem with our petroleum downstream sector, and the problem is that it is over-regulated. You cannot have a sector as big as that serving our size of population and we expect only the government provider to be supplying fuel. It is not a sustainable model."

Monkeypox: Nigeria Records One Death, Confirms 61 Cases*

*
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has announced 61 confirmed cases of monkeypox and reported the first death from the disease.

A situation report for monkeypox outbreak released by the agency for the epidemiological week 49, on Wednesday, said the dead patient was a confirmed case with background immune-compromised condition.

It, however, added that there has been a decline in the number of new suspected cases reported over the last five weeks. In the report, the agency also stated that it has deactivated the monkeypox Emergency Operations Centre, EOC, this week.

It said response to the disease will henceforth be coordinated by "a technical working group" comprising of all existing response partners.

Senate Blasts EFCC For Arresting Innoson Boss, Orders Probe*

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The Senate on Wednesday criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for arresting the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma.

The lawmakers accused the EFCC of using military approach and therefore mandated the Senate Committee on Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption to investigate their actions.

During the plenary on Wednesday, the lawmakers took turn to criticise EFCC's actions as Senator Monsurat Sunmonu in an additional prayer which was seconded by Senator Oluremi Tinubu said that the Committee on Women Affairs should investigate the alleged assault on Chwukuma's wife by EFCC operatives.

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha in his comments said if, truly, Chukwuma's wife was slapped by an operative of the EFCC as Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe claimed to have been told, "someone must be held to account; he must lose his job and he must be prosecuted."

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu also at the plenary raised a point of order to criticise EFCC for the arrest.

*BREAKING: Again, PDP loses Rep to APC*

Another member of the Peoples Democratic Party has just defected to the All Progressives Congress in the House of Representatives.

He is Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma from Edo State.

Agbonayinma, was a member of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction before the Supreme Court recognised the then Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction as the authentic leadership of the party.

Only on Tuesday, a member of the PDP from Imo State, Mr. Raphael Igbokwe, had defected to the APC.

Agbonayinma claimed, “The PDP has shut the door against me.”

Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Phillip Shuaibu, witnessed the defection.

*EU says Brexit transition 👍 to end by 31 December 2020*

A "transition period" after the UK leaves the EU should not continue beyond 31 December 2020, Brussels says.

Giving evidence to a committee of MPs, Prime Minister Theresa May said a 31 December 2020 cut-off offered a "neatness" for the EU, but suggested the length of the transition phase would be a matter for the negotiations.

Long-term, the UK has already said it plans to leave the customs union and single market and end the supremacy of EU court rulings as part of Brexit.

Some Brexit-supporting Tory MPs have warned the UK could become a "colony" of the EU during the transition period if it continues to closely follow the same rules.

Asked whether he expected Spain to agree to the transitional arrangement covering Gibraltar, Mr Barnier said decisions on the issue would be "made for the 27, unanimously, by consensus".

*Innocent Chukwuma, Innoson Motors boss, arrested*

Read.
Law enforcement officers said to be from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested Innocent Chukwuma, the founder and chairman of Innoson Motors.

Reports say a spokesperson for the company, Cornel Osigwe, that Mr. Chukwuma was arrested at his residence in Enugu around 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

“His arrest is in connection to the ongoing case he has with GTBank,” Mr. Osigwe said by telephone.

Mr. Osigwe said his principal was accused of jumping bail, wondering how someone who was never invited by the EFCC much less being arrested would be accused of fleeing from the law.

“He was never invited by the EFCC, we challenge them to come forward with any evidence showing that he jumped bail,” Mr. Osigwe said. “This is GTBank using federal authorities to persecute an illustrious citizen who has done a lot to improve the economic development of this country.”

The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said he had not been briefed about the arrest.

*Nigeria commences 48-hr visa issuance in New York*

*Nigeria commences 48-hr visa issuance in New York*

The Nigerian Consulate in New York has said that applicants for the Nigeria visa can now get it in 48 hours with the introduction of the issuance of the biometric visa.

The acting Consul-General, Tanko Suleiman, who disclosed this at the commencement of the biometric visa processing in New York, said the new process had simplified the issuance of Nigerian visa.

