Organisation urges Buhari on SIP implementation, sustenance

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The Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts to fully implement and sustain the Social Investment Programme (SIP) on Enterprise Promotion, to reduce unemployment and poverty.

Mr Waheed Odunuga, BYO Coordinator, Lagos State, made the appeal in an interview with journalists in Lagos.

SIP, a special intervention programme of the Federal Government, has four parts, including “Homegrown school feeding Programme” and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

According to him, the government needs to ensure disbursement of funds to expectant beneficiaries and further simplify loan collection and refund.

“This is the very first time people are benefiting from such project without the need of any politician to access loan. All the people need is a formidable registered association.

“The problem is the number of beneficiaries; the targeted beneficiaries is said to be one million people, but as at now, I don’t think the government has done enough.

“To me, the government needs to do more because right now, a lot of applicants are yet to access the loan. It will help to give hope to the hopeless in this recession period.”

Odunuga said that one of BYO’s roles, as an organisation, was to promote government policies, adding that the group had promoted the policy through its chapters across states and local governments.

According to him, efforts should be redoubled to ensure that the project does not fail, as in the last four weeks, money has not been disbursed to expected beneficiaries.

“We told them that within a month, they would get the loan; while some got it within two weeks, many could not get even after a month.

“Some people got the money credited into their accounts, but withdrawing the money becomes difficult, which makes them spend weeks in the banks before getting the money due to monopoly.

“Meanwhile, the government gave two weeks grace to start refund but lots of people, even after two weeks, have not accessed the money, and their accounts would be debited for money not yet collected.

“I think the government needs to do more on turn-around time of banking by removing the monopoly of Sterling Bank and engaging other banks in the programme.”

Odunuga urged the government to strengthen processes of getting the loan back from the beneficiaries, to foster sustenance of the programme, adding that many organisations had not benefited.

Mr Adekunle Aderibigbe, the Secretary of BYO, said: “There is a need to review and simplify the structure and the system of this programme.

“We need to bring more people into the net. In this recession, having access to this fund will go a long way to help the people.”

Aderibigbe said that BYO registered a lot of business-oriented members through its Greenland Multipurpose Cooperative Society to benefit from the scheme under GEEP.

According to him, Mr Olufemi Orioke, the Managing Director of D2RS Finance and Investment Ltd, a major aggregator in implementation of GEEP, has been urging the applicants to be patient with government.

In GEEP, the government provides no-interest loan, which range from N10,000 to N100,000 for applicants, and refund is spread over 24 weeks.

Members of accredited market associations, cooperative or trade groups, who have BVN and whose business location can be verified, can apply for the GEEP loan.

 

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No toxic waste in our community- Koko indigenes

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By Emma Amaize
WARRI – NATIVES of Koko, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, on Sunday, lashed out at the Itsekiri Environmental and Human Rights Group, IEHRG and other groups/persons over the accusation that toxic and carcinogenic waste/substances were dumped in the community, describing it as false.

The natives under the aegis of Concerned Koko Indigenes, CKI, in a statement by Mr. Victor Buwa and 10 others, said the unfounded allegation, which enjoys the support of ‘contractors and strangers,’ who had never visited the community in the past 20 years were made without consultation with the villagers.

They said: “These same people were also responsible of the proposed Escravos Gas’s to Liquid Project (EGTL) from our land without any whimper from these unscrupulous strangers, who do not know anything about Koko community.”

“We state emphatically that no one who does not live in Koko and had not visited Koko to see things for himself can speak for the people of the community on this matter under whatever guise. We want to vehemently condemn and denounce the authors of the said publication, including their sponsors, as they do not have the support of the community.

“We, therefore, use this medium to disown all publications, whether by the group or any other person to the effort that toxic waste had been dumped at Koko because it is not true and same should be discountenanced by members of the public,” they said.

They asserted: “It must be mentioned that the victim of this allegation, Ebenco Global Link Limited did not in any way dump toxic waste in our land, but has storage facilities for recycling of sludge with relevant equipment for processing same for the economic benefits for both the company and the indigenes of Koko community.”

