Carrasco magic leads Atletico’s case for Euro redemption

Atletico Madrid's players celebrate scoring during the UEFA Champions League semi-final, second-leg football match between FC Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in Munich Photo:

After another case of so near yet so far for Atletico Madrid, the spectacular form of
Yannick Carrasco is powering the latest strong bid from Diego Simeone’s men to finally be crowned kings of Europe.
Victory at home to Champions League debutants FC Rostov on Tuesday will seal Atletico’s place in the last 16 for the fourth consecutive year with two games to spare.

I’ll beat Jegede, Eyitayo combined, Akeredolu boasts

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), on Monday boasted that if the two factional candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Jimoh Ibrahim and Eyitayo Jegede, combined forces and contested against him, he would emerge victorious at the poll.

RECs, officials under bribery probe won’t supervise elections –INEC

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INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said none of its officials, who are undergoing investigations for alleged bribery, will be assigned any electoral duty.

It said the officials, whose names were on the list sent to it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, would be barred from electoral duty until they cleared themselves of the bribery allegations against them.

Outrage greets alleged sexual abuse of IDPs by soldiers, others

A report by Human Rights Watch, detailing alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls in Internally Displaced Persons’ camps by Nigerian government and security officials, has attracted anger and condemnation from groups and individuals.

Clinton fends off FBI email fallout as polls narrow

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Paul J. Richards / AFP

Hillary Clinton battled to contain renewed FBI focus on her emails Sunday as Donald Trump blitzed western states in the tightening race for the White House.

Nine days before the vote, the 69-year-old former secretary of state hit the campaign trail hard in the battleground state of Florida.

Clinton blazed through brunch at an Irish pub, an African-American Baptist church, a soul food restaurant, an early voting site and a rally at a gay nightclub.

Should FG privatise or rehabilitate refineries?

• Professor Akpan Ekpo (Director General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management)

On the issue of the refineries, the government should commercialise rather than privatise. This means that the government would still own substantial equities, but allow private individuals to manage the refineries.

Abuja Uber partners on strike over poor earnings

Over 150 transport service providers working in partnership with Uber in Abuja are on strike over low earnings and poor incentives.

Some of them took to Twitter on Monday to express their grievances using the hash tag #UberAbujaStrike.

One of them who spoke with our

Still on the spiritual side of Aso Villa

Since the publication of Reuben Abati’s piece on the “Spiritual side of Aso Villa” on October 14, I have taken time to follow the reactions of key personalities to the article. Quite significantly, a former Minister of Aviation and presidential spokesman, Femi Fani-Kayode, a predecessor of Abati in the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Medi

Falcons deny AWCON boycott threat

Super Falcon’s Media Officer, Remi Sulola, on Monday debunked claims that the team threatened to boycott the forthcoming 2016 African Women Cup of Nations over unpaid bonuses and allowances.

Lawyer begs court to stop national assets sale

A Lagos-based lawyer, Kabir Akingbolu, has urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to perpetually restrain President Muhammadu Buhari from executing his proposed plan to sell some national assets as a measure to tackle the economic doldrums in the country.

The lawyer said in his suit that Buhari planned to sell national assets such as the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd, the Nigerian National Petroleum

Clinton’s lead narrows after email fallout

The race for the White House narrowed noticeably on Sunday as Hillary Clinton sought to shake off a renewed FBI probe of her emails and Donald Trump blitzed western states nine days ahead of the vote.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll put the Democratic presidential candidate just one point ahead of her Republican challenger Donald Trump at 46-45 per cent in a four-way race.

Timi Frank insists Oyegun is APC’s major problem, that he must be removed

Mr Timi Frank, acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has insisted that no one but the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is the problem of the party.

$15m : Patience Jonathan’s Suit Illegal, Says SERAP

A human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has described the suit filed against it by wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, as grossly incompetent and urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss it.

A group, the Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, had on behalf of itself and Patience sued

‘Return Your Loot And Enjoy God’s Mercies’

A cleric in Taraba, Rev. Fr Charles Nyameh, has admonished looters of Nigeria’s treasury, to return their loots in exchange for God’s mercies.


Nyameh, priest in the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, in a sermon in Monkin, Zing Local Government Area of the state, supported his call with the story of Zachaeus, a rich Tax Collector, who, on encountering

France Rules Out Slavery Reparations

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls issued an appeal on Sunday to overcome the legacy of slavery, dismissing claims for financial compensation while acknowledging the “horror” of the slave trade.

Valls was visiting Franklin House, a former slave hub in the Ghanaian capital Accra, on Sunday on the

Why I sacrificed my children to my father for wealth – 35-year-old man

The Commissioner of Police, CP, of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command, Mr. Mohammed Mustafa, has confirmed the arrest of a 35-year-old man, Thomas Matthew, who strangled two of his children to death as sacrifice to his father.

Matthew, a resident of Mountain village opposite Dantata Camp, Asokoro, Abuja, claims his late father initiated him into an occult group, adding that his father appeared to him and commanded him to sacrifice his children to him on different occasions.

The CP said his wife, Bola, reported the matter to the police station on October 7 when the incident took place.

Confirming the incident in a statement,

‘I Am The Boss Not Mamman Daura’ – Buhari Denies Claims His Cousin Is In Charge

Due to insinuations that his cousin, Mallam Mamman Daura has been running the country through him, the nation’s number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in an interview denied the theory.

Buhari said there is no iota of truth in the claim and that he remains the country’s president.

EFCC takes over judges’ probe, arrests insurance directors

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has taken over the investigation of allegations of corruption against some judges in the country from the Department of State Service.

A top operative of the commission told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that the commission took over the investigation of the judges, who were raided by operatives of the DSS following a directive by the President that the EFCC should do a painstaking investigation into the allegation.

SaharaReporters had quoted sources  in the Presidency as having said that the President gave a

800 herdsmen in custody, community police underway – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that no fewer than 800 suspected violent herdsmen have been arrested across the country by security agencies.

Osinbajo said this in Houston, Texas in the United States on Friday at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians, according to a statement, issued on Saturday, by his spokesperson Mr. Laolu Akande.

