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Saudi Arabia to open first liquor store for diplomats to ‘curb illicit trade’

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Saudi Arabia is planning to open its first alcohol store exclusively for non-Muslim diplomats.

 

According to Reuters on Wednesday, a source familiar with the plans said the store will be located at Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, a neighbourhood where embassies and diplomats reside.

 

The liquor store, expected to be opened in the coming weeks, will be “strictly restricted” to non-Muslims.

 

According to a document cited by the report, customers will have to register through a mobile application, get a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and subscribe to monthly quotas for their purchases.

 

Confirming the report, Saudi Arabia’s government spoke on the development in a statement via the Center of International Communication (CIC) — the Kingdom’s media organisation.

 

The agency said the government is imposing new restrictions on alcohol imports within diplomatic consignments.

 

The CIC said the new regulations had been introduced to counter the illicit trade of alcohol goods and products received by diplomatic missions.

 

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This new process will continue to grant and ensure that all diplomats of non-Muslim embassies have access to these products in specified quotas,” the statement reads.

 

Saudi Arabia has strict laws against alcohol consumption which is punishable by hundreds of lashes, deportation, fines, or imprisonment. 

 

As part of the reforms, whipping has largely been replaced by jail sentences and alcohol has been available only through diplomatic mail or on the black market.

 

A source also said the move is purely diplomatic, aimed at stemming illegal sales of alcoholic drinks.

 

“So the regulation is diplomatic. Diplomats have the right to bring alcohol into the country. What happens is they bring too much wine and they put it on the black market,” the source said.

 

“So when they get to the airports, no one fines or charges them. So the government just wants to control that and is restricted to only the diplomatic area. Those diplomats who sell have like a code and can’t sell a number of alcohol.”

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Although consumption is still under tight scrutiny, the Kingdom’s reform could mean that some Middle Eastern nations are shifting grounds from their conservative views about liquor intake.

 

On January 2, 2023, the government of Dubai cancelled its 30 percent alcohol tax to boost tourism in the emirate.

 

Dubai also scrapped the personal liquor licence fees, thereby making the acquisition of the permit free for alcohol consumers in the United Arab Emirates region.

 

The UAE government had said the move was to make the city more attractive to foreigners.

 

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Lifestyle

Police arrest Portable over ‘G-Wagon debt’

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Controversial singer, Portable, has been arrested by the Lagos state police command for allegedly failing to pay the debt he incurred after purchasing his G-Wagon from a car dealer.

 

 

The singer, born Habeeb Okikiola, was apprehended on Tuesday, Benjamin Hundeyin, the state police spokesperson, told TheCable Lifestyle.

 

“Yes, Portable has been arrested,” Hundeyin said.

 

The ‘Zazoo Zeh’ hitmaker was said to have bought the vehicle worth N27 million but paid only N13 million.

 

 

Portable allegedly refused to pay the remaining N14 million and whenever the car dealer requested for his money, he always claimed the vehicle was having issues.

 

The singer purchased the car last year and was once seen using the vehicle to distribute food items to children on the streets.

 

This is not the first time Portable will be arrested by the police. In April last year, the Ogun police arrested the singer over an alleged assault.

The arrest came after the expiration of the 72-hour ultimatum given to him to turn himself in.

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The singer previously resisted attempts by the police to arrest him and also referred to himself as “a federal government liability”.

 

Portable gained fame in December 2021 with the release of ‘Zazoo Zeh’, his hit single featuring Olamide and Poco Lee.

 

He has also produced hit tracks including ‘All Eyes On Me’, ‘Clear Azaman’, ‘Neighbour’, and ‘Ogo Forever’.

The singer is known for making headlines over controversial reasons.

 

He recently collaborated with Skepta, the British rapper, on ‘Tony Montana’.

 

Portable also recently said fashion was his ‘profession” before venturing into music. He revealed that he is still a fashion designer and “combines” the profession with his music career.

 

 

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BREAKING: Niger Speaker halts wedding plans for 100 orphans

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The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulamlik Sarkindaji, has stopped the planned hosting of the wedding of 100 orphan girls in his constituency, saying he would not grace the occasion.

 

Sarkindaji took the decision following the action of the Women Affairs Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, who dragged the Speaker to court to halt the wedding.

 

The Speaker made this known on Tuesday during a media briefing in which he said the minister had overstepped her bounds.

 

He said the minister should take over the sponsorship of the wedding ceremony.

 

The Speaker disclosed that he had already made funds available to the girls’ parents through the traditional leaders and clerics of his constituency, noting that he would not withdraw the funds.

 

Abdulmalik also pointed out that his motive for wanting to sponsor the wedding was the state of poverty of the girls’ parents and not the constituency project, as reported in the media.

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Bullying: Student drags Abuja British School to court, seeks N500m damages

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Namitra Bwala, a female student of Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja,, has dragged the school before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for allegedly failing to protect her from bullies and subsequent cover-up of the incident

 

The incident gained widespread attention after a video surfaced on social media showing a female student Mariam Hassan, bullying a fellow student Namtira Bwala.

 

The video sparked outrage across social media platforms, prompting calls for accountability and justice by netizens.

 

However, the school authorities issued a statement claiming it was investigating the incident and taking all necessary steps to address it while the Federal Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development also waded into the matter. The bully, Maryam, thereafter, tendered a public apology to the victim and the public through a viral video message.

 

But, apparently dissatisfied, Namitra Bwala, a minor and suing through her guardian, Mr. Daniel Madu Bwala, has approached the FCT High Court for restitution, accusing the Lead British International School of negligence and cover-up of the incident.

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According to the court papers and a press statement issued by the law firm of Deji Adeyanju and Partners, signed by a founding partner of the firm, Marvin Omorogbe, Esq. on Monday, Namitra specifically sought a total N505m in damages against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, for failing in its obligation to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for her while under its custody and care.

The damages include N500m damage against the school for failing in its duty to provide protection and care for her, N5million cost of litigation and public apology in two national dailies.

 

 

“We are Solicitors to Ms. Namitra Bwala (hereinafter referred to as our client) on whose instruction we hereby notify the general public of the fact that our client has instituted a civil suit against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, following the viral video released on the internet a few weeks ago where our client was seen being bullied by her fellow students.

“The law suit with case number FCT/HC/CV/2341/24: MISS NAMTIRA BWALA v LEAD BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LTD was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and seeks damages against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja, for failing in its obligation to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for our client.

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“Our client hopes that this lawsuit will bring about drastic changes and adequate measures to prevent a reoccurrence of similar issues in the school,” Barrister Omorogbe, Esq stated.

 

 

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