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Riots spread across UK as officials deploy 6,000 officers to calm situation

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By Francesca Hangeior

Nearly a week of street riots across England have thrown up the first major crisis for Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he marks one month since his landslide election win.

Starmer enjoyed a smooth start after sweeping into Downing Street on July 5, taking to the world stage for several summits.

But the tumult of the past week has punctured hopes of a prolonged honeymoon for the 61-year-old leader.

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The UK government said on Tuesday that 6,000 specialist police officers were ready to deal with far-right rioting that broke out following the murder of three children, triggering a week of violence.

On Monday, six people were arrested and several police officers injured when they were attacked by rioters hurling bricks and fireworks in Plymouth, southern England.

Officers in Belfast, Northern Ireland, were attacked as rioters attempted to set fire to a shop owned by a foreign national.

Police said a man in his 30s was seriously assaulted during the disorder and that they are treating the incident as a racially motivated hate crime.

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Meanwhile, a group of men who gathered in Birmingham, central England, to counter a rumoured far-right demonstration, forced a Sky News reporter off air shouting: “Free Palestine”. She was then followed by a man in a balaclava holding a knife.

Another reporter said he was chased by members of the group “with what looked like a weapon”, while police said there had also been incidents of criminal damage to a pub and a car.

The unrest broke out last Tuesday after three children were killed in a stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northwest England.

Riots have since flared up in several cities and towns, leading to hundreds of arrests.
Justice Minister Heidi Alexander told BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday that the government had freed up an extra 500 prison places and drafted in 6,000 specialist police officers to deal with the ongoing violence.

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“We will make sure that anyone who is given a custodial sentence as a result of the riots and disorder will have a prison waiting for them,” she said.

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No going back on forex, subsidy reforms – Finance minister

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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, says there is no going back on the current administration’s reforms in the forex and oil and gas sectors.

Edun made this known when he received the newly assigned Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anitez at the Ministry’s headquarters, on Monday.

“Nigeria now have a foreign exchange rate that is market based and also a deregulated oil market pricing which are two reforms that are long overdue over many decades that President Tinubu is currently implementing.

“Therefore as co-ordinating minister of economy, we stand on a threshold of a new dawn to implement these reforms and increase productivity, create jobs and reducing poverty and we are glad to have a minister of state that will help in actualizing the President’s reforms,” he said.

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According to him, consultation and collaboration is key to achieving these key reforms both from public and private sector, stressing that ongoing economic policies are showing sustainability and sign of success.

The Minister of State for Finance, in her response, restated her commitment to work with stakeholders in both private and public sectors to ensure economic growth is materialized.

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Rivers: Fubara fond of disobeying judgements, – Amaewhule-led Assembly

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The Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly in Rivers State said Governor Siminialayi Fubara has a penchant to disobey courts’ judgements and constitutional provisions.

This is as the lawmakers also vowed to make Fubara’s appointees and permanent secretaries aiding him to circumvent the law have their date with the law.

They stated this during their 65th sitting on Monday in the legislative quarters.

In a statement by Martin’s Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, said the lawmakers reviewed the governor’s actions while deliberating on the recent judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.

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The state legistators comnended the verdict of Justice J.O. Abdulmalik barring government from withdrawing from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State, until the 2024 Appropriation Bill is presented before a properly constituted Assembly describing it as a sound and well considered ruling.

The statement also pointed out that the Assembly on 15th July, 2024 deliberated and resolved on the continuous refusal of Fubara to present the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the House.

The lawmakers then took the decision to write to the governor to shut down on expenditure pursuant to Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution.

Enabled by its resolution, the House and Amaewhule filed an action before the Federal High Court to determine whether Fubara could expend or continue to expend from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State without a valid 2024 Appropriation Law by the State House of Assembly.

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The lawmakers prayed the court to invoke the consequences of such constitutional breach by ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant- General of the Federation, some Money Deposit Banks among other defendants to stop the release of moneys or permit the withdrawal of Rivers State funds until Fubara complied with the Constitution which he swore to uphold; and the court decided in favour of the House and the Speaker.

Commenting on the judgement, Amaewhule said, “Since 1st of July, 2024, Governor Fubara has been spending moneys of the State without approval hence the declaration of the shutdown of expenditure.

“Yet, the Governor in his characteristic manner of disobeying judgements of Courts, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and extant laws has continued to circumvent the Law with the aid of Permanent Secretaries, and some individuals who parade themselves as Commissioners. They will certainly have a date with the Law”.

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NAF Airstrikes neutralize ISWAP commander, dozens of others

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The Nigerian Airforce says its airstrike has neutralized 50 terrorists, including a high-ranking ISWAP commander known as Bashir Dauda, during an operation in Marte Local Government

Air Commodore Olusola F Akinboyewa, Director, Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, in a statement on Monday night said the precision strikes focused on known ISWAP strongholds in the villages of Tumbun Daribiyar, Jubularam, Buluwa, and Tumbu Karfe, marking a major effort in the ongoing fight against terrorism in Nigeria’s Northeast.

It said an on-ground assessment confirmed that “approximately 50 terrorists, including a high-ranking ISWAP commander known as Bashir Dauda, were neutralized in the operation.”

” Additionally, an ISWAP supply depot in the Jubularam enclave, filled with a substantial cache of food and essential items like beans, millet, and rice, was destroyed, effectively severing a critical resource line for the terrorists.

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“These successful air strikes, targeting personnel and logistics, underscore NAF’s ongoing commitment to supporting ground forces and enhancing joint efforts to decimate terrorist strongholds in the region,” he said.

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