The Vice President fielded about 30 live and internet questions at the event moderated by Mr. Rudolf Okonkwo of Sahara Reporters and Prof. Nimi Wariboko of Boston University.
On the herdsmen attacks in certain states across the country he said the Federal Government was acting to curb the menace.

Buhari reportedly fires ICPC chairman Ekpo Nta

 

Reports say the presidency is not comfortable with the way the ICPC under Nta had handled corruption cases against some high-profile Nigerians. Staff of the anti-graft agency have also complained about poor management causing disaffection and inefficiency.
The report said a letter to that effect from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the

Jose Mourinho v Pep Guardiola: The story of the rivalry

Jose Mourinho will go head-to-head with Pep Guardiola live on Sky Sportson Wednesday night - and the pressure is on.

The pair have clashed many times before and have a fierce rivalry, but this week's EFL Cup tie has taken on added significance given the current form of Mourinho's Manchester United and Guardiola's Manchester City.

Herbal Medicine For Diabetes Kills Four

A self-styled doctor and three of his patients died in a south Indian village after drinking a poisonous herbal medicine which he claimed cured diabetes and hypertension, officials said Tuesday.

Another patient is in a critical condition at a government-run hospital after they drank the

APC slams Oke for weeping at campaign ground

The Ondo State All Progressives Congress has condemned the Alliance for Democracy’s candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, for shedding tears while campaigning in Epe community, Ondo-East Local Government Area on Monday.

Oke, who inaugurated his campaign in Epe community, on Monday, shed tears while addressing the people of the community as he lamented the deplorable condition of the roads in Epe.

Speaking with our correspondent on the development, the Deputy Chairman, Ondo APC, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, on Tuesday, alleged that Oke was only shedding tears to deceive the people of the state.

Buhari needs to refocus anti-graft war

THE Muhammadu Buhari administration’s unstructured approach to tackling public corruption has come under intense criticism. This came on the heels of the Department of State Services’ involvement in the arrest of seven judicial officials, including two Supreme Court Justices, for alleged corrupt practices. But to build public support for anti-corruption efforts, the government should reappraise its strategy right away by strengthening the relevant anti-graft agencies and following the rule of law. 

Hold FG responsible if herdsmen attack Ekiti – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has indicted the Federal Government for not condemning the threat issued by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria  against the state.

MACBAN, the umbrella body of herdsmen in Nigeria, had on Saturday threatened to wage war against the state for enacting grazing law restricting movement of cattle in the state.

MACBAN also alleged that four cattle belonging to its member were killed by the newly inaugurated Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshal.

APC may cease to exist by 2019 –Timi Frank

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Timi Frank has said the party may not survive beyond 2019 unless urgent steps are taken to rebuild public confidence.

Frank said this while speaking to journalists in an interview in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He explained that the reported “revolt” by state governors over recent ambassadorial appointments made by President Muhammadu

Confess your sins, senior lawyer tells judges

A senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Awomolow, has called on the Bar and the Bench to humble themselves.

Awomolow spoke on behalf of the body of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the 2016/2017 new legal year in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, this is not the time for blame games but a time for humble reflection.

“This is the time to humble ourselves and confess our sins and turn to the Lord for forgiveness.

Economy: APC’s comments prove Buhari administration is clueless – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has said that the open acceptance of responsibility for the economic downturn in the country by the All Progressive Congress-led Federal Government has
vindicated its earlier position that the President Buhari Administration is clueless.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo

Senate to ban street begging

The Senate on Tuesday described street begging as a menace that is embarrassing the country.

It therefore began a move to enact a law that will make street begging illegal.

The lawmaker representing Bauchi-Central Senatorial District, Senator Isah Hamma Misau, while moving a motion titled, ‘Menace of Street Begging and the Need to Rehabilitate Beggars,’ expressed concern over the spate of street begging and nuisance it constitutes on the streets of city centres across the country.

“Though street begging is a global urban problem, the situation in Nigeria appears intractable and overwhelming, as beggars are now found everywhere, especially at motor parks, religious centres, road junctions, venue of ceremonies and other public places,” he said.

According to Misau, beggars were persons with physical and mental challenges or grossly indigent in the past.

“In recent times, there appear to be a new vogue of beggars in town, derisively known as corporate beggars, who take advantage of the sympathy of the society for the less privileged to remain jobless and at times perpetrate crimes in the name of street begging,” the senator noted.

I’ll restore accountability to Nigeria – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said he was determined to restore Nigeria to the “good old days of accountability.”

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President spoke at a meeting he had with the Director, Global Upstream of Shell Oil Company, Mr. Andrew Brown, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Arsenal Want Wenger Stay, But Won’t Rush To Talks

Arsenal hope Arsene Wenger remains their manager beyond the end of the season, but the London club said Monday there was no rush to hold fresh contract talks.

The 67-year-old recently celebrated his 20th anniversary as manager of Arsenal but the Frenchman’s contract is due to expire at the end of this campaign.

Arsenal chairman Chips Keswick, questioned about Wenger’s contractual arrangements during Arsenal’s Annual General Meeting on Monday, said: “We all recognise the fantastic contribution Arsene has made to the club in the last 20 years.

“We are confident about his ability to take us forward. We will sit down and discuss the future at the appropriate time but our focus is on maintaining the current run and competing for trophies.”

Wenger — linked to the England coaching job — had little to say on his position, other than to assure Arsenal fans he would not still be in charge in another 20 years’ time.

The Gunners boss has been on the receiving end of criticism at previous AGMs, with fans frustrated by Arsenal’s failure to win the Premier League since 2004.

But with Arsenal now level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City, Wenger received a warm reception from shareholders on Monday.

“Yes, it’s 20 years. I’m sorry!” joked Wenger as he began his remarks to the AGM. “I would like to apologise for every minute I made you suffer in these 20 years — but you don’t look too bad for people who have suffered for 20 years.

“I am sorry for the boy who was born 20 years ago and has only known one manager. I would like to reassure him that when he is 40 he will know a few more.”

On a more serious note, Wenger said Arsenal were now well-placed to challenge for the title.

“Today we are in a much more competitive position to fight for the championship than five or six years ago,” he said. “I believe we have a competitive team in a very competitive league.

