News
Republicans condemn Trump over feud with slain US soldier’s parents
Khizr and Ghazala Khan denounced Trump in ever more forceful terms, asserting that Trump’s temperament and lack of empathy rendered him unfit for office, while Trump claimed that Khizr Khan “viciously attacked” him while speaking at the Democratic National Convention last week.
Khizr Khan also repeated his call for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), to repudiate Trump, saying they have a moral obligation to speak out against their party’s standard-bearer.
In separate statements, Ryan and McConnell expressed support for the Khans and reiterated their opposition to Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims, but neither mentioned Trump by name and neither abandoned his support for the Republican nominee, the Washington Post said.
Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) had no such buffer. In a strongly worded statement yesterday, chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee took direct aim at Trump.
“In recent days, Donald Trump disparaged a fallen soldier’s parents,” wrote McCain. “He has suggested that the likes of their son should not be allowed in the United States – to say nothing of entering its service. I cannot emphasise enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump’s statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates.”
The clash between the Khans and Trump has largely taken over the presidential race following both major party conventions and with 99 days before Election Day.
Whether the fight with the Khans will ultimately hurt Trump among voters remains an open question. Some of Trump’s more controversial remarks, such as his attacks on a disabled reporter and a U.S.-born judge of Mexican descent, seem to have initially registered only to fade somewhat quickly.
For instance, Trump was roughly tied with Democrat Hillary Clinton in an average of polls before his saying that Judge Gonzalo Curiel’s Mexican heritage made him unfit to rule in a lawsuit involving Trump. In the ensuing weeks, Trump fell behind Clinton by a few points, but he regained his standing not long afterward.
It’s also possible that the controversy could help Trump, at least among those considering supporting him, if voters begin to see it as another example of elite-driven political correctness by the media and political establishment.
On Sunday, Khizr Khan said Trump disrespected his wife by insinuating that she wasn’t allowed to speak at the convention because of the family’s Muslim faith, and he called on Republican leaders and voters to reject the GOP nominee.
“I implore those patriotic Americans that would probably vote for Donald Trump in November, I appeal to them, not to vote for hatred, not to vote for fear-mongering,” Khan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
In an op-ed published in The Washington Post, Ghazala Khan directly responded to Trump, saying that she was too distraught to speak at the convention and could barely control her emotions while walking on stage.
“Here is my answer to Donald Trump: Because without saying a thing, all the world, all America, felt my pain. I am a Gold Star mother. Whoever saw me felt me in their heart,” she wrote, using a term for the parents of fallen members of the military.
Trump and his campaign, meanwhile, sought to redirect the focus to the origins of the Iraq War and fears about Islamic terrorism.
News
Okpebholo orders freezing of ALL Edo government accounts
Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, has ordered a freeze of all bank accounts belonging to the state government.
Okpebholo issued the directive on Thursday through Fred Itua, chief press secretary to the governor.
He asked commercial banks, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to immediately comply with the order or face severe consequences.
“All bank accounts in all the commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must comply with the order and ensure that not a dime is taken out of the coffers of Government until further notice,” the statement reads.
“Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies must comply with this order without further delays.
“After the necessary investigations and reconciliations, the Governor will do the needful and decide on the way forward. For now, this order stands.”
Okpebholo also directed relevant agencies to reverse the naming of the ministry of roads and bridges to the ministry of works — a nomenclature changed during the Godwin Obaseki administration.
“It is funny how you can call a Government institution Ministry of Roads and Bridges,” the statement reads.
“Ironically, no single bridge was built by the same administration. Not even a pedestrian bridge
“In the coming days, we will look at more actions taken by the previous administration and more decisions will be taken that will be done in the best interest of the state.”
The development comes days after Okpebholo took over the reins of power in Edo.
The governor had earlier ordered an indefinite suspension of revenue collection in the state — including at motor parks.
News
NESREA seals two facilities in FCT, Kogi for violating environmental regulations
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed two facilities in Abuja and Kogi for breaching environmental laws.
The facilities are Geld Construction Limited, located in Abaji, FCT, and Arno Energy, a charcoal production company in Okaba, Kogi.
In a statement on Wednesday, Amaka Ejiofor, NESREA’s spokesperson, said the companies were sealed for failure to conduct their environmental impact assessment (EIA).
Ejiofor noted that the facilities also failed to provide important environmental documents, including an air quality permit, an environmental audit report, and a waste management permit, necessary for maintaining standards in companies.
“The EIA provides guidance on mitigating the negative impact of a facility’s operations on the environment,” the statement reads.
“Their failure to do so led to the closure of the facilities to save human health and the environment.”
The NESREA’s spokesperson added that the facilities were also operating in an environmentally harmful manner, resulting in negative impacts on the host communities and the environment.
She said procedural measures, including the issuance of compliance notices, had been taken to force the facilities to address and rectify their violations.
Innocent Barikor, the director-general of NESREA, urged industry operators to ensure their activities and operations follow the stipulations of the law.
News
Federal high court to commence Christmas vacation December 16
The federal high court says it would go on break from December 16 to mark the Christmas holiday.
In a circular, John Tsoho, the court’s chief judge, said the Abuja, Lagos, and Port-Harcourt judicial divisions would remain open to the litigating public during the break.
Tsoho added that the court would resume proceedings on January 6, 2025.
“The vacation is pursuant to the provisions of order 46, rule 4 (c) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 (as amended),” the circular reads.
“Only matters relating to the enforcement of fundamental rights, arrest or release of vessels and matters that concern the vacation judges shall entertain dire national interest.”
The notice added that Emeka Nwite and M. S. Liman would be judges at the Abuja division during the vacation, while Akintayo Aluko and Isaac Dipeolu would sit at the Lagos division of the court.
P. M. Ayua and A. T. Mohammed would be the adjudicators at the Port-Harcourt division pending the resumption of complete court activities.
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