The Koko indigenes stated: “We are also aware that Ebenco Global Link Limited did not in any way import any radioactive or carcinogenic waste/substances from any other country to our community, but company has a contract to evacuate the sludge from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC in Escravos with the requisite authority from the relevant government agencies for treatment of sludge as required by law.”

“We are also aware that the relevant federal government and state agencies have paid visits to the site on getting the unfortunate wicked false alarm. They did not find the requirements /facilities of Ebenco Global Link as being defective or the procedure adopted by the company being harmful to us and our environment.

“We wish to commend the federal and state government for the spontaneous actions taken to allay the fear created by the perpetrators of these carriers of falsified information that that are not tenable,” they added.

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Driver with stolen number plates attempts running over Lastma GM

South Africans march over looming welfare payment crisis

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Hundreds of members and supporters of the South African opposition party Democratic Alliance (DA) demonstrate outside the South African Social Development Department to demand the resignation of the social development minister in Pretoria on March 10, 2017. Protests began after Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini failed to initiate the government's plan to institutionalise the payment of South Africa's social grants putting at risk grant payments for 17 millions recipients. / AFP PHOTO / GIANLUIGI GUERCIA

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Pretoria on Friday over fears that South Africa’s welfare agency may be unable to make benefit payments to millions of poor people.

The march was led by Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, and follows weeks of uncertainty over grants to more than 17 million people.

It is feared that payments will come to a halt after the government failed to announce a new company to process them when the current distributor’s contract ends on March 31.

“In less than three weeks’ time, millions of South Africans stand to lose their social grants if an urgent solution to the grant payment crisis is not found,” said Maimane.

“A third of our people depend on grants to survive,” he added as he addressed the march which was joined by disabled people and mothers with young children.

The protesters marched outside the social development ministry, many of them clad in the blue of the Democratic Alliance.

Welfare grants are a critical safety net in a country where poverty and inequality are rampant.

Around 140 billion rand ($10.6 billion) is paid out every year.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) — which is suffering declining popularity — has used the subsidies paid to the elderly, orphans and children to secure the backing of many poor voters.

South Africa’s welfare system was plunged into chaos in 2014 when a court ruled that the contract of the current distributor, Cash Paymaster Services, was granted illegally.

Maimane said the grants debacle was a “massive responsibility on the shoulders of the government”.

The crisis has seen opposition parties in parliament call for the sacking of social development minister Bathabile Dlamini, despite her pledge this week that the grants would be paid on time.

Maimane said his party would pursue criminal charges against Dlamini if she failed to resolve the crisis.

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Duterte names third grandchild ‘Stonefish’

Obama a ‘bad, sick guy’, tapped my phone before election – Trump

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Court to hear Ozekhome’s suit to unfreeze N75m legal fees from Fayose (Read full details)

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A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday fixed March 2 for the hearing of a suit filed by a human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), seeking to vacate the order freezing his firm’s bank account containing his N75 million legal fees from Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Justice Abdulazeez Anka ordered that a hearing notice be issued on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had on Feb. 7 ordered a temporary forfeiture of N75 million found in the applicant’s Guaranty Trust Bank account following an application by the EFCC.

When the case was called on Thursday, the EFCC was not represented in court. Addressing the court, Ozekhome said his suit was filed on Feb. 14 and that EFCC was served on Feb. 20 according to a proof of service.

Justice Anka noted that the commission was still within time to respond. He said the commission was entitled to seven days which, he said, had not lapsed, adding that the commission should be allowed their clear seven days.

In his response, Ozekhome asked for the earliest possible date for hearing of his application, insisting that the suit was urgent.

Ozekhome, who is seeking the immediate vacation of the interim forfeiture order, argued that the EFCC’s application for the interim order was done in bad faith.

The commission, he said, did not comply with the statutory and judicial authorities in obtaining an interim order through a motion ex-parte.

According to him, the respondent suppressed material facts in obtaining the order and as such, “the action is unconstitutional as same offends constitutional provisions.”