“I believe the team has the commitment, togetherness, hunger, desire and unity and we have a good chance to compete for the Premier League.”

Arsenal are at home to second-tier Reading in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

How Nigeria Can Get Out Of Recession – Obasanjo

For the country to get out of recession, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for an increase in the volume of trade internally and externally and the establishment of a commodity exchange to ensure stability in the prices of agricultural produce.

Obasanjo made the suggestion in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday during the opening of the 8th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment currently holding in the state capital.

He advised the government to also put in place an aggressive coastal shipping system to boost trans-African trade with other countries on the continent from the current 12 per cent to about 22 per cent.

He explained that there was a need to spend less on goods that the nation could do away with, earn more from the manufacturing sector and borrow to finance critical sectors of the economy.

The former President also advocated financial discipline with the necessary political will to implement the various policies and programmes of the government aimed at taking the country out of recession.

Obasanjo also kicked against the constituency projects by members of the National Assembly, saying this must stop.

In his address, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said that the current recession would be short-lived.

He said changes would come “once the Federal Government is able to resolve the issues concerning pipeline vandalism and focus on a sustainable diversification policy.”

Osinbajo said that the loss of about 60 per cent of the gas for power generation and 60 per cent of revenue were largely responsible for the economic challenges currently facing the country.

He dismissed predictions that the recession would last till around the year 2020 and assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would not rest until the problem was resolved.

Osinbajo expressed optimism that despite the drop in electricity generation to less than 3,000 megawatts, Nigeria could still meet the 7,000MW target by 2017.

He said work on critical transmission stations would be completed by the first quarter of next year.

He explained that the Federal Government was currently working on eight to nine transmission stations across the country to achieve the 7,000MW generation capacity.

“The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is equally working on increasing gas supplies to enable the Federal Government increase power supply throughout the country towards improving the energy needs of the country,” the vice president stated.

He lamented the menace of vandals, which he noted had caused the drop in gas supply to the power stations, adding that the Federal Government was already working on ways of ending the activities of vandals, which constituted an act of economic sabotage.

Osinbajo said the Federal Government was already encouraging a privately-owned refinery to refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day to ease the problem of petroleum products’ supply across the country.

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Reps Accuse MDAs, Insurance Firms Of Defrauding FG

The House of Representatives has uncovered alleged “fraudulent practices” perpetrated by insurance firms in connivance with Ministries, Departments and Agencies to defraud the Federal Government of billions of naira annually in insurance premiums.

An ad hoc committee of the House cited some of the practices on Monday as it grilled the chief executive officers of some insurance firms.

The committee, which is chaired by Mr. Adekunle Akinlade, observed that a practice common with most insurance firms was to receive premiums in excess of the amount due to them from the MDAs.

Lawmakers suspected that the overpayment of premiums might be a deliberate act by heads of MDAs, who would later retrieve the funds and convert them to private use.

Akinlade stated in his opening remarks as the probe got underway in Abuja, “It is noteworthy to state here that this ad hoc committee has no intention to go on a witch-hunt of any individual, group of persons or organisation but rather carry out its mandate within the ambit of the law, which is to establish that monies were paid to civil servants.

“Although, we have identified very alarming infractions running into billions of naira, they will not be made public at this point in time as we are still consulting with the relevant law enforcement agencies and financial institutions to ascertain the level of complicity of those involved.”

The first CEO grilled by the committee was the Managing Director of Standard Alliance Insurance, Mr. Bode Akinboye.

The committee pointed out several “infractions” in covers the firm signed with the MDAs.

In one instance, the firm invoiced N625,000 as gross premium on a vehicle worth N12.5m. It was insured by a Federal Medical Centre.

However, N900,000 was the eventual sum paid as premium, with a difference of N275,000.

Besides, the committee said the firm entered multiple covers but used a single policy number for all of them.

The committee noted, “The premium received is higher than the gross premium invoiced. Standard Alliance therefore claims to have received an amount in excess of their entitlements to the tune of N275,000 as contained in this report.”

In another instance in the Ministry of Works, the firm was paid N900,000 as against the N150,075 premium due to it, with a difference of N749,000.

The insured sum was N30m.

However, Akinboye argued with the committee members, saying that his firm applied the standard practice in insurance business.

He stated that policies involved other costs that could be added later to the premiums.

“There are payments for other classes of business,” he added.

But, there was drama when Akinboye could not defend the N128,666 invoiced as premium for an insured sum of “1, 580.”

The insured sum was also recorded in asterisk and neither the committee, nor the MD could establish whether it was in dollars or naira.

But, it was clear to both sides that the N128,666 premium was higher than the insured amount.

Akinlade asked, “How can the premium be higher than the sum insured? This is in respect of the Presidential Fleet. Was the 1,580 in dollars or naira? It is smaller than the premium of N128,666.”

Akinboye later said that it was in dollars.

“This must be a typographical error. The sum insured is in dollars, but definitely not 1,580,” he told the committee.

Another firm, Regency Alliance Insurance Plc, had similar issues of differences in invoiced premiums and the real premiums paid by MDAs.

The firm was represented by the Executive Director, Business Development, Mr. Sammy Olaniyi, and the ED, Operations, Mr. Akin Adelakun.

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AP: Polls show Clinton in commanding position in battle for 270

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Little more than two weeks before Election Day, Hillary Clinton is poised for success where it counts: the Electoral College.

The Democratic nominee enjoys big leads over Republican foe Donald Trump in states that add up to 213 electoral votes, acco"Clinton continues to hold a clear lead over Trump nationally, and her current advantage in battleground states would be enough to give her an electoral college victory in November," the Associated Press reports in its state-by-state analysis.

The AP also notes that Clinton is competitive and has a shot at other large states — notably Florida and Ohio — as well as a few traditionally Republican states like Arizona and North Carolina.

Trump, meanwhile, has solid leads in states with 106 electoral votes; he also leads in Republican-leaning states with 73 electoral votes. Those would give him a total of only 179 electoral votes.

Remember, popular votes don't elect presidents; state-by-state victories do.

The Associated Press breakdown:

SOLID DEMOCRATIC: California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state (213 total electoral votes).

LEANS DEMOCRATIC: Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin (59 total electoral votes).