Mr. Suleiman said with the commencement of the biometric visa issuance, no applicant should spend more than 25 minutes to complete his or her enrollment.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government on Monday commenced the biometric visa issuance, becoming the first country in Africa to achieve that feat.

The Nigerian envoy said the federal government has appointed Online Integrated Solutions Limited (OIS) as the company to handle the biometric visa project.

Mr. Suleiman appealed to applicants in the U.S. to be courteous and orderly as the new system would finally address any frustrations in obtaining the Nigerian visa.

*Nigeria Police arrest 20 protesting Moshood Abiola Polytechnic students* Ogun Police Command on Tuesday arrested no fewer than 20 protesting students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, for alleged disturbance of the public peace.

*Nigeria Police arrest 20 protesting Moshood Abiola Polytechnic students*

Ogun Police Command on Tuesday arrested no fewer than 20 protesting students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, for alleged disturbance of the public peace.

Meanwhile they were arrested on the second day of a week-long protest tagged, ‘black week.’

The action, which began on Monday, was meant to protest against the students’ inability to sit for their second semester examination earlier scheduled for September 18.

A combined team of men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and mobile policemen, among others, swooped on the students at Pansheke, where they had made bonfires, and arrested 20 of them.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that no fewer than 20 students were arrested.

He said the protesting students destroyed public property and attacked policemen, as well as passersby.

*Canada 🇨🇦 couple forced to spend Christmas apart after 70 years 😱*

An elderly Canadian couple is heartbroken after learning that they will be separated for the first time in seven decades a week before Christmas.

Herbert Goodine, 91, was told he must leave the long-term care facility where he lives with his wife Audrey Goodine, 89, and move into a nursing home.

"When talking to my parents yesterday I listened to my mother weep and I could hear my father in the background," their daughter Dianne Phillips wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

Mrs Phillips said she received a call on Friday from the provincial department that oversees long-term care saying that her father, whose health has declined recently, would have to be moved to a home with more advanced care.

*12 dead 💐, 18 injured in Mexico tour bus 🚌 crash 💥*

A tour bus crash in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday left at least 12 dead and 18 injured, officials said. The bus was carrying 31 people, including tourists from the United States, Brazil and Sweden, in the state of Quintana Roo, according to Public Security of Quintana Roo.

The bus was traveling from the coastal village of Mahahual to the Mayan ruin archaeological site Chacchoben, according to Public Security of Quintana Roo.

Among the bus passengers were 27 cruise guests from two Royal Caribbean ships, Celebrity Equinox and Serenade of the Seas, the cruise line said.

Representatives from the United States mission in Mexico are heading to the scene to assist any US citizens involved, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said.
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*West Ham star Lanzini banned for dive at Stoke*

Manuel Lanzini has been banned for two matches for his 'successful deception of a match official' when winning a penalty for West Ham at Stoke City on Saturday.

Argentinian midfielder Lanzini went to ground under a challenge from Erik Pieters after 18 minutes at the bet365 Stadium, with referee Graham Scott pointing to the spot and Mark Noble converting from 12 yards.

West Ham went on to win 3-0, Lanzini assisting further strikes from Marko Arnautovic and Diafra Sakho to pile misery on Stoke boss Mark Hughes, whose side sit a point above the relegation zone.

Lanzini denied the charge, but the Football Association has seen fit to punish the midfielder, who will sit out matches against Arsenal and Newcastle United over the festive period.

*Leicester City 1 Manchester City 1 (aet, 3-4 pens): Vardy & Mahrez miss in shoot-out as visitors reach semi-finals

Jamie Vardy equalised from the spot but failed in the shoot-out as Manchester City beat Leicester City 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

Leicester were their own worst enemy for much of the first half, inviting pressure with a string of avoidable mistakes and one ultimately led to the opening goal - Bernardo Silva steering home after Ilkay Gundogan had wrestled the ball from Kelechi Iheanacho just before the half-hour.

The hosts improved after the break and gave City more to worry about, though clear-cut chances remained at a premium for them, with Bravo rarely forced into meaningful saves until late in proceedings.

The spotlight was on the Chilean deep into eight minutes of stoppage time at the end of regulation time and he could do little to prevent Vardy from forcing an extra half hour with his penalty, which was controversially awarded after Demarai Gray went down under pressure from substitute Kyle Walker.