He said the EFCC did not disclose to the court that Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti, had unfrozen Gov. Ayodele Fayose’s accounts forthwith.

He said the unfreezing order allowed the governor to operate his account before transferring the sum of N75 million to his chambers’ account.

The lawyer said that the N75 million was part payment of his legal fees from Gov. Fayose of Ekiti State.

He further argued that the EFCC’s application and the subsequent order were based on non-compliance with court rules and judicial authorities regulating the granting of ex-parte application.

“The entire gamut of the application leading to the granting of the interim order ex-parte amounts to forum shopping and a calculated attempt to over-reach me.”

He submitted that the issue, whether the said sum formed proceeds of a crime, was currently on appeal. Justice Anka adjourned the suit to March 2.

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Britain’s Brexit bill to be ‘very hefty’, EU’s Juncker…Read full details

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European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. / AFP PHOTO / JOHN THYS

Britain will have to pay a “very hefty” bill to leave the European Union and negotiating a new relationship with the bloc will take years, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker warned Tuesday.

Prime Minister Theresa May hopes to trigger the Brexit negotiations by the end of March following the shock referendum in June last year.

“It will be a difficult negotiation that will take years for us to agree on the exit terms and on the future architecture of relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union,” Juncker told the Belgian parliament.

“The British must know — and they know it already — that it will not be at a discount or zero cost,” the former Luxembourg premier said in his hour-long speech.

“The British are expected to respect the commitments they made. And so the bill, to say it a bit coarsely, will be very hefty,” added Juncker.

European sources said Brussels could hand Britain an exit bill of up to 60 billion euros to cover commitments already made by London toward the EU budget.

The European Commission, the executive that Juncker heads, has declined to provide any figure until now.

“We must settle this matter, not with a heart filled with hostility but with the knowledge that the continent owes much to Britain,” Juncker said, referring to Churchill’s role in defeating fascism.

“But we must not be naive either,” he added.

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Expert decries unexplored 230 million tonnes of iron ore

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By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- FOLLOWING the upward trend in global price of mineral commodities for the past two years as oil prices went down, a mining expert and Director of Exploration at Orbitwaves Geosciences Ltd, Jerry Solomon, has decried the unexplored 230 million tonnes of iron ore deposit in Nigeria.

Solomon made the assertion while appraising activities in the country’s solid minerals sector, which largely has not been harnessed to begin the diversification of the economy.

According to him the ferrous (Fe) content of the ore ranges from 35-50 per cent and could be up to 70 per cent in places.

He said: “While the price of oil have been persistently low for close to two years now, the price of mineral commodities have sustained an upward trend for the same period with a very high jump recorded after the announcement of China’s economic stimulus package. Following the increased metal demand and analysis of commodity market outlook, an 11per cent rise in the price of mineral commodities has been forecasted for year 2017.

“Nigeria sits on many unexplored iron ore deposits of diverse origin and quality out of which the purest and largest known reserve is in Itakpe, Kogi State. A pessimistic preliminary estimate of iron ore reserves of the deposit suggests excess of 200 million tonnes. The ferrous (Fe) content of the ore ranges from 35 – 50 per cent and could be up to 70 per cent in places.

“In addition to Itakpe deposit, large reserves of sedimentary iron ore are exposed at Agbaja area in Kogi State, holding excess of 30.5 million tonnes of iron with an average assay of 50 per cent and a high of 85 per cent Ferrous content. Economic percentage of phosphorous and alumina occurred in associates with iron in the ore and can be processed as by-products.

“Ore from most of Nigerian iron ore deposits qualify for direct export Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) as they meet the 62 per cent Fe content benchmark even without beneficiation. The common gangue material in Nigeria iron ore is mostly cherty and shale which can be washed off through simple beneficiation process to upgrade them to DSO.

“While the government intensifies effort on instituting processes that will take the various mineral commodities through their value chains to end-user products, a quick win opportunity exists in mining and exporting ore as DSO to earn Foreign Exchange and a significant source of revenue that can be used to further develop the mining sector and build the required infrastructures required for economic operation of the processing plants to boost the dwindling Nigerian economy.”