TOSS-UP: Arizona, Florida, Maine 2nd District, Nebraska 2nd District, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah (87 total electoral votes).

LEANS REPUBLICAN: Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Texas (73 total electoral votes).

SOLID REPUBLICAN: Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming (106 total electoral votes).

Presidential Race Ratings

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 Presidential Race Ratings

263=======================Total D*

95========================Tos sup

180========================Total R*

Despite all I’ve been through, I’m happy –Tiwa Savage

Mavin’s first lady, Tiwa Savage, got so many mouths agape when she got an international deal so many of her colleagues only fantasise about.  The singer recently signed an international deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation Records and some people began to insinuate that the deal might tear Mavin apart just as such deal allegedly tore apart Mo’hit Records which was then run by D’banj and Don Jazzy.

But then, the singer said she wasn’t going to let such apprehension affect the advancement of her career even as she claimed she wouldn’t know what caused the rift between D’banj and Don Jazzy.

“I really don’t think the international deal was what broke Mo’Hits. I would not like to think that and I don’t think any of us can really talk about that issue because it is only the two of them that really know what happened between them. For me, this is a blessing and I would not allow something that happened before to make me nervous. Maybe this is a way for us to get a second chance as Nigerian artistes and second chances rarely happen,” she said.

The singer who has been through the eye of the storm due to her recent marriage crisis told Saturday Beatsthat despite everything that has happened in her life, she is still happy.

“I am very happy, I am blessed. I have a child and I have no reason why I should not be happy. I have a beautiful, healthy son and a loving family. My career is getting stronger by the day. I just signed an international deal, why shouldn’t I be happy?

“Not everybody loved Jesus Christ, so who is Tiwa Savage in the scheme of things? I am nobody. I am just somebody God has put a talent in. In all honesty, when I encounter negative criticisms, I just focus on the people that love me. You cannot make anyone love you, so I try not to convince people that don’t love me. I would rather focus on the people that love me and make sure I do not disappoint them,” she said.

Chukwu backs utility Moses for new Eagles role

christian Chukwu has defended Chelsea manager Antonio Conte’s decision to  convert Victor Moses into a wing-back at the London side.

Nigeria winger Moses, who spent the last three seasons on loan at Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham since his £9m move from Wigan in 2012, has   established himself as a regular at Chelsea, with his attacking and defending movements in Conte’s 3-4-3 formation helping the Blues to wins against Hull City, Leicester City and Manchester United.

Former  Nigeria  coach Chukwu, who has  expressed his excitement at Moses’ rising stock in the Premier League, says he will support any decision aimed at ensuring  that the player replicates  his form for  Chelsea  back at the  Super Eagles.

“Playing as a wing-back at Chelsea shows  that Moses is a utility player,” the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday.

“The most important thing is that he’s playing regularly for his club, it doesn’t matter if he’s playing a defensive role.

“The coach believes in him, hence he converted him into his new role in the team.”

The former Nigeria captain added, “It’s difficult to get utility players these days. We should be happy that Moses has proved himself as a utility player.

“It means if our coach (Gernot Rohr) no longer has confidence in any of his  fullbacks,  he can play Moses as a defender.”

Chukwu expressed his disappointment over the disparaging remarks the South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner has received in recent times over his attitude towards the national team.

He said, “Playing for Chelsea is different  from playing for the  Eagles. Moses’ teammates at Chelsea understand him better. The  Eagles will only win games if every player does his job well.”

The former Enugu Rangers captain and coach urged the Eagles to prepare well for their Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier against Algeria in Uyo on November 12, saying the Desert Foxes would aim for victory in the encounter.

He said, “It’s going to be a tough match for us. We should not underestimate them because  Algeria are stronger than Zambia.If we take the game seriously, we will beat them.”

 

FIBA Zone Three: Pillars beat Sportif

Defending champions of the men’s category of the FIBA Africa Zone Three Club Championships, Kano Pillars, on Saturday defeated Benin Republic’s Elan Sportif de Porto Novo 90-75.

The competition, which  began on Saturday,  will end on October 30 at the Stade Eyadema in Lome, Togo, with men and women’s teams from Niger, Benin, Nigeria, Ghana and Togo in attendance.

The competition will serve as qualifiers for the African Club Basketball Championships. Pillars won the 2015 edition in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Nigeria’s Women’s Basketball League runners-up Dolphins Basketball Club, withdrew from the competition and the country is represented by Pillars and Nigeria Customs in the men’s event while First Bank represent the country in the women’s event.

Nigerian champions Pillars banked on experience to beat their smaller and quicker opponents.

Pillars captain, Matthew Onmonya, led the floor with 22 points making some three point shots. Other players, who made double figures, were Gnimassou Joel of Elan Sportif with 18 points, Tossou Vivien of Elan with 19 points, Akpachi Romaric of the Beninese club with 16 points, while Yahaya Abdul of Kano Pillars also made 14 point.

Pillars will now take on AS Modele of Togo on Monday in their second game.

Recession: Dangote sacks 36 expatriates, 12 Nigerians

Dangote

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The current recession rocking the Nigerian economy has hit one of the biggest employers of labour in the country outside of the government as the Dangote Group, belonging to Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has fired 48 members of staff.

Our correspondents gathered that those sacked were made up of 36 expatriate and 12 Nigerian workers from the group’s headquarters and one of the subsidiaries, Dangote Cement Plc.

Though no official of the group was willing to speak on the matter on Sunday, one of our correspondents gathered from highly placed sources that the decision to sack the workers was not unconnected with the current high cost of running business in the country occasioned by the unavailability of foreign exchange and the unprecedented hike in the naira to dollar exchange rate.

It was further gathered that the huge amounts in foreign currencies being paid to the expatriate workers had become a burden on Dangote due to the steady depreciation in the value of the naira and the difficulties of raising enough dollars.

Consequently, the industrialist, according to sources, has decided to replace the expatriates with Nigerians, who have acquired the requisite experience on the job, as paying them in naira will be less problematic.

For the affected Nigerians, it was gathered that most of them had disciplinary issues, which made it easy for the group to do away with their services.

When contacted on Sunday, the Group Head, Corporate Communications, Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina, said he could not speak on the development.