Still the two sides could not be separated and it came down to the shoot-out, with City ultimately reigning supreme, scoring all four of their kicks and claiming victory thanks to Vardy missing and Bravo swatting away Mahrez' final penalty.

*Leicester City 1 Manchester City 1 (aet, 3-4 pens): Vardy & Mahrez miss in shoot-out as visitors reach semi-finals 📹* http://v.duta.us/sBjqAgAA

Jamie Vardy equalised from the spot but failed in the shoot-out as Manchester City beat Leicester City 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

Leicester were their own worst enemy for much of the first half, inviting pressure with a string of avoidable mistakes and one ultimately led to the opening goal - Bernardo Silva steering home after Ilkay Gundogan had wrestled the ball from Kelechi Iheanacho just before the half-hour.

The hosts improved after the break and gave City more to worry about, though clear-cut chances remained at a premium for them, with Bravo rarely forced into meaningful saves until late in proceedings.

The spotlight was on the Chilean deep into eight minutes of stoppage time at the end of regulation time and he could do little to prevent Vardy from forcing an extra half hour with his penalty, which was controversially awarded after Demarai Gray went down under pressure from substitute Kyle Walker.

Still the two sides could not be separated and it came down to the shoot-out, with City ultimately reigning supreme, scoring all four of their kicks and claiming victory thanks to Vardy missing and Bravo swatting away Mahrez'

*Italian 🇮🇹 king's reburial reopens 😢 old wounds*

The body of King Victor Emmanuel III has returned to Italy from Egypt, 70 years after he died there in exile.

But the royal reburial has brought back difficult memories for many and caused anger, as the BBC's Sofia Bettiza in Rome reports. 
King Victor Emmanuel III was infamously nicknamed Sciaboletta, meaning "little sabre", because of his size: he was 1.53m (5ft) tall. 
A special sword had to be forged for him, so it would not scrape the ground when he carried it. 
His physical stature may have been small, but Victor Emmanuel's impact on Italian affairs certainly was not. 
He is known in Italy as the king whose actions gave rise to the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini and the end of the monarchy. 
Now, seven decades after his death, he is causing fresh controversy. 
Victor Emmanuel died in exile in Egypt in 1947. He had fled Italy four years earlier, fearing arrest by the German army after declaring an armistice with the Allies during World War Two. 
His remains were finally flown back to his homeland on Sunday, amid condemnation and outrage, particularly among Italy's Jewish community. 
"This cannot fail to generate deep concern," said Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities. 
"Victor Emmanuel III was an accomplice of the fascist regime, whose rise he never opposed."

*Hundreds of dead 🦈 sharks wash up on Iranian island❗*

Hundreds of dead sharks have been found washed up on the shores of Iran's Shif island.

Some fishermen catch the sharks for their fins, which are believed to have medicinal properties, officials say.

After cutting off the fins, they throw the dead sharks in the sea because they fear they will be fined. 
The sharks end up washing up on the beach, an environment official in the southern port city of Bushehr is quoted as saying by IRNA news agency. 
The price for 1kg (2.2lb) of shark fin is about $2 (£1.50), the director-general of the Environmental Protection Organisation, Hoseyn Delshab, said. 
Shark fishing was banned in Iran in 2014 over concerns the population was facing extinction. 
The fine for catching a shark is about $7,000. 
The finding is "an alarm about the extinction of sharks" in the Gulf, Mr Delshab

Hundreds of dead 🦈 sharks wash up on Iranian island❗*

*ULTIMAS NOTÍCIAS: Accidente de bus turístico en México deja al menos 11 muertos y 20 heridos*

Un bus turístico que transportaba a un grupo de 31 personas, en su mayoría extranjeros, por la carretera Mahahual - Chetumal se accidentó en la mañana de este martes. Hasta el momento el accidente deja un saldo de 11 muertos y 20 heridos.

De acuerdo con la Secretaría de Seguridad Públia de Quintana Roo, el bus transportaba a turistas de distintas nacionalidades, entre esas Italia y Canadá, que venían de un crucero. El bus iba se dirigía a la zona arqueológica Chacchoben en la Zona Maya. Los lesionados han sido trasladados a dos hospitales para recibir tratamiento.

