Twelve farmers have been reportedly killed and nine others injured by suspected bandits in Magami and Mayaba communities in Gusau local government area of Zamfara State. Infostride News gathered that the armed bandits launched the attack when the farmers were in their respective farmlands trying to clear their lands in preparation for this year’s farming activities. The bandits also carted away livestock and other valuables. It was also said that the twelve persons killed were buried according to Islamic rites while those injured are receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital. In another attack, about ten people were killed and many…
Author: Abiodun A.
Capitalizing on strong iPad sales during the COVID-19 pandemic; Apple is reportedly working on an iPad Pro with wireless charging capabilities and a redesigned iPad mini, according to a media report. First reported by Bloomberg, the Cupertino, California-based tech giant is set to release the iPad Pro in 2022. The new iPad Pro is said to have a glass back — compared to aluminum for the current models; — to enable wireless charging. Apple is also said to be working on a system for the new iPad Pro similar to last year’s iPhone update; which brought MagSafe charging for more…
Many users of USSD services in Nigeria on Friday started to see a notice to pay N6.98 for each transaction session. USSD is a critical channel for delivering financial services, especially for those who do not have access to physical banking infrastructure or internet services. “Welcome to USSD Banking,” one notice said. “Please note, a N6.98 network charge will be applied to your account for banking services on this channel.” The decision to charge users was reached in March by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The decision was part of an agreement reached…
The Federal Government on Friday said it has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement issued by his office in Abuja. The statement, signed by Ministry spokesperson, Segun Adeyemi, cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence. According to the statement, the Minister said the Federal Government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in…
Apple is distributing an AirTags software update that makes it harder for people to use them for surreptitious tracking. According to a statement sent to The Verge; Apple is also working on an app for Android users which will let them detect potentially unwanted trackers. AirTags were released earlier this year as Apple’s solution for helping people keep track of everyday objects. In its marketing, Apple shows people finding their lost keys or bags that have the trackers attached. However, there have been concerns the tiny devices are being used to secretly track people without their knowledge; and we’ve seen…
One of Google top executives in diversity strategy and research has left his position after a 2007 blog post slamming the state of Israel resurfaced on June 1st. In the post, Kamau Bobb used antisemitic language, insinuating Jews have an “insatiable appetite for war and killing.” The post was quickly picked up by the New York Post and the Washington Free Beacon. “While Google has been a vocal supporter of diversity initiatives… it has not commented on the recent spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes,” read a Washington Free Beacon article on the subject. But the controversy likely didn’t start with…
Regulators in the U.K. and the EU launched formal competition investigations into Facebook on Friday. The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority said it is investigating whether Facebook; is abusing a dominant position in the social media; or digital advertising markets through its collection and use of advertising data. The CMA said it will look into whether Facebook has unfairly used the data gained from its advertising and single sign-on option; known as Facebook Login, to benefit its buying and selling platform, Facebook Marketplace, as well as its online dating service, Facebook Dating. Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said…
Twitter on Thursday introduced its first-ever subscription service, which has been dubbed “Blue” and offers added features for prolific tweeters, as it seeks to diversity its revenue streams beyond advertising. The feature — initially only available in Australia and Canada — could enable the social network to rely less on ads or promoted posts that disrupt the real-time flow of tweets that are a huge part of the global, one-to-many messaging platform’s appeal. “We’ve heard from the people that use Twitter a lot, and we mean a lot, that we don’t always build power features that meet their needs,” product…
A school attendant has been released few hours after some gunmen hijacked a school bus and abducted the staff of the private school, on Thursday morning in Ondo State. The gunmen at about 6.30 am on Thursday abducted her and hijacked the private school bus in Oba Ile Estate of Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State. A staff of the school, Olufunke Oloye explaining to journalists how the incident happened said the victim was later released near Ilaramokin, a neighbouring town while the hoodlum took the school bus away. Police authorities in reaction said the incident is a…
Clubhouse launched its Android app last month, and it has already reached over 2 million users. Clubhouse has also been working on improving the Android app so it’s at par with the iOS version. It has now added more features to its Android app in the latest update. Clubhouse Android users will now be able to add their Instagram and Twitter accounts to their profile. This has been the most requested Android feature, Clubhouse said in the update’s release notes. You can do this by going to your Clubhouse profile and tapping on “Add Twitter” or “Add Instagram” and linking…