However, in a letter signed by the President/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, dated Thursday, October 20, 2016,the firm stated that it was constrained to take the “tough” decision as economic factors had affected the cost of production.

The letter, which was titled: ‘Recent Retirement Exercise’, however, appreciated those affected for their contributions to the growth of the group.

The letter read in part, “This year has been a very challenging year for us as a business. The unavailability of foreign exchange coupled with an unprecedented hike in the exchange rate has resulted in increased costs across the organisation.

“This called for a proper review and adjustment of our costs across board to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the deployment of our factors of production in a bid to eliminate redundancies that we know exist, which resulted in some tough decisions, which means losing staff, including some of our colleagues.

“On Friday, October 14, 2016, we began the process of staff cutbacks as it is imperative to review our human capital deployment for the required cutbacks that would ensure efficiency and eliminate redundancies in the allocation of human resources.

“This first phase of this exercise involved the cutback of 36 expatriate staff across the Dangote Cement Plc and Dangote Industries Limited, and 12 local staff members in Dangote Industries Limited.”

As an organisation with international operations, the group promised that it would continue to review and restructure its human capital deployment to ensure “optimal allocation of skill sets and size of the workforce each function requires.”

The group urged the workers to shun lateness, improper dressing and other unsavoury behaviours in the workplace.

Bloomberg had in its latest ‘Billionaire Index’ reported that Dangote had lost $5.4bn of his fortune this year due to the fall in the value of the naira and the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to ration dollars to stem huge capital outflows in the wake of Nigeria’s worst economic crisis.

Dangote had recently urged the Federal Government to sell off the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company and other dormant but huge capital-generating enterprises and reinvest the proceeds in the economy to bring the country out of the current economic recession before the end of the fourth quarter.

Dansa Foods Nigeria Limited, which claims to be a member of the Dangote Group, has reportedly been unable to pay its workers for the past six months.

The company is being run by Alhaji Sani Dangote, a brother of Aliko, who is the Executive Chairman, with Aliko’s shares embedded in the firm.

Multiple sources in the Dangote Group claimed that Dansa Foods was not part of the group but was an independent company owned and run by Aliko’s brother.

However, in a statement announcing its participation at the just concluded Lagos International Trade Fair, the group listed some of its subsidiaries as Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Agrosacks, NASCON Allied Industries Plc (Dangote Salt), Dangote Rice Limited, Dangote Cement Plc and Dansa Foods Limited.

It was reported that the company, which produces Dansa Juice and other goods, had laid off more than half of the workforce following dwindling sales and high cost of production caused by high exchange rate of the naira.

It was gathered that the company had suspended the production of Dansa Juice and other products, and was only producing Mowa Bottle Water.

Tricyclist abduct girl, rapes her

A tricycle rider, popularly called, “Keke Marwa”, has reportedly been apprehended by operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command for allegedly abducting a 15 – year old girl and turning her into sex slave.

According to a press statement by the RRS, the suspect, Dada Azeez, 28, reportedly abducted Bukunmi on October 5 while on errand for her aunt in Agege area before the RRS operatives rescued her on October 21th, 2016 from his hideout in Agege.
The alleged abduction of the girl was disclosed by her sister, Mrs Gbemisola, who stated that the girl was abducted with a sum of N58,000 meant for her thrift contribution.
The suspect, after weeks of lodging in several locations to evade arrest, was eventually nabbed by the operatives at his residence at 7, Oseni Street, Danjuma Cinema area, Agege with the girl in his one room apartment.
Confessing to the crime, the suspect disclosed that he wooed the girl when she was 14 years old at her sister’ shop in Agege.
“We started having secret affair about a year ago. But her sister frowned at our relationship when she got to know.
” Unknown to her, we were still seeing each other. In order to be having regular conversation with her, I bought a mobile phone for her and instructed her to hide it from her sister. So, whenever she intended coming to meet me, she will call and I will describe our meeting point for her”.
He added “then I thought if she could elope with me that would be better for us. I started working on her psyche and deceiving her with some material things”.
“I was able to perpetrate the crime when her sister sent her on errand on one Sunday afternoon. However, I didn’t know she was with such amount of money. I just wanted to take her far away from her guardian for not supporting our relationship,” he revealed.
Narrating her ordeal, Bukunmi noted that the suspect forcefully deflowered her, adding that, he turned her to a sex slave.
According to her,” he forced himself on me the very first day I visited him at his residence. Ever since, he has been having sex with me without wearing condom.”
He slept with me anywhere and even at his friends’ place where he hid me for weeks. I succumbed to him because I couldn’t go back home”.
She said that the suspect collected the N58,000 her sister gave her. “He fed me thrice a day probably from that thrift contribution money”, she added.
The victim, who looked pale when he was arrested, said that, she eloped with him out of ignorance.
Also arrested along with him, was one of his friends, Wasiu Agunbiade, who aided the abduction by accommodating the suspect and the teenager in his one-room apartment in Agege.
He said that he only accommodated them for a night, adding that he never knew he abducted the little girl.
“If I had known the girl was abducted, I would have advised him to return her to her parents. I never believed he could commit such crime.
He begged me to accommodate them for one night with her in my room, stressing, “he left my place the following day to somewhere else. I regretted allowing them to pass the night in my place”.
In her reaction, sister of the abducted girl, who was so elated upon seeing her niece, said that the family will take her to hospital for medical check-up.
While confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, warned parents and guardians against exposing their wards and children to social vices around their environment.
The suspect, friend and the abducted girl have been transferred to the Divisional Police Office in Agege where the case was initially reported before RRS operatives took it up and rescued the girl.

83 Nigerian soldiers missing after Boko Haram attack

A soldier walks past a checkpoint in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria on Aug. 31, 2016. Senior military officers say 83 soldiers are missing after Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked a remote base in northeastern Nigeria. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

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Senior military officers say 83 soldiers are missing after Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked a remote base in northeastern Nigeria.

Officers said the soldiers were unable to fight back because they were poorly equipped. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to give information to reporters.

• Vigilantes are in the fight against Boko Haram

Army spokesman Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman said last week that some soldiers were missing and 13 wounded when the insurgents attacked their base in Gashigar village, on the border with Niger, on Oct. 17. Usman has not responded to requests for comment about the actual number missing.

