News
Four Men Face Court Over Online Harassment of French First Lady Brigitte Macron
Four men are set to appear in a Paris court next year over allegations of online harassment and incitement against Brigitte Macron, the French First Lady. The accusations include malicious comments likening her to a “paedophile.”
The case stems from years of disinformation regarding Macron’s gender and the 24-year age gap between her and President Emmanuel Macron, who is 46. Brigitte Macron, 71, filed a complaint in August, prompting an investigation into the online attacks.
The hearing, scheduled for July, will focus on defamatory remarks about her gender, sexuality, and age difference with the president. A trial is set for October.
One of the accused, Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, also known as “Zoe Sagan” on social media, is a publicist linked to conspiracy theory circles. His lawyer, Juan Branco, has criticized the charges, claiming political bias.
This follows a September court ruling where two women were ordered to pay €8,000 in damages to Macron for falsely claiming she was transgender, fueling conspiracy theories online.
News
“You Can Still Have Subsidy Without Long Queues” — Rufai Oseni Speaks On Subsidy
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Speaks on Lagos’ Power Challenges and the Need for Change
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Declares August 20 Public Holiday in Lagos for Isese Festival
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