JOY TO THE WORLD!

⏰Third Sunday in Advent (Year B)

📖Isa 61:1-2a, 10-11; Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54 (R. Isa 61:10b); 1 Thess 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

🎤JOY TO THE WORLD!
By Padre JohnBosco Ezeonwumelu
Today is traditionally called the " _Gaudete_ Sunday," a special day in which we are reminded that Christianity brings joy to all things. With less than two weeks to the proper celebration of the Christmas, this reminder is important to keep our minds focused on the real things that matter in this season and the real attitude we ought to embrace.

Both the First Reading and the Gospel announce the presence of the Messiah among the people. In the First Reading, the Israelites who had just come back from exile were downcast at the sight of the destruction that has taken place in their land. So the post-exilic prophet Isaiah came up with the claim that God sent him to usher in a new era for the people. In that new era, different challenges of the people would be taken care of by the anointed one and a new year of God's favour ushered in too. That would be a great cause for joy (Isa 61:10).

Jesus quotes from that passage of the book of Isaiah at the early stages of his ministry (Luke 4:18-19). With that, he also introduces a new era for the people. Those who encountered him rejoiced at getting solutions to their problems. This joy can only come through an encounter with Jesus. Hence, John the Baptist, in the Gospel, came to bear witness to this and make the people to have faith in Jesus.

Having an encounter with Jesus demands faith in him. It is possible for one to be a regular ' _Church-goer'_ __ without having an encounter with Jesus. But it is not possible for one to be a Christian without having an encounter with him. Are you a Christian or just a _church-goer_ ?

An average ' _church-goer'_ is like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. They were with Jesus but were not getting the joy that comes from him. Yet, it is in him that their joy lies.

Christianity is a vocation of joy. Hence, St. Paul, in the Second Reading, encourages the people to rejoice always. But he added other responsibilities which could be summarized as doing good and shunning evil. In doing that, we shall see that we will be spreading the joy of Christ's coming to the ends of the earth.

May the joy of the Lord follow you all the days of your life as you make great effort to follow Jesus faithfully by doing good and shunning evil. Amen.

Have a joyous day in the Lord. Peace be with you.

*249 Nigerians Return From Libya*

Another fresh 249 Nigerian migrants on Thurday evening returned to the country with the aid of the International Organisation for Migration and EU.

They arrived aboard Afriqiyah Airbus A330-300 with Registration number 5A-ONR which landed at the Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

The new arrival consisted of 52 adult female, four female children and 10 female infants, 173 adult male, two male children and 9 male infant making a total of 249 returnees.

Mustapha Maihajja recieved the returnees and implored them to be champions of positive change amongst the youths who are still nursing the idea of seeking greener pastures outside the country.

"You should let them know that you're always second citizens outside your country and your rights can be violated without opportunity for you to seek redress at all," he said.

*300 doctors abandon Nigeria*

Three hundred Nigerian doctors left the country in 2016, the National President, Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Mike Ogirima has revealed.

He said more doctors have already joined the migration train this year. He did not give any statistics, although_ NAN_ learnt that 500 doctors sat for qualifying foreign medical exams to move out.

Ogirima made this revelation at the association’s National Executive Council meeting held on Thursday in Lagos.

According to some reports, an estimated 35,000 Nigerian doctors are practising abroad, out of the_ _ 72,000 registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria_._ The United Kingdom and the United States are the top destinations of the migrant doctors.

In August, an official of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Abimbola Olajide, revealed that no fewer than 2,500 doctors would leave the country this year.

*DPR sanctions 10 filling stations over price hike*

The Department of Petroleum Resources on Friday said it had sanctioned 10 petrol filling stations in Zamfara for selling fuel above official pump price.

Audu said DPR had visited 35 filling stations across the state in the past one week and discovered that 10 out of the stations were selling fuel above N145 per litre.

"Members of the public should assist us with information on malpractices by owners of filling stations that sell fuel above official pump price, under dispensation, hoarding, and diversion, among others."

The Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Gusau Depot Branch, Alhaji Sirajo Kamba, however, said that the increase in pump price followed a unilateral decision by private depots to increase the price of the commodity.

"Members of IPMAN are law-abiding, we are ready to cooperate with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that fuel supply has improved."