Officers say dozens of fleeing troops jumped into the Niger River and 22 were pulled from the water by soldiers from the neighbouring country. They say many may have drowned.

The fight for arms

President Muhammadu Buhari promised to better arm Nigeria's military when he was elected in March 2015, blaming corruption for the deaths of thousands, including soldiers in the seven-year-old Islamic insurgency that has killed more than 20,000 people.

Billions of dollars meant to buy arms were stolen or diverted to the presidential campaign of former president Goodluck Jonathan, according to ongoing court cases.

A man cycles past a military truck in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria on Aug. 31, 2016. President Muhammadu Buhari promised to better arm Nigeria's military when he was elected in March 2015. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

Military officers also are currently facing courts-martial for allegedly selling arms and ammunition to Boko Haram, indicating the corruption bedeviling the country's fight against the Islamic extremists continues despite government efforts to halt graft.

Still, the military in the past year has succeeded in dislodging the insurgents from most towns and villages where they had set up an Islamic caliphate. But the extremists continue to attack remote villages and main roads that they have mined. Nigeria's army has reported thwarting and killing several suicide bombers in the past month.

Thousands join local militias

During its seven-year uprising, Boko Haram extremists have more than 2.6 million in Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Frustrated by the ineffective military response, thousands of ordinary residents in northeastern Nigeria joined local militias.

In Borno, most signed up for the same one as Mbasaru's husband, the "Civilian JTF," a play on the acronym used to describe the joint military and police taskforce in the region.

A member of a civilian vigilante group holds a hunting rifle while a woman pumps water into jerrycans in Kerawa, Cameroon, on March 16, 2016. Kerawa is on the border with Nigeria and is subject to frequent Boko Haram attacks. Outside Nigeria, Cameroon has been hardest hit by Boko Haram. (Joe Penney/Reuters)

Often armed with only machetes, iron bars and batons, the men worked to round up suspected Boko Haram fighters and intercept suicide bombers. They soon became targets, and since 2013 nearly 700 have been killed, according to Jibrin Gunda, legal adviser to Civilian JTF.

While praising the sacrifice of the fighters, the government has done very little to help their families adjust to life without them, Gunda said.

"Many of them had wives and many children. They had their aged parents who were part of their dependents, and who are now bereaved," Gunda said.

The United Nations has already warned that tens of thousands among the 2.6 million people forced from their homes by the insurgency are facing famine-like conditions that already are killing children.

Widows say aid is overdue

After her husband was killed by a Boko Haram suicide bomber late last year, Hajjagana Mbasaru was forced to pull her children from school and rely on friends to feed them.

Like other widows of civilians fighting the Islamic extremists in northern Nigeria, she spent long months waiting for any kind of government support.

Finally, last week, officials in northeastern Borno state stepped up with a small handout: two bags of rice and some beans. Though modest, Mbasaru said it was a welcome change from months of being ignored.

"I am indeed very happy that, for once, the government has remembered me," Mbasaru said.

Women gather at a water collecting point at the internally displaced people's camp in Bama, Borno State, Nigeria, on Aug. 31, 2016. Last week, officials in northeastern Borno state stepped up with a small handout for widows of civilians who fought Islamic extremists. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

Larger aid program planned

Last week's distribution of food is part of a broader program intended to make up for that neglect, said Satomi Ahmad, executive chairman of Borno's emergency management agency. More than 150 widows such as Mbasaru were selected to be part of the first round of beneficiaries, and more will be included in the weeks to come, he said.

It was not clear whether families would get just one distribution of food or be able to receive the handouts multiple times.

• Nigerians forced to flee Boko Haram now face another risk — starvation


• Nigeria's Boko Haram kills 49 in suicide bombings

The idea originated with current vigilante fighters who pleaded for support for the families of their fallen comrades, Ahmad said.

"We immediately welcomed the idea because these are youth who volunteered to sacrifice their lives in safeguarding the territorial integrity and internal security of our nation. And the majority of them were breadwinners for their families," he said.

That was the case for Hauwa Li's husband, a businessman who died fighting Boko Haram last year.

A woman carries dried grass on her head in a community for internally displaced people in Maiduguri, Nigeria, on March 9, 2016. A Nigerian government push to strangle Boko Haram shut down Maiduguri's cattle trade, leaving many residents with no livelihood. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

"He joined the militia because, at the time, Boko Haram were just killing everyone," Li said. "About 20 months ago, when they set out for the bush, he didn't come back alive. They brought his corpse alongside others who were killed."

Li, a 30-year-old homemaker, was left alone to support six children under 12. She has worked to find odd jobs to help her family, but she often falls short. "The days we sleep with hunger are more than the days we have our stomachs filled up," she said.

• Boko Haram leader fatally wounded in 'spectacular' air raid, Nigeria says


• Boko Haram attack leaves 86 dead in northeast Nigeria village

Though they were surprised not to have received any state aid earlier, the widows who picked up food last week said their families are grateful for the help.

Fadi Ali, a 41-year-old widow with 10 children, held back tears as she looked at the bags of food that had been placed at her feet. "God has made provisions for every mouth that needs to eat," she said.

A girl displaced by Islamist extremists carries empty plastic containers at a camp Maiduguri, Nigeria, on Aug. 28, 2016. (Sunday Alamba/Associated Press)

In addition to helping these families, Ahmad said officials hoped the food distribution program will motivate the civilian defence fighters who are still battling the extremists: "We believe it will help to boost the morale of those who are still active in the ongoing war against terrorism."

• Boko Haram loses 143 fighters in military camp attack: Cameroon government

Clinton and Democrats are looking past Trump, focusing on winning House and Senate seats

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wave following a campaign event in Charlotte, N.C., in July. (Susan Walsh/Associated Press)

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Hillary Clinton says she doesn't "even think about responding" to Donald Trump anymore and would instead spend the final weeks on the road "emphasizing the importance of electing Democrats down the ballot."

The shifting political map has now freed her and her well-funded campaign to spend time and money helping other Democrats in competitive races to help them seize the Senate and chip away at the Republican-controlled House.

