The Director General of Standard Organisation (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu, on Monday said that organisation destroyed substandard goods worth N10 billion in the last four years. Odumodu disclosed this during his official visit to the Headquarters of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos.

The Minister of Interior, Retired Lt.-Gen. Adulrahman Dambazau, has called for the review of the Federal Fire Service policy for enhanced service delivery. Dambazau made the call during a familiarisation visit to the Federal Fire Service in continuation of his tour of agencies under the ministry on Monday in Abuja.

Barcelona pair Lionel Messi and Neymar were on Monday named on the shortlist for FIFA’s prestigious Ballon d’Or along with double reigning title holder, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid. While Portuguese Ronaldo has triumphed over the last two seasons (in a total of three wins), Argentinian Messi has previously claimed the coveted award four times while Brazilian Neymar makes the shortlist for FIFA’s player of the year award for the first time.

The Ebonyi government says it will make workers in the junior cadre of the state’s civil service, the mainstay of its workforce. Dr Chamberlain Nwele, state Head of Service (HOS) made the pledge on Monday in Abakaliki, during a workshop organised for workers in the junior cadre of the state’s civil service.

“The Judiciary is the last hope of the common man”, is a very popular maxim in the country. Every one, both the high and mighty and the downtrodden, places the Judiciary in very high pedestal. Even without any funds to prosecute their cases the poor have willing and available public spirited lawyers to handle cases on their behalf.

Barring any changes, the All Progressives Congress, APC would any moment from now unveil Mr. Yahaya Bello as its governorship candidate for Kogi State supplementary polls this Saturday

The Presidency on Monday, through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals (OSSAP-MDGs), inaugurated the 2015 MDGs end-point report. Mr Ochapa Ogenyi, Secretary of Programme, OSSAP-MDGs who launched the report at the 2015 Social Good Summit in Abuja, said Nigeria had also presented the report to the UN.

Nigeria has submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to address climate change to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for the exercise on Nov. 26.

Russian President Vladimir Putin snubbed a meeting with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Paris on Monday as the body of a pilot killed when Ankara downed one of Moscow’s warplanes was flown home. Turkish authorities, meanwhile, again pledged not to apologise over last Tuesday’s downing of the Russian jet as Moscow rolled out its sanctions aimed at exacting economic revenge on Ankara.

The lawmaker representing Ojo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Obasa, has hailed the Oniba of Iba Kingdom, Oba Yishau Oseni, who is celebrating the 40th anniversary since he ascended the throne.

INEC was wrong by asking APC to substitute late Abubakar Audu with a new candidate. INEC will also be wrong to have asked for a transfer of the late Audu’s votes to Falake or a new candidate who did not participate in the election. In an election, the electoral umpire cannot change the goal-post in the middle of the game like INEC has done. It is ethically, morally & legally wrong to do so. The actions of INEC are null & void and cannot not stand the judicial test of time.

The new Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos, Mr Ingo Herbert, on Monday said that no fewer than 30,000 Nigerians were currently living in different parts of Germany. Herbert told newsmen in Lagos that these include: those working, doing businesses, studying, as well as those married to Germans.

A Nutritionist, Mrs Osas Egwebe, has said that carrot juice has anti-carcinogen properties that helps in the protection of cancer of the colon and other ailments. Egwebe newsmen on Monday in Abuja that carrot contained good amount of the anti-cancer nutrient called Beta-Carotene.

The Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has warned foreigners resident in the state to stay away from the Dec. 5 governorship election. The Comptroller of NIS in the state, Mr Sule Wunti, told newsmen in Yenogoa on Monday.

Sixteen people died in a fight between rival gangs in a maximum security Guatemalan prison where security forces are still working to regain control, Deputy Interior Minister Elmer Sosa said Monday.