However, he said the reserve figures stated here are ballpark pessimistic estimates as the true reserve of iron ore in Nigeria remains unknown due to inadequate drilling data required to conduct a standard compliant resource estimate.

Also speaking on the untapped Lead and Zinc mineral deposits the mining expert said government needs to critically look into and explore them for export.

“Lead price rose from $0.8 per pound in January 2016 to $1.08 per pound in early February 2017. Nigeria is underlain with commercial deposit of lead and zinc which mostly co-exist as Lead-Zinc ore in Northern, Central and Eastern part of the country.

“While most of the deposits remain largely unexplored, the few ones that are operated are in the hands of illegal miners and funded by foreign syndicates who recover the resources and smuggle them out of the country without report and given no credit to Nigeria.

“The Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) grades of Lead-Zinc ore typically range from 19-35% Zn, 6-20 per cent Pb, 1-4 per cent Cu, and 1-90oz Ag. While ore from most Nigerian lead-zinc deposits do not naturally meet these grades, beneficiation and upgrading ore is not a difficult feat to achieve”, he stated.

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Cleric kills own mother with axe

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An Ebute Meta  Chief  Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday remanded  one Oluwaseyi Okikioluwa, 54, for allegedly hacking his mother, Mrs Ayoola Dorcas, to death.

The accused, who claimed to be a cleric and of  no fixed address, was arraigned on  a one-count charge of murder.

His plea was  not taken by the court.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kofo Ariyo, ordered the remand of the accused pending receipt of legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. Hafsat Ajibode, had told the court that the accused committed the offence  on Feb.  7,  at about 6.00 p.m.  at No. 2, Ade-Odofin Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki, Lagos.

Ajibode said that the accused allegedly used an axe to hit the deceased  on the head, leaving her in the pool of her own blood.

She told the court that the accused fled the scene  and  was later arrested.

The offence, she said,  contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011,  which stipulates a   maximum  of  death sentence for offenders.

The case was adjourned till March 30.

 

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Rent-to-Own: Lagos delivers 100 housing units to successful allottees

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The Lagos State Government on Monday handed over keys of 100 housing units to successful allottees in its “Rent-To-Own” Housing Scheme.

The allottees took possession of their units located at Epe, Ikorodu, Agbowa and Ojokoro at an event held at the state Secretariat in Alausa, Lagos.

Mr Gbolahan Lawal, the state Commissioner for Housing, who handed over the keys to the allottees said that the state government considered housing as a basic necessity of man.

“Of the three basic necessities of man, housing is one of the most cardinals.

“This has necessitated the need for every responsible government to give utmost attention to housing.

“The need to create a new face of accommodation for Lagosians, especially the low and middle income earners has become imperative due to the ever increasingly population.”

According to him, every interested resident is qualified to apply without having to know anyone in government.

“Under this policy, all that prospective home owners need to do is to make a five per cent commitment fee, take possession and pay up the remaining balance towards ownership over a period of 10 years,” he said.

He stated that the handing over of apartments to successful allottees would take place on a monthly basis.

In his address, Mr Dehinde Tunwase, General Manager, Lagos State Mortgage Board, said that 4, 355 housing units had been earmarked for the Rent-To-Own scheme.

He assured that the apartments were well located, urging Lagosians to take advantage of the scheme to become home owners.

“Our estates, which are located in serene and beautifully gated communities, are usually equipped with modern facilities like water treatment plants, healthcare centres, and adequate parking spaces among others,” he said.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state launched the scheme on Dec. 8, 2016 as a way of bridging the huge housing deficit in the state.

 

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Ibru’s 16 children fight over estate

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Sixteen children of Chief Olorogun Michael Ibru, have filed suits and counter suits over the sharing of his multi-billion naira assets.

Ibru, one of Nigeria’s prominent businessmen died last September. He was aged 86.

One  of his sons, Oboden Ibru, has approached the Igbosere High Court, Lagos, for a declaration, among others, that he and his 15 other siblings are entitled to the estate of their father.