"We're running a co-ordinated campaign, working hard with gubernatorial, Senate and House candidates," said Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager.

• How Trump's campaign could cost the Republicans their majority in Congress

And for good reason.

After a merciless two-year campaign, the next president will face the daunting task of governing a bitterly divided nation. If Clinton wins, her prospects for achieving her goals will be greatly diminished unless her victory is accompanied by major Democratic gains in Congress.

"We've got to do the hard and maybe most important work of healing, healing our country," Clinton said Sunday at Union Baptist Church in Durham, N.C.

Battling Trump's 'rigged' election claims

For Democrats, there's another reason to try to run up the score. With Trump warning he may contest the race's outcome if he loses, Clinton's campaign is hoping for an overwhelming Democratic victory that would undermine any attempt by Trump to claim the election had been stolen from him.

If Clinton wins, Democrats would need a net gain of four Senate seats to retake the majority. House control would be much harder, considering Republicans currently enjoy their largest House majority since 1931. Democrats would need a 30-seat gain, a feat they haven't accomplished in roughly four decades.

• Trump's election-rigging charge is 'ridiculous,' Obama says

In a rare admission of fallibility by the typically boastful Trump, his campaign acknowledged he's trailing Clinton as Nov. 8 nears.

"We are behind. She has some advantages," Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said. Still, she added, "We're not giving up. We know we can win this."

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in June in Phoenix. Trump's campaign recently acknowledged he's trailing Clinton as Election Day nears in a rare admission of fallibility by the typically boastful candidate. (Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press)

Trump's slump in the polls come as sexual assault allegations continue to dog his campaign. On Sunday, one of his accusers, Jill Harth, said she'd countersue after Trump said he'd sue all of his accusers once the election is over.

Harth and her attorney, Lisa Bloom, responded to Trump on Twitter with a statement saying  they will "counter sue for the emotional hurt and lost income his attacks have caused" Harth.

View image on Twitter

Follow

Lisa Bloom

✔@LisaBloom

BREAKING: my client Jill Harth and I respond to Trump's insults and threats yesterday. Spoiler: not backing down.

1:32 PM - 23 Oct 2016

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  1,2071,207 Retweets


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  1,7591,759 likes

Harth, a former Trump beauty pageant business associate, filed a $125 million US lawsuit in 1997 against Trump alleging that on Jan. 24, 1993, at Trump's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, Trump forcibly moved her to a bedroom, where she was subjected to his "unwanted sexual advances."

Follow

Lisa Bloom

✔@LisaBloom

My law firm will proudly represent any accusers sued by Donald Trump and crowd fund defense costs. Can’t wait to take his deposition!

12:49 PM - 22 Oct 2016

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Disputes over Trump strategy

Clinton's nascent focus on helping fellow Democrats comes with an inherent contradiction. For months, she deliberately avoided the strategy employed by other Democrats of trying to saddle all Republicans with an unpopular Trump.

Painting Trump as beyond the typical Republican was a strategy intended to help Clinton win over voters who identify as Republicans but dislike Trump. Yet it's been a major sore point for Democratic campaign groups, illustrated by an internal Democratic National Committee email in May that was hacked and later disclosed by WikiLeaks.

"They don't want us to tie Trump to other Republicans because they think it makes him look normal," top DNC official Luis Miranda wrote under the subject line "Problem with HFA," an acronym for Hillary For America.

Hacked emails disclosed by WikiLeaks show that painting Trump as beyond the typical Republican was a strategy that has been a major sore point for Democratic campaign groups. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)

Andrea Bozek of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate Republican's campaign arm, said Clinton's last-minute push to aid Democrats was insufficient to make up for her party's shortfalls in recruiting competitive candidates this year.

"Democrats have relied on political gravity from the presidential race to carry them across the finish line," Bozek said.

Indeed, as Clinton campaigned in North Carolina, where Democrats hope to unseat Republican Senator Richard Burr, Clinton's argument appeared to rest on the hopes that voters offended by Trump would vote against Burr, too. She said Democratic candidate and American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Deborah Ross knows that Trump "is wrong for America."

"Unlike her opponent, Debra has never been afraid to stand up to Donald Trump," Clinton said.

Obama campaigns for Senate seats

Clinton isn't the only Democrat putting a premium on down-ballot races. President Barack Obama's recent itinerary has focused on competitive White House states that also have close Senate races.

Obama flew Sunday to Nevada to campaign for the Democratic Senate candidate there before heading to California to raise money for House Democrats. He and Vice-President Joe Biden have recorded ads, raised money and campaigned in person for dozens of Democratic candidates this year.

In Nevada, the president is trying to help Democrats retain the seat of the Senate's top Democrat, Harry Reid, who is serving out his fifth term before retiring.

President Barack Obama arrives to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base on Sunday. Obama headed to Nevada to boost Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and help Democrats in their bid to retake control of the Senate. (Susan Walsh/Associated Press)

The president was scheduled to speak at a rally at a Las Vegas-area high school for Clinton and Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto, a former state attorney general whose opponent is Republican Rep. Joe Heck.

Late Sunday, Obama planned to speak at an event in San Diego to benefit the organization that leads party efforts to election Democrats to the House. His schedule included fundraisers in Los Angeles on Monday and Tuesday.

Polls indicate that the presidential and Senate races in Nevada are extremely tight. Reid's seat is considered the only one Republicans could reasonably flip to their side this election. Outside groups have spent tens of millions of dollars trying to influence the outcome.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada arrives before the third presidential debate at UNLV in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Obama is trying to help Democrats retain the seat of the Senate's top Democrat, Harry Reid, who is serving out his fifth term before retiring. (Joe Raedle/Pool/Associated Press)

Heck, now in his third House term, is trying to distance himself from Trump. Two weeks ago, Heck said: "I cannot, in good conscience, continue to support him nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton."

But Obama is working to tie Republican candidates to Trump every chance he gets. "I mean, I know that some of them now are walking away. But why did it take you this long?" Obama said during a speech in Miami this past week when he criticized Senator Marco Rubio.

• 'Stop whining' about U.S. elections being rigged, Obama tells Trump

Democrats need to pick up five seats to gain the majority in the Senate, or four if they hang onto control of the White House. The vice-president casts tie-breaking votes in the Senate.