Two people have been killed by bandits in Giwa and Birnin Gwari local government areas of Kaduna State, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said on Tuesday. According to the Commissioner, the bandits killed one Yusuffa Karami at Maikulu in Birnin Gwari local government, while one Fanyo Bello was confirmed dead following gun wounds inflicted by bandits at Ungwan Maikuzunniya of Giwa LGA in the early hours of today. Security agencies also reported that a nonagenarian, Nabara Katoh has committed suicide by hanging herself at Gonan Rogo of Kajuru local government area. The aged woman reportedly…
Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 11 suspected internet fraudsters. The suspects according to a statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren were arrested on earlier in the week in Alagbado area of Lagos State. “This follows credible intelligence received by the Commission about the involvement of the suspects in computer-related fraud. “The suspects are: Nwomkiro Ekene Jude, Olukoya Oluwadamilare Timilehin, Akingbade Mubarak Ayoboye, Adeolu Kolawole Oluwajifemi, Nwankwo Tochuckwu Michael, Kehinde Timilehin Ajibola, Adesina Deji, Olalekan Abiola, Anthony Ekene Iwuji, Emeka Metuh and Oluwasegun Pelumi,” the statement addded.…
Nearly 200 Facebook employees have signed a letter urging the company’s executives to address concerns; that pro-Palestine voices on the social media site are being suppressed by content moderation systems. The letter, first reported on by the Financial Times (FT); urges Facebook’s leadership to introduce new measures that ensure pro-Palestinian content is not taken down; as critics claim happened during last month’s conflict in Gaza. The Facebook employees are also calling on management “to order a third-party audit of enforcement actions around Arab and Muslim content, and to refer a post by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing Palestinian civilians…
Huawei launched its own HarmonyOS mobile operating system on its handsets on Wednesday as it adapts to having lost access to Google mobile services two years ago; after the U.S. put the Chinese telecommunications company on a trade blacklist. The Shenzhen-based company announced that about 100 Huawei smartphone models will use its proprietary HarmonyOS system, and that the operating system will also be available on certain tablets and smart screens in the fourth quarter of the year. The launch of the operating system comes as the company is still cut off from American technologies including Google’s services and some computer…
Gunmen have killed a youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Orlu East. Local Government Area of Imo State, Kenneth Amukamara. They also set his car and house ablaze after he was murdered in cold blood. Although police authorities are yet to make a statement on the killing, the PDP youth leader in Imo State, Greg Nwadike confirmed the incident which took place on Monday night. Mr. Amukamara was killed by the assailants at his residence in Awomamma in Orlu East LGA of the state. Tension has heightened in the southeast in the past months as assaults on…
The Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday paraded 81 suspects arrested between April and May 2021. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, noted that the suspects were arrested for various crimes including kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, illicit possession of firearms, illegal manufacturing and distribution of number plates. According to the force spokesman, some of the items recovered from the suspects include 45 assorted riffles, including 17 AK-47, 20 locally made AK-47, and one GPLG. Mr. Mba assured that the current security challenges facing the country will bring out the best in the force. President Buhari receives a…
Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said he is still confident regulators will green-light its $40 billion acquisition of SoftBank Group’s Arm Ltd., despite growing scepticism about the deal’s prospects. Government approval in China and elsewhere may come later this year or in 2022; Huang said over video at the Computex conference in Taipei on Wednesday. He pointed out that an earlier acquisition took about a year and a half so it is likely the current process will be similar. “I expect this one to take 18 months so that’s later this year, early next year. I am confident about…
Twitter has started taking applications again for the verified blue tick. Twitter had paused the verification process last week just days after it relaunched for everyone. The pause was so Twitter could review the applications received so far which was probably more than anticipated by the team. Twitter announced earlier today that users can now apply for the verified blue badge again. Verified users on Twitter have a blue tick on their profile indicating the authenticity of that account. It’s not surprising that Twitter was bombarded with a huge number of applications for the blue tick; since that has been…
Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it supports a proposed U.S. legislation to legalize cannabis at the federal level, and would drop weed-testing requirements for some recruitments. The e-commerce company’s public policy team will be actively supporting The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 (MORE Act); which seeks to legalize marijuana at the federal level, its consumer boss Dave Clark said in a blog post. Amazon will also no longer screen its job applicants for marijuana use; for any positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation, Clark added. While many U.S. states have legalized marijuana use; employers have…
Apple Inc., which has come under fire for the behavior of its suppliers, reported progress among its manufacturing partners; during the tumultuous year of the coronavirus pandemic as it released a supply-chain responsibility report. The Cupertino, California-based firm said improvements include a reduction in major violations of its code of conduct and no cases of child labor. The 113-page report covers a range of issues, from the treatment of workers to energy usage and infectious disease policies in the wake of Covid-19. It did cite several examples of suppliers failing to fulfill their duties and non-compliance with Apple’s working-hours policy.…