In a counter-claim, one of the late Chief Ibru’s daughters, Janet Ibru, urged the court to declare that only persons whose paternity are confirmed by a diagnostics centre in the United States are entitled to an equal share of the estate.

Oboden’s suit was filed February 8 by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) but has not been assigned to a Judge.

The defendants are Oskar Ibru, Peter Ibru, Emmanuel Ibru, Gloria Ibru, Elaine Ibru-Mukoro, Elvina Ibru, Mamemo Ibru, Janet Ibru, Obaro Ibru, Vivi Ibru-Stankov, Edesiri Ibru, Christiana Ibru, Jero Ibru, Vikwesiri Ibru, Gabriel Ibru and the Probate Registrar, High Court of Lagos State.

The claimant is seeking an order declaring that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of January 2, 2001 is valid as to the distribution by way of gift of the late Ibru’s assets to both “Ovuone” and “Ivetu”.

He asked the court to declare that the properties listed in the MOU belong in their entirety to “Ovuone” being gifted jointly and several times to “Ovuone” in the lifetime of the late Chief Ibru.

Such properties include No. 1, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos; 47, Marine Road, Apapa; 49, Marine Road, Apapa; 52, Marine Road, Apapa; 5,7,9 Emotan Road, Apapa; 3,5,7 Ladipo Oluwole, Apapa; Daska House; Blomfield Court; 33, Michael Ibru Boulevard; 6, Louis Solomon Close, Victoria Island, Lagos and 5/7, Queens Barracks Road, Lagos.

Others are No. 20, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos; 6, Kensington Park Gardens, London; Starcross Farm; Hillcrest Apartment; Zabadne Plot, Abuja; Maitama Plots, Abuja; Maroko Plots, Lagos; 7, Randle Close, Apapa, Lagos; all shares in Oceanic Bank; Oteri Holdings Limited’s shares in Minet Nigeria Limited; Oteri’s shares in Ibachem and the portion of Ibafon land occupied by Ibachem and Ovwian land.

The claimant is also seeking a declaration that the judgment delivered by Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos on April 17, 2014 remains valid and subsisting, having not been set aside by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Oboden also asked for an order appointing himself, seventh defendant, Christiana, first defendant, Oskar and eighth defendant, Jero, as administrators of the Ibru estate and an order directing them to apply to the 16th defendant for the grant of letters of administration for the estate.

An order of the court appointing Messrs. PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited to conduct a forensic audit of the shareholdings and assets, whether real or personal, belonging to the estate of the late Ibru in Oteri Holdings and any other company in Nigeria or anywhere such may be located, discovered or found in the world and submit such report to the Registrar of the court within 90 days of the order and the cost of such exercise be paid by the administrators so appointed herein.

The claimant is seeking an order directing the administrators to divide the assets into 16 equal shares and that same be given to all the 16 surviving children of the late Ibru.

But in a counter-claim, eighth defendant Janet urged the court to declare that all matters pertaining to the estate be adjudicated in Nigeria as well as a declaration that she is entitled to a refund of all expenses, including the $48,000 incurred by her in defending the law suits of the second defendant.

Furthermore, she is seeking an order of the court directing the administrators of the estate of the late Ibru to refund to her, the expenses incurred in taking care of the late Ibru during the final year of his life.

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Osinbajo to open MSMEs clinic in Ilorin

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The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will on Thursday in Ilorin declare open a-three day Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinic for viable enterprises.

The Chief Operating Officer, Kwara State MSMEs Bureau, Mr Segun Soewu said this in Ilorin on Monday.

According to him, the clinic is a platform for entrepreneurs of MSMEs in the state to discuss opportunities and challenges confronting their businesses.

Soewu added that business owners could also make inquiries about policies and regulations regarding their businesses from the federal agencies that would be at the programme.

He listed the agencies to include Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.

Others include, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Nigerian Export-Import Bank and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) among others.

Soewu explained that intending participants are expected to contact the Bureau at the Kwara State Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives.

According to him, the event will hold at the Banquet Hall, Ilorin at 10 a.m daily.