How Trump's campaign could cost the Republicans their majority in Congress

If Donald Trump's polling numbers don't improve, and soon, he won't win the White House.

But if the bottom continues to fall out of his campaign, he might drag the Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives down along with him.

Americans will not only be voting for their next president on Nov. 8. They will also be filling many other offices, ranging from county sheriff to state governor. The most important races after the presidency, however, will be in the two chambers of the U.S. Congress.

Every two years, one-third of the seats in the Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs. The Republicans have controlled both chambers since the 2014 midterm elections.

The Senate was always going to be hotly contested in this campaign. But the House has been considered safe for the Republicans, thanks in part to the highly politicized electoral boundaries that tend to benefit them disproportionately.

But with Trump's poll numbers dropping fast, the House may be in play.

• ANALYSIS| Why Ohio is crucial for Trump


• Presidential Poll Tracker| Check out the latest projections

According to the Presidential Poll Tracker, the margin between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has more than doubled to five points in the past two weeks. Over that time, Trump has put up two poor debate performances and his campaign has been thrown into chaos by the release of a 2005 video in which Trump makes lewd and offensive comments about women.

Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives and one of the leading figures in the Republican Party, has said he will no longer defend Trump. Instead, he will focus on defending the Republican majority in the House. And with good reason.

A House divided

In order to wrestle the House away from the Republicans, the Democrats will need a net gain of some 30 seats. That's a tall order. Perhaps three dozen seats can be considered toss-ups or competitive and the Democrats will need to win almost all of them. Though the party is expected to make significant gains, few forecasts currently foresee the Democrats winning enough seats to take the House.

The polls suggest the Democrats are nonetheless on track to win the most votes at the congressional district level. The Huffington Post'sPollster shows the Democrats lead the Republicans by a margin of 45 to 41 per cent on a generic national House ballot.

• ANALYSIS l Trump trade talk untimely as softwood deal ends

That lead has held steady in the polls throughout this volatile presidential campaign, suggesting voters are not reacting as dramatically in their voting intentions for the House as they are for the White House.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has distanced himself from Trump's presidential campaign. (Anthony Wahl/Associated Press)

But a four-point Democratic edge nationwide won't be enough to win a majority in the House of Representatives. The party won the popular vote in 2012, for instance, but the Republicans still won the majority of seats. The last time the Democrats did win the House, in 2008, the party bested the Republicans by 10 points.

As the vote in the House of Representatives generally tracks the presidential vote, Clinton's five-point lead over Trump likely won't be enough.

But if Clinton's lead over Trump continues to grow — a few recent polls have put her lead in the double-digits — then the prospects for the Democrats improve significantly. If she beats Trump by a similar margin to Barack Obama's seven-point defeat of John McCain in 2008, Paul Ryan may find himself back in the minority.

Senate majority in jeopardy

If things go badly enough for the Republicans that they lose the House, the Senate will have been lost long before.

The Democrats need a net gain of only four seats in the Senate to win back their majority (assuming Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, as a tie is broken by the vice-president). The 34 Senate seats up for election this year were last up for grabs in 2010, which was a bad year for the Democrats. The Republicans are the incumbent party in 24 of those seats, meaning they will be on the defensive.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, appears on stage with Nevada Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Feb. 18. (David Becker/Reuters)

Two Republican seats look like easy pickings for the Democrats: Illinois and Wisconsin. But the Democrats might be in trouble in Nevada, where Senate minority leader Harry Reid is retiring. Polls have shown Republican Joe Heck ahead of the Democrats' Catherine Cortez Masto.

That means the Democrats need to identify three other seats they can win. They have options in Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina and possibly Missouri.

• Presidential Poll Tracker| State-by-state projections

But the polls have been very close in some of these states. Three surveys conducted in October in Pennsylvania have either given Republican incumbent Pat Toomey the lead, put Democrat Katie McGinty ahead, or have shown the two in a tie.

Polls in New Hampshire have alternated between giving the advantage to Republican incumbent Kelly Ayotte and Democratic challenger Maggie Hassan.

The Democrats in both Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, however, are likely to be boosted by Clinton's strong local support. But the Senate race in North Carolina could be as close as the national race.

• 4 tumultuous days on the U.S. election campaign trail


• 8 moments from a bitter presidential town hall debate


• ANALYSIS| Runaway Trump train divides Republican Party

That is, if the national race doesn't continue to move in Clinton's direction. If Trump's numbers keep sliding, he is likely to depress Republican turnout. Paul Ryan and others — including Ayotte, Heck and Mark Kirk of Illinois — may have given up trying to get people to vote for Trump, but they still need voters to tramp out to the polls to cast a ballot for Republican Senate and House candidates.

By giving Donald Trump the keys to their party, the Republicans may have locked themselves out of the White House. Over the next four weeks, they will have an uphill fight keeping the doors to both chambers of Congress pried open, too.

Clinton and Democrats are looking past Trump, focusing on winning House and Senate seats

X Factor stars Nathan Lewis and Sam Lavery caught romping in cupboard in late-night rendezvous

X FACTOR hopefuls Nathan Lewis and Sam Lavery romped backstage in a cupboard at last weekend’s show.

The pair face a dressing down from bosses after production staff spotted them emerging from the tiny room.

Cosy . . . Nathan Lewis and Sam Lavery were caught romping backstage

SPLASH NEWS

Nathan with band 5 After Midnight performing on tonight’s live finals

SPLASH NEWS

Sam has grown close to the boy band member during the course of the show

SPLASH NEWS

Nathan allegedly ‘always’ sneaks off with Sam for backstage romps

SPLASH NEWS

Sam has been told off for disappearing with Nathan

Last week X Factor bosses had to warn fellow hopefuls Ryan Lawrie and Emily Middlemas about their romance.

SPLASH NEWS

Sweethearts . . . X Factor lovebirds Ryan Lawrie and Emily Middlemas

FAME FLYNET

Musical couple . . . X Factor finalists stunned by the pair's 'frisky behaviour'

Ryan and Emily began dating during the auditions.

But a spokesman last night insisted Sam and Nathan are “close, but just friends”.