Osinbajo had on January 26 declared open MSMEs clinic in Aba, the Commercial Hub of Abia.

 

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CAF Champions League draw

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CAF Champions League last-32 draw after Saint George of Ethiopia qualified Monday:

USM Alger (ALG) v Kadiogo (BUR)

Rivers Utd (NGR) v Al Merrikh (SUD)

Etoile Sahel (TUN) v AS Tanda (CIV)

Esperance (TUN) v Horoya (GUI)

Al Ahly Tripoli (LBA) v FUS Rabat (MAR)

Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA, holders) v KCCA (UGA)

Wydad Casablanca (MAR) v Mounana (GAB)

Young Africans (TAN) v ZANACO (ZAM)

Ferroviario Beira (MOZ) v Stade Malien (MLI)

Zamalek (EGY) v Enugu Rangers (NGR)

Ports Authority (GAM) v V Club (COD)

Coton Sport (CMR) v CNaPS Sport (MAD)

Al Ahly (EGY) v Wits (RSA)

TP Mazembe (COD) v CAPS Utd (ZIM)

AC Leopards (CGO) v St George (ETH)

Al Hilal (SUD) v Port Louis (MRI)

First legs: March 10-12, second: March 17-19

Note: winners qualify for group phase and losers drop to CAF Confederation Cup

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NAFDAC gets two-week ultimatum to register SMEs

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The Federal Government on Tuesday directed NAFDAC to register all small and medium enterprises (SMEs) exhibitors at the ongoing 1st Nigeria Food Safety and Investment Forum within two weeks.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, gave the order at the forum organised by the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum is designed to enhance food safety and foster international business cooperation.

Adewole also ordered that all the SMEs should be given 50 per cent rebate certification registration by NAFDAC.

He also mandated the agency to compile the list of the affected SMEs exhibitors who were finding it difficult getting certification and ensure that the process was concluded within the next two weeks.

The minister, however, said that foodborne diseases impede socio-economic development by straining healthcare systems and arming national economies, tourism and trades.

“Food safety incidents have had negative effects on public health, trades and livelihoods and on countries’ economies.

“People are consequently exposed to significant risks of food contamination.

“Unsafe foods containing harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites are indicated in over 200 diseases ranging from diarrhoea to cancer.

“An estimate shows that about 600 million people accounting for one in 10 globally fall ill after eating contaminated food.

“And about 420,000 die every year; in addition, children under five years old carry 40 percent of the food-borne disease burden with 125,000 deaths every year,” he said.

The minister said that lack of access to quality foods influenced consumption of bad foods, thus threatening the national economy and health sectors.

He said: “According to the World Health Organisation in 2015, access to sufficient food in safe and nutritious components is central to sustaining life and promoting good health.

“The negative impact of unsafe food is enormous and also creates a vicious circle of diseases and malnutrition.

“Particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick,” he said.

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Trump attacks media again in early morning Twitter blast (Read full details)

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US President Donald Trump speaks following the ceremonial swearing-in of James Mattis (R) as secretary of defense on January 27, 2017, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.<br />MANDEL NGAN / AFP

President Donald Trump attacked two major US newspapers in a Twitter blast on a busy Saturday when he was scheduled to speak with five world leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Trump criticized The New York Times and The Washington Post as being dishonest in a series of tweets that featured several typos. The reason for the early morning onslaught was not immediately clear.

Trump was scheduled to speak during the day with Putin and the leaders of Japan, Germany, France and Australia.

Rather than address what he did in his fast-paced first week in power, or prepare for the frenetic day ahead, Trump laid into two of the most prestigious US dailies.

He has made a habit of attacking the media, which he accuses of treating him unfairly. Trump wrote Saturday that the two papers “got me wrong right from the beginning and still have not changed course, and never will. DISHONEST.”

“The failing @nytimes has been wrong about me from the very beginning. Said I would lose the primaries, then the general election. FAKE NEWS!,” he added. Twitter is one of Trump’s preferred conduits for communication. He has more than 22.5 million followers on the messaging platform.

Trump attacks media again in early morning Twitter blast

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